On working for holiness

A Healthy Mistrust of Self

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Objective Truth Series – reflections article #5

The last reflection was a consideration of how important it is to have a complete submission to, union with, and trust in the Divine Will.

God wants us to have trust in Him, in fact, to have complete confidence in Him. As far as we are concerned, He doesn’t want us to trust in ourselves alone.  Surely, He wants us to have confidence to use the abilities that He gave us and that He expects us to use to do our duty of state. He expects us to not be slothful, having an irrational fear of the difficult. He doesn’t want us to be cowards when it comes to doing our duty.

Furthermore, God expects us to not be lazy and shirk our duties because we don’t “feel” like doing them or because we want to relax. But having confidence in the human abilities that God gave us does not mean we have abilities above our nature, or that we should think that we are using our abilities perfectly. No one should imagine he can do things that are super-human or that he is perfect in any respect.

For example, we cannot know the thoughts of others. We often guess what others are thinking, but unless another communicates his thoughts aloud or in writing, we cannot know with any certitude what another is thinking. Thus, we cannot judge the interior of another. We can only judge the external actions (fruits) of others. To judge the interior is called rash judgment. St. John Chrysostom said, “You will not easily find anyone, either the father of a family or a cloistered religious who is free from rash judgment.”[1]

This quote ought to give us pause and give us a fear and a healthy caution over our thoughts and speech.

We humans get so self-complacent, in other words, self-satisfied, and from this, conceit grows in the soul. Self-importance takes control of the soul usually in a creeping, subtle manner, and, before one knows it, he has over-confidence in himself. “Wherefore, he that thinketh himself to stand, let him take heed lest he fall” (1st Corinthians 10; 12).  

A quote like this should prick one’s conscience. Questions then bombard the mind like: Am I self-complacent? Do I say things or act as if I have all the answers, even about a single subject? Do I act over confident? Do I act as if I have been looking down on others, in any way? Do I act as if I realize that any good I have, especially the faith, or insights, has been given to me by God and that I know I do not deserve them? “What hast thou that thou hast not received?  And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”[2]  Do I forget this truth of which St. Paul reminds me? Do I acknowledge the gifts of God to me? If so, do I thank God for His gifts and tender mercies? Do I expect others to have received these same gifts and/or insights, and make all their decisions in the same manner that I make my decisions? And if others do not act in the same manner as I, do I look down on them as if they are big sinners or have something wrong with them?

Oh, how the conscience does prick when we realize how easily we humans get into this typical complacent frame of mind. We have to be so cautious and follow St. Paul’s advice, namely, “With fear and trembling work out your salvation” (Philippians Ch 2; 12). Likewise, we need to heed carefully Our Lord’s words, “Judge not, lest you be judged.” Here Our Lord is clearly warning against judging the interior of a person.

Nor can we forget our human roots, namely, how Eve was tempted with thinking she could become like God. The devil certainly knows how to trap us humans with this temptation and tries to puff us up. Self-complacence is one of the devil’s subtle tools to achieve this. Thus, we need to see that we need advice, and be willing to get advice. This will help us avoid self-complacence.

Our Lady explained the Rules for the Discernment of Spirits to St. Ignatius of Loyola, when giving him the Spiritual Exercises. She explained in Rule #5 in the Second Week that we must pay close attention to the course of our thoughts and look carefully at their beginning, middle, and end to see whether they are inspired by the good angel or the devil. This means a person must truly distrust himself and have a healthy mistrust of his own motive for acting. Again, Our Lady knows how the devil tricks us poor humans with self-conceit and, being Our Good Mother, she warns her children about his snares.

With all of the above in mind, perhaps our thoughts naturally will flow into something like the following:

Oh, my soul, if I have a treasure,

Am I grateful, or do I take pleasure?

Thinking this gem, is a gift self-bestowed

That it comes from God, to me, not owed?

Do I remember, my God to thank?

Am I really, with myself frank?

This gift, this talent, from where did it come?

Could I e’re pay for it, with any sum?

I am nothing, a worthless being

Whence this prize, that I am seeing?

Tis not really mine, to the Lord, belongs

Only He gets the credit, [only I do wrongs.]

God could punish, my self-conceit,

This would be fitting, would be meet.

That He could take, this gift away

And not make it last, not one more day

I must be grateful, give God His due

And rely on Him only, tis so true!

I need so much help, and advice

Each plan I make, I must think thrice

Where did it start, where does it lead?

Does it, my self-complacence, feed?

I must tremble, yea, I must quake

Do I work for me, or for God’s sake?

Dear Lord, help me ever recall

Self-complacence, is a trap for all

Help me ne’r judge, things in a flash

Help me avoid, e’er being rash

If I forget my need, of Thee, Lord

Love of self, will become a sword

Which will cut me, from what’s most dear

To displease Thee, give me healthy fear!


[1]           St. Thomas Aquinas quoting St. John Chrysostom in the Catena Aurea on St. Luke’s Gospel, ch.6, vv. 37-38.

[2]           1 Corinthians, 4:7.

God’s Will: Something to submit to, unite to, and trust in

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Catholic Candle note: Below is an article by one of the Catholic Candle Team, which is the fourth in a series of reflections related to humility.  Here are the first three in this series:

➢  https://catholiccandle.neocities.org/faith/god-is-the-sculptor-of-souls.html

➢  https://catholiccandle.neocities.org/faith/gods-school-of-sanctity-humility-hunting-a-source-of-great-delight-for-the-soul.html

 

➢  https://catholiccandle.neocities.org/faith/our-nothingness.html

 

Sweet submission to God’s Will leads to

Uniformity with It and complete trust in God

 

Objective Truth Series – reflections article #4

Who doesn’t feel the need to be safe?  When there is a calamity of nature or some kind of disaster, we seek protection and to survive, and so it is with our souls. God made us this way.   We do ever forget our need of Him and His wonderful Providence, yet God’s draws the soul and teaches it, little by little.  He shows the entire need we have of Him, until finally, the soul is convinced, and has no doubt of its need. A little child knows for sure that he needs his Dad and Mom. The child delights even to see Mom or Dad return home and runs to embrace his parent. Oh, to please his parents is such sweetness! He understands his proper place as the subordinate to his parents. He knows his ignorance, sees what his parents have done and still do for him, and thus sees his debt and what he owes to his parents. Thus, he has such gratitude, and this all builds such loving willingness to please.

Furthermore, a child feels so safe to be in the arms of his parent, he doesn’t care if it’s hot and humid, he just wants to remain there. With such knowledge and confidence in his parents, a child also learns to have a like knowledge of God and a trustful surrender to God. Our Lord alludes to this when He says: “Unless you be converted and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.”  St. Matthew, 18:3.  With this trustful surrender comes such an all-embracing peace of soul that one does not doubt that God is in charge and planning what He wills to do for His friends.  St. Paul reminds us of our need to submit to God and to see ourselves as little children, when he teaches: “For this cause, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named.”  Ephesians, 3:14-15.

God’s Providence continually cares for and assists His friend – the soul of His adopted child.  How wonderful to ponder on this objective truth that we are really adopted children of God!  Now let us sincerely pray to live our true role in God’s eternal plan and lovingly trust Our Heavenly Father!  Then our hearts would perhaps spill over in the following words:

To see my needs is to count without number,

I am in Thy hands, O Lord, like a child in slumber,

How can I help, grateful to be?

When I see how thou carest for me?

 

My biggest need of all, is that I see,

My longing to say, that I love thee,

And I give Thee, a thankful embrace,

And I thankfully fall, before Thy Face.

 

I thankfully rest, once safely in Thy arms,

And I’m so overwhelmed, with Thy charms,

And with Thy wonderful care,

How could I ever wish or dare.

 

To run away from Thee,

Now knowing Thou wouldst ne’r abandon me?

Thou hast given me, complete desire to ev’r see,

That I am lost, if I run away from Thee.

 

But now my heart is filled,

To ever do, what Thou hast willed,

Thy Will is my heart’s desire,

My only safety, my only fire.

 

Oh, for Thy Will, I ever burn,

Oh, for Thy Will, my heart will e’er yearn,

Without Thy help, where can I be?

I need Thee, there is nothing in me.

 

Oh, sweet submission and surrender,

I unite my will with God, so tender,

I am cared for by Him, Whom I trust,

Into His Hands, my heart I thrust.

 

Where rest, peace, and safety I find,

To serve, and love Him with a child-like mind,

On this true view of things so sweet,

There my happiness— my joy complete!

Let’s “Walk A Mile” In Our Lord’s Sandals To Better Understand How He Is Suffering, And How To Comfort Him

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To “walk a mile” in Our Lord’s sandals, we will witness how He has suffered for over 50 years because of the crisis which the Second Vatican Council caused in His Mystical Body, the Catholic Church.

 It is something like a member of your family who has lost the Faith and is now plotting against you as a Traditionalist. For the past 50-plus years Our Lord has been put through His Passion all over again, due to the evil and destructive changes of Vatican II. We will also witness how Church leadership turned against Him to implement these evil heresies. Some of these leaders are anti-Catholic Masons.

To again drive the nails in Our Lord’s hands and feet, Rome is making “saints” of these traitorous conciliar popes.

For a time, there was an archbishop and a society giving comfort to Our Lord by upholding Tradition and resisting the changes. But with the death of Archbishop Lefebvre and with the current leadership in the Society that succumbed to Modernist pressure and Liberalism, all that changed.

This weak leadership is currently willing to compromise principles and lead their followers into the conciliar church and out of the Catholic Church. They do this by making the misguided effort to be recognized by (and subject to) Rome, the seat of the anti-Christ. Much the same as the Society of St. Peter and other religious societies that made a deal with Rome.

Today, the only comfort for Our Lord is the very small remnant of uncompromising Traditional Catholics, who must stand firm, come what may, in order to comfort Our Lord.

This conciliar church is not merely a liberal way of thinking. It is a human organization (which deceptively uses the name “Catholic”).

Listed below are some of the VC II evil, destructive, anti-Catholic heresies put in place by the conciliar church. Consider each one as a painful lash of the whip, as Christ is again scourged at the pillar.

1.            False doctrines (e.g., the teachings of Vatican II);

 

2.            False and sacrilegious worship (e.g., the new mass, with the words of Consecration changed, as if Our Lord didn’t know better and second-guessed Himself);

 

3.            Places for sacrileges (viz., the conciliar churches that were stolen from the Catholic Church;

 

4.            False priesthood (the new concept of priesthood; doubtfully valid ordinations;

 

5.            False laws (e.g., the bad 1983 Code of Canon Law);

 

6.            False catechisms (e.g., the conciliar church catechism, called the “Catechism of the Catholic Church”);

 

7.            False bibles (e.g., those replacing the Douay Rheims Bible);

 

8.            The new politically-correct “Decalogue” (i.e., the new “Ten Commandments”) promoted by “saint” Pope John Paul II);

 

9.            The new politically-correct “beatitudes” promoted by Pope Francis;

 

10.         The new rosary (the so-called “luminous mysteries”);

 

11.         New (supposed) “saints” (e.g., so-called “saint” Pope John Paul II), and the new canonization process;

 

12.         The new (supposed) “sacraments” with conciliar names and formulae;

 

13.         The new (supposed) “miracles” and “apparitions”;

 

14.         The hierarchy, who serve in the Catholic Church’s hierarchy and also in the (anti-Catholic) conciliar church’s hierarchy;

 

15.         The Amazonian Synod pushing for female priests and against priestly celibacy;

 

16.         Corrupt Catholic religious organizations; and

 

17.         All-but-eliminating religious clothing, thereby effectively making priests and sisters a part of the world.

 

This conciliar church is a different (and false) religion. It uses the power structures of the Catholic Church for its own ends, punishing (including excommunicating) those who resist this (false) conciliar church. Again, the conciliar church is a human organization, not just a mindset.

 It is easy to understand how greatly Our Lord is suffering all over again in His

Passion because of the traitorous, conciliar Church leaders implementing anti-Catholic changes in the human element of the Church that He died to establish. Just consider all the souls lost – and will be lost – until Russia is consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

We were told by the leaders of Vatican II that changes must be made – first: in order to be a part of the world, and second: in order to remain relevant in an ever-changing world. These changes have resulted in the destruction of the human element in the Catholic Church.

Christ loves mankind very much to be so exceedingly patient (i.e., giving us time to repent), and for not striking a quick final blow to end this blasphemy.

The above list of heresies promoted by the conciliar church dictates a question that only the New (liberal) SSPX leadership can answer: Why – Why – would any responsible leader want to negotiate a deal with Rome that would subject its followers and clergy to the jurisdiction of the conciliar church?

So, uncompromising Traditional Catholics must continue to comfort Our Lord with

steadfast loyalty to Catholic Tradition and to Christ the King.

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Words to Live by – from Catholic Tradition

No man appears in safety before the public eye unless he first relishes obscurity.  No man is safe in speaking unless he loves to be silent.  No man rules safely unless he is willing to be ruled.  No man commands safely unless he has learned well how to obey.  No man rejoices safely unless he has within him the testimony of a good conscience.

The Imitation of Christ, Book I, Chapter 20.

Our Souls should be Docile Brides of Christ

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Catholic Candle note:  God put us on earth to begin (and then to advance in) the spiritual life.  But how do we do this?  As always, the Catholic Church has the answer! 

In Sacred Scripture and in the teachings of the Doctors of the Church, the Church gives us many helps and explanations.  One tremendous guide to understanding how to advance in the spiritual life, is the comparison of how our spiritual life is like a happy and harmonious, good Catholic marriage.

 

Charity (and the whole spiritual life) are inherently Divine Friendship.[1]  More specifically, the spiritual life should be a spiritual marriage between Christ and each of our souls.  Because spouses should be the very best of friends, marriage is the perfect figure for this union we should have with Christ.

The Canticle of Canticles is full of this imagery of marriage and romantic interchange of lovers, as a way to teach us about the spiritual relationship we should have with Christ.  This spiritual marriage is a soul’s complete surrender to Christ in all things, a total generosity which is prefigured by a happy and harmonious, good Catholic marriage. 

Not only should our souls be spouses of Christ, but they should be as a bride, not as the bridegroom, in this spiritual marriage.  Christ calls Himself the Bridegroom, not the bride.  St. Matthew’s Gospel, 9:15.

Concerning this spiritual marriage which our souls should have with Christ, the great Mystical Doctor, St. John of the Cross, continually calls the soul Christ’s bride and “a maiden”.[2]

Fittingly, the usual word for “soul” (in Latin) is “anima”, which is in the feminine declension, showing the disposition the soul should have towards Christ.  For:

Ø  Just as a wife should be passive and receptive to her husband and be led by him (rather than leading him), likewise the soul should be passive and receptive to her Spouse, Christ, and be led by Him. 

Ø  Just as a bride joins her husband’s life, leaving behind her past life (fittingly signifying this by taking his last name) likewise the soul joins Christ’s Life, and leaves behind her past life.[3]

Conclusion

Let us strive all we can that our souls are good brides to their Spouse, Our Lord Jesus Christ!  Let them be passive and receptive to Christ!  Let them be led wherever Christ leads!  Let them leave behind them their past lives and completely join His life!


[1]           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.

[2]           See, e.g., Spiritual Canticle, St. John of the Cross, Stanza XVIII.


[3]           Concerning the role of women and the great work of their life, read this article: https://catholiccandle.neocities.org/faith/the-role-that-god-gave-to-woman-and-the-great-work-of-her-life.html

 

Comparing the spiritual life to Christ’s relationship with souls – even men’s souls – does not conflict with men’s nature.  Although men should be manly and not womanly, there is no contradiction with a man’s soul being as a bride of Christ in a spiritual marriage with Him, and yet still being a manly man of his wife and being the head of his home and of his wife.  St. Paul shows this compatibility when he teaches that “the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the Church”.  Ephesians, 5:23.

Humility Hunting : A source of great delight for the Soul

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Objective Truth Series – reflections article #2

 The first reflection spoke of the work of God on souls, namely, His forming His Elect.  He has a school of sanctity. What does God teach in this school?  He teaches the life of virtue, most importantly, charity, and its foundation, which is humility.

     

It seems that this school of sanctity happens in levels or stages.  First God attracts the soul to humility. Then the soul seeks knowledge of humility. This fosters more love of this virtue and a desire for more knowledge of it.  By this means God lets the soul absorb humility into the soul and humility gets into the bloodstream, as it were, and into the very marrow of the bones, so to speak. The love of humility takes a sort of hold on the soul and the soul has no desire to stop learning more about humility. On the contrary, the soul becomes more and more enamored with the quest of humility, looking to find examples of this lovely virtue everywhere.

God teaches humility in His school of sanctity to souls throughout their life. His teaching comes in all shapes and forms. It comes in the Scriptures, sermons, good books and articles, from advice of friends, and even from the comments of enemies.  His teaching comes from events and circumstances. His teaching comes from crosses or things that seem like crosses. When a soul begins to seek humility and begins to seek examples of humility, then examples of humility come in abundance!!  For example, when reading Scripture, the words “poor,” and “little”, stand out and represent the humble, whereas, “rich”, and “fat”, represent the proud.  God trains the eye of the soul to spot the words and passages of the Scriptures that refer to the humble and likewise the words and passages that speak of the proud and the words and passages that warn about pride.  

The beauty of humility becomes more and more evident as one “hunts” for examples of humility. Thus, the soul begins to love this virtue with a tender love and delights when it finds another example of humility. The soul becomes able to detect humility in actual examples of those around him as well. Lastly, and most thrilling of all, is the soul taking real notice of the Humility of Jesus Christ Himself. The Gospels take on a wonderful charm of their own when looking to see what the Good Lord Himself shows regarding humility.  There seems to be no end to the examples that Our Lord shows. Our Lord says, “Unless you become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Our Lord speaks of humility so often and with such emphasis, that it is certainly clear that Our Lord desires for His Elect to have humility and that humility is absolutely necessary for salvation. When the hunt has begun, words such as these might come to mind:

O Lord that I may ever seek;

Examples that prove that I am weak;

In passages of Thy Word Divine;

May I find humility in every line.

Delight my soul with this edifying fruit;

To hinder pride from taking deeper root.

In my soul make Thy work complete;

Please make me fitting and meet.

May it be our constant prayer, dear reader, that this hunt for humility takes root in our souls and bear an abundant harvest!

 

Our Nothingness

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Catholic Candle note: Below is an article by one of the Catholic Candle Team, which is the third in a series of reflections related to humility.  Here are the first two in this series:

Objective Truth Series – reflections article #3

Since God is the Sculptor of souls and He naturally begins by attracting souls to humility, then it is fitting that God’s next step is to show man what he is as a creature.[1]  Man is a creature and what a creature!  

And He [God] said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth.

Genesis, 1:2.

And the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth: and breathed into the face the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

Genesis, 2:7.

And where else did this “slime” come from, but from God?

In the beginning God created heaven, and earth.  And the earth was void and empty.

Genesis, 1:1-2.

Imagine, dear reader, our condition – to be made of slime, which was once a void!  Why does “slimy” man think that just because God made man in His Image and Likeness, and gave man dominion over the earth and other creatures existing on earth, that somehow man has the ultimate control over everything around him?

Humans know that although man fell through Original Sin, he still has dominion over the earth and other creatures on the earth.  But man’s “dominion” implies governing and having the care over these things, yet not a control of these things in every way.  However, because of Original Sin, man often thinks that because he has the use of reason, he also has the ultimate control over everything around him.  Man forgets his dependence on God.  A man cannot guarantee himself his next breath nor can he guarantee himself anything else.

Oh, if only we humans could have a tangible sense of our nothingness!  We were created from the slime of the earth and the earth was created out of nothing.

When we see our nothingness, then we see our complete dependence on God.  This helps to humble us. We know from what Our Lord said, “Unless you become as little children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Thus, without humility we will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  

How good God is to show us in countless ways our complete dependence on Him!  What a great wonder that God the Son became Man, one with us poor humans!  This is astounding to think of!  Jesus’ Human Nature was created.  This means that His Human Body and Soul were created.  Like us:

this soul, thus vested, did not exist yesterday, and at any moment might turn again to the void if it were not each moment sustained by the Almighty, for the created being, even of a Man-God, is frail and carries within itself the seeds of dissolution ….  What a spectacle this is – the Word face-to-face with the nature He has associated Himself with!  The Soul of Jesus plunges her astonished and enchanted gaze into the depths of this Divine Ocean, depths that are inaccessible even to her.  At all points, her gaze is arrested and she is conscious of an infinite Beyond.  Throughout the centuries of eternity, never will this soul, united to the Word, fully understand the Word.[2]

Thus, the Lord of lords takes flesh to become the Saint of saints!  He knew His created Human Soul and Body was like ours insofar as It was created out of nothing, like ours and would cease to exist if God did not keep It in existence.  Considering this, how much more we can see our nothingness and why Our Lord could truly say, “Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of Heart.”

We are so dependent on God for everything.  We really can’t help seeing our complete dependence on God.  We depend on God for everything and we are only truly at peace when we see, with all our hearts, our dependence on God.  Very often, God allows us to ponder this truth in our minds.  This is God’s way of instructing us poor creatures and teaching us the habit of pondering this truth – objective truth.  Thus, this beautiful habit, fostered by God, blossoms forth prayers of thanksgiving to God for allowing us to see this basic truth.  We find that we love Him for this truth more and more and this truth takes possession (as it were) of the soul.  Our hearts could burst forth with grateful love of God. May it please God to give us this joy!

Oh, man, oh nothingness,

Created from slime,

Nay, the abyss,

The truth sublime,

Thy creator made you like this.

Dost thou forget,

Your worth is null,

And that thou hast, sin original?

Wounded, ignorant and weak,

You could ne’er speak.

Nor think nor breathe,

Without His leave.

On Him, you depend,

His Goodness wants you,

To be His Friend!

He lets you see,

What you are,

Oh nothingness,

With humility,

He’ll bring you far.

[1]         As St. Ignatius of Loyola points out at the beginning of the Spiritual Exercises, “Man is created …”.

[2]         Path of Humility, Leopold Beaudenom, Burns Oates & Washbourne Ltd., London, ©1920, pp. 128-129.

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Catholic Candle note: The following was written by one of our readers commenting on our recent article about how to say the Rosary.

How to say the Rosary seemed a secret to me.

I was very consoled when I read the Catholic Candle article about how the Rosary is supposed to be said. I remembered how I felt a few years ago when a friend of mine explained to me, that because prayer is the lifting of the heart and mind to God (i.e., speaking personally to God), one is not praying when he isn’t saying something to God. This friend explained that a person has to make acts of the will when saying the Rosary. I remember how embarrassed I was that I didn’t know how to say the Rosary correctly.  I also felt bad because I wasn’t taught this as a child and I thus had not said my Rosaries properly all my life.  Then some time after my friend explained this to me, our pastor at the “old” SSPX chapel explained this true way of saying the Rosary in one of his sermons. I was really relieved because then any other person who might have been confused like I was about the Rosary, would then be informed on how to say it correctly.  I think a lot of Catholics may have a confused idea of how to say the Rosary. I also think the devil has suppressed the true method of how to say the Rosary so that the faithful will not get the full benefits of the Rosaries they say.

For sure, God sees the heart and intentions of a person saying the Rosary and knows when any one is trying his best, but it makes sense to me that the Rosary would be more fruitful and meritorious when one’s will is lifted with acts said to God.  I know from what our (former) pastor said and by trying to say the Rosary with simple little ejaculations (e.g., thinking “I love dear Lord”) while others are leading the decades, I have found myself able to focus much better on the Rosary. Also, I actually find myself looking forward to saying the Rosary, whereas before I rather dreaded it because I had been so distracted. I am so grateful to God that this confusion about the Rosary is finally being addressed publicly.