In What Perfection Consists (from Abandonment to Divine Providence by Fr. Pierre de Caussade, SJ)

Perfection is neither more nor less than the faithful cooperation of the soul with [the] work of God, and is begun, grows, and is consummated in the soul unperceived and in secret.

The designs of God and his divine will accepted by a faithful soul with simplicity produces this divine state in it without its knowledge, just as a medicine taken obediently will produce health, although the sick person neither knows nor wishes to know anything about medicine.

Speculation must be laid aside, and everything arranged by God as regards actions and sufferings must be accepted with simplicity, for those things that happen at each moment by the divine command or permission are always the most holy, the best and the most divine for us.

Fiat mihi secundum Verbum tuum

Luke 1:

28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.

31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.

33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?

35 And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren:

37 Because no word shall be impossible with God.

38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

The Nature of the Most Holy Trinity

The nature of the Most Holy Trinity is a mystery. It is hard for the human mind to comprehend.

However, we can liken It to a flame.

The Father is the flame.
The Son is the light of the world, the light which proceeds from the flame.
The Holy Ghost is the flame, the warmth which always proceeds from the flame.
The three are one. There can be no flame without light nor any flame without heat.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.


~Pax et Bonum

St. Maximillian Kolbe (Pictures)

Feast of St. Scholastica (February 10)

St. Scholastica is the patron saint of nuns and of convulsive children, and her intercession is sought during bad thunderstorms.

She was the twin sister of St. Benedict.

St. Scholastica, pray for us!

St. Alphonsus Liguori - Necessity of Mortification in General (from Dignity and Duties of the Priest)

"God made man right." (Ecclesiastes 7:30) Sin came and deranged the beautiful order that God had established, and the life of man began to be a state of continual warfare. "For the flesh lusteth against the spirit: and the spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary one to another: so that you do not the things that you would." (Galatians 5:17)

For man, there are two kinds of life - the life of the angels, who seek to do the will of God, and the life of the beasts, who attend only to the indulgence of the senses.

We must always carry in our hand the mattock of mortification, to cut down the evil desires that constantly spring up and bud forth within us from the infected roots of concupiscence, otherwise the soul shall become a forest of vices.

In a word, it is necessary to cleanse the heart, if we wish for light to know God, the sovereign Good; "Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)

God gives the science of the saints, that is, the science of knowing and loving him, only to them that are weaned and drawn away from the breasts of the world: "But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 2:14) He who like a brute animal seeks after sensual pleasures is not capable of even understanding the excellence of spiritual goods. In the soul which mortification reigns, all virtues shall flourish.

All our sanctity and salvation consist in following the examples of Jesus Christ. But we shall not be able to imitate Jesus Christ unless we deny ourselves, and embrace by mortification the cross that he gives us to carry. "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24)

Since Jesus Christ has endured so much for the love of us, it is but just that we suffer for his sake. We must, then, endeavor to follow the advice of St. Paul: "Always bearing about in your body the mortification of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be made manifest in our bodies." (2 Corinthians 4:10)

The principle means of acquiring sanctity are prayer and mortification, represented in the sacred Scripture by incense and myrrh. "Who is this that goeth up by the desert, as a pillar of smoke of aromatical spices, of myrrh and frankincense." (Canticles 3:6) St. Francis Borgia used to say, that prayer introduces divine love into the heart; but it is mortification that prepares a place for charity, by removing from the soul the world which should otherwise prevent the entrance of love. Should a person go to a fountain for water with a vessel full of earth, he shall take back nothing but mire. He must first cast away the earth, and then fill the vessel with water.

St. Ignatius of Loyola has said that the mortified soul unites herself more intimately to God in a quarter of an hour's prayer, than an immortified soul does in several hours.

St. Alphonsus Liguori on Meekness and Anger (From Dignity and Duties of the Priest) - Part 2

We Must Bear Contempt

Many, says St. Francis of Assisi, place their sanctification in saying many prayers, or in the practice of many corporal mortifications, but afterwards they cannot bear an offensive word. A soul gains more by peacefully bearing an affront than by fasting for ten days on bread and water.

St. Bernarnd says that there are three degrees of advancement, to which a soul that wishes to be a saint, ought to aspire:
1.) The first is not to wish for authority over others
2.) The second, to wish to be subject to all
3.) The third is to bear insults with peace.

Others will be praised...you will be despised. You will be truly humble, says St. Dorotheus, if you accept in peace all these humiliations and recommend them to God.

"In thy humiliation keep patience." (Ecclus 2:4) We must accept insults as due to our sins.

"He is humble," says St. Bernard, "who changes humiliations into humility." Rodriguez says that when reproved the proud imitate the hedgehog, which when touched becomes all thorns; that is, they get into a fury and instantly break out into complaints, reproaches, and detraction. But, on the other hand, the humble, when blamed for their conduct humble themselves still more, confess that they are full of defects, thank the person who corrects them, and preserve tranquility of soul. He who is disturbed by corrections shows that in him pride still reigns.

Being asked what must be done in order to acquire true humility, Zachary, a monk, took his cowl, and trampling on it said, "He who delights in seeing himself treated in this manner, he is truly humble."

God is liberal of his gifts to the humble, as he is sparing to the proud. "God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble." (James 4:6) It is, then, of little importance to us whether we are praised or censured by men; it is enough for us to merit praise from God.

St. John Chrysostom says that there is nothing that gives greater edification to others, and draws souls more powerfully to God, than the meekness of the man who, when treated with derision, contempt and insult, seeks not revenge but bears all with a peaceful and placid countenance.

By the meekness and tranquility with which he bore all the insults heaped upon him by the heretical ministers, St. Francis de Sales converted an immense number of heretics. St. John Chrysostom says that the surest means of knowing whether a soul has virtue is to observe if she practices meekness under contradictions.

What can be expected from a Christian if he is not able to bear contempt for Jesus Christ? It is indeed very painful to our pride to be despised and insulted, without seeking revenge or even making a reply. But in doing violence to ourselves consists our progress in perfection, says St. Jerome.

Oh, how lovingly does Jesus Christ embrace teh soul that is despised! Oh, how soon does he console and enrich her with his graces! The soul that truly loves Jesus Christ not only bears insults in peace, but embraces them with pleasure and joy.

He who wishes to be a saint must at least aspire to this degree of perfection.

The Venerable Louis da Ponte did not at first understand how a man could rejoice in contempt; but when he afterwards attained higher perfection, he easily comprehended it, and experienced joy under insults.

To St. John of the Cross the Redeemer once appeared with a cross on his shoulders and a crown of thorns on his head and said, "John, ask what you desire of me." The saint answered, "O Lord! To suffer and to be despised for Thee."

He who wishes to belong entirely to God, and to assimilate himself to Jesus Christ, must love to be unknown and disregarded. "Love to be unknown and to be regarded as nothing" was the great lesson of St. Bonaventure, which St. Philip Neri constantly inculcated to his spiritual children.

Jesus Christ tells us that the more galling the insults which we accept with joy, the greater teh reward will he give us in heaven. "Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Be glad in that day and rejoice; for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For according to these things did their fathers to the prophets." (Luke 6:22-23)

St. Alphonsus Liguori on Humility (From Dignity and Duties of the Priest)

"Learn from Me, because I am meek and humble of heart." (Mt 11:29)

Hence we must always pray with St. Augustine, "O, Lord, may I know Thee, may I know myself!" St. Francis of Assisi used to say continually to the Lord, "Who are Thou, and who am I?" The more they know God, the better they see their own poverty and defects. The proud, because they are bereft of light, have but little knowledge of their own vileness.

Have we anything that God has not bestowed upon us, or that he cannot take away whenever he pleases?

If we know taht we are poor and full of faults in the sight of God, let us at least humble ourselves and confess our miseries. St. Francis Borgia spent every day the first two hours of prayer in endeavoring to know and despise himself.

"God," says St. James, "resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble." (James 4:6)

What a shame, says St. Gregory, to see the teachers of humility become by their example teachers of pride! "Amen, I say unto you, they have received their reward." (Mt 6:2) "Three sorts my soul hateth, and I am greatly grieved at their life: a poor man that is proud; a rich man that is a liar; and an old man that is a fool." (Ecclesiasticus 25:3-4)

The Practice of Humility

1. To Have a Horror of Pride
It is necessary to entertain a fear of the vice of pride. A priest, particularly, in order to preserve chastity, stands in need of special aid from God. "Pride," says the wise man, "is a sign of approaching ruin. The spirit is lifted up before the fall." (Prov 16:18)

David, who, as he himself afterward confessed with tears, fell into adultery because he was not humble. "Before I was humbled, I offended." (Psalm 118:67)
Ask certain persons why they always fall back into the same impurities; pride shall answer for them, that it is the cause of their relapses. They are full of self-esteem, and there the Lord chastises them by permitting them to remain immersed in their abominations. "God gave them up to the desires of their heart, unto uncleanness, to dishonor their own bodies among themselves." (Rom 1:24)

The devil has no fear of the proud. St. Joseph Calasanctius used to say that the devil treats a proud priest as a play-toy; that is, he throws him up and pulls him down as he pleases. 

The Lord permits even saints to be tormented by temptations against purity, and after they pray to be freed from them, he leaves them as he left St. Paul, to combat with temptations. "And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me, there was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me." (2 Cor. 12:7) 

To humble the pride of the people of Egypt, the Lord sent not bears and lions, but frogs to molest them. What do I mean? God permits us to be annoyed by certain little expressions, by certain little aversions, by certain trifles, that we may know our miseries and may humble ourselves.

2. Not to Glory in the Good That We Do

"My soul magnifies the Lord!"

It is necessary to guard against glorying in any good that we may do, particularly if we are raised to the height of the priesthood. St. Jerome says that the highest mountains are most violently assailed by the tempest; the more exalted, then, is our dignity, the more we are exposed to the molestation of vainglory. We are esteemed by all, we are respected as men of learning, and as saints. He who stands on a great height is in danger of dizziness.

How many priests have fallen into precipices because they were not humble! Montanus wrought miracles, and he afterwards through ambition became a heresiarch. Brother Justin, a Franciscan, attained the highest degree of contemplation, and he afterwards died an apostate from religion, and was lost.

A proud spiritual man is the worst of robbers; because he usurps not earthly goods, but the glory of God. Hence, St. Francis was accustomed to say, "Lord! If Thou givest any good, watch over it; otherwise I will steal it from Thee!" Thus we priests must pray and say with St. Paul, "By the grace of God I am what I am." (1 Cor 15:10)

We are useless servants, because however much we do for a God who merits infinite love and has suffered so much for the love of us, it is all nothing. To all that we do for God we are bound by our obligation and by gratitude; particularly as all that we do is his work more than it is ours. Who would not laugh at the clouds, if they boasted of the rain that the send down? This is the language of St. Bernard. He then adds that we ought to praise, not so much the saints for the works that they perform, as God who operates through them.
When St. Teresa performed any good work, or saw a good act done by others, she began to priase God for it, saying that it was entirely his work.

St. Joseph Calasanctius used to say, that the more God favors a soul by special graces, the more she ought to humble herself that she may not lose all. All is lost by every little consent to self-esteem.

Let us read the lives of the saints, and pride shall depart from us: there we shall find the great things that they have done, at the sight of which we shall feel ashamed of the little we have done.

3. We Must Distrust Ourselves
"Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it." (Ps 126:1) Some saints, with very moderate learning, have converted entire nations. St. Ignatius of Loyola, because his words came from a heart that was humble and enamored with God, produced such an effect on the hearers that they instantly went to confession. But, on the other hand, many learned theologians, with all the science and eloquence, preach without converting a single soul. Such preachers, because they are puffed up with their learning, resemble unfruitful mothers.

"Knowledge puffeth up." (1 Cor 8:1) It is, as Cardinal Bellarmine wrote to one of his nephews, difficult for a man of learning to be humble, not to despise others, not to censure their acts, not to be full of his own opinions; he will hardly submit willingly to the judgment and correction of others.

"Shall the axe boast itself against him that cutteth with it?" (Isaias 10:15) "Without Me, you can do nothing." (Jn 15:5) St. Augustine writes, "The Lord does not say, without Me you can do but little, but he says, without Me you can do nothing."

"Let us," says St. John Chrysostom, "call ourselves useless servants, that we may be made useful."

"Nothing," says St. Leo, "is difficult to the humble." "They that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength" (Isaias 40:31) St. Joseph Calasanctius used to say that the man who wishes that God should make him do great things must labor to be the most humble of all. Jesus Christ did not wish to select men of power and learning for the conversion of the world, but poor, ignorant fishermen, because they were humble and distrustful in their own strength.

Hence, Our Lord sometimes permits us to fall or to relapse into a defect, that thus we may learn to distrust ourselves, and to confide only in the divine aid. Hence, David said: "It is good for me that Thou has humbled me." (Ps. 118:71)

4. To Accept Humiliations
"Many," says St. Ambrose in a letter to Constance, "have the appearance of humility, but not the virtue of humility." [There are] many who would wish to be esteemed humble, but are unwilling to suffer humiliation. He who is truly humble has a low opinion of himself, and wishes others to think of him as he thinks of himself. The truly humble man, when treated with contempt, humbles himself still more, and acknowledges that he justly deserves the humiliation.

St. Gregory says that as pride is a sign of reprobation, so humility is a mark of predestination. And St. James has written, "that God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble."

"Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." (John 12:24)

St. Gertrude on the Sin of Silence and Human Respect

Click to Enlarge

St. Alphonsus Liguori on Meekness and Anger (From Dignity and Duties of the Priest) - Part 1

Meekness

"Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart." (Mt 11:29)

Meekness was the beloved virtue of our Savior. He showed the extent of his meekness in doing good to the ungrateful, in submitting sweetly to his enemies, and in bearing without complaint all that insulted and maltreated him.

St. John Chrysostom says that meekness is, of all virtues, that which renders us most like God. Yes, for it belongs only to God to render good for evil.

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the land." (Mt 5:4) St. Francis de Sales says that meekness is the flower of charity.


The virtue of meekness consists in two things:
1.) In restraining the motions of passion against those who provoke us to anger.
2.) In bearing insults.

We Must Repress Anger

He who feels himself prone to the vice of anger should endeavor to avoid the occasion of it; and should he through necessity (necessary occasion of sin) be exposed to them, he ought to prepare himself beforehand by good resolutions either to:
a.) be silent
b.) to answer with sweetness
c.) to pray to God for strength to resist temptation (to anger)

When a neighbor is enraged, there is no better means of appeasing his anger than by answering with sweetness. "A mild answer breaketh wrath." (Prov. 15:1) As water extinguishes fire, so, says St. John Chrysostom, a mild answer softens the anger of a brother, however great may be his excitement. [He] adds, "We cannot extinguish fire by fire."

When, on the other hand, we feel ourselves assailed by any motion of anger, the remedy is to be silent and to ask strength from God, not to make a reply. "The best remedy," says Seneca, "is in delay," for should we speak while we are inflamed with passion, what we say will appear reasonable, but it will be unjust and sinful. For passion is a certain veil that covers the eyes of the soul, and does not permit us to see the unreasonableness of our reply.

Sometimes it appears to us just, and even necessary, to repress the boldness of a person who treats us with insolence, for example, an inferior who acts disrespectfully towards us. It would indeed be right in such circumstances to show moderate displeasure. This is conformable to the words of David, "Be angry and sin not." (Psalms 4:5)

St. Francis de Sales, in the Devout Life, says that however just the reason of our anger, it is always expedient to restrain it; and that it is better for you to have it said that you are never angry than that you are wisely angry.

When a person who is corrected sees his superior in a passion, he will derive but little fruit from the admonition: he will regard it as the effect of anger rather than of charity. A single admonition given with sweetness and a tranquil countenance will do more good than a thousand reproaches, however just, with the motions or expressions of anger.

But to be meek does not imply that in order to show kindness or to avoid the displeasure of another we should omit to correct him with just rigor, when such correction is necessary. To omit correction in that case would not be virtue, but a culpable and abominable negligence. Wo, says the Prophet, to him who furnishes a pillow to sinners that they may peacefully sleep in their deadly slumber. "Woe to them that sew cushions under every elbow: and make pillows for the heads of persons of every age to catch souls: and when they caught the souls of my people, they gave life to their souls." (Ezekiel 13:18) This vicious condescension, says St. Augustine, "is not charity, but carelessness." It is neither charity nor meekness, but it is negligence, and even cruelty, to the poor souls that thus remain in the state of damnation.

St. Cyprian says that when the sick man feels the knife, he assails the surgeon; but when he is cured, he will thank him. Meekness, then, implies that when it is necessary to correct a brother, we should do it with firmness, but at the same time, with sweetness.

The apostle exhorts us first to consider our own defects, that we may have compassion for our neighbor as we have for ourselves. "Brethren, and if a man be overtaken in any fault, you, who are spiritual, instruct such a one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." (Gal 6:1) Peter de Blois says that it is great baseness in a Superior to correct an inferior with anger and asperity. Anger so disfigures the face that it gives to the most beautiful countenance a horrible appearance, says Seneca. 

Physicians, says St. Basil, should not get angry with a patient, but should only assail his disease in order to restore his health. Cassian relates that a young religious who was violently tempted against chastity sought advice from an aged monk; but instead of assisting him and encouraging him, the old man loaded him with reproaches. But what was the result? The Lord permitted the aged monk to be so violently attacked by the spirit of impurity that he ran like a madman through the monastery. Having heard of his indiscretion towards the young man, the abbot went to him and said, "Brother, know that God has permitted you to be molested by this temptation, that you may learn to take compassion on others."

We should be humble in our own estimation, otherwise God will permit us to fall into the very defects that we condemn in others. Hence, St. Augustine says taht compassion for our neighbor, and not indignation, should precede correction.

Thus, to yield to anger is never profitable to ourselves or to others. If it produce no other evil, it at least robs us of peace.

He who indulges in anger when an affront is offered to him is a cause of pain to himself.

After yielding to a fault, some are indignant with themselves and give way to disquietude, and in this state of agitation they commit a thousand faults. In troubled water, says St. Aloysius Gonzaga, the devil always finds fish to catch. It is necessary, then, when we perceive that we have fallen into a defect, not to be disturbed (to give way to disquietude), but to humble ourselves peacefully, to detest the sin, and instantly to have recourse to God, by hoping to avoid relapse.

"Learn of Me," says Jesus Christ, "because I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest in your souls."

"Nothing is able to disturb their serenity," says St. Leo. No insult, no loss of misfortune, disturbs the peace of a meek heart.

Should we feel angry on any occasion, we must endeavor to repress passion without waiting to examine whether it is right or not to subdue it. Let us first put our soul in peace, and then be reconciled to the person by whom we have been offended, less through that spark, the devil should kindle in our souls a deadly flame that may cause our ruin.

THE LITANY OF THE SACRED HEART

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.

God, the Son, Redeemer of the World, have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, formed in the womb of the Virgin Mother by the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, united substantially with the word of God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Divinity, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, rich to all who invoke Thee, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, saturated with revilings, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, crushed for our iniquities, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, made obedient unto death, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in Thee, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in Thee, have mercy on us.

Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints, have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord,

Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V. Jesus, meek and humble of Heart.

R. Make our hearts like unto Thy Heart.

Let us pray

Almighty and everlasting God, look upon the Heart of Thy well-beloved Son and upon the acts of praise and satisfaction which He renders unto Thee in the name of sinners; and do Thou, in Thy great goodness, grant pardon to them who seek Thy mercy, in the name of the same Thy Son, Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with Thee, world without end.

CONTINUED IN PART TWO...