Words to Live by – from Catholic Tradition
We should be grateful for the Crosses we receive
Our Lord teaches us that we should thank God for the Crosses we suffer and these crosses should cause us to have great hope of salvation.
Teaching of St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church, quoted in the Catena Aurea of St. Matthew’s Gospel, St. Thomas Aquinas, greatest Doctor of the Church, ch. 26, §8.
Objective Truth Series – reflections article # 8
We have considered in the last few reflections just how subtle pride is. Indeed, our fallen human nature is so prone to this vice. St. John says in his first epistle, “For all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life, which is not of the Father but is of the world.”[1John 2:16]
Thus, knowing this about our fallen human nature, we see one of our weak spots in the fortress of our soul. St. Ignatius of Loyola describes how the devil studies our souls in order to find our weakness and then tempts us in our vulnerable spot.[1] It follows that if we know ourselves, then we can better be on guard against his onslaughts.
We well know that pride is a horrible enemy of our souls and that we must be on guard against, and fight this horrible sin. We can do this by watching all of our thoughts as they come.
Yet what should we do about our thoughts?
First we have to judge each in-coming thought and weigh if it will foster pride. If we determine that the thought would lead us to the trap of pride, then what must we do with it?
In another of his rules for the Discernment of Spirits, St. Ignatius explains how we must do the opposite from what the devil suggests as a means to combat him. St. Ignatius calls this Rule the agere contra or “to go against”.[2] By the agere contra we counteract the devil and foil his plans.
Consequently, for every prideful thought that comes, we must immediately knock it down with an agere contra humility thought. Thus, we could call this our anti-pride filter or shield.
Some possible agere contras are:
When someone compliments us, we should say, “Thank-you” and immediately give some praise to God Who deserves the glory of the compliment.
If it doesn’t work out for us to outwardly deflect the praise from ourselves and direct the praise towards God instead, then we should at least direct the praise to God internally.
Sometimes it can occur that internal compliments come to our mind, for example, thoughts, such as, “that wasn’t so hard.” or “I can’t believe that this [whatever venture] came out so well.” “Won’t the others be pleased when they see this?” “That came out great!” etc. Then with these thoughts, we should counteract them saying within ourselves, “If it wasn’t for God that [whatever it was that pleased us] wouldn’t have happened.” Or “God inspired that, I didn’t, and I couldn’t have done that without His Aid. And/or “I can’t take any credit for that.”
Or again, sometimes a beautiful thought or truth comes into one’s mind, and then one should immediately remember that the thought came from God and was simply God’s inspiration.
Other helpful shields are:
One important filter/shield against pride is to not have a progress bar or a regression bar.
One should not measure himself or judge whether he is growing in virtue, because only God knows our hearts. Likewise, one should not allow himself to be discouraged because he seems not to be advancing in holiness. Judging our own case is a dangerous trick of the devil, as St. Paul warns us, “But to me it is a very small thing to be judged by you or by man’s day. But neither do I judge my own self. For I am not conscious to myself of anything. Yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore, judge not before the time: until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. And then shall every man have praise from God.” 1st Corinthians [4:3-5]
Watch critical thoughts [we need to go against them too]
If one finds himself getting critical and finding fault with his neighbor, he should recall to his mind the fact that he probably has that same fault in a most glaring and annoying way.
Likewise, he should keep in mind that others have been so patient with him and have put up with him and his faults. It is important to remember that the Good Lord has been so patient and commands that one be patient and forgive his neighbor.
Memorize handy quotes to keep in mind as agere contra thoughts.
It is very helpful to have quotes from the Scriptures or from the saints readily available in one’s mind to recall, when tempted, especially when tempted to pride. One then might repeat and/ or ponder on the quote for some time. This has a very sobering effect on the soul and also is a consolation in times of temptation.
Immediately following this article is a list of quotes which may be helpful in starting such a mental list. Dear readers, if you have any additional ones to share, please send them along. God is so wonderful to allow the members of His Mystical Body to fight in the trenches together in this valley of tears.
With all of these concepts in mind one can truly appreciate the Mercy of God and perhaps the following would come to mind:
On my heart, a guard must I keep,
‘Cause proud thoughts, therein do creep,
As subtle as, the serpent of old,
Who tempted Eve, to think so bold.
As to think she’d, like God could be,
By eating of, the forbidden tree,
Even now there, are countless ways,
In these troubled times, faithless days.
Satan sees how, we all do lack.
He sneaks upon us, to attack,
And Satan likes; to puff our pride,
This keeps us firmly, on his side.
But how can one, keep him at bay?
Counter-‘tack him, without delay!
If he tempts left, get to the right,
If he tempts to be sad, stay bright!
If he fawns saying, “You are great!”
Then only the Lord, appreciate.
If he says, “You’re doomed to hell!”
Then think, “Only God knows me well.”
With dozens of quotes, in one’s mind,
Agere contras, one can find.
Thus God does guide, the soldier-soul
And keeps one looking, on his goal
With tender care, God did us teach
How to keep out, of Satan’s reach
Mary helps us, with strategies,
Showing us how, her Son to please.
We ask Our dear, heavenly Queen,
To help us keep, our souls most clean,
And use the tools, she did provide,
To keep us close, to her Son’s side.
Quotes to commit to memory in order to fight proud thoughts:
“If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth” [Our Lord says to the father whose son was possessed by the devil] The father replies, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.” St. Mark 9:22-23
“For though I should have a mind to glory, I shall not be foolish: for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth in me, or anything he heareth from me.” 2 Corinthians 12:6
St. Thomas Aquinas says, “Humility consists, above all, in the submission of man to God.” Summa, Ia IIae, Q.161, a.3, objection 1 and its reply.
Our Lord says, “Without Me, you can do nothing.”
“What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”1 Corinthians, 4:7
“Bear ye one another’s burdens; and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ. For if any man think himself to be something, whereas he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” Galatians, 6:2-3.
“The Lord is merciful and compassionate: long-suffering and plenteous in mercy.” Ps. 102:8.
“Unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” St. Matthew 18:3
“Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” Ps.126:1
Catholic Candle note: The article below was submitted by a reader. We invite readers to send us articles which they have written, which they would like printed for the greater Glory of God and for the salvation of souls.
It is important to make a good beginning in everything we do. As the Roman poet, Horace, wrote, “What is well begun is half done.”[1]
Horace’s wisdom applies to every new day – i.e., it is important to begin each day well!
How do we begin our day well? Here are four elements which can help us to begin well:
1. Don’t use the snooze alarm;
2. Rise from bed immediately;
3. Begin your day with a Sign of the Cross; and
4. Begin your day with a prayer which includes (and summarizes) all that you need today.
Below, we discuss each of these elements.
1. Let us not use the snooze alarm!
Alarm clocks often have a “snooze alarm” feature. Activating this feature allows a person to get a little extra sleep (often about ten minutes) after his alarm clock goes off, before the alarm will go off a second time.
Using this feature fits with our fallen human nature because, when our alarm clock goes off, our passions and our body do not want to get out of bed. By hitting the “snooze alarm”, we indulge our passions and our body by getting a little extra sleep before the alarm sounds again.
We make the decision to use the snooze alarm while we are under the strong influence of our passions and our body, seeking more sleep. But before going to sleep the evening before, we decided with our reason when we should rise. So, when our will yields to the demands of our passions and our body, while we lie comfortably in bed, we are acting against the decision that our reason made on the prior evening. In this way, using the snooze alarm reinforces our fallen nature’s tendency to change the decision which we had made with our reason, because of the influence of our passions and our body.
Further, dozing for ten minutes after the alarm sounds is probably not as deep and beneficial a sleep as we had before our alarm sounded. If it were truly reasonable for us to sleep the additional ten minutes which we gave ourselves through use of the snooze alarm, we should get deeper sleep by setting our alarm ten minutes later and then not using the snooze alarm.
2. We should rise from bed immediately!
Even if we do not use the snooze alarm and do not go back to sleep, our passions and our body are inclined to lie in bed a little longer, before we rise. Let us not listen to our passions and lounge in bed when it is time to rise! Our reason told us that we should rise at a certain time. Let us not listen to our passions (against our reason) by even a short delay getting out of bed at that time!
Getting up immediately strengthens our will by following reason and not compromising with our passions and our body’s desire to stay comfortable in bed, although it is time to rise. Whether we are following our reason or following our passions, either way we are shaping our character – for good or for ill.
“Leaping” out of bed immediately, although we are tired, is an excellent agere contra, (as St. Ignatius of Loyola calls the practice of acting against our lower nature).[2] In other words, by acting against our passions and our bodily demands, we strengthen our will and help to tame our unruly lower nature.
Rising immediately is an excellent practice for most people. However, it is obvious that this practice is not suitable for invalids or others who a doctor has instructed to rise slowly. Virtue requires following our reason! The persons who have such health problems have special Crosses which better fit their own shoulders. God has sent these Crosses and it pleases God for these people to carry their particular Crosses instead.
3. We should begin our day with a Sign of the Cross.
After shutting off our alarm, our next bodily motion should be to make a Sign of the Cross. We should serve God with our whole being, both body and soul. This Sign of the Cross gets our body, as well as our soul, praising and serving God.
We customarily begin our prayers with a Sign of the Cross. Our whole day should be a “prayer” to God and so our day fittingly begins with a Sign of the Cross.
The Sign of the Cross is a sacramental. It is an act of the theological virtue of Faith and an act of the moral virtue of religion. The Sign of the Cross is the special sign of a Catholic. We should glory in this sign!
Here is how St. John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church, praises the Sign of the Cross:
Let us carry about the cross of Christ as a crown, and let no one blush at the ensign of salvation. By this is everything done: the cross is employed if a person is regenerated, or fed with the mystical food, or ordained: whatever else is to be done, this ensign of victory is ever present: therefore we have it in our houses, paint it on our walls and windows, make it on our foreheads, and always carry it devoutly in our hearts. We must not content ourselves with forming it with our finger, but must do it with great sentiments of Faith and devotion. If you thus form it on your face, no unclean spirit will be able to stand against you when he beholds the instrument which has given him the mortal stab.
If we tremble at the sight of the place where criminals are executed, think what the devils must suffer when they see that weapon by which Christ stripped them of their power, and cut off the head of their leader. Be not ashamed of so great a good which has been bestowed on you, lest Christ should be ashamed of you when He shall appear in glory, and this standard be borne before Him brighter than the rays of the sun: for then the cross shall appear, speaking as it were with a loud voice.
This sign, both in the time of our forefathers and in our own, has opened gates, deadened malignant poisons, and healed wounds made by the sting or bite of venomous creatures. It has broken down the gates of hell, unbolted those of paradise, opened its glory to us, destroyed the empire and weakened the power of the devil, what wonder if it overcomes poisons and beasts?[3]
4. Let us begin our day with a prayer which includes (and summarizes) all which we need today.
As we move around our bedroom, (dressing, heading for the shower, or whatever), we should thank God and ask for what we need. Offer a prayer such as in this one:
Thank you, Dear Lord, for taking me safely and soundly through this night. Give me to know, love and serve Thee this day and during all my life, so I can be with Thee in the next.
Conclusion
Using a method such as this, we have made a good start to our day. We have followed reason, denied our passions, risen immediately, and have started using our body, our intellect, and our will in God’s service.
Of course, we must continue serving God, doing our duty of state, reciting our morning prayers, praying our morning rosary, making acts of Spiritual Communion, keeping in the presence of God, etc., doing the best we can.
However, as the Roman poet, Horace, assures us, having begun well, the “battles” of our day are already “half” won.
[2] Agere contra is Latin for “to act against”. St. Ignatius of Loyola praises the practice of people “acting against their own sensuality and against their carnal and worldly love” by acting in a way which is contrary to what our lower nature wants. Quoted from The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, in the section called: The Call of Christ the King, part 2, (emphasis added).
[3] Quoted from St. John Chrysostom, Sermon #54 on St. Matthew’s Gospel, (emphasis added).
Objective Truth Series – reflections article #7
In the last reflection, we considered having a deeper mistrust of ourselves and practicing a real compassion on our neighbor. On the one hand, it is a noble and commendable thing to want to instruct one’s neighbor. {Of course, the instruction must be done with charity and compassion, with one taking precautions that one doesn’t take any credit for the work, lest he become self-complacent.}
Yet, on the other hand, because we all are in need of amendment, one must consider well how he takes instruction, particularly corrections, from his neighbor. We must always be open to the advice, the admonishments, and even criticism from others. One could ask himself the question, “Why?” Then an answer could be, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” St. John’s first epistle, ch. 1:8.
Then further considering the Words of Our Lord, “For this was I born, and for this I came into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice.” [St. John,18:37], we certainly would want to be open to the truth about ourselves. And since we are usually the worst judges of our own case, it seems reasonable to listen to what others have to say about us.
Certainly, we would not want to scoff at truth as Pilate did by saying, “What is truth?” St. John’s Gospel, 18:38.
Even if we thought rightly that our neighbor was wrong in his assessment of us, we would do well to consider that our neighbor may have hit the nail on the head in some respect. In other words, our neighbor’s view of us could have some seed of truth in it; otherwise, the neighbor wouldn’t have noticed the thing he has mentioned to us. (And he might be legitimately pointing out problems we have). And because we must never try to judge the interior of another, we would do well to think our neighbor found some real flaw in us. For example, perhaps we come across to our neighbor as being haughty in some way.
It is in the nature of man to react to stimulation whether from people or things. Thus, it is part of the natural interaction between humans to notice things about one another.
Unfortunately, because we have fallen human nature, we often bristle when having our faults pointed out to us. This is certainly a finger of pride creeping over us. Often, in addition to giving in to irritation, we give in to feeling sorry for ourselves – which is really a form of discouragement. If we look deeper here, we can readily see that discouragement is a form of pride. Why? It is because of the disappointment in ourselves in the fact that we are not already perfect. What is the solution to learning to take corrections well?
The happy solution is to think that since God has allowed the correction/warning/advice to happen, this incident must be God’s Will for us. With this in mind, it is certainly easier to take the correction. In addition, one could really ponder God’s Providence deeper, by thinking about God sculpturing our souls. Then, we can find a great consolation that God deemed fit to communicate our correction using our neighbor as His Instrument.
Indeed, God uses His Creatures to do His Work. Doesn’t Our Lord tell us to see Him in our neighbor? We can think of the parable of the Good Samaritan, or what Our Lord tells us that He, Himself will say at the last judgment, “…Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to Me.” St. Matthew’s Gospel, 25:40.
Oh, how wonderful God is to correct us so lovingly. God does not cudgel us and we shouldn’t feel cudgeled when someone points out our failings to us. We should see that our neighbor is trying to help us for the sake of love. We should be grateful, thank God, and lovingly tell our neighbor “thank you”. Then, begging God for His help, we should make every effort to amend. Our soul would then count the correction as a great blessing from the Dear Lord and perhaps our gratitude would be expressed as follows:
“Sanctify them in Truth,” Thou hast said,
And our search for Truth, is our bread,
“Thy Word is Truth,” Thou also spoke,
Thy burden light, as well, Thy yoke.
To know Truth, Thou dost me invite,
For with Thy Truth, I can delight,
An invitation, to know more,
Through inspiration, I can soar.
When a new truth, is shown to me,
Then I’m thrown, into reverie,
Why should I squawk, if someone see,
The flaw or defect, of my evil tree?
My fruits can be seen, that is clear,
By my neighbors, those near and dear,
Gratitude in my heart, should swell,
It is good to know myself well.
Compare my darkness, to His Light,
Get a clearer view, in my sight,
To see His Work, He makes me free,
God carves off, the roughness in me.
Not so painful, His chisel chips,
And praise of Him, should be on my lips,
O Sculptor Divine, tell me all,
My weakness, ‘cause, through pride I fall.
Oh, dear Truth, Why should I Thee fear?
Why am I a coward, Thee to hear?
Please plant in me, Thy fruitful seeds,
Thou knowest all, of my poor needs.
Thou willst for me, myself to know,
So that my love, for Thee can grow,
Correct me oft’, I now implore,
Thy Voice, from neighbors, I’ll adore.
Words to Live by – from Catholic Tradition
A lover must embrace willingly all that is difficult and bitter for the sake of the Beloved, and he should not turn away from Him because of adversities.
My Imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis, Book III, Chapter 5.
Objective Truth Series – reflections article #6
The last reflection showed how self-complacence is such a poison for souls because it leads to pride. Because self-complacence is a satisfaction with oneself, it naturally leads one to think less of his neighbor. This is why St. Paul warns us when he says, “Let nothing be done through contention[1]: neither by vain glory: but in humility, let all esteem others better than themselves” (Philippians, 2:3).
The devil, having an angelic nature, knows how to trap us poor humans. We must remember that the devil was the highest angel and his nature didn’t change with his fall, albeit that he is blind with his pride. The devil tempted Eve with pride, and Adam fell through pride, by caring more about Eve than he did about God. Thus, humans, through the fall of Adam, are blind. The will is blind and needs the intellect to inform it, and pride is blind, thus, we have a sort of double blindness.
And in this double blindness, it is so easy to get comfortable with ourselves and think that, after all, we are not so bad. We fall into finding fault in our neighbor and not finding any fault(s) in ourselves. As Our Lord said, we tend to look for motes in our brother’s eye and not see the beam in our own eye.
We can even think that we want to help our neighbor and instruct him on some point. Yet, do we think carefully on whether it is our place to instruct him? If we conclude that we should in charity instruct our neighbor, and/or stand up for the Faith, what steps do we take in our plan of action? Do we consider ourselves carefully as St. Paul also warns, “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.” (Galatians, 6:1).
One way to have a deeper mistrust of ourselves is to ask ourselves about our own motives for wanting to instruct another; to be sure that we really want to instruct for God’s glory and not our own. (e.g. “Am I seeking praise or recognition?”)
If we conclude that we want to instruct truly for God’s greater glory, then we must be careful about the method we use to instruct or help our neighbor as St. Paul further warns, “Bear ye one another’s burdens; and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ. For if any man think himself to be something, whereas he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” Galatians, 6:2-3. Again, St. Paul warns us, “Put ye on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience: bearing and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also. But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection” (Colossians, 3:2-14).
Thus, we must work for our neighbor with forbearance, patience, and mercy. Obviously, one way to do this is to find out all we can about what our neighbor understands about the topic of instruction. Then we can patiently work at our neighbor’s level and bring him slowly to the level of understanding which God has been so merciful to have given us. (It may even happen that it is we ourselves who are ignorant of the truth and our neighbor actually ends up instructing us.)
In addition to these points, we should carefully consider our neighbor’s perspective based on his gender, temperament, background, upbringing, past experiences, and habits. Then we can more easily put ourselves in his shoes in order to understand and compassionate him; thus imitating Our Lord. “The Lord is merciful and compassionate: long-suffering and plenteous in mercy.” Ps. 102:8.
This shows our neighbor our charity towards him, and that we are not looking down on him or pre-judging him. Our neighbor can then feel that charity which is “the bond of perfection” of which St. Paul speaks. Furthermore, our actions would also show our neighbor that we take St. Paul’s warning against contention seriously, and we want to be cautious and avoid becoming puffed up.
Our Lord not only had empathy (putting Himself in our shoes, as it were), but He actually took on human nature and became a man. This also shows that He had more than empathy for us, but namely, compassion for us – so much so that He actually suffered and died for us.
Dear reader, is it not wonderful that Our Lord has shown us such wonderful examples of how we can be compassionate towards our neighbor and work in His Vineyard for love of Him! Yet, with fear and trembling we do our work for Him and beg His mercy for us and our neighbor, saying, perhaps:
Oh Divine Lord, please do help me,
Compassionate on others be,
Without Thy help, I can know naught,
The truth I know, Thou hast me taught.
In these sad times, of such great need,
When souls are seeking the good seed,
Fill my heart with mercy like Thee,
So, Thy mercy, others can see.
We all need kind understanding,
And patience in befriending,
Forbearance Thou didst likewise show,
Thou wouldst for perfection to grow.
Words to Live by – from Catholic Tradition
The Imitation of Christ:
It is God’s prerogative to give grace and to console when He wishes, as much as He wishes, and whom He wishes, as it shall please Him, and no more.
The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis, Book III, Chapter 7.
We must love God above all things.[1] He is a jealous God[2] and our love for Him must be exclusive. Nothing else must compete with God for our love. We must love everything else – including ourselves – for God’s sake and out of love of God.[3] We live in the world but must not be of the world.
Our happiness on earth, our holiness, and our beatitude in heaven (God-willing, we get to heaven) depend on the intensity of our Charity. This Charity, is inherently Friendship with God.[4]
Love makes sacrifice easy and great love makes it a joy.[5] A man who loves much does not “count the cost” and he sacrifices gladly for his friend.[6]
The weaker a man’s love is for his friend, the more reluctant he is to sacrifice for him. Thus, in seeking ever-greater Divine Friendship (which is life’s goal), we must root out all “false gods” which compete with this Divine Friendship. These false gods are anything we are reluctant to sacrifice for our Divine Friend.
Sinful companions, sinful amusements, sinful pleasures, and other sinful attachments, are obviously false gods.
But those “false gods” might be anything else we love to excess. For example, a person might focus too much on sports, physical fitness, a very particular dietary regimen[7], health food, natural remedies, political or social causes, money, food, entertainment, a cherished “classic” car, our bodily health, or anything else.
Here is how St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Doctor of the Church, explains this truth:
[W]hen the sinner, because of some pleasure, offends God, that pleasure becomes his god, because he makes it his ultimate aim. St. Jerome observes: “That which any one desires, if he venerates it, becomes his god; a vice in the heart is an idol upon the altar.”
And St. Thomas says, “If you love pleasures, they are called thy god.” And St. Cyprian, “Whatever man places before God, he makes a god to himself.”
When Jeroboam rebelled against God, he tried to draw the people with him into idolatry, and therefore he presented his gods unto them, and cried, “Behold thy gods, O Israel.” (l Kings xii, 28.)
Even so, does the devil present some gratification to the sinner, and say,
“What hast thou to do with God? This pleasure is thy god. This passion. Take it, and leave God.” And when the sinner consents, he in his heart adores that pleasure as a god. When the sinner dishonors God, he not only dishonors Him in His presence, but he dishonors Him to His face, because God is everywhere present. “I fill heaven and earth." (Jer. xxiii. 24.) And the sinner knows this, and for all that ceases not to provoke God, even in His presence. “A people that provoketh Me to anger continually to My face.” (Isa. Ixv. 3.)[8]
If we truly love our Divine Friend and if we worship no false “gods”, then our life would prove this, by having Him always “come first” with us in everything. We would detach ourselves from all things that are not God, and use them only to the extent they help us to increase in the love for our Divine Friend.
Here is how St. Ignatius of Loyola explains this truth in the Spiritual Exercises that he received from Our Lady, in the cave of Manresa, Spain, in 1522:
Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul. And the other things on the face of the earth are created for man that they may help him in prosecuting the end for which he is created.
From this it follows that man is to use them as much as they help him on to his end, and ought to rid himself of them so far as they hinder him as to it. For this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things in all that is allowed to the choice of our free will and is not prohibited to it; so that, on our part, we want not health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, long rather than short life, and so in all the rest; desiring and choosing only what is most conducive for us to the end for which we are created.[9]
We must attach ourselves completely and exclusively to our Divine Friend. We must have no false gods. We must be detached from all creatures.
But most people fool themselves as to how much they value creatures compared to God. To help you find the false gods in your life, here are some questions to ask yourself:
If you think about something else more often than your Divine Friend, maybe this creature is your false god.
We tend to talk about what we love. If you talk more about something else than about your Divine Friend, maybe that creature is your false god.
Our Lord teaches: “the things which proceed out of the mouth, come forth from the heart”. St. Matthew’s Gospel, 15:18.
If you prefer to talk about your Divine Friend and often bring Him into your conversations – regardless of the original topic of conversation – that is a sign He comes first in your life.
By contrast, if your conversations often work toward whatever else is your “favorite subject”, it strongly indicates that this creature is your false god.
When we have a choice, we tend to read about what is important to us. If you usually read about topics other than the things of God, maybe those topics are your false gods.
When we have a choice, we tend to spend more time with what is important to us. If you choose to spend that time on keeping your Divine Friend company (prayer), that indicates you put Him first. When you spend that time on some creature instead of God, maybe that creature is your false god.
We tend to spend time with people who share our interests. If you identify the false gods of those you spend time with, this is probably your false god too.
If our Divine Friend comes first with us, we would want to spend more time with Him instead of with our other friends.
Conclusion
The entire reason God made us is to become His friends, and to grow in His friendship. We must be single-mindedly devoted to God, without any competing attachments to creatures. God must be our whole life!
We must first identify every false “god” we worship and then expel it from the temple of our heart. Let us do this now, completely and permanently!
[1] “[W]hich is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.” St. Matthew’s Gospel, 22:36-27.
[2] Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. … I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous …. Exodus, 20:3&5.
[3] Through charity we can eliminate our self-centeredness. Here is how St. John of the Cross, Mystical Doctor of the Church, explains this truth:
Charity voids and annihilates the affections and desires of the will for whatever is not God, and sets them upon Him alone ….
Dark Night of the Soul, St. John of the Cross, Bk 2, ch.21, §11 (emphasis added).
With such love of God, we then love all other things for God’s sake. Here is how St. Thomas teaches this truth by quoting what St. Augustine says (De Doctr. Christ. i, 23):
“There are four things to be loved; one which is above us,” namely God, “another, which is ourselves, a third which is nigh to us,” namely our neighbor, “and a fourth which is beneath us,” namely our own body.
Summa, IIa IIae, Q.25, a.12, sed contra.
[4] Here is how St. Thomas Aquinas, greatest Doctor of the Church, explains this truth:
It is written (John 15:15): “I will not now call you servants . . . but My friends.” Now this was said to them by reason of nothing else than charity. Therefore, charity is friendship. …
According to the Philosopher (Ethic. viii, 2,3) not every love has the character of friendship, but that love which is together with benevolence, when, to wit, we love someone so as to wish good to him. If, however, we do not wish good to what we love, but wish its good for ourselves, (thus we are said to love wine, or a horse, or the like), it is love not of friendship, but of a kind of concupiscence. For it would be absurd to speak of having friendship for wine or for a horse.
Yet neither does well-wishing suffice for friendship, for a certain mutual love is requisite, since friendship is between friend and friend: and this well-wishing is founded on some kind of communication.
Accordingly, since there is a communication between man and God, inasmuch as He communicates His happiness to us, some kind of friendship must needs be based on this same communication, of which it is written (1 Corinthians 1:9): “God is faithful: by Whom you are called unto the fellowship of His Son." The love which is based on this communication, is charity: wherefore it is evident that charity is the friendship of man for God.
Summa, IIa IIae, Q.23, a.1, sed contra and respondeo.
[5]
The traditional Catholic marriage exhortation (which the priest reads before the marriage vows) includes these beautiful words:
Sacrifice is usually difficult and irksome. Only love can make it easy; and perfect love can make it a joy. We are willing to give in proportion as we love. And when love is perfect, the sacrifice is complete.
[6]
“If a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing.” Canticle of Canticles, 8:7.
[7] Our Lord admonishes us to not be solicitous about our food: “Be not solicitous therefore, saying, What shall we eat?”. St. Matthew’s Gospel, 6:31.
[8] Preparation for Death, St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Consideration 15, point 2.
[9] Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, beginning of the First Week, Principle and Foundation (emphasis added).
If you think it is hard to be a saint, you (and almost all others) have listened to the devil who convinced you it is nearly impossible, so why even try? (God and heaven are all love; the devil and hell are all hate.)
It’s not hard to love God Who is infinitely good and loves us immensely. Our hearts were created to love God, as our ears were made to hear how He loves us. God certainly demonstrated His love for us during His 33 years on earth.
The devil also plants the idea that God is stern and quick to punish and you should be afraid of Him. That couldn’t be further from the truth. God is just, which is a divine virtue that you should thank Him for. But it is also important to realize that God is love, mercy, and sweetness, and loves you so much He died for you. There is no greater love than one who gives up his life for another.
The members of your family love each other to a point that all want that fact to be known. So each member of the family tries to demonstrate that with gifts, hugs, kisses, and words of affection. Your love for God is not something you have to outwardly prove to Him every day, because He can “read” your heart. He knows you love Him without your spending your life in the desert, dressed in sackcloth and ashes. The saint in the desert is an extraordinary saint, called to do extraordinary things. You live your lives in the world – but not of the world. You love God and live accordingly. You do God’s will as uncompromising traditional Catholics, quick to stand up for Christ the King.
You strive to become ordinary saints. You are called to be saints, but not necessarily to perform extraordinary tasks, (for example, one who has been called by God to start a religious order like the Franciscans, etc.)
Let’s consider the steps one must take to learn to love God.
1) You have real interest in knowing and loving God.
2) You must learn much about God so you are willing to study much.
3) You are willing to sacrifice out of love.
4) You must have faith that your love is returned.
5) It’s only natural to speak often to someone you love.
Thus, when you talk to God, it should be like talking to a friend – not a taskmaster, but a friend. So do it often, through the day and when you awake at night. He is always there and ready to help. “Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (St. John's Gospel, 14:13)
The biggest confidence-building point in your journey to becoming an ordinary saint is understanding God’s ability to read what is in your heart. Therein lies the truth that can’t be deceptively altered.
Another duty one has on this journey is to set the best of examples for others to follow. No compromise with liberalism to avoid criticism or loss of family or friends.
Another big help in your efforts to love God is His Mother’s help. She is all-powerful (through her Son) and is just waiting for your request for help to love her Son and join her in heaven.
Also, don’t forget your Guardian angel. He is waiting to help and share his love for God.
It is important while on this journey to sanctity, to talk with God many times in a day, expressing your love and offering help to do His will saving souls. You must always be in the state of grace, of course, and avoid sin at all costs. If life without sin is your problem, you have very much work to do to build a sinless platform to spring forward on your journey to sanctity. Christ does not ask the impossible of Catholics, in order for us to get to heaven. He made us specifically to be in heaven with Him. He did His part; now, it’s up to you (with His help).
Isn’t it wonderful to know God is in charge and that He loves you more than we can understand? It’s important to speak about your love for God and set the example for others to follow.
There are many more saints in heaven than those listed in the saint books. So, take heart, love God, and live your life accordingly. An indication of your love for God is your willingness (with real satisfaction) to defend God and His Church against all odds. If this is not the case in your life, you’re on the wrong track, and changes must be made. You’re probably depending on the N-SSPX or other liberals for guidance and direction. You cannot simply give them what is your responsibility for your own salvation. Handing it off to others is very dangerous, and yes, uncertain. Follow the five steps above and secure your sanctity.
Prayer is the lifting of the heart and mind to God. The heart is the will and the mind is the intellect. The Rosary is a special prayer because it involves both mental prayer and vocal prayer. One recites the prayers of the Rosary while meditating on the mysteries that the Holy Catholic Church gives us, namely, the Joyful, the Sorrowful, and the Glorious mysteries. Yet what does this mean and how does one do it?
Most people do not understand how the Rosary is supposed to be said and hence they find the Rosary boring, tiresome, and let’s face it, “a drag.” “I just don’t get anything out of the Rosary”; “It is so repetitious and boring to be just saying Hail Mary’s over and over again”; “I get so distracted saying the Rosary” or “I spend the whole time fighting distractions;” “Oh, it takes so long to say the Rosary” or “I don’t have time to say the Rosary.”
Of course, the devil, who hates the Blessed Virgin Mary, is the one who inspires these discouraging thoughts. He certainly knows by observation how efficacious the Rosary is, and how powerful the Rosary is, in protecting the soul from his onslaughts. This is one of the primary reasons why Our Lady requests that we say at least five decades a day. She requested this specifically at Fatima, and at Lourdes. Our Lady of Fatima said in the end times, that we would only have her Immaculate Heart and the Rosary. Thus, there should be no doubt in a serious Catholic’s mind, that we certainly have a moral obligation to say the Rosary. We need to have devotion to Our Lady in order to save our souls, and the Rosary is one of the simplest devotional prayers one can say.
It is a positive shame that as many books as have had reference to the Rosary, there doesn’t seem to be anything written on exactly how the Rosary should be said. It seems to be assumed that people would automatically just “know” how to say it. What a clever trick of the devil, to ensure that folks will never say the Rosary, or never say it in the way the Blessed Mother intends it to be said! Books and pamphlets about the Rosary mention that one says so many Hail Mary’s and an Our Father and Glory Be while meditating on the Mysteries. One can even find a “Scriptural Rosary” book that has basically Scriptural Quotes to be said between Hail Mary’s. Very well indeed, but just saying a Scriptural Quote is not meditating. One can find books with the pictures of the Rosary depicting each of the 15 decades. Again, all very nice, but these do not explain how to say the Rosary. These books merely are hinting that just thinking or recalling to one’s mind the “story” of each mystery is supposed to be “praying” the Rosary.
There are many books written about mental prayer, yet unfortunately the way one actually is supposed to do it, is not described. Even the Concise Catholic Dictionary does not give an accurate definition of mental prayer. Meditation involves bringing some truth to mind and thinking on this truth or one could call it pondering a truth. One considers the truth and draws what could be called some “profit, insight, or further conclusion” from “the considering” that one is presently doing. This process of considering might be called the preparation for mental prayer. The actual mental prayer is simply this, that one says something to God. This saying something to God is referred to as “an affection” or an “act of the will”. Of course this statement is really said inside and does not have to be spoken aloud, although at times when one is alone, he might find himself saying things to God or the saints aloud. Because prayer is the “lifting of the heart and mind to God”, the “act of the will” is the “lifting” of the heart.
The consideration can be compared to the tilling of the soil and the act of the will is like the harvest or fruit of the consideration. The goal of the consideration is the acts of the will. If one does not make acts of the will, then one is not lifting both the heart and the mind to God, and thus, one is not praying. When one is doing a good job making considerations, then the heart seems to overflow with things to say. This pouring out of the heart is what is also called the colloquy. These acts are typically of four kinds, namely, thanksgiving, contrition, petition, or adoration, which are the four types of prayer.
In meditation one considers some truth. One can think and consider about some topic, for example, the fall of the Angels. Then someone would take as many aspects of this topic as he wished to ponder and this pondering would produce many things to say to God, for instance, “Thank-you dear Lord for revealing this truth to mankind”; or “Thank-You dear Lord for saving me from falling into hell”; or “Thank-You for your mercy to me, etc.” One can meditate on a standard Catholic prayer and think about the words of the prayer itself. This kind of meditation would involve thinking about the meaning of the words [singly, or perhaps, a couple at a time] and dwelling on them in order to appreciate them, and these thoughts would inspire acts of the will. This might go something like this, maybe taking the Hail Mary:
These are examples of the considerations one would make and the following are possible “acts of the will” which the considerations might inspire:
Now putting these concepts in the sphere of the Rosary, when one is reciting the Hail Mary’s during the decades of the Rosary, one would not do this type of meditating on the words of the Hail Mary. Because meditating only on words of the Hail Mary for each Hail Mary of the entire Rosary would be difficult, the church has us base our considerations on the life of Our Lord and/or Our Lady, and let these considerations inspire our acts of the will. Thus, we only recite the Hail Mary’s, while considering the lives of Our Lord and/or Our Lady and making acts of the will. One may ask, “How can I be thinking about the lives of Our Lord and/or Our Lady, decide what I want to say to them, then say it, while I recite the Hail Mary?” The simple answer is, that if one is saying the Rosary with someone else, then one can make his considerations, decide his act of the will and say it, (mentally), while the other person is leading or following the Hail Mary. When one is just starting out, one should not worry about making acts of the will when he is leading or following. It may happen at first that one’s act of the will, might slip out into the vocal recitation while following, but despite the embarrassment, know that in time this won’t keep happening.
After a while of practicing making these acts of the will in this manner, one will find that he is actually able to say acts of the will while leading and/or following.
One should try to make his acts of the will as simple as one can, because this will help him to get into the habit of mental prayer while he is reciting the vocal prayer.
One may also ask, “What if I am saying the Rosary by myself?” If one is saying the Rosary alone, it is a better thing to say the Our Father’s, Hail Mary’s, and Glory Be’s out loud, in a whisper, or at least mouthing the words with his lips. This makes it easier to say the required internal acts of the will. Then, similarly one can say his act of the will in between the Hail Mary’s and eventually the acts of the will start “bleeding” into the recited Hail Mary’s. The person will find that he can truly make an act of the will at the same time he is reciting the Rosary. In fact, the expression, “reciting the Rosary” shows that the vocal aspect of the Rosary is merely a recital by rote of the Hail Mary’s. The recital by rote and simultaneously saying acts of the will can, of course, include the Our Father’s and Glory Be’s as well. Or one can think of the meaning of the Our Father and Glory Be while reciting them stirring up as much tender love as one can, trying to say them with fervor. Then while reciting the Hail Mary’s one can pour out acts of the will. One should not fret if his acts are simple, or if he finds himself making the same act throughout the entire decade. One will discover that the Rosary becomes something that one really enjoys saying and that the Rosary seems to fly by and has far fewer distractions and maybe no distractions at all. The Rosary is a powerful prayer and does soothe the soul when said properly. The following is a possible demonstration of how to do what is described above:
If the Rosary is not said alone-
Leader announces: The first joyful Mystery is the Annunciation. Then the leader begins the Our Father.
The follower: {reader of this article} while listening to the first part of the Our Father might say within himself, “Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all your blessings to me. I am so unworthy,” or he might just internally join in the recital while he tries to focus intensely on the meaning of the words.
The leader: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”
The follower: [while the leader leads] internally thinks of considerations or intentions to say to God, Our Lord specifically, Our Lady specifically, or the saints. E.g. “thank-You dear Lord for becoming Man”
The follower: answers the Hail Mary “Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen”.
The leader: says the next Hail Mary. [During this, the follower may ponder longer and come up with more ideas of what to say or add additional acts based on what he said already, e.g. “I adore Thee O Lord for Thy Incarnation,” or “Mary, I thank thee for thy ‘Fiat’”
The follower: answers the 2nd Hail Mary.
And so the process continues for the rest of the Annunciation decade and the rest of the decades.
If the Rosary is said alone-
Here the Leader and the follower are the reader. So the reader as the leader announces the first Mystery. “The Annunciation” Then the reader says aloud, in a whisper, or at least mouthing the words recites the Our Father with a fervent focus on the words of the Our Father striving to say it with love. Or the reader can say a short act of the will before beginning to recite the Our Father. {Of course the person praying can say any particular intention he may have when announcing the decade and this may inspire acts of the will likewise.}
Before saying the first Hail Mary, the reader should say an act of the will aloud, in a whisper, or at least mouth the words, e.g. “I love Thee O Lord for Thy Humility in becoming Man.” Then the reader should recite the first Hail Mary. He should simply recite the Hail Mary,think of a different theme or continue with the same idea that he started with, e.g. “O Lord, I thank Thee for Thy Mercy.” [This process can also be done during the Our Father, and Glory Be.]
Below are some sample acts of the will that may help in understanding how one says the Rosary by making acts of the will while one is reciting the decades by rote. One can be as ornate in his acts as he wishes to be, or is inspired to be. God is certainly pleased with our contrite prayers and humble begging of His help. As one becomes more proficient, one can get more elaborate.
Sample Acts of the Will
The Joyful Mysteries
{The Annunciation}
Simple Acts
1. Mary, teach me humility. 2. Mary, help me be humble. 3. Mary, help me accept God’s Will. 4. I love you, Mary. 5. I adore Thee, O Lord.
Flowery Acts
1. Mary, rich in humility, teach me. 2. Thank-you Lord for becoming Man. 3. Mary, help me accept God’s Will. 4. Thank-you, Mary for your fiat. 5. O Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, thank-you for your examples. 6. Mary, teach me your ways.
Poetic Acts
1. Mary, model of humility, please teach me humility. 2. Mary, O humble handmaid, help me be humble. 3. Mary, help me accept God’s Will. 4. I thank-you for your humble submission to God’s Will. 5. O Incarnate Wisdom, I adore Thee. 6. O Hypostatic Union, I adore Thee. 7. How can I thank Thee enough O Lord for Thy incarnation? I love Thee, O Lord.
{The Visitation}
Simple Acts
1. Mary, teach me generosity. 2. Mary, help me be selfless. 3. Mary, teach me love of neighbor. 4. I love thy virtue, Mary. 5. Mary, help me stay close to Jesus.
Flowery Acts
1. Mary, model of generosity, teach me. 2. Mary, help me be give of myself completely. 3. Mary, help me follow your sweet example. 4. O Sweet Mary, I love you. 5. I love your examples, O Mary.
Poetic Acts
1. Mary, O sweet model of charity, help me. 2. Mary, help me be selfless like thee. 3. Mary, help me stay close to Our Lord. 4. Mary, model of generosity, teach me to be unselfish. 5. O Mary, vessel of devotion, keep me close to your heart. 6. Mary, Mother of my sweet Jesus, I love you.
{The Nativity}
Simple Acts
1. Infant King, I love Thee. 2. Thank-you dear Jesus for coming. 3. Mary, help me adore thy Son. 4. Dear Infant Jesus, help me be humble.
Flowery Acts
1. Sweet Infant Jesus, I love Thee. 2. I thank Thee dear Jesus for Thy sweet example of humility. 3. I adore Thee O sweet Infant King. 4. I love Thee dear Infant Jesus. 5. Mary, help me accept God’s Will as you and St. Joseph did. 6. O heavenly Mother and patriarch St. Joseph, help me to have a real spirit of Poverty.
Poetic Acts
1. Dear Jesus, help me be detached from the world. 2. Mary, teach me a love of poverty. 3. Mary and St. Joseph teach me holy detachment. 4. Thank-you dear Jesus for your example of humility. 5. Help me, O Holy Family to love the things of heaven.
{The Presentation}
Simple Acts
1. Mary and St. Joseph, teach me obedience 2. O Infant King, I love Thee. 3. O Infant King, I love Thy humility.
Flowery Acts
1. Mary and St. Joseph thank you for your example. 2. Mary, help me give myself to the Infant King. 3. Mary, keep me close to Thy Divine Son. 4. Mary, thank–you for your tender heart.
Poetic Acts
1. Mary, present me to the Infant Jesus. 2. Thank-you for listening to my wretched woes. 3. Mary, help me accept God’s Will. 4. Mary, help me present my heart to God. 5. I am so unworthy dear Mary, please help me. 6. O Mary, you understand my woes, thou art my consolation. 7. Thank-you dear Lord for giving us Mary.
{The Finding of the Child Jesus}
Simple Acts
1. Mary, teach me resignation to God’s Will. 2. Mary, help me love God. 3. Mary, help me accept God’s Will. 4. Mary, keep me close to the Child Jesus.
Flowery Acts
1. Mary, teach me how to love God’s Will. 2. O Holy Family, keep me close to the Child Jesus. 3. Mary, help me keep the Child Jesus in my heart. 4. O Mother of Sorrows, teach me patience in my sorrows. 5. Dear Mother of Sorrows, please convert poor sinners.
Poetic Acts
1. Mary, model of patience, I love you. 2. Mary, help me always seek Our Lord. 3. Mary, help me accept God’s Will with generosity. 4. Mary, help me love God with all my heart.
5. O Child Jesus, please help me be patient teaching others. 6. O Child Jesus, please help me always do the Will of Thy Father with love. 7. O Child Jesus, please unite me to Thee always.
The Sorrowful Mysteries
{The Agony in the Garden}
Simple Acts
1. O Lord, I am sorry for my pride. 2. O Lord, help me be humble. 3. Mary, help me accept God’s Will. 4. O Lord, I love Thee. 5. O Lord, help me be patient.
Flowery Acts
1. O Lord, I am weak, teach me. 2. O Lord, help me always accept Thy Holy Will. 3. I thank Thee O Lord for Thy examples of humility.4. I thank Thee for Thy example of patience. 5. O Lord, help me follow Thy example of patience.
Poetic Acts
1. O My Agonizing Jesus, please forgive my cold and conceited heart. 2. O Lord, help me follow Thy example of humility. 3. I adore Thee O Lord in Thy suffering for me. 4. I am so sorry for me sins of pride. 5. O Lord, I see what my wretched pride hath done to Thee. 6. O Lord, I beseech Thee to give me tears of compunction.
{The Scourging at the Pillar}
Simple Acts
1. O Lord, I am sorry for my self-indulgence. 2. O Lord, help me be selfless. 3. Dear Jesus, I love Thee.
Flowery Acts
1. Dear Jesus, help me mortify myself. 2. I thank Thee for suffering such cruelty for my sake. 3. Mary, help me willingly suffer for Christ. 4. O Lord, help me love Thee. 5. Dear Lord, help me suffer willingly for Thee.
Poetic Acts
1. Dear Lord, I am sorry for my sins of pampering myself. 2. Mary, help me mortify my flesh. 3. Dear Lord, I love Thee with my whole heart and soul. 4. I give Thee my heart dear Lord. 5. O Lord, I adore Thy Precious Blood. 6. Bathe my wretched, ungrateful heart in Thy Precious Blood, O Lord.
{The Crowning with Thorns}
Simple Acts
1. Mary, teach me humility. 2. O Jesus, help me be humble. 3. O Lord, I am sorry for my pride.
Flowery Acts
1. O Lord, I thank Thee for Thy Humility. 2. Mary, help me love humility with all my heart. 3. Mary, help me accept every pain that God sends me. 4. Thank Our Lord for us, O Mary, for all the humble examples He gives us. 5. Help me Dear Lord to stand up for Thy Glory. 6. O Jesus, I am sorry for my horrible sins of pride.
Poetic Acts
1. O Crown of my Savior, I love Thee. 2. O Crown of my Savior, I adore Thee. 3. O My dearest Jesus, please forgive me for my wretched pride. 4. Dear Jesus, help me mortify my imagination. 5. O Sacred Head so wounded, I love Thee. 6. O Humble Jesus, help me to be unconcerned about the insults and hatred I receive from others.
{The Carrying of the Cross}
Simple Acts
1. Mary, help me bear suffering well. 2. O Jesus, give me patience. 3. Mary, help me accept God’s Will.
Flowery Acts
1. O Lord I am sorry for my sins of impatience. 2. Mary, help me unite with thee in suffering. 3. Jesus, help me carry my cross with love. 4. Jesus, I adore Thee and praise Thee. 5. O Jesus, help me to love my cross for love of Thee. 6. Mary, help me cling to the Cross of Our Lord.
Poetic Acts
1. I adore Thee and I praise Thee O Lord, because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. 2. Thy Cross, O Lord is my hope and my refuge. 3. O Mother of Sorrows, be my guide. 4. Mary, help me compassionate Thy Dear Son. 5. Mary, show me the sweetness of the Cross. 6. O Mary, help me joyfully sacrifice for Thy Son.7. Dear Mary, please help me carry my crosses joyfully. 8. Dear Lord, please help me carry my crosses in the way that pleases Thee most and serves Thee best.
{The Crucifixion}
Simple Acts
1. Jesus, I love Thee with my whole heart. 2. Mother of Sorrows, guide me. 3. Mary, help me have true contrition. 4. O Lord, I am sorry for my sins.
Flowery Acts
1. O Lord, draw me to Thy Sacred Heart. 2. Jesus, I am unworthy to be Thine. 3. O Incarnate Wisdom, I thank Thee and I love Thee. 4. Dear Mary, help me love my Lord more and more. 5. I adore Thee O Christ because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world. 6. O Lord, never let me abandon Thee.
Poetic Acts
1. I am so sorry, Lord, for all my sins, especially my sins of pride. 2. Melt my cold heart, dear Lord. 3. Mary at the foot of the Cross, teach me to love thy Son with all my heart. 4. O Sacred Heart of melting wax, soften my heart, and make me melt with love for Thee. 5. O Sorrowful Heart of Mary, teach me compassion. 6. O Sorrowful Mother, help me compassionate thy Son. 7. I adore Thee and I love Thee O Lord for enduring the wound on Thy left wrist. [likewise, one could mention the right wrist, the left foot, the right foot, and the pain of the Most Sacred Heart- the painful throbbing and inflammation as well as the moral and spiritual suffering of His Heart.]
The Glorious Mysteries
{The Resurrection}
Simple Acts
1. I thank Thee Lord for the gift of faith. 2. O Lord, strengthen my faith. 3. O Lord, help me love the faith more.
Flowery Acts
1. O Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. 2. Thank Thee, O Lord for resurrecting. 3. Mary, you who ever kept the faith, help me always keep the faith. 4. O Mary, keep us strong in the faith in this Great Apostasy in which we live. 5. O Holy Apostles, protect us in this Great Apostasy.
Poetic Acts
1. O Victorious Lord and Redeemer, may Thou ever be praised. 2. O Compassionate Lord, I adore and praise Thy many apparitions. 3. I adore Thee, praise Thee, thank Thee, and love Thee, O Lord, for Thy Glorious Resurrection. 4. Please keep me faithful to Thee, O Lord.
5. I adore Thee, God the Father, for Thy Divine Plan for redeeming mankind. 6. I adore Thee, God the Son, for being obedient unto the death of the Cross. 7. I adore Thee, God the Holy Ghost, for Thy Divine Plan for man’s redemption.
{The Ascension}
Simple Acts
1. O Lord, I adore Thee for Thy Ascension. 2. O Lord, increase my hope. 3. O Lord, give me a great desire for heaven.
Flowery Acts
1. Thank Thee O Lord, for ascending into heaven. 2. O Lord, I beg Thee to make me one of Thy elect. 3. Mary, help me have a burning desire for heaven.
Poetic Acts
1. I adore Thee, O Lord, for Thy Glorious Ascension. 2. Mary, help me have an intense desire for heaven. 3. Mary, my life, my sweetness and my hope, pray for me. 4. O Sweet Jesus, please increase my hope for heaven.
{The Descent of the Holy Ghost}
Simple Acts
1. O Holy Ghost, I adore Thee. 2. O Holy Ghost, I love Thee. 3. Mary, teach me to love.
Flowery Acts
1. O Holy Ghost, Infinite Love between the Father and the Son, I adore Thee. 2. O Holy Ghost, Infinite Love between the Father and the Son, I love Thee. 3. O Holy Ghost, Infinite Love between the Father and the Son, please open my heart. 4. O Paraclete, please inspire me, and guide me. 5. O Paraclete, grant that I learn and have virtue in my heart.
Poetic Acts
1. Fill my heart I beg Thee, O Holy Ghost. 2. I can do nothing without Thee, O Holy Ghost, please teach me. 3. Mary, spouse of the Holy Ghost, beg Him to teach me how to love. 4. O Paraclete, I, a creature, can neither give nor receive Thy Infinite Love, yet make my poor finite love pure. 5. I can only receive and give finite love yet please grant that my love be pure. 6. O Holy Ghost, grant that I ever love the Truth.
{The Assumption}
Simple Acts
1. Mary, please pray for me. 2. Thank Thee dear Lord for giving us Mary. 3. Mary, please obtain for us a holy death.
Flowery Acts
1. Mary, Mediatrix of all grace, please obtain for us the grace of final perseverance. 2. O Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us. 3. Sweet Mother Mary, please guide us and protect us. 4. I thank Thee, O Lord, for Thy wonderful gift of Mary, for our Mother.
Poetic Acts
1. O Lord, I cannot thank Thee enough, for Thy bountiful gift of Mary. 2. Mary, help us to love God with all our hearts. 3. Mary, Our Mother, help us and keep us safe. 4. Mary, Our Blessed Mother, help us ever lean on thee. 5. Mary, model of all virtue, teach us who are thy poor children.
{The Coronation of Mary as Queen of All Creation}
Simple Acts
1. Mary, powerful Queen, pray for us. 2. Mary, dear humble Queen, help me be humble. 3. Mary, Our Queen, protect us.
Flowery Acts
1. Mary, please increase our devotion to thee. 2. Mary, no one can go to Jesus except through thee, please help us stay close to thee. 3. Mary, never let us abandon thee..
Poetic Acts
1. O Infinite Goodness of God, I thank Thee with my whole heart for giving Mary to us. 2. O dear Lord, Mary is Thy masterpiece; I cannot thank Thee enough for creating such a treasure as Mary. 3. O Mary, my Mistress and Queen, protect me. 4. O Queen of Heaven and all creation, keep me ever safe with thee.
Thus one can see that the rosary is the wise prayer of the church to teach her children the principles of meditation which draw the soul to the life of contemplation and a mystical union with Christ which is part of God’s intention for Catholic souls.
Catholic Candle note: With Lent fast approaching, we are pleased to print an expanded version of an excellent article from a woman who has always been Traditional Catholic and who has been continually fighting liberalism since before Vatican II. We printed her original article in 2016.
In these days of shocking scandals in the conciliar church and creeping liberalism in the “new” SSPX, we sometimes forget one of the basic duties of a good Catholic: observing the Church’s Rules of Fast and Abstinence. In the old days, our parish priests reminded us of them in a timely manner: four times a year (Ember Days approximately at the change of seasons) and Vigils of four Feast days.
However, it was not always easy to keep them clear in our minds. Thus, in the 1970s our (traditional Catholic) pastor put together and distributed a chart (included below, in a simplified form which more closely follows the 1917 code). It was a real plus for us traditional Catholic families. You may want to save this chart as well as copy it to give to others.
Having said that, it is worthwhile noting that the Church’s obligatory laws of fast and abstinence have always required a bare minimum and not the recommended or ideal amount. We should do much more fasting and abstinence than what is required. “Unless you do penance, you shall likewise perish.” St. Luke, 13:5.
We are traditional Catholics and so we follow the “traditional rules” – not choosing the easier path as the conciliar church has. Further, we recommended that Catholics:
Two further points:
Indult groups like the “new” SSPX wrongly follow the soft conciliar practice of asserting that no abstinence is mandatory under pain of mortal sin, on most Fridays of the year. This soft practice ignores:
Traditional Catholic
Fast and Abstinence Recommendations
Based on the 1917 Code of Canon Law, §§1250-54, slightly revised to include later canonical requirements where they are stricter.
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Abstinence: no meat or meat-sourced broth (binds persons who have turned 7 years old) |
Fast: only one meal per day and two small meatless collations* (binds persons who have turned 18† and have not yet turned 59) |
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Fridays |
✓ |
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Ash Wednesday |
✓ |
✓ |
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Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays between Ash Wednesday & Easter |
|
✓ |
|
Fridays & Saturdays between Ash Wednesday and Easter‡ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Ember Days |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Day before Pentecost |
✓ |
✓ |
|
August 14 (unless Sunday) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
October 31 (unless Sunday) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
December 24 (unless Sunday) |
✓ |
✓ |
* As a concession to human weakness, traditional rules allow two small meatless collations in addition to the meal. The New Marian Missal, by Silvester P. Juergens, S.M., Regina Press, NY, NY, 1961, p.11.
† The New Code of Canon Law (§1252) changes the 1917 Code by revising the beginning age from 21 to 18.
‡ Under the 1917 Code, fasting and abstaining ends at noon on Holy Saturday. Canon Law later extended this penance until mid-night. Cf., New Marian Missal, by Silvester P. Juergens, S.M., Regina Press, NY, NY, 1961, p.11.
Appendix
Catholic Candle note: Above, is our recommendation for fasting and abstaining and the reasons for those recommendations. Below, is a historical analysis showing the weakening of the fasting/abstinence rules over the 1900s.
This weakening is important because fasting and abstaining is a strong defense against impurity and gluttony as well as all sins and heresies. The weakening in the Church’s fasting and abstaining laws grew much worse after Vatican II. But the weakening before Vatican II could have played some role in reducing Catholics’ readiness to resist the doctrinal and moral attacks beginning in the 1960s.
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Canons 1250-54 (1917) |
Dr Sylvester Juergens, The New Marian Missal for Daily Mass (ca. 1955)* (another source for same text) |
Canons 97 §1, 1251-52 (1983) |
|||
|
definition of abstinence |
no flesh or flesh-sourced broth |
no flesh or flesh-sourced broth |
no flesh |
|||
|
definition of fasting |
one meal per day; one may take some additional food (aliquid cibi) at two other times in the day; the meal may not be in the morning |
one meal per day; one may take some additional food, so long as it is not flesh and does not add up to a second meal, at two other times in the day |
undefined |
|||
|
how old one is when one must abstain |
7+ |
7+ |
14+ |
|||
|
how old one is when one must fast |
21-58 |
21-58 |
18-58 |
|||
|
|
abstinence |
fast |
abstinence |
fast |
abstinence |
fast |
|
All Fridays |
✓ |
|
✓ |
|
✓ |
|
|
Ash Wednesday |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
All days after Ash Wednesday and before Easter, except Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays |
|
✓ |
|
✓ |
|
|
|
Fridays between Ash Wednesday and Easter, not including Good Friday |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
Saturdays between Ash Wednesday and Easter, not including Holy Saturday |
✓ |
✓ |
|
✓ |
|
|
|
Good Friday |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
Holy Saturday forenoon |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
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|
|
Holy Saturday afternoon |
|
|
✓ |
✓ |
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|
|
Ember Fridays |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
|
Ember Wednesdays and Saturdays |
✓ |
✓ |
|
✓ |
|
|
|
Eve of Whitsunday |
✓ |
✓ |
|
✓ |
|
|
|
August 14 (unless Sunday) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
|
|
|
October 31 (unless Sunday) |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
|
|
|
December 7 (unless Sunday) |
|
|
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
|
December 24 (unless Sunday) |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
|
|
* We would be grateful for a more authoritative source for tracking how the rules changed between the early 1950s and the early 1960s. It is hard to track Vatican legislation between codifications; some of it is online, but poorly organized and labeled even on the Vatican website. Dr. Juergens’ book is difficult to date, because Pius XII’s administration extended the Holy Saturday fast till midnight with the decree Maxima Redemptionis nostrae mysteria (16 Nov. 1955), but the administration had already abolished the Vigil of the Immaculate Conception, December 7, by the decree Cum nostra hac aetate (23 March 1955).
[1] Further, promoting collective authority of the national conferences of “bishops” is a conciliar error and one of the countless evils of Vatican II (collegiality). This conciliar evil aims both to diminish the monarchical authority of the pope and to diminish the authority of individual “bishops” in their own dioceses.
Faithful and informed Catholics know that conciliar ordinations and consecrations are inherently doubtful and so must be treated as invalid. For an explanation why this is true, read these articles:
Although there are inherent doubts concerning the “ordinations” and “consecrations” of conciliar “bishops”, this does not mean that those clergy do not possess the jurisdiction of their offices (for governing). For a full explanation of this principle, read this article: https://catholiccandle.neocities.org/faith/against-sedevacantism.html#section-10
(Hint: it is not Giving Money to the N-SSPX, which is the
N-SSPX’s Own Avaricious Answer.)
The three greatest helps to passing on the Catholic Faith (i.e., converting souls) are:
Below, we examine each one of these crucial helps to convert others to the Catholic Faith.[1]
When a person converts to the Catholic Faith, he is beginning his road to holiness. Although converting souls is God’s work, we can be better tools for God’s use, by being holier ourselves because “you can’t give what you don’t have” (as the proverb says).[2]
Further, when we sanctify our own souls more, this shows a potential convert that we are serious about our souls and we give him a model and example of pursuing holiness seriously.
God uses human instruments to explain the Catholic Faith to potential converts. Thus, knowing the Faith better ourselves allows us to better explain it and answer a potential convert’s questions.[3]
Further, when we continually study our Faith (as the Church instructs us to do) this shows the potential convert that the true Faith is important and we set a good example to him.
Drawing closer to Our Lady and being more devoted to her, will increase her help bringing potential converts to her Son, as she brings us closer to her Son also. Strengthening our devotion and friendship with the Blessed Virgin Mary is crucial for increasing our interior life, for saving our own souls, and for winning converts to her Son because:
Conclusion of this article so far
The three greatest helps to passing on the Catholic Faith (i.e., converting souls) are:
Let us use them to cooperate with God in sanctifying our souls and being God’s tools in leading others to heaven.
The “New” SSPX says the best way to pass on the Catholic Faith is to give the N-SSPX money.
The “new” SSPX has a very different, unspiritual outlook. It tells people that the best way we can spread the Catholic Faith is by giving the N-SSPX money in our wills or trusts. Here are its words:
There is no more meaningful or lasting way to pass on the gift of Catholic Tradition and the traditional Latin Mass, than to make a legacy gift [viz., to the N-SSPX].[7]
There are two problems with this statement:
How different is the Catholic truth, from the N-SSPX’s money-grubbing claim![9] Above, we see that sanctity and studying the Faith are our best means to pass on the Faith. The Catholic Church focuses on the spiritual, whereas the N-SSPX is money-focused. The Venerable Bede, Doctor of the Church, teaches that priests should trust so much in Providence and be so focused on the eternal things of God that they give no thought to temporal things. Here are his words:
For such should be the preacher's trust in God, that, though he takes no thought for supplying his own wants in this present world, yet he should feel most certain that these will not be left unsatisfied, lest whilst his mind is taken up with temporal things, he should provide less of eternal things to others.[10]
The “old” SSPX did not used to be so money-focused. For example, in the mid-1990s we remember an SSPX priest who was newly-assigned to our area. In his first sermon, he told the congregation that:
You won’t hear me talk much about money. I think that if I do my job [viz., sanctifying souls], the money will take care of itself.
(Bracketed explanation added to this priest’s words, to show the context.) This priest still belongs to the (new) SSPX but has been marginalized in recent years by his superiors, who are money-focused and unspiritual.
Conclusion
Let us focus on holiness and on studying the Catholic Faith, and not on giving money to the N-SSPX.
[1] In footnotes below, we quote The Soul of the Apostolate, which is a book about holiness and prayer. This book lucidly demonstrates that converting and sanctifying other persons especially requires our own sanctification. We heartily urge all Catholics to read this wonderful book on prayer and holiness, as the means to converting other people!
Pope St. Pius X read this book and admired it so much that he declared:
If you desire that God should bless your apostolate and make it fruitful, undertake everything for His glory, saturate yourself and your devoted fellow-workers with the spirit of Jesus Christ, animating yourself with an intense interior life. To this end, I can offer you no better guide than The Soul of the Apostolate, by Dom Chautard, Cistercian Abbot, I warmly recommend this book to you, as I value it very highly and have myself made it my bedside book.
Quoted from the Introduction of The Soul of the Apostolate, by Dom Jean-Baptiste Chautard, O.C.S.O., Abbot of Notre Dame de Sept-Fons, Abbey of Gethsemane Press, U.S.A., ©1946.
Pope Benedict XV wrote the author, Dom J. B. Chautard, about The Soul of the Apostolate, in these words:
We congratulate you sincerely upon having brought out so clearly the absolute necessity of the interior life for those engaged in good works, a life so necessary for the success of their ministry.
Expressing a wish that this work in which are found gathered together doctrinal lessons and practical advice suited to the needs of our times may continue to spend and do good, We send with all Our Heart to its esteemed author, an affectionate Apostolic Blessing,
[signed] Benedict PP XV
Id.
[2] Here is how The Soul of the Apostolate expresses this truth:
[3] The Soul of the Apostolate explains the importance of “lay apostles” knowing the Catholic Faith well in order to effectively help convert others. For example, here is an instruction to a priest for forming laymen into effective apostles:
You are going to build up a strong faith in them [viz., laymen], by a series of well-prepared talks, which will take up many of their winter evenings. Your Christians will go out, after these talks, well enough armed not only to give complete and effective answers to their fellows in the various plants and offices, but also to resist the more treacherous action of newspapers and books.
The Soul of the Apostolate. page 56.
[4] Pope Pius X called her the Neck of the Mystical Body, in his Encyclical On the Immaculate Conception, Ad diem illum laetissimum.
[5] True Devotion to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort, part 1, ch.1, §3, #39.
[6] Here is how The Soul of the Apostolate explains this truth:
Whether it be the task of the active worker to rescue souls from sin or to make virtues put forth flowers in their souls, his first objective must always be, as was St. Paul’s, to bring forth Our Lord in them. Now Bossuet says that God, having once willed to give us Jesus through the Most Blessed Virgin, there is no further change in that order. It was she who brought forth the Head, and so it is she too who is to bring forth the members.
To isolate Mary from the apostolate would be to misconstrue one of the most vital parts of the divine Plan. … St. Bernardine of Siena justly concludes that, since the Incarnation, Mary has acquired a sort of jurisdiction over every temporal mission of the Holy Ghost, in such a way that no creature receives any graces but through her hands.
But the man with true devotion to Mary becomes all-powerful over the Heart of his Mother. And so, what apostle can doubt the efficacy of his Apostolate when, by his devotions, he can control the all-powerful mediation of Mary in the distribution of the merits of the Precious Blood?
The Soul of the Apostolate, page 286.
[W]e observe that all great converters of souls are filled with an unusually powerful devotion for the Blessed Virgin. … What persuasive accents will Mary give to her true children, that they may open to Jesus hearts hitherto locked!
The Soul of the Apostolate, page 286-7.
[7] Quoted from an undated SSPX money-seeking brochure mailed to the U.S. District mailing list in April 2019.
[8]
With great self-importance, the N-SSPX adds that whatever money you give to the N-SSPX benefits the whole Church. Here are Fr. Wegner’s words soliciting bequests for the N-SSPX:
And your bequest, one that benefits the whole Church in Her desperate hour of need, will certainly be remembered.
Quoted from the March 28, 2019 letter from Fr. Wegner, N-SSPX District Superior for the U.S. (emphasis added).
[9]
For additional examples of the N-SSPX’s focus on money, read here: https://catholiccandle.neocities.org/priests/sspx-fundraiser-fatigue.html
[10]
Words of the Venerable Bede, Doctor of the Church, quoted from the Catena Aurea on St. Mark’s Gospel, St. Thomas Aquinas, editor, ch.6 §2 (emphasis added).
Catholic Candle note: The article below was written by a man who has always been Traditional Catholic and who has been continually fighting liberalism since before Vatican II.
That virtue is humility. Why is it misunderstood and rarely practiced? Because most people believe it’s a sign of weakness and they expect to be taken advantage of. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Our Lord was meek and humble of heart, but He stood up to the Pharisees many times. (He twice cleared the temple of merchants and thieves with a whip.)
To be humble is courageous and far from cowardly. Our free will is prone to pride, the antithesis of humility. So, we must fight against the sin of pride. Our first parents were filled with pride and were put out of Paradise because of it.
There are many benefits from practicing the virtue of humility. With pride, stress, envy and anger are sure to follow, whereas a humble person has continuous peace. If there is good in you, you see more good in others, so that you may remain humble.[1]
Below are listed things you should know about humility and how it can affect your peace of soul and your salvation. The points listed are from the Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. VII, page 544.
➢ Humility is a repressing virtue opposed to pride.
➢ Humility is said to be the foundation of the spiritual edifice.
➢ Humility is the first virtue, inasmuch as it removes the obstacles to Faith.
➢ It removes pride and makes a person subject to, and a fit recipient of, grace.
➢ God resisteth the proud and giveth His grace to the humble.
➢ Humility keeps the mind and heart submissive to reason and to God, and it may therefore be said to be a universal virtue. It is, therefore, a virtue which is necessary for salvation. Our Lord said, “Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart.”
The virtue of humility is of such importance that many Catholic authorities have addressed it over the centuries.
The following points about humility and how it will affect your peace of soul and your salvation are from The Imitation of Christ, Book I, Chapters 6 and 7:
· When a person desires a thing too much, he at once becomes ill at ease. A proud and avaricious man never rests, whereas he who is poor and humble of heart lives in a world of peace.
· It may happen, too, that while one’s own opinion may be good, refusal to agree with others when reason and occasion demand it, is a sign of pride and obstinacy.
· God helps the humble and humbles the proud.
If you feel guilty when you push yourself forward, you have a start at understanding humility. The dictionary definition of humility is: “implying absence of vanity and arrogance; meekness, and absence of wrath or vindictiveness”. These are all qualities you need to save your soul.
God created man and angels to have a free will, which is required for a personal and meaningful decision of servitude. Lucifer rejected humility in favor of pride. (“Non serviam!”) Thus, he was cast into hell for all eternity. Humility is that golden key that opens the Gates of Heaven. Humility puts God first and ourselves second.
Humility opens a person’s heart and mind to better listen to God speak, and is a “direct line” to know His will.
Humility does not exempt someone from hard work and doing his best to do God’s will in his state of life or holy vocation.
The virtue of humility separates us from the animal world by controlling our passions.
Pride, the antithesis of humility, rules the world in all aspects, causing wars, murders, etc.
Liberalism and modernism are caused by sins of pride.
Let us pray for a better understanding of humility, and that it is practiced by all, especially traditional Catholics and priests in the real resistance.
Words to Live by – from Catholic Tradition
The devil does not sleep, nor is the flesh yet dead; therefore, you must never cease your preparation for battle, because on the right and on the left are enemies who never rest.
The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas à Kempis, Book II, Chapter 9.