As Sacred Scripture tells us, mankind was created in the image and likeness of God. However, because of the fall of man, our sinfulness destroyed that. “Disfigured by sin and death man remains “in the image of God”, in the image of the Son but is deprived “of the Glory of God” of his “likeness”. CCC Para 705. Christ came into the world to restore us to that Divine likeness, by taking upon Himself all the sins of mankind and paying our debt on the Cross. We, through the Church and Her Holy Sacraments can be restored into that Divine likeness.
When we pray these prayers of reparation, we are uniting ourselves with Christ in fighting the evil which is so prevalent in the world today. When we adore His Sacred Holy Face in the Passion, we are offering Him to God the Father in reverence to atone for the sins of Blasphemy and Profanation of Sunday & Holy Days. We hope & trust in God’s Mercy through our prayers for the reversion of mankind.
When we pray these prayers, we are pleading with God to restore mankind and His Holy Church in the Divine Likeness. We are praying for the Triumph of the Church as we lift Her up in battle, and proclaim as Moses did when the Ark was lifted up. “Arise O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, let those that hate thee, flee before Thy Face” (Num 10:35). Likewise, in the same manner we lift up the Virgin Mary, Mother of God as the New Ark of the Covenant and Mother of the Church when we pray the Rosary.
When we contemplate his holy face in the veil of Veronica, we can see a portion of His virtues and attributes; as described in the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus, each name such as Jesus Most Admirable, Jesus Most Powerful, Jesus Most Obedient etc., are all attributes of Jesus which make up His Divine Likeness. When we contemplate the virtues/attributes of Christ, we are desiring in our hearts and minds to imitate these qualities. As St Paul said to the Corinthians; “Beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being changed into his likeness, from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18).
I believe that is why these prayers are so powerful. Who does not want for everyone to be restored in God likeness? Except for the demons who are doing everything in their power to destroy God’s image and likeness in mankind, isn’t that truly what the battle is all about? The devil’s plan is a hatred that is aimed at God by destroying the image of God in our humanity, and trying to prevent us from attaining the glory of God’s likeness. Everything that the Devil promotes is aimed at defiling or destroying God’s image in mankind. Just consider the evils of abortion, euthanasia and strange gender ideologies. He also attacks the Church, the priesthood and the sacraments, because they are all a means of God’s children to be reconciled to God and re-attain the glory of His likeness. Just one more reason why we need to pray these prayers of the Chaplet. Because, they are a mini exorcism. As revealed to St. Athanasius when he asked a demon what scripture verse terrified them , The demon responded by saying it is that verse that begins “Arise O Lord, Let thy enemies be scattered”. In union with the Rosary, the Holy Face Chaplet is a one, two punch – the blue print given to us by God to fight the battle of the third millennium.
Little Pilgrim of the Holy Face!
