Saturday, August 05, 2006

Our Lady of the Snows...no, she's not the patron saint of snow days

JMJ

Today (this morning to be more specific) is the memorial of the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major...also known as the Church of St. Mary of the Snows. According to tradition, the basilica is built on the Esquiline hill in Rome because of a miraculous snowfall on this date in the 300's.

Mass today was a good time (as always...I mean, it doesn't get better than Mass this side of Heaven, right?). Some thoughts from the homily:

Satan conforms his temptations to the person he's tempting. He tries to hit us where we're week, like he hit Eve in the garden of Eden. While the original sin was primarily an act of disobedience, gluttony was also a factor. The apple was "pleasing to the eyes." This is why it makes so much sense that gluttony is tied into so many other vices like lust and sloth (I thought that was interesting). Jesus (the new Adam) was our redeemer and He chose to come through us through Mary (the new Eve). We should approach Mary as the mediatrix of grace to gain strength to overcome our temptations that the head of the serpent might be finally crushed and the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary will triumph.

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