aeternus

Today’s Saint is just so darn awesome. How is it possible that she could have accomplished so much in her lifetime in honor of our Lord. I suppose it was just because she did not do the accomplishing. Instead it was her humbleness and cooperation with the Holy Will of God which animated her being and allowed for so much wonder to be completed by her.

I’ll copy a little text here from “The Life of St. Brigid, First Abbess of Kildare” by the Reverand John O Hanlon.

“It was her anxious care to comfort the poor, to banish all distress, to relieve all wretchedness : there was no one more modest, more righteous, more humble, or more chaste; she never looked in the face of man; she was abstinent, she was spotless, she was prayerful, she was patient, she was joyful in the commandments of God. She was a consecrated shrine to receive the Body and Blood of Christ: she was the temple of God: her heart and her mind were an abiding throne for the Holy Ghost. She was bright in miracles ; her type among creatures is the dove among birds, the vine among trees, the sun amidst the stars. It is she that relieves all who are in distress and danger ; it is she that subdues disease. It is she that restrains the angry fury of the sea. She is the Mary of Ireland.”

“St. Brigid applied herself anew to labours, to vigils, to fasting, to prayer and to divine contemplation. Thus, she endeavoured to advance in the narrow paths of perfection.”

“Not only during this night, but in every age, I shall have the Lord s assistance, in all things, through the ministry of His angels. For daily do I experience a great joy of spirit, while I hear, through Divine inspiration, holy songs, spiritual canticles, and strains of heavenly organs. I am also able to hear every day those sacred Masses, which are offered in honour of the Almighty, in distant parts of the world, in like manner, as if I were present at their celebration, while, the angels of God present my prayers to Heaven day and night. Wherever I am, the Lord always hears me…”

“We have two principal exercises of our love towards God, the one affective, the other effective, or, as S. Bernard calls it, active; by that we affect or love God and what he loves, by this we serve God and do what he ordains; that joins us to God’s goodness, this makes us execute his will: the one fills us with complacency, benevolence, yearnings, desires, aspirations and spiritual ardours, causing us to practice the sacred infusions and minglings of our spirit with God’s; the other establishes in us the solid resolution, the constancy of heart, and the inviolable obedience requisite to effect the ordinances of the divine will, and to suffer, accept, approve and embrace, all that comes from his good-pleasure; the one makes us pleased in God, the other makes us please God: by the one we conceive, by the other we bring forth: by the one we place God upon our heart, as a standard of love, around which all our affections are ranged, by the other we place him upon our arm, as a sword of love whereby we effect all the exploits of virtue.

Now the first exercise consists principally in prayer; in which so many different interior movements take place that to express them all is impossible, not only by reason of their number, but also for their nature and quality, which being spiritual, they cannot but be very rarefied, and almost imperceptible to our understanding. The cleverest and best trained hounds are often at fault; they lose the strain and scent by the variety of sleights which the stag uses, who makes doubles, puts them on a wrong scent, and practises a thousand arts to escape the cry; and we oftentimes lose the scent and knowledge of our own heart in the infinite diversity of motions by which it turns itself, in so many ways and with such promptitude, that one cannot discern its track.

God alone is he, who, by his infinite wisdom, sees, knows and penetrates all the turnings and windings of our hearts: he understands our thoughts from afar, he finds out our traces, doubles and turnings; his knowledge therein is admirable, surpassing our capacity and reach. Certainly if our spirits would turn back upon themselves by reflections, and by reconsiderations of their acts, we should enter into labyrinths from which we should find no outgate; and it would require an attention quite beyond our power, to think what our thoughts are, to consider our considerations, to observe all our spiritual observations, to discern that we discern, to remember that we remember,—these acts would be mazes from which we could not deliver ourselves. This treatise, then, is difficult, especially to one who is not a man of great prayer…

Every meditation is a thought, but every thought is not meditation. For we have thoughts to which our mind is carried without any design or aim, by way of simple musing, as we see common flies flying from from one flower to another, without drawing anything from them. And be this kind of thought as attentive as it may, it can never bear the name of meditation, but should simply be called thought. Sometimes we consider a thing attentively to learn its causes, its effects, its qualities, and this thought is named study; in which the mind acts as locusts do, which promiscuously fly upon flowers and leaves, to eat them and nourish themselves therewith. But when we think of divine things, not to learn, but to make ourselves love them, this is called meditating, and this exercise, Meditation; in which our spirit, not as a fly for simple amusement, nor as a locust to eat and be filled, but as a sacred bee, moves over the flowers of holy mysteries, to extract from them the honey of divine love.

Thus many persons are always dreaming, and engaged in unprofitable thoughts, almost without knowing what they are thinking about; and, which is noteworthy, they are only attentive to these thoughts inadvertently, and would wish not to have them; witness him who said: My thoughts are dissipated, tormenting my heart: many also study, and by a most laborious occupation fill themselves with vanity, not being able to resist curiosity: but there are few who meditate to inflame their heart with holy heavenly love. In fine, thoughts and study may be upon any subject, but meditation, in our present sense, has reference only to those objects whose consideration tends to make us good and devout. So that meditation is no other thing than an attentive thought, voluntarily reiterated or entertained in the mind, to excite the will to holy and salutary affections and resolutions…

The bee flies from flower to flower in the spring-time, not at hazard but of set purpose, not only to be recreated in the verdant diapering of the meadows, but to gather honey; which having found, she sucks it up, and loads herself with it; then carrying it to her hive, she treats it skilfully, separating from it the wax, of which she makes comb, to store the honey for the ensuing winter. Such is the devout soul in meditation. She passes from mystery to mystery, not at random, or only to solace herself in viewing the admirable beauty of those divine objects, but deliberately and of set purpose, to find out motives of love or of some heavenly affection; and having found them she draws them to her, she relishes them, she loads herself with them, and having brought them back and put them within her heart, she lays up what she sees most useful for her advancement, by finally making resolutions suitable for the time of temptation. Thus in the Canticle of Canticles the heavenly spouse, as a mystical bee, settles, now on the eyes, now on the lips, on the cheeks, on the hair of her beloved, to draw thence the sweetness of a thousand passions of love, noting in particular whatever she finds best for this. So that, inflamed with holy love, she speaks with him, she questions him, she listens to him, sighs, aspires, admires him, as he on his part fills her with delight, inspiring her, touching and opening her heart, and pouring into it brightness, lights and sweetnesses without end, but in so secret a manner that one may rightly say of this holy conversation of the soul with God, what the holy text says of God’s with Moses: that Moses being alone upon the top of the mountain spoke to God, and God answered him.”

– St. Francis de Sales – Treatise on the Love of God

“Again I believe the words of the prayer of the saints to be full of power above all when praying “with the spirit,” they pray “also with the understanding,” which is like a light rising from the suppliant’s mind and proceeding from his lips to gradually weaken by the power of God the mental venom injected by the adverse powers into the intellect of such as neglect prayer and fail to keep that saying of Paul’s in accordance with the exhortations of Jesus, “Pray without ceasing.” For it is as if a dart from the suppliant’s soul, sped by knowledge and reason or by faith, proceeds from the saint and wounds to their destruction and dissolution the spirits adverse to God and desirous of casting round us the bonds of sin.

Now, since the performance of actions enjoined by virtue or by the commandments is also a constituent part of prayer, he prays without ceasing who combines prayer with right actions, and becoming actions with prayer. For the saying “pray without ceasing” can only be accepted by us as a possibility if we may speak of the whole life of a saint as one great continuous prayer.

Of such prayer what is usually termed prayer is indeed a part, and ought to be performed at least three times each day, as is plain from the account of Daniel who, in spite of the grave danger that impended, prayed three times daily. Peter furnishes an instance of the middle prayer of the three when he goes up to the housetop about the sixth hour to pray on that occasion on which he also saw the vessel which descended from heaven let down by four corners. The first is spoken of by David: “In the morning shall you hear my prayer: in the morning will I present myself to you and keep watch.”

The last is indicated in the words: “the lifting up of my hands in evening sacrifice.” Indeed we shall not rightly speak even the season of night without such prayer as David refers to when he says “at midnight I arose to make acknowledgment to you for your righteous judgments” and as Paul exemplifies when, as it is said in the Acts of the Apostles, along with Silas he offers prayer and praise to God “about midnight” in Phillipi so that the prisoners also heard them.”

** Origen–Origen on Prayer - CHAPTER VII –ANSWER TO OBJECTIONS: THE TRUE PLACE OF PRAYER IN MAN’S LIFE

** twilight fog photo of my favorite boy at a spot along our daily walk.

“My Lord Jesus Christ, who, for the love which Thou bearest to men, remainest night and day in this Sacrament full of compassion and of love, awaiting, calling, and welcoming all who come to visit Thee; I believe that Thou art present in the Sacrament of the Altar; I adore Thee from the abyss of my nothingness, and I thank Thee for all the graces which Thou hast bestowed upon me, and in particular for having given me Thyself in tins Sacrament, for having given me Thy most holy Mother Mary for my advocate, and for having called me to visit Thee in this church. I now salute Thy most loving Heart; and this for three ends:

1. in thanksgiving for this great gift;
2. to make amends to Thee for all the outrages -which Thou receivedst in this Sacrament from all Thine enemies;
3. I intend by this visit to adore Thee in all the places on earth in which Thou art present in this Sacrament, and in which Thou art the least revered and the most abandoned.

My Jesus, I love Thee with my whole heart. I grieve for having hitherto so many times offended Thy infinite goodness. I purpose by Thy grace never more to offend Thee for the time to come; and now, miserable and unworthy though I be, I consecrate myself to Thee without reserve; I give Thee and renounce my entire will, my affections, my desires, and all that I possess. From henceforward do Thou dispose of me and of all that I have as Thou pleasest. All that I ask of Thee and desire is Thy holy love, final perseverance, and the perfect accomplishment of Thy will. I recommend to Thee the souls in purgatory; but especially those who had the greatest devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament and to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. I also recommend to Thee all poor sinners. In fine, my dear Saviour, I unite all my affections with the affections of Thy most loving Heart; and I offer them, thus united, to Thy Eternal Father, and beseech Him in Thy Name to vouchsafe, for Thy love, to accept and grant them.”

–From Visits to the Most Holy Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin Mary by St. Alphonsus  Liguori

One kingdom, joy and union without end.

Mean while inhabit lax, ye Pow’rs of Heaven,

And thou my Word, begotten Son, by thee

This I perform, speak thou, and be it done:

My overshadowing Spi’rit and might with thee

I send along; ride forth and bid the deep

Within appointed bounds be Heav’n and Earth,

Boundless the deep, because I am who fill

Infinitude, nor vacuous the space.

Though I uncircumscrib’d myself retire,

And put not forth my goodness which is free

To act or not, necessity and chance

Approach not me, arid what I will is fate.

So spake th’ Almighty, and to what he spake

His Word, the filial Godhead, gave efFect.

Immediate are the acts of God, more swift

Than time or motion, but to human ears

Cannot without process of speech be told,

- So told as earthly notion can receive.

Great triumph and rejoicing was in Heaven,

When such was heard declar’d the Almighty’s will;

Glory they sung to the most High, good-will

To future men, and in their dwellings peace :

Glory to him, whose just avenging ire

Had driven out the ungodly from his sight

And th” habitations of the just; to him

Glory and praise, whose wisdom had ordain’d

Good out of evil to create, instead

Of Spi’rits malign a better race to bring

Into their vacant room, and thence diffuse

His good to worlds and ages infinite.

So sang the Hierarchies: Mean while the Son

On his great expedition now appear’d,

Girt with omnipotence, with radiance crown’d

Of majesty divine; sapience and love

Immense, and all his Father in him shone.

About his chariot numberless were pour’d

Cherub and Seraph, Potentates and Thrones,

And Virtues, winged Spi’rits, and chariots wing’d

Fr ‘in th’ armoury of God…

** Paradise lost: John Milton

***Photograph: an oak tree in the fog.

Loving Father,
I praise you, I love you, I adore you.
Send your Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind
to the truth of your Son, Jesus,
Priest and Victim.
Through the same Spirit guide my heart to his Sacred Heart,
to renew in me a priestly passion
that I, too, might lay down my life upon the altar.
May your Spirit wash away my impurities
and free me from all my transgressions
in the Cup of Salvation,
Let only your will be done in me.
May the Blessed Mother of your dearly beloved Son,
wrap her mantle around me and protect me from all evil.
May she guide me to do whatever He tells me.
May she teach me to have the heart of St. Joseph, her spouse,
to protect and care for my bride.
And may her pierced heart inspire me
to embrace as my own your children
who suffer at the foot of the cross.
I humbly cry to her:
please be my consoling mother,
and help me to be a better son.
Lord, make me a holy priest,
inflamed with the fire of your love, seeking nothing
but your greater glory and the salvation of souls.
I humbly bless and thank you, my Father,
through the Spirit, in Christ Jesus,
your Son and my brother.
Amen.

O Mary, Queen of priests, pray for us.
Saint John Vianney, pray for us.

** photo of St. Louis Art Museum on a foggy day with a frozen lake.

A dew-drop of the darkness born,

Wherein no shadow lies;

The blossom of a barren thorn,

Whereof no petal dies

A rainbow beauty passion-free,

Wherewith was veiled Divinity.

** John Banister Tabb

Now that the scurry and nervousness and tragedies and general nuttiness is over I guess I can write about it.  It is a story which ends well on this Twelfth day of Christmas but had its big ups and downs over the past several weeks.  I was quite comforted by today’s gospel of those poor apostles being thrown about in the boat as the seas tossed them wildly.  I have been in that boat with them and I needed to be reminded that when Jesus approaches the calm ensues!  In the mist of any anxiety we MUST remember to turn to Him who anxiously awaits to come to our aid!

As I wrote last, my little family was about to embark on their annual Christmas pilgrimage to Bethlehem where we were to help deliver a very special Christmas present to my Mother.  All the children and grandchildren had been scheming for weeks and weeks and were so filled with anticipation in presenting their gift that had we been a bottle of champagne we would have blown our corks a long time before the surprise was ready to be delivered!  So, on the Eve of the Eve of Christmas we all gathered in the parlour around the lighted tree.  We sat down “Nanny and Pappy” (aka my Mother and Father) as we sung a Carol to “invoke the Christmas Angel”.  With all their hearts the grandchildren sang the verses to “Oh come All ye Faithful”.  All the while they sang their eyes were as wide as pie shells as they glanced from looking at each other to their Nanny and Pappy and towards the front door where my brother was busy bringing in the Christmas present.  The children were barely able to control their little selves to sit in their chairs and continue singing. Poor  Nanny and Pappy’s quizzical faces could not figure out what was going on.  The scene was as humorous as it was joyous and when finally from underneath his coat my brother pulled out the present my Mother (and Father) also exploded with excitement.  It was the most beautiful little puppy any of us had ever seen.  As my mother held the dog all the children ran up and surrounded her with a giant hug.  My mother was completely overwhelmed (but it was in a good way.)  She had always wanted a Golden Retriever and now she had a special little buddy of her own to keep her company during her “retirement”.  My Father, who received the present by default of his wife getting it, was even more happy than my Mom!  He immediately laid down on the floor and starting playing with the dog.  He resorted to his usual games which he plays with all things young.  Unfortunately the dog did not respond to being tickled but she did like her little belly being rubbed.

It was a happy scene and a wonderfully fun little secret mission to have been a part of.  I hope you will enjoy the photo of “Amazing Grace Wahini” the new Golden Retriever of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania!  You can just call her Gracie as my parents do though I prefer her full name or Wahini for short.  In Hawaiian Wahini means little girl.  Since my mother has never been a big traveler (and rarely even ventures out to St. Louis to visit me) she likes to remember he biggest trip ever.  It was on her Honeymoon when they traveled to Hawaii.  My father went out on the beach the very first day and burned to a crisp!

Alas, that is the story of the Christmas dog…

On Boxing day it is traditional for my husbands family to gather together.  He is the 7th child of a large crowd and so it is usually quite a party when we all gather.  This family is now scattered about but we were going to congregate in Southern New Jersey.  We were about 15 minutes away when we called his parents to give them an ETA on our arrival when his brother said that his Mum (their Australian) wasn’t feeling particularly well so they were going to skip the party.  After he hung up the phone I said, “Well, why don’t we just go to your parents house first before going to the party that way you’ll get to see Mum first”.  So, we changed roads and detoured to their house.  When we got to the house it was strangely empty.  Figuring they must have changed their minds and gone to the party anyway we got back in the car too.  At the party we were greeted with the news that in that 15 minutes after our phone conversation Mum was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

To shorten the story and present the good news I will report that she left hospital yesterday.  It was 11 days of pnemonia treatment for our frail Mum and we hope she will stay indoors for the rest of the Winter to recover properly.  Drink lots of tea Mum!!!!

Meanwhile, a day later I was on my way to Nana’s house (we all remember my Wii playing Nana, my number 1 gal and bestest, bestest buddy in the world) to take her to the movies with the children.  We like to go to an old-time theatre near her (where once Vaudeville was all the rage) and the movie playing as the main feature was a Christmas Carol.  I was about 5 minutes away when my Mother rang my mobile phone.  She made me promise to not crash the car as she told me not to go to Nana’s house.  It seemed Nana was on her way to the hospital!  I somehow managed NOT to crash (even though I promised I wouldn’t it still was a small miracle I didn’t) and I drove calmly to the emergency room.  I actually got to the hospital before Nana and so greeted her on the stretcher cart as they wheeled her from ambulance to casualty.  Our amazing woman was out for her usual daily walk when the wind blew her slight frame and she stumbled.  The poor dear fell over and landed square on her beautiful face.  (If you are squeamish do not read the next sentence I’m going to write….you can pick up in the next paragraph.)  This sweet woman had multiple facial fractures including her nose and wrist and fingers!  She looked much worse than Rocky Balboa after his fights in the movies!

Good news.  Nana went home from hospital yesterday too.  She is really wobbly and doesn’t see through her black eyes very well, but is stable enough to be in her own little downstairs apartment which is located below my Uncles house.  The mirrors have been covered up so the dear will not have to look at her reflection which is still quite horrible.  I think it is going to take a long time for her to properly heal but she has overcome much worse than this in her 94 years of trial and tribulation.  That woman really knows how to “offer it up”!  God bless her good soul.  I also would like to take the opportunity to thank all the neighbors in her neighborhood.  We are especially grateful to the ex-Marine who saw Nan go down.  After shouting out in alert to the rest of the neighborhood (who love Nana and set their clocks by her morning walk routine.  In fact, many of the Neighborhood Mothers watch in the morning to see her coming before announcing  to their children to get the backpacks on for school because Nana is coming down the street and you’ll be late for the bus if you don’t get moving!)  Anyway, our soldier ran outside and after assessing the situation scooped her up and carried her home.  My Uncle and Aunt were not at home when the Marine and the rest of the neighborhood brought Nana inside the house.   They were at a hospital witnessing the birth of their 7th grandchild!  (Welcome Jacob!) Alas, the neighbors heroic efforts have not gone unnoticed.  God bless every one of their kind souls for their goodness to Nana.

Whew, that was not a fun little story to write but as this post is titled “all is well that ends well” I must not forget about all the beautiful graces given during these 12 days of Christmas.  From the gifts of love from dogs to the love found in the comfort of family sharing grief and pain and anxiety over health.  The Epiphany is here, God is made flesh among us.  He calms the tumultuous waters which surround us and comforts us with His eternal presence.  Praise be Jesus Christ, Now and FOREVER!

I’ve been well under the weather for the past couple of weeks and as I am peaking my head back out from under the covers of my bed the calendar tells me tomorrow it is time to begin my 900 mile pilgrimage to Bethlehem.  There shall be no rest for the weary but plenty of Christmas enthusiasm and love to shake this bag of bones back into the land of the functioning.  I must admit to being quite excited to make our long journey tomorrow because there is a very special Christmas present my siblings and all our families are going to deliver to my mother this year.  I’d love to spill the beans on this blog but heaven help us if she were to find out what this poor woman’s scheming children have come up with this year!  It is a gift which is sure to change her life.  Oh, the sweetness of such loving mischievousness!

I could not begin my journey without posting to this blog a meditation for that glorious celebration we are about to commemorate on Friday.  How I want to welcome His birth with all my heart as He is once again giving us the pleasure and joy of coming to us again — the Word made Flesh!

I am reading a book by St. Alphonsus Ligouri on the Holy Sacrifice and the book begins with the following words which I think quite appropriate to prayer during this year of the Priest.  I pray that all Priests may be full of such love and devotion as they pray their Christmas masses this year.  When their churches are once again filled to overflowing and the joy of Christmas love fills the hearts of all men of good will, may it stir a new song within their souls and send their vocations on a journey to new heights which ever soar towards Eternity.

Holy Christmas to all of you and blessings to your families! Here is the meditation from Saint Alphonsus…

“Unless a Priest esteem the Holy Sacrifice as it deserves, he can never celebrate it with suitable devotion.  Assuredly there is no action, which man can perform so sublime, so sacred as the celebration of Mass.  God himself could not enable man to perform any thing greater than the celebration of Mass.

All the ancient sacrifices, by which God was so much honorured, were but shadows and figures of our sacrifice of the altar.  All the honour that angels by their adoration, and men by their good works, austerities, and even martyrdoms, have ever rendered or will ever render to God, never could, and never will, give him so much glory as one single Mass; for while the honour of all creatures is only finite, that which accrues creatures is only finite, that which accrues to God from the holy Sacrifice of the Altar is infinite, inasmuch as the victim which is offered is of infinite value.  The Mass, therefore, offers to God the greatest honour that can be given him; subdues most triumphantly the powers of hell; affords the greatest relief to the suffering souls in purgatory; appeases most efficaciously the wrath of God against sinners, and brings down the greatest blessings on mankind.”

In navigating our own Advent journey to discover within our souls the mystical birth of the Word made flesh in our hearts once again this year it seems appropriate to listen to some advice from our Saint of the day, Ambrose.

Advent, meaning “the coming” is a time to order our lives away from the distractions of the everyday hub-bub and ready our hearts for our dear Savior’s humble birth.  Meditating on the words of Christ to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque ”Behold the Heart which has loved men so greatly, but which has been given so little love in return”  makes me feel so SAD that I don’t want Him to say it to me as I prepare for His divine birth again this year!

When I was reading over some letters of St. Ambrose today his fatherly admonition to his priests to “fast” seemed to me a really great piece of advice.  I hope to try and embrace his council as I try to clear the clutter of distractions in my mind and re-focus my soul towards the great coming of the Holy Child.  I think Ambrose’s strategy may be a good one too to help us bring the awesome wonder of the child Jesus’ birth back into our global consumeristic notion of Christmas!

In any case, I better get to work on my priorities which will include ditching that lovely pile of Christmas cookies I have in my kitchen which would taste really wonderful with a cup of tea just now!  Here is Ambrose’s advice for building up our strength…

“The Lord Jesus, wishing to make us strong  against the temptations of the Devil, fasted when He was about to struggle with him, so that we might know that we  cannot otherwise overcome the enticement of evil. Further, the Devil himself hurled the first shaft of his temptations  regarding pleasure, saying: “lf thou art the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” Then the  Lord said: ‘Not by bread alone does man live, but by every word of God” and He would not [change stones to bread] although He could, but He taught us by a salutary precept  to attend to the pursuit of our reading rather than to pleasure.  Since they say we ought not to fast, let them show us why  Christ fasted if not to make His fast an example for us. Then,  in the words which He spoke later, He taught us that evil  cannot easily be conquered except by our fasting, saying: “This kind of devil is only cast out by prayer and fasting.”

And what is the purpose of Scripture in teaching us that Peter fasted and that the mystery regarding the baptism of the Gentiles was revealed to him when he was fasting and praying,  if not to show that the saints themselves, when they fast, become more illustrious? Moses received the Law when he was fasting, and so Peter, when he was fasting, was taught the grace of the New Testament. Daniel, too, by virtue of his fasting, stopped the jaws of the lions and saw the events of future times. Or what salvation can we have unless by fasting we wipe out our sins, since Scripture says fasting and almsgiving purge away sin!” — St. Ambrose of Milan

Hope you will enjoy the fresh update of the aeternus blog. Thank you to our stblogs administrator for allowing me to change the CSS for purely aesthetic reasons!

I’d love to share another wonderful poem on our novena theme of the Immaculate Conception. It was written by Clarence Augustus Walworth a Catholic priest, author, historian and published in 1888 while he was Rector of St. Mary’s Church in Albany, NY.

Fair as the moon by night,
And brighter than the noon-day sun,
Sweet Mary stands alone
In a flood of light.
From her creation ;
From life’s first, earliest vibration ;
From that first feeble palpitation
Of a new life unseen, unknown.
Except by God alone,
She bore no mark of the primal curse.
No taint from any source ;
No stain of sin
Wrought by herself, nor inbred and original,
Marred that sweet body, fair and virginal,
Or the pure soul within.
In this beauty of her state
She stands the glory of her race,
Pure, holy, innocent, immaculate,
And full of grace.
In every quality of soul
A matchless perfect whole ;
In every line and feature
A faultless, though a finite, creature.

In truth ’tis easy to believe
In this exemption of Christ’s holy mother
From the birth-sin engendered by the other,
The first and guilty Eve.
It was a gift that could be given
As readily as when, at the font,
The water falls on the infant’s front,
And the pardon falls from Heaven.
It was a simple, unconditioned fact,
With only one party to the act.
All-powerful was God to render ;
Helpless sweet Mary’s soul to hinder.
Hail Mary ! From thy orient
As spotless as the snow !
And hail the grace which did prevent,
And made thee so !

II

There is, according to my thought,
A harder problem here, which brings
My uttermost imaginings
To naught.
When I recall that saintly life
Of Mary, mother, daughter, wife,—
And when I try to trace
Its golden thread,
As if the perfect web lay spread
Before my face ;
When, above all,
I set me to recall
Her life-long perseverance
In spotless innocence and moral beauty,
By the working of her own sweet will ;
Her close adherence
To God’s dear love, and prayer and daily duty ;
Through doubt and sorrow faithful still ;
Perfect in all ;—
When I recall
The matchless merit
Of that sweet spirit,
Aided indeed by grace, but always free :—
Oh, then ‘t is hard for me,

All sick with error,
To master my surprise ;
To lift my eyes
From the dark mirror
Where my own life reflected lies
Up to that radiant zodiac
Where, like the moon in silver light
Around the darkened globe,
She moved through life in her own sweet track,
In her own white robe,
Queen of the night.
0 Mary, full of grace,
Help me (for I am weak)
To follow in thy trace !
Thy prayers, dear Mother, I bespeak.
If thou wilt plead for this,
1 cannot miss
To find, some day, the home I seek.

“Fecit mihi magna qui potens est.”—Luk. I., 49.

I sing the praise of Heaven’s spotless queen:—

See slowly rise the bright creative scene.—

Far in th’ unfathomable depths of space

A Heavenly light outspreads its splendent rays

O’er myriad globes, that in their orbits turn

And Heaven-illumined, ever onwards burn.

O’er countless choirs of spirit hierarchy

Who throng around the throned Divinity.

Midst all the exuberance of Heavenly light

One darksome spot falls dismal on the sight,

‘Tis Earth, and Sin the monstrous cloud

That wraps it in a grace-impervious shroud.

But lo! At length a bright and silvry gleam,

Pure as the crystal of the rippling stream,

Soft, soothing, mellow;—but of piercing ray

From out the heavenly focus takes it’s way

Downwards it shoots, all brightness; and the Earth

New-born to grace exults in it’s new birth,

Thou, Mary! thou this heaven-born light

Dost Earth to Heaven: dost Man to God unite

Connecting link in that unbroken chain

Betwixt the Creature and Creator lain,

The Mystic Stair in Patriarch’s dream defined

One end in Heaven, the other on earth reclined.

Lo! in the Vista of Eternity

Ere Time was; or th’ omnipotent Decree

With infinite and wondrous virtue fraught

The wide creation into being brought.

The Eternal Wisdom fully satiate

Within itself, where it could contemplate

For aye in its own essence every good

That is or was or can be understood.

Not heeded He, who in himself contains,

T’ increase His glory, with seraphic strains

The myriad cohort, of the Angel Host,—

Nor man nor all Creation e’er can boast,

One atom of perfection to have given

To Him who reigns supreme o’er Earth and Heaven.

His boundless goodness, e’er parturient,

Though self sufficient yet were ne’er content

With self-enjoyment; but by nature prone

To share diffusive all it calls its own.

Hence first the cherub choirs, pure spirits all

That fill with brilliancy the Heavenly Hall.—

Hence with incipient Time came the Decree

Creating Man, intelligent and free.

With smile complacent the Creator viewed

His wondrous work and “saw that it was good.”

But see that smile to anger swiftly changed:—

For Sin, like pestilential monster, ranged

O’er Earth’s fair bosom, hideous and ghast,

Destroying every beauty as it passed:—

See, raised aloft in all destructive ire,

God’s mighty arm: to strike with purpose dire,

And with one dread annihilating blow

To hurl all back to nothingness:—But Lo!

Poised in its course and powerless It remains

As if some force invisible restrains;—

The angry brow relaxes, and the while

Returns again the erst pacific smile—

For through long ages of revolving time

All present to th’ Intelligence Divine

That knows no future

The Eternal sees

A glorious Being, such as can appease

A God-head’s wrath:—A soul that can efface

Sin’s mortal stain. A Being “full of grace”

A Virgin of angelic purity

But yet indued with our humanity.

When God conceived th’ inexplicable thought

To die for Man’s Redemption; then He sought

Some stainless spot, to make His dwelling place;

Some oasis upon the desert’s face

Such as had never felt the searing breath

Of poisoned sin-producing vice, and death—

Her womb He found sole spot of wicked earth

Worthy to hold the Saviour e’er his birth.

To thee, Sweet Virgin of the Father blessed,

We owe all good of which we are possessed—

Let every tongue throughout the world proclaim

The wondrous glories of thy holy name,

As thou, thyself, sweet mother dost command

“Blessed my name shall be in every land,”

All hail thee then, immaculate and mild,

Creator’s Mother, yet a Creature’s Child.

Comfort of mourners, thou art she who knows

To pour a soothing balm on sinners’ woes,

Help of the Christian, thy sweet prayer can save

Through thy own Son, the sin-enshackled slave,

Tower of great strength, our armour and our shield

Our refuge mid temptation’s battle-field.

To thee our needs, sweet Mother, we declare

To thee we turn our supplicating prayer;

Turn then to us, Sweet Advocate, oh turn

Those eyes that e’er with loving pity burn,

That, past our earthly exile we may come

Through thy petition, to our heavenly home,

With thee th’ eternal presence to enjoy,

In long satiety, that ne’er shall cloy,

Sole object, whose fruition e’er can fill

The boundless yearnings of the human will.

** Bishop Michael Francis Howley, Rome 1866

There are two wonderful Novena’s (that I am aware of) happening within the Archdiocese of St. Louis in preparation for the celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  One is at the Oratory of St. Francis de Sales and the other at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary and the first mass begins this evening.

I thought I would post this wonderful Novena I found in an old book entitled Mary, help of Christians, and the fourteen saints invoked as holy helpers by John James Burke.  In a time of radical cultural upheaval and attacks from every direction on the family and purity of the minds and hearts of our precious young it is a most important time to know we have the best advocate on our team!  Oh, Mary, our pure and spotless Virgin Mother, hear our prayer and protect the innocence of our children!  We beg you with humble hearts to guide and guard us as we navigate through grace the road towards our eternity…

FIRST DAY

The Predestination of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Preparatory Prayer

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

Holy Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent everything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the coming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and helpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in the fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.

The Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ, our promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be born. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the spiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of the Sun of Justice in this world.

Practice

In Mary appeared the woman who was to crush the serpent’s head, who was to repair by her willing co-operation with God’s designs the damage wrought by the disobedience of our first parents, and who was to become our mother and mighty advocate with God. The designs of God concerning Mary were fully accomplished. God also has designs concerning us. Our life was planned by Him from all eternity, and we were destined to co-operate with Him harmoniously and conscientiously in working out our salvation. Have we corresponded with God’s designs? Did we not oppose them by yielding to our evil inclinations and passions? What a disparity between God’s intentions concerning us and our own co-operation, between His merciful designs and our cowardly resistance to them!

Prayer of the Church

O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Litany of Loreto.

Prayer

Behold, Virgin immaculate, at thy sacred feet I bow, while my heart overflows with joy in union with thine own, because from eternity thou wast the Mother-elect of the eternal Word, and was preserved stainless from the taint of Adam’s sin. Forever praised, forever blessed be the Most Holy Trinity, who in thy conception poured out upon thy soul the riches of that matchless privilege. I humbly pray thee, most gracious Mother, obtain for me the grace to overcome the bitter results of original sin. Make me victorious over them, that I may never cease to love my God.

Hail Mary full of grace…

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

SECOND DAY

Mary’s Imaculate Conception

Preparatory Prayer

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

Holy Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent everything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the coming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and helpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in the fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.

The Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ, our promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be born. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the spiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of the Sun of Justice in this world.

MEDITATION

According to the definition of Pope Pius IX, ^ the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is that privilege by which she was preserved, in view of the merits of our Saviour Jesus Christ, from original sin in the first moment of her conception.

By solemnly proclaiming the dogma of Mary’s immaculate conception, the Church confirmed anew the fundamental principles of Christianity which in our times are so frequently attacked, derided, or forgotten. God reserved the solemn proclamation of this dogma, which seemingly has no practical bearing on the Christian life, for our age, to recall to our mind the doctrines resulting from it.

Practice

The most important of these doctrines is that of original sin, which to-day is rejected by many as a debasement of human nature, and is forgotten by others as having no practical influence on our moral state. By the promulgation of the doctrine of the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church solemnly declares and defines as an article of faith, that the Blessed Virgin Mary is conceived without the stain of original sin by a special privilege and grace of God. If, then, Mary’s sinlessness is an exception, the general rule remains in force, and all other human beings enter this world in the state of original sin.

Thus, by the proclamation of the dogma of the immaculate conception, the Church combats human pride and sensuality, the foremost vices of the age.

Prayer of the Church

O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Litany of Loreto.

Prayer

Mary, unsullied lily of heavenly purity, I rejoice with thee, because at thy conception’s earliest dawn thou wast full of grace and endowed with the perfect use of reason. I thank and adore the ever-blessed Trinity, who gave thee such high gifts. I am overwhelmed with shame in thy presence, to see myself so poor in grace. O thou who wast filled with heavenly grace, impart some portion of it to my soul, and make me share the treasures of thy immaculate conception.

Hail Mary full of grace…

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

THIRD DAY

Mary, the Victrix of Satan

Preparatory Prayer

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

Holy Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent everything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the coming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and helpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in the fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.

The Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ, our promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be born. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the spiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of the Sun of Justice in this world.

MEDITATION

The immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary inaugurated the fulfilment of the divine promise made to our first parents in paradise in the words addressed to the serpent: “I shall put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed; she shall crush thy head” (Gen. iii. 15). Mary is the woman in whom Satan never had a part. Her intimate connection with God was announced by the angel: “Hail, full of grace; the Lord is with thee.” Now was fulfilled the saying of the Psalmist, “The Most High hath sanctified His own tabernacle. God is in the midst thereof, it shall not be moved: God will help it in the morning early” (Ps. xlv. 5-6). Mary was chosen to be the glorious tabernacle of the Son of God “in the morning early,” that is, in the first moment of her existence. God called her into being that she might assume the exalted dignity of the Mother of His Son, and therefore granted her the singular privilege of exemption from original sin. In her were fulfilled Solomon’s prophetic words of praise, “Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee” (Cant. iv. 7). It was in view of her Son’s merits applied to her beforehand that God thus produced in her the image of the new man regenerated in the Holy Ghost.

Practice

The spirit of darkness holds mankind enslaved., but one human being escapes him. A destructive fire lays waste the whole earth, but one tree remains unscathed. A terrible tyrant conquers the whole world, but one fortified city repelshis assaults. This human being retaining liberty, this tree escaping destruction, this city repelling the enemy’s attack is the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Will the almighty and merciful God, who has accomplished such great things in Mary, who has selected her for His Mother, not listen to her prayers when she intercedes for us ? St. William of Paris exclaims: “No other created being can obtain for us so many and so great graces from God as His Mother. By the all-powerful might of her intercession He honors her not only as His handmaid, but also as His Mother.” Therefore we ought not be surprised when the holy Fathers maintain that a single sigh of Mary is more effective with God than the combined intercession of all the angels and saints. If, then, Mary’s power is so great, she will surely hear us when we invoke her help in our combat with Satan. Having conquered him herself, she will also help us to conquer him.

Prayer of the Church

O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Litany of Loreto.

Prayer

Mary, thou mystical rose of purity, my heart rejoices with thine at the glorious triumph which thou didst gain over the infernal serpent by thy immaculate conception, and because thou wast conceived without stain of original sin. I thank and praise with my whole heart the ever-blessed Trinity, who granted thee this glorious privilege; and I pray thee to obtain for me strength to overcome all the wiles of the infernal foe, and never to stain my soul with sin. Be thou mine aid; make me, by thy protection, victorious over the common foe of our eternal welfare.

Hail Mary full of grace…

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

FOURTH DAY

Mary without actual Sin

Preparatory Prayer

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

Holy Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent everything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the coming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and helpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in the fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.

The Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ, our promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be born. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the spiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of the Sun of Justice in this world.

MEDITATION

Mary conceived without sin is the most blessed daughter of the eternal Father, the real and true Mother of the divine Son, the elect spouse of the Holy Ghost. But in the world, in what condition do we behold her? She dwells not in a splendid palace; she is not surrounded by a retinue of servants ready at every moment to do her bidding; she is not exempt from trials and suffering. On the contrary, she is poor; she lives in obscurity, and suffered so much on earth that, without shedding her blood, she merits to be styled the queen of martyrs. Her heart was transfixed with the sword of sorrow. Mary is not exempt from tribulations and adversity; but one thing God does not permit to touch her, i.e., sin. Hence Holy Church applies to her the words, “Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee” (Cant. iv. 7).

Practice

Although we were not preserved from sin like Mary, yet God in His ineffable goodness and mercy granted us the grace to be cleansed from sin and to be clothed with the garment of sanctifying grace in Baptism. No treasure of the world can be compared with this prerogative. But as we bear this grace in a fragile vase, we must be most careful to protect and preserve it in ourselves and others from all danger. Let the Blessed Virgin Mary be our example. Well knowing the inestimable value of the grace conferred upon her, she guarded it with the greatest care. Although exempt from concupiscence and “full of grace,” she was so distrustful of herself as if she were in continual danger. How much more, then, must we use precaution to preserve in ourselves and in others this treasure of grace, since we feel in ourselves constantly the law of the flesh, which resists the law of the spirit, and urges us on to evil, whilst the world and the devil never weary in placing snares for us in order to accomplish our ruin. Therefore let us have recourse to Mary, and invoking her aid bravely resist all temptations.

Prayer of the Church

O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Litany of Loreto.

Prayer

Mirror of holy purity, Mary, Virgin immaculate, great is my joy while I consider that, from thy immaculate conception, the most sublime and perfect virtues were infused into thy soul, and with them all the gifts of the Holy Ghost. I thank and praise the Most Holy Trinity, who bestowed on thee these high privileges. I pray thee, gentle Mother, obtain for me grace to practise virtue, and to make me worthy to become partaker of the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost.

Hail Mary full of grace…

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

FIFTH DAY

Mary Full of Grace

Preparatory Prayer

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

Holy Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent everything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the coming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and helpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in the fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.

The Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ, our promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be born. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the spiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of the Sun of Justice in this world.

MEDITATION

Man’s relation to God as His child was severed by sin. The beautiful image of God imprinted on man’s soul was disfigured by it. But with the immaculate conception of Mary, a being full of grace, an object of God’s supreme complacency entered this world. After the lapse of four thousand years God, in His wisdom, power, and love, for the first time again created a human being in that state in which He had originally created our first parents. Mary, from the first moment of her existence was, in virtue of the sanctifying grace infused into her soul, most intimately united with God, and endowed with the most precious gifts of heaven. Because she was predestined to become the Mother of the Redeemer of mankind, it was befitting that she should unite in herself all the gifts becoming to such an ineffable dignity. Hence she surpassed in grace and holiness all other created beings, and was consecrated a worthy temple of the incarnate Word. Therefore she was saluted by the angel as “full of grace,” and the Church, in our behalf, addresses the Almighty: “O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant, that, as in view of the death of that Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that, cleansed from all sin by her intercession, we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory.”

Practice

The world considers men according to their rank and station, their wealth and knowledge. God recognizes in them but one difference, that caused by the presence or absence of sanctifying grace in their soul. A soul in the state of sanctifying grace is God’s friend; without it, His enemy. A man dying in the state of sanctifying grace is sure of eternal bliss. Therefore we ought to prize this grace above all else, and do everything in our power to preserve it. St. Leo exhorts us, “Recognize, O man, thy dignity! As thou hast received divine grace, beware of returning to your former sinful condition by a wicked life.”

Prayer of the Church

O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Litany of Loreto.

Prayer

Mary, bright moon of purity, I rejoice with thee, because the mystery of thy immaculate conception was the beginning of salvation for the race of man and the joy of the whole world. I thank and bless the ever-blessed Trinity, who thus did magnify and glorify thee; and I beg of thee to obtain for me the grace so to profit by thy dear Son’s death and passion, that His precious blood may not have been shed in vain for me upon the cross, but that, after a holy life, I may reach heaven in safety.

Hail Mary full of grace…

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

SIXTH DAY

Mary, Our Refuge

Preparatory Prayer

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

Holy Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent everything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the coming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and helpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in the fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.

The Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ, our promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be born. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the spiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of the Sun of Justice in this world.

MEDITATION

We carry the precious treasure of sanctifying grace in a frail vessel. Our inclination to evil remains with us, and continues to impel us to that which is forbidden. On whom shall we call for aid? Call on Mary! She is conceived without sin. She, the lily among thorns, who never lost God’s friendship, is our advocate. Let her, who was found worthy to become the Mother of our Redeemer, inspire you with trust and confidence. The Church invokes her as the refuge of sinners, and under no other title does she show her love for us more convincingly and her power with God more efficiently.

Practice

May trust confidently in Mary’s intercession and aid in all temptations and trials, if we but have recourse to her. Therefore St. John Damascene writes: “Come to my aid, O Mother of my Redeemer ! Thou art my help, my consolation in life. Come to my aid, and I shall escape unscorched from the fire of temptation; amongst a thousand I shall remain unharmed; I shall brave the storms of assault unwrecked. Thy name is my shield, thy help my armor, thy protection my defense. With thee I boldly attack the enemy and drive him off in confusion; through thee I shall achieve a triumphant victory.” In all temptations, therefore, let us have recourse to Mary and through her intercession we shall overcome them.

Prayer of the Church

O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Litany of Loreto.

Prayer

Mary Immaculate, most brilliant star of purity, I rejoice with thee because thy immaculate conception has bestowed upon the angels in paradise the greatest joy. I thank and bless the everblessed Trinity, who enriched thee with this high privilege. O let me, too, one day enter into this heavenly joy, in the company of angels, that I may praise and bless thee, world without end.

Hail Mary full of grace…

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

SEVENTH DAY

Mary, the Mother of Chastity

Preparatory Prayer

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

Holy Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent everything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the coming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and helpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in the fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.

The Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ, our promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be born. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the spiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of the Sun of Justice in this world.

MEDITATION

Scripture and the Fathers agree in the statement that the Blessed Virgin Mary made the vow of perpetual virginity. For when the Archangel Gabriel brought God’s message to the immaculate spouse of St. Joseph, that she was to become the Mother of the Most High, she asked, “How shall this be done, because I know not man?” (Luke i. 34.) Indeed, Mary would not have been, in the full and most excellent sense of the word, the “Virgin of virgins,” had she not from her own free choice vowed her virginity to God.

During the whole Christian era there have been heroic souls who made the vow of perpetual chastity, consecrating themselves to God. Trusting in the powerful protection of the immaculate Virgin, they persevered in their resolve to bear this priceless treasure before God’s throne despite the dangers of the world, the temptations of concupiscence, and the assaults of hell, and with the help of the queen of virgins they achieved a triumphant victory.

Practice

Since the fall of Adam our senses are in rebellion against the law of God. “I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind, and captivating me in the law of sin” (Rom. vii. 23). Chastity is the virtue which causes us the greatest struggles. St. Augustine says: “The fiercest of all combats is the one for the preservation of chastity, and we must engage in it every day.” Fierce as this combat is, the aid which Mary gives her children to achieve victory is all-powerful. She sustains them by her maternal love and protection. Those who lead a chaste life receive the Divine Spirit, are happy in this life, and will receive a special crown in heaven.

Among the means for the preservation of chastity, the following are specially recommended: The assiduous and constant practice of selfdenial; the frequentation of the sacraments; the daily invocation of Mary for her aid and protection ; scrupulous avoidance of the occasions of sin. St. Chrysostom writes: “He errs who believes that he can overcome his sensual propensities and preserve chastity by his own efforts. God’s mercy must extinguish nature’s ardor.” Have recourse to the intercession of the immaculate Virgin and rest assured that you will obtain this mercy.

Prayer of the Church

O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Litany of Loreto.

Prayer

Mary immaculate, rising morn of purity, I rejoice with thee, gazing in wonder upon thy soul confirmed in grace from the very first moment of thy conception, and rendered inaccessible to sin. I thank and magnify the ever-blessed Trinity, who chose thee from all our race for this special privilege. Holy Virgin, obtain for me utter and constant hatred of all sin above every other evil, and let me rather die than ever again fall into sin.

Hail Mary full of grace…

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

EIGTH DAY

The Image of the Immaculate Concption

Preparatory Prayer

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

Holy Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent everything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the coming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and helpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in the fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.

The Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ, our promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be born. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the spiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of the Sun of Justice in this world.

MEDITATION

Christian art represents the Immaculate Conception as follows: The Blessed Virgin appears standing on a globe, about which is coiled a serpent holding an apple in its mouth. One of Mary’s feet rests upon the serpent, the other is placed on the moon. Her eyes are raised toward heaven; her hands are either joined in prayer, or she holds a lily in her right, and places the left on her breast. Her dress is white; her ample mantle is of blue color. A crown of twelve stars encircles her head. These emblems typify in a most striking manner Mary’s power and glory. “And a great sign appeared in heaven. A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars” (Apoc. xii. 1).

PRACTICE

He representation of the Immaculate Conception is very instructive. (1) Mary appears standing on the globe. This signifies that being human, she’ belongs to the earth, and yet is exalted above the world and sin; also, that she trampled under foot earthly possessions, vanities, and joys. (2) A serpent is coiled about the globe, bearing an apple in its mouth. This reminds us of the fall of our first parents, and of the consequences of their sin. (3) Mary’s foot rests on the serpent, indicating that she never was under Satan’s dominion, but was preserved from sin in the first moment of her existence. (4) Mary stands on the moon. The moon, on account of its changes, is an emblem of inconstancy. We see it at Mary’s feet, to be reminded that we ought to be constant in faith and virtue. (5) Mary wears a crown, to indicate that she is a queen. The crown is composed of twelve stars: she is the queen of heaven. (6) Mary’s dress is white, to denote her spotless purity and innocence. (7) She folds her hands in prayer, reminding us to imitate her example. (8) Or she holds a lily in her right hand, to indicate her virginity and chastity, and the sweet odor of her virtues. (9) Mary’s mantle is blue, which color is emblematic of humility. Its folds are ample, to remind us that all who have recourse to her find a secure refuge in all dangers and necessities.

Therefore let us invoke her intercession in the words of Holy Church: “We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions, and deliver us from all danger, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin!”

Prayer of the Church

O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Litany of Loreto.

Prayer

O spotless sun! O Virgin Mary! I congratulate thee. I rejoice with thee because in thy conception God gave thee grace greater and more boundless than He ever shed on all His angels and all the saints, together with all their merits. I am thankful and I marvel at the surpassing beneficence of the ever-blessed Trinity, who conferred on thee this privilege. O make me correspond with the grace of God and never abuse it. Change this heart of mine; make me now begin to amend my life.

Hail Mary full of grace…

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

NINTH DAY

The Feast of the Immaculate Concption

Preparatory Prayer

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth.

Holy Church, our Mother, purposely gathered into the season of Advent everything which might contribute to assist us in preparing for the coming of the Redeemer. Purity of heart is the most necessary and helpful requirement for receiving God worthily, and for participating in the fruits of our Redemption through Christ. To remind us of this, Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this primary feast of purity, in Advent.

The Church, moreover, intends to remind us that the coming of Christ, our promised Redeemer, depended on the consent of the Blessed Virgin. The Redeemer could not appear before she was born of whom He was to be born. The aurora must precede the rising sun. Thus also Mary, the spiritual aurora, had to be conceived and born before the appearance of the Sun of Justice in this world.

MEDITATION

Early in the Christian era the feast of Mary’s immaculate conception was observed in several countries. St. Anselm, Bishop of Canterbury, introduced it in England. A great number of Popes favored the doctrine of Mary’s absolute sinlessness, and the adversaries of the Immaculate Conception were bidden to be silent and not publicly assert or defend their view. In 1477, Pope Sixtus IV prescribed the feast of the Immaculate Conception to be observed in the whole Church, and made it obligatory on priests to recite the special canonical office and to use the Mass formula published for the purpose. In 1846, the bishops of the United States assembled in plenary council in Baltimore elected the Blessed Virgin under the title of her immaculate conception Patroness of the Church in their country.

Finally, Pope Pius IX, after consulting with the bishops throughout the world, and having implored the Holy Ghost for His guidance in prayer and fasting, promulgated, on December 8, 1854, the dogma which teaches that the Blessed Virgin Mary was in her conception, by a special grace and through the merits of her divine Son, preserved from the stain of original sin. This doctrine was received throughout the world with ineffable joy; and, indeed, no one who loves the Blessed Virgin can help rejoicing at this her most glorious privilege.

The invocation, “Queen conceived without the stain of original sin,” was added to the Litany of Loreto. In 1866, at the Second Plenary Council in Baltimore, the feast of the Immaculate Conception was raised to the rank of a holyday of obligation for the Church of the United States.

Practice

In the inscrutable designs of His providence God ordained that the mystery of the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary should be proclaimed an article of faith as late as the middle of the nineteenth century. But, then, its proclamation was attended by circumstances that undeniably proved that the Holy Father in pronouncing the dogma had been inspired and guided by the Holy Ghost.

Let us praise God and thank Him for bestowing this glorious privilege on our beloved Mother, and let us often invoke her under her favorite title, the Immaculate Conception. St. Alphonsus Liguori tells us that the devotion to this mystery is especially efficacious in overcoming the temptations of impurity. Therefore he was accustomed to recommend to his penitents thus tempted to recite three times every day the Hail Mary in honor of Mary immaculate. And the Venerable John of Avila assures us that he never found any one who practised a true devotion to the Immaculate Conception of Mary, who did not in a short time obtain the gift of that virtue which renders us so dear to her immaculate heart.

Prayer of the Church

O God, who through the immaculate conception of the Virgin didst prepare a worthy dwelling-place for Thy divine Son; grant that, as in view of Thy Son Thou didst preserve her from all taint, so Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto us that cleansed from all sin by her intercession we too may arrive at Thine eternal glory. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. Litany of Loreto.

Prayer

O living light of holiness, model of purity, Mary immaculate, virgin and mother! As soon as thou wast conceived thou didst profoundly adore thy God, giving Him thanks that in thee the ancient curse was revoked, and blessing came again upon the sinful sons of Adam. O make this blessing kindle in my heart love for God; and do thou fan this flame of love within me, that I may love Him constantly and one day in heaven eternally enjoy Him, there to thank Him more and more fervently for all the wondrous privileges conferred on thee, and to rejoice with thee for thy high crown of glory.

Hail Mary full of grace…

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee!

In thy conception, O Virgin Mary, thou wast immaculate; pray for us to the Father, whose Son Jesus, conceived in thy womb by the Holy Ghost, thou didst bring forth. Indulgence. 2oo days, every time. (Pius VI, November 21, I793)

“He who desires nothing but GOD does not walk in darkness, however blind and poor he may think himself to be. He that is not presumptuous, nor desires his own satisfaction has no need to falter or fret over anything. You are progressing well, remain in peace and joy. Who do you think you are to be anxious about yourself? You will only get yourself into a fine state!”

– St. John of the Cross

I live yet do not live in me,

am waiting as my life goes by,

and die because I do not die.

No longer do I live in me,

and without God I cannot live;

to him or me I cannot give

my self, so what can living be?

A thousand deaths my agony

waiting as my life goes by,

dying because I do not die.

This life I live alone I view

as robbery of life, and so

it is a constant death — with no

way out until I live with you.

God, hear me, what I say is true:

I do not want this life of mine,

and die because I do not die.

Being so removed from you I say

what kind of life can I have here

but death so ugly and severe

and worse than any form of pain?

I pity me — and yet my fate

is that I must keep up this lie,

and die because I do not die.

The fish taken out of the sea

is not without a consolation:

his dying is of brief duration

and ultimately brings relief.

Yet what convulsive death can be

as bad as my pathetic life?

The more I live the more I die.

When I begin to feel relief

on seeing you in the sacrament,

I sink in deeper discontent,

deprived of your sweet company.

Now everything compels my grief:

I want — yet can’t — see you nearby,

and die because I do not die.

Although I find my pleasure, Sir,

in hope of someday seeing you,

I see that I can lose you too,

which makes my pain doubly severe,

and so I live in darkest fear,

and hope, wait as life goes by,

dying because I do not die.

Deliver me from death, my God,

and give me life; now you have wound

a rope about me; harshly bound

I ask you to release the cord.

See how I die to see you, Lord,

and I am shattered where I lie,

dying because I do not die.

My death will trigger tears in me,

and I shall mourn my life: a day

annihilated by the way

I fail and sin relentlessly.

O Father God, when will it be

that I can say without a lie:

I live because I do not die?

** St. John of the Cross

*English translation by Willis Barnstone

**Interior view looking Eastward of the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis

I read a little this morning of Saint Columban whose feast is celebrated today along with Pope St. Clement.  I’d like to know more about Clement and need to do a little looking about for him.  Today, however, I found a book at Google on Columban the Benedictine and thought I would share a couple of passages from my reading.  The first speaks of Columban and solitude which he sought eagerly and regularly…

“Great souls have ever been irresistibly drawn to solitude. Was it not among the lonely hills that God always manifested Himself most intimately to men? And is not the rocky wilderness” haunted by the memories of prophets, the presences of angels, and the everlasting thoughts and words of the Redeemer. “The wilderness”, says St. Eucherius of Lyons, “is the boundless temple of God. … It is the seat of faith, the shield of virtue, the sanctuary of love, the well-guarded ark of godliness and righteousness. Where can man better taste how sweet the Lord is? Where is the road of progress in virtue better prepared; where is the spirit purer, freer to attach itself to God and to raise itself to the contemplation of the eternal mysteries? ”

There is in stillness oft a magic power

To calm the breast, when struggling passions lower;

Touched by its influence, in the soul arise

Diviner feelings, kindred with the skies.

For this the hermit seeks the thickest grove,

To catch th’ inspiring glow of heavenly love.

In solitude, in heart-to-heart communion with God, shrinking natures have been trained to fight boldly the battles of the Lord. It was in solitude, too, that Columban gathered the strength and courage necessary to face the trials which he knew were to be his portion.

A satchel with the book of the Scriptures slung from his shoulder, he would plunge into the trackless depths of the forests about Annegray and Luxeuil, and give himself up to study and mortification and prayer. Between him and the beasts and the birds of the forest there was mutual peace: he looked upon them and treated them as his dear friends, and they obeyed him as they had obeyed our first parents in the Garden of Eden before the Fall.”

As an Abbot, Columban wrote a special rule for his charges.  I enjoyed his thoughts on silence…

“The Rule of silence must be diligently observed, for it is written: “The service of justice shall be quietness and peace”. All superfluity of words must be avoided; except in cases of necessity or utility, the monk must be silent, because, according to the Scripture, “in the multitude of words there shall not want sin.” Hence our Saviour says: “By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned”. Justly indeed shall they be condemned who would not, though able, speak just words, but preferred in their garrulousness to speak wicked, unjust, ungodly, vain, injurious, double-meaning, false, quarrelsome, abusive, shameful, absurd, blasphemous, harsh, and crooked words. These and such like words must never pass the lips of the monk, whose tongue must ever be governed by prudence and right reason, lest by his talkativeness he be betrayed into detractions and contradictions born of pride.”
– The life and witings of Saint Columban, John Joseph Laux, 1914
** photo: Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery in Normandy

“O the supreme folly of those who resist the divine will! In God’s providence, no one can escape hardship. Who resisteth his will ??  A person who rails at God in adversity, suffers without merit; moreover by his lack of resignation he adds to his punishment in the next life and experiences greater disquietude of mind in this life: ?Who resists him and hath had peace?? The screaming rage of the sick man in his pain, the whining complaints of the poor man in his destitution–what will they avail these people, except increase their unhappiness and bring them no relief?  Little man, says St. Augustine, grow up.  What are you seeking in your search for happiness? Seek the one good that embraces all others . Whom do you seek, friend, if you seek not God? Seek him, find him, cleave to him; bind your will to his with bands of steel and you will live always at peace in this life and in the next.

God wills only our good; God loves us more than anybody else can or does love us. His will is that no one should lose his soul, that everyone should save and sanctify his soul.  Not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance.  This is the will of God, your sanctification.  God has made the attainment of our happiness, his glory. Since he is by his nature infinite goodness, and since as St. Leo says goodness is diffusive of itself, God has a supreme desire to make us sharers of his goods and of his happiness. If then he sends us suffering in this life, it is for our own good.  All things work together unto good.  Even chastisements come to us, not to crush us, but to make us mend our ways and save our souls: ?Let us believe that these scourges of the Lord have happened for our amendment and not for our destruction.”

** St. Alphonsus de Ligouri – Uniformity with God’s Will

“That many do not advance in the Christian progress, because they stick in penances, and particular exercises, while they neglect the love of GOD, which is the end. That this appeared plainly by their works, and was the reason why we see so little solid virtue. That there needed neither art nor science for going to GOD, but only a heart resolutely determined to apply itself to nothing but Him, or for His sake, and to love Him only.”

** Brother Lawrence of the Ressurection, OCD

A friend just sent me a link to a film.  I know nothing of its producers, directors, funders nor do I have any invested interest in the film itself.  I do however, as a child of God feel it a worthy link to pass along to anyone who might be reading this blog.  The expose film is called Blood Money and investigates the industry of Planned Parenthood.  The trailer can be viewed via YouTube.

“Praise therefore, and praise worthily, so that to the utmost of thy power there be in thee no charge, no thought, no contemplation, no care fulness of mind, that is void of the praise of God. Let no worldly prosperity divert thee, nor any worldly adversity restrain thee from His praise. For thus thou wilt praise the Lord with thy whole heart and with love also; thou wilt seek from Him nothing else than Himself, that He may Himself be the goal of thy desire and the reward of thy labours, thy consolation in this life of shadows and thy possession in the blessed life to come. Hereunto wast thou created, that thou shouldst bear a part in His praises for ever and ever, and this thou shalt more fully understand, when thou, being lifted up by the blessed vision of Him, shalt see that by His mere free bounty thou, when thou wast not, wert out of nothing created to such happiness, and created, called, justified, glorified unspeakable bliss. For the contemplation of such things will give to thee a love that shall not weary of praising Him for ever, of whom and by whom and in whom thou shalt rejoice that thou art blessed with good things so great and so unchangeable.”

–Devotions of Saint Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury

** photo from a cemetery near the Pallottine Retreat Center.

I wanted to share a powerful story with whomever might be reading this little blog.  It is a story of something which happens far too often without the world even knowing about its occurrence.  The story makes no headline in the media and sadly  only a handful of souls bears witness to it.  However, I’m going to speak to this matter in my own way to you here now.

Before reading further, I beg you to brace your heart. Here we go…

A few years ago an accomplished woman and brand new mother was making diner for her beautiful baby in a warm and cozy kitchen filled with love and happiness.  As she cooked she listened to the nightly news.  She stopped still when she heard the horrendous report of a mother killing her own 10 week old baby child.  Overcome with anguish and pain over the loss of such an innocent soul this mother was prayerfully determined to do something.  She called the coroners office and found the child had no other relatives so she asked, “I know this sounds crazy but may I burry this child?”.  Permission was granted and so the baby girl, Destiny, through the love of a caring soul was given a Christian burial.

A bad story with a good ending right?  Well, yes and no.  You see, it actually happens that many children are abandoned by the parents after they die.  Perhaps they were prematurely born or perhaps they were sickly and left to struggle for life in the hospital until they met their reward.  Sadly and shockingly this is not an absolutely uncommon situation and it has happened in my small city some 23 times in the past 5 years.

I will not tell the rest of the story here, but will invite you to grab your hankie (or a box of tissues) and watch a 3 minute multi-media presentation at the St. Louis Review newspaper.  Your cry will be for a good cause and your prayers will be so very welcome…

http://www.aeternus.com/innocents/

UPDATED:  I have changed the link to the story because I did not realize the link went behind the newspaper’s subscriber only area.  SORRY!  Click here to see.

You know, every once and awhile a soul can get a little confused by all the distractions of the world.  Living in our day it is difficult to “stay hidden in Christ” and keep our hearts united to His in the midst of our own turmoil and daily mundane struggles.  I think I can say with certainty that we all feel a bit trodden upon at times.  We may do our best to “offer it up” but a soul can get weary!

In the middle of one of my own wearisome battles a certain grace came to me in the form of a comment to this little blog.  Its message of hope in the beauty of a peaceful eternity of love and fellowship with our God and all His holy Angels and Saints came at just the right time.  It was like a loving smack on my tired brain to say, “Hey Lady, stay the course, be strong, never fear, I AM with you!”   Well, it may have been even more than a smack because it produced in me a good old long cry which has invigorated my soul once again.  I thank the sender immensely and will always pray for him!!!  AMEN! AMEN!

Here is the quotation I am passing along.  It is from a sermon by  St. Venerable Bede and is currently prayed in the traditional breviary at II Nocturns.  (I think it was that Nocturn part which inspired me to post the photo above which I took a few weeks ago.  It is of two Great Horned Owls at sunset who happen to be our neighbors.  You may have to play “Where’s Waldo” to spot the 2nd owl.)  I hope the quote will inspire your soul…

“Never shall there be discord anywhere there, but all things in harmony.  For everywhere there, things are in such concord that all the Saints are at unity with each other in one peace and joy.  Everywhere there, all things are tranquil and quiet.  Perpetual is the splendour there ; not like unto the sunlight which we know here, but a light which is the brighter, as it is the more blessed.  For that city, as saith Scripture, needeth not the light of the sun, because the Lord Almighty doth enlighten it by the Lamb which is the Light thereof.  There the Saints shall shine like as the brightness of the firmament, and they that have turned many to righteousness, as the stars, for ever and ever.

And so there is no night there, no darkness, no gathering of clouds, no asperity of heat or cold.  But such is the nature of things there as no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, except of those only who have been found worthy to enjoy it, whose names are written in the book of life ; and who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, and are before the throne of God, serving him day and night.  There is no old age anywhere there, nor misery of old age, for all are come to perfect manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

But far above all these things is the fellowship there.  That is, to enjoy the companionship of the heavenly citizens : to look upon the choirs of Angels and Archangels, of Thrones and Dominions, Principalities, Powers, and all the heavenly Virtues on high : and to behold the army of the Saints shining more gloriously than the stars ; of the Patriarchs glowing with faith ; of the Prophets rejoicing in hope ; of the Apostles judging the world reformed into twelve tribes of the new Israel ; of the Martyrs resplendent in their ruddy crowns of victory ; and of the Virgins wearing garlands of the purest white.”

“In external matters. In times of great heat, cold or rain; in times of famine, epidemics and similar occasions we should refrain from expressions like these: “What unbearable heat!” “What piercing cold!” “What a tragedy!” In these instances we should avoid expressions indicating opposition to God’s will. We should want things to be just as they are, because it is God who thus disposes them. An incident in point would be this one: Late one night St. Francis Borgia arrived unexpectedly at a Jesuit house, in a snowstorm. He knocked and knocked on the door, but all to no purpose because the community being asleep, no one heard him. When morning came all were embarrassed for the discomfort he had experienced by having had to spend the night in the open. The saint, however, said he had enjoyed the greatest consolation during those long hours of the night by imagining that he saw our Lord up in the sky dropping the snowflakes down upon him.”

– St. Alphonsus de Liguori — Special Practices of Uniformity

I was alerted many months ago to a new translation of Dante’s Purgatory by Anthony Esolen.  I am fairly sure many of you have already read this classic tale (of the trilogy) in which a fictional Virgil navigates his way through the  7 terraced provinces of Purgatory as he is led there to discover and write about the souls who populate the landscape and witness their particular sins and sufferings.

There are many quotations in this poetic masterpiece which speak to the heart of the reader but there is within an  anagogical interpretation which is to be mystically discovered by a soul who prayerfully reads its prose.  It is for this prayerful purpose and as we ourselves are in the midst of traveling through our own novena for the souls who endure sufferings as they penitentially wait in hope, that I will share  quotations from this section of the Divine Comedy.

As Dante leads his reader from the remorseless gates of the inferno and crosses over the threshold of the lands of atonement.  Here a soul must learn to trust in the ultimate power of divine justice and remove from his intellect  his past ways of  knowing in the earthly world he once lived.  A soul here says:

“..I surrendered, yielding to Him who pardoned willingly.

My sins were horrible, but endless grace

has arms of generous goodness thrown so wide

they take in all who turn to them…

No man loses, by their curse’s power,

eternal love, that love cannot return

so long as hope shows any green in flower…

For we can gain

Much profit from what prayers on earth obtain.”

Ah, my friends, should the witness of the afflictions about to be endured by  these heroic trusting souls be unobserved through our daily prayers?  Shall we allow their apology through affliction be had in secret?  Oh, how it is our duty to pray for them and to offer up little mortifications for them daily.  For in truth, their future is known and their ultimate destiny secured.  One day there souls will reach the summit of love and in a blaze of beauty become a heavenly soul of praise which witnesses the eternal glory of our creator.  How awesome a destiny!

I will offer one more quote here as to me it speaks further to the grace of hope for souls. It comes from Canto Fifteen in the poem in which our traveler reaches a ring of pride-filled souls who appreciated too greatly their esteem on earth.  In this district of Purgatory these souls will learn the meaning of the beatitude “beati  misericordes” or “blessed are the merciful”.  As Virgil travels through this land he sees reflections of the heavenly lights from far above…

“So a reflected radiance seemed to come

striking from something on the road ahead,

making my dazzled vision quick to flee…

“Don’t be amazed if you are dazzled still

by Heaven’s family, for he is sent

a herald summoning men to climb the hill.

Soon it shall not oppress you anymore,

but you will look upon these things with joy -

all the delight your nature formed you for.”

And when we’d come before that angel blest,

with a glad voice he said, “Come here and enter

upon a stairway gentler than the rest.”

Climbing, we left him within we heart a voice

singing, “Blest are the merdiful,” behind us,

and, “You who have the victory, rejoice!”

But if love for the highest heavenly sphere

had wrung your yearnings, turning them above,

your breast wouldn’t be troubled by such fear,

For there, the more who say, “This joy is ours,”

the more joy is possessed by every soul,

the more that cloister burns in charity.”…

That Good, ineffable and infinite -

as beams of light stream to a light-filled body -

turns to whoever turn in love to It,

And give according to the warmth It finds,

so that, the greater love you spread abroad,

the more will the eternal Worth reward.

And the more souls that burn in Heaven above,

as mirrors flashing light on one another,

the more there is for all of them to love.”

Oh what a glorious “burning cloister of love” will the final destination be!  Amen!

** photo above from  St Michael’s cemetery in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  A view of a grave marker looking Northward towards Southside row houses and the now defunct Bethlehem Steel Mill Plant furnaces.  This cemetery was photographed by Walker Evans for the Farm Security Administration in 1935.

Thanks once again to my very dear friend who is becoming my Novena secretary (ie. she is always letting me know when to begin all the most important Novenas! God Reward Her!!) I am now passing this notification on to all you great prayer warriors!Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory composed by the great Saint, St. Alphonsus Ligouri.

Day 1

Jesus, my Savior I have so often deserved to be cast into hell how great would be my suffering if I were now cast away and obliged to think that I myself had caused my damnation. I thank Thee for the patience with which Thou hast endured me. My God, I love Thee above all things and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee because Thou art infinite goodness. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of perseverance. Have pity on me and at the same time on those blessed souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession. Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Day 2

Woe to me, unhappy being, so many years have I already spent on earth and have earned naught but hell! I give Thee thanks, O Lord, for granting me time even now to atone for my sins. My good God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Send me Thy assistance, that I may apply the time yet remaining to me for Thy love and service; have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Day 3

My God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I love Thee above all things, and repent with my whole heart of my offenses against Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. And thou, Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Day 4

My God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I am sorry with my whole heart for having offended Thee. I promise to die rather than ever offend Thee more. Give me holy perseverance; have pity on me, and have pity on those holy souls that burn in the cleansing fire and love Thee with all their hearts. O Mary, Mother of God, assist them by thy powerful prayers.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Day 5

Woe to me, unhappy being, if Thou, O Lord, hadst cast me into hell; for from that dungeon of eternal pain there is no deliverance. I love Thee above all things, O infinite God and I am sincerely sorry for having offended Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Day 6

My Divine Redeemer, Thou didst die for me on the Cross, and hast so often united Thyself with me in Holy Communion, and I have repaid Thee only with ingratitude. Now, however, I love Thee above all things, O supreme God; and I am more grieved at my offences against Thee than at any other evil. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Day 7

God, Father of Mercy, satisfy this their ardent desire! Send them Thy holy Angel to announce to them that Thou, their Father, are now reconciled with them through the suffering and death of Jesus, and that the moment of their deliverance has arrived.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Day 8

Oh my God! I also am one of these ungrateful beings, having received so much grace, and yet despised Thy love and deserved to be cast by Thee into hell. But Thy infinite goodness has spared me until now. Therefore, I now love Thee above all things, and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I will rather die than ever offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Day 9

My God! How was it possible that I, for so many years, have borne tranquilly the separation from Thee and Thy holy grace! O infinite Goodness, how long-suffering hast Thou shown Thyself to me! Henceforth, I shall love Thee above all things. I am deeply sorry for having offended Thee; I promise rather to die than to again offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance, and do not permit that I should ever again fall into sin. Have compassion on the holy souls in Purgatory. I pray Thee, moderate their sufferings; shorten the time of their misery; call them soon unto Thee in heaven, that they may behold Thee face to face, and forever love Thee. Mary, Mother of Mercy, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession, and pray for us also who are still in danger of eternal damnation.

Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary,

and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior

for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them.

R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them.

R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them.

R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy cross to Calvary, have mercy on them.

R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them.

R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them.

R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

O most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which Thou didst suffer in breathing forth Thy Blessed Soul, have mercy on them.

R. Have mercy on them, O Lord.

(Recommend yourself to the Souls in Purgatory and mention your intentions here)

Blessed Souls, I have prayed for thee; I entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for me a miserable sinner, who is in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Amen.