August 27

The Seraphic Teresa’s Wound Of Love

Preparation. - The Church has permitted several religious institutes to celebrate the memory of this signal favor. We shall consider its two great effects on the saint: in the first place, a total detachment from all that is not God, and secondly, a sincere love of suffering. Thus we shall enkindle in us the desire of watching over our affections, and of peacefully accepting the trials of this life, so that God may ever be our only treasure, our only love. “the God of my heart and the God that is my portion forever” (Ps. 72. 26).

I. The Detachment Produced In St. Teresa By The Wound Of Love

St. Teresa relates that a seraph several times appeared to her and pierced her heart with a flaming dart. The first effect of her wound was to detach her wholly from all but the supreme Good. “I was as if stunned,” she writes, “and would have wished no longer to see or speak, but only to be entirely absorbed in that delightful pain, whence I derived more contentment and joy than from all created goods.”

And, in fact, do we not find every thing in God: science, glory, riches, and the purest and sweetest pleasures? Truly could our saint exclaim with David: “What have I in heaven, and besides Thee what do I desire upon earth? ... Thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion forever.” And indeed nothing in the world can captivate the desires of him who possesses the infinite Good and is wounded with His love. We ought, like the saints, to direct all our aspirations towards the God who inebriates with delights the angels and the elect; we should then enjoy already in our exile a foretaste of the joys of our heavenly country.

The worldling who has been keenly hurt in his honor or reputation, cannot forget the wound that makes his heart bleed; it occupies all his thoughts, and he speaks of it at every opportunity. Such was the state of the Seraphic Teresa; God absorbed her; in Him alone she concentrated all her desires and affections, so that for her there was no attraction, no pleasure, but the supreme and eternal God. Oh, were the Lord to pierce us with one of His divine darts, that is, with the rays of His grace, how we should be filled with His love! At our meals, in our walks, at our work the sweet remembrance of our God, ever present in our soul and conferring favors on us, would never leave us; by day and by night, like our saint, we would speak affectionately to Him in order to testify to Him our gratitude and love.

O my sovereign Good, do not allow my heart, created for Thee alone, to seek any longer what flatters, amuses or pleases it on earth. Detach it from every gratification, and enkindle it with the desire to love Thee as the most ardent seraphim love Thee. Wound my soul at mental prayer and remove from it every remembrance, every affection, that tends not to Thee, the God of my heart, the God that is my portion forever.

II. The Seraphic Teresa’s Love Of Suffering

The pain caused by the seraph’s fiery dart was so keen that our saint could not keep back plaintive cries. “ But,” she adds, “love predominated over the pain;” and she would not have wished o be freed therefrom, so delicious it seemed to be to her. Such is the fruit of perfect charity; it sweetens all bitterness. Had we but a spark of it, would we have such a horror of all that is opposed to our inclinations?

In fact, how can we love a crucified God without loving the cross? “Do you imagine,” said our Lord to Teresa, “that merit consists in enjoyment? No; it consists in working, suffering and loving.” Suffering is, as it were, inseparable from love, for Jesus crucified testified His boundless love for us chiefly by suffering and dying for us. Wishing to contract the most sublime union with Teresa, He showed her on of the nails wherewith He had been nailed to the cross, saying: “This is the mark and pledge that thou art henceforth My Spouse.” Therefore our union with Jesus is sanctified by means of suffering. The wood of the cross must keep up and increase in us the fire of divine love.

Have we hitherto grasped this doctrine, we who wish always to enjoy and never have any thing to bear? That there may be room in us for divine love, we must necessarily banish from our heart pride, sensuality, and all vice and defects. But how can we secure such a result, without denying and mortifying ourselves, without patiently bearing contradictions, hardships, infirmities and all the little trials strewn over our daily life? Great trials, which rarely occur, are usually well accepted only by the souls accustomed peacefully to carry their daily cross.

Let us examine whether we are patient, first, when our feelings are hurt, when we are contradicted, interrupted in our occupations, or overloaded with work; and secondly, when accidents, disappointments, shock us, or upset our plans and projects. Are not all these and similar occasions providential means leading us to perfect love, which consists, according to St. Teresa, “in making our will one with the will of God.”

“O Love,” I say to Thee with her, “Thou who loves me more than I can conceive, dispose my soul to serve Thee as Thou pleasest and not as I please. May all selfishness die in me, so that Thou mayst live in me, and give me life, and reign over me, and make me Thy slave, for I wish for no other freedom.”

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June 18

Dangers Of The World

Preparation. - "Woe to the world, because of scandals," says Jesus (Mat. 18. 7). That we may the better understand the necessity of watchfulness and prayer, we shall consider, first, the dangers of the world, and secondly, how we may be preserved therefrom. Whence we shall conclude that we should never trust our resolution, but should carefully shun dangerous occasions and practice continual mental prayer. "They were persevering with one mind in prayer" (Acts 1. 14).

I. The Dangers Met With In The World.

Worldlings, being immersed in things material, can speak only of what is earthly. Their worldly conversations gradually inspire a relish for worldly vanities, and even at times endanger the virtue of their listeners. Their mouths resemble "open sepulchers" (Ps. 5. 11), whence escape pestilential words, which spread diseases and death in the soul. Woe to those who find pleasure in being with persons accustomed to speak of matters that wound modesty and faith! They should be shunned, as we would shun those infected with disgusting and contagious diseases.

The world is full of scandals even from those who have faith. According  to St. Bernard, the Church seems to say to us: "The pagans, and even heretics leave me in peace; but I can have none with my scandalous children for they persecute me without ceasing." "Woe to the world, because of scandals," says our divine Saviour.

It behooves us, then, to use the greatest precautions when living in the world, lest we be allured by the evil examples of those who lead a bad life. Salvation is a personal affair; if others wish to be lost, it is a fresh motive for us to be on our guard. Let us, therefore, most carefully shun dangerous occasions, especially in what concerns chastity. "He that loveth danger," says the Holy Ghost, "shall perish therein" (Eccli. 3. 27). It is easy to conquer a temptation suggested by Satan, because we need only to pray in order to gain the victory. But as to dangerous occasions, besides prayer flight is necessary; for if we do not keep away from them, we run the risk of becoming victims of our own imprudence.

O Jesus, make known to me what may expose me to fall into sin, and help me to avoid it at any cost. Keep me closely united to Thee; to Thy grace and Thy will, so that until my last moment I may escape all the snares besetting my path. Enable me, first, never to pay attention to the impious and unchaste conversations of worldlings, and secondly, to redouble my fervor in proportion as the world increases its scandals and snares to lead me astray.

II. How We May Preserve Ourselves From The Dangers Of The World.

"Beware of false prophets," said our Saviour to His disciples, "who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Mat. 7. 15). These false prophets are no other than those worldlings, who come to us in the guise of friendship, honesty and virtue, but with no other design than to seduce us. "You shall know them by their fruits," adds our Lord (Ibid. 16); that is, their speech and conduct will soon show you what they really are in themselves and in the sight of God.

Flee from them as from venomous serpents; in this matter never give way to human respect, for, says St. Paul, "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3. 12). Sinners will not put up with the good, because the holy life of these is a constant reproach and condemnation of their scandalous behavior. Wherefore, if we wish to practice our religious duties faithfully, we must despise "what will people say about it." Our progress in piety, nay, our very salvation often depends on our courage to trample the world under foot, and to keep Jesus in our thoughts, words and conduct.

On the other hand, let us never consider ourselves strong enough to expose ourselves to danger. "Prudence," says the old adage, "is the mother of security." He who knows human frailty, will keep entirely away from dangerous reading, balls, shows, and those friendships and companions that may prove dangerous to his piety and innocence. He will not rely on his own resolutions, knowing that God and his conscience forbid this self-reliance, when his eternity is at stake.

Let us examine, first, whether we do not too easily allow ourselves certain amusements, certain reading, certain relations or conversations that expose us to fall into sin; and secondly, whether we are careful to watch and pray, as our Lord enjoins; that is, whether we faithfully perform our spiritual exercises, frequent the sacraments, say our beads, for these are the necessary nourishment of the fervor of a soul desirous of loving God.

O Jesus, give me the strength to shun the world and to devote myself more constantly to prayer, which is my mainstay in this vale of miseries and dangers. And thou, my loving Mother Mary, protect me against my own frailty and the snares of the enemies of my salvation.

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Pentecost Tuesday

Petitions To The Holy Ghost

Preparation. - "How much more will your Father from heaven," says our Saviour, "give the good Spirit to them that ask Him?" (Luke 11. 13). this good spirit consists, first in being humble and dependent on the Holy Ghost, and secondly, in living pure and detached. Let us with earnestness and perseverance ask for this good spirit, with the conviction that it will be given to us, according to our divine Master's promise.

I. The Humble Man Possesses A Good Spirit.

Left to himself, man remains in the state of a corrupt nature into which he fell through original sin, and is powerless to extricate himself therefrom. As much as it is impossible to rise bodily to heaven without outward help, so also our soul cannot of herself perform a supernatural act or rise above her nature without the assistance of divine grace. It behooves us, then , to acknowledge that, of ourselves, we can do nothing for our salvation, and cannot even have a good thought or a good desire (2 Cor. 3. 5). He who is intimately convinced of this and acts accordingly, possesses a good spirit, a spirit of humility prompting us to abase ourselves profoundly before the divine Majesty, esteeming ourselves as the very last in virtue and merit.

The first and principal effect of this humility is a total dependence on God. Faith teaches that I can do nothing in the supernatural order; and that I must rise to this order, that I may be saved; it behooves men then to have recourse to God, the sole author of grace; to make progress on the road to heaven I must depend on His light and His concurrence. As a tender infant cannot take a step without holding its mother's hand, hence we can do nothing without our heavenly Father ; we cannot even reach the road of virtue, "for," says St. Paul, "it is God who worketh in you both to will and to accomplish" (Phil. 2. 13).

To act according to this truth, or to pray without ceasing for the divine assistance, is the good spirit, the spirit of Him who said: "Unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom o heaven" (Mat. 18. 3). To be like little children, is to feel our helplessness to do good, to rely wholly on God, to implore Him constantly to enlighten, direct and support us, to accomplish Christ's precept: "It behooveth always to pray, and not to faint" (Luke 18. 1).

O my god, would that I had hitherto had these dispositions, instead of that fatal presumption which induced me to face danger relying on my own strength only. How could I so often venture to neglect prayer, spiritual reading, holy Communion and other pious exercises, as if they were unnecessary for my spiritual life? Enable me, O Lord, to understand that pride is the beginning of all evil, as humility is the origin of all good. Help me to acquire humility, so that it may inspire me with self-watchfulness, salutary fear, diffidence in my weakness and continual prayer; and may it teach me always to submit to the guidance of the Holy Ghost in all things and at all times.

II. Detachment Proceeds From A Good Spirit.

The souls that strive to purify and detach themselves also possess a good spirit. The spiritual defilements are much deeper than the material, which are easily removed with water, whilst a deluge of human blood could not obliterate the stain of sin, which can be effaced only by the blood of a God applied to our soul by the Spirit of sanctification. And even after we have been washed in the sacrament of penance, how much does there not remain to be expiated either in this life or in the next! And then how much darkness, weakness and inclination to evil do not our sins leave in us even after our forgiveness! Hence David ceased not praying: "Lord, cleanse me more and more from my sin."

The external world itself, according to St. Leo, causes us to contract many stains by debasing our affections down to earthly and transitory vanities. May we not also be likened to sinks of corruption? Whence are our passions always on the alert, our pride, our sensuality, self-love, which swarm with ever restless perverse inclinations? And that concupiscence incessantly cropping out and tending to infect our whole being? How can we, without divine grace, remain pure and detached amid so many vices and fatal inclinations? Let us often say with the Church: "Holy Spirit, wash what is unclean," and with the psalmist, "O God, create a clean heart in me," a heart disengaged not only from every fault, but also from every attachment foreign to the supreme and eternal Good; "and renew a right spirit within my bowels" (Ps. 50. 12), the spirit Thou gavest me at baptism, and which I lost through malice; the spirit which seeks holiness in all things, and has no other ambition than to love and possess Thee, my last End and my eternal Bliss!

O Jesus, who searches all the recesses of the heart, make known to me which fault, which defect, which attachment or inclination is the most hurtful to my spiritual progress, and give me the strength to correct it. Through the prayers of the Immaculate Virgin, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, grant that I may often this day repeat to Thee: "Lord, create a pure heart in me; and renew in my interior the spirit of innocence and uprightness."

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