July 15

Two Great Duties.

Preparation. - To sanctify the obligations of piety and of our state, it behooves us to fulfill two conditions, first, to glorify God in all things, and secondly, to imitate Jesus Christ, His divine Son. We shall, then, resolve sincerely often to renew our intention of always acting for God only and in union with Jesus, our adorable Model. “Look and make according to the patter that was shown thee” (Exod. 25. 40).

I. The Obligation Of Glorifying God In All Things

“The Lord hath made all things for Himself” (Prov. 16. 4), that is, for His glory by manifesting His divine perfections. Out of nothing He made the firmament, the stars, the whole universe, to induce us to praise Him for His works. With the same object He sustains and governs the world, and preserves our existence. Wherefore is it not meet to render due honor to the Author of our being and of the wonders of creation? If the beauty of a work of art redounds to the praise of the artist who made it, how much more does it behoove us to refer to the Lord the glory of having created by His word this world of prodigies, that call forth the admiration of even the atheists! to the owner belong the fruits of the tree; wherefore all our thoughts and desires, all our words and actions should belong to Him whose property we are, and should in every way procure His glory. Hence the first petition of the Lord’s prayer: “Hallowed by Thy name,” that is, may it be known, praised, blessed and exalted!

To do the contrary would be, on our part, a crying injustice, a theft, for the Lord declares He will not give His glory to another (Is. 42. 8), and this is clear; for His glory essentially belongs to Him, and, as He is Truth itself, He cannot attribute it to any one else. How, then, do we so often dare to rob Him of that precious treasure, of which He is the absolute owner? Let us rather strive to purify our intentions by never seeking ourselves, humbling ourselves in all things, and unceasingly repeating with the royal prophet: “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Thy name give the glory” (Ps. 113. 9). This intention is, moreover, a means of sanctifying all our actions, however indifferent they may be in themselves. “Whether you eat of drink, or whatever else you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10. 31).

Do we carefully fulfill this precept? It is the most noble end of which a creature is capable, for even the Creator proposes no other to Himself. Wherefore let us examine, first, if, instead of procuring the divine glory, we do not seek our own, by taking complacency in ourselves, in being esteemed, sought after and praised; and secondly, if we do not often forget to renew our good intention, and especially to purify it of all alloy of self-love and human respect?

O my God, how often, alas! I seek myself in my thoughts, words and actions, instead of proposing to myself solely Thy honor and good pleasure! Enable me to know my nothingness and my powerlessness to do good, and to depend unceasingly on Thee and give Thee thanks for every thing, for to Thee alone, King of ages, immortal and invisible King, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen

II. The Obligation Of Imitating Jesus

The second object of the Creator is producing the universe was our perfection and salvation. But our salvation and holiness depend on our resemblance with the divine Model of the predestined, Jesus Christ. From the high heavens the eternal Father says to us: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hearken to Him” (Mat. 17. 5). “Listen to His teachings, follow His counsels and examples.”

Our Redeemer is, indeed, our Model in all states. As a child, He teaches us humility, simplicity and innocence; as a youth, He preaches to us modesty, reserve, a hidden, laborious and submissive life; as a mature man, He points out the way that leads to solid virtue, that is, self-denial, patience and devotedness. When the splendor of His miracles and doctrine draw on Him praise, He teaches us to refer all praise to God.

But as briars and thorns usually bound the paths of life He wished especially to be poor, humble and suffering. He is scarcely born, than He has to undergo persecution and exile; later on He earns His livelihood by working daily at the sweat of His brow. At Nazareth, according to St. Bonaventure, He is looked upon as ignorant; later on He is treated as a magician,as one possessed of the devil; and finally, He dies in torments on a gibbet of shame. In this manner, He wished to serve us as model in the most difficult positions. He gives us the example of silence and self-surrender to God amid insults and humiliations; the examples of generosity in self-renunciation and sacrifice; of charity and devotedness in the exercise of zeal towards souls to be saved and the unfortunate to be succored. O Jesus, impart these virtues to my heart, and enable me to practice them as long as I live, even in the least things.

St. Vincent de Paul imitated our divine Master in his thoughts, words and actions. “When you are about to speak or act,” he would say, “reflect on yourself and ask: ‘How would our Lord have spoken or acted on this occasion? O Jesus, inspire me, for without Thee I can do nothing.’” Let us apply this admonition to ourselves; let us act and suffer as Jesus did, that is, in a spirit of prayer and grace, peaceably, uprightly, and with meekness of heart.

O my amiable Redeemer, teach me to imitate Thee, as Thou didst teach Mary and Joseph in the house of Nazareth. I unite myself to them in order to contemplate Thee, to pray to Thee, and to obtain from Thee the strength to follow in Thy steps. Enable me to seek, like Thee, the glory of the heavenly Father and the accomplishment of all His desire.

Read more...

For The Nine Days Following The Feast Of The Sacred Heart

Ninth Day – Jesus And Mary.

Preparation. - St. Elizabeth assures us in the angelic Salutation, that Jesus and Mary combine in themselves all blessings, both divine and human. What a motive for us, first, to esteem and love solely in this world our Saviour and His holy Mother, and secondly, to serve and imitate them with all possible fervor. Let us resolve often to invoke Jesus and Mary, who possess for themselves and for us all the goods of grace. “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”

I. It Behooves Us To Esteem And Love Jesus And Mary

If we search history, going back to the most remote ages, recalling the most celebrated names, the most boasted geniuses, we shall always find every human being disfigured by some vice or some defect. Even the greatest saints of Christianity had their imperfections. This is not astonishing, for every one contacted the stain, and underwent the consequences of original sin.

But this is not the case with Jesus and Mary; alone among all the children of Adam, they were conceived in holiness, Jesus as God, and Mary as the Mother of God; hence they were in every thing irreprehensible and perfect in the eyes of the Creator. Jesus, the consubstantial image of the Father and the eternal mirror of His goodness, possesses all the treasures of the wisdom and science of God, all the riches of nature, grace and glory. Mary, the faithful imitatrix of her amiable Son, surpasses in holiness all the angels and saints combined. Hence neither in heaven nor on earth can there be other objects so worthy of our minds and hearts.

Happy Joseph, who hadst the privilege of guarding and contemplating at Nazareth these two precious personages, tells us the sentiments of admiration and love which then animated thee. All thy thoughts, desires and affections were concentrated in Jesus and Mary. Thy soul melted, as it were, in their presence and took in every thing the form of their so amiable holiness.

Who will give us the lights and graces of this glorious patriarch, that we may know and undividely love the Redeemer and His Virgin Mother! Let us at least, after the example of the saints, meditate on their grandeurs and virtues. This St. Alphonsus was wont to do day and night, and even in his sleep spoke of them with a touching love. St. Philip Neri used to call Jesus “his Love,” and Mary “his delights.” And we, who are so easily charmed with the beauties of creation, should we not be ravished with the two wonders of God, Jesus, Beauty itself, and Mary, the immaculate Virgin, the most perfect copy of her amiable Son.

O Lord, Thou has created me to love what is grand, noble and holy; draw me, then entirely to Thee and to the two master-pieces of Thy power, wisdom and goodness. Wherefore, make known to me the many motives which urge me to cling to my Redeemer and His loving Mother, who is also mine. I am resolved often to invoke their sacred names, to use them as an armor in combats, a remedy for my wounds, a strengthening balm in my pains, and a preservative against all the evils of this life.

II. It Behooves Us To Serve And Imitate Jesus And Mary.

There is nothing in heaven and on earth more lovely, nothing having greater claims to our devotedness than our Redeemer and His holy Mother. Jesus, the Head and Model of the predestined, in all respects, deserves our reverence, our obedience and unreserved submission. It is our duty to copy Him in our intentions, sentiments and conduct. And is not this immaculate Virgin, this Mother of the Saviour and ours, and the most perfect imitatrix of her Son, is she not after Him the most worthy of our homages and devotion?

The soul of Jesus lived recollected and as if annihilated before God; all His thoughts and desires were concentrated in His heavenly Father, whose glory and good pleasure alone He sought. Faithful in following the divine Model in all things, Mary placed herself in the same dispositions by means of prayer and ardent love. The Son and the Mother were like mirrors mutually reflecting each other, Mary drawing from Jesus all the graces, of which He is the source, and Jesus finding in Mary all the virtues of which He gave the example.

How happy and holy we should be, if our only ambition on earth was to serve Jesus and Mary and to become like unto them! So many persons exhaust themselves in serving the world through the desire of some transitory gain or advantage, so many seek to imitate celebrated men, in order to share their renown. Should we be less strenuous in serving the Lord and the Queen of angels, who promise us an eternal kingdom as a reward of our obedience to their commands and of our fidelity? Should we be less eager to imitate them in order to participate in their glory and happiness? And what helps do they not promise us, if we wish to follow them?

O holy patriarch of Nazareth, faithful imitator of Jesus and Mary, beseech the Lord to impart to me thy spirit of faith, recollection and prayer, so that I may be intimately united to my Saviour and His Blessed Mother. I am resolved, first, to contemplate them often in the mysteries of the rosary, and secondly, earnestly to entreat them then to grant me the precious gift of their love, which contains every good and enables us to practice every virtue.

Read more...