Morning Meditation: THE SALVATION OF THE LORD
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. — (Gospel of Sunday. Luke. iii., 1-6).
The Saviour of the world, Whom, according to the Prophet Isaias, men were to see one day on the earth – and all flesh shall see the salvation of God – has come. And He came on earth, says St. Augustine, that men might know how much God loves them. And how is it, O my dear Jesus, that Thou dost meet with so much ingratitude from the greater number of men?
Meditation I:
Adam, our first father, sins, and is condemned to eternal death along with all his posterity. Seeing the whole human race doomed to perdition, God resolved to send a Redeemer to save mankind. Who shall come to be man’s salvation? Perhaps an Angel or a Seraph? No, the Son of God, the supreme and true God, equal to the Father, offers Himself to come on earth, and there to take human flesh and die for the salvation of men. O prodigy of divine love! Man, says, St. Fulgentius, despises God and separates himself from God, and through love for him God comes on earth to seek after rebellious man. Since we would not go to our Physician, He deigned to come to us, says St. Augustine. And why did Jesus resolve to come to us? Christ came, says the same holy Doctor, that man might know how much God loves him.
Hence the Apostle writes: The goodness and kindness of God, our Saviour, appeared. — (Tit. iii., 4). The singular love of God, towards men appeared, as the Greek Text has it. And what greater love and goodness could the Son of God show us than to become Man and a worm like us, in order to save us from perdition? What astonishment should we not feel if we saw a prince become a worm to save the worms of his kingdom! And what shall we say at the sight of a God made Man like us to deliver us from eternal death! The Word was made flesh. — (Jo. i., 14). A God made flesh! If Faith did not assure us of it, who could ever believe it?
O my sweet, amiable, holy Child, Thou art at a loss to know what more to do to make Thyself loved by men! It is enough to say that from being the Son of God, Thou wert made the Son of man, and that Thou didst choose to be born among men like the rest of infants, only poorer and more meanly lodged than the rest, selecting a stable for Thy abode, a manger for Thy cradle, a little straw for Thy bed. And yet few there are who know Thee! Few there are who love Thee!
Meditation II:
Spiritual Reading: JOSEPH AND MARY AT BETHLEHEM
Evening Meditation: THE ETERNAL WORD BECOMES LITTLE
Meditation I:
Meditation II:
Morning Meditation: CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RELIGIOUS STATE –XII
Consider the great happiness that Religious enjoy in dwelling in the same house with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
If worldlings deem it so great a favour to be invited by kings to dwell in their palaces, how much more favoured should we esteem ourselves who are admitted to dwell continually with the King of Heaven in His own house? O Lord, I thank Thee! How have I deserved this happy lot?
Meditation I:
The Venerable Mother Mary of Jesus, Foundress of a convent in Toulouse, said that she esteemed her lot as a Religious very much, and principally for two reasons. The first, that Religious, through the Vow of Obedience, belong entirely to God; and the second, that they have the privilege of dwelling always with Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
In the houses of Religious, Jesus Christ dwells for their sake in the church, so that they can find Him at all hours. Persons of the world can scarcely go to visit Him during the day, and in many places, only in the morning. But Religious find Him in the Tabernacle as often as they wish, in the morning, in the afternoon, and during the night. There they may continually entertain themselves with Our Lord, and there Jesus Christ rejoices to converse familiarly with His beloved servants, whom, for this end, He has called out of Egypt, that He may be their Companion during this life, hidden under the veil of the Most Holy Sacrament, and in the next, unveiled in Paradise. “O solitude,” it may be said of every Religious house, “in which God familiarly speaks and converses with His friends!”
Behold me in Thy Presence, O my Jesus! – hidden in the Sacrament, Thou art the self-same Jesus Who for me didst sacrifice Thyself on the Cross. Thou art He Who lovest me so much, and Who hast therefore confined Thyself in this prison of love. Amongst so many who have offended Thee less than I, and who have loved Thee better than I, Thou hast chosen me, in Thy goodness, to keep Thee company in this house, where, having drawn me from the midst of the world, Thou hast destined me always to live united with Thee, and afterwards to have me nigh to Thee to praise and to love Thee in Thy eternal kingdom. O Lord, I thank Thee. How have I deserved this happy lot? I have chosen to be an abject in the house of my God, than dwell in the tabernacles of sinners. — (Ps. lxxxiii., 11). Happy, indeed, am I, O my Jesus, to have left the world; and it is my great desire to perform the vilest office in Thy house rather than dwell in the proudest royal palaces of men.
Meditation II:
Spiritual Reading: ENCOURAGEMENT TO NOVICES TO PERSEVERE IN THEIR VOCATION
Evening Meditation: THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS SHOWN US IN BECOMING MAN
Meditation I:
Meditation II:
Morning Meditation: CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RELIGIOUS STATE –XIII
Consider that the life of a Religious resembles mostly the life of Jesus Christ.
Jesus wished to live poor on this earth as the Son and Helpmate of a mechanic, in a poor dwelling, with poor clothing and poor food, that thereby He might give His servants to understand what ought to be the life of those who wish to be His followers. O my Lord, I will leave all and will follow Thee.
Meditation I:
The Apostle says that the Eternal Father predestines to the kingdom of Heaven those only who live conformably to the life of the Incarnate Word. Whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his son. — (Rom. viii., 29). How happy, then, and secure of Paradise should not Religious be, seeing that God has called them to a state of life which, of all other states, is most like the life of Jesus Christ.
Jesus, on this earth, wished to live poor, the Son and Helpmate of a mechanic, in a poor dwelling, with poor clothing and poor food: Being rich he became poor for your sake, that through his poverty you might become rich. — (2 Cor. viii., 9). Moreover, He chose a most mortified life, far removed from the delights of the world, and ever full of pain and sorrow, beginning with His birth and ending with His death; hence by the Prophet He was called: The man of sorrows. — (Is. liii., 3). By this He wished to give His servants to understand what ought to be the life of those who wish to follow Him: If any man will come after me let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. — (Matt., xvi., 24). Following this example, and accepting this invitation of Jesus Christ, the Saints have endeavoured to despoil themselves of all earthly goods, and to take upon themselves pains and crosses, in order to be like their beloved Lord.
Thus we see that St. Benedict, who, being the son of the lord of Norcia, a relative of the Emperor Justinian, and born amidst the riches and pleasures of the world, while yet a youth of only fourteen, went to live in a cavern at Subiaco, where he received only a piece of bread brought him every day as an alms by the hermit Romanus.
Ah, my Master and my Redeemer, Jesus, I am, then, of the number of those fortunate ones whom Thou hast called to follow Thee. O my Lord! I thank Thee for this. I leave all; would that I had more to leave, that I might draw near to Thee, my King and my God, Who, for the love of me, and to give me courage by Thy example, didst choose for Thyself a life so poor and so painful. Walk on, O Lord, I will follow Thee. Choose Thou for me what cross Thou wilt, and help me. I will always carry it with constancy and love. I regret that in the past I have abandoned Thee, to follow my lusts and the vanities of the world; but now I am resolved to leave Thee no more. Bind me to Thy Cross, and if through weakness I sometimes resist, draw me by the sweet bonds of Thy love. Suffer it not that I ever leave Thee again.
Meditation II:
Spiritual Reading: ENCOURAGEMENT TO NOVICES (continued)
Evening Meditation: JESUS HAS DONE AND SUFFERED EVERYTHING TO SAVE US
Meditation I:
Meditation II:
Morning Meditation: CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RELIGIOUS STATE – XIV
Consider the zeal that Religious ought to have for the salvation of souls.
Our Redeemer did not impose on St. Peter penance, prayers, or other things, but only that he should endeavour to save His sheep. Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? . . . Feed my sheep. — (Jo. xxi., 17).
Yes, O my Lord, I will serve Thee with all my strength in this great work.
Meditation I:
He who is called to the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer will never be a true follower of Jesus Christ, and will never become a Saint, if he does not fulfil the end of his Vocation, and has not the spirit of the Institute, which is the salvation of souls, especially souls that are the most destitute of spiritual succour, such as the poor people in the country.*
This was truly the end for which our Redeemer came down from Heaven: The spirit of the Lord, our Divine Master says, hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor. — (Luke iv., 18). He sought no other proof of Peter’s love for Him but that he should procure the salvation of souls: Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? . . . Feed my sheep. — (Jo., xxi., 17). He did not impose upon him, says St. John Chrysostom, penance, prayers, or anything else. He only asked that he would endeavour to save His sheep: “Christ did not say to him, give your money away, fast, weaken your body with hard work, but He said: Feed My sheep.” And He declares that He would look upon every benefit conferred on the least of our neighbours as conferred on Himself. Amen, I say to you, as often as you have done it into one of these my least brethren, you have done it unto me. — (Matt. xxv., 40).
Every Religious ought, therefore, with the utmost care, to nourish this zeal, and this spirit of helping souls. To this end must his studies be directed; and his constant thought and his whole attention bestowed on work for souls assigned to him by his superiors. He would be wanting in this spirit, who, through the desire of attending only to himself and of leading a retired and solitary life, would not accept wholeheartedly the work imposed on him by obedience.
O my Lord Jesus Christ, how can I thank Thee enough, in that Thou hast called me to the same work Thou didst Thyself perform on earth; namely, to help in the salvation of souls by my poor labours? In what have I deserved this honour and this reward, after having offended Thee so grievously myself, and having caused others also to offend Thee? Yes, O my Lord! Thou callest me to help Thee in this great undertaking. I will serve Thee with all my strength.
* [Although St. Alphonsus in this Consideration had especially in view the Congregation of Missionaries which he founded, yet what he says here is for all Religious of both sexes, and indeed for all who serve God. — Editor.]
Meditation II:
Spiritual Reading: ENCOURAGEMENT TO NOVICES (continued)
Evening Meditation: JESUS COMES TO LEAD AN AFFLICTED LIFE
Meditation I:
Meditation II:
Morning Meditation: CONSIDERATIONS ON THE RELIGIOUS STATE – XV
Consider how necessary are the virtues of meekness and humility for Religious.
Our Most Holy Redeemer willed to be called a Lamb that He might show us how meek and humble He Himself was, and that His disciples might learn from Him to be likewise meek and humble of heart. — (Matt. xi., 29). The Holy Ghost says: That which is agreeable to him is faith and meekness. — (Ecclus. i., 34, 35).
Meditation I:
Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart. Meekness and humility of heart are virtues that Jesus, the Lamb of God, principally requires of Religious who profess to imitate His most holy life. He who lives as a solitary in a desert has not so much need of these virtues; but for him who lives in a Community, it is impossible not to meet, now and then, with a reprimand from his superiors, or something disagreeable from his companions. In such cases, a Religious who loves not meekness will commit a thousand faults every day, and live an unquiet life. He must be all sweetness with everybody – with strangers, with companions, and also with inferiors if he should ever become Superior; and if he be an inferior, he must consider that one act of meekness in bearing contempt and reproach is of greater value to him than a thousand fasts and a thousand disciplines.
St. Francis said that many make their perfection consist in exterior mortifications, and, after all, are not able to bear one injurious word. “Not understanding,” he added, “how much greater gain is made by patiently bearing injuries.” How many persons, as St. Bernard remarks, are all sweetness when nothing is said or done contrary to their to their inclination, but show their want of meekness when anything crosses them! And if one should ever be a Superior, let him believe that a single reprimand made with meekness will profit his subjects more than a thousand made with severity. “The meek are useful to themselves and to others,” as St. John Chrysostom teaches. In short, as the same Saint said, the greatest sign of a virtuous soul is to see it preserve itself in meekness on occasions of contradiction. A meek heart is the delight of the Heart of God. That which is agreeable to him is faith and meekness.
Meditation II:
Spiritual Reading: ENCOURAGEMENT TO NOVICES (continued)
Evening Meditation: THE SORROW THAT THE INGRATITUDE OF MEN HAS CAUSED JESUS
Meditation I:
Meditation II:
Morning Meditation: JESUS WISHES TO BE LOVED
A child is born to us and a son is given to us. — (Is. ix., 6).
Behold the end for which the Son of God willed to be born an Infant – to give Himself to us from His Childhood, and thus draw to Himself our love. Thus He wished to be born because He wished to be loved.
Meditation I:
God conferred so many blessings on men in order to draw them to love Him; but these ungrateful men not only did not love Him, they would not even acknowledge Him as their Lord. Only in one corner of the earth, in Judea, was He recognized as God by His chosen people; and by them He was more feared than loved. He, however, Who wished to be more loved than feared by us, became Man like unto us, chose a poor, suffering obscure life, and a painful and ignominious death. And why? To draw our hearts to Himself. If Jesus Christ had not redeemed us, He would have been no less great or less happy; but He determined to procure our salvation at the cost of so many labours and sufferings, as if His happiness depended on ours. He might have redeemed us without suffering; but no – He willed to free us from eternal death by His own death; and though He was able to save us in a thousand ways, He chose the most humiliating and painful way of dying through pure suffering on the Cross, to purchase the love of us, ungrateful worms of the earth. And what, indeed, was the cause of His miserable Birth and His most sorrowful death, if not the love He had for us?
Ah, my Jesus, may Thy love for me destroy in me all earthly affections, and consume me in the fire which Thou didst come to kindle on the earth. I curse a thousand times those shameful passions which cost Thee so much pain. I repent, my dear Redeemer, with all my heart, of all the offences I have committed against Thee. For the future I will rather die than offend Thee; and I wish to do all that I can to please Thee. I love Thee, my only Good, my Love, my All.
Meditation II:
Spiritual Reading: ENCOURAGEMENT TO NOVICES (continued)
Evening Meditation: THE LOVE OF GOD MANIFESTED TO MEN BY THE BIRTH OF JESUS
Meditation I:
Meditation II:
