ETERNAL WISDOM [With Audio Support for our 1st Anniversary of the release of the Rosary Series: Broadcasts]
The following excerpt is from Chapter 8 entitled “Hell, Purgatory, Heaven” from the classic book entitled “Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life” [2nd Edition]
On the Cross of Christ
by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a.k.a. Pope Benedict XVI
“That Cross throws light upon our theme from two directions. First, it teaches us that God himself suffered and died. Evil, is not, then, something unreal for him. For the God who is love, hatred is not nothing. He overcomes evil, but not by some dialectic of universal reason which can transform all negations into affirmations. God overcomes evil not in a “speculative Good Friday,” to use the language of Hegel, but on a Good Friday which was most real. He himself entered into the distinctive freedom of sinners but went beyond it in that freedom of his own love which descended willingly into the Abyss.
While the real quality of evil and its consequences become quite palpable here, the question also arises — and this is the second illuminating aspect of the mystery of the cross for our problem — whether in this event we are not in touch with a divine response able to draw freedom precisely as freedom to itself. The answer lies hidden in Jesus’ descent in to Sheol, in the night of the soul, which He suffered, a night which no one can observe except by entering this darkness in suffering faith.1 Thus, in the history of holiness which hagiology offers us, and notably in the course of recent centuries, in John of the Cross, in Carmelite piety in general, an in that of Thérèse of Lisieux in particular, “Hell” has taken on a completely new meaning and form. For the saints, “Hell” is not so much a threat to be hurled at other people but a challenge to oneself. It is a challenge to suffer in the dark night of faith, to experience communion with Christ in solidarity with his descent into the Night. One draws near to the Lord’s radiance by sharing his darkness. One serves the salvation of the world by leaving one’s own salvation behind for the sake of others. In such piety, nothing of the dreadful reality of Hell is denied. Hell is so real that it reaches right into the existence of the saints. Hope can take it on, only if one shares in the suffering of Hell’s night by the side of the One who came to transform our night by His suffering. Here hope does not emerge from the neutral logic of a system, from rendering humanity innocuous. Instead, it drives from the surrender of all claims to innocence and to reality’s perduringness, a surrender which takes place by the cross of the Redeemer. Such hope cannot, however, be a self-willed assertion. It must place its petition into the hands of its Lord and leave it there. The doctrine of everlasting punishment preserves its real content. The idea of mercy, which has accompanied it, in one form or another throughout its long history, must not become a theory. Rather it is the prayer of suffering, hopeful faith” (pg. 217-218, CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER, “On Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life”, Second Edition published by Catholic University of America (Copyright 1988), AUDIO excerpt for educational use purposes only for the Rosary Hour Podcast Newsletter on Sept. 15 to support the visually impaired, those who are sick, homebound, hospitalized, without company (you are never alone!), and/or with no one to read to them. We invite you to use this audio if you are ESL or wish to help younger children or even teenagers preparing for confirmation listen to an example of excellent academic prose.
© TRAVESSA DA SENRA HOUSE PRESS for THE ROSARY HOUR PODCAST NEWSLETTER. 2nd EDITION.
Thank you for listening to the Rosary Hour Podcast. We invite you to visit our YouTube Channels using the links provided below for SEASON 2: EPISODE 1 | EPISODE 2 | EPISODE 3 COMING SOON. Original broadcast of the above segment can be found here:
THE ROSARY HOUR PODCAST NEWSLETTER [1st ANNIVERSARY EDITION]
14 September 2023 [2nd Edition, updated 15 September]
Exaltation of the Holy Cross | Triumph of the Cross | Elevation of the Cross
JMJ+
Dear Readers:
It is day 366 since our team’s release of the first Rosary Broadcast on September 14, 2022 featuring Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC (Assistant Rector of the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy) and introduced by Fr. Chris Alar, MIC (Director of Marian Press, USA).
Last year, the Marians answered our call for help and assisted us in developing an approach to renewing our understanding of the Rosary, and setting us on a path with a now growing group of 22,000+ readers and 33,000+ viewers on YouTube in 27 States and 24 countries around the world.
Each of our listeners / readers has taken up a new or renewed interest in the Rosary by journeying with us and with our 20 guests who have offered to help us revisit the “why” behind this prayer.
See our premiere episode from last year here to begin this series tomorrow, and/or to share it with others interested in learning about this devotion and why Our Lady continues to ask us to pray the Rosary every day.
Our most recent episode appears here. To learn the words to the Salve Regina with Pe Nuno’s parish for tomorrow’s Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows click here.
Finally, feel free to download our latest copy of the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary to pray with one other person tomorrow here:
Insert this Rosary 35-45 minutes before the mass on Tuesdays / Fridays. We hope this “Ready-to-edit” / “Ready-to-use guide” with text written by St. Louis Marie de Montfort and scriptural readings included will allow anyone to lead the Rosary, even at home or right now!
CLICK HERE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gLASl0kr0Vkkm9CIO_ZBGU_OlVFQK3ktARGActyNAH4/edit?usp=sharing
NOTE: We will share the Joyful Mysteries, the Glorious Mysteries, and the Sorrowful Mysteries in Portuguese soon.
This English version is based on the Terço curated by Pe. Nuno which includes Fátima prayers, Litany and consecration and it was developed as a model to support global formation of youth in leading the Rosary with the belief that ANYONE can lead the Rosary! Write to us if you have any suggestions: rosaryhour AT proton DOT me.
TE DEUM | IN GRATITUDE TO OUR GUESTS
"The Rosary: A Mini Series of Micro Talks"
NARRATED BY: Fr. Chris Alar, MIC National Shrine of the Divine Mercy (USA)
MEET OUR ESTEEMED GUESTS FOR SEASONS 1 and 2:
His Eminence, Cardinal Thomas Christopher Collins, Emeritus Archbishop of Toronto (CANADA)
Fr. Chris Alar, MIC, Provincial Superior of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception at the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy (USA)
Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC, Assistant Rector, National Shrine of the Divine Mercy, Stockbridge, MA (USA)
Fr. Charles Nahm (CANADA)
Fr. Peter Turrone, IMC (CANADA)
Fr. Nuno Rocha (PORTUGAL)
Fr. David Michael Moses (USA)
Fr. Elias Mills (USA)
Fr. Edward Looney, Author / Podcaster (USA)
Dr. Fr. Matthew Schneider, Author (USA)
Dr. Blythe Kaufman, Founder of ChildrensRosary.org (USA)
Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle, Author, Journalist, Speaker (USA)
Teresa Tomeo, Author / Journalist / Radio Personality / Speaker (USA)
Dr. Bob Schuchts (JPIIHealing Center, USA)
Dr. Josephine Lombardi (CAN)
Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson (USA)
Sonja Corbitt (USA)
Asher Kaufman (USA)
Keith Nester, founder of Down To Earth Ministries (USA)
Peter Herbeck, VP Renewal Ministries (USA)
THANK YOU FR. ANTHONY!
We’d like to dedicate this post to Fr. Anthony Gramlich, MIC, for taking the time last year to teach our listeners about the Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy. Also, we wish to acknowledge all the people who have taken some part in forming this project together with us, out of love for the Church and for this beautiful devotion that we offer to Jesus through the hands of Mary. God knows who you are and all that you have done to help in extending this prayer into this evolving conversation. Obrigado/obrigada! Special thanks also to Fr. Chris, Fr. Charles, Fr. Peter, Fr. Nuno, Dr. Kaufman, Donna-Marie, Dr. Lombardi, and Cardinal Collins for their guidance, leadership, inspiration, mentorship and spiritual direction.
More soon. Thank you, and enjoy, and God bless!
The Rosary Hour Podcast Team
P.S.
Be sure to enjoy the last minute of the video for a little 😏 surprise for our Faithful readers from Amelia. NOTE: The segment prior is a reiteration of Fr. Chris Alar and Dr. Bob Schucht’s on the Mystery of the Cross explored in an earlier presentation now featured here: https://jpiihealingcenter.org/rosary_series/ and here:
(Reviewed by: Izzy Nunziato | PACIFIC STANDARD TIME)
FOOTNOTES
The Mystery of the Cross: Why do we have to enter into the darkness? Dr. Schuchts & Fr. Chris explain as we celebrate the first anniversary of our Rosary Series Broadcast #1 (Sept 14, 2022)