LENTEN STATIONS
Posted on 02/21/2007 9:44:31 AM PST by Salvation
LENTEN STATIONS
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Day IV. Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Day 4 Photo: The tomb of Saint Monica - a model of |
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There is also a statue by Sansovino of the Madonna of Birth where all of the Roman women come and pray for safe deliveries (1516). But the highlight is the tomb of Saint Monica - a model of faithful perseverance in prayer (332-387). Through her intercession, her wayward son, Augustine, converted and became a Doctor of the Church. There I offered a prayer for my mother, in thanksgiving for her prayers, and for all mothers.
(Photo: Our Lord with his mother and |
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Day V. Sunday, Week I. "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Communion Antiphon for today - Mt 4:4) |
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FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
Station—Our Most Holy Savior in the Lateran
The Cathedral Basilica of Rome—caput et mater omnium ecclesiarum Urbis et Orbis—triumphantly celebrates the first solemn day of Lent.
Today, the faithful pilgrim in spirit to the Lateran Basilica of the Most Holy Savior, "head and mother of all the churches of the City and the World," the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. In this basilica Lent officially begins, in this church also, it is concluded.
The acceptable time is at hand. "We exhort that you receive not the grace of God in vain." "It is true," says St. Leo, "there is no season, which is not rich with God' gifts. His grace does ever give us an entry to His mercy, yet at this time the minds of all should be urged with greater earnestness towards spiritual progress, and should be animated by a trust in God stronger than ever, for now the anniversary of that day on which we were redeemed is drawing near. Therefore, let us be moved to perform every work of godliness, to the end that we may be able to celebrate, with clean minds and bodies, that mystery, which excels all others—the mystery of the Lord's passion." (Matins, Second Nocturne)
This holy fast (Quadragesima) will open unto us the gates of Paradise. We must embrace it with prayer and supplication, so that we may rejoice with the Lord on the day of Resurrection.
Let us pray: O God, who does purify Thy Church by the yearly observance of forty days; grant to Thy household that what we strive to obtain from Thee by self-denial, we may secure by good works. Through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
The Station today is at St. Peter in Chains. The church was one of the tituli, Rome's first parish churches, known as the Titulus Eudoxiae or the Eudoxiana. It was built over the ruins of an Imperial villa in 442 (or possibly 439), to house the chains that had bound St. Peter in prison in Jerusalem.
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Day VI. Monday, Week I. "Lord, may this offering of our love be acceptable to you. Let it transform our lives and bring us your mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord" (Pray over the Gifts for today). |
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MONDAY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT
Station—St. Peter in Chains
From the heart of the Roman Forum, the penitential procession climbed up the road winding up towards the Esquiline Hill and came to the church of St. Peter in Chains, also called the "Eudossian Basilica" (as it had been built in the place of another church by Eurdossia, wife of the emperor Valentinian III, to preserve in it the chains of St. Peter).
The Station of this day is at St. Peter in Chains and the Church takes us today to the divinely appointed watchman of "the lambs and sheep of Christ"—St. Peter.
The Chains, which held the shepherd of the lambs and sheep consist of forty-four links. Forty-four days separate us from Holy Thursday, the beginning of the Paschal solemnities when our "Lenten" work must be an accomplished fact.
How many links has that chain from which Christ, our good Shepherd, desires to free us in this acceptable time? We are fully aware that during this season of salvation this chain must be broken and the links thrown out—the big ones in particular. Which are your principal faults? Are you working against them?
Let us pray: Convert us, O God our salvation, that the Lenten fast may be of profit to us. Instruct our minds with heavenly discipline. Through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
At Rome, the Station is in the church of St. Anastasia, where, formerly, the Mass of the Aurora on Christmas Day was celebrated. The first church was built in the late 3rd or early 4th century, and was one of the first parish churches of ancient Rome. It was given by a woman called Anastasia and called titulus Anastasiae after her. Later, it was dedicated to a martyr of the same name.
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Day VII. Tuesday, Week I. "Forgive us the wrong we have done as we forgive those who wrong us" (Gospel for today - Mt 6:12).
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TUESDAY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT
Station—St. Anastasia
Linked to this church is the tradition of the "first-light" Mass—Mass at dawn—which is celebrated in the first hours of the Christmas morning.
We keep this day in company with the widow-martyr, whose heavenly birthday the Church observes on the very birthday of the Light of the world. In the Christmas Mass "at dawn" St. Anastasia, whose name means "dawn"—the new light—is commemorated. In that "aurora Mass" and again today, the words fulgebit, fulgeat—"shine, radiate—occur.
A holy "radiating" is the fruit of a holy Lent. Everyone is called to be an "Anastasia", a new light, replenished by the light of Christ—Lumen Christi.
Let us pray: Look down upon Thy household, Lord, and grant that our souls, chastened by the mortification of the flesh, may radiate in Thy sight with the desire for Thee. Through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
Today's Station is at St. Mary Major. The spring Ember Week consecrated the new season to God and by prayer and fasting sought to obtain abundant graces for those who on Saturday were to receive Holy Orders. The Station was fittingly held in the church, which witnessed the first scrutinies for the coming ordinations, and which was dedicated to the mother of the great High Priest.
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Day VIII. Wednesday, Week I "A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me" (Responsorial Psalm for today - Ps. 51) |
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WEDNESDAY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT
Station—St. Mary Major
On the Esquiline Hill, not far from St. Peter in Chains, towers the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
IfGrandiose, both in its exterior and in it interior, the Basilica was erected by Pope Sixtus III (432-440), one year after the proclamation by the Council of Ephesus of the dogma of Theotokos—Mary, Mother of God. Before being called "St. Mary Major," the ancient Romans had called it the Basilica Liberii (back to Pope Liberius (352-366). In August 352, Pope Liberius experience a vision of Our Lady and it was She, who traced out the dimensions of this church. Pope Liberius then saw with his own eyes the area of land covered in snow on which the church was to be built.
This Basilica also contains the revered image of the Madonna of St. Luke, called Salus Populi Romani.
How have I kept the first eight days of Lent? Surely, as "the glory of the Lord dwelt upon Sinai" and upon Moses, so the "right hand of His Majesty" was extended over us during the past week.
Let us pray: Graciously look down, O Lord, we beseech Thee, upon the devotion of Thy people, that they, who are mortified in body by abstinence, may be refreshed in mind through the fruit of good works. Through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
The Station today is at St. Lawrence in Panisperna. The church stands on the site of St. Lawrence's martyrdom. The appellation refers to the name of the street, which in turn most likely refers to the tradition of the Poor Clares in the adjacent convent of distributing bread and ham (pane e perna) on August 10th, the feast day of St. Lawrence. This is done in remembrance of St. Lawrence distributing funds from the church to the poor.
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continued..... This is accord with the Holy Thursday, the day when we were first fed the Bread of Life and Cup of Salvation. The church of Saint Lawrence, true to her patron, was always one of the diaconate churches in Rome. That is probably were the title "Panisperna" is derived (panis - bread and perna - ham). The monks probably distributed ham sandwiches!
Photo: San Lorenzo in Panisperna.... |
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THURSDAY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT
Station—St. Lawrence in Panisperna
This church was built in ancient times under the Emperor Valerian on the site of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence (258). In its harmonious interior, at the end of the nave is a large fresco depicting the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence.
We place all our Lenten petitions in the hands of the "standard-bearer of the Roman Church"-St. Lawrence, to whose prayers and martyrdom is attributed the final triumph at Rome of the Cross over paganism—of light over darkness. May the Holy Deacon, whose heart was filled with Eucharistic fervor, accompany us on this Thursday to the reception of "the bread, which is Christ's flesh for our life for that of the whole world."
Let us pray: Mercifully look down, we beseech Thee, O Lord, upon the devotion of Thy people, that they who are mortified in the flesh by abstinence, may be refreshed in mind by the fruit of good works. We ask this Through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
Today's station is at the Church of the Twelve Apostles. Traditionally, this is the place where the Romans choose their candidates for priesthood (Rite of Election). It was erected by Julius I (337-352) over the barracks of ancient Rome's firemen and entrusted since 1463 to the Conventual Franciscans. Originally dedicated to the Apostles St. James and St. Philip, it was rededicated to all the Apostles in the 16th century.
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Day X. Friday, Week I. "By my life, I do not wish the sinner to die, says the Lord, but to turn to me and live" (Communion Antiphon for today - Ez 33:11). |
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FRIDAY IN THE FIRST WEEK OF LENT
Station—The Twelve Apostles
Today we find ourselves at the Basilica dedicated to the Apostles and in particular to the Saints Philip and James the Minor, whose bodies are enclosed in a precious marble urn located under the main altar in the crypt.
Today, thirty-eight days before Easter, the Church reads to us the account of the cure of a man sick for thirty-eight years. This miracle occurred at the pool of Bethsaida. The merciful Jesus healed body and soul of this friendless sufferer. After the cure, Jesus said to him: "Behold thou art made whole; sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee."
This sick man is a picture of the world, especially of the pagan world—a world in a state of utter helplessness, laden with sin, steeped in despair, with no one to help it but Him who is "the expectation of all nations and their Savior."
The Church entrusts us today to the Holy Apostles. In their company we will celebrate the healing mysteries. In their presence we will answer the question of the king of Apostles: "Will thou be made whole?" "I will, Lord. Save Thy servant, O my God that trusts in Thee. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer."
Let us pray: Be gracious, O Lord, unto Thy people, and even as thou make them devoted to Thee, so mercifully revive them with Thy kind assistance. Through Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
The Station is in the basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican, where the people would assemble towards evening, that they might be present at the ordination of the priests and sacred ministers. This day was called Twelve-Lesson-Saturday, because, formerly, twelve passages from the holy Scriptures were read, as upon Holy Saturday. Built by Constantine in 323, the basilica was erected over the place where St. Peter was buried.
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Day XI. Saturday, Week I. "Eternal Father, turn our hearts to you. By seeking your kingdom and loving one another, may we become a people who worship you in spirit and truth. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen" (Collect for today).
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