THE NINE WAYS OF PRAYER

October 30

The Third Way of Prayer

Saint Dominic would rise from the ground and give himself the discipline after the days prayers. He did this with an iron chain, saying, “Thy discipline has corrected me unto the end” [Ps. 17:36]. This is why the Order decreed, in memory of his example, that all the brethren should receive the discipline with wooden switches upon their shoulders as they were bowing down in worship and reciting the psalm “Miserere” or “De Profundis” after Compline on ferial days. This is performed for their own faults or for those of others whose alms they receive and rely upon. No matter how sinless a brother may be, he is not to desist from this holy example given by the blessed Saint Dominic.

THE NINE WAYS OF PRAYER

Saint Dominic

October 25th

The First Way:

SAINT DOMINIC’S first way of prayer was to humble himself before the altar as if Christ, signified by the altar, were truly and personally present and not in symbol alone. He would say with Judith: “O Lord, God, the prayer of the humble and the meek hath always pleased Thee [Judith 9:16]." It was through humility that the Canaanite woman and the prodigal son obtained what they desired; as for me, “I am not worthy that Thou shouldst come under my roof” [Matt. 8:8] for “I have been humbled before you exceedingly, O Lord [Ps. 118:107].”In this way our holy father, standing erect, bowed his head and humbly considering Christ, his Head, compared his lowliness with the excellence of Christ. He then gave himself completely in showing his veneration. The brethren were taught to do this whenever they passed before the humiliation of the Crucified One in order that Christ, so greatly humbled for us, might see us humbled before his majesty. And he commanded the friars to humble themselves in this way before the entire Trinity whenever they chanted solemnly: “Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.” In this manner of profoundly inclining his head, as shown in the drawing, Saint Dominic began his prayer.

© 1964 THE THOMIST PRESS

The Second Way:

SAINT DOMINIC used to pray by throwing himself outstretched upon the ground, lying on his face. He would feel great remorse in his heart and call to mind those words of the Gospel, saying sometimes in a voice loud enough to be heard: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” [Luke 18:13] With devotion and reverence he repeated that verse of David: “I am he that has sinned, I have done wickedly.” [II Kings 24:17]. Then he would weep and groan vehemently and say: “I am not worthy to see the heights of heaven because of the greatness of my iniquity, for I have aroused thy anger and done what is evil in thy sight”(28). From the psalm: “Deus auribus nostris audivimus” he said fervently and devoutly: “For our soul is cast down to the dust, our belly is flat on the earth!” [Ps. 43:25]. To this he would add: “My soul is prostrate in the dust; quicken thou me according to thy word” [Ps. 118:25].Wishing to teach the brethren to pray reverently, he would sometimes say to them: When those devout Magi entered the dwelling they found the child with Mary, his mother, and falling down they worshipped him. There is no doubt that we too have found the God-Man with Mary, his handmaid. “Come, let us adore and fall down in prostration before God, and let us weep before God, and let us weep before the Lord that made us” [Ps. 94:61. He would also exhort the young men, and say to them: If you cannot weep for your own sins because you have none, remember that there are many sinners who can be disposed for mercy and charity. It was for these that the prophets lamented; and when Jesus saw them, he wept bitterly. The holy David also wept as he said: “I beheld the transgressors and began to grieve” [Ps. 118:158].

© 1964 THE THOMIST PRESS

The Sacrifice of the Mass

"In the sacrament he is immolated for the people not only on every Easter Solemnity but on every day; and a man would not be lying if, when asked, he were to reply that Christ is being immolated. For if sacraments had not a likeness to those things of which they are sacraments, they would not be sacraments at all; and they generally take the names of those same things by reason of this likeness"

__(St. Augustin Letters 98:9 [A.D. 412]).

Saint Wilfrid of York

St. Wilfrid of York
Feast :October 12

October 12

Heavenly Father, Shepherd of your people, we thank you for your servant the faithful bishop Saint Wilfrid, who ever dutiful in the care and nurture of your flock, persevered in the true Faith always. We pray that, following his example and the teaching of his holy life, we may by your grace grow into the stature of the fulness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

The restoration of the Roman Rite

"Omni Extra"
Archbishop Marini sealing the Conclave
of April 2005 that elected H.H. Benedict XVI.

October 1:

Vatican, Oct. 1, 2007 (see CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI has replaced Archbishop Piero Marini, Papal master of ceremonies since the pontificate of PopeJohn Paul II.

A leading disciple and private secretary to Archbishop Annibale Bugnini head of the Concilium and chief architect of the liturgical changes following Vatican II.

Archbishop Marini was noted for his penchant for liturgical innovation. Since the election of Benedict XVI as Supreme Pontiff in April 2005, Vatican-watchers had speculated that Archbishop Marini would be replaced by someone more sympathetic to the present Pope's restoration of the Roman Rite.

Archbishop Piero Marini has been replaced by Guido Marini of the Genoa archdiocese, an outstanding Liturgist in his own right.

The incoming chief liturgist for the Vatican, has been serving as chancellor and chief liturgist for the Archdiocese of Genoa. In those capacities he served closely with the former archbishop-- and current Vatican Secretary of State-- Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone