MikeLigalig.com

A view of downtown Iloilo City 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m96xOQCq3lE#

Do yo know of this song?

i hope it is the honey bahalina from the bohol bee farm.

Welcome, Ching !

na manyakis na sigoro si ondoy....

handsome eyes...

Quote from: islander on March 23, 2012, 11:32:58 AM
i hope he's as old as yoda.

Ha! I bet blackie is also strong with the force 

Force as in pulling the leash ...bwahahaha!

Luoya kaayo! Thank goodness the kid is safe !

Ambisyosong oroy ! pag study na lang doy, kai makakita bitaw kag gwapa sa biology class

Quote from: bugsay on March 23, 2012, 11:16:25 AM

Ayhan! sakit gid sa tagipusuon ! Dalagan Dalagan gid si toto pero lagson ka ni inday!

Quote from: chicogon on March 23, 2012, 10:10:13 AM
Pwede pod pinakurat, OYY! BALA!!! 

Hahahaha murag ilonggo man ni da!

Huod gid bala

Quote from: islander on March 23, 2012, 10:29:45 AM
pareha sila ka-cute ni blackie.

haaa! aylabeeet! so cute! how old is blackie, isles?

Quote from: bugsay on March 23, 2012, 10:09:28 AM
cute kaayo si whity.......

azkal ni doc lorenz?

hahaha! kuan ni siya, bai bugsay, black labrador retriever. cute bitaw noh?

Bai Bugsay, are you sure you didn't mean to say, "A LAB YO!"

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8

Quote from: islander on March 16, 2012, 03:58:11 PM

goya and max: they were the size of a fist, dehydrated and thrown in a box in a manila street.  they were about to go to a stray dog; one never knows what would happen next.  i had no choice.  i happen to be at the wrong place, wrong time (or is it the other way, right place, right time?).  right now they're sitting on my lap.

Adorable !

Quote from: islander on March 23, 2012, 09:14:16 AM
i've had these experiences countless of times.  often, i attribute them to esp, relegating angels to my mind's back burner.  ingrate. 

doubtless mothers are always right.  don't be afraid, your guardian angel is walking with you, my mother said when i first tried to walk to school alone.   

that is beautiful. your mom must have been a wonderful woman...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipl-rLRxOrs&feature=player_embedded#!

Pope St. Leo I, a great devotee of the Angels, exhorts us to make friendships with the holy Angels, as did St. Denis, a contemporary  of the Apostles and a disciple of St. Paul. St. Denis personally assumed the title of Philangelus, that is, "Friend of the Angels." Friendship wiht the Angels is also encouraged because of the assistance and the loving attention that they always give us. St. Augustine tells us,

"The Angels go in and out with us, having their eyes always fixed upon us and upon all that we are doing. If we stop anywhere, they stop also; if we go forth to walk, they bear us company; if we journey into another country, they follow us; go where we will, by land or by sea, they are ever with us. While we sleep, they keep watch by us...they never tire of being with us all day long and all night long, and during every moment of our life. And if we are so happy as to be saved, after our death, they will visit us in the prison of Purgatory."


How often we have received enlightenment from them regarding both spiritual and temporal matters: sudden impressions which surprise us when we least expect them; moments when our hearts feel urged to offer love to God; reminders about prayers to be said or forgotten duties or kindness that were neglected, but which should be performed; a sudden answer seemingly coming from nowhere to a question that perplexes us; a recollection of a friend long forgotten who might be in need of prayer; a pious thought or remembrance while we are in the midst of recreation, amusement or some busy occasion. All of us at one time or another have experienced these moments, but did not realize where they came from. Perhaps while we endeavor to grow closer to our guardian angel, we can be more attentive to those "inspirations" that suddenly come upon us and then realize that it is our "heavenly friend" who is responsible for them.







Reference:

Cruz, Joan Carroll. (1999). Angels and Demons. Rockford, Illinois: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc.

Angelic Music and the Saints





Angelic voices not only announced the death of certain saints, but were also heard by many saints who were very much alive. During the ecstasy in which she was admitted to Heaven and saw its beauty and those of the inhabitants, St. Lydwine of Schiedam (1380-1433) heard heavenly music and the voices of the Angels. The saint's biographer describes the music of Heaven this way: "Great seraphim flamed, unloosing harps of fire, the gorgeous pearl of sound...others chanted messianic psalms and sang in alternate choirs transporting hymns...in humble imitation she repeated the language of praise; but how differently from the chords of those harps, the power and sub-tility of those fragrances , the thundering zeal of those voices."



Cruz, Joan Carroll. (1999). Angels and Demons. Rockford, Illinois: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc.

We turn now to Blessed Padre Pio , to whom angelic harmonies were a familiar, welcomed occurrence. Fr. Allessio Parente, who was for many years the priest's constant companion and helper, tells us that on one occasion in the Friary of Our Lady of Grace, a number of friars heard heavenly voices singing beautiful harmonies, but could not tell from whence they came, since at that hour during the day there would be no singing in the church. When they asked Padre Pio about it, the holy friar replied, "Why are you surprised? They are the voices of the angels who are taking souls from Purgatory into Paradise."

On another occasion, two of Padre Pio's spiritual children were sitting on the beach when they began hearing unexplained voices coming from the direction of the Gargano mountain. It seemed like a heavenly choir singing harmonies they had never heard before. Their souls were lifted, and they experienced unearthly delight before the music began to slowly fade away.

The two young men were so overcome by the experience that they visited Padre Pio and asked him about the singing. The Padre replied, "Silly boys, you didn't understand? It was the angels who were praising Our Lady from above the friary. Thank the Lord for the special grace which you received."




Reference:

Angels and Demons by Joan Carroll Cruz

Musical Instruments and the Angels


We are familiar with pictures of angels playing musical instruments, and we are familiar with Psalm 150, which reads,

"Praise ye the Lord in His holy places: praise  ye him in the firmament of his power. Praise ye him for his mighty acts, praise ye him according to the multitude of his greatness. Praise him with sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp. Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs. Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: Let every spirit PRAISE THE LORD: ALLELUIA"

-Psalm 150


There is, however, one instrument , undoubtedly the instrument of choice, which Scripture does describe angels as playing -- the trumpet. We read in the gospel of St. Matthew: "And he shall send his angels with a trumpet, and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them" (Matthew 24:1).

St. Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians: "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptible: and we shall be changed." (Corinthians 15:52). St. Paul instructs again, "For the Lord himself shall come down from heaven with commandment , and with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpets of God: and the dead who are in Christ , shall rise first."
(1 Thessalonians 4:15).






Reference:

Angels and Demons by Joan Carroll Cruz

Quote from: islander on March 23, 2012, 12:58:48 AM
and, in different texts and depending on the language, also referred to as raquel, raguil, rasuil, rufael, suryan, akrasiel.

Yes, you are right, Isles.

She and her husband have 2 biological sons and 2 adopted daughters. She has 4 kids. Her youngest son, Alexander Robert Santiago, passed away in 2003.

Isles, in the hospital, when it is my turn to "sleep" during on-call hours, i try to switch around on the sofa chair. 2 hours on one side, then 2 hours on the other. Luoy pod kai we are only allowed 4 hour sleep during our 36 hour on-calls.

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 09:43:26 PM
thanks.  will do that before sleeping. 

i have resorted to alaxan (ibuprofen paracetamol) hours ago because the pain is rendering my left arm almost immobile (sometimes, i tackle the computer keys with only one hand; touch system for the keys is useless now).  it helped a bit.  this over-the-counter medicine scares me.  i know someone who has lupus because of this, or so she claims.  so i'm very spare about taking this.

as for sleeping, it's not so good.  the doctor had prescribed sleepasil.  she said it's no longer that easy to prescribe stillnox here because they need a special license for such medicines, and most of the licensed ones are psychiatrists.  it looks like sleepasil doesn't help much, especially if i'm agitated.

I hope that you were able to get some recuperative sleep, isles. Kanang warning sa imong amigo, it is very correct. There are alot of drugs that can cause Drug-Induced Lupus. So long as you don't take it chronically. In fact the drugs that can cause drug-induced lupus are HIPP (Hydralazine, Isoniazide, Phenytoin, Procainamide)

Septrin, ibuprofen, sulfa drugs, don't cause drug-induced lupus as such, but they can exacerbate true underlying lupus, & cause lupus flares. Ibuprofen Paracetamol will not cause lupus, but has the ability to exacerbate an underlying lupus. Your friend had a dormant or minor form of SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus), which did not flare up until your friend started to abuse the Ibuprofen Paracetamol.

Hope you feel better, dear. Try switching body positions if you can't sleep.

The Wrath of God Is Supreme


What did Lucifer say to Bring out the Wrath of the Lord God?


Let's read the verses form Isaiah 14:

"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. "

Lucifer's Great Fall





Thus says the Lord GOD:

"You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, carnelian, chrysolite, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald; and worked in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. With an anointed cherub as guardian I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and the guardian cherub drove you out from among the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. So I brought out fire from within you; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever"

Ezekiel 28:11-19

The Great War in Heaven

So very beautiful !!

Quote from: chicogon on March 22, 2012, 01:41:01 PM


Massive structure built in 40 years plus I think

Gorgeous ! All for the Glory of Christ's One, Holy and Apostolic Roman Catholic Church.

Quote from: chicogon on March 22, 2012, 01:36:08 PM


Lisieux 2010

The interior is ethereally beautiful...

Quote from: chicogon on March 22, 2012, 01:38:09 PM


Incorruptible body of Ste. Thérèse de Lisieux

Beautiful ! I want to go on a pilgrimage someday to visit the Incorruptible body of the blessed Saint...

Notably, The Archangel Raguel is a Mighty Heavenly Spirit. He brings down justice and punishes the luminaries who transgress against the LORD. He is known for his Zealotry for the Authority of The LORD.

RAGUEL, ARCHANGEL OF THE LORD





The Book of Enoch mentions of an Archangel by the name of RAGUEL. The name RAGU-EL literally means, "FRIEND OF GOD".



Raguel is referred to as the archangel of justice, fairness and harmony. In the Book of Enoch Raguel is one of the seven archangels whose function is to take vengeance on the world of the luminaries who have transgressed God's laws. Raguel brings a course of fire which persecutes all the fallen luminaries. Raguel also shows Enoch The Seven Mountains and in the midst of it- the high mountain which is the throne of God where the Lord of Glory will sit along with the tree of wisdom. Raguel is found in the Revelation of John as the angel of the church in Philadelphia (Rev 3:7). This angel can also be attributed to the sixth angel (Rev 9:14). Raguel watches over other angels to make sure they are working well together with mortals in a harmonious and orderly fashion according to Divine order (Rev 3:7 - 13) and will. Raguel brings all the other archangels and angels to account for their improper deeds.

Raguel is not mentioned in the canonical writings of the Bible. His name is listed as one of the seven archangels in the Book of Enoch. While not mentioned by name in the Bible, interpreters of these texts believe they refer to him in several places. When the patriarch Enoch visited heaven as a mortal, it was Raguel who carried him to and from the mortal world. Most of the Biblical references, however, come from Revelation of John.


Reference: wikipedia

Quote from: Raquelproud boholana on March 22, 2012, 08:16:54 AM
I also read the book of Padre Pio ang dili nako malimtan kay pareha ni siya ni St. John Vianney nga ang mangompisal mabasa niya imong soul ug naa kay gi tago tago ka sin or sins i remind ka niya in detail pa gyud. Makabalo na sila sa imong sala bisan wala pa nimo si sulti truely saint jud ni nga abilidad. Kini silang duha ka santos kulatado pud ni sila sa devil kay daghan man ing balik nga soul sa Ginoo tungod nila. The devil really hate them both. Usahay baya ug mangumpisal ko maghope pud ko ug pari nga pareha nila nga i remind ta ba unsa pay sala nga atong nalimtan.  St. John Vianney,St. Anthony, St. Therese,ug St. Teresa akong matawag ug best friend sa mga santos. I am impress ni St. Agatha ug sa duha ka martyr nga si St. Perpetua ug St. Felicity. Modern Saint akong ganahan basahon is Blessed or santos naman siguro ni siya si Father Emil Kapuan priest ni siya during korean war. Mobasa ka sa iyang story maghilak tag baldi.

It really must be amazing to have met Padre Pio, Raquel. His blessed life is an example for all of us gajud.

Quote from: hubag bohol on March 22, 2012, 01:11:49 PM



Noynoying King op da Janggol...

ka luoya pod ni Simba...

Lucifer is just another name for Satan, who as head of the evil world-system is the real, though invisible, power behind the successive rulers of Tyre, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and all of those evil rulers that we have seen come and go in the history of the world. This passage goes beyond human history and marks the beginning of sin in the universe and the very fall of Satan in the pristine, sinless spheres before the creation of man.

We also see this same motif in Ezekiel: "Moreover the word of the LORD came to me: Mortal, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, carnelian, chrysolite, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald; and worked in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. With an anointed cherub as guardian I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and the guardian cherub drove you out from among the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. So I brought out fire from within you; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever" (Ezekiel 28:11-19, NIV).

Who Was Lucifer? What Angelic Rank Did He Hold? Why Did He Fall ?


Lucifer, prior to his great fall



Lucifer was the Anointed Cherubim. As such he held one of the highest Angelic Ranks and in close proximity to the Divine Throne of God. Anointed means to be set apart for Gods Divine purpose. It also means "bestowal of Gods divine favor", and "appointment to a special place or function."

God had given Satan a certain amount of power and authority. But he perverted that power. Lucifer wanted to exalt himself above God... rather than "just" being the Angel of God.

Lucifer was created perfect in all his ways, but iniquity was found in him. It was not put there by God. Lucifer created it.
( this is found in Ezekiel 28:15 )

Like man, the angels were created perfect, and with a free will.

Satan was lifted up because of his beauty, he corrupted the wisdom by reason of his brightness (This is in Ezekiel 28:17)

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 11:19:45 PM
Second Sphere

(Angels of the Second Sphere work as heavenly governors.)

Dominions

The "Dominions" (lat. dominatio, plural dominationes, also translated from the Greek term kyriotites as "Lordships") are presented as the hierarchy of celestial beings "Lordships" in the De Coelesti Hierarchia.  The Dominions, also known as the Hashmallim, regulate the duties of lower angels.  It is only with extreme rarity that the angelic lords make themselves physically known to humans.  They are also the angels who preside over nations.

The Dominions are believed to look like divinely beautiful humans with a pair of feathered wings, much like the common representation of angels, but they may be distinguished from other groups by wielding orbs of light fastened to the heads of their scepters or on the pommel of their swords.

wiki/


A dominion angel

Very interesting.

St. Dionysius the Areopagite writes:

"The name given to the Holy Dominations means, I think, a certain unbounded elevation to that which is above, freedom from all that is terrestrial, and from all inward inclination to the bondage of discord, a liberal superiority to harsh tyranny, freedom from degrading servility and from what is low, because they are untouched by any inconsistency. They are true Lords, perpetually aspiring to true Lordship and to the source of all Lordship...They do not turn toward vain shadows, but wholly give themselves to that true authority, forevere one with the godlike source of Lordship."

It is also reported that the main virtue of these heavenly spirits is their zeal for the maintenance of God's Authority.


Source: Angels and Demons by Joan Carroll Cruz

Quote from: islander on March 22, 2012, 12:23:06 AM
it's tempting to change my name to islandel.  bugsayel though might take it as chinese.

hahahaha ! you're too cute

hehehe! Michael Ligalig is named after the Prince of Heaven and Commander of the Army of Heaven, Michael the Archangel.

The Name MICHA-EL means, "WHO IS LIKE GOD?"; it signifies the Zeal of the Archangel to GOD.

While all good angels love God exceedingly, the love of the Seraphim is said to be beyond compare. They are called "the princes of pure love" according to the great St. Denis (d. 258), who mentions eight properties of this love that are represented by fire. Among these properties is that "seraphic love signifies intense love, which is ever burning and consuming." He mentions that fire is in constant motion, just as the Seraphim are incessantly intent on God alone. Since fire is intensely hot, the love of the Seraphim is a burning love. Fire never loses its light, just as a seraphic love abides in its fullness.

"Fire not only penetrates what is combustible, but permeates throughout; and seraphic love plunges, loses and engulfs itself by the abyss of the Divinity by a Glorious Transformation. Fire communicates warmth and purifies; the Seraphim carry love and light into all the choirs of the other angels."


Reference: Angels and Demons by Joan Carroll Cruz.

One of the greatest Cherub was Lucifer, who was cast out of Heaven during the Great War in Heaven. It is said that Lucifer became corrupted and wanted to become God because he was so close to the Throne of God. He was foolish to think so. May God rebuke him.

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 10:34:25 PM
for those interested to go through a brief study of angelology in one go, there's always wikipedia for starters.  one can take off from there and go to other sources for further studies.  (yes, i've always been very interested in angelology.) 

for purposes of this thread, itagas-tagas nako ug post dinhi kay mas sayon sabton kay enjoy man sad kog study ug ako.   

Thanks, Isles ! Learning pod ko ani and my interest in Angels has been fueled by my recent purchasing of the book "Angels and Demons" by Joan Carroll Cruz.

This is a very fascinating topic !

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 10:28:10 PM
RAQUEL is a female name of an angel.  but we'll go to angel names later.  this is just a foretaste for raquelproud boholana.

Many of the names of Angels have the suffix "- EL"

per se: MICHA-EL, GABRI-EL, RAPHA-EL, URI-EL

What the Church Teaches about Angels



The Church continues to benefit from angelic services, since angels are recognized in her prayers and rubrics. In the funeral liturgy we pray, "May the Angels lead you into Paradise." The words of Gabriel are given in the Hail Mary, and the announcement is repeated in the Angelus , which the Church recites at 6 a.m, noon, and 6 p.m.

The Angels are appealed to for prayer at the beginning of Holy Mass in the words, "And I ask Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, all the Angels  and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God." The Confiteor in the Traditional Roman Rite of the Mass invokes, "Holy Michael the Archangel."

The Preface of Holy Mass also appeals to "all the choirs of Angels in Heaven." to join with us in praising God. And after the Consecration , we pray: "Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice to your altar in Heaven.."

In an address given by Pope John Paul II on July 9, 1986, the Holy Father stated regarding angels, "All of the Church's tradition is unanimous in affirming that they do exist. One would have to alter Sacred Scripture itself if one wished to eliminate this teaching. At certain points in salvation history, angels have had a fundamental role to play in the unfolding of human events."

In the same year, on July 23, Pope John Paul II instructed:


"The Angels are purely spiritual beings, created by God and given intelligence and free will. Through an immediate intuition of the truth, their intelligence grasps its object in a way that is much more complete than is possible for man. The world of the pure spirits is divided into good angels and bad ones. And this division has happened precisely as a result of their Freedom to Choose. God was present to their intelligence and free will as the Supreme Good. He also wished to give them, through grace, a share in the mystery of His Divinity.  The good angels have chosen God. But others...have turned against God and the revelation of His Grace. Their decision was inspired  by a false sense of self-sufficiency, and it emerges as hatred and rebellion against God."


It is traditional Catholic teaching that each individual is given a guardian angel, who will accompany , guard and teach him throughout his life. After death this angel will accompany the soul to its judgement, visit it if it is detained in Purgatory, and accompany it to the Glory of Heaven.








Source:

Cruz, Joan Carroll. (1999). Angels and Demons. Rockford, Illinois: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc.

WHAT IS AN ANGEL?


St. Augustine (354-430) instructs us that the word "angel" is the name of their office, not of their nature. Their nature is known as "spirit". The word "angel" , as translated from the Greek, means "one going" , "one sent" or "messengers". St. Augustine adds that the "spirits called angels were never, in any sense, at any time, partakers of darkness, but from the moment of their creation, they were beings of light. They were not merely created in order to exist and to live, but they were also illumined, so that they might live in wisdom and happiness."




According to St. Bernard (1090- 1153), in his De Consideratione, angels are:


"mighty, glorious, blessed, distinct personalities, of
graduated rank, occupying the order given them from
the beginning, perfect of their kind..endowed with
immortality, passionless..being of pure mind, benignant
affections, religious and devout; of unblemished morality;
inseparablly one in heart and mind, blessed with unbroken peace,
God's edifice dedicated to the divine praises and service.
All this we ascertain by reading, and holding by faith."

This will be a thread discussion about angels. I will be taking direct citation from the book "Angels and Demons", written by Joan Carroll Cruz.

Padre Pio was once beaten by invisible hands, as witnessed by Padres Evangelista and Agostino, who fell to their knees in prayer and continually sprinkled the room with Holy Water. After reacting to being struck repeatedly for fifteen minutes, the holy Padre came to himself and revealed that he "had been flogged by horrible men who looked like professional torturers."

There were other times when he declared that the demons appeared to him in the form of various friends, colleagues, his confessor and superiors. At such times the holy Padre recognized the diabolical ruse by a certain feeling of apprehension and disgust, and to prove the true identity of the apparitions, he insisted that they utter the words of praise to JESUS CHRIST-- an order they refused. Whereas diabolical visions gave Padre Pio an uneasy and unholy feeling, actual visions of holy persons gave him feelings of love, exhilaration and contentment.



Source:

Cruz, Joan Carroll. (1999). Angels and Demons. Rockford, Illinois: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc.

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 05:37:41 PM

St Francis Xavier (died 1552)

I did not know that St. Francis Xavier was also incorruptible form! Beautiful...

St. Teresa of Avila (1515- 1582), the Discalced Carmelite nun who was also the first woman to be made a DOCTOR of the CHURCH, described in her Autobiography some of the devils who appeared to her. One some occasions her sisters were witnesses to what was taking place and they assisted the Saint through the use of holy water, which was instrumental in dispersing the evil spirits. St. Teresa of Avila writes,








Source:

Cruz, Joan Carroll. (1999). Angels and Demons. Rockford, Illinois: Tan Books and Publishers, Inc.

Truly, God is Glorious. He has preserved the physical bodies of His saints. Tho their souls are now in Heaven, their former bodies remain intact , preserved for all the faithful to see and to witness the power of God.

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 05:20:15 PM

Blessed Imelda Lambertini (died 1333 â€" 12 years old)

She has been dead almost 700 years, yet her bodily form remains intact. She has not even decayed...

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 05:24:04 PM
goodness gracious!  i'll never be a saint then.  i can't be that cool facing a massive army of demons.

hehe, had i been there with padre pio, i would have probably ran off scared.

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 05:20:15 PM

Blessed Imelda Lambertini (died 1333 â€" 12 years old)

She is the Saint that died after taking the Holy Eucharist, right, Isles? She so loved Jesus Christ that she could not wait to take the Eucharist , that on the day of her Holy Communion, she died because of ecstasy of the Lord.

I read that from the book titled, "Angels and Demons" , which was written by Joan Carrol Cruz.

This is an excerpt from page 168:

"Padre Pio , the stigmatic priest of our own time , once told a group of his admirers that 'the number of devils active in the world is greater than that of all the human beings who have lived since Adam'.

Another time, in his old age, while looking out of his window at the great crowd in the square that had assembled for his blessing, he remarked to his fellow friars, "If all the devils that are here were to take bodily form, they would blot out the light of the sun!"

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 04:00:27 PM


i don't travel without this medal.  it makes me feel safe and protected.

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 05:09:49 PM
could it be that his suffering and deep faith had given him an aura of light and roses?  just a thought. 

Could be so. Probably is. Everytime I talk to him and meet with him, I have no defenses with him. He can see through me, my worries, he is able to see what is going on with me. And being around him, I feel lighter , feel at peace. It is very unexplainable.

Padre Pio was a very gifted and holy man, not only was he gifted with the suffering of the Stigmata, but he was able to see the presence of Angels and demons. During one time, as he was addressing a crowd of believers during a prayer, one of his assistant priests said to him, "Padre, look at how many people have come to pray with you!" , Padre Pio said back to him, "I see this, but if you could only see the demons that are about, their number double the number of believers, you would be dismayed!"

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 04:59:56 PM
very believable; one among many accounts of miraculous intercession by the living saint (as he was called before he died.)  lucky of you to be exposed to this firsthand.

My friend , Albert, is a very good man. If you meet him you will feel the presence that he is a very good man. I cannot explain it, but when i am around him, I feel very at peace, there is no need to be formal with him because he is very good. You can feel it.

I never knew about the Miraculous Medal until recently. Some time ago, when I went to visit the Chapel at night to pray, I went downstairs to observe Eucharistic Adoration, before I sat down I noticed that there was a prayer booklet close to the door. Next to the booklet was the Miraculous Medal and the story of its beginning and its promises. It is  very beautiful and empowering to internalize the message , the meaning.

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 04:53:06 PM

St Bernadette of Lourdes (died 1879)

Amazing...she has been dead for almost 133 years , yet she looks like she is just sleeping...

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 04:50:21 PM
he's one of my mom's favorite saints.

He is a very, very powerful saint, isles. My friend was diagnosed with Leukemia as a child , the doctors told his parents that he would not survive the ravaging leukemia. His parents , despite the warning of doctors, took their son to Europe to pray and asked the Blessed Padre Pio for intercession and a miracle.

Two months later, the leukemia that my friend had subsided. It disappeared. No medical explanation.

My friend and his parents credit this to the works and prayers of Blessed Padre Pio.

Quote from: islander on March 21, 2012, 04:46:51 PM
PICTURES, Incorruptible Corpses of Saints Venerated by Roman Catholics



St Pio of Pietrelcina (died 1968)

Addendum: He was not embalmed !! His body has defied natural process of decay and mortification...

His Holiness in body and soul has preserved his external shell for all to see the miracle of God.

Padre Pio does not look like he is dead, but rather, sleeping...

Viva Padre Pio ! He has been dead for over 50 years , yet his flesh has not decayed at all...amazing....

This is my high school graduation song back in 2004.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXVX2ZMq2YQ#ws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmQmYc9-zcg#

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfBsEUdEevU#ws

The Meaning of the Back Side of the Miraculous Medal



The twelve stars can refer to the Apostles, who represent the entire Church as it surrounds Mary. They also recall the vision of Saint John, writer of the Book of Revelation (12:1), in which “a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars.” The cross can symbolize Christ and our redemption, with the bar under the cross a sign of the earth. The “M” stands for Mary, and the interleaving of her initial and the cross shows Mary’s close involvement with Jesus and our world. In this, we see Mary’s part in our salvation and her role as mother of the Church. The two hearts represent the love of Jesus and Mary for us. (See also Lk 2:35).

The Meaning of the Front Side of the Miraculous Medal



Mary is standing upon a globe, crushing the head of a serpent beneath her foot. She stands upon the globe, as the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Her feet crush the serpent to proclaim Satan and all his followers are helpless before her (Gn 3:15). The year of 1830 on the Miraculous Medal is the year the Blessed Mother gave the design of the Miraculous Medal to Saint Catherine Labouré. The reference to Mary conceived without sin supports the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Maryâ€"not to be confused with the virgin birth of Jesus, and referring to Mary's sinlessness, “full of grace” and “blessed among women” (Luke 1:28)â€"that was proclaimed 24 years later in 1854.

The Third Apparition and the Miraculous Medal


The vision then changed to show our Lady standing on a globe with her arms now outstretched and with the dazzling rays of light still streaming from her fingers. Framing the figure was an inscription: O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

The vision turned and showed the design of the reverse side of the medal. Twelve stars encircled a large "M" from which arose a cross. Below are two hearts with flames arising from them. Thorns encircle one heart and a sword pierces the other.

Then Mary spoke to Catherine: “Have a medal struck upon this model. Those who wear it will receive great graces, especially if they wear it around the neck.” Catherine explained the entire series of apparitions to her confessor, and she worked through him to carry out Mary’s instructions. She did not reveal that she received the Medal until soon before her death 47 years later.

With approval of the Church, the first Medals were made in 1832 and were distributed in Paris. Almost immediately the blessings that Mary had promised began to shower down on those who wore her Medal. The devotion spread like wildfire. Marvels of grace and health, peace and prosperity, followed in its wake. Before long people were calling it the “Miraculous” Medal. In 1836, a canonical inquiry undertaken at Paris declared the apparitions to be genuine.

There is no superstition, nothing of magic, connected with the Miraculous Medal. The Miraculous Medal is not a “good-luck charm”. Rather, it is a great testimony to faith and the power of trusting prayer. Its greatest miracles are those of patience, forgiveness, repentance, and faith. God uses a Medal, not as a sacrament, but as an agent, an instrument, in bringing to pass certain marvelous results. “The weak things of this earth hath God chosen to confound the strong.”

When our Blessed Mother gave the design of the medal to Saint Catherine Labouré she said, “Now it must be given to the whole world and to every person.”

The Second Apparition


Mary gave her this mission in a vision during evening meditation on November 27, 1830. She saw Mary standing on what seemed to be half a globe and holding a golden globe in her hands as if offering it to heaven. On the globe was the word “France,” and our Lady explained that the globe represented the whole world, but especially France. The times were difficult in France, especially for the poor who were unemployed and often refugees from the many wars of the time. France was first to experience many of those troubles which ultimately reached other parts of the world and are even present today. Streaming from rings on Mary's fingers as she held the globe were many rays of light. Mary explained that the rays symbolize the graces she obtains for those who ask for them. However, some of the gems on the rings were dark, and Mary explained that the rays and graces were available but did not come because no one had asked for them.

The First Apparition


The story begins on the night of July 18-19, 1830. A child (perhaps her guardian angel) awakened Sister (now Saint) Catherine Labouré, a novice in the community of the Daughters of Charity in Paris, and summoned her to the chapel. There she met with the Virgin Mary and spoke with her for several hours. During the conversation, Mary said to her, “My child, I am going to give you a mission.”

St. Catherine receiving the Miraculous Medal

The GREATEST Command:


‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’”

All the members of the St. Michael Society are beautiful in the eyes of Jesus Christ ...for defending and championing the faith in a secular society.

Sublimely beautiful...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qBZwdyo8qY#ws

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_F5UkkqDOA#ws

Quote from: Vistabel on May 25, 2010, 05:20:53 PM
i would like to be an Employer of a group of companies.

hehe employer gajud eh? di diay ka gusto mag employee, Vistabel?

A priest, i would have been a priest. To be honest, even now, i still have thoughts of joining the seminary. LOL!

A parish priest has a noble responsibility, the dissemination of the MOST IMPORTANT information there is -- The Gospel of Jesus Christ.

hahaha ! what an influential maestro

Pareng Bambi,

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