June 6th
St Chantal on Prayer
Mental Prayer
The fundamental state of mind for mental prayer is that purity of intention by which we are resolved that everything we do shall be for the glory of God alone. The second condition is a complete self-resignation which may make us indifferent to anything that can happen to us. The third is a complete giving up of our own opinions so that we labor only at that which God has given us for our labor.
When we begin mental prayer we must call home all the faculties of our soul and must tell ourselves: "So now you are going to appear before God and to deal with Him; everything else has got to be dropped."
Believe me, bring to your prayer the deepest peace of heart you can. Shut yourselves within this little interior heaven without allowing yourselves to be distracted by the things of sense, and be certain that you will not fail to drink the water of the divine cistern.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
June 5th
St Chantal on Prayer
Mental Prayer
The great method for mental prayer is simply this: that there is none when the Holy Spirit has taken charge of the person who is meditation, for then He does with the soul as it pleases Him, and all rules and methods vanish away. In the hands of God the soul must become like clay in the hands of a potter, who from it can form any sort of dish; or, if you like, the soul must become like soft wax receptive to the impression of a seal, or like a blank sheet upon which the Holy Spirit writes His divine will. If, when entering upon prayer, we could make ourselves a mere capacity for receiving the spirit of God, this would suffice for all method. Prayer must be carried on by grace, and not by deliberate art. Enter into your prayer by faith, remain in it in hope, and do not abandon it except by virtue of that charity which asks only to work and to endure.
St Chantal on Prayer
Mental Prayer
The great method for mental prayer is simply this: that there is none when the Holy Spirit has taken charge of the person who is meditation, for then He does with the soul as it pleases Him, and all rules and methods vanish away. In the hands of God the soul must become like clay in the hands of a potter, who from it can form any sort of dish; or, if you like, the soul must become like soft wax receptive to the impression of a seal, or like a blank sheet upon which the Holy Spirit writes His divine will. If, when entering upon prayer, we could make ourselves a mere capacity for receiving the spirit of God, this would suffice for all method. Prayer must be carried on by grace, and not by deliberate art. Enter into your prayer by faith, remain in it in hope, and do not abandon it except by virtue of that charity which asks only to work and to endure.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
June 4th
St Chantal on Prayer
Mortification and prayer are the two wings by which one may take one's flight into those holy resting places in which one may find one's peace in God far from the business of men. Just as birds would never be able to mount the air on a single wing, so we must not allow ourselves to think that by means of mortification alone, without the aid of prayer, a soul will ever take flight in order to raise itself to God. Penances without prayer are useless pains; prayer without penance is food without salt which easily goes bad.
Hence it is absolutely necessary to fit our souls with those two wings in order that we may make our flight to the heavenly court in which we may find contentment of soul in conversation with our God. The thing we have to do is to strip ourselves completely of everything, to give up everything created, devoting ourselves to the mortification of our passions until we are their masters, stamping firmly on them whenever they show a tendency to rebel. Our own will we must oblige to bear the yoke, our own judgment we must make flexible, wishing to depend on God in everything that concerns our interior life.
St Chantal on Prayer
Mortification and prayer are the two wings by which one may take one's flight into those holy resting places in which one may find one's peace in God far from the business of men. Just as birds would never be able to mount the air on a single wing, so we must not allow ourselves to think that by means of mortification alone, without the aid of prayer, a soul will ever take flight in order to raise itself to God. Penances without prayer are useless pains; prayer without penance is food without salt which easily goes bad.
Hence it is absolutely necessary to fit our souls with those two wings in order that we may make our flight to the heavenly court in which we may find contentment of soul in conversation with our God. The thing we have to do is to strip ourselves completely of everything, to give up everything created, devoting ourselves to the mortification of our passions until we are their masters, stamping firmly on them whenever they show a tendency to rebel. Our own will we must oblige to bear the yoke, our own judgment we must make flexible, wishing to depend on God in everything that concerns our interior life.
June 3rd
St Chantal on Prayer
The first piece of advice about prayer is that anybody who wishes to pray, unless drawn and raised to God in an extraordinary fashion, must prepare himself according to the phrase of the wise man: "Before prayer prepare your soul, think where you are going and to whom you mean to speak."
Of meditations badly made, so very many are only the result of a lack of preparation. This preparation is twofold, the first remote and the second proximate. Remote preparation consists in nothing more than this: Peace of conscience, watchfulness over our senses, a normal awareness of God, a familiar conversation with the Divine Majesty in one's soul, and above all the liberation of the soul from all ungoverned affections and passions. The fact is that we must strip ourselves of anything which can trouble our minds or conscience and which can prevent us from maintaining ourselves in a spirit of recollection and interior liberty.
St Chantal on Prayer
The first piece of advice about prayer is that anybody who wishes to pray, unless drawn and raised to God in an extraordinary fashion, must prepare himself according to the phrase of the wise man: "Before prayer prepare your soul, think where you are going and to whom you mean to speak."
Of meditations badly made, so very many are only the result of a lack of preparation. This preparation is twofold, the first remote and the second proximate. Remote preparation consists in nothing more than this: Peace of conscience, watchfulness over our senses, a normal awareness of God, a familiar conversation with the Divine Majesty in one's soul, and above all the liberation of the soul from all ungoverned affections and passions. The fact is that we must strip ourselves of anything which can trouble our minds or conscience and which can prevent us from maintaining ourselves in a spirit of recollection and interior liberty.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
June 2nd
Chapter Thirty of the Imitation of Mary, by Thomas a Kempis
Of the Eternal Royalty of Love
Upon her head, like that of a queen, is placed a crown of twelve stars. These twelve stars on the brow of Mary are the twelve prerogatives of the Queen and of the Mother before God in heaven. She possesses, indeed, in the Church Triumphant, surpassing all other blessed spirits, four special prerogatives: the power of listening with great goodness; of condescending with great mercy; of intervening for us with great power; and of succoring on earth with great ease.
She, has besides, in the Church Triumphant, four privileges, outstanding among all: she is resplendent more than all others; she is glorified more than all others; she is loved more tenderly than all others; she is honored more fervently than all others.
Mary possesses also, in relation to the Trinity, four particular favors, which are for her like brilliant stars midst fainter stars. Better, truly, than those who contemplate the glory of the Divine Trinity: she contemplates fully the Divine Trinity Itself; she knows with greater joy Its sweetness; she comprehends with greater profundity Its mysteries; she tastes with greater charm its richness.
Listen again, listen devoutly, to what the greatest of the servants of Mary, the doctor of gentle speech, St Bernard, said to his religious about the stars which form a crown on the forehead of the Virgin: "No one can estimate the importance of the jewels, no one can count the number of the gems which adorn the diadem of Mary in Heaven. It is an undertaking above our power, that of examining the value, or of scrutinizing the composition of her brilliant aureole. We shall undertake to do so with humility. Without wishing to penetrate the secrets of the Lord, it seems that one can see in the twelve stars the twelve prerogatives of our Mother. We find indeed in the Virgin Mary, privileges granted to her soul, privileges infused into her heart, privileges attached to her body. And if we multiply this number three, by the number of the four known favors, we shall find the number of twelve stars which shine on the brow of Mary, our Queen. We find these wonders, at her birth, in the salutation she received form the angel, in the overshadowing of her by the Holy Spirit, and finally in the conception of Jesus Himself."
O most loving Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, Mistress of the Earth, O you, the Joy of Saints, and the Salvation of sinners, listen to the appeals of our repentant hearts! Listen to the desires of our souls at prayer! Come to the help of the poor and the infirm! Renew the courage of the afflicted! Protect your children against their enemies! Deliver them from the snares of the devils! Lead them near to you in blessedness in heaven, where you reign with your Son in the midst of the elect for all eternity!
Chapter Thirty of the Imitation of Mary, by Thomas a Kempis
Of the Eternal Royalty of Love
Upon her head, like that of a queen, is placed a crown of twelve stars. These twelve stars on the brow of Mary are the twelve prerogatives of the Queen and of the Mother before God in heaven. She possesses, indeed, in the Church Triumphant, surpassing all other blessed spirits, four special prerogatives: the power of listening with great goodness; of condescending with great mercy; of intervening for us with great power; and of succoring on earth with great ease.
She, has besides, in the Church Triumphant, four privileges, outstanding among all: she is resplendent more than all others; she is glorified more than all others; she is loved more tenderly than all others; she is honored more fervently than all others.
Mary possesses also, in relation to the Trinity, four particular favors, which are for her like brilliant stars midst fainter stars. Better, truly, than those who contemplate the glory of the Divine Trinity: she contemplates fully the Divine Trinity Itself; she knows with greater joy Its sweetness; she comprehends with greater profundity Its mysteries; she tastes with greater charm its richness.
Listen again, listen devoutly, to what the greatest of the servants of Mary, the doctor of gentle speech, St Bernard, said to his religious about the stars which form a crown on the forehead of the Virgin: "No one can estimate the importance of the jewels, no one can count the number of the gems which adorn the diadem of Mary in Heaven. It is an undertaking above our power, that of examining the value, or of scrutinizing the composition of her brilliant aureole. We shall undertake to do so with humility. Without wishing to penetrate the secrets of the Lord, it seems that one can see in the twelve stars the twelve prerogatives of our Mother. We find indeed in the Virgin Mary, privileges granted to her soul, privileges infused into her heart, privileges attached to her body. And if we multiply this number three, by the number of the four known favors, we shall find the number of twelve stars which shine on the brow of Mary, our Queen. We find these wonders, at her birth, in the salutation she received form the angel, in the overshadowing of her by the Holy Spirit, and finally in the conception of Jesus Himself."
O most loving Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, Mistress of the Earth, O you, the Joy of Saints, and the Salvation of sinners, listen to the appeals of our repentant hearts! Listen to the desires of our souls at prayer! Come to the help of the poor and the infirm! Renew the courage of the afflicted! Protect your children against their enemies! Deliver them from the snares of the devils! Lead them near to you in blessedness in heaven, where you reign with your Son in the midst of the elect for all eternity!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
June 1st
Chapter Twenty-Nine of the Imitation of Mary, by Thomas a Kempis
The Divine Intervention of Mary
O Mother of tenderness and Mother of sweetness, Mother of mercy and Mother of Love! incomparable Virgin, worthy to be loved, Mother who alone merited to have as Son, the Son of God Himself, born of you! You are at the same time Mother to all and a Mother to each one of us. You give to all and to each his part of your heart and his portion of your love. O Virgin blessed among all virgins, Mother of men and Queen of Angels, come, take away from me the weight of my sins, draw me far from earth and close to you! Infuse into my softened soul your grace, like to the life-giving dew of the sky, so that from here on earth, I may feel that you are the Mother of mercy.
Reflect upon what Jesus is. He is the Son of God, the Savior of all, the King of heaven and earth, He is the hope of the just and the peace of the meek. He is the strength of the weak and the way of the wanderers. He is the support of those whom misfortune oppresses: He is the succor of those who suffer tribulation: He is the refuge of those who are of good heart.
Honor both the Son and the Mother, and you will be in return blessed by the Father. You give honor and glory to Jesus each time that you honor the Mother. Place Mary as a seal upon your heart and as a seal upon your acts. In all your works and in all your pleasures, in the midst of your joys and sadnesses, let the name of Jesus and the name of Mary be often on your lips and always in your heat.
Let all peoples and tongues, let all creatures serve you, O Mary! Let all bow before you! Let the heavens say of you: Rejoice, O Mary, throughout eternity; and let the earth respond: Rejoice for eternity and beyond. Let all the saints proclaim your name, O Mother, your sublime name, and let all the blessed rejoice before you and before your Son, Our Lord and our eternal Master.
Chapter Twenty-Nine of the Imitation of Mary, by Thomas a Kempis
The Divine Intervention of Mary
O Mother of tenderness and Mother of sweetness, Mother of mercy and Mother of Love! incomparable Virgin, worthy to be loved, Mother who alone merited to have as Son, the Son of God Himself, born of you! You are at the same time Mother to all and a Mother to each one of us. You give to all and to each his part of your heart and his portion of your love. O Virgin blessed among all virgins, Mother of men and Queen of Angels, come, take away from me the weight of my sins, draw me far from earth and close to you! Infuse into my softened soul your grace, like to the life-giving dew of the sky, so that from here on earth, I may feel that you are the Mother of mercy.
Reflect upon what Jesus is. He is the Son of God, the Savior of all, the King of heaven and earth, He is the hope of the just and the peace of the meek. He is the strength of the weak and the way of the wanderers. He is the support of those whom misfortune oppresses: He is the succor of those who suffer tribulation: He is the refuge of those who are of good heart.
Honor both the Son and the Mother, and you will be in return blessed by the Father. You give honor and glory to Jesus each time that you honor the Mother. Place Mary as a seal upon your heart and as a seal upon your acts. In all your works and in all your pleasures, in the midst of your joys and sadnesses, let the name of Jesus and the name of Mary be often on your lips and always in your heat.
Let all peoples and tongues, let all creatures serve you, O Mary! Let all bow before you! Let the heavens say of you: Rejoice, O Mary, throughout eternity; and let the earth respond: Rejoice for eternity and beyond. Let all the saints proclaim your name, O Mother, your sublime name, and let all the blessed rejoice before you and before your Son, Our Lord and our eternal Master.
May 31st
Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Imitation of Mary, by Thomas a Kempis
The Mediation of Mary With God
I am the Mother of mercy to the heart filled with compassion: I am the mysterious ladder of sinners, I am the hope and pardon of the culpable, I am the consolation of afflicted souls, I am the joy and the fruition of the blessed. Come to me, all you who love me, come and you will be filled with my consolation. Come, because I have pity on all those who pray to me: Come to me! Come everyone, just and sinners. I shall also pray to the Eternal Son, my Son, so that He will pardon each of you through the Holy Spirit. I call to all of you, and I await all of you; I desire to see you all, everyone of you, come to me. I scorn no sinner, indeed far from that, I rejoice with the angels in heaven over one sinner who is converted and returns. Thus bears fruit the blood of my sweet Son, offered to God for the salvation of the entire world.
Come to me, come children of men, my mother's heart protects you with God. I shall myself bear His aroused anger, if it be necessary, and I shall appease Him until you are pardoned. Change your ways and turn to God! You have offended His love and His grace, but ask pardon and I shall obtain for you indulgence and peace. I have been chosen by God Himself to be mediatrix for you, between heaven and you, between the world and God.
O word filled with grace and sweetness! O kind word heard from heaven itself, word that consoles, word that comforts; word that delights the sinner and the just, voice of the mother, voice that resounds in the heart as a gentle harmony in heaven.
I confide myself and my cause to your tenderness, O Mother, now, in the future, and at every moment. From the day you spoke to me, an orphan, I have been transformed into a new man, and I have felt in my soul new strength. I was weighted down, without hope or life: at your call, O my Mother, I felt that a new courage, and a new joy were coming to lift me up.
Chapter Twenty-Eight of the Imitation of Mary, by Thomas a Kempis
The Mediation of Mary With God
I am the Mother of mercy to the heart filled with compassion: I am the mysterious ladder of sinners, I am the hope and pardon of the culpable, I am the consolation of afflicted souls, I am the joy and the fruition of the blessed. Come to me, all you who love me, come and you will be filled with my consolation. Come, because I have pity on all those who pray to me: Come to me! Come everyone, just and sinners. I shall also pray to the Eternal Son, my Son, so that He will pardon each of you through the Holy Spirit. I call to all of you, and I await all of you; I desire to see you all, everyone of you, come to me. I scorn no sinner, indeed far from that, I rejoice with the angels in heaven over one sinner who is converted and returns. Thus bears fruit the blood of my sweet Son, offered to God for the salvation of the entire world.
Come to me, come children of men, my mother's heart protects you with God. I shall myself bear His aroused anger, if it be necessary, and I shall appease Him until you are pardoned. Change your ways and turn to God! You have offended His love and His grace, but ask pardon and I shall obtain for you indulgence and peace. I have been chosen by God Himself to be mediatrix for you, between heaven and you, between the world and God.
O word filled with grace and sweetness! O kind word heard from heaven itself, word that consoles, word that comforts; word that delights the sinner and the just, voice of the mother, voice that resounds in the heart as a gentle harmony in heaven.
I confide myself and my cause to your tenderness, O Mother, now, in the future, and at every moment. From the day you spoke to me, an orphan, I have been transformed into a new man, and I have felt in my soul new strength. I was weighted down, without hope or life: at your call, O my Mother, I felt that a new courage, and a new joy were coming to lift me up.
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