MEDITACIONES DIARIAS: SEGUNDA SEMANA DE ADVIENTO

Meditación matutina:  LAS VENTAJAS DE LAS TRIBULACIONES

     Todo lo que se ha escrito, se ha escrito para nuestra enseñanza, para que por la paciencia y el consuelo de las Escrituras tengamos esperanza.. - (Epístola del domingo, Rom. xv., 4-13).
     En las tribulaciones Dios enriquece a sus queridas almas con las mayores gracias. Es en sus cadenas que San Juan llega al conocimiento de las obras de Jesucristo.  Creamos que estos azotes del Señor, con los que somos castigados han sucedido para nuestra enmienda y no para nuestra destrucción. - (Judith, viii., 27).

Meditación I:
     Con la tribulación expiamos los pecados cometidos mucho mejor que con las obras voluntarias de penitencia. "Tened por cierto", dice San Agustín, "que Dios es médico, y que la tribulación es una medicina saludable". ¡Oh, cuán grande es la eficacia de la tribulación para curar las heridas causadas por nuestros pecados! De ahí que el mismo Santo reprenda al pecador que se queja de Dios por enviarle tribulaciones. "¿Por qué te quejas? Lo que sufres es un remedio, no un castigo". Job llamó dichosos a aquellos hombres a quienes Dios corrige con tribulaciones; porque los cura con las mismas manos con que los golpea y hiere.  Bienaventurado el hombre a quien Dios corrige . . . Pues hiere y cura. Él hiere, y su mano curará. - (Job v., 17). De ahí que San Pablo se gloriase en sus tribulaciones: Nos gloriamos también en las tribulaciones. - (Rom. v., 3).
     Las tribulaciones nos permiten adquirir grandes méritos ante Dios, al darnos ocasión de ejercitar las virtudes de la humildad, de la paciencia y de la resignación a la voluntad divina. El Beato Juan de Ávila decía que uno Bendito sea Dios en la adversidad vale más que mil en la prosperidad. "Quitad", dice San Ambrosio, "las contiendas de los Mártires, y les habréis quitado sus coronas". ¡Oh, qué tesoro de méritos se adquiere soportando pacientemente los insultos, la pobreza y la enfermedad! Los insultos de los hombres eran el gran objeto de los deseos de los Santos, que buscaban ser despreciados por amor a Jesucristo, y asemejarse así a Él.
     Jesús mío, hasta ahora te he ofendido gravemente resistiéndome a tu santa voluntad. Esto me produce mayor dolor que si hubiera sufrido cualquier otro mal. Me arrepiento de ello y lo lamento de todo corazón. Merezco el castigo: No lo rechazo: Lo acepto. Presérvame sólo del castigo de ser privado de Tu amor, y luego haz de mí lo que Te plazca. Te amo, mi querido Redentor. Te amo, Dios mío. Y porque Te amo, quiero hacer lo que Tú quieras. Amén.

Meditación II:
     St. Francis de Sales used to say: “To suffer constantly for Jesus is the science of the Saints; we shall thus soon become Saints.”  It is by sufferings that God proves His servants, and finds them worthy of Himself.  God hath tried them and found them worthy of himself. — (Wis. iii., 5).  Whom, says St. Paul, the Lord loveth he chastiseth; and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. — (Heb. xii., 6).  Hence, Jesus Christ once said to St. Teresa: “Be assured that the souls dearest to My Father are those who suffer the greatest afflictions.” Hence Job said: If we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil? — (Job ii., 10).  If we have gladly received from God the goods of this earth, why should we not receive more cheerfully tribulations, which are far more useful to us than worldly prosperity?  St. Gregory informs us that, as a flame fanned by the wind increases, so the soul is made perfect when she is oppressed by tribulations.  In fine, the scourges of Heaven are sent, not for our injury, but for our good.  Let us believe that these scourges of the Lord, with which, like servants, we are chastised, have happened for our amendment and not for our destruction. — (Judith, viii., 27).  “God,” says St. Augustine, “is angry when He does not scourge the sinner.”  When we see a sinner in tribulation in this life, we may infer that God wishes to have mercy on him in the next, and that he exchanges eternal for temporal chastisement.  But miserable the sinner whom the Lord does not punish in this life!  For those whom He does not chastise here, He treasures up His wrath, and for them He reserves eternal chastisement.
     O Will of God, Thou art my love!  O Blood of Jesus, Thou art my hope!  I hope to be from this day forward always united to Thy Divine Will.  It shall be my guide, my desire, my love, my hope.  Thy Will be done!  My Jesus, through Thy merits grant me the grace always to repeat: Thy Will be done!  Thy Will be done!
     Ah, my blessed Mother Mary, thou hast been pleased to suffer so much for me, obtain for me, by thy merits, sorrow for my sins, and patience under the trials of life which will always be light in comparison with my demerits for I have often deserved hell.  Immaculate Virgin, from thee do I hope for help to bear all crosses with patience.  Amen.

Lectura espiritual:  LA POBREZA DEL NIÑO JESÚS

Meditación vespertina:  DIOS ENVÍA A SU HIJO A MORIR PARA DEVOLVERNOS LA VIDA

Meditación I:
     But God, who is rich in mercy, for his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ. — (Eph. ii., 4, 5).
     Consider that sin is the death of the soul, because this enemy of God deprives us of Divine grace, which is the life of the soul.  We, therefore, miserable sinners, were already by our sins dead and condemned to hell.  God, through the immense love which He bears to our souls, determined to restore us to life; and how did He do so?  He sent His only-begotten Son into the world to die, in order that by His death He might restore us to life.  With reason therefore does the Apostle call this work of love exceeding charity; too much love; yes, indeed, for man could never have had hope to receive life in such a loving manner if God had not found this means of redeeming him: Having obtained eternal redemption. — (Heb. ix., 12).  All men were therefore dead – there was no remedy for them.  But the Son of God, through the bowels of His mercy has come down from Heaven, the Orient from on high, and has given us life.  Justly, therefore, does the Apostle call Jesus Christ our Life: When Christ shall appear, who is your life. — (Col. iii., 4).
     O my Jesus! if Thou hadst not accepted and suffered death for me, I should have remained dead in my sins, without hope of salvation and without the power of ever loving Thee.  But though Thou hast obtained life for me by Thy death, I have again many times voluntarily forfeited it by returning to sin.  Thou didst die to gain my heart to Thyself, and I by my rebellion have made it a slave of the devil.  I lost all reverence for Thee, and I said that I would no longer have Thee for my Master.  All this is true; but it is also true that Thou desirest not the death of the sinner, but that he should be converted and live; and therefore didst Thou die to give us life.  I repent of having offended Thee, my dearest Redeemer; and do Thou pardon me through the merits of Thy Passion; give me Thy grace.

Meditación II:
     Behold, our Redeemer clothed with flesh and become an Infant, says: I have come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly. — (John x., 10).  For this end He accepted death, that He might give us life.  It is but reasonable, therefore, that we should live only to God, Who has condescended to die for us: Christ died, that they who live may not live to themselves, but unto him who died for them. — (2 Cor. v., 15).  It is reasonable that Jesus Christ should be the only Sovereign of our hearts since He has spent His blood and His life to gain them to Himself: To this end Christ died and rose again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. — (Rom. xiv., 9).  O my God! who would be so ungrateful a wretch as to believe it an Article of Faith that God died to secure his love, and yet refuse to love Him, and, renouncing His friendship, choose voluntarily to make himself a slave of hell?
     O Lord, give me that life which Thou hast purchased for me by Thy death, and henceforth mayst Thou have entire dominion over my heart.  Never let the devil have possession of it again; he is not my God, he does not love me, and has not suffered anything for me.  In past times he was not the true sovereign, but the robber of my soul; Thou alone, my Jesus, art my true Lord, Who hast created and redeemed me with Thy Blood; Thou alone hast loved me, and oh, how much!  It is therefore only just that I should be Thine alone during the life that remains to me.  Tell me what Thou wouldst have me to do; for I will do it all.  Chastise me as Thou wilt; I accept everything Thou sendest me; only spare me the chastisement of living without Thy love; make me love Thee, and then dispose of me as Thou wilt.  Most holy Mary, my refuge and consolation, recommend me to thy Son; His death and thy intercession are all my hope.

Meditación matutina: CONSIDERACIONES SOBRE EL ESTADO RELIGIOSO - I

     Considera que la salvación está asegurada para las almas que entran en el estado Religioso. 
    Dios nos ha puesto en el mundo y nos mantiene aquí en la vida, no para adquirir los bienes perecederos de la tierra, sino los bienes eternos del Cielo.  El fin es la vida eterna. - (Rom. vi., 22). Pero la desgracia es que en el mundo los hombres piensan muy poco, o nada, en la vida eterna, y sólo sueñan con adquirir honores y placeres, y ésta es la razón por la que perecen tantas almas.

Meditación I:
     Para comprender la importancia de nuestra salvación eterna basta con tener Fe y considerar que sólo tenemos un alma, y si ésta se pierde, todo está perdido fuera un hombre incluso dueño del mundo entero.  ¿De qué le sirve al hombre ganar el mundo entero si pierde su alma? - (Mt. xvi., 26). Esta gran máxima del Evangelio ha inducido a muchos jóvenes a encerrarse en claustros, a otros a vivir en desiertos y a otros a dar la vida por Jesucristo. Porque, decían, ¿de qué nos sirve poseer el mundo entero, y todos los bienes de este mundo, en esta vida presente, que pronto ha de acabar, para luego condenarnos y ser miserables en la vida venidera, que nunca acabará? Todos esos hombres ricos, todos esos príncipes y emperadores que ahora están en el infierno, ¿qué tienen ahora de todo lo que disfrutaron en esta vida, sino mayor tormento y mayor desesperación? ¡Seres miserables! Ahora se lamentan y dicen: Todas esas cosas han pasado como una sombra. - (Sab. v., 9). Para ellos todo ha pasado como una sombra, como un sueño, y esa lamentación que es su suerte ha durado ya muchos años, y durará por toda la eternidad.  La moda de este mundo pasa. - (1 Cor. vii., 51). Este mundo es una escena que dura poco tiempo; feliz aquel que desempeña en esta escena el papel que después le hará feliz en la vida que no tendrá fin. Cuando esté contento, honrado y sea príncipe en el Paraíso, mientras Dios sea Dios, poco le importará haber estado en este mundo, pobre, despreciado y en tribulación. Sólo con este fin nos ha puesto Dios en esta tierra, y nos mantiene aquí en vida, no para adquirir bienes transitorios, sino eternos: El fin es la vida eterna.
     ¡Oh Dios mío! ¡Cómo he merecido esta gran misericordia, que, habiendo dejado a tantos otros vivir en medio del mundo, hayas querido llamarme a mí, que Te he ofendido más que los demás, y merecido, más que ellos, ser privado de Tu divina luz, para gozar del honor de vivir como amigo en Tu propia casa! Oh Señor, concédeme comprender esta gracia excesiva que me has concedido, para que pueda agradecértela siempre, como me propongo y espero hacerlo siempre durante mi vida y por toda la eternidad, y no permitas que sea ingrato por ello. Puesto que has sido tan generoso conmigo, y en tu amor me has preferido a los demás, es justo que yo te sirva y te ame más que los demás.

Meditación II:
     With desolation is all the land made desolate, because there is none that considereth in the heart. — (Jer. xii., 11).  How few are they who reflect on death, by which for us the scene is closed; on the eternity which awaits us; on what God has done for our sake!  And hence it comes that these miserable beings live in blindness and carelessly, far from God, having their eyes, like the beasts, intent only on earthly things, without remembering God, without desiring His love, and without a thought of eternity.  Therefore, they die afterwards an unhappy death, which will be the beginning of eternal death and endless misery.  Then it is they will open their eyes; but it will be only to lament over their own foolishness.
     This is the great means of salvation which is found in Religion, namely, continual meditation on the eternal truths.  Remember thy last end and thou shalt never sin. — (Eccles, vii. 40).  In well-regulated Religious houses this is done every day, and even several times a day.  And therefore in the light of divine things, which there shines continually, it is morally impossible to live, at least for a long time, far from God, and without keeping one’s account ready for eternity.
     O my Jesus!  Thou wouldst have me to be wholly Thine, and to Thee I give myself entirely.  Accept me, and henceforward keep me as Thy own, since I am no longer mine.  Finish Thou the work which Thou hast begun.  Thou hast called me to Thy house, because Thou wilt have me become a Saint.  Make me then what Thou wilt have me.  Do it, O Eternal Father! for the love of Jesus Christ, in Whom is all my confidence.  I love Thee, my sovereign Good, I love Thee.  O infinite Goodness!  I love Thee alone, and will love Thee forever.  O Mary, my hope, succour me, and obtain for me to be always faithful and thankful to my Lord.

Lectura espiritual:  CONSEJOS SOBRE LA VOCACIÓN RELIGIOSA:  I. - IMPORTANCIA DE LA VOCACIÓN A LA VIDA RELIGIOSA

Meditación vespertina:  EL AMOR QUE EL HIJO DE DIOS NOS HA MOSTRADO EN LA REDENCIÓN

Meditación I:
     He hath loved us, and hath delivered himself for us. — (Eph. v., 2).
     Consider that the Eternal Word is that God Who is so infinitely happy in Himself that His happiness cannot be greater than it is, nor could the salvation of all mankind have added anything to it; nor could the loss of souls have diminished it; and yet He has done and suffered so much to save us miserable worms that if His beatitude, as St. Thomas says, had depended on that of man; He could not have done or suffered more: “As if without him He could not be happy.”  And, indeed, if Jesus Christ could not have been happy without redeeming us, how could He have humbled Himself more than He has done, in taking upon Himself our infirmities, the miseries of infancy, the troubles of human life, and a death so barbarous and ignominious?
     None but God was capable of loving to so great an excess such wretched sinners as we are, and who are so unworthy of being loved.  A devout author says: “If Jesus Christ had permitted us to ask of Him to give us the greatest proof of His love, who would have ventured to ask of Him that He should become a Child like unto us, that He should clothe Himself with all our miseries, and make Himself of all men the most poor, the most despised, and the most ill-treated, even to being put to death by the hands of executioners, and in the greatest torments upon an infamous gibbet, cursed and forsaken by all, even by His own Father, Who abandoned His Son that He might not abandon us in our ruin?”
     But that which we should not have had the boldness even to think of, the Son of God has thought of and accomplished.
     My Jesus, I should, indeed, do great injustice to Thy mercy and Thy love, if, after Thou hast given me so many proofs of the love Thou bearest me, and the desire Thou hast to save me, I should still distrust Thy mercy and Thy love.  My beloved Redeemer, I am a poor sinner; but Thou hast said that Thou didst come to seek sinners: I am not come to call the just, but sinners. — (Matt, ix., 13).  I am a poor infirm creature — Thou earnest to cure the infirm, and Thou didst say: They that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick. — (Luke v., 31).  I was lost through my sins, but Thou didst come to save the lost: The son of man is come to save that which was lost. — (Matt. xviii., 11).  What, then, can I fear, if I am willing to amend my life and to become Thine?  I have only myself and my own weakness to fear; but my own weakness and poverty ought to increase my confidence in Thee, Who hast declared Thyself to be the refuge of the destitute: The Lord is become a refuge for the poor. — (Ps. ix., 10).

Meditación II:
     Even from His childhood He sacrificed Himself for us to sufferings, to opprobrium, and to death: He hath loved us, and hath delivered himself for us. — (Eph. v., 2).  He loved us, and out of love He gave us Himself, in order that we, by offering Him as a Victim to the Father, in satisfaction for our debts, might through His merits obtain from the divine goodness all the graces that we desire; a Victim dearer to the Father than if we offered Him the lives of all men and of all the Angels.  Let us therefore continually offer to God the merits of Jesus Christ, and through them let us seek and hope for every good.
     I implore this favour of Thee, O my Jesus!  Give me confidence in Thy merits, and grant that I may always recommend myself to God through Thy merits.  Eternal Father, save me from hell, and first from sin, for the love of Jesus Christ; for the sake of the merits of this Thy Son enlighten my mind to obey Thy will; give me strength against temptations; grant me the gift of Thy holy love; and, above all, I beseech Thee to give me the grace to pray to Thee to help me, for the love of Jesus Christ, Who hast promised that Thou wilt grant to him who prays in His name whatever he asks of Thee.  If I continue to pray to Thee in this way, I shall certainly be saved; but if I neglect it, I shall certainly be lost.  Most holy Mary, obtain for me this great gift of prayer, and that I may persevere in recommending myself constantly to God, and also to thee, who dost obtain from God whatever thou willest.

Meditación matutina: CONSIDERACIONES SOBRE EL ESTADO RELIGIOSO - II

     Considera la feliz muerte de un religioso.
    Bienaventurados los muertos que mueren en el Señor. - (Apoc. xiv., 13). ¿Y quiénes son esos bienaventurados los muertos que mueren en el Señor si no Religiosos, que al final de su vida se encuentran ya muertos para el mundo, puesto que por sus Votos se han desprendido ya del mundo y de todos sus bienes. Yo lo dejo todo y sólo Te elijo a Ti como mi Tesoro, ¡oh purísimo Cordero de Dios y mi más ardiente Amante!

Meditación I:
     Considera, hermano mío, tu contentamiento, si siguiendo tu Vocación, será tu buena fortuna morir en la Casa de Dios. El demonio ciertamente te representará que si te retiras a la Casa de Dios, tal vez después te arrepientas de haber dejado tu propia casa y tu propio país, y privado a tus padres de las ventajas que podrían haber esperado de ti. Pero pregúntate: ¿Estaré arrepentido a punto de morir, o me alegraré de haber seguido mi resolución? Te ruego, pues, que te imagines ya a punto de morir, a punto de comparecer ante el Tribunal de Jesucristo. Reflexiona sobre lo que, cuando te encuentres en ese estado, desearías haber hecho. ¿Quizás haber complacido a tus padres, haber trabajado por tu propia familia y por tu patria, y luego morir rodeado de hermanos, y sobrinos, y parientes en tu propia casa con el título de Párroco, Párroco, Canónigo, Obispo o Ministro de Estado, habiendo hecho tu propia voluntad? ¿O, por el contrario, morir en la Casa de Dios, asistido por tus buenos hermanos en Religión, que te animarían en el paso a la eternidad, después de haber vivido muchos años en Religión, humilde, mortificado, pobre, lejos de los padres, privado de voluntad propia y bajo obediencia, y desprendido de todo en el mundo, todo lo cual hace dulce y agradable la muerte? "Quien se ha acostumbrado a privarse de los deleites del mundo", dice San Bernardo, "no lamentará haberlo hecho cuando tenga que abandonarlo". El Papa Honorio II, al morir, deseó haberse quedado en su monasterio, ocupado en lavar los platos, y no haber sido Papa. Felipe II deseó al morir haber sido hermano lego en alguna Orden Religiosa, ocupado en servir a Dios, y no haber sido Rey. Felipe III, también Rey de España, dijo al morir: "¡Oh, que hubiera estado en un desierto, para servir a Dios, y que nunca hubiera sido monarca! Porque, de haber sido así, ahora comparecería con más confianza ante el Tribunal de Jesucristo."
     ¡Oh Señor mío Jesucristo! que, para obtenerme una muerte feliz, has elegido para Ti una muerte tan amarga, ya que me has amado hasta tal punto que me has elegido para seguir más de cerca tu santa vida, para tenerme así más íntimamente unido a tu amoroso Corazón, átame, te lo suplico, enteramente a Ti con las dulces cuerdas de tu amor, para que no me separe más de Ti. ¡Oh mi amado Redentor! Deseo serte agradecido y corresponder a tu gracia, pero temo que mi debilidad me haga infiel. Oh Jesús mío, no lo permitas. Permíteme morir antes que abandonarte u olvidar el peculiar afecto que me has mostrado.

Meditación II:
     When, then, hell tempts you about your Vocation, think of the hour of death, and set before your eyes that all-important moment upon which eternity depends.  Thus you will overcome all temptations; you will be faithful to God; and certainly you will not repent of it at the point of death, but will give thanks to the Lord, and die contented.  Gerard, brother of St. Bernard, died singing at the very thought of dying in the House of God.  Father Suarez, of the Society of Jesus, felt at his death so great consolation and sweetness at dying in Religion that he said: “I never thought it would be so sweet to die.”  Another good Religious, of the same Society, laughed when at the point of death; and being asked why he laughed, answered: “And why should I not laugh?  Has not Jesus Christ Himself promised Paradise to him who leaves everything for His sake?  Was it not He Who said: Everyone that has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife or children or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundred-fold, and shall possess life-everlasting? — (Matt, xix., 29).  I have left all for God; God is faithful, He cannot fail in His promises; and so,” he said, “why should I not rejoice and laugh, seeing myself assured of Paradise?”  A certain Lay-brother, who died some years ago, was asked at his death, what he desired most? He answered: “I desire nothing but to die and to be united with God.”
     Father Januarius Sarnelli, a short time before his death, when conversing with God, was heard saying: “O Lord, Thou knowest that all I have done and all I have thought, has been for Thy glory; now I wish to go to see Thee face to face, if it please Thee so.”  And then, desiring his departure, he said: “Courage, I wish to enter into a sweet agony.”  He then began to converse affectionately with God, and shortly after placidly expired.  There was a smile on his lips, and from his body came a sweet odour, which, as many attested, remained for several days in the room in which he had died.*
     St. Bernard, speaking of the happy state of Religious, had good reason to exclaim: “O secure life, in which death is expected without fear – yea, sweetly desired and devoutly accepted!”
     I love Thee, O my Saviour!  Thou art and shalt always be the only Lord of my heart and of my soul.  I leave all and choose Thee alone for my Treasure, O most pure Lamb of God.  O my most ardent Lover!  My beloved is white and ruddy, chosen out of thousands. — (Cant. v., 10).  Begone, ye creatures, my only Good is my God, He is my Love, my All.  I love Thee, O my Jesus! and in loving Thee I will spend the remainder of my life, be it short, or be it long.  I embrace Thee, I press Thee to my heart, and I wish to die united to Thee.  I wish nothing else.  Make me live always burning with Thy love, and when I shall have arrived at the end of my life, make me expire in an ardent act of love towards Thee.
     Immaculate Virgin Mary, obtain this grace for me, I hope it from thee.

*The Ven. Father Januarius Sarneili, C.SS.R., was one of the first companions of St. Alphonsus. He died in the odour of sanctity in the year 1774, and the Cause of his Beatification has been introduced. — Editor

Lectura espiritual:  CONSEJOS SOBRE LA VOCACIÓN RELIGIOSA: 

II. - LA LLAMADA DE DIOS DEBE SER OBEDECIDA, Y OBEDECIDA SIN DEMORA

Meditación vespertina:  JESÚS, EL VARÓN DE DOLORES DESDE EL SENO DE SU MADRE

Meditación I:
     A man of sorrows, acquainted with infirmity. — (Is. liii., 8).
     Thus does the Prophet Isaias designate our Lord Jesus Christ – the man of sorrows.  Yes, because this Man was created on purpose to suffer, and from His infancy began to endure the greatest sorrows that any man had ever suffered.  The first man, Adam, enjoyed for some time upon this earth the delights of the earthly Paradise; but the second Adam, Jesus Christ, did not pass a moment of His life without sorrows and anguish; for even as a Child He was afflicted by the foresight of all the sufferings and ignominy that He would have to endure during His life, and especially at His death, when He was to close that life immersed in a tempest of sorrow and opprobrium, as David had predicted: I am come into the depth of the sea, and a tempest hath overwhelmed me. — (Ps. lxviii., 3).
     My sweetest Redeemer, when shall I begin to be grateful to Thy infinite goodness?  When shall I begin to acknowledge the love that Thou hast borne me, and the sorrows Thou hast endured for me?  Hitherto, instead of love and gratitude, I have returned Thee offences and contempt; shall I then continue to live always ungrateful to Thee, my God, Who hast spared nothing to acquire my love?  No, my Jesus, it shall not be so.  During the days that may yet remain to me I will he grateful to Thee; and Thou wilt, I trust, help me to be so.  If I have offended Thee, Thy sufferings and Thy death are my hope.  Thou hast promised to forgive the penitent.  I repent with my whole soul of having despised Thee.  Fulfil, therefore, Thy promise, my Beloved, and forgive me.  O dearest Infant, I behold Thee in the manger already nailed to Thy Cross, which is constantly present to Thee, and which Thou dost already accept for me.  O my crucified Babe, I thank Thee for it, and I love Thee.

Meditación II:
     Even from the womb of Mary, Jesus Christ accepted obediently the sacrifice which His Father had desired Him to make, even His Passion and Death: Becoming obedient unto death. — (Phil, ii., 8).  So that even from the womb of Mary He foresaw the scourges and presented to them His flesh; He foresaw the thorns and presented to them His head; He foresaw the blows and presented to them His cheeks; He foresaw the nails and presented to them His hands and feet; He foresaw the Cross and offered His life.  Hence it is true that even from His earliest infancy our Blessed Redeemer, every moment of His life, suffered a continual martyrdom; and He offered it every moment for us to His Eternal Father.
     But what afflicted Him most was the sight of the sins which men would commit even after this painful Redemption.  By His divine light He well knew the malice of every sin, and therefore did He come into the world to do away with all sins; but when He saw the immense number which would be committed, the sorrow that the Heart of Jesus felt was greater than all the sorrows that all men ever suffered or ever will suffer upon earth.
     Stretched upon this straw, O my Jesus, suffering already for me, and preparing Thyself even now to die for the love of me, Thou dost command and invite me to love Thee: Love the Lord thy God.  And I desire nothing more than to love Thee.  Since, therefore, Thou wiliest that I should love Thee, give me all the love that Thou requirest of me; love for Thee is Thy gift, and the very greatest gift Thou canst make to a soul.  Accept, O my Jesus! for Thy lover a sinner who has so greatly offended Thee.  Thou didst come from Heaven to seek the lost sheep; do Thou, therefore, seek me, and I will seek none other but Thee.  Thou desirest my soul, and my soul desires nothing but Thee.  Thou lovest him that loves Thee, and sayest: I love those that love me. — (Prov. viii., 17).  I love Thee, do Thou also love me: and if Thou lovest me, bind me to Thy love; but bind me so that I may never again be able to disengage myself from Thee.  Mary, my Mother, do thou help me.  Let it be thy glory also to see thy Son loved by a miserable sinner, who has hitherto so greatly offended Him.

Meditación matutina:  CONSIDERACIONES SOBRE EL ESTADO RELIGIOSO - III

     Considera la cuenta que tendrá que rendir a Jesucristo en el Día del Juicio quien no siga su Vocación.
     La gracia de la Vocación es una gracia muy rara que Dios concede sólo a unos pocos. Pero cuanto mayor sea la gracia, mayor será la indignación del Señor contra quien no la corresponda. Él es el Señor. Cuando Él llama desea ser obedecido, y obedecido con prontitud.

Meditación I:
     La gracia de la vocación al estado religioso no es una gracia ordinaria; es una gracia muy rara, que Dios concede sólo a unos pocos.  No lo ha hecho con todas las naciones. - (Sal. cxlvii., 20). ¡Oh, cuánto mayor es esta gracia, ser llamado a una vida perfecta, y llegar a ser uno de la casa de Dios, que si uno fuera llamado a ser el rey de cualquier reino en esta tierra! Porque ¿qué comparación puede haber entre un reino temporal en esta tierra y el reino eterno del Cielo?
     Pero cuanto mayor sea la gracia, mayor será la indignación del Señor contra quien no la haya correspondido, y más riguroso será su juicio en el día de la rendición de cuentas. Si un rey llamase a su palacio real a un pobre pastor, para que le sirviese entre los nobles de su corte, ¿cuál no sería la indignación del rey si rehusase tal favor por no querer dejar su pobre choza y su pequeño rebaño? Dios conoce bien el valor de sus gracias, y por eso castiga con severidad a quienes las desprecian. Él es el Señor; cuando llama quiere ser obedecido, y obedecido con prontitud.
     Oh Señor, Tú me has mostrado tal exceso de bondad como para elegirme de entre tantos otros, para servirte en Tu propia Casa con Tus siervos más amados. Sé cuán grande es esa gracia, y cuán indigno de ella he sido. He aquí que ahora estoy dispuesto a corresponder a un amor tan grande. Te obedeceré. Ya que has sido tan generoso conmigo como para llamarme cuando yo no te buscaba, y cuando era tan ingrato, no permitas que te ofrezca ese mayor exceso de ingratitud que es abrazar de nuevo a mi enemigo, el mundo, en el que hasta ahora he perdido tantas veces tu gracia y mi salvación eterna, y abandonar así a Ti, que has derramado tu sangre y has dado tu vida por mí. Ya que me has llamado, dame también la fuerza para corresponder a la llamada. Ya he prometido obedecerte. Te lo prometo de nuevo, pero sin la gracia de la perseverancia no puedo serte fiel. Esta perseverancia te la pido a Ti, y por tus propios méritos la deseo y espero obtenerla.

Meditación II:
     When, therefore, by His inspiration, God calls a soul to a perfect life, if it does not correspond He deprives it of His light, and abandons it to its own darkness.  Oh, how many poor souls shall we see among the reprobate on the Day of Judgment for this very reason, that they were called and would not correspond!
     Give thanks, then, to the Lord, Who has invited you to follow Him; but if you do not correspond, tremble!  Since God calls you to serve near His Person, it is a sign that He wishes to save you.  But He will have you to be saved in that path only which He indicates to you and has chosen for you.  If you wish to save yourself on a road of your own choosing, there is great danger that you will not be saved at all; for if you remain in the world, when God wishes you to be a Religious, He will not give you those efficacious helps prepared for you had you lived in His House, and without those you will not save yourself.  My sheep hear my voice. — (John x., 27).  He who will not obey the voice of God shows that he is not, and will not be, one of His sheep, but in the Valley of Josaphat, he will be condemned with the goats.
     Give me courage, O my Jesus, to vanquish the passions of the flesh, through which the devil seeks to induce me to betray Thee.  I love Thee, O my Jesus!  To Thee I consecrate myself entirely.  I am already Thine, I will be always Thine.  O Mary, my Mother and my hope, thou art the Mother of perseverance.  This grace is only dispensed through thy hands; do thou obtain it for me.  In thee do I confide.

Lectura espiritual:  CONSEJOS SOBRE LA VOCACIÓN RELIGIOSA: 

III. - MEDIOS QUE DEBEN EMPLEARSE PARA CONSERVAR LA VOCACIÓN RELIGIOSA

Meditación vespertina:  GRANDEZA DEL MISTERIO DE LA ENCARNACIÓN

Meditación I:
     And the Word was made flesh. — (John i., 14).
     Our Lord sent St. Augustine to write upon the heart of St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi the words, And the Word was made flesh.  Oh, let us also pray the Lord to enlighten our minds, and to make us understand what an excess and what a miracle of love this is: that the Eternal Word, the Son of God, should have become Man for the love of us.
     The Holy Church is struck with awe at the contemplation of this great Mystery: I considered thy works and was afraid.  If God had created a thousand other worlds, a thousand times greater and more beautiful than the present, it is certain that this work would be infinitely less grand than the Incarnation of the Word: He hath showed might in his arm. — (Luke i., 51).  To execute the great work of the Incarnation, it required all the omnipotence and infinite wisdom of God, in order to unite human nature to a Divine Person, and that a Divine Person should so humble Himself as to take upon Himself human nature.  Thus God became Man, and Man became God; and hence, the Divinity of the Word being united to the soul and body of Jesus Christ, all the actions of this Man-God became divine: His prayers were divine, His sufferings divine, His infant cries divine, His tears divine, His steps divine, His members divine, His very Blood divine, which became, as it were, a fountain of health to wash out all our sins, and a Sacrifice of infinite value to appease the justice of the Father, Who was justly angered with men.
     O Soul, O Body, O Blood of my Jesus!  I adore you and thank you; you are my hope; you are the price paid to save me from hell, which I have so often merited.  O my God! what a miserable and hopeless life would await me in eternity, if Thou, my Redeemer, hadst not thought of saving me by Thy sufferings and death!  But how is it that souls, redeemed by Thee with so much love, knowing all this, can live without loving Thee, and can despise the grace which Thou hast acquired for them with so much suffering?  And did not I also know all this?  How, then, could I have offended Thee, and offend Thee so often?  But, I repeat it, Thy Blood is my hope.  I acknowledge, my Saviour, the great injuries that I have done Thee.  Oh that I had rather died a thousand times!  Oh, that I had always loved Thee!

Meditación II:
     And who, then, are these men?  Miserable, ungrateful, and rebellious creatures!  And yet for these God becomes Man; subjects Himself to human miseries; suffers and dies to save these unworthy sinners; He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. — (Phil, ii., 8).  O holy Faith!  If Faith did not assure us of it, who would believe that a God of infinite majesty should abase Himself so far as to become a worm like us, in order to save us at the cost of so much suffering and disgrace, and of so cruel and shameful a death?
     “O grace! O power of love!” cries out St. Bernard.  O grace, which men could not even have imagined, if God Himself had not thought of granting it to us!  O mercy!  O infinite charity, worthy only of an infinite Bounty!
     By Thy grace I now feel great sorrow for the offences I have committed against Thee; I feel within me an ardent desire of loving Thee; I feel fully resolved to lose everything rather than Thy friendship; I feel a love towards Thee that makes me abhor everything that displeases Thee.  And this sorrow, this desire, this resolution, and this love, who is it that gives them to me?  It is Thou, O Lord, in Thy great mercy.  Therefore, my Jesus, this is a proof that Thou hast pardoned me; it is a proof that now Thou lovest me, and that Thou willest me at all costs to be saved; Thou wiliest that I should be saved, and I will save myself principally to give Thee pleasure.  Thou lovest me, and I also love Thee; but my love is little indeed.  Oh, give me more love; Thou deservest more love from me, for I have received from Thee more special favours than others: I pray Thee do Thou increase the flames of my love.
     Most holy Mary, obtain for me that the love of Jesus may consume and destroy in me every affection that has not God for its object.  Thou dost listen to the prayers of all that call on thee; listen to me also and obtain for me love and perseverance.

Meditación matutina:  CONSIDERACIONES SOBRE EL ESTADO RELIGIOSO - IV

     Considera los tormentos del alma de uno en el infierno que perdió su Vocación.
     Él dirá: ¡Oh, tonto que fui! ¡Podría haber llegado a ser un gran Santo! Y si hubiera obedecido al Llamado de Dios, ciertamente habría llegado a ser Santo, y ahora estoy condenado sin remedio. Elige, pues Dios lo deja en tus manos, ser un gran rey en el Paraíso, o un réprobo en el infierno.

Meditación I:
     El remordimiento por haber perdido, por culpa propia, algún gran bien, o por haber sido causa voluntaria de algún gran mal para nosotros mismos, es tan grande que aun en esta vida es un tormento insufrible. Pero ¡qué tormento sentirá en el infierno aquel joven, llamado por el singular favor de Dios al estado religioso, cuando percibe que si hubiera obedecido a Dios habría alcanzado un alto puesto en el Paraíso, y se ve, sin embargo, confinado en aquella prisión de tormentos, sin esperanza de remedio para esta su eterna ruina!  Su gusano no muere. - (Marcos ix., 43).
     Este será ese gusano que, viviendo siempre, le roerá el corazón con continuos remordimientos. Tonto de mí, dirá, podría haber llegado a ser un gran santo. Y si hubiera obedecido, ciertamente habría llegado a ser Santo; y ahora estoy condenado sin remedio.
     ¡Desdichado el hombre! Para su mayor tormento, en el Día del Juicio, verá y reconocerá a la diestra de Dios y coronados como Santos, a aquellos que siguieron su Vocación, y, abandonando el mundo, se retiraron a la Casa de Dios, a la que él también había sido llamado. Se verá a sí mismo separado de la compañía de los Bienaventurados, y colocado en medio de esa innumerable y miserable tripulación de los condenados, por su desobediencia a la voz de Dios.
     No, Dios mío, no permitas que te desobedezca y te sea infiel. Veo tu bondad y te doy gracias porque, en lugar de alejarme de tu rostro y desterrarme al infierno, como tantas veces he merecido, me llamas a ser santo y me preparas un alto lugar en el Paraíso. Veo que merecería un doble tormento, si no correspondiera a esta gracia, gracia que no se da a todos. Te obedeceré. He aquí que soy Tuyo y siempre seré Tuyo. Abrazo con alegría todas las penas e incomodidades de la vida religiosa, a la que Tú me invitas. ¿Y qué son estas penas en comparación con las penas eternas que he merecido? Estaba enteramente perdido por mis pecados; ahora me entrego enteramente a Ti. Dispón de mí y de mi vida como te plazca.

Meditación II:
     We know well, as we have considered above, that to this most unhappy lot he exposes himself, who, in order to follow his own caprice, turns a deaf ear to the call of God.  Therefore, my brother, you who have already been called to become a Saint in the House of God, consider that you will expose yourself to a great danger should you lose your Vocation through your own fault.  Consider that this very Vocation which God in His Sovereign Bounty has given you, in order, as it were, to take you out from among the crowd, and place you among the chosen princes of His Paradise, will, through your own fault, should you be unfaithful to it, become a special hell for you.  Make your own choice, then, for now God leaves it in your own hands, either to be a great king in Paradise, or a reprobate in hell, more full of despair than the rest.
     Accept, O Lord, of one already at the gates of hell, as I have been, to serve Thee and love Thee in this life and in the next.  I will love Thee as much as I have deserved to be doomed to hate Thee in hell, O God, worthy of an infinite love!  O my Jesus!  Thou hast broken those chains by which the world held me captive; Thou hast delivered me from the servitude of my enemies.  I will love Thee much, then, O my Love! and for the love I bear thee, I will always serve Thee and obey Thee.  I will always thank thee, O Mary, my advocate, who hast obtained this mercy for me.  Help me, and suffer me not to be ungrateful to that God Who has loved me so much.  Obtain for me that I may die rather than be unfaithful to so great a grace.  This is my hope.

Lectura espiritual:  CONSEJOS SOBRE LA VOCACIÓN RELIGIOSA: 

IV. - MEDIOS QUE DEBEN EMPLEARSE PARA CONSERVAR LA VOCACIÓN RELIGIOSA

Meditación vespertina:  JESÚS SUFRE DURANTE TODA SU VIDA

Meditación I:
     My sorrow is continually before me. — (Ps. xxxvii., 18).
     Consider that all the sufferings and ignominy that Jesus endured in His life and death were present to Him from the first moment of His life: My sorrow is continually before me; and even from His childhood He began to offer them in satisfaction for our sins, beginning even then to fulfil His office as Redeemer.  He revealed to one of His servants that from the commencement of His life even unto His death He suffered continually; and suffered so much for each of our sins that if He had had as many lives as there are men, He would as many times have died of sorrow, if God had not preserved His life that He might suffer more.
     Oh, what a martyrdom did not the loving Heart of Jesus constantly endure in beholding all the sins of men!  He beheld every single fault.  Even whilst He was in the womb of Mary every particular sin passed in review before Jesus, and each sin afflicted Him immeasurably.  St. Thomas says that this sorrow which Jesus Christ felt at the knowledge of the injury done to His Father, and of the evil that sin would occasion to the souls that He loved, surpassed the sorrows of all the contrite sinners that ever existed, even of those who died of pure sorrow; because no sinner ever loved God and his own soul as much as Jesus loved His Father and our souls.
     Behold, my Jesus, at Thy feet, the ungrateful sinner, the persecutor who kept Thee in continual affliction during all Thy life.  But I will say to Thee with Isaias: But thou hast delivered my soul that it should not perish; thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. — (Is. xxxviii., 17).  I have offended Thee.  I have wounded Thee by so many sins; but Thou hast not refused to take upon Thy shoulders all my offences.  I have voluntarily cast my soul into the fire of hell every time that I have consented to offend Thee gravely; and Thou, at the cost of Thy own Blood, hast continually liberated me and prevented me from being entirely lost.  My beloved Redeemer, I thank Thee.

Meditación II:
     Wherefore that agony which our Redeemer suffered in the Garden at the sight of our sins was endured by Him even from His Mother’s womb: I am poor, and in labours from my youth. — (Ps. lxxxvii., 16).  Thus through the mouth of David did our Saviour prophesy of Himself that all His life would be a continual suffering.  From this St. John Chrysostom deduces that we ought not to afflict ourselves for anything but for sin alone; and that since Jesus was afflicted all His life long on account of our sins, so we who have committed them ought to feel a continual sorrow for them, remembering that we have offended God Who has loved us so much.  St. Margaret of Cortona never ceased to shed tears for her sins.  One day her confessor said to her: “Margaret, no more tears!  It is enough — Our Lord has already forgiven thee.”  “What!” answered the Saint, “how can my tears and my sorrows suffice for the sins for which my Jesus was afflicted all His life long!”
     O my Jesus, I could wish to die of sorrow when I think how I have abused Thy infinite goodness; forgive me, my Love, and come and take entire possession of my heart.  Thou hast said that Thou wouldst not disdain to enter into the abode of him that opens to Thee, and to remain in his company: If any man shall open to me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him. — (Apoc. iii., 20).  If I have hitherto driven Thee away from me, I now love Thee and desire nothing but Thy favour.  Behold, the door is open, enter Thou into my heart, but enter never to depart from it again.  I am poor; but if Thou enter Thou wilt make me rich.  I shall always be rich so long as I possess Thee, the Sovereign Good. O Queen of Heaven, sorrowful Mother of this suffering Son, I also have been a cause of sorrow to thee, because thou hast participated, in great measure, in the sufferings of Jesus.  My Mother, do thou also forgive me, and obtain for me the grace to be faithful to thee, now that I hope my Jesus has returned into my soul.

Meditación matutina:  CONSIDERACIONES SOBRE EL ESTADO RELIGIOSO - V

     Considera la inmensa gloria que los religiosos disfrutarán en el Cielo.
     Dará a cada uno según sus obras. - (Mateo xvi., 27).
    De esto podéis juzgar cuán grande será la recompensa que Dios dará en el Cielo a los buenos Religiosos por los grandes méritos que adquieran cada día.  Yendo, iban y lloraban echando sus semillas; pero viniendo, vendrán con alegría, llevando sus gavillas.. - (Sal. cxxv., 6, 7).

Meditación I:
     Considera, en primer lugar, lo que dice San Bernardo: que es difícil que se condenen los religiosos que mueren en estado religioso. "De la celda al cielo el camino es fácil. Apenas se desciende de la celda al infierno". La razón que aduce el Santo es: "porque apenas se persevera hasta la muerte si no se está predestinado". Porque difícilmente un religioso persevera hasta la muerte, si no es del número de los Elegidos del Paraíso. Por eso, San Lorenzo Justiniano llamó al estado Religioso la puerta del Paraíso: "De aquella ciudad celestial ésta es la puerta". Y dijo que, por tanto, "los Religiosos tienen una gran señal de predestinación".
     Considera, además, que la recompensa del Cielo, como dice el Apóstol, es una corona de justicia. - (2 Tim. iv., 8). Por tanto, Dios, aunque nos recompensa por nuestras obras más abundantemente de lo que merecemos, nos recompensa, sin embargo, en proporción a las obras que hemos hecho.  Dará a cada uno según sus obras. De esto podéis juzgar cuán sumamente grande será la recompensa que Dios dará en el Cielo a los buenos Religiosos, en consideración a los grandes méritos que diariamente adquieren.
     El Religioso entrega a Dios todos sus bienes terrenales y se contenta con ser enteramente pobre, sin poseer nada. El Religioso renuncia a todo apego a sus padres, amigos y patria, para unirse más estrechamente a Dios. El Religioso se mortifica continuamente en muchas cosas de las que gozaría en el mundo. El Religioso, finalmente, entrega a Dios todo su ser, entregándole su voluntad mediante el Voto de Obediencia.
     Lo más querido que tenemos para dar es nuestra propia voluntad, y lo que Dios, de todas las demás cosas, más requiere de nosotros es el corazón, es decir, la voluntad.  Hijo mío, dame tu corazón. El que sirve a Dios en el mundo Le dará sus bienes, pero no a sí mismo; le dará una parte y no el todo, pues le dará en verdad sus bienes con limosnas, su alimento con ayunos, su sangre con disciplinas, etc. Pero siempre se reservará para sí su propia voluntad, ayunando cuando le plazca, rezando cuando le plazca. Pero el religioso, dándole su propia voluntad, se da a sí mismo y lo da todo; da no sólo los frutos del árbol, sino todo el árbol mismo. De donde puede entonces decirle verdaderamente: ¡Oh Señor! Habiéndote dado mi voluntad, no tengo nada más que darte.
     ¿Es posible, oh Dios mío y verdadero Amante, que desees tanto mi bien y ser amado por mí, y que yo, miserable de mí, desee tan poco amarte y agradarte? ¿Con qué fin me has favorecido con tantas gracias, y me has sacado de la mundo? ¡Oh Jesús mío! Te comprendo. Me amas mucho, quieres que te ame mucho y que sea todo tuyo en esta vida y en la otra. Tú quieres que mi amor no se divida con las criaturas, sino que sea todo para Ti, el único Bueno, el único amable y digno de infinito amor. ¡Ah, mi Señor, mi Tesoro, mi Amor, mi Todo! Sí, jadeo y en verdad deseo amarte, y no amar a nadie más que a Ti.

Meditación II:
     And, therefore, in all that the Religious does through Obedience, he is sure to do the will of God perfectly, and merits by all he does, not only when he prays, when he hears confessions, when he preaches or fasts, or practices other mortifications, but also when he takes his food, when he sweeps his room, when he makes his bed, when he takes his rest, when he recreates himself; for, doing all this through Obedience, in all he does the will of God.  St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi said that everything done through Obedience is a prayer.  Hence, St. Anselm, speaking of those who love Obedience, asserted that all that Religious do is meritorious for them.  St. Aloysius Gonzaga said that in Religion one travels, as it were, in a vessel in which even he who does not labour advances.
     Oh, how much more will a Religious gain in one month by observing his Rule than a secular, with all his penance and prayers, in a year!  Of that disciple of Dorotheus called Dositheus, it was revealed that for the five years he had lived under Obedience, there was given to him in Heaven the glory of St. Paul the Hermit, and of St. Anthony the Abbot, both of whom had, for so many years, lived in the desert.  Religious, it is true, have to suffer the inconvenience of regular observance: Going, they went and wept.  But when they are called to the other life they will go to Heaven, and . . . with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves. — (Ps. cxxv., 6, 7).  Whence they will sing: The lines are fallen unto me in goodly places, for my inheritance is goodly to me. — (Ps. xv., 6).  These bonds which have bound me to the Lord have become for me exceedingly precious, and the glory they have acquired for me is exceedingly great.
     I thank Thee, Jesus, for this desire Thou hast given me; preserve it in me, always increase it in me, and grant that I may please Thee, and love Thee on this earth as Thou desirest, so that I may come hereafter to love Thee face to face, with all my strength in Paradise.  Behold, this is all that I ask from Thee.  Thee will I love, O my God!  I will love Thee, and for Thy love I offer myself to suffer every pain.  I will become a Saint, not that I may enjoy great delight in Heaven, but to please Thee much, O my beloved Lord! and to love Thee much forever.  Graciously hear me, O Eternal Father! for the love of Jesus Christ.
     My Mother Mary, for the love of this thy Son, help thou me.  Thou art my hope; from thee I hope for every good.

Lectura espiritual:  CONSEJOS SOBRE LA VOCACIÓN RELIGIOSA: 

V. - MEDIOS QUE DEBEN EMPLEARSE PARA CONSERVAR LA VOCACIÓN RELIGIOSA:

B. - ORACIÓN

Meditación vespertina: JESÚS QUISO SUFRIR TANTO PARA GANARSE NUESTROS CORAZONES

Meditación I:
     I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptised and how am I straitened until it be accomplished? — (Luke, xii., 50).
     Consider how Jesus suffered even from the first moment of His life, and all for love of us.  During the whole of His life He had no other interest, after the glory of God, than our salvation.  He, as the Son of God, had no need to suffer in order to deserve Paradise; but whatever He suffered of pain, of poverty, of ignominy, He applied it all towards meriting for us eternal salvation.  And even though He could have saved us without suffering, yet He chose to embrace a life of nothing but sufferings, poor, despised, and deprived of every comfort, with a death the most desolate and bitter that was ever endured by any Martyr or penitent, only to make us understand the greatness of the love He bore us, and to gain our affections.
     He lived thirty-three years, and He lived sighing for the hour in which He was to sacrifice His life, which He desired to offer up to obtain for us divine grace and eternal glory, in order that He might have us with Him forever in Paradise.
     My beloved Redeemer, I am also one of those ungrateful wretches who have repaid Thy immense love, Thy sorrows, and Thy death, with offences and contempt.  O my dearest Jesus I how is it possible that, seeing as Thou didst the ingratitude that I should show Thee for all Thy mercies, Thou couldst yet love me so much, and resolve to endure so much contempt and suffering for me!  But I will not despair.  The evil is already done.  Give me, therefore, O my Saviour, that sorrow which Thou hast merited for me by Thy tears; but let it be a sorrow equal to my iniquities.  O loving Heart of my Saviour, once so afflicted and desolate for my sake, and now all burning with love for me, I beseech Thee change my heart, give me a heart that will make reparation for the offences I have committed against Thee – a love that will equal my ingratitude!

Meditación II:
     It was this desire which made Jesus say: Tengo un bautismo con el que he de ser bautizado; ¿y cómo estoy de apurado hasta que se cumpla?  He desired to be baptised with His own Blood, not to wash out His own sins, since He was innocent and holy, but the sins of men whom He loved so much: He loved us, and washed us in his own blood. — (Apoc. i., 5).  Oh, excess of the love of God, which all the men and Angels that ever existed will never succeed in understanding or praising as it deserves.
     St. Bonaventure weeps at seeing the great ingratitude of men for so great a love: “It is a cause for wonder that the hearts of men do not break for love of Thee.”  It is a marvel, says the Saint, to see a God endure such sufferings, shedding tears in a stable, poor in a workshop, languishing on a Cross; in short afflicted and tormented; the whole of His life for the love of men; and then to see these men, who not only do not burn with love towards such a loving God, but even have the boldness to despise His love and His grace.  O Lord, how is it possible to conceive that a God should have given Himself up to so much suffering for men, and yet that there should be men who can offend, and not love this merciful God!
     I give Thee thanks, my Saviour, because I see that Thy mercy has already changed my heart.  I hate, above every evil, the insults I have offered Thee; I detest them, I abhor them.  I now esteem Thy friendship above all the riches and kingdoms of the world.  I desire to please Thee as much as it is possible for me; I love Thee, Who art infinitely amiable; but I see that my love is too feeble.  Do Thou increase the flame, give me more love.  Thy love for me ought to be responded to by a greater degreee of love in me, who have so much offended Thee, and who, instead of chastisement, have received so many special favours from Thee.  O Sovereign Good, permit me not to be any longer ungrateful for all the favours Thou hast bestowed upon me.  I will say with St. Francis: “May I die, Lord, for the love of Thy love, Who for the love of my love didst deign to die!”  Mary, my hope, help me; pray to Jesus for me!

Meditación de la mañana: LA OFRENDA QUE MARÍA HIZO DE SÍ MISMA A DIOS FUE PRONTA Y SIN DEMORA

     Levántate, date prisa, amor mío, paloma mía, hermosa mía, ¡y ven! - (Cant. ii., 10). María comprendió bien la voz de Dios que la llamaba a consagrarse a su amor. Así iluminada, se ofreció inmediatamente a su Señor. He aquí, oh María, que hoy me presento a ti, y en unión contigo renuncio a todas las criaturas y me entrego por entero al amor de mi Creador.

Meditación I:
     Escucha, hija, y mira, e inclina tu oído; y olvídate de tu pueblo y de la casa de tu padre.. - (Sal. xliv., 11). La Virgen santa obedeció a esta llamada divina con prontitud y con generosidad. Desde el primer momento en que la niña celestial fue santificada en el seno de su madre, que fue en el instante de su Inmaculada Concepción, recibió el perfecto uso de razón y comenzó a hacer méritos. E inmediatamente, como un Ángel reveló a Santa Brígida, nuestra Reina determinó sacrificar su voluntad a Dios, y darle todo su amor durante toda su vida.
     María, al enterarse de que sus santos padres, San Joaquín y Santa Ana, la habían consagrado por Voto a Dios, les pidió con insistencia que la llevaran al Templo y cumplieran su promesa. A la edad de tres años, como nos dice San Epifanio - una edad en la que los niños son los más deseosos y los más necesitados del cuidado de sus padres - María deseaba consagrarse a Dios.
     He aquí, pues, a Joaquín y Ana, sacrificando generosamente a Dios el tesoro más precioso que poseían en el mundo y el más querido de sus corazones. Partieron de Nazaret llevando a su amada hijita a cuestas, pues de otro modo no habría podido emprender un viaje tan largo como el de Nazaret a Jerusalén, una distancia de ochenta millas. Les acompañaban pocos parientes, pero coros de ángeles escoltaban y servían a la Virgencita Inmaculada, que estaba a punto de consagrarse a la Majestad Divina.  How beautiful are thy steps . . . O prince’s daughter. - (Cant. vii., 1). "¡Oh, qué hermoso -debieron cantar los ángeles-, qué agradable a Dios es cada uno de tus pasos dados en el camino para presentarte y ofrecerte a Él, oh noble hija, amadísima de nuestro común Señor!".
     Oh amada Madre de Dios, amabilísima niña, María, que te presentaste en el Templo, y con prontitud y sin reservas te consagraste a la gloria y al amor de Dios; ¡ojalá pudiera ofrecerte hoy los primeros años de mi vida, para dedicarme sin reservas a tu servicio, mi santa y dulcísima Señora! Pero ya es tarde para ello, pues he perdido muchos años al servicio del mundo. ¡Ay de aquel tiempo en que no te amé! Pero es mejor empezar ahora que no hacerlo. Oh María, hoy me presento ante ti, y en unión contigo renuncio a todas las criaturas y me entrego por entero al amor de mi Creador. Ayuda mi debilidad con tu poderosa intercesión.

Meditación II:
     God Himself with the whole Heavenly Court made great rejoicings on the day that Mary presented herself to be His Spouse in the Temple.  For He never saw a more holy creature, or one He so tenderly loved, come to offer herself to Him.
     When the holy company reached the Temple the fair child turned to her parents and, on her knees, kissed their hands and asked their blessing; and then without turning back, she ascended the steps of the Temple.  She bade farewell to the world, and renouncing all the pleasures it promises to its votaries, she offered and consecrated herself to her Creator.
     At the time of the Deluge a raven sent out by Noe remained to feed on the dead bodies; but the dove, without resting her foot, quickly returned to him into the ark. — (Gen. vii., 9).  Many who are sent by God into this world unfortunately remain to feed on earthly goods.  It was not thus our heavenly dove, Mary, acted.  She knew that God should be our only Good, our only Hope, our only Love; and she knew that the world is full of dangers, and that he who leaves it the soonest is most free from its snares.  Hence she sought to do this from her tenderest years, and as soon as possible shut herself up in the sacred retirement of the Temple, where she could the better hear God’s voice, and honour and love Him more.  Rejoice with me, all ye who love God, for when I was a little one I pleased the Most High. — (Off. B.V.M.).
     O happy Virgin Mary, who didst begin so soon to serve God, and who didst always serve Him so faithfully!  Ah, cast a look on me who have returned to Him with such tardiness, after so many years lost in the love of creatures.  Obtain for me the grace to give God at least the remainder of my life, be it long or short.  Teach me, O Lady, what I should now do to belong entirely to God, and thus to repair the time I have lost.  Thou hast already done so much for me, finish the work of my salvation.  Do not abandon me till thou seest me safe at thy feet in Paradise.  Amen.

Lectura espiritual:  CONSEJOS SOBRE LA VOCACIÓN RELIGIOSA: 

VI. - DISPOSICIONES NECESARIAS PARA ENTRAR EN RELIGIÓN

Meditación vespertina:  EL MAYOR DOLOR DE JESÚS

Meditación I:
     What profit is there in my blood, whilst I go down to corruption. — (Ps. xxix., 10).
     Jesus Christ revealed to the Venerable Agatha of the Cross that whilst He was in His Mother’s womb, that which afflicted Him more than any other sorrow was the hardness of the hearts of men, who would, after His Redemption, despise the graces which He came into the world to diffuse.  And He had expressed this sentiment before, by the mouth of David, in the words just quoted, which are generally thus understood by the holy Fathers: What profit is there in my blood, whilst I go down to corruption?  St. Isidore explains whilst I descend into corruption “whilst I descend to take the nature of man, so corrupted by vices and sins”; as if He had said: “O my Father, I am indeed going to clothe Myself with human flesh, in order to shed My Blood for men; but what profit is there in my blood?  The greater part of the world will set no value on My Blood, and will go on offending Me, as if I had done nothing for the love of them.”
     This sorrow was the bitter chalice which Jesus begged the Eternal Father to remove from Him, saying: Let this chalice pass from me. — (Matt, xxvi., 39).  What chalice?  The sight of the contempt with which His love was treated.  This made Him exclaim again on the Cross: My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me? — (Matt. xxvii., 46).  Our Lord revealed to St. Catherine of Sienna that this was the abandonment of which He complained – the knowledge, namely, that His Father would have to permit that His Passion and His love should be despised by so many men for whom He died.
     O my most amiable Jesus, how much have I, too, caused Thee to suffer during Thy lifetime!  Thou hast shed Thy Blood for me with so much sorrow and love, and what fruit hast Thou hitherto drawn from me but contempt, offences, and insults?  But, my Redeemer, I will no longer afflict Thee; I hope that in future Thy Passion will produce fruit in me by Thy grace, which I feel is already assisting me.  I will love Thee above every other good; and to please Thee, I am ready to give my life a thousand times.

Meditación II:
     And this same sorrow tormented the Infant Jesus in the womb of Mary, the foresight of such a prodigality of sorrows, of ignominy, of blood-shedding, and of so cruel and ignominious a death, and all to so little purpose.  The holy Child saw, even there, what the Apostle says: that many, indeed the greater number, would trample under foot His Blood and despise His grace, which this Blood would obtain for them: Treading under foot the Son of God . . . and offering an affront to the Spirit of grace. — (Heb. x., 29).  But if we have been of the number of those ungrateful men, let us not despair.  Jesus, at His birth, came to offer peace to men of good-will, as He made the Angels sing: And on earth peace to men of good-will. — (Luke ii., 14).  Let us, then, change our will, repent of our sins, and resolve to love this good God, and we shall find peace, that is, the Divine friendship.
     Eternal Father, I should not have the boldness to appear before Thee to implore either pardon or grace, but Thy Son has told me, that whatever grace I ask of Thee in His Name Thou wilt grant it to me: If ye shall ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. — (John xvi., 23).  I offer Thee, therefore, the merits of Jesus Christ, and in His Name I ask of Thee first a general pardon for all my sins; I ask holy perseverance even unto death; I ask of Thee, above all, the gift of Thy holy love, that it may make me always live according to Thy divine will.  As to my own will, I am resolved to choose a thousand deaths sooner than offend Thee, and to love Thee with my whole heart, and to do everything that I possibly can to please Thee.  But in order to do all this, I beg of Thee, and hope to receive from Thee, grace to execute what I propose.  My Mother Mary, if Thou wilt pray for me I am safe.  Oh, pray for me, pray; and cease not to pray until thou seest that I am changed, and made what God wishes me to be.

Meditación matutina:  ERA CONVENIENTE QUE EL PADRE ETERNO PRESERVARA A MARÍA DEL PECADO ORIGINAL

     Como el lirio entre las espinas, así es mi amor entre las hijas. - (Cant. ii., 2).
   Grande fue, en verdad, el daño causado a Adán y a toda su posteridad por su maldito pecado. Pero de esta desgracia general quiso Dios eximir a la Santísima Virgen, como Madre predestinada de su Hijo unigénito y primogénita de la Gracia. Ella debía aplastar la cabeza de la serpiente y ser la Mediadora sin pecado de la paz entre el hombre y Dios. De ahí que el Padre Eterno bien pudiera decir de Su amada Hija: Como el lirio entre las espinas, así es mi amada entre las hijassiempre inmaculada y siempre querida.

Meditación I:
     Era muy conveniente que Dios preservara a María del pecado original, pues la destinó a aplastar la cabeza del espíritu infernal que, seduciendo a nuestros Primeros Padres, trajo la muerte a todos los hombres. Así lo predijo el Señor: Pondré enemistades entre ti y la mujer, y entre tu simiente y la simiente suya; ella te aplastará la cabeza. - (Gén. iii., 15). Pero si María era esa Mujer Valiente traída al mundo para conquistar a Lucifer, ciertamente no era apropiado que él la conquistara primero y la hiciera su esclava. La razón exigiría, en efecto, que fuera preservada de toda mancha e incluso de una sujeción momentánea a su adversario. ¿Cómo, pues, pudo Dios permitir que primero fuera esclava de la serpiente infernal? Alabado y siempre bendito sea Dios, que, en su infinita bondad, dotó a María de una gracia tan grande que, permaneciendo siempre libre de la culpa del pecado, fue siempre capaz de derrotar y confundir el orgullo de la serpiente.
     Además de esto, fue totalmente conveniente que el Padre Eterno creara a María, "la única hija de la vida", libre de la mancha del pecado original y siempre poseída por Su gracia, destinada como estaba a ser la reparadora de un mundo perdido, Mediadora de paz entre los hombres y Dios. "Oh Virgen Santísima", dice San Juan Damasceno, "naciste para que pudieras servir a la salvación del mundo entero". "¡Salve, reconciliadora del mundo entero!", clama San Efrén. "¡Salve, tú que eres árbitro entre Dios y los hombres!", clama San Basilio de Silucia.
     Ahora bien, ciertamente no sería conveniente elegir a un enemigo para tratar de la paz con la persona ofendida, y menos aún a un cómplice del propio delito. San Gregorio dice que "un enemigo no puede comprometerse a apaciguar a su juez que es al mismo tiempo la parte ofendida; porque si lo hiciera, en lugar de apaciguarlo, lo provocaría a una ira mayor". Y, por tanto, como María había de ser la Mediadora de la paz entre los hombres y Dios, era de suma importancia que ella misma no apareciese como pecadora y enemiga de Dios, sino que apareciese en todo como amiga y libre de toda mancha. Por eso era conveniente que Dios la preservase del pecado, para que no apareciese culpable de la misma falta que los hombres por quienes debía interceder.
     Ah, mi Señora Inmaculada, me regocijo contigo al verte enriquecida con tan gran pureza. Doy gracias a nuestro común Creador por haberte preservado de toda mancha de pecado.  Eres todo belleza y no hay ni una mancha en ti. - (Cant. iv., 7). ¡Oh purísima paloma, toda hermosa, toda bella, siempre amiga de Dios! Ah, dulcísima, amabilísima, inmaculada María, no desdeñes poner tus ojos compasivos en las llagas de mi alma. Mírame, ten piedad de mí, cúrame. El feliz día en que iré a contemplar tu belleza en el Paraíso parece lejano mil años, tanto anhelo alabarte y amarte más que ahora, Madre mía, Reina mía, amadísima, dulcísima, purísima, inmaculada María. Amén.

Meditación II:
     But above all it was becoming that the Eternal Father should preserve this His daughter unspotted from Adam’s sin, because He predestined her to be the Mother of His only-begotten Son.  As Jesus was the first-born of God, el primogénito de toda criatura — (Col. i., 15), so was Mary, the destined Mother of God, always considered by Him as His first-born by adoption, and therefore He always possessed her by His grace.  El Señor me poseyó en el principio de sus caminos. — (Prov. viii., 22).  For the honour, therefore, of His Son, it was becoming that the Father should preserve the Mother from every stain of sin.  When David was planning the Temple of Jerusalem, on a scale of magnificence worthy of God, he said: Porque no se prepara una casa para el hombre, sino para Dios. — (1 Par. xxix., 1).  How much more reasonable, then, is it not, to suppose that the Sovereign Architect, Who destined Mary to be the Mother of His own Son, adorned her soul with all the most precious gifts that she might be a dwelling worthy of a God!
     Sabemos que el mayor honor de un hombre es nacer de padres nobles.  Y la gloria de los hijos son sus padres. — (Prov. xvii., 6).  How, then, can we suppose that God Who could cause His Son to be born of a noble Mother by preserving her from sin, would, on the contrary, permit Him to be born of one infected by it, and thus leave it always in Lucifer’s power to reproach Him with the shame of having a mother who had once been his slave and the enemy of God.  No, certainly, the Eternal Father did not permit this; but He well provided for the honour of His son by preserving His mother always immaculate, that she might be a Mother worthy of such a Son.  And the Holy Church herself assures us of this: “O Almighty and Eternal God Who by the co-operation of the Holy Ghost, didst prepare the body and soul of the glorious Virgin Mother Mary, that she might become a worthy habitation for Thy Son.”
     Ah, my most beautiful Lady, I rejoice in seeing thee, by thy purity and thy beauty, so dear to God.  I thank God for having preserved thee from every stain.  O thou, who from the first moment of thy life didst appear pure and beautiful before God, pity me, who not only was born in sin, but have again since Baptism stained my soul with crimes.  What grace will God ever refuse thee?  Immaculate Virgin, thou hast to save me.  Amen.

Lectura espiritual:  ERA CONVENIENTE QUE EL HIJO PRESERVARA A SU MADRE DEL PECADO ORIGINAL

     In the second place it was becoming that the Son should preserve Mary from sin, as being His Mother.  No man can choose his mother; but should such a thing ever be granted to any one, who is there who, if able to choose a queen, would wish for a slave?  Or if able to choose a friend of God, would wish for an enemy?  If, then, the Son of God alone could choose a Mother according to His own Heart and His own liking, we must consider, as a matter of course, that He chose one worthy of God.  St. Bernard says, “that the Creator of men becoming man, must have Himself selected a Mother who He knew would be worthy of Him.”  As it was becoming that a most pure God should have a Mother pure from all sin, He created her spotless.  Here we may apply the words of the Apostle to the Hebrews: Porque convenía que tuviéramos tal sumo sacerdote; santo, inocente, sin mancha, apartado de los pecadores. — (Heb. vii., 26).  A learned author observes that, according to St. Paul, it was fitting that our Blessed Redeemer should not only be separated from sin, but also from sinners; according to the explanation of St. Thomas, who says, “that it was necessary that He, Who came to take away sines, should be separated from sinners, as to the fault under which Adam lay.”  But how could Jesus Christ be said to be separated from sinners, if He had a Mother who was a sinner?
     St. Ambrose says, “that Christ chose this vessel into which He was about to descend not of earth, but from Heaven; and He consecrated it a temple of purity.”  This agrees with that which St. John the Baptist revealed to St. Bridget, saying: “It was not becoming that the King of Glory should repose otherwise than in a chosen vessel exceeding all men and angels in purity.”  And to this we may add that which the Eternal Father Himself said to the same Saint: “Mary was a clean, and an unclean vessel: clean, for she was all fair; but unclean because she was born of sinners, though she was conceived without sin, that My Son might be born of her without sin.”  And remark these last words: “Mary was conceived without sin.”  Not that Jesus Christ could have contracted sin; but that He might not be reproached with even having a Mother infected with it, who would consequently have been the slave of the devil.
     El Espíritu Santo dice que la gloria del hombre proviene de la honra de su padre, y un padre sin honra es la desgracia del hijo. — (Ecclus. iii., 13).  “Therefore it was,” says an ancient writer, “that Jesus preserved the body of Mary from corruption after death; for it would have been to His dishonour had that virginal flesh with which He had clothed Himself become the food of worms.”  For, he adds, “Corruption is a disgrace of human nature; and as Jesus was not subject to it, Mary was also exempted; for the flesh of Jesus is the flesh of Mary.”  But since corruption of her body would have been a disgrace for Jesus Christ, because He was born of her, how much greater would the disgrace have been, had He been born of a mother whose soul was once infected by the corruption of sin?  For not only is it true that the flesh of Jesus is the same as that of Mary, “but,” adds the same author, “the flesh of our Saviour, even after His Resurrection, remained the same that He had taken from His Mother.  The flesh of Christ is the flesh of Mary; and though it was glorified by the glory of His Resurrection, yet it remains the same that was taken from Mary.”  And now if this is true, supposing that the Blessed Virgin had been conceived in sin, though the Son could not have contracted its stain, nevertheless His having united flesh to Himself which once had been infected with sin, a vessel of uncleanness and subject to Lucifer, would always have been a dishonour to Him.
     Mary was not only the Mother, but the worthy Mother of our Saviour.  She is called so by all the holy Fathers. St. Bernard says: “Thou alone wast found worthy to be chosen as the one in whose virginal womb the King of kings should have His first abode.”  St. Thomas of Villanova says: “Before she conceived she was already worthy to be the Mother of God.”  The Holy Church herself attests that Mary merited to be the Mother of Jesus Christ, saying: “The Blessed Virgin, who merited to bear in her womb Christ our Lord”; and St. Thomas Aquinas, explaining these words, says, that “the Blessed Virgin is said to have merited to bear the Lord of all; not that she merited His Incarnation, but that she merited, by the graces she had received, such a degree of purity and sanctity, that she could worthily be the Mother of God”; that is to say, Mary could not merit the Incarnation of the Eternal Word, but by divine grace she merited such a degree of perfection as to render her worthy to be the Mother of a God; according to what St. Augustine says: “Her singular sanctity, the effect of grace, merited that she alone should be judged worthy to receive a God.”
     And now, supposing that Mary was worthy to be the Mother of God, “what excellence and what perfection was there that did not become her?” asks St. Thomas of Villanova.  St. Thomas says: “that when God chooses any one for a particular dignity, He renders him fit for it”; hence he adds: “that God, having chosen Mary for His Mother, He also by His grace rendered her worthy of this highest of all dignities.”  “The Blessed Virgin was divinely chosen to be the Mother of God, and therefore we cannot doubt that God had fitted her by His grace for this dignity; and we are assured of it by the Angel: Porque has hallado gracia en Dios; he aquí que concebirás. — (Luke i., 50).  And thence the Saint argues that “the Blessed Virgin never committed any actual sin, not even a venial one.  Otherwise,” he says, “she would not have been a mother worthy of Jesus Christ; for the ignominy of the Mother would also have been that of the Son, for He would have had a sinner for His mother.”  And now if Mary, on account of a single venial sin, which does not deprive a soul of divine grace, would not have been a mother worthy of God, how much more unworthy would she have been had she contracted the guilt of original sin, which would have made her an enemy of God and a slave of the devil?  And this reflection it was that made St. Augustine utter those memorable words, that, when speaking of Mary for the honour of Our Lord, Whom she merited to have for her Son, he would not entertain even the question of sin in her; “for we know,” he says, “that through Him, Who it is evident was without sin, and Whom she merited to conceive and bring forth, she received grace to conquer all sin.”
     No fue ninguna vergüenza para Jesucristo que los judíos le llamaran despectivamente Hijo de María, queriendo decir con ello que era Hijo de una pobre mujer: ¿No se llama María su madre? — (Matt. xiii., 55).  He came into this world to give us an example of humility and patience.  But, on the other hand, it would undoubtedly have been a disgrace should He have heard the devil say: “Was not His mother a sinner?  Was He not born of a wicked mother, who was once our slave?”  It would even have been unbecoming had Jesus Christ been born of a woman whose body was deformed, or crippled, or possessed by devils; but how much more would it not have been so, had He been born of a woman whose soul had been once deformed by sin, and in the possession Lucifer!
     Dios, que es la Sabiduría misma, bien supo prepararse una morada adecuada para residir en la tierra: La sabiduría se ha construido una casa. — (Prov. ix., 1).  The Most High has sanctified his own tabernacle.  God will help it in the morning early. — (Ps. xlv., 5, 6).  David says our Lord sanctified this His dwelling por la mañana tempranoes decir, desde el principio de su vida, para hacerla digna de Él; pues no era propio de un Dios santo elegir para Sí una morada que no lo fuera: La santidad será tu casa. —  (Ps. xcii., 5).  The Holy Church sings: “Thou, O Lord, hast not disdained to dwell in the Virgin’s Womb.”  Yes, for He would have disdained to have taken flesh in the womb of an Agnes, a Gertrude, a Teresa, because these virgins, though holy, were nevertheless for a time stained with original sin; but He did not disdain to become Man in the womb of Mary, because this beloved Virgin was always pure and free from the lest shadow of sin, and was never possessed by the infernal serpent.  And therefore, St. Augustine says: “the Son of God never made Himself a more worthy dwelling than Mary, who was never possessed by the enemy, nor despoiled of her ornaments.”  On the other hand, St. Cyril of Alexandria asks: “Who ever heard of an architect who built himself a temple, and yielded up the first possession of it to his greatest enemy?”
     Sí, dice San Metodio, hablando del mismo tema, aquel Señor que nos mandó honrar a nuestros padres, no quiso hacer otra cosa, cuando se hizo Hombre, que observarlo, dando a su Madre todas las gracias y honores: "Aquel que dijo, Honra a tu padre y a tu madre, that He might observe His own decree, gave all grace and honour to His Mother.”  Therefore we must certainly believe that Jesus Christ preserved the body of Mary from corruption after death; for if He had not done so, He would not have observed the law, which, at the same time that it commands us to honour our mother, forbids us to show her disrespect.  But how little would Jesus have guarded His Mother’s honour, had He not preserved her from Adam’s sin!  “Certainly that son would sin,” says the Augustinian Father Thomas of Strasburg, “who, having it in his power to preserve his mother from original sin did not do so.”  “But that which would be a sin in us,” continues the same author, “would certainly have been considered unbecoming in the Son of God, Who, whilst He could make His Mother immaculate, did it not.” “Ah, no,” exclaims Gerson, “since Thou, the supreme Prince, choosest to have a Mother, certainly Thou owest her honour.  But now if Thou didst permit her, who was to be the dwelling-place of the all-pure God, to be in the abomination of original sin, certainly it would appear that the law was not well fulfilled.”
     “Moreover, we know,” says St. Bernardine of Sienna, “that the Divine Son came into the world to redeem Mary more than all other creatures.”  There are two means by which a person may be redeemed, as St. Augustine teaches us: the one by raising him up after having fallen, and the other by preventing him from falling; and this last means is doubtless the more honourable.  “He is more honourably redeemed,” says the learned Suarez, “who is prevented from falling, than he who, after falling, is raised up”; for thus the injury or stain, which the soul always contracts in falling, is avoided.  This being the case, we ought certainly to believe that Mary was redeemed in the more honourable way, and the one more becoming to the Mother of God, as St. Bonaventure remarks, “for it is to be believed that the Holy Ghost, as a very special favor, redeemed and preserved her from original sin by a new kind of sanctification, and this in the very moment of her Conception; not that sin was in her, but that it might otherwise have been.”  On the same subject Cardinal Cusano beautifully remarks, that “others had Jesus as a liberator, but to the most Blessed Virgin He was a pre-liberator”; meaning, that all others had a Redeemer Who delivered them from sin with which they were already defiles, but that the most Blessed Virgin had a Redeemer Who, because He was to become her Son, preserved her from ever being defiled by sin.
     In fine, to conclude in the words of Hugo of St. Victor, the tree is known by its fruits.  If the Lamb was always immaculate, the Mother must also have been always immaculate: “Such the Lamb, such the Mother of the Lamb; for the tree is known by its fruits.”  Hence this same Doctor salutes Mary, saying: “O worthy Mother of a worthy Son”; meaning, that no other than Mary was worthy to be the Mother of such a Son, and no other than Jesus was a worthy Son of such a Mother; and then he adds these words: “O fair Mother of Beauty itself, O high Mother of the Most High, O Mother of God!”  Let us then address this most Blessed Mother in the words of St. Ildephonsus: “Suckle, O Mary, thy Creator, give milk to Him Who made thee, and Who made thee such that He could be made of thee.”  Amen.

Meditación vespertina:  ERA CONVENIENTE QUE EL ESPÍRITU SANTO PRESERVARA A MARÍA DEL PECADO ORIGINAL

Meditación I:
     Mi hermana, mi esposa, es un jardín cerrado, una fuente sellada. - (Cant. iv., 12).
     Since it was becoming that the Eternal Father should preserve Mary from sin as His daughter, and the Son as His Mother, it was also becoming that the Holy Ghost should preserve her as His Spouse.  St. Augustine says that “Mary was that only one who merited to be called the Mother and Spouse of God.”  For St. Anselm asserts that the Divine Spirit, the Love itself of the Father and the Son, came corporally into Mary, and enriching her with singular grace above all creatures, rested in her and made her the Queen of Heaven and earth.  El Espíritu Santo vendrá sobre ti. — (Luke i., 35).  And now, had an excellent artist the power to make his bride in reality such as he would represent her in his picture, what pains would he not take to render her as beautiful as possible!  Who, then, can say that the Holy Ghost did otherwise with Mary, when He could make her, who was to be His Spouse, as beautiful as it was becoming that she should be?  Ah no, the Holy Ghost acted as it became Him to act, for this same Lord declares: Eres toda hermosa, oh mi amor, y no hay una mancha en ti. — (Cant. iv., 7).
     El Espíritu Santo significa lo mismo cuando llamó a esta Su Esposa un jardín cerrado y una fuente sellada: Mi hermana, mi esposa, es un jardín cerrado, una fuente sellada – a Spouse into whom no guile could enter, against whom no fraud of the enemy could prevail, and who was always holy in mind and body.  “Thou art,” says St. Bernard, “an enclosed garden into which has never entered the hand of sinners to pluck its flowers.”
     Ah, my immaculate Queen, fair dove, beloved of God, disdain not to cast thine eyes on the many stains and wounds of my soul.  See me and pity me.  God Who loves thee much, denies thee nothing, and thou knowest not how to refuse those who have recourse to thee.  O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Meditación II:
     En Proverbios leemos: Muchas hijas han reunido riquezas, tú las has superado a todas. — (Prov. xxxi., 29).  If Mary has surpassed all others in the riches of grace, she must have had original justice as Adam and the Angels had it.  In the Canticles we read: Hay jóvenes doncellas sin número. Una es mi paloma, mi perfecta (en hebreo es mi entera, mi inmaculada) no es más que una. Es la única de su madre. — (Cant. vi., 7).  All souls are daughters of divine grace, but amongst these Mary was the paloma sin la hiel del pecado, la perfecto sin mancha en su origen, la concebida en gracia.
     De ahí que el Ángel, antes de que se convirtiera en la Madre de Dios, la encontrara ya lleno de graciay la saludó: ¡Salve, llena eres de gracia! — (Luke i., 28).  Grace was given partially to other Saints, but to the Blessed Virgin all grace was given.  So much so that St. Thomas says: “Grace rendered not only the soul but even the flesh of Mary holy, so that the Blessed Virgin might be able to clothe the Eternal Word with it.”
     O immaculate and entirely pure Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Queen of the Universe, our own good Lady, thou art the advocate of sinners, the consolation of the world, the ransom of captives, the joy of the sick, the comfort of the afflicted, the refuge and salvation of the whole world.  O most pure Virgin Mary, I venerate thy most holy heart which was the delight and resting-place of God, thy heart overflowing with humility, purity and divine love.  Ah, my Mother, for the love of Jesus, take charge of my salvation.  O Lady, deny not thy compassion to one to whom Jesus has not denied His Blood.  O my Mother, abandon me not!  Never, never cease to pray for me until thou seest me safe in Heaven at the feet, blessing and thanking thee for ever.  Amen.