“Lord what wilt Thou have me do? Behold the true sign of a totally perfect soul: when one has reached the point of giving up his will so completely that he no longer seeks, expects or desires to do ought but that which God wills.”
--St. Bernard
“You well know that I preferred his company to all the delights of the world. But since it has pleased You to take him from me, I accept Your will completely.”
--St. Elizabeth (On the death of her husband)
“A soul who is really resigned to God’s will does not become attached to any created thing because he sees clearly that all things are nothing except God.”
--Blessed Henry Suso
“All that the beginner in prayer has to do -- and you must not forget this, for it is very important -- is to labour and be resolute and prepare himself with all possible diligence to bring his will into conformity with the will of God. As I shall say later, you may be quite sure that this comprises the very greatest perfection which can be attained on the spiritual road.”
--St. Teresa of Jesus
“More determination is required to subdue the interior man than to mortify the body; and to break one’s will than to break one’s bones.”
--St. Ignatius of Loyola
“I desire to suffer always and not to die. I should add: this is not my will, it is my inclination. It is sweet to think of Jesus; but it is sweeter to do His will.”
--Sr. Mary of Jesus Crucified (“The Little Arab”)
“The goal of all our undertakings should be not so much a task perfectly completed as the accomplishment of the will of God.”
--St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face
“Perfection is founded entirely on the love of God: ‘Charity is the bond of perfection;’ and perfect love of God means the complete union of our will with God’s.”
--St. Alphonsus de Liguori
“I will attempt day by day to break my will into pieces. I want to do God’s Holy Will, not my own!”
--Saint Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother
“God wills only our good; God loves us more than anybody else can or does love us. His will is that no one should lose his soul, that everyone should save and sanctify his soul: “Not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance.” “This is the will of God, your sanctification.” God has made the attainment of our happiness, his glory. Even chastisements come to us, not to crush us, but to make us mend our ways and save our souls.”
--St. Alphonsus de Liguori
“Here the will of God is done, as God wills, and as long as God wills.”
--Saint Gerard Majella
“If, devout soul, it is your will to please God and live a life of serenity in this world, unite yourself always and in all things to the divine will. Reflect that all the sins of your past wicked life happened because you wandered from the path of God’s will.”
--St. Alphonsus de Liguori
“The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly to do it because it is his will.”
--Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
“During our sojourn in this world, we should learn from the saints now in heaven, how to love God. The pure and perfect love of God they enjoy there, consists in uniting themselves perfectly to his will. It would be the greatest delight of the seraphs to pile up sand on the seashore or to pull weeds in a garden for all eternity, if they found out such was God’s will. Our Lord himself teaches us to ask to do the will of God on earth as the saints do it in heaven: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
--St. Alphonsus de Liguori
“We can only learn to know ourselves and do what we can -- namely, surrender our will and fulfill God’s will in us."
--Saint Teresa of Avila
“Every creature, whether it will or not, is subject to the one God and Lord; but a warning is given to us, to serve the Lord with our whole will, because the just man serves Him willingly, but the unjust serves Him as a slave.”
--Saint Augustine
“A man makes the most progress and merits the most grace precisely in those matters wherein he gains the greatest victories over self and most mortifies his will.”
--St. Francis de Sales
Related booklet [must read]:
Uniformity With God’s Will, by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori
https://www.ccel.org/ccel/alphonsus/uniformity.html
Quotes on the Will of God from St. Bridget’s Revelations
Fifth question [by a Monk speaking through his conscience to Our Lord]. “Why should I obey others, if I have control over my own will?” Answer to the fifth question [by Our Lord]. “Whosoever holds his free choice in his hands should be fearful and should realize in truth that nothing so easily leads to eternal punishment as self-will without a leader. Accordingly, anyone who relinquishes his or her own will to me, his God, in obedience to me, shall have heaven without punishment.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 5, Interrogation 4
“Always prefer my will before your own, because my Mother, your Lady, has, from the beginning to the end, never wanted anything but what I wanted.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 1
“But what is my will, except that you should want to love me above all things and not desire anything but me? I created all things for the sake of mankind, and placed all things under his authority, but he loves all things except me, and hates nothing but me. I bought back the inheritance for him which he had lost because of his sin. But he is so foolish and without reason that he prefers this passing glory – which is like the foam of the sea that rises up for a moment like a mountain, and then quickly falls down to nothing – instead of eternal glory in which there is everlasting good.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 2
“What are these two treasuries [mentioned earlier] if not my love and the love of the world? There are two ways into these two treasuries: privation and a complete denial of one’s own will lead to my love, while the fleshly lust and a man’s own will lead to the love of the world.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 15
“But what the first man said [that tries to serve God] means that some people say: ‘Let us listen and test if what he says is true!’ They stand a while in my service, not for the sake of love or charity but as an experiment and to imitate others; and they do not give up their own will but exercise it along with my will. They are in a dangerous position, for they want to serve two masters, even though they can serve neither one well. When they are called, they shall be rewarded by the master that they have loved the most.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 15
Commentary: That is why Jesus also says in the Gospel, "where your heart is, there will your treasure be also" (cf. Matthew 6:21, Luke 12:34). Better to give up watching the media and playing more worldly video games (not only because they are occasions of sins, but also because they make the spirit cold towards God) before it's too late and death is at hand, for at that moment will you only have regretted that you did not live a more spiritual life free from worldly distractions. It is morally and spiritually impossible to indulge in worldly vanities and have a good prayer life! To watch or read news daily etc. is hardly necessary and St. Alphonsus clearly rebukes people for this in his most excellent work, The True Spouse of Christ:
“St. Dorotheus says: "Beware of too much speaking, for it banishes from the soul holy thoughts and recollection with God." Speaking of religious that cannot abstain from inquiring after worldly news, St. Joseph Calasanctius said: "The curious religious shows that he has forgotten himself." It is certain that he who speaks too much with men converses but little with God, for the Lord says: I will lead her into the wilderness, and I will speak to her heart. If, then, the soul wishes that God speak to its heart, it must seek after solitude; but this solitude will never be found by religious who do not love silence." If," said the Venerable Margaret of the Cross, "we remain silent, we shall find solitude." And how will the Lord ever condescend to speak to the religious, who, by seeking after the conversation of creatures, shows that the conversation of God is not sufficient to make her happy? Hence, for a nun that delights in receiving visits and letters, in reading the newspapers, and in speaking frequently of the things of the world, it is impossible to be a good religious. Every time that she unnecessarily holds intercourse with seculars, she will suffer a diminution of fervor.”
The Blessed Virgin speaks: “I also promised in my heart to keep my virginity, if this was acceptable to him, and to have no possessions in the world. However, if God wanted otherwise, my will was that his will, not mine, be done; for I believed that he could do all things and wanted nothing but what was beneficial and best for me. Therefore, I entrusted all my will to him.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 10
“The Son answered: “It is an ancient proverb that says that what a youth learns in his youth, he preserves in his old age. So have also you, my dear Mother, from your youth learned to follow my will and to surrender all your will for my sake. Therefore you did well to say: ‘May your will be done.’ You are like precious gold that is laid on a hard anvil and hammered, for you were hammered with every kind of tribulation, and through my suffering you endured more pain than anyone before. For when my heart burst from the violent pain and bitterness on the cross, your heart was also wounded as if by the sharpest steel, and you would have willingly let it be cut into pieces, had that been my will. But even if you had been able to stop my suffering and wished for my life, still you did not want to if it was not my will. Therefore you did well to say: ‘Your will be done.’”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 15
“You are all mine by right and should therefore follow my will. The one who wants to follow the will of another should have three things: First, he should have the same will and opinion as the other; second, have similar deeds; third, he should move away from his enemies. But who are my enemies if not pride and every sin? You should therefore move away from them, if you desire to follow my will.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 38
“When you pray any prayer to me, always end your prayer with the intention that my will always shall be done and not yours.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 14
“The third [group of people who pray to me] are those who believe me to be the Creator of all things and true God and who believe me to be just and merciful. These do not serve me because of any fear of punishment but because of divine love and charity. Rather, they would prefer and endure every punishment, if they could bear it, than to even once provoke me to wrath. These truly deserve to be heard in their prayers, for their will is according to my will.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 14
“You would have pleased me more had you obeyed your teacher against your own will than doing your own will against his will. Many of my chosen ones neither had access to corporeal medicine or other easinesses for the body and yet have pleased me, whereas others, according to the times, the places and the sickness’ necessity, used medicines and yet did not displease me, since they did it all to please me. I therefore better like the obedience that knows nothing of its own will, then I do over a great offering.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 9, Chapter 60 (my own translation)
God likes obedience better than sacrifice:
1 Kings 15:22-23: “And Samuel said: Doth the Lord desire holocausts and victims, and not rather that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifices: and to hearken rather than to offer the fat of rams. Because it is like the sin of witchcraft to rebel: and like the crime of idolatry, to refuse to obey. Forasmuch as thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord hath also rejected thee from being king.”
Hence, “Let your door stand open to receive Him, unlock your soul to Him, offer Him a welcome in your mind, and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the joy of grace. Throw wide the gate of your heart, stand before the sun of the everlasting light…”
--St. Ambrose
On Adam and Eve: “I gave them permission to have relations, because before my permission [after the fall] and the enunciation of my will they were stricken with fear and were afraid to unite and have relations. Likewise, when Abel was killed and they were in mourning for a long time and observing abstinence, I was moved with compassion and comforted them. And when they understood my will, they began again to have relations and to procreate children, from which family I, their Creator, promised to be born.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 26
Commentary: This revelation indicates that one should have sexual relations preferably when one thinks this is God's will, and for the primary purpose of procreation to the honor, love and glory of God. It also shows that one should fear God also during the sex act, and that there can come evils from the sex act, such as evil children (even though the act is not evil provided no sin, excess or abuse is committed). That is why one should pray to God fervently before the marital act to be blessed with good and holy children that will do His Holy Will.
“They come to the doors of my church with one mind and consent, but all their desires and inner thoughts are completely against me. They prefer their own will, which aims at pleasing the world, instead of my will. If all their thoughts and wishes were directed toward me, and if they entrusted their will into my hands and entered into wedlock in fear of me, then I would give them my consent and be as the third with them. But now is my consent, which should be their most precious thing, gone from them, because they have lust in their heart and not my love. Thereafter, they go up to my altar where they hear that they should be one heart and one soul, but then my heart flees from them because they have not the warmth of my heart and know not the taste of my body.
“They seek the warmth and sexual lust that will perish and love the flesh that will be eaten by worms. Therefore do such people join in marriage without the bond and union of God the Father and without the Son’s love and without the Holy Spirit’s consolation. When the couple comes to the bed, my Spirit leaves them immediately and the spirit of impurity approaches instead because they only come together for the sake of lust and do not discuss or think about anything else with each other. But my mercy is still with them if they will be converted to me. Because of my great love, I place a living soul created by my power into their seed. Sometimes I let evil parents give birth to good children, but more often, evil children are born of evil parents, since these children imitate the evil and unrighteous deeds of their parents as much as they are able and would imitate it even more if my patience allowed them. Such a married couple will never see my face unless they repent. For there is no sin so heavy or grave that penitence and repentance does not wash it away.
“For that reason, I wish to turn to the spiritual marriage, the kind that is appropriate for God to have with a chaste soul and chaste body. There are seven good things in it opposed to the evils mentioned above: First, there is no desire for beauty of form or bodily beauty or lustful sights, but only for the sight and love of God. Second, there is no desire to possess anything else than what is needed to survive, and just the necessities with nothing in excess. Third, they avoid vain and frivolous talk. Fourth, they do not care about seeing friends or relatives, but I am their love and desire. Fifth, they desire to keep the humility inwardly in their conscience and outwardly in the way they dress. Sixth, they never have any will of leading lustful lives. Seventh, they beget sons and daughters for their God through their good behavior and good example and through the preaching of spiritual words.
“They preserve their faith undefiled when they stand outside the doors of my church where they give me their consent and I give them mine. They go up to my altar when they enjoy the spiritual delight of my Body and Blood in which delight they wish to be of one heart and one body and one will with me, and I, true God and man, mighty in heaven and on earth, shall be as the third with them and will fill their heart. The worldly spouses begin their marriage in lustful desires like brute beasts, and even worse than brute beasts! But these spiritual spouses begin in love and fear of God and do not bother to please anyone but me. The evil spirit fills and incites those in the worldly marriage to carnal lust where there is nothing but unclean stench, but those in the spiritual marriage are filled with my Spirit and inflamed with the fire of my love that will never fail them.
“I am one God in three Persons, and one in Divinity with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Just as it is impossible for the Father to be separated from the Son and the Holy Spirit to be separated from them both, and as it is impossible for warmth to be separated from fire, so it is impossible for these spiritual spouses to be separated from me; I am always as the third with them. Once my body was ravaged and died in torments, but it will never more be hurt or die. Likewise, those who are incorporated into me with a true faith and a perfect will shall never die away from me; for wherever they stand or sit or walk, I am always as the third with them.”
--The Revelations of St. Bridget, Book 1, Chapter 26
Prayer to do God’s Will
Each day do I ask of Thee, O Lord, that Thy Will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Hearken to my prayer, I beseech Thee, and grant that I may perform all my actions in compliance with Thy Holy Will, and ever make it the sole rule of my conduct. Deliver my soul from the slavery of its passions. Grant that they may all yield to Thine empire, and that to please and love Thee may ever be the predominant desire of my soul. Amen.
Related book [must read]:
St. Bridget's Prophecies & Revelations
http://www.trusaint.com/saints/st-bridget/book-1/
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Holy and Sweet Name of Mary, Light of the Despairing, Star of the Sea! – Selected Writings and Prayers
The Holy Name of Mary, by St. Bernard
"And the virgin's name, wrote Luke, was Mary. Let us speak of this name for a few moments. It is said to mean "star of the sea," a name applied most appropriately to the Virgin Mary. She is compared most aptly to a star. As a star emits its rays without loss of its essential nature, so the Virgin Mary without loss of her virginity, brings forth her Son. Neither do the rays lessen the brightness of the star, nor the Son the inviolateness of the Virgin. She is the glorious star which rose out of Jacob, whose rays light up the whole world, whose brilliance gleams in heaven, penetrates to hell. She floods the whole earth with her light, warms minds rather than bodies, fosters virtues, melts away sins. She, I say, is that brilliant shining star lifted in nature above this vast and boundless sea, gleaming with merits, enlightening by her example.
"Whoever you are, when you find yourself tossed by storms and tempests upon this world's raging water's, rather than walking upon firm dry land, never take your eyes from the brightness of this star lest you be overwhelmed by the storm. When the winds of temptation blow, when you run upon the rocks of disaster, look to the star. Cry out to Mary! If you are cast away upon the waves of pride or ambition of detraction or jealousy, look to the star. Cry out to Mary! When anger, avarice, or the lusts of the flesh assail the ship of your mind, look up to Mary. When you are worried by the enormity of your sins, troubled by a confused conscience, or terrified by the horrors of the judgment to come, when you begin to drown in the bottomless pit of sorrow or sink in the abyss of despair, think of Mary.
"In danger, in difficulties, in doubts, think of Mary. Call upon Mary! Never let her name be absent from your lips or absent from your heart. If you would obtain the help of her prayers, do not neglect to follow the example of her conduct. If you follow her, you will not stray; if you pray to her, you need not despair. If you think of her, you will not err; sustained by her, you need not fear; guided by her, you will walk without weariness. If she smiles upon you, you will succeed. You will experience in your own heart with what justice it is said: and the Virgin's name was Mary.
"Take not your eyes from the light of this star if you would not be overwhelmed by the waves; if the storms of temptation arise, if you are thrown upon the rocks of affliction, look to the star, invoke Mary. Are you confounded at the enormity of your sins, are you ashamed at the defilement of your conscience, are you terrified on account of the dreadful judgment, so that you begin to be overpowered by sadness, or even to sink into the abyss of despair, then turn your thoughts to Mary. In dangers, in distress, in doubt, call on Mary. She will not be far from your mouth, or your heart; and that you may obtain her intercession omit not to imitate her conduct. When you follow her, you will not go astray; when you invoke her, you will no longer be in doubt; when she supports you, you will not fall; when she leads you, you will surely come to eternal life, and will find by your own experience that she is justly called Maria--that is, Star of the Sea."
The Roman Pontiff, Innocent XI, ordered the feast of this most venerable name, which special devotion in certain parts of Christendom, be celebrated annually by the universal Church. This feast was to be a perpetual memorial to that great deliverance of the Christian people, won through the intercession of Mary help of Christians, from the inhuman tyranny of the Turks who trampled upon their necks--that remarkable victory won at Vienna in Austria.
Ave Maris Stella (Latin, "Hail Star of the Sea/Ocean")
Ave Maris Stella is a popular liturgical hymn of unknown origin. It can be dated back to at least the 9th century for it is preserved in the Codex Sangallensis, a 9th century manuscript now in the Swiss Monastery of St. Gallen. Its appearance in the Codex points to a composition possibly in the 8th century. The hymn is frequently attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) and sometimes has been attributed to King Robert (1031), both of whom are too late to have authored it. It has also been attributed to Venantius Fortunatus (d 609) and Paul the Deacon (d 787). It is found in ancient codices of the Divine Office for Vespers on Marian feasts. Today it is still in use in the Divine Office and in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin.
HAIL, O Star of the ocean,
God's own Mother blest,
ever sinless Virgin,
gate of heavenly rest.
Taking that sweet Ave,
which from Gabriel came,
peace confirm within us,
changing Eve's name.
Break the sinners' fetters,
make our blindness day,
Chase all evils from us,
for all blessings pray.
Show thyself a Mother,
may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant
hear our prayers through thine.
Virgin all excelling,
mildest of the mild,
free from guilt preserve us
meek and undefiled.
Keep our life all spotless,
make our way secure
till we find in Jesus,
joy for evermore.
Praise to God the Father,
honor to the Son,
in the Holy Spirit,
be the glory one. Amen.
A Prayer to Mary, Queen of Heaven and our Advocate
"Mary is that woman by whom hell is overcome, the devil trodden upon, man saved."--St. Anselm.
Hail, Queen of Heaven, the ocean star,
Guide of the wanderer here below!
Thrown on life's surge we claim thy care,
Save us from peril and from woe.
Mother of Christ, Star of the Sea,
Pray for the wanderer, pray for me.
O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,
We sinners make our prayers through thee;
Remind thy Son that He has paid
The price of our iniquity.
Virgin most pure, Star of the Sea,
Pray for the sinner, pray for me.
Sojourners in this vale of tears,
To thee, blest advocate, we cry;
Pity our sorrows, calm our fears,
And soothe with hope our misery.
Refuge in grief, Star of the Sea,
Pray for the mourner, pray for me.
And while to Him who reigns above,
In Godhead One, in Persons Three,
The source of life, of grace, of love,
Homage we pay on bended knee;
Do thou, bright Queen, Star of the Sea,
Pray for thy children, pray for me.
Titles of Our Lady from the Litany of Loreto
Morning Star (Latin: Stella Matutina)
There is no title in all the Litany more descriptive of Mary's loving office to men than "Morning Star." Every star, indeed, is an image of Her. Her most popular figure is "Star of the Sea," due no doubt to the loveliest of Her hymns—the Ave Maris Stella, which goes back at least to the ninth century, and to the Alma Redemptoris Mater, of the eleventh century.
Mary had much to do with stars. The Star of Bethlehem was the only lamp for the cave. "We have seen His star in the East," said the Magi, and they found it again reflected in the eyes of Mary.
There is a lovely legend about an old well in the Holy Land, called "Mary's well." The story is that once when the Holy Family was going from Bethlehem to Jerusalem they rested by that well and drank of its waters. When the Wise Men were on their way to Bethlehem, they lost the star for a while, but they found it again shining in the waters of Mary's well.
The "Morning Star" has always had a special application to Mary. The Church interprets the verse in the Canticle of Canticles (vi, 9) as descriptive of Her. "Who is She that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun?" Every church today, as in ages past, has its altar of the Blessed Virgin. In the old Cathedrals, the Lady Chapel was situated behind the choir and the high altar, and to the extreme east, as the symbol of Her as the Morning Star. We read in an old book of the 16th century: "Like as the morning cometh before the sun rising, and divideth the night from the day, so the Virgin Mary rose as the morning before the Sun of Justice, and divided the state of grace from the state of sin, the children of God from the children of darkness. Whereupon the Church singeth to Her praise that Her glorious life gave light to the world and illumined all the Church and congregations of faithful people." So a Solemn Mass was sung every day at early dawn in Her honor, and the bell for rising was called "Saint Mary's bell." St. Bridget of Sweden calls Her "the star preceding the sun."
The Hymn for the Feast of Our Lady's Apparition at Lourdes, has this stanza: "O dawn that goeth before the sun, joyous herald of our salvation, thy people, O Virgin, suppliantly invoke Thee amid the shades of night." Dante must have been thinking of Her when he wrote, as coming out of the Inferno: "Thence issuing we again beheld the stars;" and surely of Her when he wrote: "Of tremulous luster like the Matin star," and "Pure and made apt for mounting to the stars." To him the Inferno was "the air pierced by no star." St. John in the Apocalypse tells of the Woman Clothed with the Sun: "On Her head was a crown of twelve stars." So in art Our Lady is often picture as the Madonna of the Star. Stars are embroidered on Her veil or on the right shoulder of Her blue mantle. Art glorifies Her as the Morning Star, the Star of the Sea, the Star of Jacob, the Fixed Star.
The very thought of Light brings up the vision of Mary, so much had She to do with the Light of the world. Her arms were the candlestick for that Light. Candlemas, the Feast of Lights, is Her Feast, as She holds up to a darkened world the true Light. So, St. Epiphanius († 403) called Her "Mother of Eternal Light." In the Hymn for the Feast of the Guardian Angels She is also called "Mother of Light," and in the Hymn for the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary: "Twelve stars now crown the brow of the glorious Mother; near the throne of Her Son She reigns over all created things."
An old woman who saw the Little Flower when she was dead, said that her feet looked "as if they had walked on light." A convert in India who had a vision of Our Lady was asked what She looked like. He answered, "She was composed of light, She was all light." Even when little Bernadette had her visions of Our Lady and went into ecstasy at the sight, the onlookers said they could never forget the child's face, it was so full of beauty and light, as if it were the reflection from the light of the Mother of God. Our Lady of Hope appeared to some children at Pontmain, France. They described Her as surrounded by stars. "Oh, there are so many stars the Blessed Virgin will soon be gilt all over."
Yes, as the Hymn Quem terra sings—She is the "refulgent hall of Light." She is also called "Light of the Despairing," "Daughter of the Light Unapproachable," "Our Light," "Bright Moon of Purity," "Brilliant Star of Purity," "Rising Moon of Purity," "Sun without a Stain," "Living Light of Holiness."
"Our Lady of Light" was an old title of Hers in the Middle Ages. It is said that She Herself suggested that title to St. Thomas of Canterbury. There was a Confraternity of Our Lady of Light, and St. Francis Xavier and his companions were enrolled in it before they set out for the Indies. The Confraternity of Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Ghost was founded in England, in 1824. Pope Leo XIII indulgenced this prayer: "Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Ghost, I give Thee my whole self, soul and body, all I have or may have, to keep for Jesus that I may be His forever more. Our Lady of Light, Spouse of the Holy Ghost, pray for me."
But the most common "Star" figure, which all the spiritual writers have used, is "Star of the Sea," the guide to man who is sailing on the sea of life. St. Bernard, as many others, interpreted Miriam (Hebrew for "Mary") as meaning Star of the Sea, and thus explains it: "Because without loss of its own integrity, a star sends forth its rays—and so Mary brought forth Jesus. She is, therefore, that noble star risen out of Jacob, whose ray illuminates the whole earth, whose splendor both shines above and pierces the nether darkness, enlightening the earth and giving heat rather to souls than to bodies, nourishing virtues, expelling vices. Mary is the excellent, bright and wonderful Star lifted up necessarily above this great and wide ocean, shining with merits, illuminating with example. Behold the Star!"
It is a strange thing, but almost all the figures of speech in Scripture about the sea refer to its power and its dangers. All dreaded the unknown sea. Having no compass in those days, many ships were lost in the great traffic on the Mediterranean. The sea has always had its dangers. The sailors knew that better than anyone else. A strange name the Eastern sailors gave Her—Mother of Tears, evidently because the sea made so many mothers weep for their lost sailor boys. But the Catholic sailor was devoted to the Star of the Sea. He needed Her protection in his dangerous calling, so he called his boat after one of Her titles, paid his homage to Her shrines along the coast, made vows of pilgrimage and of offering to Her. One of the most famous shrines of France is that of Our Lady of Mariners, at Marseilles. At the end of the 12th century a fisherman of Marseilles was overtaken in his boat by a violent storm. He raised his eyes to the rock of the Garde. He beheld a figure there. He sang the Ave Maris Stella. Somehow he got to land. Many sailors saw that same apparition on the rock. A chapel was erected and a statue was placed there, called "Our Lady of Help" or "Help of Mariners." Since then She is honored as the Protectress of Marseilles. Many stories are told of sailors in distress seeing Our Lady at the wheel guiding their boat through the storm. She was, indeed, "the Star above the storms."
From our childhood many of us have been familiar with the idea of the Star of the Sea protecting us in our voyage of life. We sang Fr. Faber’s hymn—"Sweet Star of the Sea."
"Deep night hath come down on us, Mother, deep night, And we need more than ever the guide of Thy light; For the darker the night is, the brighter should be Thy beautiful shining, sweet Star of the Sea."St. Bonaventure compares life to a tempestuous sea into which sinners have fallen from the ship of Divine Grace. "O poor lost sinners," he makes Our Lady say, "despair not; raise up your eyes and cast them on this beautiful star; breathe again with confidence, for it will save you from this tempest and will guide you into the port of salvation."
And St. Ephraim calls Her "the safe harbor of all sailing on the sea of the world," the same expression being used by Pope Leo XIII—"Safe Harbor of travelers." St. Thomas draw his lesson from it—"She is blessed among women because She alone has removed the curse of Adam, brought blessings to mankind, and opened the gates of Paradise. Hence She is called Mary, which name signifies Star of the Sea, for as sailors steer their ship to port by watching the stars, so Christians are brought to glory by the intercession of Mary." The Irish of old had a beautiful expression—"O Mary, meet me at the port." St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi had a vision in which She saw a vessel in which were all the clients of Mary, and Mary Herself steering the ship into port. This is Dante's thought: "If thou follow but thy star, thou canst not miss at last a glorious haven."
Mary is compared to the merchant's ship, "She bringeth Her bread from afar" (Prov. 31: 14). So do we look up to Her—we who "have walked in the waves of the sea" (Eccli. 24: 8). Thus St. Gertrude the Great prayed, "O Jesus, my only hope, my Savior and my God, send to me, at my last hour Thy tender Mother Mary, that soft-shining Star of the Sea, that She may stand by me as my sure defense. Her face, fair as the bright dawn of morning will make me feel and know that Thou, too, O Divine Sun of Justice, art drawing near to my soul in all Thy splendor."
How can we ever meditate on the Star of the Sea without reading St. Bernard's classic: "O Thou who feelest thyself tossed by the tempests in the midst of the shoals of this world, turn not away thine eyes from the Star of the Sea, if thou wouldst avoid shipwreck. If the winds of temptation blow, if tribulations rise up like rocks before thee—look at the Star, send a sigh towards Mary! If the waves of pride, ambition, calumny, or jealousy seek to swallow up thy soul—look at the Star, send a prayer to Mary! If anger, avarice, or love of pleasure toss thy fragile bark—seek the eyes of Mary. If horror of thy sins, trouble of conscience, or dread of the judgments of God begin to plunge thee into the gulf of sadness, the abyss of despair—attach thy heart to Mary. In dangers, in sufferings, in doubt—think of Mary and invoke Her aid. Let Mary be always in your heart and often upon your lips. To obtain Her help in death, follow Her example in life. In following Her, you will not go astray; by praying to Her, you will not despair; if you cling to Her, you will not go wrong. With Her support, you fall not; under Her protection you have no fear; under Her guidance you do not grow weary; if She is gracious to you, you will reach the port. Thus you will experience how rightly it is said: 'And the Virgin's name was Mary'."
Sunday, September 3, 2017
Power and Sweetness of the Holy Name of Jesus – Selected Writings and Prayers
Selected
from the Writings of St. Alphonsus Maria
JESUS
OUR SAVIOUR.
Consider
that the Infant Jesus, eight days after His Birth, showed Himself
even then to be our Saviour,
by
shedding His divine Blood for us in the Circumcision, and taking the
Name of Saviour.
O
most merciful Infant God, I give Thee thanks, and I beseech Thee by
the pain which Thou didst feel, and by the Blood which Thou didst
shed in Thy Circumcision, to grant me the grace and the power to tear
out of my heart all earthly affections.
I.
Behold
how the Eternal Father, having sent His Son to suffer and die for us,
wills that on this day He should be circumcised, and should begin to
shed His Divine Blood, which He has to shed for the last time on the
day of His death upon the Cross in a sea of contumely and sorrow. And
wherefore? In order that this innocent Son should thus pay the
penalties which we have deserved. The Holy Church exclaims: “O
admirable condescension of divine pity towards us! O inestimable love
of charity! To redeem, the slave Thou hast delivered Thy Son to
death!”
O
Eternal God, who could ever have bestowed upon us this infinite gift
but Thou Who art infinite goodness and infinite love. O my God, if in
giving me Thy Son, Thou hast given me the dearest treasure Thou hast,
it is right that I should give myself entirely to Thee. Yes, my God,
I give Thee my whole self; do Thou accept of me, and permit me not to
leave Thee again.
II.
Behold,
on the other hand, the Divine Son, Who, humble, and full of love
towards us, embraces the bitter death destined for Him in order to
save us sinners from eternal death, and willingly begins on this day
to make satisfaction for us to the divine justice with the price His
Blood. He
humbled himself, says
the Apostle, becoming
obedient unto death, even to the death of cross.—(Phil. ii.,
8). Thou, therefore, O my Jesus, accepted death for my love; what,
then, shall I do? Shall I continue to offend Thee by my sins? No,
Redeemer, I will no longer be ungrateful to Thee. I am sorry from my
heart that I have caused Thee so much bitterness in times past. I
love Thee, O infinite Goodness, and for the future I will never cease
to love Thee.
Our
Redeemer has said: Greater love than this no hath, that a man lay
down his life for his friends.—(St. John xv., 13). Thou, O my
Jesus, as St. Paul tells us, hast shown greater love than this toward
us, by giving Thy life for us who were enemies. Behold one of them, O
Lord, at Thy feet. How many times have I, a miserable sinner,
renounced Thy friendship because I would not obey Thee! I now see the
evil I have done; pardon me, Jesus, for I could wish to die of
sorrow. I now love with my whole soul, and I desire nothing else but
to love Thee and to please Thee. O Mary, Mother of God my Mother,
pray to Jesus for me.
THE
NAME OF JESUS CONSOLES.
This
great Name of Jesus was not given by man, but by God Himself; “The
Name of Jesus,” says St. Bernard, “was preordained by God.” It
was a new Name: A
new name which the mouth of the Lord shall
name.—(Is.
lxii.,
2). A new Name which God could give only to Him Whom He destined to
be the Saviour of the world. A new and an eternal Name; because, as
our salvation was decreed from all eternity, so from all eternity was
this Name given to the Redeemer. Nevertheless this Name was only
bestowed on Jesus Christ in this world on the day of His
Circumcision: And
after eight days were accomplished that the child should be
circumcised, his name was called Jesus. The
Eternal Father wished at that time to reward the humility of His Son
by giving Him so honourable a Name. Yes, while Jesus humbles Himself,
submitting in His Circumcision to be branded with the mark of a
sinner, it is just that His Father should honour Him by giving Him a
Name that exceeds the dignity and sublimity of any other name: God
hath given him a name that is above all names.—(Phil. ii., 9). And He commands that this Name should be adored by
the Angels, by men, and by devils: That
in the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those that are in
heaven, on earth, and under the earth.—(Ibid.
ii., 10). If, then, all creatures are to adore this great Name, still
more ought we sinners to adore it, since it was in our behalf that
this Name of Jesus, which signifies Saviour, was given to Him; and
for this end also He came down from Heaven, namely, to save sinners:
“For us men and for our salvation He came down from Heaven, and was
made Man.” We ought to adore Him, and at the same time to thank God
Who has given Him this Name for our good; for it is this Name that
consoles us, defends us, and makes us burn with love.
The
Name of Jesus consoles us; for when we invoke Jesus, we find relief
in all our afflictions. When we have recourse to Jesus, He wishes to
console us because He loves us; and He can do so, because He is not
only Man, but He is also the Omnipotent God; otherwise He could not
properly have this great Name of Saviour.
The
Name of Jesus signifies that the bearer of it is of infinite power,
infinite wisdom and infinite love; so that if Jesus Christ had not
united in Himself all these perfections, He could not have saved us:
“If any one of these,” says St. Bernard, “had been wanting,
Thou couldst not call Thyself Saviour.”
Thus, when speaking of the Circumcision, the Saint says: “He was
circumcised as being the son of Abraham, He was called Jesus as being
the Son of God.” He is branded as man with the mark of sin, having
taken upon Himself the burden of atoning for sin; and from His very
Infancy He began to satisfy for the crimes of men, by suffering and
shedding His Blood.
The
Name of Jesus is said by the Holy Spirit to be as oil poured out: Thy
name is as oil poured out.—(Cant.
i., 2) And so indeed it is, says St. Bernard; for as oil serves for
light, for food, and for medicine, so especially is the Name of Jesus
is light: “it is a light when preached.” And how was it, says the
Saint, that the light of Faith shone forth so suddenly in the world
that in a short time so many Gentile nations knew the true God, and
became His followers, if it was not through hearing the Name of Jesus
preached? “Whence, think you, shone forth in the whole world, so
bright and so sudden, the light of Faith, except from the preaching
of the Name of Jesus?” Through this Name we have been happily made
sons of the true light, that is, sons of the Holy Church; since we
were so fortunate as to be born ml bosom of the true Church, in
Christian and Catholic kingdoms—a grace which has not been granted
to greater part of men, who are born amongst idolaters, Mahometans,
or heretics.
Further,
the Name of Jesus is a food that nourishes our souls. “The thought
of it is nourishment.” This Name gives strength to find peace and
consolation even in the midst of the miseries and persecutions of
this world. The holy Apostles rejoiced when they were ill-treated,
and reviled, being comforted by the Name of Jesus: They went
from the presence of the council rejoicing that were counted worthy
to suffer for the name of Jesus.—(Acts.
V., 41).
It
is light, it is food, and it is also medicine to those who invoke it:
“When pronounced, it soothes and anoints.” The holy Abbot says:
“At the rising of the light of this Name, the clouds disperse, and
calm returns.” If the soul of any one is afflicted and in trouble,
let him pronounce the Name of Jesus, and immediately the tempest will
cease and peace will return. Does any one fall into sin? Does he run
in despair into the snares of death? Let him invoke the Name of Life,
and will his life not be renewed? He shall immediately be encouraged
to hope for pardon, by calling on Jesus, Who was, destined by the
Father to be our Saviour, and obtain pardon for sinners. Euthymius
says that if when Judas was tempted to despair, he had invoked the
Name of Jesus, he would not have given way to temptation: “If he
had invoked that Name, he would not have perished.” Therefore, he
adds, no sinner can perish through despair, however abandoned he may
be, who invokes the Holy Name, which is one of hope and salvation:
“Despair is far off where His Name is invoked.”
But
sinners leave off invoking this saving Name, because they do not wish
to be cured of their infirmities. Jesus Christ is ready to heal all
our wounds; but if people cherish their wounds, and will not be
healed, how can Jesus Christ heal them? The Venerable Sister Mary of
Jesus Crucified, a Sicilian nun, once saw the Saviour, as it seemed,
in a hospital, going round with medicines in His hands, to cure the
sick people who were there; but these miserable people, instead of
thanking Him and begging Him to come to them, drove Him away. So do
many sinners, after they have of their own free will poisoned their
souls with sins, refuse the gift of health, that is, the grace
offered them by Jesus Christ, and thus remain lost through their
infirmities.
But,
on the other hand, what fear can that sinner have who has recourse to
Jesus Christ, since Jesus offers Himself to obtain our pardon from
His Father, He having paid by His death the penalty due to us? St.
Laurence Justinian says: “He Who had been offended, appointed
Himself as Intercessor, and Himself paid what was owing to God.”
Therefore, adds the Saint, “if thou art bound down by sickness, if
sorrows weary thee, if thou art trembling with fear, invoke the Name
of Jesus.” O poor man, whoever thou art, if thou art weighed down
by infirmity or by grief and fear, call on Jesus, and He will console
thee. It is enough that we pray to the Father in His Name, and all we
ask will be granted to us. This is the promise of Jesus Himself,
which He repeated many times, and which cannot fail: If
you ask the Father anything in my name, He will give it to you.—(Jo.
xvi.
23). Whatsoever
you shall ask of the Father in My name that will I do.—(Jo. xiv.,
13).
Selected
from the Writings of Saint Alphonsus Maria
HIS
NAME WAS CALLED JESUS.
(Gospel,
Luke ii., 21).
The
Name of Jesus is a divine Name, announced Mary on the part of God by
St. Gabriel: and
thou shalt call His name Jesus.—(Luke, i., 31). For that reason it was called a name above all
names.—(Phil. ii., 9). And it was also called a Name in which alone
salvation is found: whereby
we must be saved.—(Acts
iv., 12). This great Name is likened by the Holy Spirit unto oil: Thy
name is as oil poured out.—(Cant.
i., 2). For this reason, says St. Bernard, that as oil is light,
food, and
medicine,
so the Name of Jesus is light to the mind, food to the heart, and
medicine to the soul.
It
is light to the mind. By this Name the world was converted from the
darkness of idolatry to the light of Faith. We who have been born in
these regions, where before the coming of Christ our ancestors were
Gentiles, should all have been in the same condition had not the
Messias come to enlighten us. How thankful ought we not, then, to be
to Jesus Christ for the gift of Faith! And what would have become of
us if we had been in Asia, in Africa, in America, or in the midst of
heretics and schismatics? He who believes not is lost: He
that believeth not shall be condemned.—(St. Mark xvi., 16) And thus probably we also should have been lost.
O
Jesus, Thou Who didst make the power of Thy Name to shine forth to
deliver us from the servitude of sin, and the slavery of the devil,
deign now and always to preserve our souls from all unworthy
subjection. O Jesus all powerful, if the eyes of our souls had not
been opened and enlightened by the light of Faith which Thou hast
taught us by Thy own mouth, how should we ever have been able to know
Thy divine mysteries! Without Thy aid we should always have been
buried in the darkness of ignorance and the shadow of death. May
thanks be ever given to our sweet Jesus Who has had compassion on us,
and, in opening the gates of Heaven to us, has made us heirs of His
Eternal Kingdom.
II.
The
Name of Jesus is also food that nourishes our hearts; yes, because
this Name reminds us of what Jesus has done to save us. Hence this
Name consoles us in tribulation, gives us strength to walk along the
way of salvation, supplies us with courage in difficulties, and
inflames us with love for our Redeemer, when we remember what He has
suffered for our salvation.
Lastly,
this Name is medicine to the soul, because it renders it strong
against the temptations of our enemies. The devils tremble and fly at
the invocations of this Holy Name, according to the words of the
Apostle: That
at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those that are in
heaven, on earth, and under the earth.—(Phil.
ii., 10). He who in temptation calls upon Jesus shall not fall, and
shall be saved: Praising,
I will call upon the Lord; and I will be saved from my enemies.—(Ps.
xvii., 4). And who was ever lost who when he was tempted invoked
Jesus? He alone is lost who does not invoke His aid, or who, whilst
the temptation continues, ceases to invoke Him. Oh, that I had always
called upon Thee, my Jesus; for then I should never have been
conquered by the devil! I have miserably lost Thy grace, because in
temptation I have neglected to call Thee to my assistance. But now I
hope for all things through Thy Holy Name. Write, therefore, O my
Saviour, write upon my poor heart Thy most powerful Name of Jesus,
so
that, by having it always in my heart by loving Thee, I may have it
always on my lips by invoking Thee, in all the temptations that hell
prepares for me to induce me to again become its slave, and to
separate myself from Thee. In Thy Name I shall find every good. If I
am afflicted, it will console me when I think how much more afflicted
Thou hast been than I am, and all for the love of me. If I am
disheartened on account of my sins, it will give me courage when I
remember that Thou camest into the world to save sinners. If I am
tempted, Thy Holy Name will give me strength, when I consider that
Thou canst help me more than hell can cast me down; finally, if I
feel cold in Thy love, Thy Name will give me fervour, by reminding me
of the love that Thou bearest me. I love Thee, my Jesus! To Thee do I
give all my heart, O my Jesus! Thee alone will I love! Thee will I
invoke as often as I possibly can. I will die with Thy Name upon my
lips; a Name of hope, a Name of salvation, a Name of love. O Mary, if
thou lovest me, this is the grace I beg of thee to obtain for me—the
grace constantly to invoke thy name and that of thy Son; obtain for
me that these most sweet Names may be the breath of soul, and that I
may repeat them constantly during life, in order to repeat them with
my last breath. Jesus and Mary, help me; Jesus and Mary, I love You;
Jesus and Mary I recommend my soul to You.
THE
NAME OF JESUS A NAME OF GLADNESS.
The
Name of Jesus was given to the Incarnate Word not by men, but by God
Himself. And
thou shalt call his name Jesus. It
is the Name of our Saviour, a Name of Gladness, a Name of Hope, a
Name of Love. Thy Name, then, O Jesus, will always be my defense, my
comfort, a fire to keep me always burning with Thy love.
I.
Consider
that the Holy Name of Jesus is not a Name invented by man, but it
comes from God, Who wished it to be made known by the Archangel
Gabriel, as St. Luke testifies: His
name was called Jesus .
. . by
the angel —
(St. Luke ii.,21). St. Bernard also says that this Name is not a
simple figure of things, or a shadow without reality. Jesus is a Name
that expresses perfectly the hypostatic union of the Divine nature
and the human nature. The world could not have been saved by God, for
God could not suffer, nor by a mere man, because man is limited and
finite. This is the reason why the Holy Name Jesus,
which
signifies the same as Saviour,
as
the Angel declares, has been given to the Son of God, made Man
through Mary, to show that it was both as God and Man He accomplished
the redemption of mankind by delivering men from the slavery of sin.
In short, Jesus
is
a Name that comprises Infinity, Eternity, Immensity, Wisdom, Justice,
Mercy, and all the adorable Perfections of God. What happiness for us
to be reconciled with the Eternal Father through the merits of this
divine Mediator Who of His -
infinite
goodness paid our debt in His precious Blood! Adorable Jesus! if Thou
hadst sacrificed Thyself to deliver Thy people from the hands of
their enemies in order to acquire an eternal Name, it would be but
fair that this Name should surpass and eclipse every other name, even
that of the Seraphim, as St. Paul says: Being, made so much, better than the angels, as he hath inherited a
more excellent name than they.—(Heb. i.,
4). And if the Eternal Father has wished that this Name should be
that of His Son, mayest Thou grant that, having experienced on earth
its happy effects, we may arrive at the complete happiness of Heaven
to praise Thee and to bless Thee for all eternity.
II.
The
Name of Jesus is a Name of Gladness, a Name of Hope, a Name of Love.
It is a Name of Gladness because if the remembrance of past
transgressions afflicts us, this Name comforts us in the remembrance
that the Son of God became Man for this purpose—to make Himself our
Saviour. In fact, as soon as the Name of Jesus passes from the heart
to the tongue, by the light of the divine Name darkness is dispersed,
the mind is calmed the heart is strengthened, the faculties brighten
up, and everything returns to life. There is no name in the world
equal to the Name of Jesus in sweetness “Nothing is sweeter to
chant,” says St. Bernard “nothing more agreeable to hear, nothing
more charming to think of, than the Name of Jesus, the Son of God.”
Oh,
how happy shall we be if in all our trials, in all occasions of
sorrow, we take care to invoke the glorious Name of Jesus, and while
invoking it with our lips to consecrate our hearts to Jesus! It is a
Name of Hope, because he that prays to the Eternal Father in the Name
of Jesus may hope for every good he asks for. If
you ask the Father anything in my name he will give it to you.—(St.
John. xvi.,
23).
It
is a Name of Love. It is a sign that represents to us how much God
has done for the love of us. The Name of Jesus brings to our
remembrance all the suffering which Jesus endured for us in life and
in death. Therefore a devout writer exclaims: “O Jesus, how much I
cost Thee to be Jesus—that is, my Saviour!”
O
sweet Jesus, our Love and our Hope! Do Thou write Thy Name on my poor
heart and on my tongue, in order that when I am tempted to sin, I may
resist by invoking Thee; so that if I am tempted to despair I may
trust in Thy merits; and that if I feel myself tepid in loving Thee,
Thy Name may inflame my heart at the recollection of how much Thou
hast loved me.
Thy
Name, then, will always be my defense, my comfort, and the fire that
shall always keep me inflamed with Thy love. Make me, therefore,
always to call Thee my Jesus and to live and die with Thy Holy Name
on my lips saying even with my last breath: “I love Thee, my Jesus;
my Jesus, I love Thee.” O Mary, my Queen, make me when I am dying
invoke thee continually, together with thy Son Jesus.
THE
NAME OF JESUS OUR DEFENCE.
The
Name of Jesus defends us. Yes, it defends us against all the deceits
and assaults of our enemies. For this reason the Messias was called
God
the Mighty—(Is. ix.,
6); and His Name was called by the Wise Man a strong tower: The
name of the Lord is a strong tower—(Prov.
xviii., 10); that we may know that he who avails himself of this
powerful Name will not fear all the assaults of hell. St. Paul writes
thus: Christ
humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of
the
cross.—(Phil.
ii., 8). Jesus Christ during His life humbled Himself in obeying His
Father, even to die on the Cross; which is as much as to say, as St.
Anselm remarks, He humbled Himself so much that He could humble
Himself no more; and therefore His divine Father, as a reward for the
humility and obedience of His Son, raised Him to such a sublime
dignity that there could be no higher: God
hath given him a name which is above all names; that in the name of
Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth
and under the earth.—(Phil. ii.,
9, 10). God gave Him a Name which is so great and powerful that it is
venerated in Heaven, on earth, and in hell. A Name powerful in
Heaven, because it can obtain all graces for us; powerful on earth,
because it can save all who invoke it with devotion; powerful in
hell, because this Name makes all the devils tremble. These rebel
angels tremble at the sound of this most Sacred Name, because they
remember that Jesus Christ was the Mighty One Who destroyed the
dominion and power they formerly had over man. They tremble, says St.
Peter Chrysologus, because at this Name they have to adore the whole
majesty of God “In this Name the whole majesty of God is adored.”
Our Saviour Himself said that through this powerful Name His
disciples should cast out devils. In
my name they shall cast out devils.—(St.
Mark xvi., 17). And in fact, the Church in her Exorcisms always makes
use of this Name in driving out the infernal spirits from those who
are possessed. And priests who are assisting persons dying call to
their aid the Name of Jesus, to deliver them from the assaults of
hell, which at that last moment are so terrible.
In
the Life of St. Bernardine of Sienna, we see how many sinners the
Saint converted, how many abuses he put an end to, and how many
cities he sanctified, by trying, when he preached, to induce the
people to invoke the Name of Jesus. St. Peter says that there is no
other Name given to us by which we can find salvation but the ever
blessed Name of Jesus:
For there is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must
be save
(Acts
iv., 12). Jesus is He Who has not only saved us, but continually
preserves us from the danger of sin by His merits, each time we
invoke Him with confidence: Whatsoever
you shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do.—(St.
John xiv., 13).
In temptations, then, I repeat with St. Laurence Justinian, “whether you are tempted by the devil are attacked by men, invoke the Name of Jesus.” If the devils and men torment you and urge you to sin call on Jesus, and you will be delivered; and if temptations do not cease to persecute you, continue to invoke Jesus, and you will never fall. Those who practice this devotion have experienced that they keep themselves safe, and that they always come off victorious.
In temptations, then, I repeat with St. Laurence Justinian, “whether you are tempted by the devil are attacked by men, invoke the Name of Jesus.” If the devils and men torment you and urge you to sin call on Jesus, and you will be delivered; and if temptations do not cease to persecute you, continue to invoke Jesus, and you will never fall. Those who practice this devotion have experienced that they keep themselves safe, and that they always come off victorious.
Let
us always add the holy Name of Mary, which likewise terrible to hell,
and we shall always be secure. “This short prayer—Jesus and
Mary—is easy to remember,” says Thomas a Kempis, “and powerful
to protect; is strong enough to deliver us from all the assaults of
enemies.”
THE
NAME OF OUR SAVIOUR –
A
NAME OF GREAT POWER
Consider
that the Name Jesus
signifies
Saviour;
and
St. Peter—(Acts iv., 12)—assures us that the Eternal Father has
not given to men any other Name by which they may be saved amidst the
snares of this deceitful world, than the adorable Name of Jesus. It
is this Name that makes the truth of Faith shine everywhere, and that
calls all men from the abyss of darkness to the adorable light of the
Gospel. It is by virtue of this adorable Name that the Apostle gave
light to the blind, made the lame walk, healed the sick, raised the
dead to life, and filled the whole world with wonder. And if the
Angel at first announced that Jesus would bring life into the world
by delivering it from the cruel slavery into which Adam had plunged
it, this good Saviour confirmed this promise Himself when He declared
that He had come so that His sheep might have
life, and might have it more abundantly.—(St.
John. x.,
10). By virtue of His Name we see idolatry overthrown, to the great
confusion of pagan princes and priests, who did all in their power to
uphold it.
O
amiable and Holy Name of Jesus, may the Seraphim of Heaven give Thee
suitable thanks for me, and never cease to praise Thee by ever
repeating that Thou dost merit all glory, all honour, and all power.
My sweet Saviour, I hope to obtain, by virtue of Thy Name, the
salvation of my body and soul; I hope that with this glorious Name in
my heart and on my lips, victorious over the world and the flesh, I
shall have the happiness to sing Thy praises and to bless the august
Trinity for ever and ever.
II.
Consider
also the efficacy of the adorable Name of Jesus in making our prayers
pleasing to God, and in obtaining all that we ask of Him. This Name
opens for us the way to arrive promptly at the feet of the Most High
and to have our prayers heard at once. The Gospel attests that the
prayers of Jesus Himself have always been heard by virtue of His
great Name, and that He authorizes us to say, when speaking to God: “
Our Father, Who art in Heaven.” In consideration of the Name of
Jesus, God looks with a favourable eye upon our petition. For this
reason Jesus exhorted the Apostles, and exhorts us all, that we
should ask of the Father in His Name, in order to be sure that we
shall obtain what we seek: If
you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you.—(St. John. xvi., 23). It is enough for Him to hear the petition,
and He will bestow upon us the favours that have been asked of Him in
the Name of His Beloved Son, with Whom He is well pleased, and Who,
in order to satisfy His offended justice has shown Himself obedient
even unto death.
We
should, then, know how to profit by the efficacious power of the Holy
Name of Jesus; being sure that our prayers will be heard, we should
often, every hour of the day, repeat our prayers to the Eternal
Father, and we shall advance in perfection on the road of the divine
precepts, until we attain the happiness of seeing and possessing Him
for all eternity in Heaven.
O
Sweet Jesus, our Love and our Hope, since Thou hast deigned to assume
mortal flesh, in order to open to us the gate of mercy, and to render
our prayers efficacious by virtue of Thy glorious Name, grant that
our prayers for the grace of perseverance may be heard, so that
faithful to the Divine law to the end of our lives, we may, with Thy
Holy Name on our lips, pass from this valley of tears to the glory of
Paradise.
<<<†††>>><<<†††>>><<<†††>>>
+
JMJ
U.I.O.G.D.
Ave
Maria!
Jesus,
Mary, Joseph, we love Thee, save souls.
O
God come to our assistance. Jesus, Mary, Joseph please make haste to
help us!
+
+ + Jesus, Mary, Joseph + + +
From
the book - Sermons of the Cure of Ars – St. John Mary Vianney
THE
GLORY AND THE POWER OF THE HOLY NAME.
“He
humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the
Cross. For which cause God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him
a name which is above all names.”—Phil. ii. 8-9.
Dearly
beloved in the Lord! On this Sunday we celebrate in an especial
manner the festival in honor of the Holy Name of Jesus, that Name
which is, for every Christian, the noblest and dearest, the holiest
and the most consoling. By honoring and loving the Name of our
Saviour, we show our respect and love for Him who bears this blessed
Name. In this sense we honor and praise the names of the Saints whose
memory will never die, but will always be honored by God and men; we
think with joy of their exalted and heroic virtues, their living and
steadfast faith, their self-sacrificing love for their neighbor,
their untiring zeal to help their fellow men to that true happiness
and salvation which comes from God alone—yes, truly the names of
the Saints, and, above all, that of the Queen of Saints, and the
names of all God’s elect, are dear to us, and we pronounce them
with reverence and love; indeed, it would be a sin not to do so.
But there is a Name which is above all other names, a Name which we must always pronounce with the greatest reverence, with the most blissful happiness and the tenderest love; and that is the Name of Jesus. And why do we all cherish in our hearts so profound a respect, such love and devotion for this Most Holy Name? First—On account of its glory and excellence, and then (second) because of its wonderful power and abundance of grace.
But there is a Name which is above all other names, a Name which we must always pronounce with the greatest reverence, with the most blissful happiness and the tenderest love; and that is the Name of Jesus. And why do we all cherish in our hearts so profound a respect, such love and devotion for this Most Holy Name? First—On account of its glory and excellence, and then (second) because of its wonderful power and abundance of grace.
Let
us make this the subject of our meditation in the Name of Jesus: “Who
humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the
Cross. Wherefore God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name
which is above every name.”
1.—Beloved in the Lord! No one is able to explain the great mystery revealed on earth by Christ, the Incarnate Son of God. According to the expression of St. Paul, the Apostle, in his letter to the Colossians, this mystery, which the Apostle says is Christ Himself, has been hidden from all eternity in God. When in the fullness of time it was revealed, it received a name which showed us distinctly, in the light of faith, the great and wonderful signification of the Incarnation of the Son of God and our redemption. God, the Eternal Father, wished to choose the name Himself which His well-beloved Son should bear upon earth, and He announced this name to the world by an angel from Heaven. For, commissioned by God, and sent by Him, the archangel Gabriel brought the message to the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Behold, thou wilt conceive in thy womb and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Jesus.” And the angel said to Joseph: “Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in Her is of the Holy Ghost. And She shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (St. Matthew 1: 20-21).
1.—Beloved in the Lord! No one is able to explain the great mystery revealed on earth by Christ, the Incarnate Son of God. According to the expression of St. Paul, the Apostle, in his letter to the Colossians, this mystery, which the Apostle says is Christ Himself, has been hidden from all eternity in God. When in the fullness of time it was revealed, it received a name which showed us distinctly, in the light of faith, the great and wonderful signification of the Incarnation of the Son of God and our redemption. God, the Eternal Father, wished to choose the name Himself which His well-beloved Son should bear upon earth, and He announced this name to the world by an angel from Heaven. For, commissioned by God, and sent by Him, the archangel Gabriel brought the message to the Blessed Virgin Mary: “Behold, thou wilt conceive in thy womb and bear a Son, and His name shall be called Jesus.” And the angel said to Joseph: “Joseph, son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in Her is of the Holy Ghost. And She shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (St. Matthew 1: 20-21).
And,
again, as we have heard on the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord:
“And after eight days were accomplished that the Child should be
circumcised His name was called Jesus, which was called by the angel
before He was conceived in the womb” (St. Luke 2: 21).
The
name of Jesus, therefore, was not given to our Saviour by man or
angel, but by God Himself. This most holy Name was from all eternity
hidden with the mystery of the Incarnation in the bosom, in the
heart, of the Father, and descended at the same time with the
fulfillment of this mystery from Heaven, so that we men might express
in a worthy manner our respect and our gratitude for what the Son of
God, in His human nature, out of His incomprehensible love for us,
had done and suffered for our salvation. “Thou shalt call His name
Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (St. Matthew
1: 21); but not only His chosen people, but all mankind, as the
Apostle St. John says, so as to bring together all the dispersed
children of God, to be made one here upon earth and one in Heaven.
“Jesus Christ,” says this same Apostle, “is the propitiation
for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole
world” (I. St. John 2: 2). As St. Paul says, Christ Jesus is the
only Mediator between God and man. The name of Jesus means,
therefore, Saviour, Redeemer and Mediator, and reminds us of all that
the Son of God accomplished here upon earth to redeem us and to make
us eternally happy. It reminds us of His entire earthly life, from
His birth, until His death, of all the steps that He took, of the
miracles that He worked, of all the sick that He cured, of all the
dead that He raised to life, of the sinners whom He forgave, of the
Sacraments which He left in His Church—in a word, of everything
which the Incarnate Son of God did, and still does, not only to
render us happy here upon earth, but also to make us happy and to
bless us for all eternity. The name of Jesus is, therefore, for us
the dearest and the most glorious name.
Our
Saviour merited this name for Himself. It is the name of honor, which
belongs to the Son of God, who died upon the Cross to save the fallen
world. This name is the reward, the price of victory, which He
received from His Heavenly Father; the praise and the renown which He
will receive forevermore from the grateful Christian world. This is
taught and proclaimed to us, by the great Apostle of the people, in
the most thrilling words, when he says of Christ: “He humbled
Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.
Wherefore God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name which
is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow
of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth; and that
every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the
glory of God the Father.”
And,
behold, as it was said, so it has come to pass. The name of Jesus was
placed over the head of the crucified Saviour on Golgotha; Jesus
Nazarenus, Rex Judaeorum (Jesus
of Nazareth, King of the Jews), but now it shines over heaven and
earth, to the glory of God the Son. All the angels and saints in
heaven pronounce this glorious Name with indescribable jubilation and
rapture. All the faithful on earth praise the Name of their greatest
Benefactor with the most profound reverence and intense gratitude.
The suffering souls in purgatory sigh with ardent longings as often
as they think of this Holy Name, and their desire is to praise and
glorify this Holy Name with all the elect in heaven. Who amongst us
would dare to utter this Most Holy Name with indifference or without
circumspectness? No, O Jesus, how could we possibly be guilty of such
an offense against Thee! With the most profound reverence, and ardent
love, we will forevermore preserve Thy Glorious Name in our hearts,
and give utterance to it with our tongues. And we will also call upon
it with the most complete confidence.
II.—For this reason, beloved Christians, listen to a few words on the
wonderful power of the Name of Jesus. In the first place, it is the
Saviour Himself who assures us of the wonderful power of His divine
Name, for He says of those who believe in Him: “They
shall cast out devils in My Name, they shall speak new tongues, they
shall pick up snakes, and if they drink anything poisonous, it shall
not harm them. They shall lay their hands upon the sick and heal
them.”
Of
the power of His Name, Jesus says, further, that every prayer offered
up in His Name shall be heard. “Amen, amen, I say unto you, if you
ask the Father anything in My Name, He will grant it unto you.
Hitherto you have not asked for anything in My Name, but pray, so
that you may receive, that your joy may be perfect.”
Holy
Scripture and the traditions of our Holy Church teach us the
innumerable times that the Lord has kept this His promise, and how
powerful and full of blessing is His Holy Name.
Peter
and John, in the early days of the Church, went up into the Temple to
pray. A man who had been lame from his birth was sitting at the door
of the Temple, which was called “the beautiful,” and he begged an
alms of the Apostles. Peter felt himself possessed of treasures which
surpassed all the wealth of this earth, and, fortified by our
Saviour’s promises, he spoke to the lame man: “Look at us!” The
latter did so, in the hope of receiving something from them. But
Peter said to him, “I have neither gold nor silver, but what I have
that I will give thee: In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene,
arise and walk!” And the lame man jumped up and went with them into
the Temple to praise God.
St.
Paul had arrived at Philippi, the capital of Macedonia. He went
through the streets of the city toward a house of prayer. On the way
he was met by a servant girl, who was possessed by an evil spirit.
The Holy Apostle took pity upon the unfortunate girl, and, confiding
in the Lord’s promises, said to the evil spirit: “I command thee,
in the Name of Jesus Christ, depart out of her!” And the devil
immediately departed out of her.
A
goblet full of poison was handed to the Apostle St. John; he uttered
the Name of Jesus over it, and the poison did not harm him.
Endowed
with the power of the Holy Name, the Apostles went out to convert the
world. Not only did they work numberless miracles, but, also, those
who believed in their words performed miracles in the Name of Jesus.
At the sound of this Divine Name, the temples of the pagans
collapsed. Before it the spirits of darkness fled. Through this
victorious Name the teachings of Jesus were disseminated over the
face of the earth. In this Name the Church carries on her divine
mission every day until the end of the world; in it she teaches,
prays, blesses and consecrates. But, my dear Christians, each and
every one of us can experience in ourselves the wonderful power and
effects of this consoling Name. Yes, O Christian soul, if you call
upon the Name of Jesus with devotion, you will most certainly obtain
all things necessary for your salvation. This Most Blessed Name will
give you advice in difficulties, courage in dangers, fortitude and
strength in temptations, perseverance in good, consolation and joy,
in trouble and suffering. When the Apostles of the Lord were scourged
at Jerusalem, they rejoiced that they were accounted worthy to
suffer ignominy for the Name of Jesus.
The
more devoutly we reverence and call upon the Name of Jesus, the more
will our Saviour show a tender and perceptible love toward us. “My
Jesus,” says St. Augustine, “so soon as I begin to utter Thy
Name, I perceive an unearthly sweetness in my mouth, and an amazing
change of heart.” “The Name of Jesus,” says St. Bernard, “is
as honey in the mouth, a sweet sound in the ears, and a joy to the
heart.” How sweet and consoling is the Name of Jesus, in all the
pains and sufferings of this changeable life, but it is sweetest of
all at the hour of death. With the Name of Jesus on their lips, the
Saints of God breathed forth their souls. Jesus was their last
prayer, their last sigh. “Lord Jesus, receive my soul!” This is
how St. Stephen prayed when they were stoning him to death, and so he
died in the Lord. “Jesus, my love!” sighed the holy martyr
Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, as they led him to his death, to be torn
asunder by the wild beasts. When they ordered him to deny the Name of
Jesus, he replied, quietly and firmly: “I will never cease to utter
His Name. And if you could prevent me from pronouncing it with my
mouth, you could not efface it from my heart.” Confessing the Most
Holy Name of Jesus, and whilst pronouncing the same most fervently,
the holy Bishop died the glorious death of a martyr.
Grant to us, also, O Jesus, that Thy ever-blessed Name may be to us as long as we live, and especially at the hour of our death, our consolation and our hope, and in heaven our eternal joy and blessedness. Amen. REV. H. N., D.D.
The faithful who devoutly invoke the holy Name of Jesus may gain:
Indulgence of 7 years.
The faithful who during the MONTH OF JANUARY perform some special act of devotion in honor of the Holy Name of Jesus are granted:
Grant to us, also, O Jesus, that Thy ever-blessed Name may be to us as long as we live, and especially at the hour of our death, our consolation and our hope, and in heaven our eternal joy and blessedness. Amen. REV. H. N., D.D.
From the 1957 Raccolta -
I.
An Invocation of the Holy Name of Jesus
The faithful who devoutly invoke the holy Name of Jesus may gain:
An
indulgence of 300 days
A
plenary indulgence on the usual conditions, when they repeat this
invocation daily for a whole month;
A
plenary indulgence at the hour of death, if they have been accustomed
to invoke the holy Name frequently during life, provided that, after
confession and Communion, or at least an act of contrition, they
devoutly invoke the Holy Name of Jesus with their lips if possible,
otherwise in their hearts, and accept death with resignations from
the hand of God as the wages of sin.
II.
Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
Indulgence of 7 years.
A
plenary indulgence once a month on the usual conditions for the daily
and devout recitation (hereinafter referred to as "the usual
conditions") of this litany.
LITANY
OF THE HOLY NAME OF JESUS
Lord,
have mercy on us.
Christ,
have mercy on us.
Lord,
have mercy on us.
Jesus,
hear us.
Jesus,
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 Spirit,
Have
mercy on us.
Holy
Trinity, one God,
Have
mercy on us.
Jesus,
Son of the living God, Have mercy on us.
Jesus,
splendor of the Father, Have mercy on us.
Jesus,
brightness of eternal light,
Jesus,
King of glory,
Jesus,
sun of justice,
Jesus,
Son of the Virgin Mary,
Jesus,
most amiable,
Jesus,
most admirable,
Jesus,
the mighty God,
Jesus,
Father of the world to come,
Jesus,
angel of great counsel,
Jesus,
most powerful,
Jesus,
most patient,
Jesus,
most obedient,
Jesus,
meek and humble of heart,
Jesus,
lover of chastity,
Jesus,
lover of us,
Jesus,
God of peace,
Jesus,
author of life,
Jesus,
example of virtues,
Jesus,
zealous lover of souls,
Jesus,
our God,
Jesus,
our refuge,
Jesus,
father of the poor,
Jesus,
treasure of the faithful,
Jesus,
good Shepherd,
Jesus,
true light,
Jesus,
eternal wisdom,
Jesus,
infinite goodness,
Jesus,
our way and our life,
Jesus,
joy of Angels,
Jesus,
King of the Patriarchs,
Jesus,
Master of the Apostles,
Jesus,
teacher of the Evangelists,
Jesus,
strength of Martyrs,
Jesus,
light of Confessors,
Jesus,
purity of Virgins,
Jesus,
crown of Saints,
Be
merciful, spare us, O Jesus.
Be
merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus.
From
all evil, deliver us, O Jesus.
From
all sin, deliver us, O Jesus.
From
Your wrath,
From
the snares of the devil,
From
the spirit of fornication,
From
everlasting death,
From
the neglect of Your inspirations,
By
the mystery of Your holy Incarnation,
By
Your Nativity,
By
Your Infancy,
By
Your most divine Life,
By
Your labors,
By
Your agony and passion,
By
Your cross and dereliction,
By
Your sufferings,
By
Your death and burial,
By
Your Resurrection,
By
Your Ascension,
By
Your institution of the most Holy Eucharist,
By
Your joys,
By
Your glory,
Lamb
of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb
of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O
Jesus.
Lamb
of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O
Jesus.
Jesus,
hear us.
Jesus,
graciously hear us.
Let
us pray.
O
Lord Jesus Christ, You have said, "Ask and you shall receive,
seek, and you shall find, knock, and it shall be opened to you."
Grant, we beg of You, to us who ask it, the gift of Your most divine
love, that we may ever love You with our whole heart, in word and
deed, and never cease praising You.
Give
us, O Lord, as much a lasting fear as a lasting love of Your Holy
Name, for You, who live and are King for ever and ever, never fail to
govern those whom You have solidly established in Your love. R. Amen.
III.
Hymns
Jesu, dulcis memoria (Jesus, the very thought of Thee)
Jesus,
the very thought of Thee
With
sweetness fills the breast!
Yet
sweeter far Thy face to see
And
in Thy Presence rest.
No
voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor
can the memory find,
A
sweeter sound than Jesus’ Name,
The
Savior of mankind.
O
hope of every contrite heart!
O
joy of all the meek!
To
those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How
good to those who seek!
But
what to those who find? Ah! this
Nor
tongue nor pen can show
The
love of Jesus, what it is,
None
but His loved ones know.
Jesus!
our only hope be Thou,
As
Thou our prize shalt be;
In
Thee be all our glory now,
And
through eternity. Amen.
Indulgence
of 5 years
(A
plenary - the usual conditions)
Jesu decus angelicum (O Jesus, Thou the beauty art)
O
JESUS, Thou the beauty art
of
Angel worlds above!
Thy
name is music to the heart,
enchanting
it with love!
Celestial
sweetness unalloyed!
who
eat Thee hunger still,
who
drink of Thee still feel a void
which
naught but Thou canst fill!
O
my sweet Jesus! hear the sighs
which
unto Thee I send!
to
Thee my inmost spirit cries
my
being’s hope and end!
Stay
with us, Lord, and with Thy light
illume
the soul’s abyss;
scatter
the darkness of our night
and
fill the world with bliss.
O
Jesu! spotless Virgin flower!
our
life and joy! to Thee
be
praise, beatitude and power,
through
all eternity! Amen.
Indulgence
of 5 years
(A
plenary - the usual conditions)
Jesu, Rex Admirabilis (Jesus, Admirable King)
O
JESUS, King most wonderful!
Thou
Conqueror renowned!
Thou
Sweetness most ineffable!
in
whom all joys are found!
When
once Thou visitest the heart,
then
truth begins to shine;
then
earthly vanities depart;
then
kindles love divine.
O
Jesu! Light of all below!
Thou
font of life and fire!
surpassing
all the joys we know,
and
all we can desire.
May
every heart confess Thy name,
and
ever Thee adore;
and
seeking Thee, itself inflame
to
seek Thee more and more.
Thee
may our tongues for ever bless;
Thee
may we love alone;
and
ever in out lives express
the
image of Thine own. Amen.
Indulgence
of 5 years
(A
plenary - the usual conditions)
IV.
DEVOUT PRACTICES
The faithful who during the MONTH OF JANUARY perform some special act of devotion in honor of the Holy Name of Jesus are granted:
An
indulgence of 7 years once on any day of the month;
A
plenary indulgence - on the usual conditions - if this act of
devotion is repeated daily or the entire month.
~~~~~~
The
faithful who recite five times the doxology Glory be the Father
together with the ejaculation:
Blessed
be the most holy Name of Jesus without end!
may
gain:
An
indulgence of 300 days
†IHS†
The
faithful who, after Confession and Communion, visit some church or
oratory, public or even semi-public, on the Feast of the Most Holy
Name of Jesus, and pray for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff
may gain: A PLENARY INDULGENCE
V.
Prayers to the Holy Name of Jesus
O
GOOD JESU, according to Thy great mercy, have mercy on me. O most
merciful Jesus, by that Precious Blood which Thou didst will to shed
for sinners, I beseech Thee to wash away all mine iniquities and look
graciously upon me, a poor and unworthy sinner, as I call upon Thy
holy Name. Therefore, O Jesus, do Thou save me for Thy holy Name’s
sake.
(An
indulgence of 500 days)
O
God, who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son to be the Saviour of
mankind and didst command His name to be called Jesus; mercifully
grant that we may enjoy the vision of Him in heaven, whose holy Name
we venerate on earth. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
(An
indulgence of 5 years
A
plenary indulgence once a month on the usual conditions if this
prayer is said devoutly every day)
Related article:
https://against-all-heresies-and-errors.blogspot.com/2017/06/The-Wonders-of-the-Holy-Name-Jesus.html
Related article:
https://against-all-heresies-and-errors.blogspot.com/2017/06/The-Wonders-of-the-Holy-Name-Jesus.html
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