{"id":5622,"date":"2024-12-19T01:43:37","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T01:43:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/?page_id=5622"},"modified":"2026-01-11T15:44:58","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T15:44:58","slug":"daily-meditations-christmas-week","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/daily-meditations-christmas-week\/","title":{"rendered":"MEDITA\u00c7\u00d5ES DI\u00c1RIAS: SEMANA DE NATAL"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVOLUME ONE - PART I, pp. 218-294<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tV\u00c9SPERA DE NATAL (24 DE DEZEMBRO)<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 JESUS VEM PARA LAN\u00c7AR FOGO SOBRE A TERRA<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Eu vim para lan\u00e7ar fogo sobre a terra, e o que quero sen\u00e3o que ele se acenda?<\/em> - (Lucas xii., 49).
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Antes da vinda do Messias, quem amava a Deus na Terra? Ele era conhecido, de fato, em um canto do mundo, ou seja, na Judeia; e mesmo l\u00e1, qu\u00e3o poucos O amavam quando Ele veio! Ainda hoje, s\u00e3o poucos os que pensam em preparar seus cora\u00e7\u00f5es para que Jesus nas\u00e7a neles! O que voc\u00ea acha? Deseja ser classificado entre os ingratos?<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:<\/b>
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Os judeus solenizaram um dia chamado por eles de\u00a0Die ignis - o dia do fogo<\/em>O dia de Natal \u00e9 chamado de \"Dia de Natal\", em mem\u00f3ria do fogo com o qual Neemias consumiu o sacrif\u00edcio ao retornar do cativeiro da Babil\u00f4nia. Mesmo assim, e de fato com mais raz\u00e3o, o dia de Natal deveria ser chamado de Dia de Fogo<\/em>\u00a0no qual um Deus vem como uma pequena crian\u00e7a para lan\u00e7ar o fogo do amor no cora\u00e7\u00e3o dos homens.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Eu vim para lan\u00e7ar fogo sobre a terra<\/em>Assim falou Jesus Cristo. Antes da vinda do Messias, quem amava a Deus na Terra? Alguns adoravam o sol, outros os brutos, outros as pr\u00f3prias pedras e outros ainda criaturas mais vis. Poucos anos ap\u00f3s o nascimento do Redentor, Deus passou a ser mais amado pelos homens do que antes, desde a cria\u00e7\u00e3o do homem. Ah, na verdade, todo homem, ao ver um Deus vestido de carne e escolhendo levar uma vida t\u00e3o dif\u00edcil e sofrer uma morte t\u00e3o ignominiosa, deve se inflamar de amor por um Deus t\u00e3o amoroso!\u00a0 Oh, se voc\u00ea rasgasse os c\u00e9us e descesse; se os montes se derretessem diante de sua presen\u00e7a (...) se as \u00e1guas ardessem em fogo<\/em>. - (Is. lxiv., 1). Oh, certamente o Senhor acenderia uma fornalha tal no cora\u00e7\u00e3o humano que at\u00e9 mesmo as almas mais congeladas captariam a chama de Seu amor aben\u00e7oado! E, de fato, ap\u00f3s a Encarna\u00e7\u00e3o do Filho de Deus, qu\u00e3o brilhantemente o fogo do amor divino ardeu nas almas amorosas! Quantos jovens, quantos nobres e at\u00e9 mesmo monarcas deixaram riquezas, honras e at\u00e9 mesmo reinos para buscar o deserto ou o claustro, para que l\u00e1, na pobreza e na obscura reclus\u00e3o, pudessem se entregar sem reservas ao amor de seu Salvador! Quantos m\u00e1rtires partiram alegres, divertindo-se em seu caminho para os tormentos e a morte! Quantas jovens virgens recusaram as m\u00e3os oferecidas pelos grandes do mundo para irem e morrerem por Jesus Cristo e, assim, retribu\u00edrem em alguma medida a afei\u00e7\u00e3o de um Deus que se rebaixou para assumir a carne humana e morrer por amor a eles!
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 Jesus, Tu n\u00e3o poupaste nada para induzir os homens a Te amar! \u00d3 Verbo Encarnado, Tu foste feito Homem para acender o amor divino em nossos cora\u00e7\u00f5es. Eu Te amo, \u00f3 Verbo Encarnado! Eu Te amo, \u00f3 soberano Bem! N\u00e3o permita que eu me separe de Ti! N\u00e3o permita que eu me separe de Ti!<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It may, indeed, be asserted without fear of contradiction that God was more loved in one century after the coming of Jesus Christ than in the entire forty centuries preceding His appearance on earth. \u00a0Yes; all this is most true; but now comes a tale for tears. \u00a0Has this been the case with all men? \u00a0Have all men sought to correspond with the immense love of Jesus Christ?\u00a0 Alas! my God, the greater number have combined to repay Him with nothing but ingratitude! \u00a0And you also, my brother, tell me what sort of return have you made up to this time for the love your God has borne you?\u00a0 Have you always shown yourself thankful? \u00a0Have you ever seriously reflected what these words mean \u2014 a God to be made Man, a God to die for Thee?
<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A certain man while hearing Mass one day without devotion, as too many do, at these concluding words of the last Gospel: E o Verbo se fez carne <\/em>\u2014 (John i., 14), made no external act of reverence. \u00a0At the same moment a devil struck him a blow, saying: \u201cThankless wretch, thou hearest that a God was made Man for thee, and dost thou not even deign to bend the knee? \u00a0Oh, if God had done the like for me I should be eternally engaged in thanking Him!\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tell me, O Christian, what more could Jesus Christ have done to win thy love? \u00a0If the Son of God had engaged to rescue His own Father from death, to what lower depth of humiliation could He have stooped than to assume human flesh and lay down His life in sacrifice for His salvation? \u00a0Men appreciate the good graces of a prince, of a prelate, of a nobleman, of a man of letters, and even of a vile animal; and yet these same people set no store by the grace of God, but renounce it for mere smoke, for a brutal gratification, for a handful of earth, for a nothing!
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What sayest thou, dear brother? \u00a0Dost thou wish to be ranked among such ungrateful ones? \u00a0Go, find thyself a prince more courteous, a master, a brother, a friend more amiable, and one who has shown thee a deeper love.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ah, how comes it that we are so ungrateful towards God, the same God Who has bestowed His whole self upon us, Who has descended from Heaven to earth, has become an Infant to save us and to be loved by us?\u00a0 Come, let us love the Babe of Bethlehem! \u00a0Let us love Jesus Christ Who, in the midst of such sufferings, has sought to attach our hearts to Him.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0O my sweet, amiable and holy Child, Thou art at a loss what more to do in order to make Thyself loved by men! \u00a0And how is it that Thou shouldst have encountered such ingratitude from the majority of men! \u00a0I see that few, indeed, know Thee, and fewer still love Thee!\u00a0 Ah, my Jesus, I too desire to be reckoned among this small number. \u00a0But Thou knowest my weakness. \u00a0Thou knowest my past treasons. \u00a0For pity\u2019s sake do not abandon me, or I shall fall away even worse than before.\u00a0 O Mary, my Mother, thou art the Mother of fair love \u2014 <\/em>(Ecclus. xxiv., 24), do thou obtain for me the grace to love my God. \u00a0I hope it of thee.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0 JESUS VEM PARA CHAMAR OS PECADORES<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0 JOSEPH VAI PARA BETHLEHEM COM SUA SANTA ESPOSA<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:<\/strong><\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And Joseph also went up … to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child. \u2014 <\/em>(Luke ii., 4).
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 God had decreed that His Son should be born, not in the house of Joseph, but in a cave and stable for animals, in the poorest and most painful way that a child can be born; and therefore He so disposed events that Caesar should publish an Edict that every one should go and enroll himself in the city whence he drew his origin. \u00a0When Joseph heard this order he was much agitated as to whether he should leave or take with him the Virgin Mother, as she was now near childbirth. \u00a0My spouse and my lady, said he to her, on the one hand I should not wish to leave you alone; on the other, if I take you, I am afflicted at the thought that you will have to suffer much during this long journey, and in such severe weather. \u00a0My poverty will not permit me to conduct you with that comfort which you require. \u00a0But Mary answers him, and encourages him with these words: My Joseph, do not fear; I shall go with you; the Lord will assist us. \u00a0She knew, by divine inspiration, and also because she was well versed in the prophecy of Micheas, that the Divine Infant was to be born in Bethlehem. \u00a0She therefore takes the swathing bands, and the other poor garments already prepared, and departs with Joseph. \u00a0And Joseph also went up . . . to be enrolled with Mary.
<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My dear Redeemer, I know that in this journey Thou wert accompanied by hosts of Angels from Heaven; but here on earth, who was there to bear Thee company?\u00a0 Thou hast only Joseph, and Mary who carries Thee within herself. \u00a0Disdain not, O my Jesus, to let me also accompany Thee, miserable and ungrateful as I have been. \u00a0I now see the wrong I have done Thee; Thou didst come down from Heaven to make Thyself my companion on earth, and I by my frequent offences have ungratefully left Thee! \u00a0When I remember, O my Saviour, that for the sake of my own wicked pleasures, I have so often separated myself from Thee and renounced Thy friendship, I could wish to die of sorrow. \u00a0But Thou didst come into the world to pardon me; pardon me then quickly, for I repent with all my soul of having so often turned my back upon Thee and forsaken Thee. \u00a0I purpose and I hope, through Thy grace, never more to leave Thee, or separate myself from Thee, O my only Love!<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Let us consider the devout and holy discourses which these two saintly spouses must have held together during the journey, concerning the mercy, goodness, and love of the Divine Word, Who was shortly to be born, and to appear on earth for the salvation of men. \u00a0Let us also consider the praises, the blessings, the thanksgivings, the acts of humility and love, which these two illustrious pilgrims uttered on their way. \u00a0This holy Virgin, so soon to become a Mother, certainly suffered much in so long a journey, made in the midst of Winter, and over rough roads; but she suffered in peace and with love.\u00a0 She offered to God all these her sufferings, uniting them to those of Jesus, Whom she carried in her womb. \u00a0Oh, let us also unite ourselves with Mary and Joseph, and accompany them in the journey of our life; and, with them, let us accompany the King of Heaven, Who is about to be born in a cave, and make His first appearance in the world as an Infant, but an Infant the poorest and most forsaken that was ever born amongst men.\u00a0 And let us beseech Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, that, through the merits of the sufferings which they endured in this journey, they would accompany us in the journey that we are making to eternity. \u00a0Oh, happy shall we be if in life and in death, we are always accompanied by these Three Great Personages!
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My soul has become enamoured of Thee, O my amiable Infant-God. \u00a0I love Thee, my sweet Saviour; and since Thou hast come upon earth to save me and to dispense to me Thy graces, this one grace only do I ask of Thee: never permit me to separate myself from Thee again.\u00a0 Unite me, bind me to Thyself, enchain me with the sweet cords of Thy holy love. \u00a0O my Redeemer and my God, who will, then, have the heart to leave Thee, and to live without Thee, deprived of Thy grace? \u00a0Most holy Mary, I come to accompany thee on this journey; and thou, O my Mother, cease not to accompany me in the journey I am making to eternity. \u00a0Assist me always, but especially when I shall find myself at the end of my life, and near that moment on which will depend either my remaining always with thee to love Jesus in Paradise, or my being for ever separated from thee and hating Jesus in hell. \u00a0My Queen, save me by thy intercession; and let my salvation be in loving thee and Jesus for ever, in time and in eternity. \u00a0Thou art my hope; I hope for all from thee.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 \"HOJE NASCEU PARA VOC\u00caS UM SALVADOR\"<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Eis que vos trago boas novas de grande alegria, que o ser\u00e1 para todo o povo, porque hoje vos nasceu o Salvador<\/em>. - (Lucas. ii., 10, 11).
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Levantem-se, nobres e camponeses! Maria convida todos - ricos e pobres, justos e pecadores - a entrar na Gruta de Bel\u00e9m para adorar e beijar os p\u00e9s de seu Filho rec\u00e9m-nascido. Venham, ent\u00e3o, todas as almas devotas - entrem e vejam o Criador do C\u00e9u e da Terra em um pequeno feno, sob a forma de um pequeno Menino; o poder de Deus, por assim dizer, aniquilado, e a sabedoria de Deus enlouquecida, por excesso de amor! Venho, ent\u00e3o, querido Jesus, para beijar Teus p\u00e9s e oferecer-Te meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:<\/b>
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Eis que lhes trago boas novas de grande alegria. . . Neste dia nasceu para voc\u00eas o Salvador!<\/em>\u00a0 E que not\u00edcia poderia ser uma alegria maior para uma ra\u00e7a de pobres exilados condenados \u00e0 morte do que receber a not\u00edcia de que seu Salvador havia chegado, n\u00e3o apenas para livr\u00e1-los da morte, mas para obter a liberdade de retornar a seu pr\u00f3prio pa\u00eds? E \u00e9 isso que os anjos anunciam a voc\u00eas: Um Salvador nasceu para voc\u00ea!\u00a0 <\/em>Jesus Cristo nasceu para livr\u00e1-los da morte eterna e para abrir o C\u00e9u para voc\u00eas, nossa verdadeira p\u00e1tria, da qual fomos banidos por causa de nossos pecados.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Assim que Maria entrou na caverna, come\u00e7ou a orar; e quando chegou a hora de sua entrega, eis que ela viu uma grande luz e sentiu em seu cora\u00e7\u00e3o uma alegria celestial. Ela abaixa os olhos - e, \u00f3 Deus, o que ela v\u00ea? Um beb\u00ea t\u00e3o terno e belo que a enche de amor! Mas Ele treme, chora e estende os bra\u00e7os para mostrar que deseja que ela O tome em seu seio. \"Estendi minhas m\u00e3os para buscar as car\u00edcias de minha M\u00e3e\", como Jesus disse a Santa Br\u00edgida. Maria chama Jos\u00e9. \"Venha, Jos\u00e9, venha e veja, pois o Filho de Deus j\u00e1 nasceu.\" O velho entrou e, prostrando-se, chorou de alegria.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Maria, segurando-o em seu peito, adora-o como seu Deus, beijando seu rosto como seu filho. Ent\u00e3o, apressadamente, ela procura cobri-Lo e O envolve em faixas. Mas, \u00f3 Deus, como s\u00e3o duras e \u00e1speras! S\u00e3o as roupas dos pobres, s\u00e3o frias e \u00famidas, e naquela caverna n\u00e3o h\u00e1 fogo para aquec\u00ea-las.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Levantemo-nos e entremos, a porta est\u00e1 aberta. N\u00e3o h\u00e1 sat\u00e9lites para dizer que esta n\u00e3o \u00e9 a hora. A Caverna est\u00e1 aberta e sem guardas ou portas, de modo que todos podem entrar quando quiserem para busc\u00e1-Lo e falar com Ele, e at\u00e9 mesmo para abra\u00e7ar seu Rei Menino, se O amarem e O desejarem.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Senhor, eu n\u00e3o teria ousado me aproximar de Ti, vendo-me t\u00e3o deformado pelo pecado; mas j\u00e1 que Tu, meu Jesus, me convidaste com tanta cortesia e me chamaste com tanto amor, n\u00e3o vou recusar. Depois de ter dado as costas a Ti tantas vezes, n\u00e3o acrescentarei um novo insulto ao recusar, por desconfian\u00e7a, esse convite afetuoso e amoroso. \u00c9 verdade que meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o j\u00e1 Te ofendeu em algum momento, mas agora est\u00e1 arrependido. Confesso que fui um traidor, cruel e ingrato, que fui eu quem Te fez sofrer tanto e Te fez derramar tantas l\u00e1grimas no est\u00e1bulo de Bel\u00e9m, mas Tuas l\u00e1grimas s\u00e3o minha esperan\u00e7a. Sou um pecador, \u00e9 verdade, e n\u00e3o mere\u00e7o ser perdoado, mas venho diante de Ti, que, sendo Deus, te tornaste uma criancinha para obter o perd\u00e3o para mim. Pai Eterno, se eu merecer o inferno, olhe para as l\u00e1grimas de Teu Filho inocente. Ele Te pede que me perdoe nesta noite, uma noite de alegria, de perd\u00e3o e salva\u00e7\u00e3o.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Let every soul, then, enter the Cave of Bethlehem.\u00a0 Behold and see that tender Infant, Who is weeping as He lies in the manger on that miserable straw. \u00a0See how beautiful He is: look at the light which He sends forth, and the love which He breathes; those eyes send out arrows which wound the hearts that desire Him; the very stable, the very straw cry out, says St. Bernard, and tell you to love Him Who loves you; to love God Who is infinite Love, and Who came down from Heaven, and made Himself a little Child, and became poor, to make you understand the love He bears you, and to gain your love by His sufferings.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Come and say to Him: \u201c Ah, beautiful Infant! tell me whose Child art Thou?\u201d \u00a0He replies: \u201cMy Mother is this pure and lovely Virgin who is standing by Me.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cAnd Who is Thy Father?\u201d \u00a0\u201cMy Father,\u201d He says, \u201cis God.\u201d \u00a0How is this? \u00a0Thou art the Son of God, and art so poor; and why? \u00a0Who will acknowledge Thee in such a condition? \u00a0Who will respect Thee?\u201d \u00a0\u201cAh,\u201d replies Jesus, \u201choly Faith will make known Who I am, and will make Me loved by those whose souls I come to redeem and to inflame with My love.\u201d \u00a0I am not come, says He, to make Myself feared, but to make Myself loved; and therefore I wished to show Myself to you for the first time as a poor and humble Infant, that, seeing to what My love for you has reduced Me, you might love Me the more. \u00a0But tell me, my sweet Infant, why dost Thou turn Thine eyes on every side? \u00a0What art Thou looking for? \u00a0I hear Thee sigh; tell me wherefore are these sighs? \u00a0O God! I see Thee weep; tell me wherefore dost Thou weep? \u00a0Yes, replies Jesus, I turn My eyes around; for I am seeking for some soul that desires Me. \u00a0I sigh out of desire to see Myself near to a heart that burns for Me, as I burn with love for it. \u00a0But I weep; and it is because I see but few souls who seek Me and wish to love Me.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Come, then, O all ye devout souls. \u00a0Jesus invites you to come and kiss His feet this night. \u00a0The shepherds who came to visit Him in the stable of Bethlehem brought their gifts; you must also bring your gifts.\u00a0 What will you bring Him? \u00a0The most acceptable present you can bring Him is that of a contrite and loving heart.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O Jesus, Thou must know that I am poor and that I have nothing to give Thee. \u00a0I have nothing but my penitent heart. \u00a0This I now offer Thee. \u00a0Yes, O Infant, I repent of ever having offended Thee, and I hope for pardon from Thee. \u00a0But the forgiveness of my sins alone is not sufficient for me. \u00a0On this night Thou dost grant great spiritual graces; I also desire that Thou shouldst bestow a great grace on me \u2013 it is, the grace to love Thee. \u00a0Now that I am about to approach Thy feet, inflame me wholly with Thy holy love, and bind me to Thee; but bind me so effectually that I may never more be separated from Thee. \u00a0I love Thee, O my God, Who didst become a little Child for my sake; but I love Thee very little; I desire to love Thee very much, and Thou hast to enable me to do it. \u00a0I come, then, to kiss Thy feet, and I offer Thee my heart; I leave it in Thy hands; I will have it no longer; do Thou change it and keep it forever; do not give it back to me again; for if Thou dost, I fear lest it should betray Thee afresh.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Most holy Mary, thou who art the Mother of this great Son, but who art also my Mother, it is to thee that I consecrate my poor heart; present it to Jesus and He will not refuse to receive it when presented by thee. \u00a0Do thou, then, present it, and beg Him to accept it.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0 A PALAVRA ETERNA, SENDO GRANDE, TORNA-SE PEQUENA<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna: O NASCIMENTO DE JESUS EM BETHLEHEM<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The birth of Jesus Christ brought universal joy to the whole world. \u00a0He was the Redeemer Who had been desired and sighed after for so many years; and therefore He was called the Desired of the nations, and the Desire of the eternal hills. \u00a0Behold Him already come, and born in a little cave. \u00a0Let us consider that this day the Angel announces to us also the same great joy that he announced to the shepherds: Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people; for this day is born to you a Saviour. \u2014 <\/em>(Luke ii., 10).
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What rejoicing there is in a country when the heir is born to a king! \u00a0But surely we ought to keep still greater festival when we see the Son of God born and come down from Heaven to visit us, urged to this by the tenderness of His mercy: Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us. \u2014<\/em>( Luke i., 78). \u00a0We were lost; and behold Him Who came to save us: He came down from Heaven for our salvation. \u2014 <\/em>(Symb. Nic.). \u00a0Behold the Shepherd Who came to save His sheep from death by giving His life for their sake: I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. \u2014 <\/em>(John x., 11).\u00a0 Behold the Lamb of God, Who came to sacrifice Himself, to obtain for us the divine favour, and to become our Deliverer, our Life, our Light, and even our Food in the most Holy Sacrament!
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost; seek thy servant. \u2014 <\/em>(Is. ix., 6). \u00a0O Lord I am that sheep which, by following after my own pleasures and caprices, have miserably lost myself; but Thou, Who art at once the Shepherd and divine Lamb, art He Who came down from Heaven to save me by sacrificing Thyself as a victim on the Cross in satisfaction for my sins. \u00a0Behold, the Lamb of God; behold him who taketh away the sins of the world. \u2014 <\/em>(Ps. cxviii., 176). \u00a0If, therefore, I desire to amend my life, what need I fear? \u00a0Why should I not confide entirely in Thee, O my Saviour, Who wert born on purpose to save me? \u00a0Behold, God is my saviour; I will put my trust in him, and will not fear. \u2014 <\/em>(Is. xii., 2). \u00a0What greater proof couldst Thou give me of Thy mercy, O my dearest Redeemer, to inspire me with confidence, than to give me Thyself? \u00a0O my dear Infant, how grieved I am that I have offended Thee! \u00a0I have made Thee weep in the stable of Bethlehem. \u00a0But since Thou are come to seek me, I throw myself at Thy feet; and although I behold Thee afflicted and humbled, lying upon straw in the manger, I acknowledge Thee for my supreme King and Sovereign. \u00a0I feel that Thy tender infant-cries invite me to love Thee, and demand my heart. \u00a0Behold, my Jesus, I present it to-day at Thy feet; change it and inflame it, O Thou Who didst come into the world to inflame the hearts of men with Thy holy love.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 St. Maximus says that for this reason amongst others, Christ chose to be laid in the manger where the animals were fed, to make us understand that He had become Man also to make Himself our Food: \u201cIn the manger, where the food of animals is placed, He allowed His limbs to be laid, thereby showing that His own body would be the eternal Food of men.\u201d \u00a0Besides this, He is born every day in the Blessed Sacrament in the hands of the Priest at holy Mass; the Altar is the Crib, and there we go to feed ourselves on His flesh. \u00a0Some one might desire to have the holy Infant in his arms, as the aged Simeon had; but Faith teaches us that, when we receive Communion, the same Jesus Who was in the manger of Bethlehem is not only in our arms, but in our breasts. \u00a0He was born for this purpose, to give Himself entirely to us: A child is born to us, a son is given to us. \u2014 <\/em>(Is. ix., 6).
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I hear Thee, O my Jesus, say to me in Thy manger: Love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart. \u2014 <\/em>(Is. xii., 2). \u00a0And I will answer: Ah, my Jesus, if I do not love Thee, Who art my Lord and my God, whom shall I love?\u00a0 Thou callest Thyself mine, because Thou wert born in order to give Thyself entirely to me; and shall I refuse to be Thine? \u00a0No, my beloved Lord, I give myself entirely to Thee; and I love Thee with my whole heart.\u00a0 I love Thee, I love Thee, I love Thee, O sovereign Good, the one only Love of my soul. I beseech Thee accept me this day, and do not permit me evermore to cease to love Thee. \u00a0O Mary, my Queen, I pray thee, through that consolation which thou didst enjoy the first time thou didst behold thy new-born Son and didst give Him thy first kiss, beseech Him to accept me for His servant, and to enchain me forever to Himself by the gift of His holy love.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 \"A REDEN\u00c7\u00c3O DE SEU POVO\"<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Bendito seja o Senhor Deus de Israel, porque visitou e efetuou a reden\u00e7\u00e3o do seu povo<\/em>. - (Lucas. i., 68).
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0At\u00e9 ent\u00e3o, todos n\u00f3s \u00e9ramos escravos do inferno. Mas o que a Palavra Eterna e o Soberano Senhor fizeram para nos libertar dessa escravid\u00e3o? Ah, quem acreditaria nisso se a santa f\u00e9 n\u00e3o nos assegurasse? Quem poderia ter concebido isso? Mas a santa f\u00e9 nos diz e nos assegura que esse Senhor Supremo e Soberano, sendo em forma de Deus, esvaziou-se a si mesmo, assumindo a forma de servo<\/em> - para nos libertar da escravid\u00e3o de nosso inimigo mortal.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:<\/b>
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O Deus Todo-Poderoso \u00e9 o Senhor de tudo o que existe ou pode existir neste mundo, mas Ele n\u00e3o governou o cora\u00e7\u00e3o da humanidade que gemia sob a tirania miser\u00e1vel do diabo. Antes da vinda de Jesus Cristo, esse tirano era o senhor, e at\u00e9 mesmo se fez adorar pelos homens como um deus, com incenso e sacrif\u00edcios, n\u00e3o apenas de animais, mas at\u00e9 mesmo de seus pr\u00f3prios filhos e de suas pr\u00f3prias vidas. E ele, seu inimigo e tirano, que recompensa lhes deu? Ele torturou seus corpos com a mais b\u00e1rbara crueldade, cegou suas mentes e, por um caminho de dor e mis\u00e9ria, conduziu-os a tormentos eternos. Foi esse tirano que o Verbo Divino veio derrubar e, assim, libertar a humanidade de seu miser\u00e1vel cativeiro, a fim de que as infelizes criaturas, libertadas das trevas da morte, resgatadas do cativeiro desse monstro selvagem e esclarecidas quanto ao verdadeiro Caminho da Salva\u00e7\u00e3o, pudessem servir a seu verdadeiro e leg\u00edtimo Mestre, que as amava como um Pai e, deixando de ser escravas de Satan\u00e1s, desejava torn\u00e1-las Seus pr\u00f3prios filhos amados: Para que, libertados das m\u00e3os de nossos inimigos, pud\u00e9ssemos servi-lo sem temor.<\/em> - (Lucas I., p. 74). Nosso Salvador veio, ent\u00e3o, para nos libertar da escravid\u00e3o desse inimigo mortal; mas como? - De que maneira Ele nos libertou? Vamos aprender com S\u00e3o Paulo o que Ele fez: O qual, sendo em forma de Deus, n\u00e3o teve por usurpa\u00e7\u00e3o ser igual a Deus, mas esvaziou-se a si mesmo, tomando a forma de servo, tornando-se em semelhan\u00e7a de homens<\/em>. - (Phil. ii., 6).
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 meu Jesus, Voc\u00ea teve o prazer de se tornar um servo por amor a mim e para me libertar das correntes do inferno; e n\u00e3o apenas o servo de Seu Pai, mas tamb\u00e9m dos homens e dos carrascos, at\u00e9 a entrega de Sua vida! E eu, por amor a algum prazer miser\u00e1vel e venenoso, tantas vezes abandonei Teu servi\u00e7o e me tornei escravo do dem\u00f4nio! Amaldi\u00e7oo mil vezes os momentos em que, por um abuso perverso de meu livre arb\u00edtrio, desprezei Tua gra\u00e7a, \u00f3 Majestade Infinita. Com piedade, perdoa-me e prende-me a Ti com aquelas deliciosas correntes de amor com as quais mant\u00e9ns Tuas almas escolhidas em contato mais pr\u00f3ximo contigo. Eu Te amo, \u00f3 Verbo Encarnado! Eu Te amo, \u00f3 meu Soberano Bem! Oh, nunca mais permita que eu me separe de Ti.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Our Saviour Jesus was, says the Apostle St. Paul, the only-begotten Son of God, equal to His Father, eternal as His Father, almighty as His Father, immense, most wise, most happy, and sovereign Lord of Heaven and earth, of Angels and of men, no less than His Father; but for love of man He stooped to the lowly form of a servant, clothing Himself in human flesh, and likening Himself to men; and since sin had made them vassals of the devil, He came in the form of man to redeem them, offering His sufferings and death in satisfaction to the divine justice for the punishment due to them. \u00a0Ah! who would have believed it, if holy Faith did not assure us of it? \u00a0Who could ever have hoped for it? \u00a0Who could ever have conceived it? \u00a0But Faith tells us that this supreme and sovereign Lord emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.
<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 From His tenderest childhood, the Redeemer, by becoming a servant, was eager to begin and wrench from the devil that dominion which he had over man, according to the prophecy of Isaias: Call his name \u2013 Hasten to take away the spoils: Make haste to take away the prey.<\/em> \u2014 (Is. viii., 3). \u00a0\u201cThat is,\u201d as St. Jerome explains it, \u201csuffer the devil to reign no longer.\u201d \u00a0Behold Jesus, scarcely born, says the Venerable Bede, before He is registered in the Census of Caesar, and for our liberation \u201cis Himself inscribed in the list of servitude.\u201d \u00a0Observe how, in token of His servitude, He begins to pay off our debts by His sufferings; how He allows Himself to be wrapped in swaddling clothes (a type of the cords which should bind Him at a later day, to be led to death by cruel executioners). \u00a0\u201cGod suffers Himself,\u201d says a certain author,\u201d to be bound up in swaddling-bands, because He had come to release the world from its debts.\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I beseech Thee, O my Jesus, by all the sufferings of Thy life and death, do not suffer me ever more to leave Thee! \u00a0Suffer me not to be separated from Thee! \u00a0Suffer me not to be separated from Thee!
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O Mary, my refuge, thou hast hitherto been my sweet advocate, for it is thou who didst prevail on God still to wait for me and to pardon me with so much mercy.\u00a0 Succour me now, and obtain for me the grace to die, and to die a thousand times, rather than ever again to lose the grace of God. \u00a0Amen.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0 SOBRE AS VANTAGENS DO ESTADO RELIGIOSO<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0 JESUS NASCE CRIAN\u00c7A<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Consider that the first sign which the Angel gave to the shepherds, by which to discover the new-born Messias, was, that they would find Him in the form of an Infant: You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.<\/em> \u2014 (Luke ii., 12). \u00a0The littleness of infants is a great attraction for love; but a still greater attraction must the littleness of the Infant Jesus be to us, Who, being the incomprehensible God, has made Himself small for the love of us. \u00a0For our sake He has become a little Child.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Adam came into the world at a full age; but the Eternal Word chose to appear as an Infant \u2013 a child is born to us \u2013 <\/em>that He might thus attract our hearts to Himself with greater force. \u00a0So would He be born Who willed to be loved. \u00a0He came into the world not to inspire terror, but to be loved; and for this reason He preferred to show Himself at His first appearance, as a tender, weak Infant. \u00a0\u201cOur Lord is great, and greatly to be praised,\u201d says St. Peter Chrysologus. \u00a0My Lord is great, and therefore He deserves highly to be praised on account of His Infinite Majesty. \u00a0But when the Saint considered Him as a little Child in the stable of Bethlehem, he exclaimed with tenderness: \u201cMy Lord is a little Child and greatly to be loved.\u201d \u00a0My great and supreme God has made Himself little for me, and deserves my love.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ah, how is it possible that any one can reflect with faith on a God become a little Child, crying and weeping on the straw in a cave, and yet not love Him, and invite all men to love Him, as did St. Francis of Assisi, who said: \u201cLet us love the Child of Bethlehem, let us love the Child of Bethlehem.\u201d \u00a0He is an Infant; He does not speak, He only cries; but, O my God, are not these cries all voices of love, with which He invites us to love Him, and demands our hearts!
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Eternal Father, I, a miserable sinner, worthy of hell, have nothing of my own to offer Thee in satisfaction for my sins; I offer Thee the tears, the sufferings, the blood, the death of this Infant, Who is Thy Son; and through them I implore pity from Thee. \u00a0If I had not this Son to offer Thee, I should be lost; there would be no longer any hope for me; but Thou hast given Him to me for this purpose, in order that, in offering Thee His merits, I might have a good hope of my salvation. \u00a0My ingratitude, O Lord, is great; but Thy mercy is still greater.\u00a0 And what greater mercy could I hope for from Thee, than that Thou shouldst give me Thy own Son for my Redeemer, and as the Victim for my sins. \u00a0For the love, therefore, of Jesus Christ, forgive me all the offences that I have committed against Thee, of which I repent with my whole heart, because by them I have offended Thee, O infinite Goodness. \u00a0And for the sake of Jesus Christ I ask of Thee holy perseverance.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Let us consider, moreover, that infants also gain our affection because we consider them innocent; but all other infants are born with the infection of original sin.\u00a0 Jesus was born an Infant, but He was born holy \u2013 holy, innocent, undefiled. \u2014 <\/em>(Heb. vii., 26). \u00a0My beloved, says the holy Spouse, is all ruddy with love, and all white with innocence, without a spot of any sin: Meu amado \u00e9 branco e corado, escolhido entre milhares<\/em>. \u2014 (Cant, v., 10). \u00a0In this Infant did the Eternal Father find His delight, because, as St. Gregory says, \u201cin Him alone He found no fault.\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Let us miserable sinners comfort ourselves, because this Divine Infant has come down from Heaven to communicate His Innocence to us by means of His Passion.\u00a0 His merits, if we only knew how to apply them to ourselves, can change us from sinners into innocents and saints: in these merits let us place all our confidence; through them let us continually ask for graces from the Eternal Father, and we shall obtain everything.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O my God, if I should again offend Thee, after Thou hast waited for me with so much patience, after Thou hast assisted me with so much light, and forgiven me with so much love \u2013 I should indeed deserve a special hell for myself. \u00a0O my Father, do not forsake me, I pray Thee.\u00a0 I tremble when I think of the number of times I have betrayed Thee; how many times I have promised to love Thee, and then have again turned my back upon Thee?\u00a0 O my Creator, let me not have to lament the misfortune of seeing myself again deprived of Thy favour. \u00a0Permit me not to be separated from Thee! \u00a0Permit me not to be separated from Thee! \u00a0I repeat it, and will repeat it to my very last breath; and do Thou always give me the grace to repeat to Thee this prayer: Permit me not to be separated from Thee! \u00a0My Jesus, my dearest Infant, enchain me with Thy love. \u00a0I love Thee and will always love Thee. \u00a0Permit me not to be ever again separated from Thy love. \u00a0I love thee, too, my Mother; oh, do thou also love me. \u00a0And if thou lovest me, this is the favour I beg thee to obtain for me \u2013 that I may never cease to love my God<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 E COM ELE H\u00c1 ABUNDANTE REDEN\u00c7\u00c3O <\/em><\/b>-<\/em>\u00a0(Sl. cxxix., 7).<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Grande foi o pecado do homem, mas maior, diz o Ap\u00f3stolo, foi a d\u00e1diva da Reden\u00e7\u00e3o.\u00a0 N\u00e3o como a ofensa, mas tamb\u00e9m o dom<\/em>. - (Rom. v., 15). N\u00e3o foi apenas suficiente<\/em>, mas superabundante<\/em>.\u00a0 E com ele uma reden\u00e7\u00e3o abundante<\/em>. Eu Te amo, \u00f3 bondade infinita! Eu Te amo, \u00f3 Deus mais am\u00e1vel!<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:<\/b>
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Consolai-vos, consolai-vos, povo meu, diz o vosso Deus. Falai ao cora\u00e7\u00e3o de Jerusal\u00e9m (...) porque o seu mal chegou ao fim. -<\/em> (Is. xl., 1, 2). A raz\u00e3o \u00e9 que o pr\u00f3prio Deus descobriu uma maneira de salvar o homem, ao mesmo tempo em que Sua justi\u00e7a e Sua miseric\u00f3rdia ser\u00e3o satisfeitas.\u00a0 A justi\u00e7a e a paz se beijaram<\/em>. - (Sl. lxxxiv., 11). O pr\u00f3prio Filho de Deus se tornou homem, assumiu a forma de um pecador.\u00a0 Ele apareceu para tirar nossos pecados<\/em>diz S\u00e3o Jo\u00e3o. - (1 Jo. iii., 5). Ele se apresentou diante de seu Pai celestial e se ofereceu para pagar pela humanidade; e ent\u00e3o o Pai o enviou \u00e0 Terra para assumir a apar\u00eancia do homem pecador e ser feito em tudo semelhante aos pecadores: Deus enviando seu pr\u00f3prio Filho \u00e0 semelhan\u00e7a da carne pecaminosa<\/em>. - (Rom. viii., 3). E S\u00e3o Paulo acrescenta: E do pecado condenou o pecado na carne<\/em>. - (Ibid.).
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Deus, portanto, a fim de salvar a humanidade e, ao mesmo tempo, satisfazer as reivindica\u00e7\u00f5es de Sua justi\u00e7a, teve o prazer de condenar Seu pr\u00f3prio Filho a uma vida dolorosa e a uma morte vergonhosa. E isso pode ser verdade? O pr\u00f3prio Jesus Cristo afirma isso: Deus amou o mundo de tal maneira que deu seu Filho unig\u00eanito<\/em>. - (Jo. iii., 16). Um Deus condescende em amar os homens, vermes miser\u00e1veis, que foram rebeldes e ingratos para com Ele; e am\u00e1-los a ponto de dar Seu Filho unig\u00eanito, Aquele a quem Ele amava tanto quanto a Si mesmo! Ele n\u00e3o deu um servo, nem um anjo, nem um arcanjo, mas Seu pr\u00f3prio Filho! Ele O entregou a n\u00f3s, humildes, pobres, desprezados; Ele O entregou nas m\u00e3os de escravos, para ser tratado como um criminoso, at\u00e9 mesmo para ser morto, coberto de vergonha, em uma forca infame. \u00d3 gra\u00e7a! \u00d3 for\u00e7a do amor de Deus! exclama S\u00e3o Bernardo.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 meu Redentor e meu Deus, e quem sou eu para que o Senhor tenha me amado e ainda continue a me amar tanto! O que o Senhor j\u00e1 recebeu de mim que O obrigou a me amar assim? O que, a n\u00e3o ser ofensas e provoca\u00e7\u00f5es, que foram motivo para que me abandonasse e me banisse para sempre de Sua face? Mas, \u00f3 Senhor, eu aceito todas as penalidades, exceto essa! Perdoe-me, \u00f3 meu amado Infante, pois estou arrependido de todo o meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o. \u00d3 Maria, minha M\u00e3e, v\u00f3s sois minha esperan\u00e7a e o ref\u00fagio dos pecadores.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Say to the faint-hearted: Take courage and fear not . . . God Himself will come and will save you.<\/em> -<\/em> (Is. xxxv., 4). \u00a0Be no longer in despair, O poor sinners!\u00a0 What fear can you have that you will not be pardoned when the Son of God comes down from Heaven to save you? \u00a0If you cannot by your own works appease an offended God, behold One Who can appease Him! \u00a0This very Infant Whom you now see reposing on straw, and weeping \u2013 He with His tears, propitiates Him. \u00a0You have no grounds for being sad any more, says St. Leo, on account of the sentence of death fulminated against you, now that Life Itself is born for you \u2013 \u201cnor is there any lawful reason for sadness when it is the Birthday of Life.\u201d\u00a0 And St. Augustine: \u201cO sweet day for penitents! \u00a0To-day sin is taken away, and shall the sinner despair?\u201d \u00a0If you are unable to render due satisfaction to the divine justice, look on Jesus Who does penance for you. \u00a0Already does He commence to do it in this little Cave, and He will persevere in doing penance all His life and finally bring it to an end only on the Cross to which, according to St. Paul, He affixed the decree of your condemnation cancelling it in His own Blood: Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which was contrary to us. \u00a0And he hath taken the same out of the way, fastening it to the cross.<\/em> -<\/em> (Coloss, ii., 14).
\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Pardon me, O my beloved Infant, for I am sorry with my whole heart for every single displeasure I have given Thee. \u00a0O Redeemer, and Redeemer again and again of my soul! my soul is now enamoured of Thee and loves Thee. \u00a0Thou hast loved me above measure, so that, overcome by Thy love, I could no longer resist its winning appeals. \u00a0I love Thee, then, O Infinite Goodness!\u00a0 I love Thee, O most lovable God! \u00a0Do Thou never cease to enkindle more and more in my heart the flames and fiery darts of love. \u00a0For Thy own glory cause Thyself to be greatly loved by one who has greatly offended Thee. \u00a0O Mary, assist a poor sinner who desires to prove faithful to God. \u00a0Help me to love Him and to love Him exceedingly.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0 SOBRE AS VANTAGENS DO ESTADO RELIGIOSO <\/em><\/strong>(continua\u00e7\u00e3o)<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0 JESUS EM FAIXAS<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Imagine that you see Mary, having now brought forth her Son, take Him reverently in her arms, adore Him as her God, and then wrap Him up in swathing-bands: she wrapped him up in swaddling-clothes.<\/em> -<\/em> (Luke ii., 7).\u00a0 The Holy Church says the same: \u201cHis tender limbs in swathing-bands the Virgin Mother binds.\u201d \u00a0Behold the Infant Jesus, Who obediently offers His little hands and feet, and allows Himself to be swathed. \u00a0Consider how every time the Holy Infant allowed Himself to be swathed He thought of the cords with which He would one day be led captive in the Garden, and of those also which would bind Him to the pillar, and of the nails which would fasten Him to the Cross; and, thinking of these things, He willingly allowed Himself to be bound, in order to deliver our souls from the chains of hell.\u00a0 Bound, then, in these swaddling-clothes, and turning to us, Jesus invites us to unite ourselves closely to Him with the sweet bonds of love. \u00a0And turning to His Eternal Father, He says: My Father, men have abused their liberty, and, rebelling against Thee, have made themselves the slaves of sin; but I, to make satisfaction for their disobedience, am willing to be bound and confined in swathing bands. \u00a0Bound with these, I offer Thee my liberty, in order that man may be delivered from the slavery of the devil. \u00a0I accept these bands; they are dear to Me, because they represent the cords with which, from this moment, I offer Myself to be one day bound and led to death for the salvation of men.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And what fear can I have of Thy chastisements, O my beloved Infant, now that I see Thee in these swathing-bands, depriving Thyself, so to say, of the power of raising Thy hand to punish me? \u00a0Thou dost give me to understand by these bands that Thou wilt not chastise me, if I will loose myself from the chains of my vices, and bind myself to Thee. \u00a0Yes, my Jesus, I resolve to free myself. \u00a0I repent with all my heart of having separated myself from Thee, by abusing that liberty which Thou hast given me. \u00a0Thou dost offer me another and a nobler liberty; a liberty which delivers me from the chains of the devil, and places me among the children of God.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 His bands are a healthful binding.<\/em> -<\/em> (Ecclus. vi., 31).\u00a0 The bands of Jesus were the healthful binding to heal the wounds of our souls. \u00a0Therefore, O my Jesus, Thou didst will to be wrapped in swathing-bands for the love of me. \u00a0\u201cO Love, how great is thy bond, which could bind a God!\u201d O Divine Love, Thou alone couldst make my God Thy Prisoner. \u00a0And shall I then, O Lord, refuse to have myself bound by Thy holy love? \u00a0Shall I for the future, be so unfaithful as to loose myself from Thy sweet and amiable chains? \u00a0And for what? \u00a0To make myself a slave of hell? \u00a0O my Lord, Thou remainest bound in this manger for the love of me; I desire always to remain bound to Thee. \u00a0St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi used to say that the bands which we ought to take are a firm resolution of uniting ourselves closely to God by means of love; detaching ourselves at the same time from all affection for any thing that is not God. \u00a0For this reason also it seems that our loving Jesus has allowed Himself to be, as it were, bound and a Prisoner in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, under the sacramental species, that He might see His beloved souls made also prisoners of His love.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thou hast given Thyself up to be imprisoned in these bands for the love of me; I will be a prisoner of Thy immense love. \u00a0O blessed chains, O beautiful emblems of salvation, which unite souls to God, bind also my poor heart! \u00a0But bind it so fast, that it may never in future be able to disengage itself from the love of this sovereign Good. \u00a0My Jesus, I love Thee; I bind myself to Thee; I give Thee my whole heart, my whole will. \u00a0No, I will never leave Thee again, my beloved Lord. \u00a0O my Saviour, Who, to pay my debts, didst will not only to be wrapped by Mary in swathing-bands, but even to be bound as a criminal by the executioners, and thus bound, go through the streets of Jerusalem, to be led to death as an innocent lamb to slaughter; O Thou Who didst will to be nailed to the Cross, and didst not come down from it until Thou hadst given up Thy life upon it \u2013 permit me not, I beseech Thee, ever to separate myself again from Thee, so as to see myself once more deprived of Thy grace and of Thy love. \u00a0O Mary, who didst bind in swathing-bands this Thy innocent Son, bind me also, a miserable sinner, I pray thee; bind me to Jesus, so that I may never again leave His feet; that bound to Him I may always live and die thus bound, in order that I may have the happiness to enter into that blessed country, where I shall no longer have the power, and no longer the fear, of separating myself from His holy love.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFESTA DOS SANTOS INOCENTES (28 DE DEZEMBRO)<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 DEUS SE FEZ NOSSO<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Diga-me, cruel Herodes, por que voc\u00ea ordena que tantos beb\u00eas inocentes sejam assassinados e sacrificados em prol de sua ambi\u00e7\u00e3o de reinar? Por acaso teme que o Messias que acaba de nascer possa lhe roubar o reino? Esse Rei que agora nasceu veio, n\u00e3o para vencer por meio de lutas, mas para subjugar o cora\u00e7\u00e3o dos homens, sofrendo e morrendo por seu amor.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O cruel Herodes ordenou que os beb\u00eas inocentes fossem assassinados e sacrificados \u00e0 sua ambi\u00e7\u00e3o, temendo, talvez, que o Messias rec\u00e9m-nascido lhe roubasse o reino. \"Por que voc\u00ea est\u00e1 t\u00e3o perturbado, Herodes?\", pergunta S\u00e3o Fulg\u00eancio. \"Este Rei que nasceu veio, n\u00e3o para derrotar os reis lutando, mas para subjug\u00e1-los morrendo.\" Esse Rei veio para reinar no cora\u00e7\u00e3o dos homens, sofrendo e morrendo por seu amor. \"Ele veio\", continua o Santo, \"n\u00e3o, portanto, para que pudesse combater vivo, mas para que pudesse triunfar morto\". Deixem Herodes de lado, \u00f3 almas devotas, e vamos nos concentrar em n\u00f3s mesmos. Por que, ent\u00e3o, o Filho de Deus veio \u00e0 Terra? Foi para se entregar a n\u00f3s? Sim. Isaias nos garante isso: Uma crian\u00e7a nasceu para n\u00f3s e um filho nos foi dado<\/em>. O amor que esse amoroso Salvador tem por n\u00f3s e o desejo que Ele tem de ser amado por n\u00f3s O levaram a fazer isso. Sendo Seu, Ele Se tornou nosso! Esse Deus sobre o qual ningu\u00e9m pode governar, por assim dizer, se entregou cativo ao amor. O amor obteve a vit\u00f3ria sobre Ele e, por ser Seu, colocou-O em nossa posse. \"Nasceu Aquele que pertencia a Si mesmo\", diz S\u00e3o Bernardo. Aquele que pertencia totalmente a Si mesmo escolheu nascer para n\u00f3s e tornar-se nosso; o amor triunfa sobre Deus! Deus amou tanto o mundo a ponto de dar Seu Filho unig\u00eanito! E eis que Ele j\u00e1 chegou do c\u00e9u em um est\u00e1bulo, como uma crian\u00e7a - nascido para n\u00f3s e dado a n\u00f3s.\u00a0 Uma crian\u00e7a nasceu para n\u00f3s e um filho nos foi dado<\/em>. - (Is. xi., 6). Foi exatamente isso que o anjo quis dizer ao se dirigir aos pastores: Hoje nasceu para voc\u00ea um Salvador<\/em>. - (Lucas ii., 11). \u00c9 como se dissesse: \u00d3 homens, ide \u00e0 gruta de Bel\u00e9m; ali adorai o Menino que encontrareis deitado na palha de uma manjedoura e tremendo de frio. Saibam que Ele \u00e9 o Deus de voc\u00eas, que n\u00e3o consentiria em enviar qualquer outro para salv\u00e1-los, mas viria Ele mesmo para ganhar para Si todo o amor de voc\u00eas.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Oh, meu amado Infante, meu querido Redentor, j\u00e1 que desceste do C\u00e9u para Te entregar a mim, o que mais devo procurar no C\u00e9u ou na Terra al\u00e9m de Ti? S\u00ea Tu o \u00fanico Senhor de meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o; possui-o inteiramente. Que minha alma ame somente a Ti e busque agradar somente a Ti!<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In divers ways had God already striven to win the hearts of men: at one time with benefits, at another, with threats, and again with promises; but He had still fallen short of His aim. \u00a0His infinite love, says St. Augustine, made Him devise the plan of giving Himself entirely to us by the Incarnation of the Word, in order thus to oblige us to love Him with our whole hearts. \u00a0\u201cThen Love found out the plan of delivering up Itself!\u201d \u00a0He could have sent an Angel, a Seraph, to redeem man. \u00a0But aware that man, had he been redeemed by a Seraph, would have to divide his heart by partly loving his Creator, and partly loving this redeemer, God, Who wished to possess the entire heart and the entire love of man, “wished therefore to be,\u201d as says a pious author, \u201cboth our Creator and Redeemer Himself.\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And not only has Jesus Christ given Himself to all men in general, but He has wished, moreover, to give Himself to each one in particular. \u00a0This it was caused St. Paul to say: He loved me and delivered Himself for me<\/em>. \u2014 (Gal. ii., 20). \u00a0So that, dear child of God, if there had been no others in the world beside yourself, the Redeemer would have come for the sake of you alone and would have given His Blood and His life for you.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My God, my Beloved, has given Himself all to me; it is but reasonable for me to give myself all to my God.\u00a0 Let others strive after and enjoy, if enjoyment can ever be found apart from Thee, the goods and fortunes of this world. \u00a0Thee alone do I desire, Who art my fortune, my riches, my peace, my hope in this life and in eternity.\u00a0 Behold, then, my heart, I give it wholly to Thee. \u00a0It is no longer mine own, but Thine.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O happy thou, most holy Virgin Mary; thou wert wholly and always God\u2019s own \u2013 all fair, all pure and without spot. \u00a0I have not belonged to God in the past, but now I wish to be His, and to be His entirely. \u00a0O my hope, obtain me strength to be grateful and faithful to Him till death! \u00a0Amen. \u00a0This is my hope. \u00a0So may it be.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0 SOBRE AS VANTAGENS DO ESTADO RELIGIOSO <\/em><\/strong>(continua\u00e7\u00e3o)<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0 JESUS TOMANDO LEITE<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As soon as Jesus was swathed, He looked for and took milk from the breast of Mary. \u00a0The Spouse in the Canticles desired to see her little brother taking milk from his mother: Who shall give thee to me for my brother, sucking the breasts of my mother.<\/em> -<\/em> (Cant, vii., 1). \u00a0This Spouse desired, but did not see Him; but we are they who have had the happiness of seeing the Son of God made Man, and become our Brother, taking milk at the breast of Mary. \u00a0Oh, what a spectacle must it not have been to Paradise to see the Divine Word become an Infant, sucking milk from a Virgin who was His own creature! \u00a0He, then, Who feeds all men and all animals upon the earth, is become so weak and so poor, that He requires a little milk to sustain His life! \u00a0Sister Paula, the Camaldolese, in contemplating a little image of Jesus taking milk, felt herself at once inflamed with a tender love for God. \u00a0Jesus took but little of this milk, and took it but seldom in the day. \u00a0It was revealed to Sister Mary Anne, a Franciscan, that Mary only gave Him milk three times in the day. \u00a0O milk most precious to us, to be changed into blood in the veins of Jesus Christ, and afterwards to be made by Him a bath of salvation in which to cleanse our souls!
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O my sweet and most amiable Infant, Thou art the Bread of Heaven which sustains the Angels; Thou dost provide all creatures with food; and yet how art Thou reduced to the necessity of begging a little milk to preserve Thy life! \u00a0O Divine Love, how hast Thou been able to make a God so poor as to be in want of a little food? \u00a0But I now understand Thee, O my Jesus; Thou didst take milk from Mary in this Cave, to offer it afterwards to God changed into blood, as a sacrifice on the Cross, and in satisfaction for our sins. \u00a0Give, O Mary, give all the milk thou canst to this Son, because every drop has to serve to wash away the sins from my soul, and to nourish it afterwards in Holy Communion.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Let us consider also that Jesus took milk in order to nourish the Body which He wished to leave us as food in the Holy Communion. \u00a0Therefore, my little Redeemer, whilst Thou dost take milk, Thou art thinking of me; Thou art thinking of changing this milk into blood, to be shed afterwards at Thy death, and with that price ransom my soul, and feed it in the Most Holy Sacrament which is the saving milk with which Thou preservest our souls in the life of grace: \u201cChrist is your milk,\u201d says St. Augustine. \u00a0O beloved Infant, O my Jesus, let me also exclaim with the woman in the Gospel: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck.<\/em> \u2014 (Luke xi., 27). \u00a0Blessed art thou, O Mother of God, who hadst the happiness to give milk to the Incarnate Word! \u00a0Oh, permit me, in company with thy divine Son, to take from thee the milk of a tender and loving devotion to the infancy of Jesus and to thyself, my dearest Mother. \u00a0And I thank Thee, O Divine Infant, Who didst allow Thyself to be in need of milk, in order to prove to me the great love Thou bearest me. \u00a0It is precisely this that our Lord gave St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi to understand \u2013 that He had reduced Himself to the necessity of taking milk, in order to make us comprehend the love that He has for redeemed souls.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O my Redeemer, how can any one who believes what Thou hast done and suffered to save us, refuse to love Thee? \u00a0And I, how could I know this, and yet be so ungrateful to Thee? \u00a0But Thy goodness is my hope; and this makes me know that if I wish for Thy grace, it is mine. \u00a0I repent, O sovereign Good, of having offended Thee, and I love Thee above everything. \u00a0Or rather, I love nothing; I love and will love Thee alone; Thou art, and shalt always be, my only Good, my only Love. \u00a0My dear Redeemer, give me, I pray Thee, a tender devotion to Thy holy Infancy, such as Thou hast given to so many souls, who, meditating on Thee as an Infant, and forgetting all else, seem unable to think of anything but of loving Thee. \u00a0It is true that they are innocent, and I am a sinner; but Thou didst become a Child to make Thyself loved even by sinners. \u00a0I have been such; but now I love Thee with my whole heart, and I desire nothing but Thy love. \u00a0O Mary, give me a little of that tender love with which thou didst give milk to the Infant Jesus.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal: \"A FLECHA ESCOLHIDA\"<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ele me fez uma flecha escolhida; em sua aljava ele me escondeu<\/em>. - (Is. xlix., 2).
\u00a0 \u00a0 O Cardeal Hugo observa que, assim como o ca\u00e7ador mant\u00e9m em reserva a melhor flecha para o \u00faltimo tiro, a fim de garantir sua presa, \"assim foi Jesus Cristo reservado no seio de Seu Pai at\u00e9 que viesse a plenitude dos tempos, e Ele foi enviado para ferir os cora\u00e7\u00f5es dos fi\u00e9is\".<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Santo Agostinho diz que Deus, a fim de cativar o amor dos homens, lan\u00e7ou v\u00e1rios dardos de amor em seus cora\u00e7\u00f5es. \"Deus sabe como disparar suas flechas contra o amor: Ele envia a flecha para que Ele possa fazer um amante.\" O que s\u00e3o essas flechas? S\u00e3o todas as criaturas que vemos ao nosso redor; pois Deus as criou todas para o homem, para que o homem possa am\u00e1-Lo; por isso o mesmo santo diz: \"O c\u00e9u e a terra e todas as coisas me dizem para Te amar\". Parecia ao santo que o sol, a lua, as estrelas, as montanhas, as plan\u00edcies, os mares e os rios falavam com ele e diziam: Agostinho, ame a Deus, porque Deus nos criou para voc\u00ea, para que voc\u00ea O ame<\/em>. Quando Santa Maria Madalena de Pazzi segurava em sua m\u00e3o uma bela fruta ou flor, ela declarava que a fruta ou a flor era um dardo em seu cora\u00e7\u00e3o que a feria com o amor de Deus. Santa Teresa disse que todas as coisas belas que vemos, os lagos, os rios, as flores, as frutas, os p\u00e1ssaros - todos nos ofendem com nossa ingratid\u00e3o a Deus, pois todos s\u00e3o sinais do amor que Ele nos tem. Conta-se que um piedoso eremita, caminhando pelo campo, imaginou que as ervas e as flores o repreendiam por sua ingratid\u00e3o; por isso, \u00e0 medida que avan\u00e7ava, batia nelas gentilmente com seu cajado, dizendo-lhes \"Calem-se! Eu entendo voc\u00eas! N\u00e3o mais! Voc\u00eas me insultam com minha ingratid\u00e3o, pois Deus os criou com tanta beleza por minha causa, para que eu possa am\u00e1-Lo, e eu n\u00e3o O amo! Oh, fique em sil\u00eancio, eu entendo! Chega! Chega!\"
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Assim, todas essas criaturas eram tantos dardos de amor no cora\u00e7\u00e3o dos homens. Mas Deus n\u00e3o estava satisfeito apenas com esses dardos; eles n\u00e3o eram suficientes para conquistar o amor dos homens.\u00a0 Ele me fez uma flecha escolhida; na sua aljava me escondeu.<\/em>\u00a0 Assim, entre todas as Suas d\u00e1divas, Deus manteve Jesus em reserva at\u00e9 que a plenitude dos tempos chegasse, e ent\u00e3o O enviou como uma \u00faltima flecha para ferir com amor o cora\u00e7\u00e3o dos homens.\u00a0 Tuas flechas s\u00e3o afiadas; debaixo de ti cair\u00e3o povos<\/em>. - (Sl. xliv., 6). Ah, quantos cora\u00e7\u00f5es feridos eu vejo ardendo de amor diante da manjedoura de Bel\u00e9m! Quantos aos p\u00e9s da Cruz do Calv\u00e1rio! Quantos diante da Santa Presen\u00e7a do Sant\u00edssimo Sacramento em nossos altares!
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ah, meu Senhor, diga-me, h\u00e1 mais alguma coisa que possa inventar para fazer com que seja amado? Fa\u00e7a com que Suas inven\u00e7\u00f5es sejam conhecidas entre as pessoas, como gritou Isa\u00edas. \u00d3 almas redimidas, v\u00e3o e publiquem em todos os lugares os dispositivos amorosos desse Deus amoroso que Ele planejou e executou para fazer-Se amado pelos homens!<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 St. Peter Chrysologus says our Redeemer took many various forms to attract the love of men. \u00a0\u201cFor our sake He showed Himself under different forms Who remains in the form of His majesty.\u201d \u00a0The unchangeable God would appear now as a Child in a stable, now as a Boy in the workshop, now as Criminal on a scaffold, and now as Bread on the Altar! \u00a0In these varying figures Jesus chose to exhibit Himself to us; but whatever the character He assumed, it was always the character of a Lover.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, how God longs to see, and how dearly He loves, a heart that is wholly His! \u00a0Ah, what delicate and loving caresses does He not bestow; what good things, what delights, what glory does God not prepare in Paradise for a heart that is wholly His! \u00a0The Venerable Father John Leonard de Lettera, a Dominican, one day beheld Jesus Christ under the appearance of a hunter traversing the forest of this earth with an arrow in His hand. \u00a0The servant of God asked Him wherefore He was thus engaged. \u00a0Jesus answered that He was seeking after hearts. \u00a0Who knows whether now in these days the Infant Redeemer will have the success to hit and make a prize of some hearts after which He has been pursuing for a long time, and hitherto has been unable to wound and capture!
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Devout souls, if Jesus gains us, we shall also gain Jesus.\u00a0 The advantage of such an exchange is all on our side.\u00a0 \u201cTeresa!\u201d said the Lord one day to this Saint, \u201cup to this time, you have not been all Mine. \u00a0Now that you are all Mine, be assured that I am all yours.\u201d \u00a0Love is the bond which binds the Lover with the loved one, says St. Augustine. \u00a0God has every wish to embrace us and unite us to Himself, but it is also necessary for us to strive and unite ourselves to God.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My dear Jesus, inflame me with Thy holy love, since for this end Thou didst come upon the earth. \u00a0Lord, I have hitherto been ungrateful and blind. \u00a0Now that I see Thee trembling with cold on the straw, crying and weeping for me \u2013 O my Infant God, how can I live without loving Thee! \u00a0O Mary, great Mother of this great Son, and most beloved by Him, pray to Him for me.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0 SOBRE AS VANTAGENS DO ESTADO RELIGIOSO <\/em><\/strong>(continua\u00e7\u00e3o)<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0 JESUS DEITADO SOBRE A PALHA\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jesus is born in the stable of Bethlehem. \u00a0His poor Mother has neither wool nor down to make a bed for the tender Infant. \u00a0What does she do, then? \u00a0She gathers together a handful of straw into the manger, and puts Him to lie upon it: And she laid him in the manger.<\/em> \u2014 (Luke ii., 7). \u00a0But, O my God, how hard and painful is this bed for an infant just born; the limbs of a babe are so delicate, and especially the limbs of Jesus, which were formed by the Holy Spirit with a special delicacy, in order that they might be the more sensible to suffering.\u00a0 A body thou hast fitted to me.<\/em> \u2014 (Heb. x., 5).
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Wherefore the hardness of such a bed must have caused Him excessive pain \u2013 pain and shame; for what child, even of the lowest of the people, is ever laid on straw as soon as he is born? \u00a0Straw is a bed fit only for beasts; and yet the Son of God had none other on earth than a bed of miserable straw! \u00a0St. Francis of Assisi, one day, as he sat at table, heard these words of the Gospel: And laid him in a manger;<\/em> and he exclaimed: \u201cWhat? My Lord was laid on the straw, and shall I continue to sit?\u201d\u00a0 And so he arose from his seat, threw himself on the ground, and there finished his scanty meal, mingling with it tears of tenderness as he contemplated the sufferings that the Infant Jesus endured whilst He lay on the straw.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O Lover of souls, O my loving Redeemer! is not, then, the sorrowful Passion that awaits Thee, and the bitter death that is prepared for Thee on the Cross, sufficient, but that Thou must, even from the commencement of Thy life, even from Thy Infancy, begin to suffer? \u00a0Yes, because even as an Infant Thou wouldst begin to be my Redeemer, and to satisfy the divine justice for my sins.\u00a0 Thou didst chose a bed of straw to deliver me from the fire of hell, into which I have so many times deserved to be cast. \u00a0Thou didst cry and mourn on this bed of straw to obtain for me pardon from Thy Father. \u00a0Oh, how these Thy tears afflict me, and yet console me! \u00a0They afflict me from compassion at seeing Thee, an innocent Babe, suffering so much for sins not Thy own; they console me, because Thy sufferings assure me of my salvation, and of Thy immense love for me.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But why did Mary, who had so earnestly desired the birth of this Son \u2013 why did she, who loved Him so much, allow Him to lie and suffer on this hard bed, instead of keeping Him in her arms? \u00a0This is a mystery, says St. Thomas of Villanova: \u201cNor would she have laid Him in such a place, unless there had been some great mystery in it.\u201d \u00a0This great mystery has been explained by many in different ways, but the explanation most pleasing to me is that of St. Peter Damian: Jesus wished as soon as He was born to be placed on the straw, in order to teach us the mortification of our senses: \u201cHe laid down the law of martyrdom.\u201d \u00a0The world had been lost by sensual pleasures. \u00a0From the time of Adam multitudes of his descendants had thus been lost. \u00a0The Eternal Word came from Heaven to teach us the love of suffering; and He began as a Child to teach it by choosing for Himself the most acute sufferings that an infant could endure. \u00a0It was, therefore, He Himself Who inspired His Mother to cease from holding Him in her tender arms, and to place Him on the hard bed, that He might the more feel the cold of the cave and the pricking of the rough straw.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But, my Jesus, I will not leave Thee alone to cry and to suffer. \u00a0I also will weep; for I alone deserve to shed tears on account of the offences I have committed against Thee. \u00a0I, who have deserved hell, will not refuse any suffering whatever, so that I may regain Thy favour, O my Saviour. \u00a0Forgive me, I beseech Thee; receive me once more into Thy friendship, make me love Thee, and then chastise me as Thou wilt. \u00a0Deliver me from eternal punishment, and then treat me as it shall please Thee.\u00a0 I do not seek the pleasures of this life; he does not deserve pleasure who has had the temerity to offend Thee, O infinite Goodness. \u00a0I am content to suffer all the crosses Thou shalt send me; but, my Jesus, I will love Thee still. \u00a0O Mary, who didst sympathise by thy sufferings with the sufferings of Jesus, obtain for me the grace to suffer all my trials with patience. \u00a0Woe to me, if, after so many sins, I do not suffer something in this life! \u00a0And blessed shall I be if I have the happiness to accompany thee in thy sufferings, O my sorrowful Mother, and Thee, O my Jesus, always afflicted and crucified for love of me.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTRINTA DE DEZEMBRO<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal: A BREVIDADE DA VIDA<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Toda carne \u00e9 grama<\/em>. A vida do homem \u00e9 como a vida de uma folha de grama. A morte chega, a grama seca. Eis que a vida termina, e a flor de toda grandeza e de todos os bens mundanos cai!\u00a0 A grama secou e a flor caiu!<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O que \u00e9 sua vida? \u00c9 um vapor que aparece por um pouco de tempo<\/em>. - (James, iv., 15).
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O que \u00e9 sua vida? \u00c9 um vapor que se dissipa com um sopro de vento e n\u00e3o \u00e9 mais visto. Todos sabem que precisam morrer, mas a ilus\u00e3o de muitos \u00e9 que imaginam que a morte est\u00e1 t\u00e3o distante, como se nunca fosse chegar. Mas J\u00f3 nos diz que a vida do homem \u00e9 curta.\u00a0 Homem nascido de mulher, que vive pouco tempo, ... que nasce como uma flor e \u00e9 destru\u00eddo<\/em>. - (J\u00f3 xiv., 12). O Senhor ordenou a Isa\u00edas que pregasse essa verdade ao povo.\u00a0 Chora... Toda carne \u00e9 grama... De fato, o povo \u00e9 grama. A grama secou e a flor caiu.<\/em>. - (Is. xl. 6 sqq.). A vida do homem pode ser comparada \u00e0 de uma folha de grama; a morte chega, a grama seca; eis que a vida termina, e a flor de toda grandeza e de todos os bens mundanos cai.
\u00a0 \u00a0 Meus dias<\/em>, diz J\u00f3, foram mais r\u00e1pidas do que um poste<\/em>. - (J\u00f3 ix., 25). A morte corre para nos encontrar mais rapidamente e n\u00f3s, a todo momento, corremos t\u00e3o rapidamente para a morte. Cada passo, cada respira\u00e7\u00e3o nos aproxima de nosso fim. \"O que eu escrevo\", diz S\u00e3o Jer\u00f4nimo, \"\u00e9 muito tirado da vida\". Durante o tempo em que escrevo, me aproximo da morte.\u00a0 Todos n\u00f3s morremos e, como as \u00e1guas que n\u00e3o voltam mais, ca\u00edmos na terra<\/em>. - (2 Reis xiv., 14). Vejam como o riacho corre para o mar, e as \u00e1guas que passam nunca mais voltam! Assim, meu irm\u00e3o, seus dias passam e voc\u00ea se aproxima da morte. Os prazeres, as divers\u00f5es, as pompas, os louvores e as aclama\u00e7\u00f5es passam; e s\u00f3 me resta a sepultura<\/em>. - (J\u00f3 xvii., 1). Na hora da morte, a lembran\u00e7a dos prazeres desfrutados e de todas as honras adquiridas nesta vida servir\u00e1 apenas para aumentar nossa dor e nossa desconfian\u00e7a de obter a salva\u00e7\u00e3o eterna. Ent\u00e3o, o miser\u00e1vel mundano dir\u00e1: \"Minha casa, meus jardins, meus m\u00f3veis da moda, meus quadros, minhas roupas, em pouco tempo n\u00e3o ser\u00e3o mais meus, e s\u00f3 me resta a sepultura<\/em>.”
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ah, meu Deus e Senhor de infinita majestade! Tenho vergonha de me apresentar diante de Ti. Quantas vezes Te desonrei, preferindo um prazer s\u00f3rdido, a indulg\u00eancia da raiva, do capricho ou da vaidade, \u00e0 Tua gra\u00e7a? \u00d3 meu Redentor, eu adoro e beijo Tuas santas feridas, que infligi por meus pecados, mas por meio das quais espero o perd\u00e3o e a salva\u00e7\u00e3o. \u00d3 meu Jesus, faze-me compreender o grande dano que Te causei ao deixar-Te, a Fonte de todo bem, para beber \u00e1guas p\u00fatridas e envenenadas. Agora s\u00f3 me resta a dor, o remorso de consci\u00eancia e os frutos do inferno.\u00a0 Pai, n\u00e3o sou digno de ser chamado de seu filho<\/em>. - (Lucas xv., 21). Meu Pai, n\u00e3o me rejeite. \u00c9 verdade que n\u00e3o mere\u00e7o mais a gra\u00e7a que me tornaria Teu filho; mas Tu disseste: Volte-se para mim, . . . e eu me voltarei para<\/em> voc\u00ea<\/em>. - (Zach. i., 3). Desejo amar-Te durante o resto de minha vida e n\u00e3o desejo amar nada al\u00e9m de Ti. Ajude-me; d\u00ea-me santa perseveran\u00e7a e Seu santo amor. Maria, meu ref\u00fagio, suplique a Jesus Cristo por mim.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 How great is the folly of those who, for the miserable and transitory delights of this short life, expose themselves to the danger of an unhappy death, and afterwards of an unhappy eternity. \u00a0Oh! how important is that last\u00a0moment, that last gasp, that last closing scene! \u00a0On it depends an eternity either of all delights or of all torments \u2014 a life of eternal happiness or of everlasting woe. \u00a0Let us consider that Jesus Christ submitted to a cruel and ignominious death in order to obtain for us the grace of a good death. \u00a0That we may at that last moment die in the grace of God is the reason why He gives us so many calls, so many lights, and admonishes us by so many threats.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If there were two tickets in a lottery, on one of which was written Inferno<\/em> and on the other Heaven,<\/em> what care would you not take to draw that which would give you a right to Paradise, and to avoid the other, by which you would be condemned to a place in hell! \u00a0O God! how the hands of those unhappy men tremble who are condemned to throw the die on which life or death depends! \u00a0How great will be your terror at the approach of that last hour, when you will say: On this moment depends my life or death for eternity; on this depends whether I shall be forever happy or forever in despair!\u00a0 St. Bernardine of Sienna relates, that at death a certain prince exclaimed, with trembling and dismay: Behold, I have so many kingdoms and palaces in this world; but if I die this night I know not what apartment shall be assigned to me in the next.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Brother, if you believe that you must die, that there is an eternity, that you can die only once, and that if you then err, your error will be forever irreparable, why do you not resolve to begin at this moment to do all in your power to secure a good death? \u00a0St. Andrew Avellino said with trembling: \u201cWho knows what will be my lot in the next life? \u00a0Shall I be saved or damned?\u201d \u00a0Oh! hasten to apply a remedy in time; resolve to give yourself sincerely to God, and begin from this moment a life which, at the hour of death, will be to you a source, not of affliction, but of consolation. \u00a0Give yourself up to prayer, frequent the Sacraments, avoid all dangerous occasions, and, if necessary, leave the world, secure to yourself eternal salvation, and be persuaded that to secure eternal life no precaution can be too great.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O my dear Saviour, how great are my obligations to Thee! \u00a0How hast Thou been able to bestow so many graces on so ungrateful a traitor as I have been? \u00a0Thou didst create me; and in creating me Thou didst see the injuries which I would commit against Thee. \u00a0Thou didst redeem me by dying for me: and then, too, Thou didst see the ingratitude which I would be guilty of towards Thee. \u00a0Being placed in the world I turned my back upon Thee by my sins. \u00a0My soul was dead and Thou didst restore me to life. \u00a0I was blind, and Thou didst enlighten me. \u00a0I had lost Thee, and Thou didst enable me to find Thee. \u00a0I was Thy enemy, and Thou didst make me Thy friend. \u00a0O God of mercy, make me feel the obligations which I owe Thee, and make me weep over the offences which I have committed against Thee. \u00a0O Eternal Father, I abhor and detest, above all evils, the injuries I have done Thee. \u00a0Have mercy on me for the sake of Jesus Christ. \u00a0Look at Thy Son dead on the Cross. \u00a0Sanguis ejus super me.<\/em> \u00a0May His Blood flow upon me and wash my soul! \u00a0Mary, my Queen and Mother, assist me by thy intercession. \u00a0Mother of God, pray for me.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0 SOBRE AS VANTAGENS DO ESTADO RELIGIOSO <\/em><\/strong>(continua\u00e7\u00e3o)<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna: JESUS DORMINDO<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Very short and painful were the slumbers of the Infant Jesus. \u00a0A manger was His cradle, straw was His bed, and straw His pillow; so that the sleep of Jesus was often interrupted by the hardness of this rough and painful little bed, and by the severe cold of the cave. \u00a0Notwithstanding this, overcome by nature, the sweet Babe from time to time slept amidst His sufferings. \u00a0But the sleep of Jesus differed much from that of other children; the slumbers of other children are useful for the preservation of life, but not for the operations of the soul, because the soul being buried with the senses in sleep, does not then work; but such was not the sleep of Jesus Christ: I sleep, and my heart watcheth.<\/em> \u2014 (Cant, v., 2). \u00a0His body was asleep, but His soul was watching, because it was united to the Person of the Word, Who could not slumber, nor be lulled to sleep by the senses. \u00a0The Holy Infant, therefore, slept; but while He slept He thought of all the sufferings He was to endure for our love during His life and at His death. \u00a0He thought of the fatigues He was to undergo in Egypt and in Nazareth during His poor and despised life. \u00a0He thought then, in particular, of the scourges, of the thorns, of the ignominies, of the agonies, and of that desolate death that He was at last to suffer upon the Cross; and whilst He was sleeping He offered all this to His Eternal Father to obtain for us pardon and salvation. \u00a0So that our Saviour, even while sleeping, was meriting for us and appeasing His Father, and obtaining graces for us.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My beloved and holy Infant, Thou sleepest, and oh, how much do not Thy slumbers enamour me! \u00a0With others, sleep is the emblem of death; but in Thee it is the sign of eternal life, because whilst Thou art reposing, Thou are meriting for me eternal salvation. \u00a0Thou sleepest; but Thy Heart sleeps not, it is thinking of Thy suffering and dying for me. \u00a0Whilst Thou art sleeping Thou art praying for me, and obtaining for me from God the eternal rest of Paradise. \u00a0But before Thou dost take me to repose with Thee, as I hope, in Heaven, I desire that Thou shouldst repose for ever in my soul.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Let us now beseech the Divine Child, by the merit of His blessed slumbers, to deliver us from the deadly slumber of sinners who unhappily sleep in the death of sin, forgetful of God and of His love; and to give us the blessed sleep of the Sacred Spouse, of which He said: Stir not up, nor make the beloved to awake, till she please<\/em>. \u2014 (Cant, ii., 7). \u00a0This is the sleep that God gives to His beloved souls, which is none other, as St. Basil says, \u201cbut the most profound oblivion of all things;\u201d and this is when the soul forgets all earthly things, to attend only to God and to the things that concern His glory.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 There was a time, O my God, when I drove Thee away from me; but I trust that, by knocking so often at the door of my heart \u2013 at one time by making it afraid, at another by enlightening it, then by words of love \u2013 Thou hast already obtained an entrance there. \u00a0This, I say, is my hope; because I feel a great confidence that I have already been forgiven by Thee; I feel a great hatred and repentance for the offences I have committed against Thee \u2013 a repentance that gives me a great sorrow; but a sorrow that brings peace, a sorrow that comforts me and makes me hope assuredly for pardon from Thy goodness.\u00a0 I thank Thee, my Jesus, and I pray Thee never again to depart from my soul. \u00a0I know indeed that Thou wilt not leave me, if I do not drive Thee away; and this is the grace I ask of Thee (and I pray Thee to give me Thy assistance that I may always seek it of Thee), that Thou wouldst not permit me ever to drive Thee from me.\u00a0 Make me forget everything, to think only of Thee Who hast always thought of me and of my welfare. \u00a0Make me always love Thee in this life, so that, breathing forth my soul in Thy arms, united to Thee, it may repose eternally in Thee without fear of losing Thee again. \u00a0O Mary, assist me in life and assist me in death, so that Jesus may always repose in me, and that I may always repose in Jesus.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDOMINGO NA OITAVA DO NATAL<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0\u00a0 A PALAVRA ETERNA SE TORNA UM SERVO<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Santo Ambr\u00f3sio diz que Jesus foi amarrado em panos para que eu pudesse ser libertado das correntes; Sua pobreza \u00e9 meu patrim\u00f4nio; a fraqueza do Senhor \u00e9 minha for\u00e7a; Suas l\u00e1grimas lavaram minha culpa! \u00d3 meu Jesus, V\u00f3s quisestes tornar-Vos servo por amor a mim e para me libertar das cadeias do inferno. Prenda meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o a Teus p\u00e9s para que ele n\u00e3o se afaste mais de Ti.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Muito grande seria a sua ingratid\u00e3o para com o seu Deus, \u00f3 alma crist\u00e3, se voc\u00ea n\u00e3o amasse Jesus depois que Ele se agradou de ser amarrado em panos, para que voc\u00ea pudesse ser libertado das correntes do inferno; depois que Ele se tornou pobre, para que voc\u00ea pudesse ser participante de Suas riquezas; depois que Ele se fez fraco, para lhe dar poder sobre seus inimigos; depois que Ele escolheu sofrer e chorar, para que, por Suas l\u00e1grimas, seus pecados pudessem ser lavados.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Mas, \u00f3 Deus, qu\u00e3o poucos s\u00e3o os que se mostram gratos por um amor t\u00e3o imenso, amando fielmente este seu Redentor! Infelizmente, a maior parte dos homens, depois de um benef\u00edcio t\u00e3o incompar\u00e1vel, depois de tantas grandes miseric\u00f3rdias e tanto amor, ainda diz a Deus: Senhor, n\u00e3o Te serviremos; preferimos ser escravos do diabo e condenados ao inferno a ser Teus servos. Ou\u00e7a como Deus repreende esses infelizes ingratos: Rompeste as minhas ligaduras, e disseste: N\u00e3o servirei<\/em>. - (Jer. ii., 20). O que voc\u00ea acha? Voc\u00ea tamb\u00e9m j\u00e1 foi um desses? Mas diga-me, enquanto vivia longe de Deus e era escravo do diabo - diga-me, voc\u00ea se sentiu feliz? Voc\u00ea se sentiu em paz? Ah, n\u00e3o, as palavras divinas nunca podem falhar: Porquanto n\u00e3o serviste ao Senhor teu Deus com gozo e alegria de cora\u00e7\u00e3o, servir\u00e1s ao teu inimigo com fome, com sede, com nudez e com falta de tudo<\/em>. - (Deut. xxviii., 47). Como voc\u00ea preferiu servir a seu inimigo em vez de servir a seu Deus, veja como esse tirano o tratou. Ele o fez gemer como um escravo acorrentado, pobre, aflito e privado de todo consolo interior. Mas venha, levante-se; Deus fala a voc\u00ea enquanto ainda pode ser libertado dos grilh\u00f5es da morte que o prendem: Solta as ataduras de teu pesco\u00e7o, \u00f3 cativa filha de Si\u00e3o<\/em>. - (Is. lii., 2).
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 Jesus, eu j\u00e1 fui escravo do inferno; mas agora que estou livre dessas cadeias infelizes, eu me consagro inteiramente a Ti; eu Te dou meu corpo, meus bens, minha vida, minha alma, minha vontade e toda a minha liberdade. N\u00e3o desejo mais pertencer a mim mesmo, mas somente a Ti, meu \u00fanico Bem. Prendei meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o a Vossos p\u00e9s, para que ele n\u00e3o se afaste mais de V\u00f3s. \u00d3 Maria Sant\u00edssima, obt\u00e9m para mim a gra\u00e7a de viver sempre ligado a Teu Filho pelas benditas cadeias do amor. Diga a Ele que me aceite como escrava de Seu amor. Ele concede tudo o que voc\u00ea pede. Reze a Ele, reze a Ele, por mim. Essa \u00e9 minha esperan\u00e7a.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Make haste while time is left, unbind thyself, poor soul, who hast become the voluntary slave of hell. \u00a0Strike off these cursed chains that hold thee fast as a prey for hell, and bind thyself to God instead with chains of gold, chains of love, chains of peace, chains of salvation: suas faixas s\u00e3o uma liga\u00e7\u00e3o saud\u00e1vel<\/em>. \u2014 (Ecclus. vi., 31). \u00a0But in what maimer are souls bound to God? \u00a0By love: Tenha caridade, que \u00e9 o v\u00ednculo da perfei\u00e7\u00e3o<\/em>. \u2014 (Col. iii., 4). \u00a0A soul that always walks by the single way of the fear of punishment, and from this single motive avoids sin, is always in great danger of quickly relapsing into sin; but he that attaches himself to God by love is sure not to lose Him as long as he loves Him; and for this reason we must continually beg God to grant us the gift of His holy love, always praying and saying: O Lord, keep me united with Thee, never suffer me to be separated from Thee and from Thy love. \u00a0The fear which we ought rather to desire and beg of God is a filial fear, the fear of ever displeasing this our good Lord and Father. \u00a0Let us, too, always have recourse to most holy Mary, our Mother, that she may obtain for us the grace to love nothing but our God, and unite us so closely by love to her Blessed Son, that we may never again see ourselves separated from Him by sin.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Ah, my God, after all the favours Thou hast shown me, after pardoning me so repeatedly, and when now Thou dost enlighten me with so clear a knowledge, and invitest me to love Thee with so tender an affection, if I should ever be so wretched as again to turn my back upon Thee, how could I presume ever to receive pardon afresh! \u00a0Should I not fear that in the same instant Thou wouldst cast me headlong into hell? \u00a0Ah, never permit it; let me say again: \u201cSuffer me not to be separated from Thee.\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O Mary, my refuge, thou hast hitherto been my sweet advocate; for it was thou who didst prevail on God still to wait for me and to pardon me with so much mercy; help me at present, obtain for me the grace to die, and to die a thousand times, rather than ever again to lose the grace of my God.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0 A QUEDA E A RESSURREI\u00c7\u00c3O DE MUITOS<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0\u00a0 \"ELE N\u00c3O DIFERE EM NADA DE UM SERVO\" <\/em><\/strong>- <\/em>(Ep\u00edstola para o domingo, Gal. iv., 1-5)<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,<\/em> says St. Paul. \u00a0On considering the immense mercy in the work of human redemption, St. Zachary had good reason to exclaim: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people.<\/em> \u2014 (Luke i., 68). \u00a0Blessed forever be God Who hath vouchsafed to come down upon the earth and be made Man in order to redeem mankind: That being delivered from the hands of our enemies, we may serve him without fear<\/em>. \u2014 (Ib. 74). \u00a0In order that, loosened from the shackles of sin and death, wherein our enemies held us fast bound and enthralled, we may fearlessly, and with the freedom of the children of God, love Him and serve Him during this life, and afterwards go to possess and enjoy Him face to face in the kingdom of the Blessed that had been closed against us heretofore, but now thrown open to us by our divine Saviour.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We were, in fact, all the slaves of hell; but what has the Eternal Word, our Sovereign Lord, done to free us from that slavery? \u00a0From being Lord He became a servant. \u00a0And why?
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Almighty God is Lord of all that is, or that can be in the world: In thy power are all things; for thou hast created all<\/em>. \u2014 (Esther xiii., 9).
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Now, though this Sovereign King bore sway over the Angels in Heaven, and ruled all creation, He did not rule over the hearts of men. \u00a0Mankind was groaning under the miserable tyranny of the devil. \u00a0But the Prophet Isaias long ago foretold that our Redeemer would destroy the empire which Satan held over mankind: And the sceptre of their oppression thou hast overcome<\/em>. \u2014 (Is. ix., 4). \u00a0Why does the Prophet call Satan an oppressor?<\/em> \u00a0Because, says St. Cyril, this heartless master exacts from the poor sinners who become his slaves heavy tribute, in the shape of passions, hatreds, disorderly affections by means of which he binds them in a still greater servitude and at the same time scourges them. \u00a0Behold, Jesus is scarcely born, says the Venerable Bede, before He assumes Himself the form and office of a servant, in order to win us freedom from this slavery of Satan. \u00a0In token of His servitude He begins to pay off our debts by His sufferings. \u00a0God suffers Himself to be bound in swaddling-bands because He had come to free the world.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My Sovereign Lord and Redeemer, I was lost! \u00a0Thou hast ransomed me from hell. \u00a0But unhappy me! \u00a0I have often since ruined myself again, and Thou hast as often released me again from eternal death. \u00a0I am Thine, save me.<\/em> \u00a0Since, as I hope, I am Thine, suffer me never more to cast myself away by rebelling against Thee. \u00a0I am resolved to suffer death, and a thousand deaths, rather than ever again become Thy enemy and the slave of hell.\u00a0 I entreat Thee to grant me Thy grace that I may always ask Thee for help to overcome the devil. \u00a0O Mary, obtain this grace for me, by the love which thou bearest to thy Son.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The world stood in admiration of that grand act of Charity which St. Paulinus performed in consenting to become a slave for the ransom of the son of a poor widow.\u00a0 But what comparison does this bear with the Charity of our Redeemer, Who, in order to rescue us from the slavery of the devil and from death, our just due, being God chose to become a servant, to be fast bound with cords, to be nailed to the Cross, and thereon in the end to lay down His life in a sea of sorrow and ignominy?\u00a0 In order, says St. Augustine, that the servant might become lord, God chose to become a servant.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cO amazing condescension of Thy bounty towards us!\u00a0 O inestimable tenderness of Thy charity!\u201d exclaims the Holy Church, \u201cthat Thou mightest redeem the servant Thou hast delivered up the Son.\u201d \u00a0Thou, then, O God of boundless Majesty, hast been so fascinated with love for men, that to redeem these Thy rebellious servants Thou hast consented to condemn Thy only Son to death.\u00a0 But, O Lord, replies the holy man, Job: What is man, that thou shouldst magnify him, or why dost thou set thy heart upon him?<\/em> \u2014 (Job vii., 17). \u00a0What is man, who is so vile and has proved so ungrateful to Thee, that Thou shouldst make him so great, by honouring and loving him to such an excess? \u00a0Tell me, why are the salvation and happiness of man of so much importance to Thee? \u00a0Tell me why Thou lovest him so much, that it would seem as if Thy Heart were set on nothing else but to love man and to make him happy?
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Since Thou, O my Jesus, hast paid the price of my ransom, I beseech Thee let not that Blood which Thou hast shed for me be lost to me. \u00a0I am sorry that I have despised Thee, O my Love \u2013 but grant me more sorrow.\u00a0 Make me know the evil I have committed in offending Thee. \u00a0Most holy Mary, pray to Jesus for me and for all sinners. \u00a0Obtain for me light and grace to love thy Son Who has loved me so much.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

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Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 NEGLIG\u00caNCIA DO TEMPO<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ele chamou contra mim o tempo. - (Lament. i., 15).
<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0 Todo o tempo que n\u00e3o \u00e9 gasto com Deus \u00e9 tempo perdido. Na hora da morte, os mundanos desejar\u00e3o mais um ano, mais um m\u00eas, mais um dia - mas n\u00e3o o obter\u00e3o. Ent\u00e3o lhes ser\u00e1 dito que para eles o tempo n\u00e3o existir\u00e1 mais<\/em>. Ah, meu Jesus, eu estive tantos anos no mundo, e quantos eu gastei por Ti?<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0N\u00e3o h\u00e1 nada mais precioso do que o tempo, mas n\u00e3o h\u00e1 nada menos estimado e mais desprezado pelos homens do mundo. \u00e9 isso que S\u00e3o Bernardo lamenta quando diz: \"Nada \u00e9 mais precioso do que o tempo, mas nada \u00e9 considerado mais barato\". O santo acrescenta: \"Os dias da salva\u00e7\u00e3o passam, e ningu\u00e9m reflete que o dia que passou dele jamais poder\u00e1 voltar.\" Voc\u00ea ver\u00e1 um jogador passar noites e dias jogando. Se perguntar a ele o que est\u00e1 fazendo, sua resposta ser\u00e1: \"Estou passando o tempo\". Voc\u00ea ver\u00e1 outros que ficam parados por v\u00e1rias horas na rua, olhando para os que passam e falando sobre assuntos obscenos ou in\u00fateis. Se lhes perguntar o que est\u00e3o fazendo, dir\u00e3o: \"Estamos passando o tempo\". Pobres pecadores cegos que perdem tantos dias! Dias que n\u00e3o voltam mais!
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 tempo desprezado durante a vida, voc\u00ea ser\u00e1 ardentemente desejado pelos mundanos na hora da morte. Eles ent\u00e3o desejar\u00e3o mais um ano, mais um m\u00eas, mais um dia; mas n\u00e3o o obter\u00e3o: ent\u00e3o lhes ser\u00e1 dito que o tempo n\u00e3o existir\u00e1 mais. Quanto pagariam, ent\u00e3o, por outra semana ou outro dia, para acertar as contas de sua consci\u00eancia? Para obter uma \u00fanica hora, eles dariam, diz S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o Justiniano, todas as suas riquezas e posses mundanas, mas essa hora n\u00e3o ser\u00e1 dada.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ah, meu Jesus, o Senhor gastou toda a Sua vida para a salva\u00e7\u00e3o de minha alma. N\u00e3o houve um \u00fanico momento de Sua vida em que n\u00e3o tenha se oferecido ao Pai Eterno para obter para mim o perd\u00e3o e a gl\u00f3ria eterna. Passei tantos anos no mundo, e quantos deles gastei por Ti? Ah! Tudo o que me lembro de ter feito produz remorso de consci\u00eancia. O mal foi grande, o bem foi muito pequeno, e tudo cheio de imperfei\u00e7\u00f5es e tepidez, de amor-pr\u00f3prio e distra\u00e7\u00f5es. Ah, meu Redentor! Tudo isso se deve ao meu esquecimento do que fizeste por mim. Eu me esqueci de Ti, mas Tu n\u00e3o te esqueceste de mim; quando fugi de Ti, Tu me seguiste e me chamaste tantas vezes para Teu amor.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Prophet exhorts us to remember God and to procure His friendship, before the light fails. \u00a0Remember thy Creator . . . before the sun and the light be darkened.<\/em> -<\/em> (Eccles, xii., 1). \u00a0How great the distress and misery of a traveller who, when the night has come, perceives that he has missed his way, and that there is no time to correct his mistake. \u00a0Such at death will be the anguish of the sinner who has lived many years in the world, and has not spent them for God. \u00a0The night cometh, when no man can work.<\/em> -<\/em> (John ix., 4). \u00a0For him death shall be the night in which he will be able to do nothing. \u00a0He hath called against me the time.<\/em> \u00a0Conscience will then remind the worldling of all the time that God has given him, which he has spent in the destruction of his soul; of all the calls and graces that he has received from God for his sanctification, and these he has voluntarily abused. \u00a0The sinner will then see that the way of salvation is forever closed. \u00a0Hence he will weep and say: O fool that I have been! \u00a0O time lost! \u00a0O life misspent! \u00a0O lost years, in which I could have become a Saint, but have not! \u00a0And now the time of salvation is gone forever. \u00a0But of what use are these sighs and lamentations, when the scene is about close \u2013 the lamp on the point of being extinguished \u2013 and when the dying sinner has reached that awful moment on which eternity depends?
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Behold me, O Jesus! \u00a0I will resist no longer. \u00a0Shall I wait till Thou abandon me? \u00a0I am sorry, O Sovereign Good! for having separated myself front Thee by sin.\u00a0 I love Thee, O infinite Goodness, worthy of infinite love.\u00a0 Ah! do not permit me ever again to lose the time which Thou in Thy mercy givest me. \u00a0Ah! remind me always, O my beloved Saviour, of the love Thou hast borne me and of the pains Thou hast endured for me. \u00a0Make me forget all things, that, during the remainder of my life, I may think only of loving and pleasing Thee. \u00a0I love Thee, my Jesus, my Love, my All! \u00a0I promise to make acts of love whenever Thou remindest me. \u00a0Give me holy perseverance. \u00a0I place all my confidence in the merits of Thy Blood. \u00a0I also trust in thy intercession, O my dear Mother Mary!<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0 SOBRE AS VANTAGENS DO ESTADO RELIGIOSO <\/em><\/strong>(continua\u00e7\u00e3o)<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0 JESUS ESPERANDO<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The tears of the Infant Jesus were very different from those of other new-born babes: these weep through pain; Jesus did not weep from pain, but through compassion for us and through love: \u201cThey weep on account of suffering, Christ out of compassion,\u201d says St. Bernard. \u00a0Tears are a great sign of love. \u00a0Therefore did the Jews say when they saw the Saviour weeping for the death of Lazarus: Behold how he loved him.<\/em> -<\/em> (John xi., 36).\u00a0 Thus also might the Angels have said on beholding the tears of the Infant Jesus: \u201cBehold how He loves them.\u201d\u00a0 Behold how our God loves men; since for the love of them we see Him made Man, become an Infant, and weeping. \u00a0Jesus wept, and offered to His Father His tears to obtain for us the pardon of our sins. \u00a0\u201cThese tears,\u201d says St. Ambrose, \u201cwashed away my sins.\u201d \u00a0By His cries and tears He implored mercy for us who were condemned to eternal death, and thus He appeased the indignation of His Father.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My beloved Infant, whilst Thou wert weeping in the stable of Bethlehem, Thou wert thinking of me, beholding even my sins, which were the cause of Thy tears. \u00a0And have I, O my Jesus, instead of consoling Thee by my love and gratitude at the thought of what Thou hast suffered to save me \u2013 have I increased Thy grief and the cause of Thy tears? \u00a0If I had sinned less Thou wouldst have wept less. \u00a0Weep, yes, weep, for Thou hast cause to weep in seeing such great ingratitude of men for Thy so great love. \u00a0But since Thou weepest, weep also for me; Thy tears are my hope. \u00a0I also weep for the offences I have offered Thee, O my Redeemer; I hate them, I detest them, I repent of them with my whole heart. \u00a0I weep for all those wretched days and nights of mine in which I lived Thy enemy and deprived of Thy beautiful grace; but what would my tears avail, O my Jesus, without Thine?<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, how eloquently did the tears of this Divine little One plead in our behalf! \u00a0Oh, how dear they were to God! \u00a0It was then that the Father caused the Angels to proclaim that He made peace with men, and received them into His favour: And on earth peace to men of good will.<\/em> -<\/em> (Luke ii., 14). \u00a0Jesus wept through love, but He also wept through grief in seeing that so many sinners, even after all His tears and so much blood shed for their salvation, would yet continue to despise His grace. \u00a0But who would be so hard-hearted, on seeing an Infant God weeping for our sins, as not to weep also, and detest those sins that have made this loving Saviour shed so many tears? \u00a0Oh, let us not increase the sorrows of this Innocent Babe; but let us console Him by uniting our tears to His! \u00a0Let us offer to God the tears of His, Son, and let us beseech Him for their sake to forgive us!
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Eternal Father, I offer Thee the tears of the Infant Jesus; for their sake forgive me. \u00a0And Thou, my dear Saviour, offer to Him all the tears which Thou didst shed for me during Thy life, and with them appease Him for me. \u00a0I beseech Thee also, O my Love, to soften my heart by these tears, and to inflame it with Thy holy love.\u00a0 Oh, that I could from this day forth console Thee by my love as much as I have pained Thee by offending Thee.\u00a0 Grant therefore, O Lord, that the days which remain to me of life may no more be spent in offending Thee, but only in weeping for the offences I have offered Thee, and in loving Thee with all the affections of my soul. \u00a0O Mary, I beseech thee by that tender compassion which thou didst so often feel at seeing the Infant Jesus in tears, obtain for me a constant sorrow for the offences which I have ungratefully committed against Him.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\u21d1 \u00a0<\/a>\u00cdNDICE<\/a>
<\/em>\u21d0\u00a0FOURTH WEEK OF ADVENT<\/em><\/a>
\u21d2\u00a0FIRST WEEK IN JANUARY<\/em><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

VOLUME ONE – PART I, pp. 218-294 CHRISTMAS EVE (DECEMBER 24) Morning Meditation:\u00a0 JESUS COMES TO CAST FIRE UPON THE EARTH \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I am come to cast fire on the earth, and what will I but that it … Continuar lendo <\/i><\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4884,"parent":0,"menu_order":51,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5622","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5622"}],"version-history":[{"count":145,"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5622\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12256,"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5622\/revisions\/12256"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}