St. Alphonsus Liguori: Daily Meditations for Fourth Week after Pentecost

[Stone]

Wednesday – Fourth Week after Pentecost

Morning Meditation

VIII.-HOW TO CONVERSE CONTINUALLY AND FAMILIARLY WITH GOD

Be assured that though in the fulfilment of your dally duties you should be employed in the meanest occupations, the faithful discharge of them will certainly make you a saint. The Lord does not require of you lofty flights of contemplation, or formidable penances: all that He does demand is that you perform all your actions well.


I.

To make a brief summary of what has already been said at large, I shall not omit to suggest a devout practice whereby you may fulfil all your daily actions in a manner pleasing to God.

When you wake in the morning let it be your first thought to raise your mind to God, offering to His glory all that you will do or suffer the day, praying Him to assist you by His grace. Then make your other morning acts of devotion, acts of thanksgiving and of love, prayers and resolutions to live that day as though it were to be the last day of your life. Father St. Jure recommends the making in the morning of a compact with the Lord that every time you make a certain sign, as placing your hand upon your heart, or raising your eyes to Heaven or to the Crucifix, and the like, you wish thereby to make an act of love, of desire to see God loved by all, of oblation of yourself, and other acts of the same kind. When you have made these acts and placed your soul in the Heart of Jesus and under the mantle of Mary, and have prayed the Eternal Father that for the love of Jesus and Mary He would protect you during the day, be careful, before you engage in anything else, to make your mental prayer, or Meditation, at least for half an hour; and let your specially chosen Meditation be the sorrow and the shame which Jesus Christ suffered in His Passion. This is the subject dearest to loving souls, and the one that most enkindles divine love within them. If you would make spiritual progress, let three devotions be especially dear to you: devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ, to the Most Holy Sacrament; and to the ever-blessed Virgin. In mental prayer, make again and again acts of contrition, of love to God and oblation of yourself. The Venerable Father Charles Carafia, Founder of the Pious Workers, said that one fervent act of the love of God made in the morning is sufficient to maintain the soul in fervour throughout the whole day.


II.

Besides the more specific acts of devotion, such as Confession, Communion, recitation of the Divine Office, etc., whenever you are engaged in external occupations, as in study, labour, or in any other employment that may be proper to your condition in life, never forget, when commencing your work to offer it up to God, praying for His assistance to enable you to perform it in a perfect manner; and do not omit to retire frequently into the cell of your heart, in order to unite yourself to God, according to the practice of St. Catherine of Sienna. In short, whatever you do, do it with God and for God.

In going out of your room or house, and on returning again, always commend yourself to the divine Mother by saying a Hail Mary. When sitting down to meals, make an offering to God of the distaste or gratification you may find in what you eat and drink; and, on rising from table, return thanks to Him and say: Lord, how great is Thy goodness to one who has offended Thee so much! In the course of the day be careful to make your Spiritual Reading, to make a Visit to the Most Holy Sacrament and to Most Holy Mary; and in the evening to say the Rosary and to make an examination of conscience, together with the Christian acts of Faith, Hope, Charity, Contrition, resolutions of amendment, and of receiving the Holy Sacraments during life and at the hour of death, forming also the intention of gaining all the indulgences that you can gain. And again, on going to bed, reflect that if you had your deserts, you would be lying down in the flames of hell. Then, with the Crucifix in your arms, compose yourself to sleep, saying: In peace, in the self-same, I will sleep and take my rest-(Ps. iv. 9).

I would wish briefly to point out to you the many Indulgences that are attached to the various prayers or acts of devotion. Whence it is desirable for you in the morning to make the intention of gaining all the indulgences in your power during the day. To him who makes acts of the three Theological Virtues mentioned above-of Faith, etc.-there are granted Seven Years and Seven Quarantines each day; and by continuing them for a month a Plenary Indulgence may be gained, provided he confesses, communicates, and prays for the intentions of the Pope. This indulgence is in articulo mortis. In like manner, you should form the intention of gaining also all the Indulgences granted for saying the Rosary on Beads properly blessed; the Angelus Domini three times a day; the Litany of our Blessed Lady; the Salve Regina; the Ave Maria, and the Gloria Patri; also for saying: “Blessed be the holy and immaculate and most pure Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary!”; “Praised now and forever be the Most Holy Sacrament!”; for reciting the prayer, Anima Christi, etc.; for bowing the head at the Gloria Patri, and at the most Holy Names of Jesus and Mary; as also for hearing Mass; for making half an hour’s mental prayer, to which besides a partial, there is also a Plenary Indulgence attached, provided it be continued for a month, on condition of Confession and Communion, and prayers for the Church; for genuflecting before the Most Holy Sacrament, and for kissing the Crucifix. Always have the intention formed of gaining every such indulgence.

Spiritual Reading

CORAM SANCTISSIMO

TWENTY-EIGHTH VISIT

God, having given us His own Son, says St. Paul, what good thing is there we can fear He might deny us? How hath he not also with him given us all things?-(Rom. viii. 32). We know, indeed, that all the Eternal Father has, He has given to Jesus Christ: The Father has given him all things into his hands-(Jo. xiii. 2). Let us, then, ever thank the goodness, the mercy, the liberality of our most loving God, Who has been pleased to make us rich in all good things, and in every grace, by giving us Jesus in the Sacrament of the Altar: In all things you are made rich in him . . .so that nothing is wanting to you in any grace-(l Cor. i. 5, 7).

Therefore, O Saviour of the world, O Incarnate Word, if I desire to possess Thee, I can consider Thee as mine and all mine. But can I at the same time say I am all Thine, as Thou desirest? Ah, my Lord, prevent it; and never let the world witness such disorder and ingratitude as that I should not be Thine when Thou desirest me! Ah, no; let it never be! If it has been so hitherto, let it never be so again. I now, with the utmost determination, consecrate myself entirely to Thee; for time and eternity I consecrate to Thee my life, my will, my thoughts, my actions, my sufferings. Behold me Thine; as a victim consecrated to Thee I bid farewell to all creatures, and offer my whole self to Thee. Consume me with the flames of Thy divine love. No, I am determined that creatures shall no longer share my heart. The proofs Thou hast given me of the love Thou bearest me, even at a time when I did not love Thee, make me hope that Thou certainly acceptest me now that I love Thee, and out of love give myself to Thee.

Eternal Father, I now offer Thee all the virtues, the actions, the affections of the Heart of Thy dear Jesus. Accept them, and by His merits, which are all mine¬for He has given them to me-grant me the graces Jesus asks Thee for me. With these merits I thank Thee for the many mercies Thou hast shown me; with these I satisfy for what I owe Thee for my sins; through these I hope for every grace from Thee-pardon, perseverance, Paradise, and, above all, the crowning gift of Thy pure love. I well see that to all these gifts I myself place impediments; but do Thou also remedy this. I ask it of Thee in the Name of Jesus Christ, Who has promised: Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name that will I do-(Jo. xiv. 13). Then Thou canst not refuse me. Lord, my only desire is to love Thee, to give myself to Thee without reserve, and no longer to be ungrateful to Thee, as I have hitherto been. Behold me, and graciously hear me; grant that this may be the day of my entire conversion to Thee, so that I may never more cease to love Thee. I love Thee, my God! I love Thee, Infinite Goodness! I love Thee, my Love, my Paradise, my Good, my Life, my All!

Ejac. My Jesus Who art all mine, Thou desirest me, and I desire Thee!


AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

My Jesus, I believe that Thou art truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I desire to possess Thee within my soul. Since I am unable now to receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace Thee as already there, and unite myself wholly to Thee; never permit me to be separated from Thee.


VISIT TO MARY

What relief do I not feel in my miseries, and what consolation in my tribulations, what strength do I not find in the midst of temptations, when I remember and call thee to my aid, O my most sweet and most holy Mother Mary! Yes, indeed, you were right, O ye Saints, in calling my Lady, “the haven of those who are in tribulation,” with St. Ephrem; “the repairer of our calamities,” and “the solace of the miserable,” with St. Bonaventure; and “the rest from our mournings,” with St. Germanus. My own Mary, do thou console me. I see myself loaded with sins, and surrounded by enemies, without virtue, and cold in my love towards God. Comfort me, comfort me, and let my consolation be to begin a new life-a life which will be really pleasing to thy Son and to thee.

Ejac. Change me, O Mary my Mother, change me; thou canst do it.


Concluding Prayer

Most holy Immaculate Virgin and my Mother Mary, to thee, who art the Mother of my Lord, and Queen of the world, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I have recourse today I, who am the most miserable of all. I render thee my most humble homage, O great Queen, and I thank thee for all the graces thou hast conferred on me until now, particularly for having delivered me from hell, which I have so often deserved. I love thee, O most amiable Lady; and for the love which I bear thee, I promise to serve thee always, and to do all in my power to make others love thee also. I place in thee all my hopes; I confide my salvation to thy care. Accept me for thy servant, and receive me under thy mantle, O Mother of Mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or rather obtain for me the strength to triumph over them until death. Of thee I ask a perfect love of Jesus Christ. From thee I hope to die a good death.

O my Mother, for the love which thou bearest to God, I beseech thee to help me at all times, but especially at the last moment of my life. Leave me not, I beseech thee, until thou seest me safe in Heaven, blessing thee, and singing thy mercies for all eternity. Amen. So I hope. So may it be.

Evening Meditation

THE PRACTICE OF THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST

XLI.-HE THAT LOVES JESUS CHRIST WISHES WHAT JESUS CHRIST WISHES

I.

Jesus Christ said: Many will say to me: ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name?’ But the Lord will answer them: I never knew you! depart from me, you that work iniquity-(Matt. vii. 22, 28). Depart from Me; I never acknowledged you for My disciples, because you preferred to follow your own inclinations rather than My will. And this is especially applicable to those who labour much for the salvation or perfection of others, while they themselves continue to, live on in the mire of their imperfections. Perfection, consists: Firstly, in a true contempt of oneself. Secondly, in a thorough mortification of our own appetites. Thirdly, in a perfect conformity to the will of God; whosoever is wanting in one of these virtues is out: of the way of perfection. On this account a great servant of God said: It was better for us in our actions to have the will of God rather than His glory as their sole motive; for, in doing the will of God, we at the same time promote His glory; whereas in proposing to ourselves the glory of God, we frequently deceive ourselves; and follow our own will under pretext of glorifying God. St. Francis of Sales said: “There are many who say to the Lord: I give myself wholly to Thee without reserve; but few indeed, in point of fact, practically embrace this abandonment, which consists in a certain indifference in accepting all kinds of events, just as they fall out according to the order of Divine Providence, afflictions as well as consolations, slights and injuries as well as honour and glory.”


II.

It is therefore in suffering and in embracing with cheerfulness whatever cuts against the grain of our own inclinations, that we can discover who is a true lover of Jesus Christ. Thomas a Kempis says that “he is not deserving of the name of lover who is not ready to endure all things for his Beloved, and to follow in all things the will of his Beloved.” On the contrary, Father Balthazar Alvarez says that whoever quietly resigns himself to the Divine will in troubles “travels to God post-haste.” And the saintly Mother Teresa said: “What greater acquisition can we make, than to have some proof that we are pleasing God?” And to this I add that we cannot have a more certain proof of this than, by peacefully embracing the crosses which God send us. We please God by thanking Him for His benefits on earth; but, says Father John of Avila, one ‘Blessed be God!’ uttered in adversity is worth six thousand acts of thanksgiving in our prosperity.