In a matter so delicate as the one now under consideration, we cannot be too precise. It is certain that must die in the state of grace in order to be saved, and that this suffices. It would appear then that for the faithful in the world, there is no other obligation than that of preserving the state of grace.
We ought to practice conformity to the will of God when we are deprived of those exterior aids to our spiritual well-being that He pleases to withdraw from us. For example a friend or counselor on whom you rely for help and encouragement is taken away from you and you seem unable to get along without him. There is, in fact,
We must do our actions in Mary. Thoroughly to understand this practice, we must first know that our Blessed Lady is the true terrestrial paradise of the New Adam, and that the ancient paradise was but a figure of her. There are, then, in this earthly paradise, riches, beauties, rarities and inexplicable sweetnesses,
Upon great social movements, upon discontented populations, upon corruption, distraction, and contention, they [freemasons] rely to bring their one redoubted enemy, the Catholic Church, to what they call the tomb. There are few people on earth more concerned with this fact than the Irish people.
It is clear that, if God has done so much to have us share in His own life, we must in turn respond to His advances, gratefully accept His gift, cherish and foster it in our souls and thus prepare ourselves for that eternal bliss which will crown the efforts we shall have made on earth. This is for us a duty of gratitude.
We may truly say that well-being is something which is loved and desired by all human beings. And concerning this condition of well-being, what may be said which is better or more true than that which the Psalmist declares that “the well-being of the just comes from the Lord”?
The first step of humility is obedience without delay. This comes natural to those who, either on account of the holy servitude they have professed, through fear of hell, or for the glory of life everlasting, consider nothing more dear to them than Christ. As soon as their Superior commands them to do something, they make no delay in doing it,
How this Bridge has three steps, which signify the three states of the soul; and how, being lifted on high, yet it is not separated from the earth; and how these words are to be understood: “If I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things unto Me.” Then the Eternal God, to enamor and excite that soul still more for the salvation of souls,
Everyone knows that the first duty of man is to adore God. No sooner was man created than this
necessary homage became due. All know likewise that the perfect way of expressing this homage is by
sacrifice: the mode of adoration revealed by the Almighty Himself to man.
Prayer is conventionally divided into Vocal Prayer and Mental Prayer. Vocal Prayer, even if it is not spoken, consists of formulaic prayers. So, prayers such as the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory Be, and Acts of Faith, Hope, and Charity, even if they are not spoken aloud,
Early on Easter morning, at the very instant when the holy soul of Christ re-entered and revived His sacred body in the sepulcher, Mary experienced a mystical ecstasy in which her grief and sorrow were transmuted into ineffable joy and bliss.
Having explained these things, the pastor should next proceed to teach that Christ the Lord descended into hell, in order that, having despoiled the demons, “He Descended into Hell.” so He might liberate from prison those holy Fathers and the other just souls,
Christ retained the five wounds, for He ordered the unbelieving apostle to place his finger in the wounds of the nails, and his hand in the wound of the side (John 20:27). Our Lord would keep the marks of the wounds in heaven to show us that He would not forget us,
Alleluia! Alleluia or Halleluiah is a Hebrew word meaning, “Praise Yahweh.” The expression appears throughout the psalms. During the Easter Vigil Mass, after the reading of the Epistle, the priest (or cantor) solemnly intones the Alleluia three times, with each intonation raised a step,
Christ often foretold that He would rise again on “the third day” (Luke 18:33); He compared Himself to Jonah (Matt. 12:40); on the occasion of His driving the money-sellers out of the Temple, He said of His own body: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19); He claimed the power of laying down His life and taking it up again (John 10:18).
This pronouncement, “It is consummated,” appears, at first glance, to be extremely small and simple. As to its exterior aspect and syntactic structure, it is as rudimentary as can possibly be imagined. As to its significance, it seems very straightforward. Yet it contains an immense and unfathomable magnitude of mystical meaning, and is replete with very profound and transcendent mysteries.
When, we ask, did Christ exercise His priestly office according to the order of Melchisedech? At the Last
Supper, when He took bread, blessed it, and said to His disciples: “Take ye, and eat: This is My body.”
(Matt. 26:26). In like manner, taking the chalice with wine, He blessed it, and gave it to His disciples,
The Veil of Veronica is a veil or handkerchief upon which the adorable face was miraculously impressed without paint nor artificial colors, but by the power of the divine Son of God during His passion. After some two thousand years, it is quite darkened,
Idleness is an enemy of the soul. Therefore the brothers should be employed at certain times in working with their hands, and at other fixed times in holy reading. Therefore we think that both these occasions may be well ordered in this way: from Easter until the first of October, let them,
A soul that has completely forgotten self performs all her actions with simplicity, guided by a single good intention, without any egotistic reflections upon self. God always pleases her, whatever He does or permits. Sickness or health, prosperity or adversity, success or failure, life or death, all are indifferent to her.
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