aeternus

“In order to pray well, then, we must acknowledge that we  are poor, and we must greatly humble ourselves; for do you not see how a  marksman with a crossbow, when he wishes to discharge a large arrow, draws  the string of his bow lower the higher he wants it to go? Thus must we do  when we wish our prayer to reach Heaven; we must lower ourselves by the  awareness of our nothingness. David admonishes us to do so by these words:  When you wish to pray, plunge yourself profoundly into the abyss of your  nothingness that you may be able afterward, without difficulty, to let your  prayer fly like an arrow even up to the heavens. [Cf. Ps. 130:1-2; Sir.  35:21].

…if you ask how it is that prayer  can rise to Heaven, you will be told that it rises there through the descent of humility. The spouse in the Song of Songs’ astonishes the angels  and makes them say: Who is this who comes from the desert, and who rises  like a column of smoke, laden with myrrh and frankincense and with every  perfume known, and who is leaning upon her Lover? [Cf. Song 3:6; 8:5].  Humility in its beginning is a desert, although in the end it may be very  fruitful, and the soul that is humble thinks itself as being in a desert  where neither birds nor even savage beasts dwell, and where there is no  fruit tree at all.”

** St. Francis de Sales THE SPIRIT OF PRAYER March 29, 1615

** another bee photo from me.

“To do God’s will—this was the goal upon which the saints constantly fixed their gaze. They were fully persuaded that in this consists the entire perfection of the soul. Blessed Henry Suso used to say: “It is not God’s will that we should abound in spiritual delights, but that in all things we should submit to his holy will.”

“Those who give themselves to prayer,” says St. Teresa, “should concentrate solely on this: the conformity of their wills with the divine will. They should be convinced that this constitutes their highest perfection. The more fully they practice this, the greater the gifts they will receive from God, and the greater the progress they will make in the interior life.” A certain Dominican nun was vouchsafed a vision of heaven one day. She recognized there some persons she had known during their mortal life on earth. It was told her these souls were raised to the sublime heights of the seraphs on account of the uniformity of their wills with that of God’s during their lifetime here on earth. Blessed Henry Suso, mentioned above, said of himself: “I would rather be the vilest worm on earth by God’s will, than be a seraph by my own.”

During our sojourn in this world, we should learn from the saints now in heaven, how to love God. The pure and perfect love of God they enjoy there, consists in uniting themselves perfectly to his will. It would be the greatest delight of the seraphs to pile up sand on the seashore or to pull weeds in a garden for all eternity, if they found out such was God’s will.”

** Uniformity with God’s Will by St. Alphonsus de Ligori

** photo of the Mississippi River just south of St. Louis at Cliff Caves.

A wonderful short biography on our dear Traditional Calendar saint for the day…

“Joseph was born of pious parents at Cupertino, a town of the Salentines in the diocese of Nardo in the year of salvation one thousand six hundred and three. Prevented with the love of God, he spent his boyhood and youth in the greatest simplicity and innocence. The Virgin Mother of God delivered him from a long and painful malady, which he had borne with the greatest patience; whereupon he devoted himself entirely to works of piety and the practice of virtue. But God called him to something higher; and in order to attain to closer union with him, Joseph determined to enter the Seraphic Order. After several trials he obtained his desire, and was admitted among the Minor Conventuals in the convent called Grotella, first as a lay-brother, oil account of his lack of learning; but afterwards, God so disposing, he was raised to the rank of a cleric. After making his solemn Vows he was ordained Priest, and began a new life of greater perfection. Utterly renouncing all earthly affections and everything of this world almost to the very necessaries of life, he afflicted his body with hairshirts, chains, disciplines, and every kind of austerity and penance; while he assiduously nourished his spirit with the sweetness of holy prayer, and the highest contemplation. By this means, the love of God, which had been poured out in his heart from his childhood, daily increased in a most wonderful manner.

His burning charity shone forth most remarkably in the sweet ecstasies which raised his soul to God, and the wonderful raptures he frequently experienced. Yet, marvellous to tell, however rapt he was in God, obedience would immediately recal him to the use of his senses. He was exceedingly zealous in the practice of obedience ; and used to say that he was led by it like a blind man, and that he would rather die than disobey. He emulated the poverty of the seraphic patriarch to such a degree, that on his deathbed he could truthfully tell his superior he had nothing which, according to custom, he could relinquish. Thus dead to the world and to himself Joseph showed forth in his flesh the life of Jesus. While in others he perceived the vice of impurity by an evil odour, his own body exhaled a most sweet fragrance, a sign of the spotless purity which he preserved unsullied in spite of long and violent temptations from the devil. This victory he gained by strict custody of his senses, by continual mortification of the body, and especially by the protection of the most pure Virgin Mary, whom he called his Mother, and whom he venerated with tenderest affection as the sweetest of mothers, desiring to see her venerated by others, that they might, said he, together with her patronage all good things.

Blessed Joseph’s solicitude in this respect sprang from his love for his neighbour, for he was consumed with zeal for souls, urging him to seek the salvation of all. His love embraced the poor, the sick, and all in affliction, whom he comforted as far as lay in his power, not excluding those who pursued him with reproaches and insults, and every kind of injury. He bore all this with the same patience, sweetness, and cheerfulness of countenance as were remarked in him when he was obliged frequently to change his residence, by the command of the Superiors of his Order, or of the holy Inquisition. People and princes admired his wonderful holiness and heavenly gifts; yet, such was his humility, that, thinking himself a great sinner, he earnestly besought God to remove from him his admirable gifts ; while he bogged men to cast his body after death in a place where his memory might utterly perish. But God, who exalts the humble, and who had richly adorned his servant during life with heavenly wisdom, prophecy, the reading of hearts, the grace of healing, and other gifts, also rendered his death precious and his sepulchre glorious. Joseph died at the place and time he had foretold, namely, at Osimo in Picenum, in the sixty-first year of his age. He was famous for miracles after his death; and was enrolled among the Blessed by Benedicte XIV and among the Saints by Clement XII. Clement XIV who was of the same Order extended his Office and Mass to the Universal church.

While praising God for the marvellous gifts he bestowed on thee, we acknowledge that thy virtues were yet more wonderful. Otherwise thy ecstasies would be regarded with suspicion by the Church, who usually withholds her judgment until long after the world has begun to admire and applaud. Obedience, patience, and charity, increasing under trial, were incontestable guarantees for the divine authorship of these marvels, which the enemy is sometimes permitted to mimic to a certain extent. Satan may raise a Simon Magus into the air: he cannot make a humble man. O worthy son of the seraph of Assisi, may we, after thy example, be raised up, not into the air, but into those regions of true light, where far above the earth and its passions, our life, like thine, may be hidden with Christ in God!”

** the Liturgical Year by the R.R. Dom Prosper Gueranger Abbot of Solesmes. Fifth Volume of the Continuation. Translated from the French by the Benedictines of Stanbrook. Time After Pentecost Vol. V Stanbrook Abbey, Worcester. 1903.

It was many years ago that it happened but the first thing this morning I thought of.  (In fact I didn’t even have my eyes open yet or have made my morning offering.) I was remembering how I was at an appointment and speaking with a Receptionist.  She noticed the crucifix I was wearing on my necklace and decided to say this to me…

“You know, I know a woman who refuses to wear a cross around her neck and gets very angry at folks who do.  She says they might as wear a riffle, a noose or even an electric chair charm around their necks for the cross as a symbol stands besides these three forms of torturous death with equality of stigma and disgrace.”

I was kind of taken back at this statement, shocked in fact that it was just spoken to me.  The receptionist said it to me as if she was starting a conversation about the weather outside or how the St. Louis Cardinals played at their game the night before.  The comment caught me off guard and I was so insulted for love of our Lord and the greatest sacrifice ever known on this earth which He performed with humility and obedience to the Father.  Sure, at the time the cross was the apex of human cruelty and humiliation.  It is valid to acknowledge that fact.  But how He who hung upon that wooden cross to redeem mankind and open the gates of Heaven which were closed before all souls transformed that symbol of ignominy and disgrace.  Through His love for all the cross now triumphs as a symbol of Love and hope and the joy of redemption!

I tried my best to convert the heart of the soul who spoke those harsh words to me but I feel I failed.  He could not see past the embarrassment of the cross and I feel this sticking point interfered with His whole attitude toward Christ.  Today I pray for this soul and others like him.  That the glorious cross is somehow a symbol of disgrace is just so far from my mind that I am so astonished at such a viewpoint.  Well, I always have been quite naive about what the other team thinks.  It troubles my heart that all souls can not yet know the love of Christ but I am confident that they will one day receive the grace and have the opportunity to know this love!

So on this feast day of the Triumph of the Cross here is a little discourse from the Office of Readings from Saint Andrew of Crete.  He writes about this triumph better than I…

We are celebrating the feast of the cross which drove away darkness and brought in the light. As we keep this feast, we are lifted up with the crucified Christ, leaving behind us earth and sin so that we may gain the things above. So great and outstanding a possession is the cross that he who wins it has won a treasure. Rightly could I call this treasure the fairest of all fair things and the costliest, in fact as well as in name, for on it and through it and for its sake the riches of salvation that had been lost were restored to us.

Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, life itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if life had not been nailed to it, there would be no streams of immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be cancelled, we should not have attained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life and the gates of paradise would not stand open. Had there been no cross, death would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled.

Therefore, the cross is something wonderfully great and honourable. It is great because through the cross the many noble acts of Christ found their consummation – very many indeed, for both his miracles and his sufferings were fully rewarded with victory. The cross is honourable because it is both the sign of God’s suffering and the trophy of his victory. It stands for his suffering because on it he freely suffered unto death. But it is also his trophy because it was the means by which the devil was wounded and death conquered; the barred gates of hell were smashed, and the cross became the one common salvation of the whole world.

“There is no other secret about becoming a saint that fidelity to the grace of the present moment, that gives us peace and true happiness… You will become more pleasing to Jesus each day by seeing Him in all things and always making your will His own.”

– Little Counsels of Mother Agnes of Jesus, OCD

INTO a temple vast and dim,

Solemn and vast and dim,

Just when the last sweet Vesper Hymn

Was floating far away

With eyes that tabernacled tears

Her heart the home of tears

And cheeks wan with the woes of years,

A woman went one day.

And, one by one, adown the aisles

Adown the long, lone aisles

Their faces bright with holy smiles

That follow after Prayer

The worshipers in silence passed

In silence slowly passed away;

The woman knelt until the last

Had left her lonely there.

A holy hush came o er the place

O er the holy place

The shadows kissed her woe-worn face,

Her forehead touched the floor;

The wreck that drifted thro the years

Sin-driven thro the years

Was floating o er the tide of tears,

To mercy s golden shore.

Her lips were sealed, they could not pray

They sighed, but could not pray

All words of Prayer had died away

From them long years ago;

But ah! from out her eyes there rose

Sad from her eyes there rose

The prayer of tears, which swiftest goes

To Heaven winged with woe.

With weary tears, her weary eyes

Her joyless, weary eyes

Wailed forth a Rosary and her sighs

And sobs strung all the Beads;

The while before her spirit s gaze

Her contrite spirit’s gaze

Moved all the mysteries of her days

And histories of her deeds.

Still as a shadow, while she wept

So desolately wept

Up thro’ the long, lone aisle she crept

Unto an altar fair;

Mother!” – her pale lips said no more

Could say no more

The wreck, at last, reached Mercy’s shore

For Mary’s shrine was there.

- Fr. Abram Ryan

On this day celebrating the daily labor for the goodness of society, here is a short poetic meditation…

“Through the merit of your intercession

caused our guilt to melt away,

keep at a distance from us all infection

from sin and drive away life’s weariness.

The bonds of your dedicated body are now undone.

Do you undo us from the bond of the world

by the grace of the God of heaven.”

– excerpt from a hymn in the 1962 Office for one martyr.

Szia!

There is another “American melting pot nationality” which I may claim as heritage and that is as a daughter of Hungary.  Both my paternal great-grandparents were from there and I believe even somewhere around the Transylvania area (shiver-me-timbers!  – Actually, I hear those Carpathian Mountains are breathtaking! And, also, another little fact, is that in Medieval translation Transylvania means “beyond the forrest”.  That’s not so creepy as thinking that it may mean… hmm…, well…, let’s say, Dracula’s castle!)

When I was little I have fond memories of my father taking us children to family gatherings in which not a word of English was ever spoken.  I recall these adventures being in wooded areas.  There were great pavilions which housed many Polka dancing Hungarians and their delicious home-made peach wine.  How do I recall it being peach?  Well, hmmm… I guess they didn’t mind children having a glass way back in those times!  (No wonder I recall things as being festive!) There was also much eating of very delicious foods which relied heavily on cabbage, potatoes and butter.  Those were days you wished went on forever playing with lots of other children and everyone having so much fun.  Oh, it seems like a million years ago…

Now I’ll tell you that my first brother is named after my Grandfather whose name is Stephen.  And, the reason for my story today is that it is the traditional feast day of Saint (Szent) Stephen (Istvan) [Pronounce I as E and a as a short a] King of Hungary   He was, of course, a good King and in the latter years of his life he begat many deep troubles of ill health and family woes.  On September 2, 1031 Stephen’s only son Emeric (also a saint!) lost his life hunting boars.  This was certainly a tragedy and marked a heavy burden of the heart of the King. You can read about Stephen quite easily with a few quick google searches but I thought to use this piece of his writing as today’s meditation.  It is a letter he wrote to his beloved Emeric.

“My beloved son, delight of my heart, hope of your posterity, I pray, I command, that at every time and in everything, strengthened by your devotion to me, you may show favor not only to relations and kin, or to the most eminent, be they leaders or rich men or neighbors or fellow countrymen, but also to foreigners and to all who come to you. By fulfilling your duty in this way you will reach the highest state of happiness. Be merciful to all who are suffering violence, keeping always in your heart the example of the Lord who said, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” Be patient with everyone, not only with the powerful, but also with the weak.

Finally be strong lest prosperity lift you up too much or adversity cast you down. Be humble in this life, that God may raise you up in the next. Be truly moderate and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately. Be gentle so that you may never oppose justice. Be honorable so that you may never voluntarily bring disgrace upon anyone. Be chaste so that you may avoid all the foulness of lust like the pangs of death.

All these virtues I have noted above make up the royal crown, and without them no one is fit to rule here on earth or attain to the heavenly kingdom.”

** Excerpt from Saint Stephen’s admonitions to his son Emeric.

** photo above from St. Michael’s Cemetery which is adjacent to the First Hungarian Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, Pa.

“O God, You Who are the truth, make me one with You in love everlasting. I am often wearied by the many things I hear and read, but in You is all that I long for. Let the learned be still, let all creatures be silent before You; You alone speak to me.

The more recollected a man is, and the more simple of heart he becomes, the easier he understands sublime things, for he receives the light of knowledge from above. The pure, simple, and steadfast spirit is not distracted by many labors, for he does them all for the honor of God. And since he enjoys interior peace he seeks no selfish end in anything.”

** Thomas a Kempis – The Imitation of Christ