A Gift From Fr Lynch

An excellent gift
I wanted to pass along a memory of Fr Shane Lynch, our former Old Forge Pastor.  One Summer I volunteered to help paint the basement of Saint Bartholomew’s Church.  On the last day of painting there was a pile of 15-20 books set on the table and Fr Lynch invited us to take one as a thank you for our work.  It was a very nice-looking book bound in imitation leather, but I had no idea of the real value of this gift.  I am sure, however, that Fr Lynch did, as he most likely anted up the five hundred dollars or so to buy them out of his own pocket.  The book was entitled "A Year with Mary: Daily Meditations on the Mother of God " and it contains the writings from over 150 of the greatest saints in history, carefully edited for the modern reader to address a common theme -The supreme importance of concentrating ourselves to Mary so that as our Mother, she can lead us quickly and easily to her son Jesus.  I am now on my sixth year of reading and re-reading this one book, and every-time I open a page, new insights are revealed in the most poetic and beautiful language - it keeps giving year after year after year and has the power to transform lives. 

Of Mary there is never enough

God willed out of respect for Mary’s humility that very little should be written about her in the Gospel.  As a result, the only witness we have to the Great Mother of God is through subsequent revelation, Tradition, and the Saints.  But most of us either do not know who these Saints were, are not capable of understanding their writings, or even where to start.  But we have in Paul Thigpen the author of a year with Mary, a world-famous writer who researched the important Marion Saints for us and found and translated their writings into modern English.  The result is pure poetry, but the references to some of the more important writings like “The Imitations of Christ”, or the “Glories of Mary” will undoubtably inspire you to go further and further and further to realize the moto of the book: “Of Mary there is never enough”. - St Bernard of Clairvaux

But I have calmed my soul like a child quieted at its mothers' breast
I would like to share one of the daily readings with you titled "Imitate Mary’s response at the Annunciation” from “Reverence due to the Virgin Mary" by St John Henry Newman. (short excerpts of the book are within stated copyrights.)  This passage follows todays (Nov 26th) Gospel describing the tribulations predicted by Jesus at the second coming (Lk 21:34-36).

"Grow in holiness through the everyday challenges of life, so that it won't be necessary for God to purify us through great adversity" ... The highest graces of the soul may be matured in private, and without those fierce trials to which many are exposed for their sanctification.  The aids which God gives under the gospel covenant have the power to renew and purify our hearts without uncommon Providences to discipline us into receiving them.  When we quench the grace of Baptism, then it is that we need severe trials to restore us.  This is the case of the multitude whose best estate is that of chastisement, repentance, supplication, and absolution again and again.  But there are those who go in a calm and unswerving course, learning day by day to love him who has redeemed them and overcoming the sin of their nature by his heavenly grace as the various temptations to evil successively present themselves.  Of these undefiled followers of the Lamb, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the chief.  St Newman goes on to recommend us to Mary just as St Louis, St Alphonsus Liguouri, St John Paul II  and countless others have done - The imitation of Mary, they confess is the quickest, surest, and easiest way to find Jesus and ensure your salvation. “Lord, let me be still before you with my mother Mary, let me pray with the psalmist "My heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised to high. But I have calmed my soul, like a child quieted at its mother’s breast. (Ps 131:1-2)

A lifetime of Marion prayers and devotions from the greatest Saints in the Catholic Church
You will not be sorry if you read this book.  But like the Gospel – before you read a passage you should pray to the Holy Spirit for understanding so the Saints words may be revealed.  At first you may be like my sister-in-law Claire  "I don't get it " but be persistent and you will be enlightened and introduced to a wealth of spiritual material from the greatest Saints who ever lived like The Glories of Mary (St Alphonsus), Total Concentration to Mary (St Louis) , Meditations and Devotions (St John Newman) "Homilies on the Dormition" St John Damascus, "The Spiritual Exercises" St Ignatius Loyola, "Redemptoris Mater" St John Paul II, "Little Book of Eternal Wisdom" Blessed Henry Suso,"Imitations of Christ"  Thomas a'Kempis,  and hundreds of others.

A cigar from your own box
Give this gift to yourself for Christmas - The imitation leather bound book can be found on Amazon for $25 (Fr Lynch paid at least $45) "A Year with Mary" Daily Meditations on the Mother of God (Paul Thigpen PHd)

“Hail Mary, you who are blest, in the message Gabriel brought; blest, by the work the Spirt wrought; from whom the great Desire of earth took human flesh  and human birth.”

Hymn by Venantius Fortunatus