{"id":7956,"date":"2025-04-09T15:30:44","date_gmt":"2025-04-09T15:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/?page_id=7956"},"modified":"2026-05-08T00:28:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T00:28:00","slug":"daily-meditations-fourth-week-after-easter","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/daily-meditations-fourth-week-after-easter\/","title":{"rendered":"MEDITA\u00c7\u00d5ES DI\u00c1RIAS: QUARTA SEMANA AP\u00d3S A P\u00c1SCOA"},"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 II - PARTE II, pp. 175-220<\/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\tQUARTO DOMINGO AP\u00d3S A P\u00c1SCOA<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 \"SEJA LENTO PARA SE ENFURECER\"\u00a0 <\/em><\/b>(Epistle of Sunday.\u00a0 James i. 17, 21)<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0S\u00e3o Jer\u00f4nimo diz que a raiva \u00e9 a porta pela qual todos os v\u00edcios entram na alma. Imploremos a Deus que nos preserve de ceder a qualquer paix\u00e3o forte, e particularmente \u00e0 raiva. Pois aquele que se submete a tal paix\u00e3o est\u00e1 exposto a um grande perigo de cair em pecado grave contra Deus ou contra seu pr\u00f3ximo. Olhemos para Jesus Crucificado e n\u00e3o ousaremos nos queixar.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0S\u00e3o Jer\u00f4nimo diz que a raiva \u00e9 a porta pela qual todos os v\u00edcios entram na alma. De acordo com S\u00e3o Boaventura, um homem irado \u00e9 incapaz de distinguir entre o que \u00e9 certo e o que \u00e9 errado.\u00a0 A ira do homem n\u00e3o opera a justi\u00e7a de Deus<\/em>. \u2014 (James i. 20).\u00a0 He that submits to such a passion is exposed to great danger of falling into grievous sin against God, or his neighbour.\u00a0 Thus, when we receive an insult, we must do violence to ourselves and restrain our anger.\u00a0 Let us either answer with meekness or let us remain silent; and thus, as St. Isidore says, we shall conquer.\u00a0 But if you answer through passion, you will do harm to yourselves and others.\u00a0 It would be still worse to give an angry answer to a person who corrects you.\u00a0 St. Bernard says that some are not angry though they ought to be indignant with those who wound their souls by flattery; but they are filled with indignation against the person who corrects them in order to heal their irregularities.\u00a0 Against the man who abhors correction, the sentence of perdition has, according to the Wise Man, been pronounced.\u00a0 Porque desprezaram todas as minhas repreens\u00f5es. . a prosperidade dos tolos os destruir\u00e1<\/em>. \u2014 (Prov. i. 30, 32).\u00a0 Fools regard as prosperity to be free from correction, or to despise the admonitions they receive; but such prosperity is the cause of their ruin.\u00a0 When you meet with an occasion of anger you must be on your guard not to allow anger to enter your heart.\u00a0 N\u00e3o se irrite rapidamente<\/em>. \u2014 (Eccles. vii. 10).\u00a0 Some persons change colour and get into a passion, at every contradiction: and when anger has got admission, no one knows to what it shall lead them.\u00a0 Hence it is necessary to foresee these occasions in our meditations and prayers; for, unless we are prepared for them it will be as difficult to restrain anger as to put a bridle on a runaway horse.\u00a0 If, however, we have the great misfortune to permit anger to enter the soul, let us be careful not to allow it to remain.\u00a0 Jesus Christ tells all who remember that a brother is offended with them not to offer the gift which they bring to the altar without being first reconciled to their neighbour.\u00a0 V\u00e1 primeiro para se reconciliar com seu irm\u00e3o e, depois, ao chegar, ofere\u00e7a sua oferta<\/em>. \u2014 (Matt. v. 24).\u00a0 And he who has received any offence should endeavour to root out of his heart not only all anger but also every feeling of bitterness towards the persons who have offended him.\u00a0 Deixe toda amargura<\/em>, diz S\u00e3o Paulo, e a ira e a indigna\u00e7\u00e3o ... sejam afastadas de voc\u00eas<\/em>. \u2014 (Ephes. iv. 31).\u00a0 As long as anger continues, follow the advice of Seneca: “When you shall be angry do nothing, say nothing which may be dictated by anger.”\u00a0 Like David, be silent, and do not speak when you feel that you are disturbed.\u00a0 Fiquei perturbado e n\u00e3o falei<\/em>. \u2014 (Ps. lxxvi. 5).\u00a0 How many, when inflamed with anger, say and do what they afterwards in their calmer moments regret.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is necessary, of course, to remember that it is not possible for human weakness, in the midst of so many occasions, to be altogether free from every motion of anger. \u00a0No one, as Seneca says, can be entirely exempt from this passion. \u00a0All our efforts must be directed to the moderation of the feelings of anger which spring up in the soul. \u00a0How are they to be moderated? \u00a0By meekness. \u00a0This is called the virtue of the lamb \u2013 that is, the beloved virtue of Jesus Christ. \u00a0Because like a lamb, without anger or even complaint, He bore the sorrows of His Passion and Crucifixion. \u00a0He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth. \u2014 <\/em>(Is. liii. 7).\u00a0 Hence He taught us to learn of Him meekness and humility of heart. \u00a0Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart.<\/em> -<\/em> (Matth. xi. 29).
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, how pleasing in the sight of God are the meek, who submit in peace to all crosses, misfortunes, persecutions, and injuries! \u00a0To the meek is promised the Kingdom of Heaven. \u00a0Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land. \u2014 <\/em>(Matth. v. 4). \u00a0They are called the children of God. \u00a0Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God. <\/em>\u2014 (Matth. v. 9).\u00a0 Some boast of their meekness but without any grounds; for they are meek only towards those who praise and confer favours upon them, but to those who injure or censure them they are all fury and vengeance. \u00a0The virtue of meekness consists in being meek and peaceful towards those who hate and maltreat us. \u00a0With them that hated peace I was peaceful. \u2014 <\/em>(Ps. cxix. 6).
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We must, as St. Paul says, put on the bowels of mercy towards all men, and bear one with another. \u00a0Put ye on the bowels of mercy, humility, modesty, patience, bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another. <\/em>\u2014 Col. iii. 12). \u00a0You wish others to bear with your defects, and to pardon your faults; you should act in the same manner towards them. \u00a0Whenever, then, you receive an insult from a person enraged against you, remember that a mild answer breaketh wrath. \u2014 <\/em>(Prov. xv. 1). \u00a0A certain monk once passed through a cornfield: the owner of the field ran out and spoke to him in very offensive and injurious language. \u00a0The monk humbly replied: Brother, you are right; I have done wrong; pardon me. \u00a0By this answer the husbandman was so much appeased that he instantly became calm, and even wished to follow the monk and enter into Religion. \u00a0The proud make use of the humiliations they receive to increase their pride; but the humble and the meek turn the contempt and insults offered to them into an occasion of advancing in humility. \u00a0\u201cHe,\u201d says St. Bernard, \u201cis humble who converts humiliation into humility.\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cA man of meekness,\u201d says St. John Chrysostom, \u201cis useful to himself and to others.\u201d \u00a0The meek are useful to themselves because, according to Father Alvarez, the time of humiliation and contempt is for them the time of merit. \u00a0Hence Jesus Christ calls His disciples happy when they shall be reviled and persecuted. \u00a0Blessed are ye when they shall revile you and persecute you. \u2014 <\/em>(Matth. v. 11). \u00a0Hence the Saints have always desired to be despised as Jesus Christ was despised. \u00a0The meek are useful to others, because, as the same St. John Chrysostom says, there is nothing better calculated to draw others to God than to see a Christian meek and cheerful when he receives an injury or an insult. \u00a0The reason is because virtue is known by being tried; and, as gold is tried by fire, so the meekness of men is proved by humiliation. \u00a0Gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation. \u2014 <\/em>(Ecclus. ii. 5).<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0\u00a0VITA, DULCEDO! SALVE, NOSSA VIDA, NOSSA DO\u00c7URA!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XX. MARIA \u00c9 NOSSA VIDA PORQUE OBT\u00c9M PARA N\u00d3S O PERD\u00c3O DE NOSSOS PECADOS<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A perseveran\u00e7a final \u00e9 um dom t\u00e3o grande de Deus que, como foi declarado pelo Santo Conc\u00edlio de Trento, \u00e9 totalmente gratuito da parte de Deus, e n\u00e3o podemos m\u00e9rito<\/em> it.\u00a0 Yet we are told by St. Augustine that all who seek for it obtain it from God; and, according to Father Suarez, they obtain it infallibly, if only they are diligent in asking for it to the end of their lives.\u00a0 For, as Blessed Bellarmine well remarks, “that which is daily required must be asked for every day.”\u00a0 Now, if it is true (and I hold it as certain, according to the now generally received opinion) that all the graces God dispenses to men pass through the hands of Mary, it will be equally true that it is only through Mary that we can hope for this greatest of all graces \u2013 perseverance.\u00a0 And we shall obtain it most certainly, if we always seek it with confidence through Mary.\u00a0 This grace she herself promises to all who serve her faithfully during life, in the following words of Ecclesiasticus, and which are applied to her by the Church on the Feast of her Immaculate Conception: Aqueles que trabalham por mim n\u00e3o pecar\u00e3o. Aqueles que me explicam ter\u00e3o vida eterna<\/em>. - (Ecclus. xxiv., 30).
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Para que possamos ser preservados na vida da gra\u00e7a, precisamos de fortaleza espiritual para resistir aos muitos inimigos de nossa salva\u00e7\u00e3o. Ora, essa fortaleza s\u00f3 pode ser obtida por meio de Maria, e temos a certeza disso no Livro dos Prov\u00e9rbios, pois a Igreja aplica a passagem a essa Sant\u00edssima Virgem.\u00a0 A for\u00e7a \u00e9 minha; por mim reinam os reis<\/em>. \u2014 (Prov. viii., 14); meaning by the words a for\u00e7a \u00e9 minha<\/em> que Deus concedeu esse precioso dom a Maria para que ela o distribu\u00edsse a seus fi\u00e9is clientes. E pelas palavras Por mim reinam os reis<\/em> Ela significa que, por meio dela, seus servos dominam e comandam seus sentidos e paix\u00f5es e, assim, tornam-se dignos de reinar eternamente no C\u00e9u. Oh, que for\u00e7a possuem os servos dessa grande Senhora para vencer todos os ataques do inferno! Maria \u00e9 a torre mencionada nos C\u00e2nticos sagrados: O teu pesco\u00e7o \u00e9 como a torre de Davi, que est\u00e1 edificada com baluartes; mil escudos pendem dela, toda a armadura de homens valentes<\/em>. - (Cant. iv., 4). Ela \u00e9 como uma fortaleza bem defendida em defesa de seus amantes que, em suas guerras, recorrem a ela. Nela, seus clientes encontram todos os escudos e armas para se defenderem do inferno.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0\u00a0A PR\u00c1TICA DO AMOR DE JESUS CRISTO\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXIV. \"A CARIDADE \u00c9 PACIENTE\". - A ALMA QUE AMA JESUS CRISTO AMA SOFRER<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Uma alma que ama a Deus n\u00e3o tem outro fim em vista sen\u00e3o estar totalmente unida a Ele; mas vamos aprender com Santa Catarina de G\u00eanova o que \u00e9 necess\u00e1rio fazer para chegar a essa uni\u00e3o perfeita: \"Para alcan\u00e7ar a uni\u00e3o com Deus, as adversidades s\u00e3o indispens\u00e1veis\", diz ela, \"porque por meio delas Deus pretende destruir todas as nossas propens\u00f5es corruptas internas e externas. E, portanto, todas as inj\u00farias, desprezo, enfermidades, abandono por parentes e amigos, confus\u00e3o, tenta\u00e7\u00f5es e outras mortifica\u00e7\u00f5es - tudo isso \u00e9 necess\u00e1rio para que possamos continuar a luta at\u00e9 que, por meio de repetidas vit\u00f3rias, cheguemos a extinguir dentro de n\u00f3s todos os movimentos viciosos, de modo que eles n\u00e3o sejam mais sentidos; e nunca chegaremos \u00e0 uni\u00e3o divina at\u00e9 que as adversidades, em vez de parecerem amargas para n\u00f3s, tornem-se doces por causa de Deus\".<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It follows, then, that a soul that sincerely desires to belong to God must be resolved, as St. John of the Cross writes, not to seek enjoyments in this life, but to suffer in all things; she must embrace with eagerness all voluntary mortifications, and with still greater eagerness those which are involuntary, since they are the more welcome to Almighty God: \u201cThe patient man is better than the valiant.\u201d \u00a0God is pleased with a person who practices mortification by fasting, cilices<\/em>, and disciplines, on account of the courage displayed in such mortifications; but He is much more pleased with those who have the courage to bear patiently and gladly such crosses as come from His own Divine hand. \u00a0St. Francis de Sales said: \u201cSuch mortifications as come to us from the hand of God, or from men by His permission, are always more precious than those which are the offspring of our own will; for it is a general rule that wherever there is less of our own choice, God is better pleased, and we ourselves derive greater profit.\u201d \u00a0St. Teresa taught the same thing: \u201cWe gain more in one day by the oppositions which come to us from God or from our neighbour than by ten years of mortification self-inflicted.\u201d<\/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\tSEGUNDA-FEIRA DA QUARTA SEMANA AP\u00d3S A P\u00c1SCOA<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 \"A VONTADE DE DEUS, SUA SANTIFICA\u00c7\u00c3O\"<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ao buscarmos a salva\u00e7\u00e3o eterna, devemos, como nos diz S\u00e3o Paulo, nunca descansar, mas correr continuamente no caminho da perfei\u00e7\u00e3o para que possamos ganhar o pr\u00eamio e obter uma coroa incorrupt\u00edvel.\u00a0 Portanto, corra para que voc\u00ea possa obter<\/em>. \u2014 (1 Cor. ix. 24).\u00a0 If we fail, the fault will be all our own, for God wills that all should be holy and perfect.\u00a0 Essa \u00e9 a vontade de Deus - sua santifica\u00e7\u00e3o<\/em>. \u2014 (1 Thess. iv. 3).<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Essa \u00e9 a vontade de Deus - sua santifica\u00e7\u00e3o<\/em>. Assim como \u00e9 imposs\u00edvel chegar \u00e0 perfei\u00e7\u00e3o em qualquer arte ou ci\u00eancia sem um desejo ardente de alcan\u00e7\u00e1-la, assim tamb\u00e9m ningu\u00e9m jamais se tornou santo a n\u00e3o ser por fortes e fervorosas aspira\u00e7\u00f5es de santidade. \"Deus\", observa Santa Teresa, \"normalmente confere Seus favores especiais apenas \u00e0queles que t\u00eam sede de Seu amor\".\u00a0 Aben\u00e7oado<\/em>diz o profeta real, \u00e9 o homem cuja ajuda vem de ti: em seu cora\u00e7\u00e3o, ele se disp\u00f4s a subir por degraus no vale de l\u00e1grimas; eles ir\u00e3o de virtude em virtude.<\/em> \u2014 (Ps. lxxxiii. 6, 7, 8).\u00a0 Happy the man who has resolved in his soul to mount the ladder of perfection: he shall receive abundant aid from God, and will ascend from virtue to virtue.\u00a0 Such has been the practice of the Saints, and especially of St. Andrew Avellino, who even bound himself by vow “to advance continually in the way of Christian perfection.”\u00a0 St. Teresa used to say that “God rewards, even in this life, every good desire.”\u00a0 It was by good desires that the Saints arrived in a short time at a sublime degree of sanctity.\u00a0 Sendo aperfei\u00e7oado em um curto espa\u00e7o de tempo, ele cumpriu um longo per\u00edodo<\/em>. \u2014 (Wisd. iv. 13).\u00a0 It was thus that St. Aloysius, who lived but twenty-five years, acquired such perfection that St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi, who saw him in bliss, declared that his glory appeared equal to that of most of the Saints.\u00a0 In the vision he said to her: My eminent sanctity was the fruit of an ardent desire which I cherished during my life of loving God as much as He deserved to be loved: and, being unable to love Him with that infinite love which He merits, I suffered on earth a continual martyrdom of love, for which I am now raised to that transcendent glory which I enjoy.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\"Nossos pensamentos\", diz Santa Teresa, \"devem ser aspirantes: de grandes desejos vir\u00e1 todo o nosso bem\". Em outro lugar, ela diz: \"N\u00e3o devemos rebaixar nossos desejos, mas devemos confiar em Deus que, pelo esfor\u00e7o cont\u00ednuo, chegaremos, por Sua gra\u00e7a, \u00e0 santidade e \u00e0 felicidade dos santos\". Mais uma vez, ela diz: \"A Majestade Divina se compraz em almas generosas que s\u00e3o t\u00edmidas em si mesmas.\" Essa grande santa afirmou que, em toda a sua experi\u00eancia, nunca soube que um crist\u00e3o t\u00edmido tivesse alcan\u00e7ado tanta virtude em muitos anos quanto certas almas corajosas adquiriram em poucos dias. A leitura das Vidas dos Santos contribui muito para infundir coragem na alma.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ser\u00e1 particularmente \u00fatil ler as vidas daqueles que, depois de serem grandes pecadores, tornaram-se santos eminentes, como Santa Maria Madalena, Santo Agostinho, Santa Pel\u00e1gia, Santa Maria do Egito e, especialmente, Santa Margarida de Cortona, que esteve por muitos anos em estado de condena\u00e7\u00e3o, mas mesmo assim nutria um desejo de santidade; e que, depois de sua convers\u00e3o, chegou \u00e0 perfei\u00e7\u00e3o com tanta rapidez que mereceu ser aperfei\u00e7oada. Margarida de Cortona, que esteve por muitos anos em um estado de condena\u00e7\u00e3o, mas mesmo assim nutria um desejo de santidade; e que, depois de sua convers\u00e3o, voou para a perfei\u00e7\u00e3o com tal rapidez que mereceu aprender por revela\u00e7\u00e3o, mesmo nesta vida, n\u00e3o apenas que estava predestinada \u00e0 gl\u00f3ria, mas tamb\u00e9m que um lugar estava reservado para ela entre os Serafins.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 Divino Cora\u00e7\u00e3o de meu Jesus! Cora\u00e7\u00e3o enamorado dos homens! Cora\u00e7\u00e3o criado para am\u00e1-los! Como \u00e9 poss\u00edvel que voc\u00ea tenha sido t\u00e3o desonrado e desprezado por eles? Infeliz de mim! Eu tamb\u00e9m vivi tantos anos no mundo e n\u00e3o Te amei. Perdoe-me, \u00f3 meu Jesus, o crime de n\u00e3o ter amado a Ti, que \u00e9s t\u00e3o am\u00e1vel e que me amou tanto que n\u00e3o poderia ter feito mais do que fez para me obrigar a am\u00e1-Lo. Como puni\u00e7\u00e3o por ter desprezado Teu amor por tanto tempo, eu mereceria ser condenado \u00e0quele estado miser\u00e1vel em que nunca poderia Te amar. Mas n\u00e3o, meu Jesus, eu aceito de bom grado todo castigo, exceto a priva\u00e7\u00e3o eterna de Teu amor. Conceda-me a gra\u00e7a de am\u00e1-Lo e, ent\u00e3o, disponha de mim como quiser.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 St. Teresa says that the devil seeks to persuade us that it would be pride in us to desire a high degree of perfection, or to wish to imitate the Saints. \u00a0She adds that it is a great delusion to regard strong desires of sanctity as the offspring of pride; for it is not pride in a soul diffident of herself and trusting only in the power of God to resolve to walk courageously in the way of perfection, saying with the Apostle: I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me. \u2014 <\/em>(Phil. iv. 13). \u00a0Of myself I can do nothing; but by God\u2019s aid I shall be able to do all things; and therefore I resolve, with His grace, to desire to love Him as the Saints have loved Him.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is very profitable frequently to aspire after the most exalted virtue, and to desire it \u2013 such as to love God more than all the Saints, to suffer for the love of God more than all the Martyrs, to bear and to pardon all injuries, to embrace every sort of fatigue and suffering for the sake of saving a single soul, and to perform similar acts of perfect charity. \u00a0Because these holy aspirations and desires, though their object will never be attained, are, in the first place, very meritorious in the sight of God, Who glories in men of good will as He abominates a perverse heart and evil inclinations. \u00a0Secondly, because the habit of aspiring to heroic sanctity animates and encourages the soul to perform acts of ordinary and easy virtue. \u00a0Hence it is of great importance to propose in the morning to labour as much as possible for God during the day; to resolve to bear patiently all crosses and contradictions; to observe constant recollection; and to make continual acts of the love of God. \u00a0Such was the practice of the seraphic St. Francis. \u201cHe proposed,\u201d says St. Bonaventure, \u201cwith the grace of Jesus Christ to do great things.\u201d \u00a0St. Teresa asserts that \u201cthe Lord is as well pleased with good desires as with their fulfilment.\u201d \u00a0Oh, how much better is it to serve God than to serve the world! \u00a0To acquire goods of the earth, to procure wealth, honours, and applause of men, it is not enough to pant after them with ardour; no, to desire and not to obtain them only renders their absence more painful. \u00a0But to merit the riches and the favour of God, it is sufficient to desire His grace and love.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O my Jesus, Thou sayest: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart. <\/em>\u2014 (Matt. xxii. 37). \u00a0It is Thy will, then, that I love Thee with my whole soul, and I desire nothing but to love Thee with all my strength.\u00a0 O loving Heart of my Jesus, light up in my soul that blessed fire which Thou camest on earth to enkindle.\u00a0 Destroy all the earthly attachments that still live in my heart, and prevent me from belonging entirely to Thee.\u00a0 O my beloved Saviour, do not reject the love of a heart which has hitherto so much afflicted Thee. \u00a0Ah, since Thou hast loved me so much, do not permit me to live for a single moment without Thy love! \u00a0O love of my Jesus, Thou art my love! \u00a0I hope that I shall always love Thee, and that Thou wilt always love me; and that this mutual love shall never be dissolved.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O Mary, Mother of fair love, O thou who dost desire to see thy Son loved, bind and unite me to Jesus, so that I may become entirely His, as He desires me to be.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0\u00a0VITA, DULCEDO! SALVE, NOSSA VIDA, NOSSA DO\u00c7URA!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXI. MARIA \u00c9 NOSSA VIDA PORQUE NOS OBT\u00c9M A PERSEVERAN\u00c7A<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A Sant\u00edssima Virgem \u00e9 chamada de \u00e1rvore-pl\u00e1tano nas palavras de Ecclesiasticus: Como um pl\u00e1tano junto \u00e0 \u00e1gua nas ruas, fui exaltado<\/em>. - (Ecclus. xxiv., 19). O cardeal Hugo os explica e diz que o \"pl\u00e1tano tem folhas como escudos\", para mostrar como Maria defende todos os que se refugiam com ela. O bem-aventurado Amadeus d\u00e1 outra explica\u00e7\u00e3o e diz que essa santa Virgem \u00e9 chamada de pl\u00e1tano porque, assim como o pl\u00e1tano abriga os viajantes sob seus galhos do calor do sol e da chuva, os homens encontram ref\u00fagio sob o manto de Maria do ardor de suas paix\u00f5es e da f\u00faria das tenta\u00e7\u00f5es. Realmente s\u00e3o dignas de pena as almas que abandonam essa defesa, cessando sua devo\u00e7\u00e3o a Maria e n\u00e3o mais se recomendando a ela nos momentos de perigo. Se o sol deixasse de nascer, diz S\u00e3o Bernardo, como poderia o mundo se tornar outra coisa que n\u00e3o um caos de escurid\u00e3o e horror? E aplicando sua pergunta a Maria, ele a repete: \"Tirem o sol e onde estar\u00e1 o dia? Tire Maria, e o que restar\u00e1 sen\u00e3o a noite mais escura?\" Quando uma alma perde a devo\u00e7\u00e3o a Maria, ela \u00e9 imediatamente envolvida pela escurid\u00e3o, e por aquela escurid\u00e3o da qual o Esp\u00edrito Santo fala nos Salmos: Tu puseste as trevas, e j\u00e1 \u00e9 noite; nelas andar\u00e3o todos os animais dos bosques<\/em>. - (Sl. ciii., 20). Quando a luz do c\u00e9u deixa de brilhar em uma alma, tudo \u00e9 escurid\u00e3o, e ela se torna o ref\u00fagio dos dem\u00f4nios e de todo pecado. Santo Anselmo diz que \"se algu\u00e9m \u00e9 desconsiderado e condenado por Maria, est\u00e1 necessariamente perdido\", e, portanto, podemos com raz\u00e3o exclamar: \"Ai daqueles que est\u00e3o em oposi\u00e7\u00e3o a este sol!\" Ai daqueles que se op\u00f5em a este sol!\" Ai daqueles que desprezam sua luz! Ou seja, todos os que desprezam a devo\u00e7\u00e3o a Maria.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0S\u00e3o Francisco B\u00f3rgia sempre duvidou da perseveran\u00e7a daqueles em quem n\u00e3o encontrava uma devo\u00e7\u00e3o especial \u00e0 Sant\u00edssima Virgem. Em uma ocasi\u00e3o, questionou alguns novi\u00e7os sobre os santos pelos quais tinham devo\u00e7\u00e3o especial e, percebendo que alguns n\u00e3o a tinham por Maria, advertiu imediatamente o mestre dos novi\u00e7os e pediu-lhe que vigiasse com mais aten\u00e7\u00e3o esses jovens infelizes, que, como ele temia, perderam a voca\u00e7\u00e3o e renunciaram ao estado religioso.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0N\u00e3o foi, portanto, sem raz\u00e3o que S\u00e3o Germano chamou a Sant\u00edssima Virgem de \"respira\u00e7\u00e3o dos crist\u00e3os\", pois assim como o corpo n\u00e3o pode viver sem respirar, a alma n\u00e3o pode viver sem recorrer e se recomendar a Maria, por cujos meios certamente adquirimos e preservamos a vida da gra\u00e7a divina em nossas almas. Mas vou citar as pr\u00f3prias palavras do Santo: \"Como a respira\u00e7\u00e3o n\u00e3o \u00e9 apenas um sinal, mas at\u00e9 mesmo uma causa de vida, assim o nome de Maria, que \u00e9 constantemente encontrado nos l\u00e1bios dos servos de Deus, prova que eles est\u00e3o realmente vivos e, ao mesmo tempo, causa e preserva sua vida, e lhes d\u00e1 todo o aux\u00edlio\".
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O bem-aventurado Allan foi um dia atacado por uma violenta tenta\u00e7\u00e3o e estava a ponto de ceder, pois n\u00e3o havia se recomendado a Maria, quando a Sant\u00edssima Virgem apareceu a ele e, para que em outra ocasi\u00e3o ele pudesse se lembrar de invocar sua ajuda, ela lhe deu um golpe, dizendo: \"Se voc\u00ea tivesse se recomendado a mim, n\u00e3o teria corrido tanto perigo\".<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0\u00a0A PR\u00c1TICA DO AMOR DE JESUS CRISTO\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXVII. \"A CARIDADE \u00c9 BENIGNA\". - AQUELE QUE AMA JESUS CRISTO AMA A MANSID\u00c3O<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:\u00a0
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Santa Maria Madalena de Pazzi fez a generosa declara\u00e7\u00e3o de que n\u00e3o poderia ser encontrada no mundo inteiro uma afli\u00e7\u00e3o t\u00e3o severa que ela n\u00e3o suportaria de bom grado quando pensasse que ela vinha de Deus; e, de fato, durante os cinco anos de severa prova\u00e7\u00e3o que a Santa sofreu, foi suficiente para restaurar a paz em sua alma lembrar que foi pela vontade de Deus que ela sofreu tanto. Ah, Deus, esse tesouro infinito \u00e9 comprado a qualquer pre\u00e7o! O padre Hip\u00f3lito Durazzo costumava dizer: \"Compre Deus a qualquer custo; Ele nunca pode ser caro\".
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 meu amant\u00edssimo Redentor, permita-me saber qu\u00e3o grande \u00e9 o Bem que Tu \u00e9s e qu\u00e3o grande \u00e9 o amor que tens por mim a fim de me obrigar a Te amar! Ah, meu Deus, n\u00e3o permita que eu viva mais sem me lembrar de tanta bondade! J\u00e1 Te ofendi o suficiente, nunca mais Te deixarei; quero empregar todo o resto de meus dias em amar-Te e agradar-Te. Meu Jesus, meu Amor, empresta-me Teu aux\u00edlio; ajuda um pecador que deseja amar-Te e ser totalmente Teu. \u00d3 Maria, minha esperan\u00e7a, seu Filho a ouve; ore a Ele em meu favor e obtenha para mim a gra\u00e7a de am\u00e1-Lo perfeitamente!<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Let us then beseech God to make us worthy of His love; for if we did but once perfectly love Him, all the goods of this earth would seem to us but as smoke and dirt, and we should relish ignominies and afflictions as delights. \u00a0Let us hear what St. John Chrysostom says of a soul wholly given up to Almighty God: \u201cHe who has attained the perfect love of God seems to be alone on the earth \u2013 he no longer cares for either glory or ignominy \u2013 he scorns temptations and afflictions \u2013 he loses all relish and appetite for created things. \u00a0And as nothing in this world brings him any support or repose, he goes incessantly in search of his Beloved without ever feeling wearied; so that when he toils, when he eats, when he is watching, or sleeping, in every action and every word all his thoughts and desires are fixed upon finding his Beloved, because his heart is where his treasure is.\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My dear and beloved Jesus, my Treasure, I have deserved by my offences never more to be allowed to love Thee; but by Thy merits, I entreat Thee, make me worthy of Thy pure love. \u00a0I love Thee above all things; and I repent with my whole heart of having ever despised Thee, and driven Thee from my soul; but now I love Thee more than myself; I love Thee with all my heart, O Infinite Good! \u00a0I love Thee, I love Thee, I love Thee, and I have not a wish besides that of loving Thee perfectly; nor have I a fear besides that of ever seeing myself deprived of Thy love.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\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\tTER\u00c7A-FEIRA DA QUARTA SEMANA AP\u00d3S A P\u00c1SCOA<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 PARA SE TORNAR SANTA, A ALMA DEVE SE ENTREGAR SEM RESERVAS A DEUS<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0S\u00e3o Jer\u00f4nimo diz que Deus tem ci\u00fames de nossos cora\u00e7\u00f5es. Ele deseja reinar sozinho em nosso cora\u00e7\u00e3o e n\u00e3o ter companheiros l\u00e1. H\u00e1 almas chamadas por Deus para se tornarem santas, mas se aproximarem Dele com reserva e n\u00e3o Lhe derem todo o seu amor, mas mantiverem alguma afei\u00e7\u00e3o pelas coisas terrenas, elas nunca se tornar\u00e3o santas. Para ganhar tudo, precisamos dar tudo.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0S\u00e3o Filipe N\u00e9ri disse que o amor que dedicamos \u00e0s criaturas \u00e9 o que tiramos de Deus; e, portanto, nosso Salvador, como escreveu S\u00e3o Jer\u00f4nimo, tem ci\u00fames de nosso cora\u00e7\u00e3o. Como Ele mesmo nos amou t\u00e3o abundantemente, deseja reinar sozinho em nossos cora\u00e7\u00f5es e n\u00e3o ter companheiros que possam roubar-Lhe uma parte do amor que Ele deseja ter inteiramente para Si mesmo; e, portanto, desagrada-Lhe ver-nos apegados a qualquer afei\u00e7\u00e3o que n\u00e3o seja por Ele. E ser\u00e1 que nosso Salvador pede demais, depois de ter dado Seu pr\u00f3prio sangue e vida, morrendo por n\u00f3s em uma cruz? Ele n\u00e3o merece ser amado por n\u00f3s de todo o cora\u00e7\u00e3o e sem reservas?
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0S\u00e3o Jo\u00e3o da Cruz disse que todo apego \u00e0s criaturas nos impede de pertencer totalmente a Deus.\u00a0 Quem me dar\u00e1 as asas de uma pomba, para que eu possa fugir e descansar? <\/em>says the Psalmist. \u2014 (Ps. liv. 7).\u00a0 There are souls called by God to become Saints, but, coming to Him with reserve and not giving Him their whole love but retaining some affection for earthly things, they will never become holy.\u00a0 They fain would fly, but being held down by some attachment, they cannot but remain fixed on earth.\u00a0 We must, therefore, strip ourselves of everything.\u00a0 Every thread, says the same St. John, whether great or small, hinders the soul from flying to God.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Certa vez, Santa Gertrudes orou ao Senhor para que Ele lhe ensinasse o que Ele queria que ela fizesse. O Senhor respondeu: N\u00e3o desejo nada de voc\u00ea, a n\u00e3o ser um cora\u00e7\u00e3o devoto. E foi isso que Davi buscou de Deus: Crie em mim um cora\u00e7\u00e3o puro, \u00f3 Deus!<\/em> \u2014 (Ps. l. 12).\u00a0 O my God, give me a pure heart; a heart emptied and stripped of every earthly affection.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\"Tudo por tudo\", escreveu Thomas \u00e0 Kempis. Para ganhar tudo, precisamos dar tudo. Para possuir Deus, devemos deixar tudo o que n\u00e3o \u00e9 Deus. Ent\u00e3o a alma pode dizer ao Senhor: \"Meu Jesus, eu deixei tudo por Ti; agora, d\u00e1-Te totalmente a mim\". Para conseguir isso, n\u00e3o devemos deixar de implorar a Deus que nos encha com Seu santo amor. O amor \u00e9 aquele fogo poderoso que queima em nosso cora\u00e7\u00e3o toda afei\u00e7\u00e3o que n\u00e3o seja por Deus.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 meu Jesus, meu Amor, meu Tudo! Como posso v\u00ea-Lo morrendo em uma cruz vergonhosa, desprezado por todos e consumido pela ang\u00fastia, e depois buscar prazeres e gl\u00f3rias terrenos? Eu serei totalmente Teu. Esque\u00e7a as ofensas que cometi contra Ti e me receba. Ensina-me a saber de que coisas devo me separar e o que devo fazer para Te agradar - tudo isso eu desejo fazer. D\u00ea-me for\u00e7as para seguir Tua vontade e ser fiel a Ti.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 St. Francis de Sales said that when a house is in flames we throw all the furniture out of the windows; by which he meant that when a soul is inflamed and the Divine love takes possession of it, it has no need of sermons or spiritual directors to detach it from the world; the love of God will itself cleanse the heart and despoil it of every earthly desire.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Holy love is spoken of in the Canticles under the symbol of a cellar of wine: He brought me into the cellar of wine; he set in order charity in me. \u2014 <\/em>(Cant. ii. 4). \u00a0In this blessed cellar souls that are the brides of Christ, inebriated with the wine of holy love, lose all taste for the things of the world, admire God alone, in all things seek God alone, speak only of God, and desire to think only of God; and when they hear others speak of riches, dignities, pleasures, they turn to God and say to Him, with a burning sigh: Meu Deus e meu Tudo!<\/em> \u00a0What of the world, or pleasures, or honours? \u00a0Be Thou all my joy, all my contentment! \u00a0St. Teresa wrote, when speaking of the prayer of union with God, that this union consists in dying to all worldly things in order to possess nothing but God.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That a soul may give itself wholly to God, three things are especially necessary: First, the avoidance of all defects, even the very least, accompanied with conquests over our inordinate desires, such as to abstain from observing such and such an object of sight or hearing, from certain little pleasures of sense, from certain witty or unnecessary conversations, and such-like. \u00a0Secondly, among things which are good the constant choice of those that are the best and the most pleasing to God. \u00a0Thirdly, the receiving with peace of mind and thanksgiving from the Divine hands, things displeasing to our self-love.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Oh, my beloved Redeemer, Thou wiliest that I should give myself to Thee without reserve, that I may unite myself wholly to Thy Heart. \u00a0Behold, this day I give myself wholly, and without reserve, to Thee, my Jesus; from Thee I hope for the grace to be faithful even to death. \u00a0O Mother of God, and my own Mother, Mary, obtain for me the grace of holy perseverance.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0\u00a0VITA, DULCEDO! SALVE, NOSSA VIDA, NOSSA DO\u00c7URA!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXII. MARIA \u00c9 NOSSA VIDA PORQUE NOS OBT\u00c9M A PERSEVERAN\u00c7A<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Seguindo as palavras do livro de Prov\u00e9rbios, que s\u00e3o aplicadas a ela pela Igreja, Maria diz: Bem-aventurado o homem que me ouve, e que diariamente vigia \u00e0s minhas portas, e espera junto aos umbrais das minhas portas<\/em> \u2014 (Prov. viii. 34) \u2014 as if she would say: Blessed is he that hears my voice and is constantly attentive to apply at the door of my mercy, and seeks light and help from me.\u00a0 For clients who do this Mary does her part, and obtains them the light and strength they require to abandon sin and walk in the paths of virtue.\u00a0 For this reason Innocent III beautifully calls her “the moon at night, the dawn at break of day, and the sun at mid-day.”\u00a0 She is a moon to enlighten those who blindly wander in the night of sin, and makes them see and understand the miserable state of damnation in which they are; she is the dawn, that is the forerunner of the sun, to those whom she has already enlightened, and makes them abandon sin and return to God, the true Sun of Justice; finally, she is a sun to those who are in a state of grace, and prevents them from again falling into the abyss of sin.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Escritores eruditos aplicam as seguintes palavras do Eclesi\u00e1stico a Maria: Suas faixas s\u00e3o uma liga\u00e7\u00e3o saud\u00e1vel<\/em>. \u2014 (Ecclus. vi. 31).\u00a0 “Why bands?” asks St. Laurence Justinian, “except it be that she binds her servants and thus prevents them from straying into the paths of vice.”\u00a0 And truly this is the reason for which Mary binds her servants.\u00a0 St. Bonaventure also, in his commentary on the words of Ecclesiasticus frequently used in the Office of Mary, Minha morada \u00e9 na assembleia completa dos santos<\/em> \u2014 (Ecclus. xxiv. 16), says that Mary not only has her abode in the full assembly of Saints, but also preserves them from falling, keeps a constant watch over their virtue that it may not fail, and restrains the evil spirits from injuring them.\u00a0 Not only has she her abode in the full assembly of Saints, but she keeps the Saints there by preserving their merits that they may not lose them, by restraining the devils from injuring them, and by withholding the arm of her Son from striking sinners.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0No livro de Prov\u00e9rbios, \u00e9 dito que todos os clientes de Maria est\u00e3o vestidos com roupas duplas.\u00a0 Pois todos os seus empregados dom\u00e9sticos est\u00e3o vestidos com roupas duplas<\/em>. \u2014 (Prov. xxxi. 21).\u00a0 Cornelius \u00e0 Lapide explains what this double clothing is.\u00a0 He says that it “consists in her adorning her faithful servants with the virtues of her Son and with her own;” and thus clothed they persevere in virtue.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Oh, se todos os homens amassem essa benigna e amorosa Senhora, se recorressem a ela sempre e sem demora em suas tenta\u00e7\u00f5es, quem cairia? Quem se perderia? Cai e se perde aquele que n\u00e3o recorre a Maria. S\u00e3o Louren\u00e7o Justiniano aplica a Maria as palavras do Eclesi\u00e1stico: Eu andei nas ondas do mar<\/em> \u2014 (Ecclus. xxiv. 8), and makes her say: “I walk with my servants in the midst of the tempests to which they are constantly exposed, to assist and preserve them from falling into sin.”<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0\u00a0A PR\u00c1TICA DO AMOR DE JESUS CRISTO\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXVIII. \"A CARIDADE \u00c9 BONDOSA\". - AQUELE QUE AMA JESUS CRISTO AMA A MANSID\u00c3O<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O esp\u00edrito de mansid\u00e3o \u00e9 peculiar a Deus: Meu esp\u00edrito \u00e9 doce como o mel<\/em>. \u2014 (Ecclus. xxiv. 27).\u00a0 Hence it is that a soul that loves God loves also all those God loves, namely, her neighbours; so that she eagerly seeks every occasion of helping all, of consoling all, and of making all happy as far as she can.\u00a0 St. Francis de Sales, who was the master and model of holy meekness, says: “Humble meekness is the virtue which God has so much recommended to us; therefore we should endeavour to practise it always and in all things.”\u00a0 Hence the Saint gives us this rule: O que voc\u00ea v\u00ea que pode ser feito com amor, fa\u00e7a-o; e o que voc\u00ea v\u00ea que n\u00e3o pode ser feito sem ofensa, deixe-o sem fazer<\/em>. Ele quer dizer, quando pode ser omitido sem ofender a Deus; porque uma ofensa a Deus deve sempre, e o mais r\u00e1pido poss\u00edvel, ser evitada por aquele que est\u00e1 obrigado a evit\u00e1-la.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Essa mansid\u00e3o deve ser observada especialmente em rela\u00e7\u00e3o aos pobres, que, por causa de sua pobreza, muitas vezes s\u00e3o tratados com severidade pelos homens. Da mesma forma, deve ser praticada especialmente em rela\u00e7\u00e3o aos doentes que est\u00e3o sofrendo com enfermidades e, na maioria das vezes, recebem pouca ajuda dos outros. A mansid\u00e3o deve ser observada mais especialmente em nosso comportamento para com nossos inimigos: Vencer o mal com o bem<\/em>. \u2014 (Rom. xii. 21).\u00a0 Hatred must be overcome by love, and persecution by meekness; thus the Saints acted, and so they conciliated the affections of their most exasperated enemies.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThere is nothing,\u201d says St. Francis de Sales, \u201cthat gives so much edification to our neighbour as meekness of behaviour.\u201d \u00a0The Saint, therefore, was generally seen smiling and with a countenance beaming with charity, which gave a tone to all his words and actions. \u00a0This gave occasion to St. Vincent de Paul to declare that he never knew a kinder man in his life. \u00a0He said, further, that it seemed to him that in this his Lordship of Sales was a true likeness of Jesus Christ. \u00a0Even in refusing what he could not in conscience give, he did so with such sweetness that all, though unsuccessful in their requests, went away satisfied and well-disposed towards him. \u00a0He was gentle towards all, towards superiors, towards equals and inferiors, at home and abroad; in contrast with some, who, as the Saint used to say, seemed angels abroad, but were devils at home.<\/em> \u00a0Moreover, the Saint, in his conduct towards servants, never complained of their remissness; at most he would give them an admonition, but always in the gentlest terms. \u00a0And this is a thing most praiseworthy in superiors. \u00a0The superior should use all kindness towards those under him. \u00a0When telling them what they have to do, he should request rather than command.\u00a0 St. Vincent de Paul said: \u201cA superior will never find a better means of being readily obeyed than meekness.\u201d\u00a0 And to the same effect was the saying of St. Jane Frances de Chantal: \u201cI have tried various methods of governing, but I have not found any better than that of meekness and forbearance.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\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\tQUARTA-FEIRA DA QUARTA SEMANA AP\u00d3S A P\u00c1SCOA<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 \"BEM-AVENTURADOS OS POBRES DE ESP\u00cdRITO\"<\/em><\/strong><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0As m\u00e1ximas do mundo s\u00e3o totalmente opostas \u00e0s do Evangelho. Assim, os mundanos depositam sua confian\u00e7a nas riquezas, enquanto os santos de Deus consideram a pobreza seu maior tesouro. N\u00e3o \u00e9 certo que os ricos estejam perdidos, mas o pr\u00f3prio Redentor declarou: \u00c9 mais f\u00e1cil um camelo passar pelo buraco de uma agulha do que um rico entrar no reino dos c\u00e9us<\/em>. \u2014 (Matt. xix. 24).\u00a0<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ao jovem que perguntou o que deveria fazer para alcan\u00e7ar a perfei\u00e7\u00e3o, Jesus disse: Se voc\u00ea quer ser perfeito, v\u00e1, venda o que voc\u00ea tem e d\u00ea aos pobres.<\/em> \u2014 (Matt. xix. 21).\u00a0 The Saviour told him that he should renounce all his possessions without a single exception.\u00a0 For when, as St. Bonaventure says, the spirit is encumbered with the weight of any temporal possessions, the soul cannot rise to union with God.\u00a0 “Burdened with the load of temporal things, the spirit cannot ascend to God.”\u00a0 “The love of terrestrial objects,” according to St. Augustine, “is the birdlime of the spiritual wings,” which impedes the flight of the soul to God.\u00a0 And again the holy Doctor says: “By the great wing of poverty a Christian flies quickly to Heaven.”\u00a0 Hence St. Laurence Justinian exclaimed: “O blessed voluntary poverty, possessing nothing, fearing nothing, always cheerful, always abounding, because it turns to advantage every inconvenience.”
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Foi para nossa edifica\u00e7\u00e3o e instru\u00e7\u00e3o que Jesus Cristo desejou viver em cont\u00ednua pobreza na Terra. Por isso, Santa Maria Madalena de Pazzi chamou a pobreza de esposa de Jesus. \"A pobreza\", diz S\u00e3o Bernardo, \"n\u00e3o foi encontrada no C\u00e9u - ela abundava na Terra; mas o homem n\u00e3o conhecia seu valor: portanto, o Filho de Deus, desejando-a, desceu do C\u00e9u para escolh\u00ea-la para Si mesmo e torn\u00e1-la preciosa para n\u00f3s\".\u00a0 Ser rico<\/em>, diz S\u00e3o Paulo, ele se fez pobre por causa de voc\u00eas, para que voc\u00eas se tornassem ricos pela sua pobreza<\/em>. \u2014 (2 Cor. viii. 9).\u00a0 Our Redeemer was the Lord of all the riches in Heaven and on earth, but He wished to be miserably poor in this life in order to enrich us and to excite us by His example to the love of poverty which, by withdrawing our affections from temporal goods, procures for us eternal riches.\u00a0 He wished to be poor during His whole life.\u00a0 Poor in His Birth \u2013 He was born, not in a palace but in a cold stable having only a manger for His cradle and straw for His bed.\u00a0 Poor in His life and poor in all things He dwelt in a miserable cabin containing but a single room which served for all the purposes of life.\u00a0 Poor in His garments and in His food.\u00a0 St. John Chrysostom says that the Redeemer and His disciples ate nothing but barley-bread; and this may be inferred from the Gospel (John vi. 9).\u00a0 Poor, in fine, in His death: leaving nothing behind Him but His miserable garments; and these, even before His death, were divided among the soldiers.\u00a0 Thus for His winding-sheet and sepulchre He depended on the bounty of the charitable.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 meu Jesus, em Ti encontro todas as coisas; fora de Ti, nada desejo. Ah, atrai-me inteiramente para Ti; acende em meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o somente Teu santo amor, pelo qual desejo ser inteiramente consumido. Livrai-me, Senhor, de todas as afei\u00e7\u00f5es que me separam de V\u00f3s.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jesus once said to Blessed Angela de Foligno: \u201cIf poverty were not a great blessing I should not have chosen it for Myself, nor should I have left it as an inheritance to My elect.\u201d \u00a0It was because they saw Jesus poor that the Saints loved poverty so much.\u00a0 Father Louis of Granada and Blessed John of Avila discussed one day the reason why St. Francis of Assisi had such an affection for poverty. \u00a0Father Louis maintained that it was because the Saint wished to be freed from every impediment to a perfect union with God. \u00a0But Blessed John of Avila asserted with more truth that the ardent love of St. Francis for holy poverty arose from his ardent love of Jesus Christ. \u00a0And surely a soul that loves Jesus Christ intensely cannot but exclaim with the Apostle: I count all things as dung, that I may gain Christ. <\/em>\u2014 (Phil. iii. 8). \u00a0I esteem all the goods of the earth as dung, and therefore I despise them all, that I may gain Jesus Christ. \u00a0Hence St. Francis de Sales used to say that when a house is on fire the furniture is thrown out of the windows; and, long before, the Holy Ghost said: If a man should give all the substance of his house for love he shall despise it as nothing. \u2014 <\/em>(Cant. viii. 7).\u00a0 The ardent lover cheerfully despises all things through the love He bears to God.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 My dear Redeemer, I know Thou hast been calling me for so many years because Thou dost wish me to belong to Thee entirely. \u00a0Since, then, Thou dost so ardently desire my welfare, grant that henceforth I may seek only Thy love and the fulfilment of Thy will. \u00a0Amen.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0\u00a0VITA, DULCEDO! SALVE, NOSSA VIDA, NOSSA DO\u00c7URA!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXIII. MARIA \u00c9 NOSSA VIDA PORQUE NOS OBT\u00c9M A PERSEVERAN\u00c7A<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0N\u00f3s, diz S\u00e3o Tom\u00e1s de Vilanova, quando tentados pelo dem\u00f4nio, precisamos apenas imitar as galinhas que, assim que percebem a aproxima\u00e7\u00e3o de uma ave de rapina, correm para debaixo das asas da m\u00e3e para se protegerem. \u00c9 exatamente isso que devemos fazer sempre que formos atacados pela tenta\u00e7\u00e3o: n\u00e3o devemos ficar discutindo com ela, mas imediatamente voar e nos colocar sob o manto de Maria. No entanto, citarei as pr\u00f3prias palavras do Santo dirigidas a Maria: \"Assim como as galinhas, quando veem um papagaio voando, correm e se refugiam sob as asas da galinha, assim tamb\u00e9m n\u00f3s nos preservamos sob a sombra de tuas asas\". \"E tu\", continua ele, \"que \u00e9s nossa Senhora e M\u00e3e, tens que nos defender; pois, depois de Deus, n\u00e3o temos outro ref\u00fagio al\u00e9m de ti, que \u00e9s nossa \u00fanica esperan\u00e7a e nossa protetora; para ti todos n\u00f3s voltamos nossos olhos com confian\u00e7a.\"
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Concluamos, ent\u00e3o, com as palavras de S\u00e3o Bernardo: \"\u00d3 homem, quem quer que voc\u00ea seja, entenda que neste mundo voc\u00ea \u00e9 jogado em um mar tempestuoso e tempestuoso, em vez de andar em terra firme; lembre-se de que, se quiser evitar o afogamento, nunca deve desviar os olhos do brilho desta estrela, mas mant\u00ea-los fixos nela e invocar Maria. Nos perigos, nas dificuldades, nas d\u00favidas, pense em Maria, invoque Maria\". Sim, nos perigos de pecar, quando for molestado por tenta\u00e7\u00f5es, quando estiver em d\u00favida sobre como agir, lembre-se de que Maria pode ajud\u00e1-lo e invoque-a, e ela o socorrer\u00e1 imediatamente. \"Que o nome dela n\u00e3o saia de seus l\u00e1bios, que esteja sempre em seu cora\u00e7\u00e3o\". Seu cora\u00e7\u00e3o nunca deve perder a confian\u00e7a em seu santo nome, nem seus l\u00e1bios devem deixar de invoc\u00e1-lo. \"Seguindo-a, certamente n\u00e3o se desviar\u00e1\". Oh, n\u00e3o; se seguirmos Maria, jamais nos desviaremos dos caminhos da salva\u00e7\u00e3o. \"Implorando-a, voc\u00ea n\u00e3o se desesperar\u00e1.\" Toda vez que invocarmos sua ajuda, seremos inspirados com perfeita confian\u00e7a. \"Se ela te sustentar, n\u00e3o cair\u00e1s; se ela te proteger, n\u00e3o ter\u00e1s nada a temer, pois n\u00e3o te perder\u00e1s; com ela como guia, n\u00e3o te cansar\u00e1s, pois tua salva\u00e7\u00e3o ser\u00e1 alcan\u00e7ada com facilidade. Se ela for prop\u00edcia, voc\u00ea chegar\u00e1 ao porto.\" Se Maria assumir nossa defesa, temos certeza de que ganharemos o reino dos c\u00e9us.\u00a0 Fa\u00e7a isso e voc\u00ea viver\u00e1<\/em>. \u2014 (Luke x. 28).<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0\u00a0A PR\u00c1TICA DO AMOR DE JESUS CRISTO\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXIX. \"A CARIDADE \u00c9 BONDOSA\". - AQUELE QUE AMA JESUS CRISTO AMA A MANSID\u00c3O<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0E mais do que isso, o superior deve ser gentil at\u00e9 mesmo na corre\u00e7\u00e3o de falhas. Uma coisa \u00e9 corrigir com firmeza<\/em>e outro com severidade<\/em>. \u00c0s vezes \u00e9 necess\u00e1rio corrigir com firmeza, quando a falta \u00e9 grave, e especialmente se for repetida depois que o sujeito j\u00e1 foi advertido; mas estejamos sempre atentos contra a corre\u00e7\u00e3o dura e irada; aquele que corrige com raiva faz mais mal do que bem. Esse \u00e9 o zelo amargo reprovado por S\u00e3o Tiago. Alguns se gabam de manter a fam\u00edlia em ordem por meio da severidade e dizem que esse \u00e9 o \u00fanico m\u00e9todo bem-sucedido de tratamento; mas S\u00e3o Tiago n\u00e3o fala assim: Mas se voc\u00ea tiver um zelo amargo ... n\u00e3o se glorie<\/em>. \u2014 (James iii. 14).\u00a0 If on some rare occasion it be necessary to speak a cross word in order to bring the offender to a proper sense of his fault, yet in the end we ought invariably to leave him with a gentle countenance and a word of kindness.\u00a0 Wounds must be healed after the fashion of the good Samaritan in the Gospel, with wine and oil.\u00a0 “But as oil,” said St. Francis de Sales, “always swims on the surface of all other liquids, so must meekness prevail over all our actions.”\u00a0 And when it occurs that the person under correction is agitated, then the reprehension must be deferred till his anger has subsided, or else we should only increase his indignation.\u00a0 The Canon Regular St. John said: “When the house is on fire, one must not cast wood into the flames.”<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 You know not of what spirit you are. \u2014 <\/em>(Luke ix. 55).\u00a0 Such were the words of Jesus Christ to His disciples James and John, when they would bring down chastisements on the Samaritans for expelling them from their country. \u00a0Ah, said the Lord to them, and what spirit is this? \u00a0This is not My spirit, which is sweet and gentle; for I am come not to destroy but to save souls: The Son of man came not to destroy souls, but to save. <\/em>\u2014 (Luke ix. 56). \u00a0And would you induce Me to destroy them?\u00a0 Oh, be silent, and never make the like request to Me, for such is not according to My spirit. \u00a0And, in fact, with what meekness did Jesus Christ treat the adulteress!\u00a0 Woman,<\/em> said He, hath no man condemned thee? \u00a0Neither will I condemn thee! \u00a0Go, and now sin no more. \u2014 <\/em>(John viii. 10, 11). \u00a0He was satisfied with merely warning her not to sin again, and sent her away in peace. \u00a0With what meekness, again, did He seek the conversion of the Samaritan woman, and so, in fact, converted her! \u00a0He first asked her to give Him to drink; then He said to her: If thou didst know who he is that saith to thee: Give me to drink! <\/em>\u2014 and then He revealed to her that He was the expected Messiah. \u00a0And again, with what meekness did he strive to convert the impious Judas, admitting him to eat from the same dish with Him, washing his feet and admonishing him in the very act of His betrayal: Judas, dost thou betray the Son of Man with a kiss? <\/em>\u2014 (Luke xxii. 48). \u00a0And see how He converted Peter after his denial of Him! \u00a0And the Lord turning, looked on Peter. <\/em>\u2014 (Luke xxii. 61). \u00a0On leaving the house of the high-priest, without making him a single reproach, He cast on him a look of tenderness, and thus converted him; and so effectually did He convert him that, during his whole life long, Peter never ceased to bewail the injury he had done to His Master.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\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\tQUINTA-FEIRA DA QUARTA SEMANA AP\u00d3S A P\u00c1SCOA<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 \"BEM-AVENTURADOS OS POBRES DE ESP\u00cdRITO\"<\/strong><\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Bem-aventurados os pobres de esp\u00edrito, porque deles \u00e9 o reino dos c\u00e9us.\u00a0 <\/em>\u00d3 feliz com\u00e9rcio! Renunciamos aos bens desta terra, que n\u00e3o passam de lama, e recebemos em troca as gra\u00e7as de Deus e recompensas eternas mais preciosas do que o ouro mais puro.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Nas Escrituras Sagradas, aprendemos que a recompensa da pobreza \u00e9 muito certa e grande al\u00e9m da medida. \u00c9 muito certa, porque Jesus Cristo disse: Bem-aventurados os pobres de esp\u00edrito, porque deles \u00e9 o reino dos c\u00e9us<\/em>. - (Mt. v., 3). Para as outras bem-aventuran\u00e7as, o c\u00e9u \u00e9 prometido apenas como uma recompensa futura.\u00a0 Bem-aventurados os mansos, porque possuir\u00e3o a terra<\/em>. - (Mat. v., 4).\u00a0\u00a0Bem-aventurados os limpos de cora\u00e7\u00e3o, porque eles ver\u00e3o a Deus<\/em>. - (Mt. v., 8). Mas para os pobre de esp\u00edrito<\/em> O reino de Deus \u00e9 prometido como uma recompensa presente: porque deles \u00e9 o reino dos c\u00e9us<\/em>. Porque, \u00e0queles que s\u00e3o verdadeiramente pobres de esp\u00edrito, o Senhor d\u00e1 grandes ajudas, mesmo nesta vida. Por isso, Cornelius \u00e0 Lapide diz que, uma vez que, por decreto de Deus, o reino dos c\u00e9us pertence aos pobres, eles t\u00eam pleno direito a ele. A recompensa da pobreza \u00e9 muito segura, e grande al\u00e9m da imagina\u00e7\u00e3o. \"Quanto menos tivermos aqui\", diz Santa Teresa, \"mais desfrutaremos no reino de Deus, no qual a mans\u00e3o de cada um \u00e9 proporcional ao amor com o qual teremos imitado a vida de Jesus Cristo.\" \"\u00d3 feliz com\u00e9rcio\", exclama S\u00e3o Pedro Dami\u00e3o, \"onde o barro \u00e9 doado e o ouro \u00e9 recebido\". \u00d3 feliz com\u00e9rcio! Renunciamos aos bens da terra, que n\u00e3o passam de lama, e recebemos em troca as gra\u00e7as de Deus e recompensas eternas mais preciosas do que o ouro mais puro.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 meu Jesus, se at\u00e9 agora meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o esteve apegado aos bens deste mundo, Tu ser\u00e1s, de agora em diante, meu \u00fanico tesouro. \u00d3 Deus da minha alma, Tu \u00e9s um Bem infinitamente maior do que qualquer outro bem e mereces um amor infinito. Portanto, eu Te estimo e Te amo acima de todas as coisas, e at\u00e9 mais do que a mim mesmo. Tu \u00e9s o \u00fanico objeto de minhas afei\u00e7\u00f5es. N\u00e3o desejo nada neste mundo. Se eu tivesse meu desejo, seria possuir todos os tesouros e reinos deste mundo com o prop\u00f3sito de renunciar a todos eles e me privar deles por amor a Ti. Venha, \u00f3 meu Amor, venha e consuma em mim toda afei\u00e7\u00e3o que n\u00e3o seja por Ti.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The poor in spirit<\/em> shall also have the honour of sitting with Jesus Christ as the judges of the world. \u00a0Behold, <\/em>says St. Peter to Jesus, we have left all things and have followed thee: what, therefore, shall we have? \u00a0And Jesus<\/em> said to them: Amen, I say to you, that you who have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you shall also sit on twelve seats, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. \u2014 <\/em>(Matt. xix. 27, 28). \u00a0God has promised eternal glory hereafter, and a hundredfold in this life, to all who abandon earthly goods for His sake. \u00a0And every one that hath left house . . . or lands for my name\u2019s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting. \u2014 <\/em>(Matt. xix. 29). \u00a0This promise is fulfilled in all the poor in spirit who, because they desire nothing on earth, possess all riches: As having nothing and possessing all things. \u2014 <\/em>(2 Cor. vi. 10). \u00a0The Redeemer has justly compared riches to thorns. \u2014 (Matt. xiii. 22), for in proportion to their abundance riches torment the soul by cares, by fears, and by the desire of increased possessions. \u00a0Hence St. Bernard says that while the avaricious, because their desire of riches is never satiated, like mendicants, thirst after the goods of this world the poor in spirit, because they wish for nothing upon earth, despise Mammon.\u00a0 \u201cThe avaricious man, like a mendicant, hungers after earthly things; the poor man, like a prince, contemns them.\u201d \u00a0Oh, how great is the happiness of him who desires and possesses nothing upon earth! \u00a0He enjoys true peace \u2013 a blessing more valuable than all worldly goods, which can never content a soul destined to be made happy only by the possession of God.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O my God, grant that in future I may regard only Thee, think only of Thee, and sigh after Thee alone!\u00a0 The love that made Thee die on the Cross for me, makes me die to all my inclinations and desire only Thy holy grace and love. \u00a0My dear Redeemer, when shall I be entirely Thine as Thou art mine? \u00a0Oh, take me and make me live only for Thy glory. \u00a0Trusting in the merits of Thy Blood, O my Jesus, and in thy intercession, O my Mother Mary, I hope for all things.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0\u00a0VITA, DULCEDO! SALVE, NOSSA VIDA, NOSSA DO\u00c7URA!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXIV. MARIA \u00c9 NOSSA DO\u00c7URA; ELA TORNA A MORTE DOCE PARA SEUS CLIENTES<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O amigo ama em todo tempo; e o irm\u00e3o \u00e9 provado na ang\u00fastia<\/em> - (Prov. xvii., 17), diz o Livro de Prov\u00e9rbios. Nunca podemos conhecer nossos amigos na \u00e9poca da prosperidade; \u00e9 somente na \u00e9poca da adversidade que os vemos em sua verdadeira face. As pessoas do mundo nunca abandonam um amigo enquanto ele est\u00e1 em prosperidade; mas se os infort\u00fanios o atingirem, e mais particularmente se ele estiver \u00e0 beira da morte, elas o abandonam imediatamente. Maria n\u00e3o age assim com seus clientes. Em suas afli\u00e7\u00f5es, e mais particularmente nas tristezas da morte, as maiores que podem ser suportadas neste mundo, essa boa Senhora e M\u00e3e n\u00e3o apenas n\u00e3o abandona seus servos fi\u00e9is, mas, como durante nosso ex\u00edlio ela \u00e9 nossa vida, assim tamb\u00e9m ela \u00e9, em nossa \u00faltima hora, nossa do\u00e7ura, obtendo para n\u00f3s uma morte calma e feliz. Pois desde o dia em que Maria teve o privil\u00e9gio e a dor de estar presente na morte de Jesus, seu Filho, que era a Cabe\u00e7a de todos os predestinados, tornou-se seu privil\u00e9gio tamb\u00e9m assistir \u00e0s mortes deles. Por essa raz\u00e3o, a Santa Igreja nos ensina a suplicar a essa Sant\u00edssima Virgem que nos assista, especialmente no momento da morte: Ore por n\u00f3s, pecadores, agora e na hora de nossa morte!<\/em>
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Oh, qu\u00e3o grandes s\u00e3o os sofrimentos dos que est\u00e3o morrendo! Eles sofrem de remorso de consci\u00eancia por causa dos pecados passados, de medo do julgamento que se aproxima e da incerteza de sua salva\u00e7\u00e3o eterna. \u00c9 ent\u00e3o que o inferno se arma e n\u00e3o poupa esfor\u00e7os para ganhar a alma que est\u00e1 prestes a entrar na eternidade, pois sabe que resta apenas um curto per\u00edodo de tempo para ganh\u00e1-la e que, se o inferno a perder, a perder\u00e1 para sempre.\u00a0 O diabo desceu at\u00e9 v\u00f3s, cheio de grande ira, sabendo que pouco tempo lhe resta<\/em>. - (Apoc. xii., 12). E por essa raz\u00e3o o inimigo de nossa salva\u00e7\u00e3o, cujo encargo era tentar a alma durante a vida, n\u00e3o escolhe na morte ficar sozinho, mas chama outros para seu aux\u00edlio, de acordo com o Profeta Isaias: Suas casas se encher\u00e3o de serpentes<\/em>. - (Is. xiii., 21). E de fato s\u00e3o assim, pois quando uma pessoa est\u00e1 \u00e0 beira da morte, todo o lugar em que ela se encontra est\u00e1 cheio de dem\u00f4nios que se unem para faz\u00ea-la perder a alma.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Conta-se que, na morte de Santo Andr\u00e9 Avellino, dez mil dem\u00f4nios tentaram-no. O conflito que ele teve em sua agonia com os poderes do inferno foi t\u00e3o terr\u00edvel que todos os bons religiosos que o ajudaram tremeram. Viram o rosto do santo inchado de tal forma pela agita\u00e7\u00e3o que se tornou completamente negro; todos os membros tremiam e se contorciam; seus olhos derramavam uma torrente de l\u00e1grimas; sua cabe\u00e7a tremia violentamente; tudo dava ind\u00edcios do terr\u00edvel ataque que estava sofrendo por parte de seus inimigos infernais. Todos choraram de compaix\u00e3o e redobraram suas ora\u00e7\u00f5es e, ao mesmo tempo, tremeram de medo ao ver um santo morrer assim. No entanto, sentiram-se consolados ao ver que, muitas vezes, como se estivesse buscando ajuda, o santo voltava os olhos para uma imagem devota de Maria, pois se lembravam de que, em vida, ele havia dito muitas vezes que, na morte, Maria seria seu ref\u00fagio. Por fim, Deus teve o prazer de p\u00f4r fim \u00e0 disputa, concedendo-lhe uma vit\u00f3ria gloriosa; pois as contor\u00e7\u00f5es de seu corpo cessaram, seu rosto retomou seu tamanho e cor originais, e o santo, com os olhos tranquilamente fixos no quadro, fez uma inclina\u00e7\u00e3o devota a Maria (que, segundo se acredita, apareceu para ele) como se estivesse agradecendo a ela, e com um sorriso celestial em seu semblante expirou tranquilamente sua alma aben\u00e7oada nos bra\u00e7os de Maria. No mesmo momento, uma freira capuchinha, que estava agonizando, voltando-se para as freiras que a cercavam, disse: \"Recitem uma 'Ave Maria', pois um santo acabou de morrer\".
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Ah, como os esp\u00edritos rebeldes fogem rapidamente da presen\u00e7a dessa rainha! Se na hora da morte tivermos apenas a prote\u00e7\u00e3o de Maria, o que precisaremos temer de todos os nossos inimigos infernais? Davi, temendo os horrores da morte, encorajou-se ao confiar na morte do Redentor vindouro e na intercess\u00e3o da Virgem M\u00e3e.\u00a0 Embora<\/em>, diz ele, Eu deveria andar no meio da sombra da morte, ... a tua vara e o teu cajado me consolaram<\/em>. - (Sl. xxii., 4). O Cardeal Hugo, explicando essas palavras do Profeta real, diz que o bast\u00e3o significa a Cruz, e a vara \u00e9 a intercess\u00e3o de Maria, pois ela \u00e9 a vara predita pelo Profeta Isaias: E da raiz de Jess\u00e9 sair\u00e1 uma vara, e da sua raiz crescer\u00e1 uma flor<\/em>. - (Is. xi., 1). \"Essa M\u00e3e Divina\", diz S\u00e3o Pedro Dami\u00e3o, \"\u00e9 aquela vara poderosa com a qual a viol\u00eancia dos inimigos infernais \u00e9 vencida\". E por isso Santo Antonino nos encoraja, dizendo: \"Se Maria \u00e9 por n\u00f3s, quem ser\u00e1 contra n\u00f3s?\"<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0\u00a0A PR\u00c1TICA DO AMOR DE JESUS CRISTO\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXX. \"A CARIDADE \u00c9 BENIGNA\". - AQUELE QUE AMA JESUS CRISTO AMA A MANSID\u00c3O<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Oh, quanto mais se pode ganhar com a mansid\u00e3o do que com a dureza! S\u00e3o Francisco de Sales disse que n\u00e3o havia nada mais amargo do que a am\u00eandoa amarga; mas se transformada em conserva, torna-se doce e agrad\u00e1vel: assim, as corre\u00e7\u00f5es, embora de natureza muito desagrad\u00e1vel, tornam-se agrad\u00e1veis pelo amor e pela mansid\u00e3o, e assim s\u00e3o acompanhadas de resultados mais ben\u00e9ficos. S\u00e3o Vicente de Paulo disse de si mesmo que, no governo de sua pr\u00f3pria Congrega\u00e7\u00e3o, nunca corrigiu ningu\u00e9m com severidade, exceto em tr\u00eas ocasi\u00f5es, quando sup\u00f4s que havia raz\u00e3o para faz\u00ea-lo; mas que sempre se arrependeu disso depois, porque descobriu que n\u00e3o deu certo; ao passo que ele sempre teve sucesso admir\u00e1vel com uma corre\u00e7\u00e3o gentil.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0S\u00e3o Francisco de Sales obtinha dos outros tudo o que desejava por meio de seu comportamento manso; e, por esse meio, conseguiu conquistar os pecadores mais endurecidos para Deus. O mesmo aconteceu com S\u00e3o Vicente de Paulo, que ensinou a seus disc\u00edpulos a seguinte m\u00e1xima: \"A afabilidade, o amor e a humildade t\u00eam uma efic\u00e1cia maravilhosa para conquistar o cora\u00e7\u00e3o dos homens e convenc\u00ea-los a realizar as coisas mais repugnantes \u00e0 natureza\". Certa vez, ele entregou um grande pecador aos cuidados de um de seus pais para lev\u00e1-lo a sentimentos de verdadeiro arrependimento; mas o pai, apesar de todos os seus esfor\u00e7os, achou seu trabalho infrut\u00edfero, de modo que implorou ao Santo que lhe dissesse uma palavra. O Santo, ent\u00e3o, falou com ele e o converteu. Posteriormente, esse pecador declarou que a do\u00e7ura singular do Padre Vicente havia trabalhado em seu cora\u00e7\u00e3o. Por isso, o Santo n\u00e3o podia suportar que seus mission\u00e1rios tratassem os pecadores com severidade; e lhes disse que o esp\u00edrito infernal se aproveitava da severidade de alguns para causar a maior ru\u00edna das almas.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A bondade deve ser observada em rela\u00e7\u00e3o a todos, em todas as ocasi\u00f5es e em todos os momentos. S\u00e3o Bernardo observa que certas pessoas s\u00e3o gentis enquanto as coisas lhes caem bem; mas, mal experimentam alguma oposi\u00e7\u00e3o ou contradi\u00e7\u00e3o, ficam instantaneamente em chamas, como o pr\u00f3prio Monte Ves\u00favio. Tais pessoas podem ser chamadas de carv\u00f5es em brasa, mas escondidos sob as cinzas. Quem quiser se tornar um santo deve, durante esta vida, assemelhar-se ao l\u00edrio entre espinhos, que, por mais que seja picado por eles, nunca deixa de ser um l\u00edrio; isto \u00e9, \u00e9 sempre igualmente doce e sereno. A alma que ama a Deus mant\u00e9m uma paz imperturb\u00e1vel de cora\u00e7\u00e3o; e ela mostra isso em seu pr\u00f3prio semblante, sendo sempre senhora de si mesma, tanto na prosperidade quanto na adversidade, de acordo com as linhas do Cardeal Petrucci:<\/p>

\"De coisas exteriores, ele v\u00ea o disfarce vari\u00e1vel,
Enquanto no mais profundo de sua alma
A imagem de Deus est\u00e1 intacta\".<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A adversidade revela o verdadeiro car\u00e1ter de uma pessoa. S\u00e3o Francisco de Sales amava com muita ternura a Ordem da Visita\u00e7\u00e3o, que lhe custara tanto trabalho. Ele a viu v\u00e1rias vezes em perigo iminente de dissolu\u00e7\u00e3o, por causa das persegui\u00e7\u00f5es a que foi submetida; mas o Santo nunca perdeu a paz nem por um momento, e estava pronto, se essa fosse a vontade de Deus, a v\u00ea-la inteiramente destru\u00edda; e foi ent\u00e3o que ele disse: \"H\u00e1 algum tempo, as oposi\u00e7\u00f5es dif\u00edceis e as contrariedades secretas que me atingiram me proporcionam uma paz t\u00e3o doce que nada pode se igualar a ela; e elas me d\u00e3o tanta certeza da uni\u00e3o imediata de minha alma com Deus que, na verdade, formam o \u00fanico desejo de meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o\".
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 meu Jesus, eu tamb\u00e9m me abandono a Ti. Eu Te amo com todo o meu cora\u00e7\u00e3o; eu Te amo mais do que a mim mesmo. Eu j\u00e1 Te ofendi no passado, mas agora me arrependo amargamente disso e gostaria de morrer de tristeza. Oh, atrai-me inteiramente para Ti! Renuncio a todos os consolos sens\u00edveis; desejo somente a Ti, e nada mais. Fa\u00e7a-me am\u00e1-Lo, e ent\u00e3o fa\u00e7a de mim o que quiser. \u00d3 Maria, minha esperan\u00e7a, liga-me a Jesus; e faze com que eu viva e morra em uni\u00e3o com Ele, a fim de chegar um dia ao reino feliz, onde n\u00e3o terei mais medo de me separar de Seu amor!<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Whenever it happens that we have to reply to some one who insults us, let us be careful to answer with meekness: A mild answer breaketh wrath. \u2014 <\/em>(Prov. xv. 1). \u00a0A mild reply is enough to quench every spark of anger.\u00a0 And in case we feel irritated it is best to keep silence, because then it seems only just to give vent to all that rises to our lips; but when our passion has subsided, we shall see that all our words were full of faults.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 And when it happens that we ourselves commit some fault we must also practise meekness in our own regard: to be exasperated at ourselves after a fault is not humility but a subtle pride, as if we were anything else but the weak and miserable things that we are.\u00a0 St. Teresa said: \u201cThe humility that disturbs does not come from God, but from the devil. \u00a0To be angry with ourselves after the commission of a fault is a fault worse than the one committed, and will be the occasion of many other faults: it will make us leave off our devotions, prayers, and communions; or if we do practise them they will be done very badly. \u00a0St. Aloysius Gonzaga said that we cannot see in troubled waters, and that the devil fishes in them. \u00a0A soul that is troubled knows little of God and of what she ought to do. \u00a0Whenever, therefore, we fall into any fault, we should turn to God with humility and confidence, and, craving His forgiveness, say to Him, with St. Catherine of Genoa: \u2018O Lord, this is the produce of my own garden! \u00a0I love Thee with my whole heart, and I repent of the displeasure I have given Thee! \u00a0I will never do the like again; grant me Thy assistance!\u2019\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 O blessed chains that bind the soul to God, enfold me still closer, and in links so firm that I may never be able to loosen myself from the love of my God! \u00a0My Jesus, I love Thee! \u00a0O Treasure, O Life of my soul, to Thee I cling, and I give myself wholly unto Thee! \u00a0No, indeed, my beloved Lord, I wish never more to cease from loving Thee. \u00a0Thou Who, to atone for my sins, didst allow Thyself to be bound as a criminal, and so bound to be led to death through the streets of Jerusalem \u2013 Thou Who didst consent to be nailed to the Cross, and didst not leave it until life itself had left Thee \u2013 oh, suffer me not ever to be separated from Thee again; I regret above every other evil to have at one time turned my back upon Thee, and henceforth I purpose by Thy grace to die rather than to give Thee the slightest displeasure.<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\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\tSEXTA-FEIRA DA QUARTA SEMANA AP\u00d3S A P\u00c1SCOA<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 \"EM TODAS AS COISAS VOC\u00caS S\u00c3O ENRIQUECIDOS NELE\"<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0As feridas de Jesus s\u00e3o agora as fontes aben\u00e7oadas das quais podemos extrair todas as gra\u00e7as se orarmos a Ele com f\u00e9. Voc\u00eas tirar\u00e3o \u00e1gua com alegria das fontes do Salvador e dir\u00e3o naquele dia: Louvai ao Senhor e invocai o seu nome<\/em>. \u2014 (Is. xii. 3, 4).\u00a0 In short, as St. Paul says: Em todas as coisas voc\u00eas s\u00e3o enriquecidos nele... de modo que nada lhes falta em nenhuma gra\u00e7a<\/em>. \u2014 (1 Cor. i. 5, 7).<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Tendo, pois, um grande sumo sacerdote que j\u00e1 passou para os c\u00e9us, Jesus, o Filho de Deus, conservemos firmes a nossa confiss\u00e3o. Porque n\u00e3o temos um sumo sacerdote que n\u00e3o possa compadecer-se das nossas fraquezas, mas um que, como n\u00f3s, em tudo foi tentado, sem pecado<\/em>. \u2014 (Heb. iv. 14).\u00a0 Since, says the Apostle, we have this Saviour Who has opened to us Paradise which was at one time closed to us by sin, let us always have confidence in His merits; because from having of His goodness willed to suffer in Himself all our miseries, He well knows how to compassionate us: Portanto, vamos com confian\u00e7a ao trono da gra\u00e7a para obtermos miseric\u00f3rdia e encontrarmos gra\u00e7a em tempo oportuno<\/em>. \u2014 (Heb. iv. 16).\u00a0 Let us, then, go with confidence to the throne of the Divine mercy, to which we have access by means of Jesus Christ, that so we may there find all the graces that we need.\u00a0 And how can we doubt, adds St. Paul, but that God, having given us His Son, has given us together with that Son all His goods: Ele o entregou por todos n\u00f3s; como n\u00e3o nos deu, com ele, todas as coisas?<\/em> \u2014 (Rom. viii. 32).\u00a0 Cardinal Hugo comments on this: “He will give the lesser, that is to say, eternal life, Who hath given the greater, that is to say, His own Son.”\u00a0 That Lord will not deny us the lesser, which is eternal life, Who has gone so far as to give us the greater, which is His own Son Himself.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 meu principal e \u00fanico Bem, o que Te darei, miser\u00e1vel como sou, em troca de um presente t\u00e3o grande como o que me deste de Teu Filho? Com Davi, eu Te direi: O Senhor retribuir\u00e1 por mim<\/em>. \u2014 (Ps. cxxxvii. 8).\u00a0 Lord, I have not wherewith to recompense Thee.\u00a0 That same Son of Thine can alone render Thee worthy thanks; let Him thank Thee in my stead.\u00a0 O my most merciful Father, by the Wounds of Jesus, I pray Thee to save me.\u00a0 I love Thee, O infinite Goodness, and because I love Thee I repent of having offended Thee.\u00a0 My God, my God, I wish to be all Thine own; accept me for the sake of the love of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 Ah, my sweet Creator, is it possible that Thou, after having given me Thy Son, shouldst deny me the good things that belong to Thee \u2013 Thy grace, Thy love, Thy Paradise?<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 St. Leo declares that Jesus Christ, by His Death, has brought us more good than the devil brought us evil in the sin of Adam: \u201cWe have gained greater things through the grace of Christ than we had lost through the envy of the devil.\u201d \u00a0And this the Apostle distinctly says, when writing to the Romans: Not as the offence so also the gift . . . Where sin abounded, grace did more abound. <\/em>\u2014 (Rom. v. 15, 20). \u00a0Cardinal Hugo explains it: \u201cThe grace of Christ is of greater efficacy than is the offence.\u201d \u00a0There is no comparison, says the Apostle, between the sins of man and the gift which God has made us in giving us Jesus Christ; great was the sin of Adam, much greater by far was the grace which Jesus Christ, by His Passion, merited for us: I have come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly. <\/em>\u2014 (John x. 10). \u00a0I am come into the world, the Saviour protests, to the end that men who were dead through sin may receive through Me not only the life of grace, but a life yet more abundant than that which they had lost by sin. \u00a0Therefore it is that Holy Church calls the sin happy which has merited to have such a Redeemer: \u201cO felix culpa, quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem!\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Behold, God is my Saviour, I will deal confidently, and will not fear. <\/em>\u2014 (Is. xii. 2). \u00a0If, then, O my Jesus, Thou, Who art an Omnipotent God, art also my Saviour, what fear shall I have of being damned? \u00a0If, in time past, I offended Thee, I repent of it with all my heart. \u00a0From this time forth I wish to serve Thee, to obey Thee, and to love Thee. \u00a0I firmly hope that Thou, my Redeemer, Who hast done and suffered so much for my salvation, wilt not deny me any grace that I shall need in order to be saved: \u201cI will act with confidence, firmly hoping that nothing necessary to salvation will be denied me by Him Who has done and suffered so much for my salvation.\u201d<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0\u00a0VITA, DULCEDO! SALVE, NOSSA VIDA, NOSSA DO\u00c7URA!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXV. MARIA \u00c9 NOSSA DO\u00c7URA; ELA TORNA A MORTE DOCE PARA SEUS CLIENTES<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Quando o Padre Emmanuel Padial, da Companhia de Jesus, estava \u00e0 beira da morte, Maria apareceu a ele e, para consol\u00e1-lo, disse: \"Veja que finalmente chegou a hora em que os anjos o felicitam e exclamam: '\u00d3 trabalhos felizes, \u00f3 mortifica\u00e7\u00f5es bem recompensadas!\" E, no mesmo instante, um ex\u00e9rcito de dem\u00f4nios foi visto fugindo e gritando em desespero: Ai de n\u00f3s, n\u00e3o podemos fazer nada, pois aquela que n\u00e3o tem mancha o defende. Da mesma forma, o Padre Gaspar Haywood foi atacado por dem\u00f4nios em sua morte e muito tentado contra a f\u00e9; ele imediatamente se recomendou \u00e0 Sant\u00edssima Virgem, e foi ouvido exclamando: \"Eu te agrade\u00e7o, Maria, porque tu vieste em meu aux\u00edlio\".
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0S\u00e3o Boaventura nos diz que Maria envia sem demora o Pr\u00edncipe da corte celestial, S\u00e3o Miguel, com todos os Anjos, para defender seus servos moribundos contra as tenta\u00e7\u00f5es dos dem\u00f4nios e para receber as almas de todos que, de maneira especial e perseverante, se recomendaram a ela. O Santo, dirigindo-se a Nossa Senhora, diz: \"Miguel, o l\u00edder e Pr\u00edncipe do ex\u00e9rcito celestial, com todos os esp\u00edritos ministradores, obedece \u00e0s tuas ordens, \u00f3 Virgem, e defende e recebe as almas dos fi\u00e9is que dia e noite se recomendaram particularmente a ti, \u00f3 Senhora\".
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O Profeta Isaias nos diz que quando um homem est\u00e1 prestes a deixar o mundo, o inferno se abre e envia seus mais terr\u00edveis dem\u00f4nios, tanto para tentar a alma antes que ela deixe o corpo quanto para acus\u00e1-la quando for apresentada ao tribunal de Jesus Cristo para julgamento. O Profeta diz: O inferno l\u00e1 embaixo estava em alvoro\u00e7o para receb\u00ea-lo em sua chegada; ele agitou os gigantes para voc\u00ea<\/em>. \u2014 (Is. xiv. 9).\u00a0 But Richard of St. Laurence remarks that when the soul is defended by Mary the devils dare not even accuse it, knowing that the Judge never condemned, and never will condemn, a soul protected by His august Mother.\u00a0 He asks: “Who would dare accuse one who is patronized by the Mother of Him Who is to judge?”\u00a0 Mary not only assists her beloved servants at death and encourages them, but she herself accompanies them to the judgment-seat of God.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0\u00a0A PR\u00c1TICA DO AMOR DE JESUS CRISTO\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXXI. \"A CARIDADE N\u00c3O INVEJA\". - AQUELE QUE AMA JESUS N\u00c3O INVEJA OS GRANDES DO MUNDO, MAS APENAS AQUELES QUE S\u00c3O OS MAIORES AMANTES DE JESUS CRISTO<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0S\u00e3o Greg\u00f3rio explica essa pr\u00f3xima caracter\u00edstica da Caridade dizendo que, como a Caridade despreza toda grandeza terrena, nada no mundo pode provocar sua inveja. \"Ela n\u00e3o inveja, porque como n\u00e3o deseja nada neste mundo, n\u00e3o pode invejar a prosperidade terrena.\" Devemos distinguir dois tipos de inveja, uma maligna e outra santa. O tipo maligno \u00e9 aquele que inveja e se repele dos bens mundanos possu\u00eddos por outros nesta terra. Mas a inveja santa, longe de desejar ser igual, tem compaix\u00e3o dos grandes do mundo que vivem em meio \u00e0s honras e aos prazeres terrenos. Ela busca e deseja somente a Deus, e n\u00e3o tem outro objetivo al\u00e9m de am\u00e1-Lo o m\u00e1ximo que puder; e, portanto, tem uma inveja piedosa daqueles que O amam mais do que ela, pois gostaria, se poss\u00edvel, de superar os pr\u00f3prios serafins em am\u00e1-Lo.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This is the sole end pious souls have in view on earth, an end which so charms and ravishes the Heart of God with love that it causes Him to say: Thou hast wounded my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast wounded my heart with one of thy eyes. \u2014 <\/em>(Cant. iv. 9). \u00a0By one of thy eyes<\/em> is meant that one end which the espoused soul has in all her devotions and thoughts, namely, to please Almighty God. \u00a0Men of the world look on things with many eyes, that is, have several inordinate views in their actions; as, for instance, to please others, to become honoured, to obtain riches, and, if nothing else, at least to please themselves; but the Saints have but a single eye, with which they keep in view, in all that they do, the sole pleasure of God; and with David they say: What have I in heaven, and besides thee what do I desire upon earth? \u2014 <\/em>(Ps. lxxii. 25). \u00a0What do I wish, O my God, in this world or in the next, save Thee alone?\u00a0 Thou art my riches, Thou art the only Lord of my heart.\u00a0 \u201cLet the rich,\u201d said St. Paulinus, \u201cenjoy their riches, let the kings enjoy their kingdoms, Thou, O Christ, art my treasure and my kingdom!\u201d<\/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\tS\u00c1BADO DA QUARTA SEMANA AP\u00d3S A P\u00c1SCOA<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o matinal:\u00a0 AVE MARIA, GRATIA PLENA! SALVE, MARIA, CHEIA DE GRA\u00c7A!<\/em><\/b><\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Essa sauda\u00e7\u00e3o ang\u00e9lica \u00e9 muito agrad\u00e1vel \u00e0 Virgem sempre aben\u00e7oada, pois sempre que ela a ouve, parece que a alegria que ela experimentou quando S\u00e3o Gabriel lhe anunciou que ela era a M\u00e3e de Deus escolhida foi renovada nela. Por essa raz\u00e3o, devemos saud\u00e1-la com frequ\u00eancia: Ave Maria, gratia plena - Ave Maria, cheia de gra\u00e7a!<\/em><\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Essa Sauda\u00e7\u00e3o Angelical \u00e9 muito agrad\u00e1vel para a sempre aben\u00e7oada Virgem; pois, sempre que ela a ouve, parece que a alegria que ela experimentou quando S\u00e3o Gabriel lhe anunciou que ela era a M\u00e3e de Deus escolhida foi renovada nela; e com esse objetivo em vista, devemos saud\u00e1-la frequentemente com a \"Ave Maria\". \"Saudai-a frequentemente\", diz Thomas \u00e0 Kempis, \"com a sauda\u00e7\u00e3o angelical; pois ela de fato ouve esse som com prazer\". A pr\u00f3pria M\u00e3e Divina disse a Santa Matilda que ningu\u00e9m poderia saud\u00e1-la de uma maneira mais agrad\u00e1vel para ela do que com a \"Ave Maria\".
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Aquele que saudar Maria tamb\u00e9m ser\u00e1 saudado por ela. Certa vez, S\u00e3o Bernardo ouviu a Sant\u00edssima Virgem saud\u00e1-lo, dizendo: Ave, Bernarde!<\/em> - Salve, Bernardo! A sauda\u00e7\u00e3o de Maria, diz S\u00e3o Boaventura, ser\u00e1 sempre uma gra\u00e7a correspondente \u00e0s necessidades daquele que a sa\u00fada: \"Ela nos sa\u00fada de bom grado com a gra\u00e7a, se n\u00f3s a saudarmos de bom grado com uma 'Ave Maria', ela n\u00e3o pode recusar a gra\u00e7a que pedimos\". A pr\u00f3pria Maria prometeu a Santa Gertrudes tantas gra\u00e7as na morte quanto ela deveria ter dito \"Ave Maria\". O Bem-aventurado Alan diz que \"assim como todo o c\u00e9u se alegra quando a 'Ave Maria' \u00e9 rezada, os dem\u00f4nios tamb\u00e9m tremem e fogem\". Isso Thomas \u00e0 Kempis afirma por experi\u00eancia pr\u00f3pria; pois ele diz que uma vez o dem\u00f4nio apareceu para ele e fugiu instantaneamente ao ouvir a \"Ave Maria\".
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Podemos, todas as manh\u00e3s e noites, ao levantar e ao deitar, rezar tr\u00eas \"Ave-Marias\" prostrados ou, pelo menos, ajoelhados, e acrescentar a cada \"Ave-Maria\" esta breve ora\u00e7\u00e3o: \u00d3 Maria, por sua concep\u00e7\u00e3o pura e imaculada, torne meu corpo puro e minha alma santa.\u00a0<\/em> Devemos ent\u00e3o, como Santo Estanislau sempre fazia, pedir a b\u00ean\u00e7\u00e3o de Maria como nossa M\u00e3e; colocar-nos sob o manto de sua prote\u00e7\u00e3o, suplicando-lhe que nos guarde do pecado durante o dia ou a noite que se aproxima. Para esse fim, \u00e9 aconselh\u00e1vel ter um belo quadro ou imagem da Sant\u00edssima Virgem.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Podemos dizer que o Angelus<\/em> com as tr\u00eas \"Ave-Marias\" habituais pela manh\u00e3, ao meio-dia e \u00e0 noite. O Papa Jo\u00e3o XXII foi o primeiro a conceder uma indulg\u00eancia para essa devo\u00e7\u00e3o; foi na seguinte ocasi\u00e3o, conforme relata o Padre Crasset. Um criminoso foi condenado a ser queimado vivo na Vig\u00edlia da Anuncia\u00e7\u00e3o da M\u00e3e de Deus; ele a saudou com uma \"Ave Maria\" e, em meio \u00e0s chamas, ele e at\u00e9 mesmo suas roupas permaneceram ilesos. Em 1724, Bento XIII concedeu cem dias de indulg\u00eancia a todos os que a recitassem, e uma indulg\u00eancia plen\u00e1ria uma vez por m\u00eas \u00e0queles que, durante esse tempo, a recitassem diariamente, como acima, com a condi\u00e7\u00e3o de que se confessassem e recebessem a Sagrada Comunh\u00e3o, e rezassem pelas inten\u00e7\u00f5es habituais. Anteriormente, ao som do sino, todos se ajoelhavam para rezar o Angelus<\/em>Mas, nos dias de hoje, h\u00e1 alguns que t\u00eam vergonha de fazer isso. S\u00e3o Carlos Borromeu n\u00e3o se envergonhava de deixar sua carruagem ou descer do cavalo para rezar o Angelus<\/em> na rua e, \u00e0s vezes, at\u00e9 na lama.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00d3 Virgem imaculada e santa! \u00d3 criatura mais humilde e mais exaltada diante de Deus! Eras t\u00e3o humilde aos teus pr\u00f3prios olhos, mas t\u00e3o grande aos olhos de teu Senhor que Ele te exaltou a tal ponto que te escolheu para Sua M\u00e3e e te fez Rainha do C\u00e9u e da Terra. Portanto, agrade\u00e7o a Deus, que t\u00e3o grandemente a exaltou, e me regozijo em v\u00ea-la t\u00e3o intimamente unida a Ele, de modo que um dom maior n\u00e3o pode ser concedido a uma criatura pura. Diante de voc\u00ea, que \u00e9 t\u00e3o humilde, embora dotada de dons t\u00e3o preciosos, tenho vergonha de aparecer, eu que sou t\u00e3o orgulhoso em meio a tantos pecados. Mas, miser\u00e1vel como sou, eu tamb\u00e9m o saudarei, Ave, Maria, cheia de gra\u00e7a!<\/em>\u00a0 O senhor j\u00e1 est\u00e1 cheio de gra\u00e7a; conceda-me uma parte dela.\u00a0 O Senhor est\u00e1 com voc\u00ea<\/em>. O Senhor que sempre esteve com voc\u00ea desde o primeiro momento de sua cria\u00e7\u00e3o agora se uniu mais intimamente a voc\u00ea ao se tornar seu Filho.\u00a0 Bendita \u00e9 voc\u00ea entre as mulheres<\/em>. \u00d3 Senhora, bendita entre todas as mulheres, obtenha a b\u00ean\u00e7\u00e3o divina para n\u00f3s tamb\u00e9m.\u00a0 E bendito \u00e9 o fruto de seu ventre<\/em>. Oh, planta aben\u00e7oada que deu ao mundo um fruto t\u00e3o nobre e santo!<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We can salute the Mother of God with a \u201cHail Mary\u201d every time we hear the clock strike. \u00a0St. Alphonsus Rodriguez saluted her every hour; and at night Angels awoke him that he might not omit his devotion.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In going out and returning to the house we can salute the Blessed Virgin with a \u201cHail Mary,\u201d that both at home and abroad she may guard us from all sin; and we should each time kiss her feet, as the Carthusian Fathers always do.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We should reverence every image of Mary which we pass with a \u201cHail Mary.\u201d \u00a0For this purpose those who can do so would do well to place a beautiful image of the Blessed Virgin on the wall of their houses, that it may be venerated by those who pass. \u00a0In Naples, and still more in Rome, there are most beautiful images of our Blessed Lady placed along the way side by her devout clients.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 By command of the holy Church all the canonical hours are preceded by a \u201cHail Mary,\u201d and concluded with it; we therefore do well to begin and end all our actions with a \u201cHail Mary.\u201d \u00a0I say all our actions, whether spiritual, such as Prayer, Confession, and Communion, Spiritual Reading, hearing sermons, and the like; or temporal, such as study, giving advice, working, going to table, to bed, etc. \u00a0Happy are those actions that are enclosed between two \u201cHail Marys.\u201d \u00a0So also should we do on waking in the morning, on closing our eyes to sleep, in every temptation, in every danger, in every inclination to anger, and the like; on these occasions we should always say a \u201cHail Mary.\u201d
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Do this, and you will see the immense advantage that you will derive from it. \u00a0Remember also that for every \u201cHail Mary\u201d there is an Indulgence of thirty days.\u00a0 Father Auriemma relates that Blessed Virgin promised St. Matilda a happy death if she every day recited three \u201cHail Marys\u201d in honour of her power, wisdom, and goodness. \u00a0Moreover, she herself told St. Jane Frances de Chantal that the \u201cHail Mary\u201d was most acceptable to her, and especially when recited ten times in honour of her ten virtues.
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Holy Mary, Mother of God!<\/em> \u00a0O Mary, I acknowledge that thou art the true Mother of God, and in defence of this truth I am ready to give my life a thousand times.\u00a0 Pray for us sinners.<\/em> \u00a0But if thou art the Mother of God, thou art also the Mother of our salvation, and Mother of us poor sinners; since God became Man to save sinners, and made thee His Mother that thy prayers might have the power to save any sinner. \u00a0Hasten, then, O Mary, and pray for us, now, and at the hour of our death.<\/em>\u00a0 Pray always: pray now that we live in the midst of so many temptations and dangers of losing God; but still more, pray for us at the hour of our death, when we are on the point of leaving this world and being presented before God\u2019s tribunal, that, being saved by the merits of Jesus Christ and by thy intercession, we may come one day, without further danger of being lost, to salute thee and praise thee with thy Son in Heaven for all eternity.\u00a0 Amen.<\/p>

Leitura espiritual:\u00a0\u00a0VITA, DULCEDO! SALVE, NOSSA VIDA, NOSSA DO\u00c7URA!<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXVI. MARIA \u00c9 NOSSA DO\u00c7URA; ELA TORNA A MORTE DOCE PARA SEUS CLIENTES<\/p>

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Como diz S\u00e3o Jer\u00f4nimo, escrevendo para a virgem Eustochia: \"Que dia de alegria ser\u00e1 para voc\u00ea quando Maria, a M\u00e3e de nosso Senhor, acompanhada por coros e virgens, for ao seu encontro!\" A Sant\u00edssima Virgem assegurou isso a Santa Br\u00edgida; pois, falando de seus devotos clientes \u00e0 beira da morte, ela disse: \"Ent\u00e3o eu, sua querida Senhora e M\u00e3e, irei at\u00e9 eles, para que tenham consolo e refrig\u00e9rio.\" S\u00e3o Vicente Ferrer diz que a Sant\u00edssima Virgem n\u00e3o apenas os consola e refresca, mas que ela recebe as almas dos moribundos. Essa Rainha amorosa as toma sob seu manto e, assim, as apresenta ao Juiz, seu Filho, e certamente obt\u00e9m sua salva\u00e7\u00e3o. Isso realmente aconteceu com Charles, o filho de Santa Br\u00edgida, que morreu no ex\u00e9rcito, longe de sua m\u00e3e. Ela temia muito por sua salva\u00e7\u00e3o por causa dos perigos aos quais os jovens est\u00e3o expostos na carreira militar; mas a Sant\u00edssima Virgem revelou-lhe que ele foi salvo por causa de seu amor por ela e que, em consequ\u00eancia, ela mesma o havia assistido na morte e lhe havia sugerido os atos que deveriam ser feitos naquele momento terr\u00edvel. Ao mesmo tempo, a Santa viu Jesus em Seu trono e o dem\u00f4nio fazendo duas acusa\u00e7\u00f5es contra a Sant\u00edssima Virgem: a primeira era que Maria o havia impedido de tentar Carlos no momento da morte; e a segunda era que essa Sant\u00edssima Virgem havia apresentado a alma dele ao Juiz e, assim, salvou-a sem sequer dar a ele a oportunidade de expor os motivos pelos quais a reivindicava. Ela ent\u00e3o viu o Juiz expulsar o dem\u00f4nio e a alma de Carlos ser levada para o c\u00e9u.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0O Eclesi\u00e1stico diz que suas faixas s\u00e3o uma liga\u00e7\u00e3o saud\u00e1vel<\/em> \u2014 (Ecclus. vi. 31), and that no final, voc\u00ea encontrar\u00e1 descanso nela<\/em>. \u2014 (Ecclus. vi. 29).\u00a0 Oh, you are indeed fortunate if at death you are bound with the sweet chains of the love of the Mother of God!\u00a0 These chains are chains of salvation; they are chains that will insure your eternal salvation, and will make you enjoy in death that blessed peace which will be the beginning of your eternal peace and rest.\u00a0 Father Binetti, in his book on the Perfei\u00e7\u00e3o de Nosso Senhor Aben\u00e7oado<\/em>O Pe. Giuseppe, da Igreja Cat\u00f3lica, conta que, tendo assistido ao leito de morte de um grande amante de Maria, ouviu-o, antes de morrer, pronunciar estas palavras: \"\u00d3 meu Pai, gostaria que voc\u00ea soubesse a felicidade que agora desfruto por ter servido \u00e0 Sant\u00edssima M\u00e3e de Deus; n\u00e3o posso lhe dizer a alegria que agora sinto\". O padre Su\u00e1rez (em consequ\u00eancia de sua devo\u00e7\u00e3o a Maria, que era tal que ele costumava dizer que trocaria de bom grado todo o seu conhecimento pelo m\u00e9rito de uma \u00fanica \"Ave Maria\") morreu com tanta paz e alegria que, no momento, disse: \"Eu n\u00e3o poderia ter pensado que a morte fosse t\u00e3o doce\", o que significa que ele nunca poderia ter imaginado que fosse poss\u00edvel, se ele n\u00e3o tivesse experimentado isso, que ele pudesse ter encontrado tanta do\u00e7ura na morte.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Sem d\u00favida, voc\u00ea experimentar\u00e1 a mesma alegria e contentamento na morte se puder se lembrar de que amou essa boa M\u00e3e, que n\u00e3o pode ser outra coisa sen\u00e3o fiel a seus filhos que foram fi\u00e9is em servi-la e honr\u00e1-la com suas visitas, ros\u00e1rios e jejuns, e ainda mais agradecendo e louvando-a com frequ\u00eancia, e recomendando-se com frequ\u00eancia \u00e0 sua poderosa prote\u00e7\u00e3o. Essa consola\u00e7\u00e3o tamb\u00e9m n\u00e3o lhe ser\u00e1 negada, mesmo que voc\u00ea tenha sido pecador por algum tempo, desde que, a partir de hoje, voc\u00ea tenha o cuidado de viver bem e de servir a essa graciosa e benigna Senhora. Em suas dores e nas tenta\u00e7\u00f5es de desespero que o dem\u00f4nio lhe enviar\u00e1, ela o consolar\u00e1, e at\u00e9 mesmo vir\u00e1 ela mesma para ajud\u00e1-lo em seus \u00faltimos momentos. S\u00e3o Pedro Dami\u00e3o conta que seu irm\u00e3o Martinho, um dia, ofendeu gravemente a Deus. Martinho foi diante de um altar de Maria para dedicar-se a ela como seu escravo; com esse prop\u00f3sito, e como sinal de servid\u00e3o, colocou o cinto em volta do pesco\u00e7o e assim se dirigiu a ela: \"Minha soberana Senhora, espelho da pureza que eu, miser\u00e1vel pecador que sou, violei, ultrajando assim meu Deus e a ti, n\u00e3o conhe\u00e7o melhor rem\u00e9dio para meu crime do que oferecer-me a ti como teu escravo. Eis-me aqui: a ti me dedico hoje para ser teu servo; aceita-me, embora seja um rebelde, e n\u00e3o me rejeites\". Ele ent\u00e3o deixou uma quantia em dinheiro no degrau do altar e prometeu pagar uma quantia semelhante a cada ano como tributo que devia como escravo de Maria. Depois de algum tempo, Martinho adoeceu perigosamente; mas, certa manh\u00e3, antes de morrer, ouviu-se que ele exclamou: \"Levante-se, levante-se, preste homenagem \u00e0 minha Rainha!\" e acrescentou: \"E de onde vem esse favor, \u00f3 Rainha do C\u00e9u, para que condescendesse em visitar seu pobre servo? Aben\u00e7oe-me, \u00f3 Senhora, e permita que eu n\u00e3o me perca depois de ter me honrado com sua presen\u00e7a\". Nesse momento, seu irm\u00e3o Pedro entrou e relatou a ele a visita de Maria, acrescentando que ela o havia aben\u00e7oado, mas ao mesmo tempo reclamou que os que estavam presentes haviam permanecido sentados na presen\u00e7a dessa grande rainha.<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o noturna:\u00a0\u00a0A PR\u00c1TICA DO AMOR DE JESUS CRISTO\u00a0<\/i><\/strong><\/p>

XXXII. \"A CARIDADE N\u00c3O INVEJA\". - AQUELE QUE AMA JESUS N\u00c3O INVEJA OS GRANDES DO MUNDO, MAS APENAS AQUELES QUE S\u00c3O OS MAIORES AMANTES DE JESUS CRISTO<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o I:
<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0E aqui devemos observar que n\u00e3o devemos apenas realizar boas obras, mas devemos realiz\u00e1-las bem. Para que nossas obras sejam boas e perfeitas, elas devem ser feitas com o \u00fanico objetivo de agradar a Deus. Esse foi o admir\u00e1vel louvor concedido a Jesus Cristo: Ele fez bem todas as coisas.<\/em> \u2014 (Mark vii. 37).\u00a0 Many actions may in themselves be praiseworthy, but from being performed for some purpose other than for the glory of God, they are of little or no value in His sight.\u00a0 St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi said: “God rewards our actions by the weight of pure intention.”\u00a0 As much as to say that according as our intention is pure, so does the Lord accept of and reward our actions.\u00a0 But, O God, how difficult it is to find an action done solely for Thee!\u00a0 I remember a holy old man, a Religious, who had laboured much in the service of God, and died with the reputation of sanctity \u2013 how one day, as he cast a glance back at his past life, he said to me in a tone of sadness and fear: “Woe is me!\u00a0 When I consider all the actions of my past life, I do not find one done entirely for God.”\u00a0 Oh, this accursed self-love that makes us lose all the greater part of the fruit of our good actions!\u00a0 How many in their most holy employments, as of preaching, hearing confessions, giving missions, labour and exert themselves very much, and gain little or nothing, because they do not regard God alone, but worldly honour, or self-interest, or the vanity of making an appearance, or at least their own inclination!<\/p>

Medita\u00e7\u00e3o II:
<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Our Lord has said: Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them; otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven. <\/em>\u2014 (Matt. vi. 1). \u00a0He that works for his own gratification already receives his wages: Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. \u2014 <\/em>(Matt. vi. 5). \u00a0But a reward indeed which dwindles into a little smoke, or the pleasure of a day that quickly vanishes, and confers no benefit on the soul. \u00a0The Prophet Aggeus says that whoever labours for anything else but to please God puts his reward in a bag full of holes, which, when he comes to open, he finds entirely empty: And he that hath earned wages, put them into a bag with holes. \u2014 <\/em>(Agg. i. 6). \u00a0And hence it is that such persons, in the event of their not gaining the object for which they entered on some undertaking, are thrown into great trouble. \u00a0This is a sign that they had not in view the glory of God alone: he that undertakes a thing solely for the glory of God is not troubled at all, though his undertakings may not be successful, for, by working with a pure intention, he has already gained his object, which was to please Almighty God.<\/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 THIRD WEEK AFTER EASTER<\/em><\/a>
\u21d2 FIFTH WEEK AFTER EASTER<\/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 II – PART II, pp. 175-220 FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EASTER Morning Meditation:\u00a0 \u201cBE SLOW TO ANGER\u201d\u00a0 (Epistle of Sunday.\u00a0 James i. 17, 21) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0St. Jerome says that anger is the door by which all vices enter the … Continuar lendo <\/i><\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4884,"parent":0,"menu_order":79,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7956","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7956","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=7956"}],"version-history":[{"count":119,"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7956\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12802,"href":"https:\/\/societyofthemostholyredeemer.org\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/7956\/revisions\/12802"}],"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=7956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}