| Devotion to Our Lady |
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FIRST PERIOD
12 DAYS April 28 - May 9  THE SPIRIT OF WORLD
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SECOND PERIOD
7 DAYS May 10 - May 16  KNOWLEDGE OF SELF
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THIRD PERIOD
7 DAYS May 17 - May 23  KNOWLEDGE OF MARY
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FOURTH PERIOD
7 DAYS May 24 - May 30  KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS
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THE DAY OF
CONSECRATION May 31 
FINAL PREPARATIONS
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THE TRUE DEVOTION CONSECRATION TO JESUS THROUGH MARY
(The Consecration will take place on the Feast of the Queenship of Our Lady, May 31st)
(The Consecration will take place on the Feast of the Queenship of Our Lady, May 31st)
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REASONS FOR MAKING THE CONSECRATION IN RELATION TO GOD
1. It is the will of God, as announced by Our Lady at Fatima. The fact that God wants this should be sufficient reason for making the Consecration. 2. Mary is God's masterpiece and in justice deserves praise above and beyond what we give to anything else except the praise we give to God. God receives much glory when we honor Mary, the work of His hands. 3. God has made Mary the channel or mediatrix of all graces. It would be an insult not to use the means that God has appointed for the distribution of His graces, and to seek other means instead. 4. We imitate God's ways by our reliance on Mary in our lives. Just as God chose to enter this world through Mary and chose to rely on Mary for the work of the Redemption, we, likewise, should go to God through Mary and rely upon her for the work of our salvation. |
REASONS FOR MAKING THE CONSECRATION IN RELATION TO OURSELVES
1. If we want to save our souls, then there is no better way of saving them than giving ourselves over to Mary. 2. There can be no salvation without the grace of God. This consecration is a surer and safer way of obtaining, increasing and keeping the graces of God. 3. Mary has been given the role of forming the saints of the end times. We are all called to be saints. There is no better school than the school of Mary for teaching, forming and maintaining sanctity. 4. A true devotion to Mary is almost a guarantee of salvation. This has been affirmed by the testimonies of numerous Saints, Fathers and Doctors of the Church. Who in their right mind doesn't want to save their soul? 5. The devils have confessed that they find it more difficult to overcome the true servants of Mary than other souls who have a lesser devotion to Mary. |
DAILY PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS FOR THE FOURTH PERIOD
Knowledge of Jesus
Knowledge of Jesus
INTRODUCTION TO THE FOURTH PERIOD : THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS
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Approaching the Real Goal
In this fourth period of preparation, we approach the goal or real purpose of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary. This devotion is simply the shortest, safest and quickest way of knowing, loving and serving Our Lord Jesus Christ—which is also the ultimate purpose of our existence. Yet, as St. Therese of the Child Jesus used to bewail: “Jesus is so little loved, because He is so little known!” How and Where We Can Learn About Jesus There are different ways in which we can learn about Jesus. We can read about Him in the Scriptures or the writings of the Saints and theologians of the Church; we can listen to stories about him in sermons or watch videos of His life. All this leads to an intellectual knowledge of Jesus, which illuminates our mind. This is good, but it is not enough! “To know” is not yet “to love.” Knowledge has to come before love, just as the Faith comes before Charity. We cannot love what we do not know. But we need to progress from an intellectual knowledge and intellectual love of Jesus, to a practical knowledge and a practical love of Jesus. Cross and Communion Here on earth, two of the principal ways in which we can come to ‘practically’ know and love Jesus are the Cross and Communion. If we were to try and simplify it still further, then the Sacrifice of the Mass would say it all. For the Mass is both a Sacrifice (the Cross) and a Sacrament (Communion). If we want to find Jesus, then we will find Him in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We arrive at an ever deeper knowledge and understanding of Christ by entering more and more into the spirit of the Mass, which is none other than the spirit of Jesus. It is through the Mass that we accomplish our principal duties towards God—adoration, propitiation, petition and thanksgiving. In the Mass, through the Gospel readings, we continually dwell upon the life and spirit of Jesus. His spirit is also handed down to us through the writings of His immediate disciples; the Mass imparts to us the sacrificial spirit of Christ that led Him to work tirelessly for the salvation of sinners. It is in the Mass, during Holy Communion, that we enter into a most intimate union with Our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by a fruitful reception of that Sacrament, that we are sanctified and transformed into other “Christs” and receive the graces and the strength to continue Christ’s salvific work, as His instruments, in the world around us. Knowledge Leads to Love St. Louis-Marie de Montfort’s recommended meditations should certainly help us grow in this knowledge of Our Lord, and, hopefully, once we know more about Him, we will also grow in our love of Him and in our desire to do something for Him. The most effective way of showing our love of Him and furthering the growth of His kingdom, is by taking up our crosses and carrying them out of love of God. Our Lord Himself said: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23) If the Head of the Mystical Body—Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life—passed by the way of the cross, then it would be spiritual suicide for the Mystical Body to go in an opposite direction to Its Head. In the Cross is salvation (in cruce salus); in the Cross is satisfaction for sin; in the Cross is peace; in the Cross is the power of conversion; in the Cross is our merit and our glory. Let us boast, with St. Paul, in nothing else but the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ—a Cross we have the honor of sharing. Thus, this week we will speak of the Cross. Friends of the Cross Though St. Louis-Marie de Montfort did not recommend his own work, Letter to the Friends of the Cross, as part of the preparations, we have, nevertheless, included it among the meditations. The most obvious reason for St. Louis-Marie failing to recommend the Letter, is the fact that it was not at that time a published work, and therefore inaccessible to the vast majority of people. |
Holy Eucharist
However, Our Lord is not only found in the Cross, He is also present—Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity—in the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is both a Sacrifice (of the Cross) and a Sacrament that communicates Our Lord and His graces to us. The Eucharist strengthens us and makes light the burden of the Cross. Our Lord Himself says: “Come to me, all you that labor and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you and learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart: and you shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light!” (Matthew 11:28-30). To know Jesus, we must first find Him and where on earth will we find Him, but in the Eucharist? If we ignore Him there, then we seek Him in vain elsewhere—for that is where He primarily wanted to be found, known and adored. It is when we receive Him in Holy Communion that it can truly be said: “The kingdom of God is within you!” Our Lord could and would do so much more for us, if we would only enter into that intimate union that can be ours in Holy Communion. Yet, today, the world increasingly ignores, neglects and even disbelieves Our Lord’s Real Presence among men. The Imitation The Imitation of Christ so rightly says: “Alas, how little is what I do! What a short time I spend when I am preparing myself for Communion! Rarely am I recollected, rarely free from all distraction! Surely, in the saving presence of Thy Godhead, no unbecoming thought should arise, nor any created thing lay hold of me—for it is not an angel, but the Lord of Angels, Whom I am about to receive as my guest!...Why then am I not more on fire before Thy awesome presence? Why do I not prepare myself, with greater care, to take up Thy holy things?...How great ought to be the reverence and devotion which I and all Christian people should have in the presence of this Sacrament!...Many rush to various places to visit the relics of the saints and are astonished to hear of their wonderful works; they look upon the vast buildings of their shrines and kiss their bones enwrapped in silks and gold....Often, in seeing such things, there is no more than a curiosity of men and the novelty of what they look upon, but with no real repentance and little fruit of better living being carried home. "But here, in the Sacrament of the Altar, Thou art wholly present and where the abundant fruit of salvation is fully received....In this Sacrament, spiritual grace is conferred; and lost virtue made good in the soul; and beauty, marred by sin, returns....It must be a matter for grief and great pity that, lukewarm and negligent, we are not drawn, with greater affection, to receive Christ.... It is to be greatly lamented that many show such little esteem for this saving Mystery, which makes Heaven glad and preserves the whole world. O, the blindness and hardness of heart that does not more highly prize so unspeakable a gift; and from daily custom, slides away into a disregard of it” (Imitation of Christ, Book 4, chapter 1). Fervent Efforts By a much more fervent participation in the Sacrifice of the Mass and a more fruitful reception of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, our understanding and appreciation of the Cross of Jesus will greatly increase, not to mention our growth in the true spirit of Christ, whereby we will be able to say with St. Paul: “…with Christ I am nailed to the cross. And I live, now not I: but Christ liveth in me” (Galatians 2:19-20). |
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SPIRITUAL EXERCISES &
PRAYERS TO BE SAID DAILY THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD DEDICATED TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS PRACTICES FOR DAYS 27-33
They should apply themselves during the third week to know Jesus Christ. They can meditate upon what we have said about Him, and say the prayer of St. Augustine which they will find in the beginning of the second part of this treatise. They can, with the same saint, repeat a hundred times a day: “Lord, that I may know Thee!” or: “Lord, that I may see Who Thou art!” They should recite, as in the preceding weeks, the Litany of the Holy Ghost and the Ave Maris Stella, and should add daily the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus.
1. Pray the Litany of the Holy Ghost; Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus; Jesus Living In Mary; Ave Maris Stella; St. Louis de Montfort's Prayer to Our Jesus (all of these prayers need not be said everyday IF they cause TRUE difficulty). 2. Pray the Holy Rosary, but PRAY IT WELL 3. Pray especially for the GRACE TO GROW IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, not just in theory or in the mind, but pray that this growth of knowledge may go beyond the intellectual, and that it also SHOW ITSELF IN PRACTICE in many ways. 4. Make acts professing your love and affection towards Jesus, together with sorrow for ever having offended Him. 5. Make acts full of faith in Our Lord’s mercy, power and His desire to help you. 6. Beg Jesus for the grace to grow in a 'practical' love of Him; to have a greater attention and love of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; to have a desire to receive the Holy Eucharist more often; to visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament more often and more sincerely; and for the grace to see Him and love Him in every cross that comes our way. 7. Thank God for all His patience with you until this day; than Him for the countless graces and mercies that you have received from Him through Mary, and beg of Him, through Mary, the graces to amend your life in the future. 8. Read and reflect on the readings posted for each particular day. 9. Make many short prayers ('one-liners') begging the grace to: (a) look upon and perform the recommended practices seriously (the devil does not want it) (b) to persevere DAILY in the prayer, spiritual reading, meditation & penance (c) for the grace to know Our Lord and to see His love, mercy, justice and providence in your life. (d) for the grace to make a good examination of conscience and a good Confession (e) to have the strength of mind and heart to MAKE CHANGES and AMEND YOUR LIFE PRAYERS FOR DAYS 27 - 33
Litany of the Holy Ghost
Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus Prayer to Jesus (by St. Louis de Montfort) Ave Maris Stella The Holy Rosary These prayers are also fruitful sources of meditation. Even though it is not absolutely necessary to say each prayer each and every day, nevertheless try to say as many, if not all, the prayers whenever you can. Say at least one of the prayers united to each meditation you make. As you sow, so shall you reap. You cannot outdo Our Lord and Our Lady in generosity.  LITANY OF THE HOLY GHOST
Lord, have mercy on us,
Christ, have mercy on us Lord, have mercy on us Father, all powerful, Have mercy on us. Jesus, Eternal Son of the Father, Redeemer of the world, Save us. Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless life of both, Sanctify us. Holy Trinity, Hear us. Holy Ghost, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son, Enter our hearts. Holy Ghost, Who art equal to the Father and the Son, Enter our hearts. Promise of God the Father, Have mercy on us. Ray of heavenly light, Have mercy on us. Author of all good, Have mercy on us. Source of heavenly water, Have mercy on us. Consuming fire, Have mercy on us. Ardent charity, Have mercy on us. Spiritual unction, Have mercy on us. Spirit of love and truth, Have mercy on us. Spirit of wisdom and understanding, Have mercy on us. Spirit of counsel and fortitude, Have mercy on us. Spirit of knowledge and piety, Have mercy on us. Spirit of the fear of the Lord, Have mercy on us. Spirit of grace and prayer, Have mercy on us. Spirit of peace and meekness, Have mercy on us. Spirit of modesty and innocence, Have mercy on us. Holy Ghost, the Comforter, Have mercy on us. Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, Have mercy on us. Holy Ghost, Who governest the Church, Have mercy on us. Gift of God, the Most High, Have mercy on us. Spirit Who fillest the universe, Have mercy on us. Spirit of the adoption of the children of God, Have mercy on us. Holy Ghost, inspire us with horror of sin. Holy Ghost, come and renew the face of the earth. Holy Ghost, shed Thy light in our souls. Holy Ghost, engrave Thy law in our hearts. Holy Ghost, inflame us with the flame of Thy love. Holy Ghost, open to us the treasures of Thy graces. Holy Ghost, teach us to pray well. Holy Ghost, enlighten us with Thy heavenly inspirations. Holy Ghost, lead us in the way of salvation. Holy Ghost, grant us the only necessary knowledge. Holy Ghost, inspire in us the practice of good. Holy Ghost, grant us the merits of all virtues. Holy Ghost, make us persevere in justice. Holy Ghost, be Thou our everlasting reward. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Send us Thy Holy Ghost. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety. V. Come, Holy Ghost! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful. R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy Love. Let us pray Grant, O merciful Father, that Thy Divine Spirit enlighten, inflame and purify us, that He may penetrate us with His heavenly dew and make us fruitful in good works; through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, liveth and reigneth forever and ever. R. Amen.  LITANY OF THE
SACRED HEART OF JESUS Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, God the Holy Ghost, Holy Trinity, one God, Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, God, the Holy Ghost, Holy Trinity, one God, Heart of Jesus, Son of the eternal Father, Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Ghost in the Virgin Mother’s womb, Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, Heart of Jesus, of infinite Majesty, Heart of Jesus, holy Temple of God, Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of Heaven, Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts, Heart of Jesus, wherein are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Heart of Jesus, wherein dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead, Heart of Jesus, in Whom the Father is well pleased, Heart of Jesus, of Whose fullness we have all received, Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, Heart of Jesus, rich unto all who call upon Thee, Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness, Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our offenses, Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with reproaches, Heart of Jesus, bruised for our iniquities, Heart of Jesus, obedient even unto death, Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, Heart of Jesus, delight of all the Saints, Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us. V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, R. Make our hearts like unto Thine. Let us pray Almighty and everlasting God, look upon the Heart of Thy well beloved Son and upon the praise and satisfaction which He offers unto Thee in the name of sinners; and do Thou, of Thy great goodness, grant them pardon when they seek Thy mercy, in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee for ever and ever. R. Amen.  LITANY OF THE
HOLY NAME OF JESUS Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us. Lord, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us. God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on us. God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us Jesus, Son of the living God, Have mercy on us Jesus, splendor of the Father, Have mercy on us Jesus, brightness of eternal light, Have ... Jesus, King of glory, Jesus, sun of justice, Jesus, Son of the Virgin Mary, Jesus, most amiable, Jesus, most admirable, Jesus, mighty God, Jesus, Father of the world to come, Jesus, angel of the great counsel, Jesus, most powerful, Jesus, most patient, Jesus, most obedient, Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Jesus, lover of chastity, Jesus, lover of us, Jesus, God of peace, Jesus, author of life, Jesus, model of virtues, Jesus, lover of souls, Jesus, our God, Jesus, our refuge, Jesus, Father of the poor, Jesus, treasure of the faithful, Jesus, Good shepherd, Jesus, true light, Jesus, eternal wisdom, Jesus, infinite goodness, Jesus, our way and our life, Jesus, joy of angels, Jesus, King of patriarchs, Jesus, master of Apostles, Jesus, teacher of Evangelists, Jesus, strength of martyrs, Jesus, light of confessors, Jesus, purity of virgins, Jesus, crown of all saints, Be merciful, spare us, O Jesus. Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus. From all evil, Deliver us O Jesus From all sin, Deliver us O Jesus From Thy wrath, Deliver us O Jesus From the snares of the devil, Deliver... From the spirit of fornication, From everlasting death, From the neglect of Thine inspirations, Through the mystery of Thy holy Incarnation, Through Thy nativity, Through Thine infancy, Through Thy most divine life, Through Thy labors, Through Thine agony and Passion, Through Thy cross and dereliction, Through Thy sufferings, Through Thy death and burial, Through Thy Resurrection, Through Thine Ascension, Through Thine institution of the most Holy Eucharist, Through Thy joys, Through Thy glory, Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Jesus. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Jesus. Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Jesus. V. Jesus, hear us. R. Jesus, graciously hear us. Let us pray O Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast said: Ask and ye shall receive; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you; grant, we beseech Thee, to us who ask the gift of Thy divine love, that we may ever love Thee with all our hearts, and in all our words and actions, and never cease praising Thee. Grant us, O Lord, a perpetual fear and love of Thy holy Name; for Thou never failest to govern those whom Thou dost solidly establish in Thy love. Who livest and reignest world without end. R. Amen.  PRAYER TO JESUS
by St. Louis de Montfort O most loving Jesus, deign to let me pour forth my gratitude before Thee, for the grace Thou hast bestowed upon me in giving me to Thy holy Mother through the devotion of Holy Bondage, that she may be my advocate in the presence of Thy majesty and my support in my extreme misery. Alas, O Lord! I am so wretched that without this dear Mother I should be certainly lost.
Yes, Mary is necessary for me at Thy side and everywhere: that she may appease Thy just wrath, because I have so often offended Thee; that she may save me from the eternal punishment of Thy justice, which I deserve; that she may contemplate Thee, speak to Thee, pray to Thee, approach Thee and please Thee; that she may help me to save my soul and the souls of others; in short, Mary is necessary for me that I may always do Thy holy will and seek Thy greater glory in all things. Ah, would that I could proclaim throughout the whole world the mercy that Thou hast shown to me! Would that everyone might know I should be already damned, were it not for Mary! Would that I might offer worthy thanksgiving for so great a blessing! Mary is in me. Oh, what a treasure! Oh, what a consolation! And shall I not be entirely hers? Oh, what ingratitude! My dear Savior, send me death rather than such a calamity, for I would rather die than live without belonging entirely to Mary. With St. John the Evangelist at the foot of the Cross, I have taken her a thousand times for my own and as many times have given myself to her but if I have not yet done it as Thou, dear Jesus, dost wish, I now renew this offering as Thou desire me to renew it. And if Thou seest in my soul or my body anything that does not belong to this august Princess, I pray Thee to take it and cast it far from me, for whatever in me does not belong to Mary is unworthy of Thee. O Holy Spirit, grant me all these graces. Plant in my soul the Tree of true Life, which is Mary; cultivate it and tend it so that it may grow and blossom and bring forth the fruit of life in abundance. O Holy Spirit, give me great devotion to Mary, Thy faithful spouse; give me great confidence in her maternal heart and an abiding refuge in her mercy, so that by her Thou mayest truly form in me Jesus Christ, great and mighty, unto the fullness of His perfect age. Amen.  AVE MARIS STELLA
Hail, bright star of ocean,
God’s own Mother blest, Ever sinless Virgin, Gate of heavenly rest. Taking that sweet Ave, Which from Gabriel came, Peace confirm within us, Changing Eva’s name. Break the captives’ fetters, Light on blindness pour, All our ills expelling, Every bliss implore. Show thyself a Mother; May the Word Divine, Born for us thy Infant, Hear our prayers through thine. Virgin all excelling, Mildest of the mild, Freed from guilt, preserve us, Pure and undefiled. Keep our life all spotless, Make our way secure, Till we find in Jesus, Joy for evermore. Through the highest Heaven To the Almighty Three, Father, Son and Spirit, One same glory be. Amen.  PRAYER TO MARY
by St. Louis de Montfort Hail Mary, beloved Daughter of the Eternal Father! Hail Mary, admirable Mother of the Son! Hail Mary, faithful Spouse of the Holy Ghost! Hail Mary, my dear Mother, my loving mistress, my powerful sovereign! Hail my joy, my glory, my heart and my soul! Thou art all mine by mercy, and I am all thine by justice. But I am not yet sufficiently thine. I now give myself wholly to thee without keeping anything back for myself or others. If thou still seest in me anything which does not belong to thee, I beseech thee to take it and to make thyself the absolute mistress of all that is mine. Destroy in me all that may be displeasing to God, root it up and bring it to nought; place and cultivate in me everything that is pleasing to thee.
May the light of thy faith dispel the darkness of my mind; may thy profound humility take the place of my pride; may thy sublime contemplation check the distractions of my wandering imagination; may thy continuous sight of God fill my memory with His presence; may the burning love of thy heart inflame the lukewarmness of mine; may thy virtues take the place of my sins; may thy merits be my only adornment in the sight of God and make up for all that is wanting in me. Finally, dearly beloved Mother, grant, if it be possible, that I may have no other spirit but thine to know Jesus and His divine will; that I may have no other soul but thine to praise and glorify the Lord; that I may have no other heart but thine to love God with a love as pure and ardent as thine. I do not ask thee for visions, revelations, sensible devotion or spiritual pleasures. It is thy privilege to see God clearly; it is thy privilege to enjoy heavenly bliss; it is thy privilege to triumph gloriously in Heaven at the right hand of thy Son and to hold absolute sway over angels, men and demons; it is thy privilege to dispose of all the gifts of God, just as thou willest. Such is, O heavenly Mary, “the best part” which the Lord has given thee and which shall never be taken away from thee—and this thought fills my heart with joy. As for my part here below, I wish for no other than that which was thine: to believe sincerely without spiritual pleasures; to suffer joyfully without human consolation; to die continually to myself without respite; and to work zealously and unselfishly for thee until death as the humblest of thy servants. The only grace I beg thee to obtain for me is that every day and every moment of my life I may say: Amen—so be it, to all that thou didst do while on earth; Amen—so be it, to all that thou art now doing in Heaven; Amen—so be it, to all that thou art doing in my soul, so that thou alone mayest fully glorify Jesus in me for time and eternity. Amen.  THOUGHTS ON HER THOUGHTS
► "I ask and command you to have a statue to be made [of Our Lady of Good Success] for the consolation and preservation of ... those faithful souls of that epoch [our present time], during which there will be a great devotion to me" (Our Lady of Good Success).
► “First, so that men in the future might realize how powerful I am in placating Divine Justice and obtaining mercy and pardon for every sinner, who comes to me with a contrite heart. For I am the Mother of Mercy and in me there is only goodness and love.” (Our Lady of Good Success). ► “And second …when tribulations of spirit and sufferings of the body oppress them and they seem to be drowning in this bottomless sea, let them gaze at my holy image, and I will always be there ready to listen to their cries and soothe their pain. Tell them that they should always run to their Mother with confidence and love...” (Our Lady of Good Success). ► "In order to free men from the bondage to these heresies, those whom the merciful love of my most Holy Son has designated to effect the restoration, will need great strength of will, constancy, valor and confidence of the just. There will be occasions when all will seem lost and paralyzed. This then will be the happy beginning of the complete restoration.” (Our Lady of Good Success). ► “But know, beloved daughter, that when your name is made known in the 20th century, there will be many who will not believe, claiming that this devotion is not pleasing to God...A simple humble faith in the truth of My apparitions to you, My beloved child, will be reserved for humble and fervent souls docile to the inspirations of grace, for Our Heavenly Father communicates His secrets to the simple of heart, and not to those whose hearts are inflated with pride, pretending to know what they do not, or self-satisfied with empty knowledge.” (Our Lady of Good Success). ► “Oh, if only human beings and religious knew what Heaven is and what it is to possess God, how differently they would live, sparing no sacrifice in order to enter more fully into possession of it! But some let themselves be dazzled by the false glamour of honors and human greatness, while others are blinded by self-love, not realizing that they are falling into lukewarmness, that immense evil which in religious houses destroys their fervor, humility, self-renunciation and the ceaseless practice of religious virtues and fraternal charity and that child-like simplicity which makes souls so dear to my Divine Son and to me, their Mother" (Our Lady of Good Success). ► “Woe to the world should it lack monasteries and convents! Men do not comprehend their importance, for, if they understood, they would do all in their power to multiply them, because in them can be found the remedy for all physical and moral evils... No one on the face of the Earth is aware whence comes the salvation of souls, the conversion of great sinners, the end of great scourges, the fertility of the land, the end of pestilence and wars, and the harmony between nations. All this is due to the prayers that rise up from monasteries and convents. Oh, if mortals only understood how to appreciate the time given to them, and would take advantage of each moment of their lives, how different the world would be! And a considerable number of souls would not fall to their eternal perdition! But this contempt is the fundamental cause for their downfall!” (Our Lady of Good Success) YOUR DAILY ROSARY MEDITATIONS
THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES
1. THE ANNUNCIATION
1. And in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent, from God, into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth. 2. He was sent to a Virgin espoused to a man, whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the Virgin’s name was Mary. 3. And the Angel, being come in, said unto her: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou among women!” 4. Who, having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought within herself what manner of salutation this should be. 5. And the Angel said to her: “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God!” 6. “Behold! Thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His Name Jesus.” 7. “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David, His father; and He shall reign in the House of Jacob for ever. And of His kingdom there shall be no end.” 8. And Mary said to the Angel: “How shall this be done, because I know not man?” 9. And the Angel, answering, said to her: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And, therefore also, the Holy, which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God.” 10. And Mary said: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord! Be it done unto me according to thy word!” And the Angel departed from her. 2. THE VISITATION 1. A priest, named Zachary, and his wife, Elizabeth, were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame. And they had no son, for Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years. 2. And it came to pass, when Zachary executed the priestly function, going into the Temple of the Lord in the order of his course before God, for it was his lot to offer incense, according to the custom of the priestly office. And all the multitude of the people was praying outside, at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zachary, seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 3. The angel said to him: “Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice in his nativity. For he shall be great before the Lord; and shall drink no wine, nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias; that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people.” 4. Zachary said to the angel: “Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years!” And the angel answering, said to him: “I am Gabriel, who stands before God: and am sent to speak to thee, and to bring thee these good tidings. And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein these things shall come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time!” 5. The people were waiting for Zachary; and they wondered that he tarried so long in the Temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them―and they understood that he had seen a vision in the Temple. And he made signs to them, and remained dumb. 6. And it came to pass, after the days of his office were accomplished, he departed to his own house. And after those days, Elizabeth, his wife, conceived and hid herself five months, saying: “Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein He hath had regard to take away my reproach among men!” 7. And Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda. And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. 8. And Elizabeth cried out with a loud voice, and said: “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb! And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leapt for joy! And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.” 9. And Mary said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is His Name. And His mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear Him. He hath showed might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy: as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His seed for ever.” 10. And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house. Now Elizabeth’s full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had showed His great mercy towards her, and they congratulated her. And it came to pass, that, on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father’s name―Zachary. And his mother answering, said: “Not so! But he shall be called John!” And they said to her: “There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name!” And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: “John is his name!” And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came upon all their neighbors; and all these things were noised abroad, over all the hill country of Judea. And all they that had heard them, laid them up in their heart, saying: “What a one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him!” 3. THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD AT BETHLEHEM 1. And it came to pass, that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem―because he was of the house and family of David―to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with Child. 2. And it came to pass, that when they were there, her days were accomplished, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him up in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 3. And there were, in the same country, shepherds watching and keeping the night watches over their flock. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. And the angel said to them: “Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy―that shall be to all the people!” 4. “For, this day, is born to you a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you―you shall find the Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger!” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying: “Glory to God in the highest; and on Earth peace to men of good will!” 5. And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into Heaven, the shepherds said one to another: “Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath showed to us!” And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the Infant, lying in the manger. And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this Child. And all that heard, wondered at those things that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. 6. When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of King Herod, behold, there came Wise Men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and are come to adore Him.” And King Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And assembling together all the Chief Priests and the Scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born. But they said to him: “In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet: ‘And thou Bethlehem, the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the Captain that shall rule My people Israel.’” 7. Then Herod, privately calling the Wise Men, learned diligently of them the time of the star, which appeared to them; and, sending them into Bethlehem, said: “Go and diligently inquire after the Child, and, when you have found Him, bring me word again, that I also may come to adore Him.” Who, having heard the king, went their way; and, behold, the star which they had seen in the East, went before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And, seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And entering into the house, they found the Child with Mary His Mother, and falling down they adored Him; and opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts―gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And, having received an answer, in sleep, that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country. 8. And, after they were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, in his sleep, saying: “Arise, and take the Child and His Mother, and flee into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee! For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the Child to destroy Him.” Who arose, and took the Child and His Mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and he was there until the death of Herod―that it might be fulfilled, which the Lord spoke by the prophet, saying: “Out of Egypt have I called My Son.” 9. Then Herod, perceiving that he was deluded by the Wise Men, was exceedingly angry; and, sending soldiers, killed all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the Wise Men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: “A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great mourning; Rachel bewailing her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not!” But when Herod was dead, behold an angel of the Lord appeared, in Egypt, to Joseph in his sleep, saying: “Arise, and take the Child and His Mother, and go into the land of Israel. For they are dead that sought the life of the Child.” 10. Who arose, and took the Child and His Mother, and came into the land of Israel. But, hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea, in the room of Herod his father, he was afraid to go there―and, being warned in sleep, retired into the quarters of Galilee. And coming, he dwelt in a city called Nazareth― that it might be fulfilled which was said by prophets: “That He shall be called a Nazarene.” 4. THE PRESENTATION OF THE INFANT JESUS IN THE TEMPLE 1. And after the days of her purification were accomplished, according to the law of Moses, they carried Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord―as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every male, opening the womb, shall be called holy to the Lord!”―and to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 2. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him. 3. And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit into the Temple. 4. And when His parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law, Simeon also took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: “Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace; because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples―a light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel!” 5. And His father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning Him. 6. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother: “Behold this Child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; and thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.” 7. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow for eighty-four years; who departed not from the Temple, by fastings and prayers serving night and day. 8. Now she, at the same hour, coming in, confessed to the Lord; and spoke of Him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel. 9. And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their city Nazareth. 10. And the Child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom; and the grace of God was in Him. 5. THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE 1. And His parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the solemn day of the Pasch. 2. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast. 3. And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not. 4. And thinking that He was in the company of others, they came a day’s journey, and sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances. And not finding Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 5. And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found Him in the Temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and His answers. And seeing Him, they wondered. 6. And His mother said to Him: “Son, why hast Thou done so to us? Behold Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing!” 7. And He said to them: “How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know, that I must be about My Father’s business?” And they understood not the word that He spoke unto them. 8. And He went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them. 9. And His Mother kept all these words in her heart. 10. And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men. THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
1. THE AGONY OF OUR LORD IN THE GARDEN
1. And a hymn being said, going out, He went, according to His custom, to the Mount of Olives. He went forth over the brook Cedron and His disciples also followed Him. Then Jesus came with them into a country place, a farm which is called Gethsemane. And taking with Him Peter and James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, He said to His disciples: “Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray!” And He began to fear and to be heavy, and grow sorrowful and to be sad. Then He said to them: “My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here, and watch with Me!” 2. And when He was gone forward a little, and was withdrawn away from them a stone’s cast, He fell upon His face, flat on the ground; and He prayed, that if it might be, the hour might pass from Him, saying: “My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from Me--remove this chalice from Me! Nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done!” 3. And He cometh to His disciples and findeth them asleep, and He saith to Peter: “What! Could you not watch one hour with Me? Watch ye, and pray that ye enter not into temptation! The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak!” 4. Again the second time, He went and prayed, saying: “My Father, if this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, Thy will be done!” And He cometh again and findeth them sleeping―for their eyes were heavy and they knew not what to answer Him. 5. And leaving them, He went again and He prayed the third time, saying the same words. And there appeared to Him an angel from Heaven, strengthening Him. And, being in an agony, He prayed the longer. And His sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground. And when He rose up from prayer, and was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow and saith to them: “Sleep ye now and take your rest! It is enough! Behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners! Rise! Let us go! Behold he is at hand that will betray Me!” 6. And while He was yet speaking, behold, Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, came―and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs―sent from the Chief Priests and the Ancients of the people. Judas, who betrayed Him, knew the place; because Jesus had often visited there―together with His disciples. Judas, therefore, having received a band of soldiers and servants from the Chief Priests and the Pharisees, cometh there with lanterns and torches and weapons. And he, that betrayed Him, gave them a sign, saying: “Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is He! Hold Him fast and lead Him away carefully!” And forthwith coming to Jesus, and immediately going up to Him, he said: “Hail, Rabbi!” And he kissed Him. And Jesus said to him: “Friend, whereto art thou come? Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?” 7. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said to them: “Whom seek ye?” They answered Him: “Jesus of Nazareth!” Jesus saith to them: “I am He!” And Judas also, who betrayed Him, stood with them. As soon, therefore, as He had said to them: “I am He”, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Again, therefore, He asked them: “Whom seek ye?” And they said: “Jesus of Nazareth!” Jesus answered: “I have told you that I am He! If therefore you seek Me, let these go their way!” That the word might be fulfilled which He said: “Of them whom Thou hast given Me, I have not lost any one” Then they came up, and laid hands on Jesus, and held Him. 8. And they, that were about Him, seeing what would follow, said to Him: “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And, behold, one of them that was with Jesus, Simon Peter, having a sword, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword and struck the servant of the High Priest and cut off his right ear. And the name of the servant was Malchus. Then Jesus saith to him: “Put up thy sword into the scabbard! For all that take the sword shall perish with the sword! The chalice which My Father hath given Me―shall I not drink it? Thinkest thou that I cannot ask My Father, and He will give Me presently more than twelve legions of angels? How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that so it must be done? Suffer ye thus far!” But when Jesus had touched his ear, He healed him. 9. And Jesus said―to the Chief Priests, Magistrates of the Temple and the Ancients, that were come unto Him: “You are come out as it were to a robber, with swords and clubs, to apprehend Me! I sat daily with you, teaching in the Temple, and you laid not hands on Me! But this is your hour and the power of darkness!” Now all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then the disciples, all leaving Him, fled away. And a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and they laid hold on him. But he, casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked. 10. Then the band and the tribune, and the servants of the Jews, apprehending and holding Jesus, bound Him and led Him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiphas, who was the High Priest of that year, and then to Caiphas, where the Scribes and the Ancients were assembled. But Peter followed afar off. 2. THE SCOURGING OF OUR LORD AT THE PILLAR 1. And when morning was come, all Chief Priests holding a consultation with the Ancients of the people and the Scribes and the whole Council, took counsel against Jesus, that they might put Him to death. And the whole multitude of them, rising up, binding Jesus, led Him away from Caiphas to the governor’s hall and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor. They went not into the hall, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the Pasch. 2. Pilate, therefore, went out to them, and said: “What accusation bring you against this Man?” They answered and said to him: “If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up to thee!” And they began to accuse Him, saying: “We have found this Man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that He is Christ the King!” 3. And when He was accused by the Chief Priests and Ancients, He answered nothing. Then Pilate saith to Him: “Dost not Thou hear how great testimonies they allege against Thee?” And He answered him not a word; so that the governor wondered. And Pilate again asked Him, saying: “Answerest Thou nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse Thee!” But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered exceedingly. 4. Pilate therefore said to them: “Take Him you, and judge Him according to your law!” The Jews therefore said to him: “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death!” That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He said, signifying what death He should die. But they were more earnest, saying: “He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.” But Pilate, hearing “Galilee”, asked if the Man were of Galilee. And when he understood that He was of Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him away to Herod, who was also at Jerusalem in those days. 5. And Herod, seeing Jesus, was very glad; for he was desirous of a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things of Him; and he hoped to see some sign wrought by Him. And he questioned Him in many words. But He answered him nothing. And the Chief Priests and the Scribes stood by, earnestly accusing Him. And Herod, with his army, set Him at nought, and mocked Him, putting on Him a white garment, and sent Him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate were made friends that same day; for, before, they were enemies one to another. 6. And Pilate, calling together the Chief Priests, and the Magistrates, and the people, said to them: “You have presented unto me this Man, as one that perverts the people; and, behold I, having examined Him before you, find no cause in this Man, in those things wherein you accuse Him. No, nor Herod neither! For I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done to Him!” But they cried again, saying: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” And he said to them again: “Why? What evil hath this Man done? I find no cause of death in Him. I will chastise Him therefore, and let Him go!” But they cried again, saying: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” 7. Pilate, therefore, went into the hall again, and called Jesus. And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, saying: “Art Thou the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered: “Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of Me?” Pilate answered: “Am I a Jew? Thy own nation, and the Chief Priests, have delivered Thee up to me! What hast Thou done?” 8. Jesus answered: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now My Kingdom is not from hence.” Pilate therefore said to Him: “Art Thou a king then?” Jesus answered: “Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world―that I should give testimony to the truth. Everyone that is of the truth, heareth My voice!” Pilate saith to Him: “What is truth?” 9. And when Pilate said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: “I find no cause in Him! But you have a custom that I should release one unto you at the Pasch! Will you, therefore, that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” Then they all cried again, saying: “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber. Pilate said to them: “What shall I do then with Jesus, that is called Christ?” They all said: “Let Him be crucified!” The governor said to them: “Why? What evil hath He done?” But they cried out the more, saying: “Let Him be crucified!” And the whole people answering, said: “His blood be upon us and our children!” 10. But they insisted with loud voices, requiring that He might be crucified; and their voices prevailed. And Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, taking water, washed his hands before the people, saying: “I am innocent of the Blood of this just Man―look you to it!” And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them Barabbas, whom they had desired―who, for murder and sedition, had been cast into prison; but he had Jesus scourged and delivered up to their will. 3. THE CROWNING OF OUR LORD WITH THORNS 1. Then the soldiers of the governor led Jesus away into the hall, the court of the palace, and they called together unto Him the whole band; and stripping Him, they put a scarlet cloak about Him. 2. And plaiting a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand. 3. And they began to salute Him, and, bowing the knee before Him, they adored Him. And they mocked Him, saying: “Hail, King of the Jews!” 4. And they took the reed and struck His Head with the reed. And they did spit on Him and they gave Him blows. 5. And after they had mocked Him, they took off the purple cloak from Him, and put on Him His own garments, and led Him back to Pilate. 6. Pilate therefore went forth again, and said to them: “Behold, I bring Him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in Him!” Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns. And Pilate said to them: “Behold the Man!” When the Chief Priests, therefore, and the servants had seen Him, they cried out, saying: “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” 7. Pilate said to them: “Take Him you, and crucify Him! For I find no cause in Him!” The Jews answered him: “We have a law; and according to the law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God!” When Pilate therefore had heard this saying, he feared the more. And he entered into the hall again, and he said to Jesus: “Whence art Thou?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 8. Pilate therefore said to Him: “Speakest Thou not to me? Knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and I have power to release Thee?” Jesus answered: “Thou shouldst not have any power against Me, unless it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that hath delivered Me to thee, hath the greater sin!” 9. And from henceforth Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews cried out, saying: “If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar’s friend! For whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh against Caesar!” Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha. And it was the Parasceve of the Pasch, about the sixth hour, and he said to the Jews: “Behold your King!” But they cried out: “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” 10. Pilate said to them: “Shall I crucify your King?” The Chief Priests answered: “We have no king but Caesar!” Then, therefore, he delivered Him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led Him forth. 4. OUR LORD CARRIES HIS CROSS TO CALVARY “And bearing His own Cross, He went forth to that place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew, Golgotha” (John 19:17). 1. And after they had mocked Him, they took off the cloak from Him, and put on Him His own garments, and led Him away to crucify Him. 2. And bearing His own Cross, He went forth to that place which is called “Calvary”―but in Hebrew, “Golgotha.” 3. And there were also two other malefactors, led with Him, to be put to death. 4. And going out, they found a man named Simon, who passed by, coming out of the country of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and of Rufus. And they forced Simon to take up His Cross. 5. And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented Him. 6. But Jesus turning to them, said: “Daughters of Jerusalem! Weep not over Me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children! For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck!’” 7. Jesus said to them: “Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills: ‘Cover us!’ For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?” 8. Pilate wrote a title, also, and he put it upon the Cross. And the writing was: “Jesus of Nazareth, The King of the Jews.” 9. This title, therefore, many of the Jews did read―because the place where Jesus was crucified was near to the city―and it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. 10. Then the Chief Priests of the Jews said to Pilate: “Write not, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am the King of the Jews’!” Pilate answered: “What I have written, I have written!” 5. THE CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF OUR LORD “And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him” (Mark 15:26). 1. And it was the third hour when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified Him there. And Jesus said: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!” The soldiers, therefore, when they had crucified Him, took and divided His garments, and they made four parts, to every soldier a part, and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said then one to another: “Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be!” that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saying: “They divided My garments among them; and upon My vesture they cast lots.” And the soldiers indeed did these things. 2. And they put over His head the written inscription of His cause: “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.” And with Him they crucified two thieves; the one robber on His right hand, and the other on His left, so that the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith: “And with the wicked He was reputed.” And they sat and watched Him. 3. And they that passed by, blasphemed Him, wagging their heads, and saying: “Vah! Thou that destroyest the Temple of God, and in three days dost rebuild it! Save Thy own self! If Thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross!” In like manner also the Chief Priests, with the Scribes and Ancients, mocking, said: “He saved others; Himself He cannot save! Let Christ the King of Israel come down now from the Cross! If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the Cross, that we may see and believe! He trusted in God; let Him now deliver Him if He will have Him! For He said: ‘I am the Son of God!’ He saved others; Himself He cannot save!” And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him and offering Him vinegar, and saying: “If Thou be the King of the Jews, save Thyself!” And the self-same thing the thieves, that were crucified with Him, also reproached Him with and reviled Him. 4. And one of those robbers, who were hanged, blasphemed Him, saying: “If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us!” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying: “Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man hath done no evil!” And he said to Jesus: “Lord! Remember me when Thou shalt come into Thy Kingdom!” And Jesus said to him: “Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with Me in paradise!” And it was almost the sixth hour. 5. Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus, His Mother, and His Mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus, therefore, had seen His Mother and the disciple standing, whom He loved, He saith to His Mother: “Woman, behold thy son!” After that, He saith to the disciple: “Behold thy Mother!” And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. 6. And when the sixth hour was come, the sun was darkened and there was darkness over the whole Earth until the ninth hour. And, about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: “Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani?” That is: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” And some that stood there and heard, said: “Behold, this Man calleth Elias!” And the others said: “Let be! Let us see whether Elias will come to deliver Him!” 7. Afterwards, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said: “I thirst!” Now there was a vessel set there, full of vinegar. And immediately, one of them running, took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and hyssop and put it on a reed. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar and hyssop, put it to His mouth and gave Him to drink. Jesus, therefore, when He had taken the vinegar, said: “It is consummated!”” 8. And Jesus, again crying with a loud voice, said: “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit!” And after saying this, bowing His head, He gave up the ghost. And the veil of the Temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the centurion, who stood over against Him, seeing that, crying out in this manner, He had given up the ghost, seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: “Indeed this was a just Man! Indeed this Man was the Son of God!” And all the multitude of them that were come together to that sight, and saw the things that were done, returned striking their breasts. 9.Then the Jews, because it was the Parasceve, that the bodies might not remain on the Cross on the Sabbath day—for, at the time of the Pasch or Passover, it was a great Sabbath day—besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers, therefore, came; and they broke the legs of the first and of the other, that was crucified with Him. But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers, with a spear, opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water. For these things were done, that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “You shall not break a bone of Him.” And again another Scripture saith: “They shall look on Him Whom they pierced.” And he that saw it, hath given testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knoweth that he saith true; that you also may believe. 10. And all His acquaintances, and the women that had followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. Among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joseph, and Salome: who, also, when He was in Galilee, followed Him, and ministered to Him, and many other women that came up with Him to Jerusalem. And when evening was now come, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the Kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate and begged the Body of Jesus. But Pilate wondered that He should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if He were already dead. And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the Body to Joseph. And Joseph, buying fine linen and taking Him down, wrapped Him up in the fine linen, and laid Him in a sepulcher, which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulcher. And Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of Joseph, beheld where He was laid. THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
1. THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD FROM THE DEAD
1. And when the Sabbath was past, when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, there was a great earthquake. For an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and coming, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. And his countenance was as lightning, and his raiment as snow. And for fear of him, the guards were struck with terror, and became as dead men. Later the guards came into the city, and told the Chief Priests all things that had been done. And they, being assembled together with the Ancients, taking counsel, gave a great sum of money to the soldiers, saying: “Say you: ‘His disciples came by night, and stole Him away when we were asleep!’ And if the governor shall hear this, we will persuade him, and secure you!” So they, taking the money, did as they were taught: and this word was spread abroad among the Jews―even unto this day. 2. Very early in the morning Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought sweet spices, so that, coming to see the sepulcher, they might anoint Jesus. Mary Magdalen came first unto the sepulcher, when it was yet dark; and she saw the stone taken away from the sepulcher. She ran, therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith to them: “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him!” 3. Meanwhile, with the sun being now risen, the other women arrived at the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they said one to another: “Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulcher?” For it was very great. And looking, they saw the stone rolled back. And entering into the sepulcher, they found not the Body of the Lord Jesus. They saw a young man, sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe―and they were astonished. They were afraid and bowed down, their countenance towards the ground. And the angel answering, said to the women: “Be not afraid! For I know that you seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified! Why seek you the living with the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how He spoke unto you, when He was in Galilee, saying: ‘The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again!’ He is risen! He is not here! Come, and see the place where the Lord was laid. Now go quickly, tell His disciples and Peter that He will go before you into Galilee; there you shall see Him, as He told you!” 4. But they going out, fled from the sepulcher with fear and great joy, running to tell His disciples. For a trembling and fear had seized them: and they said nothing to any man; for they were afraid. And going back from the sepulcher, they told all these things to the Eleven, and to all the rest. And these words seemed to them as idle tales; and they did not believe them. 5. In the meantime, Peter went out, and that other disciple, and they came to the sepulcher. And they both ran together, and that other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulcher. And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying; but yet he went not in. Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulcher, and saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin that had been about His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place. Then that other disciple also went in, who came first to the sepulcher, and he saw and believed. For, as yet, they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. The disciples therefore departed again to their home. 6. Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalen, out of whom He had cast seven devils. Mary, having returned again to the sepulcher, stood outside, weeping. Now as she was weeping, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher, and she saw two angels in white, sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the Body of Jesus had been laid. They said to her: “Woman, why weepest thou?” She said to them: “Because they have taken away my Lord; and I know not where they have laid Him!” When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing; and she knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her: “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?” She, thinking it was the gardener, saith to Him: “Sir, if Thou hast taken Him out of here, tell me where Thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away!” Jesus said to her: “Mary!” She, turning, said to Him: “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Master). Jesus said to her: “Do not touch Me! For I am not yet ascended to My Father! But go to My brethren and say to them: ‘I ascend to My Father and to your Father, to My God and your God!’” Mary Magdalen went and told the disciples: “I have seen the Lord! And these things He said to me!” 7. In the meantime, Jesus met the women, saying: “All hail!” But they came up and took hold of His feet, and adored Him. Then Jesus said to them: “Fear not! Go, tell My brethren that they go into Galilee, there they shall see Me!” The women told these things to the Apostles. And these words seemed to them as idle tales; and they did not believe them. And they hearing that He was alive, and had been seen, did not believe. And after that He appeared in another shape to two of them walking, as they were going into the country. And they going told it to the rest: neither did they believe them. At length He appeared to the Eleven as they were at table: and He upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen Him after He was risen again. 8. Two disciples, the same day, walked to a town which was sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, named Emmaus. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And while they talked and reasoned, Jesus Himself joined them. But their eyes were held, that they should not know Him. And He said to them: “What are you talking about and why are you so sad?” And Cleophas said to Him: “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, and how our Chief Priests and princes delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. We hoped, that it was He that should have redeemed Israel! Today is the third day since these things were done and some women of our company, who were at the sepulcher, and not finding His body, came and frightened us, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, who say that He is alive!” 9. Then Jesus said to them: “O foolish, and slow of heart to believe in all things which the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them, in all the Scriptures, the things that were concerning Him. And as they drew near to the town where they were going, they constrained Him; saying: “Stay with us, because it is towards evening, and the day is now far spent!” And He went in with them. And it came to pass, whilst He was at table with them, He took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew Him: and He vanished out of their sight. And they said one to the other: “Was not our heart burning within us, whilst He spoke in this way, and opened to us the Scriptures?” And rising up, the same hour, they went back to Jerusalem: and they found the Eleven gathered together, and those that were staying with them, saying: “The Lord is risen indeed!” 10. Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, who is called “Didymus”, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him: “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe!” And, after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said: “Peace be to you!” Then he saith to Thomas: “Put in thy finger here, and see My hands; and bring here thy hand, and put it into My side―and be not faithless, but believing!” Thomas answered, and said to Him: “My Lord, and my God!” Jesus saith to him: “Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed! Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed!” 2. THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD INTO HEAVEN 1. And the Eleven Disciples went into Galilee, and Jesus led them out as far as Bethania, unto the mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And seeing Him they adored: but some doubted. 2. They, therefore, who were come together, asked Him, saying: “Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” And Jesus, spoke to them, saying: “It is not for you to know the times or moments, which the Father hath put in His own power.” 3. And Jesus said to them: “All power is given to Me in Heaven and in Earth. But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost parts of the Earth. Go ye into the whole world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. Teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” 4. “He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned.” 5. “And these signs shall follow them that believe—In My Name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover.” 6. “Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world!” 7. And the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, lifting up His hands, He blessed them. And it came to pass, whilst He blessed them, He departed from them, and was carried up to Heaven while they looked on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. He now sitteth on the right hand of God. 8. And while they were beholding Him going up to Heaven, behold two men stood by them, in white garments, who also said: “Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to Heaven? This Jesus, Who is taken up from you into Heaven, shall so come, as you have seen Him going into Heaven!” 9. Then they adoring went back from the mount, which is near Jerusalem, that is called Olivet, and with great joy returned to Jerusalem, which is within a Sabbath day’s journey. 10. And when they reached Jerusalem, they went up into an upper room, where abode Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Jude the brother of James. All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with His brethren. 3. THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY GHOST AT PENTECOST 1. And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place. 2. And suddenly there came a sound from Heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them. 4. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak. 5. And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue. 6. And they were all amazed and astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: “What meaneth this?” But others mocking, said: “These men are full of new wine!” 7. But Peter standing up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: “Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words! For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day!” 8. “Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you―as you also know. This same Being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you, by the hands of wicked men, have crucified and slain. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of Hell, as it was impossible that He should be held by it. 9. When they had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart, and said to Peter, and to the rest of the Apostles: “What shall we do, men and brethren?” But Peter said to them: “Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins―and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost! The promise is to you, your children and to all that are far off, whomsoever the Lord our God shall call!” 10. And with very many other words did he testify and exhort them, saying: “Save yourselves from this perverse generation!” They, therefore, that received his word, were baptized; and there were added in that day about three thousand souls. And they were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul―many wonders also and signs were done by the Apostles in Jerusalem, and there was great fear in all. And all they that believed, were together, and had all things common. Their possessions and goods they sold, and divided them to all, according as everyone had need. 4. THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY INTO HEAVEN 1. “Lift up your eyes to Heaven” (Isaias 51:6). 2. “Look up to Heaven and see, and behold the sky, that it is higher than thee” (Job 35:5). 3. “They shall make themselves wings like those of an eagle, and shall fly towards Heaven” (Proverbs 23:5). 4. “Who mounteth above the Heaven of Heaven” (Psalm 67:34). 5. “If I ascend into Heaven, Thou art there” (Psalm 138:8). 6. “And He had commanded the clouds from above, and had opened the doors of Heaven” (Psalm 77:23). 7. “God give thee the dew of Heaven” (Genesis 27:28). 8. “Then hear thou from Heaven, and do justice to thy servants” (2 Paralipomenon 6:23). 9. “Hear thou from Heaven their prayers and their supplications” (2 Paralipomenon 6:35). 10. “Hear thou from thy dwelling place, that is, from Heaven, and show mercy!” (2 Paralipomenon 6:21). 5. THE CORONATION OF OUR LADY IN HEAVEN 1. “Be thou faithful until death―and I will give thee the crown of life!” (Apocalypse 2:10). 2. “When the Prince of pastors shall appear, you shall receive a never fading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4). 3. “Behold, I come quickly! Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown!” (Apocalypse 3:11). 4. “Thou shalt put her on as a robe of glory, and thou shalt set her upon thee as a crown of joy” (Ecclesiasticus 6:32). 5. “God will clothe thee with the double garment of justice, and will set a crown on thy head of everlasting honor” (Baruch 5:2). 6. “Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God” (Isaias 62:3). 7. “That thou mayest receive a crown as an ornament of grace” (Ecclesiasticus 32:3). 8. “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” (Apocalypse 12:1). 9. “With the crown set upon her head, to show her beauty to all … for she was exceedingly beautiful” (Esther 1:11). 10. “A jewel upon thy forehead and earrings in thy ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head” (Ezechiel 16:12). |
DAY 28 of 33 : PRAYERS & MEDITATIONS
Sunday, May 25th
DAY 28 of 33 FIRST MEDITATION Like Jesus, We Must Come From Mary! taken from St. Louis Marie de Montfort's True Devotion to Mary, §31 ff to §38. (if you cannot manage to make all the meditations, do not worry, make as many as you can) God the Son wishes to form Himself, and, so to speak, to incarnate Himself in His members every day, by His dear Mother, and He says to her: “Take Israel for your inheritance.” (Ecclesiasticus 24:13). It is as if He had said: God the Father has given Me for an inheritance all the nations of the earth, all men, good and bad, predestinate and reprobate. The ones I will lead with a rod of gold, and the others with a rod of iron. Of the ones, I will be the Father and the Advocate; of the others, the Just Punisher; and of all, the Judge. But as for you, My dear Mother, you shall have for your heritage and possession only the predestinate, prefigured by Israel; and as their Mother, you shall bring them forth and take care of them; and as their sovereign, you shall conduct them, govern them and defend them.
According to the explanation of some of the Fathers, the first man that is born in Mary is the Man-God, Jesus Christ; the second is a mere man, the child of God and Mary by adoption. If Jesus Christ, the Head of men, is born in her, then the predestinate, who are the members of that Head, ought also to be born in her, by a necessary consequence. One and the same mother does not bring forth into the world the head without the members, or the members without the head; for this would be a monster of nature. So in like manner, in the order of grace, the head and the members are born of one and the same Mother; and if a member of the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ—that is to say, one of the predestinate—were born of any other mother than Mary, who has produced the Head, he would not be one of the predestinate, nor a member of Jesus Christ, but simply a monster in the order of grace. Besides this, Jesus being at present as much as ever the fruit of Mary—as Heaven and Earth repeat thousands and thousands of times a day, “and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus”—it is certain that Jesus Christ is, for each man in particular who possesses Him, as truly the fruit and the work of Mary and, he can say boldly, “All thanks be to Mary! What I possess is her effect and her fruit, and without her I should never have had it.” St. Augustine, surpassing himself, and going beyond all I have yet said, affirms that all the predestinate, in order to be conformed to the image of the Son of God, are in this world hidden in the womb of the most holy Virgin, where they are guarded, nourished, brought up and made to grow by that good Mother until she has brought them forth to glory after death, which is properly the day of their birth, as the Church calls the death of the just. O mystery of grace, unknown to the reprobate, and but little known even to the predestinate! God the Holy Ghost wishes to form elect for Himself in her and by her, and He says to her: “Strike the roots,” My Well beloved and My Spouse, “of all your virtues in My elect” (Ecclesiasticus 24:13), in order that they may grow from virtue to virtue and from grace to grace. I took so much complacence in you when you lived on earth in the practice of the most sublime virtues, that I desire still to find you on earth, without your ceasing to be in Heaven. For this end, reproduce yourself in My elect, that I may behold in them with complacence the roots of your invincible Faith, of your profound humility, of your universal mortification, of your sublime prayer, of your ardent charity, of your firm hope and of all your virtues. You are always My spouse, as faithful, as pure and as fruitful as ever. Let your Faith give Me My faithful, your purity, My virgins, and your fertility, My temples and My elect. When Mary has struck her roots in a soul, she produces there marvels of grace, which she alone can produce, because she alone is the fruitful Virgin who never has had, and never will have, her equal in purity and in fruitfulness. Mary has produced, together with the Holy Ghost, the greatest thing which has been or ever will be—a God Man; and she will consequently produce the greatest saints that there will be in the end of time. The formation and the education of the great saints who shall come at the end of the world are reserved for her. For it is only that singular and miraculous Virgin who can produce, in union with the Holy Ghost, singular and extraordinary things. When the Holy Ghost, her Spouse, has found Mary in a soul, He flies there. He enters there in His fullness; He communicates Himself to that soul abundantly, and to the full extent to which it makes room for His spouse. Nay, one of the greatest reasons why the Holy Ghost does not now do startling wonders in our souls is because He does not find there a sufficiently great union with His faithful and inseparable spouse. I say “inseparable” spouse, because since that Substantial Love of the Father and the Son has espoused Mary, in order to produce Jesus Christ, the Head of the elect, and Jesus Christ in the elect, He has never repudiated her, because she has always been fruitful and faithful. We may evidently conclude, then, from what I have said, first of all, that Mary has received from God a great domination over the souls of the elect; for she cannot make her residence in them as God the Father ordered her to do, and, as their mother, form, nourish and bring them forth to eternal life, and have them as her inheritance and portion, and form them in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ in them, and strike the roots of her virtues in their hearts and be the inseparable companion of the Holy Ghost in all His works of grace—she cannot, I say, do all these things unless she has a right and a domination over their souls by a singular grace of the Most High, who, having given her power over His only and natural Son, has given it also to her over His adopted children, not only as to their bodies, which would be but a small matter, but also as to their souls. Mary is the Queen of Heaven and earth by grace, as Jesus is the King of them by nature and by conquest. Now, as the kingdom of Jesus Christ consists principally in the heart or the interior of man—according to the words, “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21)—in like manner the kingdom of Our Blessed Lady is principally in the interior of man; that is to say, his soul. And it is principally in souls that she is more glorified with her Son than in all visible creatures, and so we can call her, as the saints do, the Queen of All Hearts. THINK, REFLECT, MAKE SOME RESOLUTIONS
(Meditation, for it to be true meditation, is always about making resolutions, otherwise it is merely pious spiritual reading or spiritual musing). Our Lady said that God wishes to establish devotion to her Immaculate Heart throughout the whole world. THEN SEND A LINK FOR THIS TRUE DEVOTION CONSECRATION TO MARY TO OTHERS. This is not meant for you alone, but for others. Otherwise you are like the man from the Parable of the Talents, who received one talent and buried it in the ground. His master was angry with him and took away what had been given to him. Do not bury the True Devotion to Mary Consecration, but share it! Sunday, May 25th
DAY 28 of 33 SECOND MEDITATION Jesus--The Beginning and the End of All Things taken from St. Louis Marie de Montfort's True Devotion to Mary, §60 & §61. (if you cannot manage to make all the meditations, do not worry, make as many as you can) Having spoken thus far of the necessity of devotion to the most Holy Virgin, I must now show in what this devotion consists. This I will do, with God’s help, after I shall have first laid down some fundamental truths which shall throw light on that grand and solid devotion which I desire to disclose.
Jesus Christ our Savior, true God and true Man, ought to be the last end of all our other devotions, else they are false and delusive. Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, of all things. We labor, as the Apostle says, to render every man perfect in Jesus Christ; because it is in Him alone that the whole plenitude of the Divinity dwells together with all the other plenitudes of graces, virtues and perfections. It is in Him alone that we have been blessed with all spiritual benediction; and He is our only Master, Who has to teach us; our only Lord on Whom we ought to depend; our only Head to Whom we must be united; our only Model to Whom we should conform ourselves; our only Physician Who can heal us; our only Shepherd Who can feed us; our only Way Who can lead us; our only Truth Whom we must believe; our only Life Who can animate us; and our only All in all things Who can satisfy us. There has been no other name given under Heaven, except the name of Jesus, by which we can be saved. God has laid no other foundation of our salvation, our perfection or our glory, than Jesus Christ. Every building which is not built on that firm Rock, is founded upon the moving sand, and sooner or later will infallibly fall. Every one of the faithful who is not united to Him, as a branch to the stock of the vine, shall fall, shall wither and shall be fit only to be cast into the fire. Outside of Him there exists nothing but error, falsehood, iniquity, futility, death and damnation. But if we are in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ is in us, we have no condemnation to fear. Neither the angels of Heaven, nor the men of Earth, nor the devils of Hell, nor any other creature can injure us; because they cannot separate us from the love of God, which is in Jesus Christ. By Jesus Christ, with Jesus Christ, in Jesus Christ, we can do all things; we can render all honor and glory to the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost; we can become perfect ourselves, and be to our neighbor a good odor of eternal life. THINK, REFLECT, MAKE SOME RESOLUTIONS
(Meditation, for it to be true meditation, is always about making resolutions, otherwise it is merely pious spiritual reading or spiritual musing). Our Lady said that God wishes to establish devotion to her Immaculate Heart throughout the whole world. THEN SEND A LINK FOR THIS TRUE DEVOTION CONSECRATION TO MARY TO OTHERS. This is not meant for you alone, but for others. Otherwise you are like the man from the Parable of the Talents, who received one talent and buried it in the ground. His master was angry with him and took away what had been given to him. Do not bury the True Devotion to Mary Consecration, but share it! Sunday, May 25th
DAY 28 of 33 THIRD MEDITATION Finding Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass! (if you cannot manage to make all the meditations, do not worry, make as many as you can) Only in Heaven will we understand what a divine marvel the Holy Mass is. No matter how much we force ourselves and no matter how holy and inspired we are, we cannot but stammer on this divine work which transcends men and Angels. One day St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina had been asked, “Father, please explain the Holy Mass to us.”
“My children,” replied St. Padre Pio, “how can I explain it to you? The Mass is infinite, like Jesus, ... ask an Angel what a Mass is and he will reply to you in truth, ‘I understand what it is and why it is offered, but I do not, however, understand how much value it has.’ One Angel, a thousand Angels, all of Heaven, know this and think like this.” St. Alphonsus de Liguori came to affirm, “God Himself cannot bring about an action more holy and greater than the celebration of one Holy Mass.” Why? Because the Holy Mass is, one could say, the synthesis, because the Holy Mass can be said to sum up the Incarnation and Redemption and contains the Birth, Passion and the Death of Jesus, mysteries which God accomplished for our sakes. St. Thomas Aquinas, in an enlightening passage, wrote, “The celebration of the Holy Mass is as valuable as the death of Jesus on the Cross.” For this reason, St. Francis of Assisi said, “Man should tremble, the world should vibrate, all Heaven should be deeply moved when the Son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest.” Indeed, inasmuch as it renews the Sacrifice of Jesus’ Passion and Death, the Holy Mass, even taken alone, is great enough to restrain divine justice. St. Teresa of Jesus said to her daughters, “Without the Holy Mass, what would become of us? All here below would perish, because that alone can hold back God’s arm.” Without it the Church certainly would not last and the world would become hopelessly lost. “It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do so without the Holy Mass,” said St. Padre Pio. He was following St. Leonard of Port Maurice who had said, “I believe that if there were no Mass, the world would by now have sunk into the abyss under the weight of its wickedness. The Mass is the powerful support which sustains it.” Wonderful are the saving effects which every Sacrifice of the Mass produces in the souls of those who participate. It obtains sorrow and pardon for sins; it lessens the temporal punishment due to sins; it weakens the influence of Satan and the untamed impulses of our flesh; it strengthens the bonds of our union in the Body of Christ; it protects us from danger and disaster; it shortens the punishment of Purgatory; it obtains for us a higher degree of glory in Heaven. “No human tongue,” said St. Laurence Justinian, “can enumerate the favors that trace back to the Sacrifice of the Mass. The sinner is reconciled with God; the just man becomes more upright; sins are wiped away; vices eliminated; virtue and merit gain growth and the devil’s schemes are frustrated.” And so St. Leonard of Port Maurice did not tire of exhorting the crowds which listened to him, “O you deluded people, what are you doing? Why do you not hasten to the churches to hear as many Masses as you can? Why do you not imitate the Angels who, when a Holy Mass is celebrated, come down in squadrons from Paradise and take their stations about our altars in adoration to intercede for us?” If it is true that we all have need of graces for this life and for the next, nothing can win them from God like the Holy Mass. St. Philip Neri used to say, “With prayer we ask graces from God; in the Holy Mass we constrain God to give them to us.” The prayer offered during Holy Mass engages our whole priesthood, both the ministerial priesthood even apart from that of the individual priest at the altar and the common priesthood of all the faithful. In Holy Mass our prayer is united with Jesus’ prayer of agony as He sacrifices Himself for us. In a special way, during the Canon, which is the heart of the Mass, the prayer of all of us becomes also the prayer of Jesus, present amongst us. The two Mementos of the Roman Canon, during which the living and the dead are remembered, are precious moments for us to present our petitions. Also, in those supreme moments when Jesus in the priest’s hands undergoes His Passion and Death, we can beg for our own needs and we can recommend both living and deceased persons who are dear to us. Let us take care to profit by this. The Saints held this to be very important, and when they recommended themselves to the prayers of priests, they asked them to remember them above all during the Canon. It will particularly be at the hour of our death, that the Masses we have devoutly heard, will bring us our greatest consolation and hope, and one Mass heard during life, will be more profitable than many Masses heard by others in our behalf after our death. Our Lord told St. Gertrude, “You may be sure that regarding one who devoutly assists at Holy Mass, I will send him as many of my Saints to comfort him and protect him during the last moments of his life as there will have been Masses which he has heard well.” How consoling! The Holy Curé of Ars, St. John Vianney, had reason to say, “If we knew the value of the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, how much greater effort we would put forth in order to assist at it!” And St. Peter Julian Emyard exhorted, “Know, O Christian, that the Mass is the holiest act of Religion. You cannot do anything to glorify God more nor profit your soul more than devoutly assisting at It, and assisting as often as possible.” For this reason we must consider ourselves fortunate every time we have an opportunity to attend a Holy Mass; and in order not to lose the opportunity, we should never withhold ourselves because of some sacrifice, especially on Sundays and holy days. Let us remember St. Maria Goretti, who, to go to Sunday Mass traveled on foot, a journey of 15 miles going and returning home. We should think of Santina Campana, who went to Mass while she had a high fever. Think of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who offered Holy Mass when his health was in such pitiful condition, that one of his brothers in religion had to support him at the altar, so that he would not fall. And how many times St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina celebrated Holy Mass while he was bleeding and had a fever! In our own daily lives, we ought to rank the Holy Mass ahead of any other good; for, as St. Bernard says, “One merits more by devoutly assisting at a Holy Mass than by distributing all of his goods to the poor and traveling all over the world on pilgrimage.” And it cannot be otherwise, because nothing in the world can have the infinite value of one Holy Mass. We ought to prefer Holy Mass all the more to mere amusements that waste our time and bring no profit to our soul. St. Louis IX, King of France, attended several Masses every day. A minister of the government complained, remarking that he could devote that time to the affairs of the kingdom. The saintly king remarked, “If I spent twice the time in amusements, like hunting, no one would have any objection.” Let us be generous and willingly make sacrifices so as not to lose so great a good. St. Augustine said to his Christians, “All the steps that one takes as he travels to hear Holy Mass are counted by an angel; and then one will be given a high reward by God in this life and in eternity.” The Curé of Ars adds, “How happy is that guardian angel who accompanies a soul to Holy Mass!” THINK, REFLECT, MAKE SOME RESOLUTIONS
(Meditation, for it to be true meditation, is always about making resolutions, otherwise it is merely pious spiritual reading or spiritual musing). Our Lady said that God wishes to establish devotion to her Immaculate Heart throughout the whole world. THEN SEND A LINK FOR THIS TRUE DEVOTION CONSECRATION TO MARY TO OTHERS. This is not meant for you alone, but for others. Otherwise you are like the man from the Parable of the Talents, who received one talent and buried it in the ground. His master was angry with him and took away what had been given to him. Do not bury the True Devotion to Mary Consecration, but share it! Sunday, May 25th
DAY 28 of 33 FOURTH MEDITATION The Meditation of the Rosary Mysteries Makes Us Resemble Jesus taken from The Secret of the Rosary by St. Louis de Montfort (if you cannot manage to make all the meditations, do not worry, make as many as you can) The chief concern of the Christian should be to tend to perfection. “Be faithful imitators of God, as his well‑beloved children,” the great Apostle tells us. This obligation is included in the eternal decree of our predestination, as the one and only means prescribed by God to attain everlasting glory.
Saint Gregory of Nyssa makes a delightful comparison when he says that we are all artists and that our souls are blank canvasses which we have to fill in. The colors which we use are the Christian virtues, and the original which we have to copy is Jesus Christ, the perfect living image of God the Father. Just as a painter who wants to do a life‑like portrait places the model before his eyes and looks at it before making each stroke, so the Christian must always have before his eyes the life and virtues of Jesus Christ, so as never to say, think or do anything which is not in conformity with his model. It was because Our Lady wanted to help us in the great task of working out our salvation that she ordered Saint Dominic to teach the faithful to meditate upon the sacred mysteries of the life of Jesus Christ. She did this, not only that they might adore and glorify him, but chiefly that they might pattern their lives and actions on his virtues. Children copy their parents through watching them and talking to them, and they learn their own language through hearing them speak. An apprentice learns his trade through watching his master at work; in the same way the faithful members of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary can become like their divine Master if they reverently study and imitate the virtues of Jesus which are shown in the fifteen mysteries of his life. They can do this with the help of his grace and through the intercession of his Blessed Mother. Long ago, Moses was inspired by God to command the Jewish people never to forget the graces which had been showered upon them. The Son of God has all the more reason to command us to engrave the mysteries of his life, passion and glory upon our hearts and to have them always before our eyes, since each mystery reminds us of his goodness to us in some special way and it is by these mysteries that he has shown us his overwhelming love and desire for our salvation. “Oh, all you who pass by, pause a while,” he says, “and see if there has ever been any sorrow like to the sorrow I have endured for love of you. Be mindful of my poverty and humiliations; think of the gall and wormwood I took for you in my bitter passion.” These words and many others which could be given here should be more than enough to convince us that we must not only say the Rosary with our lips in honor of Jesus and Mary, but also meditate upon the sacred mysteries while we are saying it. THINK, REFLECT, MAKE SOME RESOLUTIONS
(Meditation, for it to be true meditation, is always about making resolutions, otherwise it is merely pious spiritual reading or spiritual musing). Our Lady said that God wishes to establish devotion to her Immaculate Heart throughout the whole world. THEN SEND A LINK FOR THIS TRUE DEVOTION CONSECRATION TO MARY TO OTHERS. This is not meant for you alone, but for others. Otherwise you are like the man from the Parable of the Talents, who received one talent and buried it in the ground. His master was angry with him and took away what had been given to him. Do not bury the True Devotion to Mary Consecration, but share it! |