aeternus

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.

“I thought of the soul as resembling a castle, formed of a single diamond or a very transparent crystal, and containing many rooms, just as in heaven there are many mansions. If we reflect, sisters, we shall see that the soul of the just man is but a paradise, in which, God tells us, He takes His delight. What, do you imagine, must that dwelling be in which a King so mighty, so wise, and so pure, containing in Himself all good, can delight to rest? Nothing can be compared to the great beauty and capabilities of a soul; however keen our intellects may be, they are as unable to comprehend them as to comprehend God, for, as He has told us, He created us in His own image and likeness.

As this is so, we need not tire ourselves by trying to realize all the beauty of this castle, although, being His creature, there is all the difference between the soul and God that there is between the creature and the Creator; the fact that it is made in God’s image teaches us how great are its dignity and loveliness. It is no small misfortune and disgrace that, through our own fault, we neither understand our nature nor our origin. Would it not be gross ignorance, my daughters, if, when a man was questioned about his name, or country, or parents, he could not answer? Stupid as this would be, it is unspeakably more foolish to care to learn nothing of our nature except that we possess bodies, and only to realize vaguely that we have souls, because people say so and it is a doctrine of faith. Rarely do we reflect upon what gifts our souls may possess, Who dwells within them, or how extremely precious they are. Therefore we do little to preserve their beauty; all our care is concentrated on our bodies, which are but the coarse setting of the diamond, or the outer walls of the castle.

Let us imagine, as I said, that there are many rooms in this castle, of which some are above, some below, others at the side; in the centre, in the very midst of them all, is the principal chamber in which God and the soul hold their most secret intercourse. Think over this comparison very carefully; God grant it may enlighten you about the different kinds of graces He is pleased to bestow upon the soul. No one can know all about them, much less a person so ignorant as I am. The knowledge that such things are possible will console you greatly should our Lord ever grant you any of these favours; people themselves deprived of them can then at least praise Him for His great goodness in bestowing them on others. The thought of heaven and the happiness of the saints does us no harm, but cheers and urges us to win this joy for ourselves, nor will it injure us to know that during this exile God can communicate Himself to us loathsome worms; it will rather make us love Him for such immense goodness and infinite mercy.”

– Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle

** read more.

“We pray that we may come unto this Darkness which is beyond light, and, without seeing and without knowing, to see and to know that which is above vision and knowledge through the realization that by not-seeing and by unknowing we attain to true vision and knowledge; and thus praise, superessentially, it that issuperessential, by the transcendence of all things; even as those who, carving a statue out of marble, abstract or remove all the surrounding material that hinders the vision which the marble conceals and, by that abstraction, bring to light the hidden beauty… without veil, we may know that Unknowing which is enshrouded under all that is known and all that can be known, and that we may begin to contemplate the superessential Darkness which is hidden by all the light that is in existing things.”

- Mystical Theology, Dionysius the Areopagite

** The Missouri River at Washington, Missouri

I was going to post a meditation of historical and spiritual value for Our Lady today as it is her most Holy Feast Day as Our Lady of the Rosary but, well, instead I am going to post a praise to her in answer to her help in my intercessory prayer.

I have been so very blessed lately to be visually documenting Catholic life in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and in His most generous graces Our Lord shows me so many beautiful things.  I take Him along with me on each assignment and rely on Him showing me what He wants me to photograph.  So far this trust has been without regret as He ALWAYS shows me something beautiful.  Today, I want to share something even more outstandingly beautiful than usual…

As Catholics we are familiar with devotions such as the Rosary, Stations of the Cross and Eucharistic Adoration.  We practice personal devotions such as Divine Mercy or First Fridays.  If we are feeling burnt out we might seek refuge in a Spiritual Retreat or Pilgrimage to a holy site in order to “charge our spiritual batteries”.  Our Church is quite wonderful in giving us such extra spiritual fruits which compliment our liturgical and Eucharistic life which is centered around formal sacramental worship and prayer.  How blessed it is to have such a wealth of treasuries to seek, explore and discover through prayer.  Amen!

Last week, I was privileged to discover yet another wonderful way to invigorate one’s soul in love of God and His Son and through the goodness of the Holy Spirit.  It was an event who’s spiritual brawn had such efficacy that it brought 3 Christian Churches (who normally pass over each other’s contributions to His Kingdom) together  in an effort to build bridges between them and their similar missions of social welfare for their inner city communities.  Together Catholics from St. Elizabeth Mother of John the Baptist Church along with Washington Metropolitan AME Zion Church and Rhema Baptist Assembly celebrated three nights of prayerful praise and worship an ecumenical Revival.

The Revival was the first meeting in what the churches hope to become many more in an effort to learn about each other and to forge community relationships built around Jesus Christ.  The Churches recognize their similar missions to the poor, to the elderly and to building up society through acts of charity and love.  They want to explore how each of them practices these missions and see how they may help one another in them.

As for Ecumenism surrounding the three Church Revival Father Vomund, the Pastor of St. Elizabeth Mother of John the Baptist Church perceives it being a way to take away roadblocks between the Christian Faiths. “It is such a structural way to remove roadblocks which are presuppositions and our prejudices and bigotry.  And nobody has cornered the market on those bigotries. I have my people even say that we’re not Baptists.  But I say I don’t know what that means?  “I don’t know what it means to not be Baptist but I know what it means to be in prayer.  I know what it means to be in worship.”  The Church Revival will physically remove those roadblocks of prejudices.  “The road is free.  You can go on in and hold hands together.  You can lift your arms together.  Its O.K.!”

For the Revival a choir was formed through the combination of each church’s singers and talented musicans.  While each church is blessed with gorgeous voices, together their song could not have been more strong or glorious than if they had sung alone.  I think that was the strongest testament to the unique productive prayer of the three nights of praise.  Together these churches showed how working together helps to make a difference in their shared communities.

I’d like to invite you to visit the multi-media presentation on the Revival which is now showing on the St. Louis Review newspaper on-line edition.  I would hope you might like to share it with whomever you think may enjoy it.  I am so thankful that this story was able to be told in such a format.  I love the media presentation because is great to see and hear at the same time.

I want to thank the generosity of these churches and especially those beautiful souls I was privileged to come to know through praise of His name!

Peace to you this day!

Happy Feast day Carmel!

“I often asked myself why God had preferences, why all souls did not receive an equal measure of grace. I was filled with wonder when I saw extraordinary favours showered on great sinners like St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Mary Magdalen, and many others, whom He forced, so to speak, to receive His grace. In reading the lives of the Saints I was surprised to see that there were certain privileged souls, whom Our Lord favoured from the cradle to the grave, allowing no obstacle in their path which might keep them from mounting towards Him, permitting no sin to soil the spotless brightness of their baptismal robe. And again it puzzled me why so many poor savages should die without having even heard the name of God.

Our Lord has deigned to explain this mystery to me. He showed me the book of nature, and I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful, that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished to be roses, nature would lose its springtide beauty, and the fields would no longer be enamelled with lovely hues. And so it is in the world of souls, Our Lord’s living garden. He has been pleased to create great Saints who may be compared to the lily and the rose, but He has also created lesser ones, who must be content to be daisies or simple violets flowering at His Feet, and whose mission it is to gladden His Divine Eyes when He deigns to look down on them. And the more gladly they do His Will the greater is their perfection.

I understood this also, that God’s Love is made manifest as well in a simple soul which does not resist His grace as in one more highly endowed. In fact, the characteristic of love being self-abasement, if all souls resembled the holy Doctors who have illuminated the Church, it seems that God in coming to them would not stoop low enough. But He has created the little child, who knows nothing and can but utter feeble cries, and the poor savage who has only the natural law to guide him, and it is to their hearts that He deigns to stoop. These are the field flowers whose simplicity charms Him; and by His condescension to them Our Saviour shows His infinite greatness. As the sun shines both on the cedar and on the floweret, so the Divine Sun illumines every soul, great and small, and all correspond to His care—just as in nature the seasons are so disposed that on the appointed day the humblest daisy shall unfold its petals.”

– St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.  The Story of a Soul.

** photo from the St. Therese Chapel at the Carmel of St. Joseph in St. Louis, Missouri