The Trinity and the Sign of the Cross

Today is the beautiful Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I woke up this morning thinking of Isaiah 52:7: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, 'Your God is King!'" That's what Our Lady did, and that's what I want to do, how I want to be: a bringer of Good News ... a virgin with child ... a holy temple of the Lord ... a chalice and a monstrance ... a living sacrifice of praise ... for You, dear Lord, all for YOU! and by Your divine grace and with the help of Your dear mother, please make it so! More thoughts on Our Lady's Visitation later ... for now I am savoring this excerpt from our Holy Father's Angelus message from yesterday's Solemnity of the Holy Trinity.

The divine Trinity, in fact, comes to dwell in us on the day of baptism: "I baptize you," the minister says, "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." We recall the name of God in which we were baptized every time that we make the sign of the cross. In regard to the sign of the cross the theologian Romano Guardini observes: "We do it before prayer so that we put ourselves spiritually in order; it focuses our thoughts, heart and will on God. We do it after prayer, so that what God has granted us remains in us. It embraces all our being, body and soul, and every becomes consecrated in the name of the one and triune God."

…Invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary, the first creature in whom the Most Holy Trinity dwelled fully, let us ask her protection to journey well on our earthly pilgrimage.

~Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus of Trinity Sunday, 5/30/10

Queen of Martyrs, pray for us!

Blue Madonna by Carl Dolci

The Queen of Virgins is the Queen of Martyrs too, but it was within her heart that the sword transpierced her, for with her everything took place within her soul. Oh, how beautiful she is in a majesty both strong and sweet… She is there at the foot of the Cross, standing in her strength and courage, and my Master says to me: "Ecce Mater tua" (Behold your Mother). He gives her to me for my Mother! And now that he has returned to the Father, he has put me in his place on the Cross, so that I may "fill up those things that are wanting in the sufferings of Christ for his Body which is the Church." Mary is there still, to teach me to suffer as he did, to tell me, to make me hear those last outpourings of his soul, which only his Mother could catch.

St. Elizabeth of the Trinity