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This site is dedicated to the promotion of a traditional Catholic method for meditation based on a book written by Charles Louis Laurent Bronchain, Servant of God. At present there are 133 of the 548 meditations transcribed.THE BOOK:
Meditations for every day in the year: according to the doctrine and spirit of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori, Doctor of the Church, for the use of all who aspire to perfection - priests, religious and laymen.THE AUTHOR:
Rev. Louis Bronchain, C. SS. R.THE EDITOR:
Edited and Translated from the 12th Belgian Edition by Rev. Ferreol Girardy, C. SS. R.THE PUBLISHER:
St. Louis, MO.: B. Herder, 1910.NIHIL OBSTAT:
Sti. Ludovici, die 3. Maii, 1910 -- F. G. Holweck, Censor Librorum.IMPRIMATUR:
Thos. P. Brown, C. SS. R. Sup. Prov. St. Louis
Sti. Ludovici, die 4, Maii, 1910 - +Joannes J. Glennon, Archiepiscopus Sti. Ludovici.
In his introduction to the book, the editor, Rev. Ferreol Girardy, C. SS. R., states:
Among Father Bronchain's works are the following: “L’ame sanctifiee,” “Merveilles du tres saint Rosaire,” “Richesses du tres saint Rosaire,” “Le Purgatoire abrege,” “Les Enseignements du Chemin de la Croix,” and especially “Meditation pour tous les jours de l’Annee,” which we now give in an English dress. In the 548 meditations there is a wealth of doctrine and piety furnishing abundant matter not only for meditating on every principle and practice of the ascetic life, but also for retreats and conferences, especially to religious communities, and lastly, but not least, for hundreds of sermons for priests preaching to their congregations. We can vouch that those who make use of this work for their daily meditation, will make great progress in the spiritual life and become men of prayer. Able directors of souls consider these meditations as unsurpassed by any other series. And this is not to be wondered at, for their author, a man of prayer, first practiced what he preaches and teaches in his writings.
Father Bronchain’s Meditations are also the best adapted to the special wants and devotions of our times, the Incarnation, the Passion, the Blessed Eucharist, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin and all the principal saints and devotions. In them are to be found special meditations for each feast of the liturgy, for the First Fridays of each month, on the Incarnation for every 25th of each month, for several solemn octaves, a monthly preparation for death, and for Advent and Lenten courses. Religious and priests will find meditations for their special benefit.
SOME ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS ON MEDITATION
St. Francis de Sales:
Meditation means thought, but thinking is not always meditating. There are times when the mind harbours thoughts for no rhyme or reason but to pass the time -- like idle flies among the flowers. That kind of thing, however intent, cannot be called meditation; it is simply thought. Sometimes we think about something intently in order to learn its causes, effects, characteristics; such thought is called study -- the mind acts like insects feeding indiscriminately on flowers and leaves. But when we think of divine things, to grow not in knowledge but in love...that is called meditation. We are meditating, when the mind does not trifle like flies, nor devour like insects, but wanders as a mystic bee here and there among the mysteries of God, to gather the honey of divine love.
Here and there among the flowers flies the bee in the springtime; not at random, but of set purpose; not for sheer delight in the gay flowered pattern of the countryside, but in search of honey. When it has found some, it sucks it in and carries it off to the hive, where it sets skillfully to work on it, separating the wax to form a comb in which to keep the honey for the following winter. It is it the same with a devoted soul in meditation. From mystery to mystery it goes, never haphazard or to gain comfort from seeing the wondrous beauty of divine things, but with the intention and purpose of discovering motives for loving God, for practicing virtue. These it embraces, when it sets apart what it feels will conduce to its progress, and ultimately forms suitable resolutions against time of temptation. Treatise on the Love of God, Book VI, Chap. 2.
St. Alphonsus de Liguori:
Without mental prayer there is no light; we walk in the dark; and walking in the dark, we do not see the danger which we are in, we do not make use of the means we ought, nor pray to God to help us, and so we are lost. Without prayer we have neither light nor strength to advance in the ways of God; because without prayer we do not ask God to give us His grace, and without so praying we shall certainly fall. It was for this reason that Cardinal Bellarmine declared it to be morally impossible for a Christian who does not meditate to persevere in the grace of God. Whereas he who makes his meditation every day can scarcely fall into sin; and if unhappily he should fall on some occasion, by continuing his prayer he will return immediately to God. It was said by a servant of God, that "mental prayer and mortal sin cannot exist together." Resolve, then, to make every day, either in the morning or evening -- but it is best in the morning -- half an hour's meditation. The Way of Salvation.
Rev. Adolphe Tanquery, S.S., D.D.:
Meditation, however, is most useful and most profitable to all for salvation and perfection; to beginners, as well as to more advanced souls. It may be even said that it is the most effective means of assuring one's salvation. This is the teaching of St. Alphonsus, who gives the following reason, that whilst habitually practicing the other exercises of piety, like the Rosary, the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, fasting, etc... one may, unfortunately, still continue to live in mortal sin, whilst the habitual practice of mental prayer cannot suffer one to remain long in such a state. One either relinquishes mental prayer of relinquishes sin. How could we day by day go into the presence of God, the source of all holiness, while conscious of mortal sin, and not determine, with the help of grace, to break with sin and to seek in the Tribunal of Penance that pardon the supreme need of which we recognize? But, if we have no appointed time and no practical method for the consideration of the great religious truths, we allow ourselves to be carried away by dissipation of mind and the example of the world, until we lapse into sin and live in sin. The Spiritual Life.
