Bronchain Meditations: August 6

Transfiguration in Heaven

Preparation. - Our divine Saviour’s transfiguration on Thabor represents that which is promised us in heaven, where, in the first place, we shall see God, and secondly, we shall love Him and be thus transformed into Him. In order to merit this happiness, let us avoid light faults and cling solely to the Supreme Good, for our Lord says: “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God” (Mat. 5. 8).

I. In Heaven We Shall See God

Our Saviour showed Himself to His apostles transfigured on Thabor. His countenance was bright as the sun, and His garments were white as snow. This vision transported Peter out of himself and inebriated him, as it were, with happiness. If the sight of Christ’s humanity produced such effects on earth, what will it be to contemplate His divinity in heaven? We shall behold it face to face, says St. Paul (1 Cor. 13. 12), that is, we shall contemplate in an ecstasy of joy the infinite treasure of its power, wisdom, purity and holiness.

All that is beautiful, good and ravishing in the universe, is nothing in comparison with the perfections of the Creator. The excellence of His infinite grandeur and essence is like a fathomless and boundless ocean, into which the elect plunge by means of the light of glory with which they are clothed. Eternity itself shall never exhaust their admiration and holy ebriety. “I shall be satiated,” said the royal prophet, “when Thy glory shall appear” (Ps. 16. 15).

With whom and where shall we behold that glory, which, of itself, can make us perfectly happy? With the most august of assemblies, the angels and saints, and in the most delicious place imaginable in heaven. These circumstances, though only accidental to the heavenly glory itself, says St. Alphonsus, procures by themselves to the elect a happiness that surpasses all earthly pleasures. Oh, who will give us the purity of heart requisite to merit the beatific vision!

Let us examine and discover our ordinary faults and attachments, and free ourselves therefrom by repentance and disengagement from all that is not God, for often, on account of trifles, we deprive ourselves of infinitely precious lights and graces.

O my God, heal my mind of its prejudices, errors and its more or less unworthy maxims. Enable me to know the value of the goods promised me for eternity, which incomparably surpass all earthly riches. Enable me to combat in myself every hindrance to interior purity, which is indispensable for the beatific vision. “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.”

II. In Heaven We Shall Love God

Divine love on earth is often divided and mingled with imperfect motives. We love God, not so much for His own sake, but because of the goods received from His bounty, and even this love is frequently vitiated by attachments to creatures. But how different in heaven! There we shall love God without selfishness, without reserve, solely because of His merit, and with the whole capacity of our perfectly purified heart. With what ardor, then, will our soul dart towards the Supreme Good, and contemplate His beauty! With what delights will she plunge into the immensity of His love, to enjoy all that His divine affection can impart to His friends, to His privileged children!

Just as the punishments of hell stir up the rage of the devils and reprobates, so and even more do the joys of heaven cause the angels and saints to burst forth into harmonious praises to the Blessed Trinity, that loads them with so many favors. The King of glory, the eternal God enables them to share in His goods, His joys, His ineffable perfections; He bestows Himself on them as their final destiny and their infinitely great reward. “I am thy reward, exceedingly great” (Gen. 15. 1).

How sweet should it not be for us to aspire without ceasing to this unspeakable bliss by loving God with all our mind, with all our heart, with all our strength! But how far are we from doing so! We care less for God than for ourselves and creatures. Instead of recollecting ourselves, of applying ourselves to mental prayer, we allow our imagination to feed on useless recollections. Had we but a spark of the love that consumed the saints, would not all our faults soon vanish? Our mind would then be enlightened and our conscience purified. Our soul would never be puffed up with pride, or be gnawed by envy, or disturbed by anger, or cast down by sadness; but it would be humble, pure, chaste and peaceful, and be moderate in prosperity and resigned in trials; and thus would possess all the virtues that render us worthily of seeing and perfectly loving the Supreme Good.

O my God, through the merits of Jesus and Mary, inflame me with the love that sanctified the apostles, the martyrs, the saints. Enable me to understand, first, how much Thou deservest to be loved because of Thy infinite excellence and ravishing perfections; and secondly, how many personal advantages I can find in Thy love, which is the fountain of peace, the bond of perfection, and the secure pledge of a blissful eternity.

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Servant of God

Charles Louis Laurent Bronchain was born of excellent parents, September 4, 1829, at Frameries, near Mons in Belgium. From his early boyhood he was distinguished for his piety. As an altar boy he was modest and recollected, and was wont after serving Mass to remain as close as possible to the priest. Being asked why he acted thus, he replied: "I do this, because I wish to be nearer to the good God." When he saw people going to holy communion, he was filled with a holy envy, and would say to himself: "When shall I also have the happiness of receiving our Lord?" We may easily imagine his joy and happiness when this favor was vouchsafed to him for the first time. When out walking with his playmates, he always managed to bring them near a church and induced them to enter it with him to pay homage to our divine Saviour in the Sacrament of His love.

During the six years he studied at the "Petit Seminaire de Bonne Esperance," he was universally admired and respected for his modesty, piety, charity, and other virtues. Heeding the divine call to a more perfect life, he, with the consent of his parents, renounced the world and the brightest prospects of success, and entered in 1850 the Redemptorist Novitiate at St. Trond. The following year he made his profession and was sent to Wittem to prosecute his studies. As novice and student, Louis Bronchain was a model to his companions in regular observance, charity, love of prayer, and study, and self-denial. After his ordination in 1857, he labored zealously for some years in the ministry and in giving missions.

In 1865 he was appointed Master of Novices. To his novices he was ever a tender and loving father, giving them the example of every virtue. His life was practically a continual prayer. Rising very early every morning to be able to devote more time to it, he would spend hours in meditation before the Blessed Sacrament. Though very severe towards himself and addicted to corporal austerities, he, like a true saint, was always cheerful and full of charity and condescension towards others, and of solicitude in supplying the wants of his novices. His health failing, he was relieved of his heavy burden in 1870. From that time until his death, his life was one of continual suffering, borne with wonderful patience and resignation. As long as he was able he labored for his fellow-religious, and for the salvation of souls. Being an able spiritual director, he enabled his many penitents to make great progress in the spiritual life. As for himself he was an “interior man,” such as he describes in his “Meditations.” He died June 2, 1892, in the odor of sanctity.

Father Bronchain spent his years of suffering in composing spiritual works, which passed through many editions during his lifetime and have done incalculable good to souls. They are, like the works of St. Alphonsus, whose spirit he possessed in a remarkable degree, noted for the solidity of their doctrine, the simplicity and popularity of their language, and especially for that sweet unction which induces the practice of virtue, horror of sin, and especially the love of Jesus and Mary.

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August 6

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Servant of God

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