bout evotions

A devotion is not like a lucky charm or protective amulet that the Catholic solidier uses as a magical weapon or defense against our demonic foe. Instead, the assistance in our spiritual warfare comes from God and is called grace. We call upon God to give us this grace either directly - "O God come to my aid, O Lord make haste to help me", or through a mediator. The only Mediator with the Father is the Son - Jesus Christ. But we should also call upon mediators to Jesus Christ who is as Holy as the Father and so we have primarily Our Lady, then St Joseph, and then the other saints and angels.

Devotions therefore are best analogous to a beautiful piece of music that resonates with certain mediators. The form of the devotion, e.g. wearing a medal and reciting certain prayers, are like the written music - the instructions. The practice of the devotion is the production of the music that resonates with our targetted mediator. If the music is played beautifully, then the mediator is almost powerless to resist our moving call for assistance and, on our behalf, comes to our aid by imploring God for the grace we need to resist our demonic foe.

Therefore, when you practice your devotions, keep in mind that it is how beautifully you play the music that determines your assistance. Remember, music has a tempo - a rythmn, and so galloping through the prayers just so we can say that we've done them, or wearing a particular medal or symbol but without allowing them to move our hearts and minds towards the contemplation of God's mysteries, will not produce a beautiful performance.

Remember too, that as Catholics, we are part of the universal Church - we have our part to play in a wider orchestra. This is why the devotions we practice often have a certain appropriate time linked into certain days of the liturgical calendar (e.g. First Friday devotions on Jesus Sacred Heart, pierced for us on Good Friday) - this is important because in the wider symphony, the piece is calling for the sound of that particular devotion/melody at that particular time in the wider musical piece. Reciting the gentle and melancholic melody of the Stations of the Cross on a Sunday for example is to come into the music at the part when the rest of the Church is playing the loud victory trumpets and beating the drums of the glory of the risen Lord.

Be aware therefore that how and when one practices devotions is just as important as the sheet music itself.

For further information or comments please contact info@stjosephshrine.org.uk