Our Monthly Devotions

by Albert A. Lings

Efficacious Prayers.

Thirty Days' Prayer To St. Joseph.

To Obtain a Happy Death and Other Good Intentions.

Ever-blessed and glorious Joseph, kind and indulgent father, and compassionate friend of all in sorrow, through that bitter grief with which thy heart was saturated, when thou didst behold the sufferings of the Infant Saviour, and in thy prophetic view didst contemplate His most ignominious Passion and death, take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities, counsel me in my doubts, and console me in all my anxieties. Thou art the good father and protector of orphans, the advocate of the defenceless, the patron of those who are in need and desolation. Do not, then, disregard the petition of thy poor child; my sins have drawn down upon me the just displeasure of my God, and hence I am surrounded with sorrows. To thee, O amiable guardian of the poor neglected family of Nazareth, do I fly for shelter and protection. Listen, then, I entreat [pg 127] of thee, with a father's solicitude, to the earnest prayer of thy poor supplicant, and obtain for me the objects of my petition. I ask it by the infinite mercy of the eternal Son of God, which induced Him to assume our nature and be born into this world of sorrow. I ask it by the grief which filled thy heart when, ignorant of the mystery wrought in thy immaculate spouse, thou didst fear thou shouldst be separated from her. I ask it by that weariness, solicitude, and suffering which thou didst endure when thou soughtest in vain at the inns of Bethlehem a shelter for the sacred Virgin and a birthplace for the Infant God, and when, being everywhere refused, thou wert obliged to consent that the Queen of heaven should give birth to the world's Redeemer in a wretched stable. I ask it by that most sad and painful duty imposed on thee when, the divine Child being eight days old, thou wert obliged to inflict a deep wound on His tender body, and thus be the first to make flow that sacred blood which was to wash away the sins of the world. I ask it by the sweetness and power of that sacred name, Jesus, which thou didst confer on the adorable Infant. I ask it by that mortal anguish inflicted on thee by the prophecy of holy Simeon, which declared the Child Jesus and His holy Mother the future victims of their love and our sins. I ask it through that sorrow and anguish which filled thy soul when the angel declared to thee that the life of the Child Jesus was sought by His enemies, from whose impious designs thou wert obliged to fly with Him and His blessed Mother into Egypt. I ask it by all the pains, fatigues, and toils of that long and perilous pilgrimage. I ask it by all the sorrows thou didst endure when in [pg 128] Egypt thou wert not able, even by the sweat of thy brow, to procure poor food and clothing for thy most poor family. I ask it by all the grief thou didst feel each time the divine Child asked for a morsel of bread, and thou hadst it not to give Him. I ask it by all thy solicitude to preserve the sacred Child and the immaculate Mary during thy second journey, when thou wert ordered to return to thy native country. I ask it by thy peaceful dwelling in Nazareth, in which so many joys and sorrows were mingled. I ask it by thy extreme affliction in being deprived three days of the company of the adorable Child. I ask it by thy joy at finding Him in the Temple, and by the ineffable consolation imparted to thee in the cottage of Nazareth with the company and society of the little Jesus. I ask it by that wonderful condescension by which He subjected Himself to thy will. I ask it through that dolorous view, continually in thy mind, of all thy Jesus was to suffer. I ask it by that painful contemplation, which made thee foresee the divine little hands and feet, now so active in serving thee, one day to be pierced with cruel nails; that head which rested gently on thy bosom, crowned with sharp thorns; that delicate body which thou didst tenderly fold in thy mantle and press to thy heart, stripped and extended on a cross. I ask it by that heroic sacrifice of thy will and best affection by which thou didst offer up to the eternal Father the last awful moment when the Man-God was to expire for our salvation. I ask it by that perfect love and conformity with which thou didst receive the divine order to depart from this life, and from the company of Jesus and Mary. I ask it by that exceeding great joy which filled thy soul when [pg 129] the Redeemer of the world, triumphant over death and hell, entered into the possession of His kingdom, and conducted thee also into it with especial honors. I ask it through Mary's glorious assumption, and through that interminable bliss, which with her, thou wilt eternally derive from the presence of God. O good father! I beseech thee by all thy sufferings, sorrows, and joys, to hear me and to obtain the grant of my earnest petitions. (Here name them or reflect on them.) Obtain for all those who have asked thy prayers all that is useful to them in the designs of God; and finally, my dear protector, be thou with me and all who are dear to me in our last moments, that we may eternally chant the praises of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Amen.

Choice Of St. Joseph As A Patron.

O blessed Joseph, faithful guardian of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, protector of thy chaste spouse, the Virgin Mother of God, I choose thee this day to be my special patron and advocate, and I firmly resolve to honor thee from this time forth. Therefore I humbly beseech thee to receive me as thy client, to instruct me in every doubt, to comfort me in every affliction, to obtain for me and for all the knowledge and love of the Heart of Jesus, and finally to defend and protect me at the hour of death. Amen.

Virginum Custos.

Guardian of Virgins, and father, holy Joseph, to whose faithful care Christ Jesus, Innocence itself, and Mary, Virgin of virgins, were committed, I [pg 130] pray and beg of thee, by these dear pledges, Jesus and Mary, free me from all uncleanness, and make me with spotless mind, pure heart, and chaste body, ever most chastely to serve Jesus and Mary all the days of my life. Amen.

An indulgence of one hundred days, once a day.

Sorrows and Joys of St. Joseph.

1. O glorious St. Joseph, most pure spouse of thy most holy Mary, even as the trouble and anguish of thy heart was great in the perplexity of abandoning thy most chaste and stainless spouse, so, too, inexplicable was thy delight when by the angel was revealed to thee the sovereign mystery of the incarnation.

Through this sorrow and this joy of thine, we pray thee, now and in our last agony, to comfort our soul with the joy of a good life, and of a holy death, like unto thine between Jesus and Mary.

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

2. O glorious St. Joseph, most blessed patriarch, who wast selected for the office of reputed father of the Word made man, the grief which thou didst feel at seeing the Child Jesus born in such great poverty was suddenly changed for thee into heavenly exultation at hearing the angelic harmony, and seeing the glories of that most resplendent night.

Through this sorrow and this joy of thine, we beseech thee to obtain for us that, after the journey of this life is over, we may pass hence to hear the angelic praises, and to enjoy the splendors of the glory of heaven.

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

3. O glorious St. Joseph, who didst fulfil most obediently all God's commands, the most precious blood which the Child Redeemer shed in the circumcision struck death into thy heart, but the name of Jesus revived it, and filled it full of joy.

Through this sorrow and this joy of thine, obtain for us that, all vices having been taken from us during life, we may expire in exultation with the most holy name of Jesus in our hearts and upon our lips.

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

4. O most glorious St. Joseph, most faithful saint, who wast a partaker in the mysteries of our redemption, if Simeon's prophecy of that which Jesus and Mary were to suffer caused thee a mortal pang, it filled thee also with a blessed joy at the salvation and glorious resurrection of innumerable souls, which he at the same time foretold would thence proceed.

Through this sorrow and this joy of thine, obtain for us that we may be of the number of those who, through the merits of Jesus, and at the intercession of the Virgin Mother, are to rise again in glory.

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

5. O glorious St. Joseph, most watchful guardian and familiar attendant of the incarnate Son of God, how much didst thou suffer in supporting and in serving the Son of the Most High, particularly in the flight which thou hadst to make into Egypt; but how much again didst thou rejoice at having always with thee that same God, and at seeing the idols of Egypt fall to the ground.

Through this sorrow and this joy of thine, obtain for us that, by keeping far from us hell's tyrant, especially by flying from dangerous occasions, every idol of earthly affection may fall from our hearts; and that, wholly occupied in the service of Jesus and of Mary, we may live for them alone, and die a happy death.

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

6. O glorious St. Joseph, angel of the earth, who didst marvel at beholding the King of heaven subject to thy commands, if thy consolation at bringing him back from Egypt was disturbed by the fear of Archelaus, yet, assured by the angel, thou didst with Jesus and Mary dwell in joy at Nazareth.

Through this sorrow and this joy of thine, obtain for us that our heart, unclouded by hurtful fears, may enjoy peace of conscience, and that we may live secure with Jesus and Mary, and with them may also die.

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

7. O glorious St. Joseph, model of all holiness, when, without fault of thine, thou hadst lost the Child Jesus, thou didst seek Him for three days in the greatest sorrow, until with joyful heart thou didst possess again thy life, finding Him in the Temple, among the doctors.

Through this sorrow and this joy of thine, with fervent sighs we supplicate thee to interpose in our behalf, that so it may never befall us to lose Jesus by mortal sin; but that, if unhappily we ever lose Him, we may seek Him again with unwearied sorrow, until once more we find His favor, especially at the moment [pg 133] of our death, that so we may pass to the enjoyment of Him in heaven, and there, with thee, sing His divine mercies for all eternity.

Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father.

Ant. Jesus Himself was beginning about His thirtieth year, being (as it was supposed) the son of Joseph.

V. Pray for us, O holy Joseph.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray.

O God, Who by Thy ineffable providence didst vouchsafe to choose the blessed Joseph for the spouse of Thy most holy Mother; grant, we beseech thee, that he whom we venerate as our protector on earth may be our intercessor in heaven; Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.

Indulgences: One hundred days each time, three hundred days on Wednesdays, three hundred days on each day of the two novenas before St. Joseph's feast and his patronage; plenary on those two feasts; plenary once a month for daily recital; three hundred days for each Sunday when recited seven Sundays running. Applicable to the dead.

Responsory To St. Joseph.

Ye that would live and die secure,

In merit strong, of mercy sure,

Choose Joseph for your heavenly friend

To guide your steps and bless your end.

He was sweet Mary's consort dear,

And Jesus' sire, when exiled here;

Just, true, of purity untold,

Say, shall he ask and God withhold?

He worshipp'd at the manger-bed,

And then the exile comforted;

And sought his Son, and joyous found,

While on His Father's business bound.

He through sweet toil and patient pains

The world's Artificer sustains;

And Whom th' angelic legions praise

Obedience to His creature pays.

And now he waxes old, and dies;

But first beholds with loving eyes,

Jesus and Mary, gracious sight—

Then sleeps entranced in deep delight.

Ant. Behold the faithful and prudent servant whom the Lord set over His house.

V. Pray for us, holy Joseph.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Litany of St. Joseph.

(For Private Devotion Only.)

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Jesus hear us.

Jesus, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, spouse of St. Joseph, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, confirmed in grace, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, guardian of the Word Incarnate, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, favorite of the King of heaven, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, ruler of the family of Jesus, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, spouse of the ever-blessed Virgin, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, nursing-father to the Son of God, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, example of humility and obedience, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, mirror of silence and resignation, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, patron of innocence and youth, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, exiled with Christ in Egypt, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, intercessor for the afflicted, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, advocate for the humble, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, model of every virtue, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, honored among men, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, union of all Christian perfection, Pray for us.

St. Joseph, patron of the dying, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Lord!

V. Pray for us, O holy St. Joseph.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray.

Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, by the merits of the spouse of Thy most holy Mother, that what our unworthiness cannot obtain may be given us by his intercession with Thee, Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.

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April. The Passion: Meditations for Every Day of Lent.

During the month of April we generally celebrate Holy Week, and so this month is dedicated to the Passion of Our Lord. The followers of Christ should be acquainted with the history of their leader, Jesus, the Master; they should know what He has endured for His followers, and they should think frequently of His sufferings, especially in Lent, when the Church, in all her offices, keeps the commemoration of the Passion foremost in her mind. There are many things to be done during this month. You ought to recite the stations of the cross privately, or be present when they are publicly performed; hear sermons on religious topics, practise a little fast or abstinence. This last is not so much to do, yet God takes note of it, and makes a great fuss over it, like a father that has received an insignificant present from his child. Take from any book the meditations on the Passion, read them slowly, and with sympathy; slowly, so as to be able to follow the recital and to be able to realize it; with sympathy, that you should bring to it a feeling for Our Lord, and show that you are touched with all that He endured for you. The God-man going to a disgraceful death, after a most apparently unsuccessful life, should make us feel for the loving Jesus. St. Augustine remarks that nothing is so useful to our advancement in the spiritual life, as daily to meditate on the Passion of Our Lord. Certainly the most appropriate time for these considerations and prayers is during Lent, which happens about this time.

We shall give forty short considerations for every day in Lent. They can be begun upon Ash Wednesday; we will then strive to gain spiritual benefit from these considerations, by perusing them with piety and with a great love for our crucified Lord. Before the time of Augustine, Origen writes that it is impossible for a man to remain in sin, as long as he often remembers the [pg 137] sufferings of Our Lord, and nothing will so inflame our hearts with love for Christ. Father Alvarez said that so many Christians are lost, because they ignore the treasures that are concealed in the Passion of Our Lord; and he led his penitents to perfection by enjoining on them frequent contemplation of the Passion. St. Francis de Sales tells us, “That every wound of Our Lord is a tongue, which teaches what the Lord suffered for us.” What flames of love will naturally burn in our hearts, when we see the love with which Our Lord regarded us! Happy, therefore, the soul who will find leisure for this holy exercise of the mind and heart. “You will draw water with joy from the fountains of the Saviour.” The sinner will receive confidence in the mercy of God, and know that his case is not so desperate as long as he has the wounds of the Lord to plead to the Father for mercy and forgiveness—for all our transgressions have been laid upon the shoulders of Jesus.

How, then, can we have any fear, says St. Paul, that God will refuse us His graces? “He that spared not even His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.”

Considerations and Prayers for Every Day.

First Day.

Before Our Lord's suffering took place, He disclosed to His disciples the story of the cross. It was good for them to understand and to remember what the sufferings of Jesus were to be. The prophets of the Old Testament had declared that the Son of man must suffer. Daniel, especially, describes the Passion of Our Lord very minutely. This was the future that was before Our Lord, and it was well that the disciples should know it and think of it. So it should be with ourselves. We, too, are the disciples and followers of Christ, and we, too, must make the Passion a subject of serious thought. The Church has chosen the Lenten time as the most appropriate for this exercise. She joins penance with this meditation, as being the most efficacious means of stirring [pg 138] ourselves up to a pious life. Let us approach these meditations with a conviction that we are really unworthy to be admitted to the graces of this holy contemplation; but Jesus will help us.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, whilst before Thy face I humbly kneel, and with burning soul pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, true contrition for my sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; the while I contemplate with great love and tender pity Thy five wounds, pondering over them within me, whilst I call to mind the words which David, Thy prophet, said of Thee, my Jesus: “They pierced My hands and My feet; they numbered all My bones.”—Ps. xxi. 17, 18.

Second Day.

It is not hard to understand why the Lord desires us to think of His Passion. St. Francis Xavier is said to have gone over the Passion once every month; but we know, too, with what love he was attached to the Lord, with what wonderful patience and perseverance he continued to labor. It was the effect of the meditation on the Passion. We, too, should grow in the love of Our Lord. But how will we grow, unless by contemplating all that Jesus has done for us in His Passion, until He died on the cross? As the Apostle says, “He loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.” In this way the Lord wants us to study His Passion, so that we may learn how intensely He loved us; that although He was God, and we poor miserable creatures, still He [pg 139] did not hesitate to sacrifice His life in order to redeem us from eternal perdition.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Third Day.

Our Lord desires that we should think of His Passion, in order that we may imitate Him in our own sufferings: for we have many things to endure in this life on account of the original fault of our first parents. You will learn to die with Christ, and your sympathetic heart will avoid sin. By the frequent thought of the Passion the Lord will have you love the sacrifice of the Mass, where in an unbloody manner the Passion of Our Lord is repeated, and we begin to appreciate it the more the better we understand their relation to each other. The Lord will have you show sympathy for Him in His sufferings; for you must remember that it was for you that He suffered, that you caused His suffering by your sins. Now, if you have inflicted these punishments on the Lord, would it not be an act of horrible ingratitude if you were not to show your sympathy for Christ? Another effect of the contemplation of the Passion will be that you shall be stirred up to do great things for Christ. Your time of labor will be sanctified, and your life will be given to the service of Jesus.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Fourth Day.

We should think often of the Passion of Our Lord, but not with coldness or repugnance. It is a sad subject, and not at all pleasing to the human feelings, but when we have learned to love Jesus it will be an exercise that will make us very happy. We are dreadfully poor spiritually, and nowhere will we be able to find more spiritual wealth than in the Heart of Jesus in His Passion. “There flow living fountains of blessed waters, there is the bread of life.” Approach, then, with a lively faith to the foot of the cross, and remain there faithfully; let the blood of the Lord flow upon your body and soul, realize that Jesus died for you, see Mary, our dear Mother, beneath the cross; St. John and Mary Magdalen, with some other faithful followers of Christ at a short distance from it; associate yourself with them and study what were their sentiments; try to bring them home to yourself, and your heart will surely fill up with love, gratitude, and confidence.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Fifth Day.

The feeling of love towards Our Lord must be specially aroused. We are supposed to have the faith: but we need more love, so that we may understand why Our Lord underwent such terrible sufferings for poor humanity. Let us look upon the Lord: He is an innocent, holy person, an untiring [pg 141] benefactor, a true friend, a wonderful consoler, a man of peace and of blessings, the noble Son of the great King, the Son of God Himself. This good Jesus has saved you from eternal damnation. He descended from heaven and did the work of a miserable slave. And the worst and bitterest consideration is that you really, individually and personally, are the cause of the sufferings of Christ. You have struck Him in the face and spit upon Him, you have crucified Him, you have mocked and derided Him, and cried out, “Vah; if Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.” The Lord, reflecting upon all His sufferings, declared that all this happened in the house of His beloved ones. What did the Lord do to you, that you should treat Him in this manner? Now then return Jesus love for all this, and He will be satisfied.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Sixth Day.

The Jews now began to consult among themselves how to catch Jesus by some intrigue or other. Our Lord could have avoided the Passion; He might have prolonged His life, but He wanted to die just then. The machinations of the Jews could only furnish an occasion for the death of Our Lord, but it was His own divine will that regulated time, place, and circumstance. Judas the disciple makes a contract with the high priests that on a certain night, when the Lord would go out to Gethsemani [pg 142] to pray according to His custom, the high priests would be ready with their guards to bind Him. For the miserable price of thirty pieces of silver was the Lord sold, by a man whom He had befriended so much in His career of public ministration.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Seventh Day.

Let us consider the case of Judas in another reflection and apply it to ourselves. Judas began as well, perhaps, as any of the other disciples; but now he is approaching the dreadful abyss of sin into which he fell, as we know from the Gospel. How much the Lord did for that disciple! By kind words and patience, He made him understand that though He knew of his impending fall, still He did not cast him off, but tried to win him back. When Judas had eaten the morsel which Our Lord had presented to him, the devil seemed to have entered into him. It was only then that the Lord gave him up, and bade him go and do quickly what he had in his mind. Now His mercy is at an end, and with terrible severity Our Lord speaks of the scandal, and says it would have been better that Judas had never been born. All this shows that unless we co-operate with the grace which God almighty offers us, we, too, shall fall into sin, notwithstanding all the good instruction and good example given us. It shows that if we follow our own bent of evil intentions, we will go from bad to worse in spite of all that God has done. There are times of grace that are all-important for us.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Eighth Day.

When the Lord sat at the Last Supper He made all the apostles aware of their future infidelity. Simon Peter spoke for himself rather than for all, when he said: “Although all should be scandalized in Thee, I will not: I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison and to death.” Our Lord foresaw his frailty and corrected him for his presumption, though no doubt it was well meant at the time, and said to him, “Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat.” Peter followed the Lord from afar, to see what the end would be, and entering the courtyard of the prison, he was accosted by a maid-servant, and before her and the bystanders he cursed and blasphemed that he “did not know the man.” As in the case of Peter, so Our Lord knows our frailty—that we cannot stand by ourselves. We ought to distrust ourselves, and remember how sinful we have been, and now that we stand be careful lest we fall.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Ninth Day.

The Lord called His disciples together in order to eat the Pasch with them for the last time on earth, and also take a long farewell of them. They [pg 144] would not meet again until after the resurrection. St. John the Evangelist gives us much of the discourses which the Lord held with His disciples. “Let not your heart be disturbed,” He says, “at what is going to happen to Me.” The sorrow at parting, and the dreadful suffering which the Master was to undergo, acted in a most depressing manner on their spirits. No wonder they felt so downcast. He was their great friend, the joy of their heart, and now He is about to leave them. It is related that when Jesus was a boy, His companions felt such consolation in His presence that when any of them were distressed, they would say, “Let us go to the Son of Mary; He will console us.” Even now Jesus is our great joy and consolation; now that He is to be found in the Blessed Sacrament, now that He is in heaven at the right hand of the Father, to Him we can always go, and find refuge in His kindness.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Tenth Day.

At the Last Supper Our Lord continued His discourse, consoling and encouraging His disciples by telling them: “In My Father's house there are many mansions; if not, I would have told you: that I go to prepare a place for you.”—John xiv. 2. Lift up your eyes, My beloved disciples, from this vale of tears to heaven, where you are to dwell for all eternity. My separation from you will be but short. I will go to heaven, and where I am, My faithful servants shall be. This earth is a desert for the one [pg 145] that loves God; there is no hope of peace and perfect happiness. Eternal joys are reserved for us in heaven if we are faithful to Jesus, and confide in Him. Though our sins may be many and great, we will be washed clean in the blood of the Lamb, and we may still hope to enter the realms prepared for us by Christ Himself. Resolve now to be noble-hearted in the service of God, and shrink not from work or suffering.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Eleventh Day.

After the discourse at the Last Supper Jesus takes off His outer garments, girds Himself with a towel, pours water into a vessel, and approaches Peter to wash his feet. For this purpose the Lord kneels down and prepares to wash Peter's feet. Peter is really shocked at this self-abasement; he revolts at the thought that he should allow this to be done to him by his divine Master, Whom he had acknowledged, and Whom he knew to be God. Our Lord practised this out of humility, at this solemn moment just before parting from His disciples, to show how important this humility is, and to make a great impression on all of us. We, too, must be humble, and humiliate ourselves as did Our Lord. We cannot practise virtue without humility; we cannot enter heaven unless we possess this virtue. He washes the feet of the apostles just before the two great acts of His life: the institution of the Blessed Sacrament and the beginning of His sacred Passion.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twelfth Day.

Our Lord was determined to perform the ceremony of the washing of the feet of St. Peter and the apostles. He advised Peter to be obedient, and to allow the washing to take place, otherwise he would have no part with Him. When Peter heard this he became very much afraid, and with his usual ardor he cried out: “Lord, not only my feet, but my head, my whole body.” Our Lord answered: “He that has his feet washed is entirely cleansed. You are washed clean, still not all.” By this, reference was made to the condition of Judas. Why does the Lord make reference to the washing of the feet? Because it is the feet that are soiled when we come in contact with the world; but if our feet do not touch the world, if our hearts are above the things of this world, we may be sure that we have not contracted any filth on the soul.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirteenth Day.

After the ceremony of the washing of the feet, Our Lord concludes His discourse by telling His apostles that now He will not say much more to them, for the prince of this world, Satan, is about to [pg 147] approach to claim a share in His sacred humanity: but in that He has no part. This He tells them, that the world may acknowledge that the Son loves His Father, and that He does all that is required of Him.—John xiv. 30. There are many who love to sit at the table of the Lord, to be filled with consolation, and to enjoy the spiritual luxury of His company. But few there are who would follow Christ to the cross. We must not only love the table of the Lord, but we must also be with Him in His Passion. We should suffer the trials sent to us, as good followers of the Lord Jesus. Remain then with the Lord under all circumstances, whether it be for consolation or bitterness of suffering. Some of the saints understood this so well that they prayed for afflictions.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Fourteenth Day.

And now, after the Last Supper, the Lord goes forth with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemani, where He is so overcome with fear and sorrow, that He seems to cling to the society of the apostles for consolation. Falling down on His face, He prays that the chalice might pass, yet not as He would, but as the Father willed it. The disciples slept as if they had lost all sympathy for the Lord. But why is Our Saviour so distressed? Why is He so downcast? The sins and the consequences of sin appear before Him so vividly, and He is so overwhelmed with them, that He feels His soul oppressed [pg 148] unto death. He sees all the misery of humanity, all the cruelty practised by man, all the ignorance and degradation of the world; and for this He must suffer, to bring God's mercy again to man. He is to take upon Himself all the sins of mankind. He is to be degraded to the level of a slave, to die the same death, and all for us.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Fifteenth Day.

In the terrible agony of Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemani, the Lord saw all the sins of mankind. He sees the injustice of man in comparison to the eternal justice of God. He beholds their ingratitude to His everlasting love, their obduracy against the sweet mercy of God. This leprosy of sin has been laid on the Lord, so that, as the Psalmist says: “The confusion of my face hath covered me.”—Ps. xliii. 16. He is filled with the confusion of shame, because sin is so horrible. His soul is overwhelmed with bitterness, because sin is so full of malice and insult to God. Thus covered with our shame, He appears before His heavenly Father, prone on His face on the ground. The heavenly Father does not recognize His Son; Jesus prays, but is not heard. The justice of God casts Him away. He begs the Father for help, but He will not bend His ear to the supplication of His Son. Jesus waits for consolation, but instead receives His death sentence. He must drink the cup of sorrow to the very dregs.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Sixteenth Day.

The Lord bade His disciples watch and pray, but hardly has He left them to themselves than they fall asleep. Judas is not asleep; he is actively engaged in getting his company together, giving them instructions how to proceed, so that they might elude the power of the Lord. But the disciples sleep, and are careless of the Lord's interests. No wonder that the indifference of the disciples gave Him an additional pang. We, too, are the disciples of the Lord. Why do we sleep while the enemy is sowing the seed of error and irreligion? What effect has the instructions, the counsels of the divine Master, had upon us? They are all forgotten, and we look to our own comfort and to our pleasures; we go after the world, money and honors, but think little of God. Let us then watch and pray; the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak. The soul would act otherwise, if the body had not been allowed an almost limitless freedom while the soul is dying of spiritual starvation. Give your soul an opportunity to rise above the low necessities of the body, and the spirit will then be strong to compel the body to obey.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Seventeenth Day.

When Our Lord had prayed and struggled in this mortal agony, He arose and assembled His disciples about Him, and awaited the coming of the traitor. And as He was yet speaking, behold, the crowd arrived, and Judas, one of the twelve, was with them; coming up to Jesus, he kissed Him, and the Lord said: “Judas, with a kiss you betray the Son of man.” Judas thus betrays the Lord with the sign of friendship. He comes up to Him as of old, when returning from a missionary tour, he was met by the Lord with open arms, and he, as well as the other disciples, would tell of their labors, their successes, and the good they had done. And now, as if to throw the Lord off His guard, he pretends to have the same spirit within his breast. O Lord Jesus! with what kindness didst Thou not even then receive Judas, that he might see that Thou didst still love him. In our frequent infidelities the Lord comes to us with the same sweetness and goodness. He would lead us back to our duties and the recognition of our faults. O that we would listen to the words of Our Lord!

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Eighteenth Day.

When Judas had given that traitorous sign, the kiss of peace, the disciples all fled. Our Lord had commanded, “If therefore you seek Me, let these go their way.” No sooner had the disciples [pg 151] seen that the Lord presented His hands to be tied, than they ran off in the greatest hurry. They had forgotten the assurance they had given that they would remain faithful. They whose feet had been washed in all humility by Our Lord, Who had fed them a short time before with His sacred body and blood. We are not far inferior in infidelity to the disciples. In the morning we have gone to communion, and before the day is over we have fallen into grievous sin. We had made many resolutions at our last confession, and at the approach of the first temptation we have fallen into the same sins again. We leave, without much concern, Jesus, the best friend we have in this world. Oh, let us remain faithful to the good Master of our souls, Who, after this life is over, promises us eternal rewards.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Nineteenth Day.

Then the soldiers came up, and bound the Lord's hands as He willingly offers them. He makes no opposition whatsoever. He might have continued the exhibition of His power by which they fell back three times, and He might have walked away. But the time of the Passion had come, and He allows the soldiers to have the mastery over Him. Christ has dissolved our bonds, and He is bound Himself; in fact, by that binding Christ has merited to loosen us from the slavery of Satan. But Christ was also bound that we, too, may bind ourselves in [pg 152] the law of God, and be faithful to its observance all the days of our life. Tie your will to the chains of the Lord Jesus; honor those chains, yes, even love them, as they are the bonds of the union between you and Him. Make up your mind to follow Christ, to be united to Him, and never desire to be freed from this close friendship.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twentieth Day.

The priests, the high priests and the Pharisees, the great enemies of the Lord, had held a meeting in expectation of bringing the prisoner for accusation and condemnation. This was the court to which the innocent Jesus was dragged; these were all His enemies. They all tried to destroy Him, and now the opportunity seems to present itself, and they are going to make the best of it. They are going to condemn Jesus; they encourage false witnesses, that they may make a show, at least, of the justice of the condemnation. It is considered necessary to put Jesus out of the way. “It is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.”—John xii. 50. In all this Our Lord is silent; not a word does Jesus utter in self-defence. How easily could the divine wisdom confound human ingenuity, the skill of the lawyers, and the malice of the high priests. But Jesus held a mysterious silence, in which we must adore Him.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty-first Day.

Peter, the great disciple of Jesus, he to whom the Lord had given so much, whom He had brought to Mount Thabor, for whom He paid taxes as for Himself; this Peter denied His Master. When Our Lord had been apprehended, Peter followed from afar, to see what would be the end of all this tragedy. He went on at some distance from Our Lord, until he reached the courtyard, where he could see all that was passing. There, among the soldiers, servants, and curiosity-seekers, he stood, as if he had no interest in the affair except that which would bring any stranger there. They would not have known him, only for a woman who sat in such a way that the light fell on Peter's face, and she immediately declared, “This man was with Him.” But Peter denied that fact; another and a third asserted that Peter was with Christ, for he was a Galilean—but Peter denied the accusation with an oath.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty-second Day.

We ought, right here, to think of the reasons of the terrible treason of Peter. We may suppose that his crime was no smaller than was that of Judas. We know what was the fate of Judas—what will be the fate of Peter? The cause of Peter's [pg 154] fall was his presumption. He imagined that he was strong enough to go to heaven, and to lead a good life without watching or praying—of course he would go to prison or death with Jesus. Instead of following the Lord closely, right among the soldiers who apprehended Him, he followed a long way off, giving as an excuse that he wished to see the outcome of the affair. He follows, and places himself in the very occasion of sin. He knew he could not be there long without being detected, but he resolved to deny, and even to take false oaths to secure himself.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty-third Day.

When Peter had thus, with indescribable meanness, denied Our Lord, Jesus turned and gave him a look of compassion. Then Peter recollected the words of Jesus, that before the cock would crow he would have denied Him thrice. Great was the sorrow in the heart of Peter after this look; he remembered himself, and filled with shame walked out and wept bitterly. This look which the Lord gave Peter was merciful and kind; so loving that it drew him back again from the sin into which he had fallen; it encouraged him to look for forgiveness, and did not drive him to despair. Judas too acknowledged his sin, but he felt no repentance; he despaired of the great kindness of God. Instead of throwing himself at the feet of Jesus, he committed another crime—that of suicide. To Peter came a [pg 155] flood of tears. There is no doubt that his sorrow for this great offence lasted all his lifetime; he could not think of the circumstance but the picture of his infidelity arose before him.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty-fourth Day.

The infidelity of Peter should lead us to think of our own condition. How often have we sinned? how often have we been unfaithful to Jesus Christ? how often have we betrayed Him? Did we ever feel the tears of sorrow gushing from our hearts? and if we did have sorrow and repentance in the Sacrament of Penance, did we not soon forget it all, as if our faults were less serious than they really are? Often the Lord looks at us when we are in sin, often have we felt that His eyes were on us, full of love, of mercy and goodness; but we were in sin, in the occasion of it, and we would not give it up even though we added more sorrow to that which Our Lord was already suffering. Set your hope, however, in the Lord; look up to Him with pleading eyes, that He may give you the strength, the will, and the grace to rise from your fall. Say to your sins, and your companions in sin, go away from me. Yes, our sins more than any other misfortune should make us despise the world, with all its sinful allurements.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty-fifth Day.

Pilate put the question to the Lord, “Art Thou the King of the Jews?” He wanted to hear from Christ's own lips whether He pretended to the earthly crown of a kingdom, over which the Roman power held sway. But Our Lord had no kingdom on this earth, and He answered, “For this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should give testimony to the truth.” Pilate did not want to be convinced of the truth, and he answered indifferently, “What is truth?” The Lord came into this world to spread the truth of the Gospel; He wished to teach us that truth which makes us truly free. The Lord wishes to show us the way in which we should walk in order to reach Him. But the world is not anxious for such enlightenment, any more than Pilate. For nineteen hundred years the Church of God has been teaching truth. But the world does not accept the teaching of Jesus as truth; the world is too proud to receive this humble teaching. And yet Our Lord's voice rings clear, “Every one that is of the truth, heareth My voice.”

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty-sixth Day.

Pilate went out to consult with the Jews, the accusers of Christ, and he told them that he found no cause of death in Christ. He admitted that there might be some rebellion which ought to be punished, and that he would administer a severe [pg 157] punishment and then would set Him free. See Our Lord, humbly standing before this unjust judge; see the soldiers, as soon as the order was given, tear off His garments, drag Him over to the column of marble, and there bind Him. Then they take the stout cords, on the ends of which are leaden balls with spikes, and whirling them over their heads, they let them fall cruelly on Christ's shoulders. The blood spurts from every wound, and soon the place about the column is covered with blood. The crime of that flagellation was so great that no human words can express it. In what a dreadful state Our Lord was left after it was over—how exhausted! From the soles of His feet to the crown of His head there was no sound spot in Him.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty-seventh Day.

When the Lord had been scourged, the soldiers platted a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, pressing it down, striking the crown with sticks that they might save their hands from wounds, and then they put a purple garment on Him. All this was done to mock Him, because He said He was a king: the crown of royalty He bore on His head, and the purple garment which kings generally wore covered His body. They carried out their derision still farther; they bent their knees before Him, and having blindfolded Him, they struck Him in the face, asking Him to point out who was the one that had given Him the blow. O loving face of Jesus! [pg 158] upon which the angels desired to gaze; look with pity on poor humanity that dost treat Thee so cruelly; look with pity on our inordinate desires to satisfy the demands of our passions. Ah, Thou knowest who hast heaped these insults upon Thee! In Thy omnipresence Thou seest the sins which we commit. The Jews, indeed, treated Thee as a mock king, and like a fool, whilst poor mankind in its ignorance hast prepared all these torments for Thee.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty-eighth Day.

Pilate must have witnessed much of this cruelty, as it was inflicted right in his court, with his consent, perhaps even by his orders. What a frightful spectacle it was to look upon this figure of a man, scourged almost beyond recognition, with a crown of thorns on His head, bound, and a cloak thrown over His shoulders. Pilate thought that this spectacle would render the Jews merciful, that the punishment had been sufficient. So he led Our Lord over an archway and placed Him in full view of the assembled multitude, saying: “Behold the man!” Yes, O Christian heart, look at the Lord exhausted after the scourging, the crown of thorns on His head, clotted blood in His face, burning with a fever heat, ready to die from loss of blood. O my Jesus, what sufferings didst Thou not endure to satisfy the cruelty of man! Thou hast become a spectacle before God and the world. But the Jews were hardened. The sight of Christ in this condition did not move them. [pg 159] They cried, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him.”

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Twenty-ninth Day.

When the Jews demanded the death of Christ so vehemently, Pilate had water brought to him, in which he washed his hands, as a sign that he was innocent of the great crime of condemning Our Lord to the death of the cross. Still he condemned Him, and wrote the inscription of the cross himself. The Lord was led out to be crucified. St. Catharine of Emmerich saw in a vision the rapture with which Jesus received the cross. That He knelt down and addressed the wood with loving words. It was the consummation of the Lord's desires. His whole aim in life was that He should die on the cross, so now He stretches out His arms to receive that precious burden, the seat of His love, the instrument of His mercy, and the sign of triumph. Dear cross! no longer are you the wood of disgrace on which malefactors are to die; you are now the sign of glory. No longer are you the accursed wood, but the glory of the elect. Cross and altar are now the same thing to us; the altar is our joy and happiness, so also is the cross. The Christian who has no love for the cross is to be pitied.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirtieth Day.

The Lord takes the holy cross on His shoulders, at the foot of Calvary, and carries it up to the summit. What a journey that was, full of sorrow and pain! He falls several times; He meets His holy Mother on the way and exchanges some words of consolation with her. He meets the weeping women of Jerusalem, and bids them weep over themselves and over their children. Simon the Cyrenean is compelled to help carry the heavy weight of the cross. Veronica, a devout woman, offers a handkerchief, that the Lord may wipe His sacred countenance. Two malefactors are also to be crucified with the Saviour. He does not despise their company: He wished to be numbered among the most abject of sinners, for He carries in His cross all the sins of mankind. He has to make reparation to the heavenly Father for them all. At this sight let us no longer grumble at our crosses, but let us bear them lovingly and cheerfully.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirty-first Day.

After terrible exertion in consequence of His exhaustion, loss of blood, want of food and rest, Our Lord arrives at the summit of Mount Calvary, called Golgotha, the place of execution, the mount of skulls. Our Lord would have died in consequence of the terrible punishment He had received, only the power of His heavenly Father kept Him [pg 161] alive. Arriving on the spot, His clothes are cruelly torn off His sacred body, the wounds are reopened and bleed afresh. He kneels down, and at the command of His executioners He extends His arms and feet to the places to which they were to be attached. The soldiers take nails and hammers, and drive nails into the palms of His hands, fixing them to the cross; then His feet are nailed also. When all this has been done they raise the cross to an erect position and set it in the ground. Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is present; she hears the strokes of the hammer—every sound pierces her heart. O Mother of sorrows! make me feel the dreadful crucifixion in my soul; divide thy sorrows with me. Mary Magdalen, the penitent woman, hastens to the foot of the cross. St. John, the beloved disciple, is there also.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirty-second Day.

The executioners then sat down before the cross, and watched Our Lord. They played dice for His garments; it was their sinful perquisite to take possession of anything that a dying criminal left. Our Lord was poor and had nothing but His garments, and these were accordingly distributed. Our Lord hung on the cross; not a word had so far passed His lips; uncomplaining, sunk in deep prayer, the sacrifice of the cross was going on for our sins, the Lamb of God was on the slaughter bench, pouring forth His blood without giving a sign of pain. He hangs between two murderers. He is not distinguished [pg 162] from them in misery, except that He prays and they blaspheme. The Jews now celebrate their triumph; they are gathered about in knots, mocking and laughing. They invite Him to descend from the cross: that then they would believe in Him. Jesus still wears the crown of thorns, and over His head, attached to the wood, are the words: “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirty-third Day.

The first words which Our Lord utters after a long silence, are words of mercy, and a prayer for forgiveness: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Jesus prays for His enemies, for His executioners, before He speaks a word of comfort to His holy Mother. He looks for no revenge, casts no threats at them, does not complain of their inhuman conduct. He only thinks that by His prayer He may save them. In the meantime the thief on His right acknowledges his faults, defends the Lord, and begs for mercy, which he receives on the spot with a promise of being with Christ in paradise on that very day. The centurion also acknowledges the divinity of Christ, and many who are around the cross strike their breasts, and are converted. Now that the sacrifice had been offered Jesus sees His Mother at the foot of the cross, and the disciple whom He loved. Turning to Mary He said “Woman, behold thy son,” and to the disciple, “behold thy Mother,” and from that hour [pg 163] John, as a dutiful son, took Mary under his protection.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirty-fourth Day.

After Our Lord had hung on the cross for three hours, a great darkness came over the whole universe. The sun refused to give light. Amid this weird darkness and silence Our Lord completes His sacrifice. When the world seems to desert you, and the horror of God's vengeance appears to surround you, take heart, raise your eyes to Jesus crucified, and pray Him to strengthen you in patience and endurance until the darkness is over, and you can again find comfort in God's mercy. The Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus, in the days of His flesh, poured forth prayers and supplications with a great cry, and was heard out of reverence.—Heb. v. 7. So the sacrifice of Christ was accepted, and the debt which you owed for your sins was expiated on the cross. You need no longer be afraid that your wretchedness will bring on you eternal damnation; by the merits of this sacred Passion you have a hope that you may enter into eternal glory.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirty-fifth Day.

“I thirst.” The greatest affliction Our Lord had to endure on the cross was the thirst. The fever after loss of blood and the severe and cruel [pg 164] sufferings, the torments of a whole night, had dried up the moisture of His body. “My strength is dried up like a potsherd,” was said of Him by the Prophet: “and My tongue hath cleaved to My jaws.”—Ps. xxi. 16. We honor this holy thirst by abstaining during Lent from all intoxicating drink, and many souls have received great blessings from God for this veneration. It is the intention that ennobles the act, and the smallest offering accompanied by a good will pleases God. Our Lord suffered this thirst to atone for our sins, that we might not go to hell, where we would thirst for all eternity. Remember Dives in the Gospel, who begged for one drop of water to be placed on his tongue. Our Lord, dying with thirst, yearned for the salvation of your soul. This was the thirst symbolized by His bodily thirst.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirty-sixth Day.

At last the hour has come, in which Jesus considers that He has made reparation to His heavenly Father for all the sins of mankind. The chalice has been drained—all possible humiliation had been heaped upon Him. Jesus cried, “It is consummated.” All the work of salvation is now at an end. All the sufferings that the Father has ordained in His eternal providence have been undergone. “The work which Thou gavest me, I have performed.” The work of grace is accomplished. About the ninth hour, Our Lord cried out, with a loud voice, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” [pg 165] The Father had demanded the death of the Son. He must be exterminated with the most cruel torments; nothing less than death will satisfy the Father. He turns to the Father for one look of kindness, but He receives none, until that hated human flesh has been punished.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirty-seventh Day.

O my dear Jesus, Thou art altogether forsaken; there is nothing from which Thou canst gather consolation and support. Even in the hour of death Thou dost enter the portals of the other world without one friendly face before Thine eyes. Yes, Thou art forsaken; Thy strength, the assistance of Thy Father, the light of Thine eyes, Thy holy Mother, hath no consolation for Thee. The people that stood around the cross did not know what that great cry meant. Only Jesus knew it. He felt it. How few people understand the language of divine love! Who could think that the Father would desert His Son, and would not be satisfied but with the most extreme punishment! We should sympathize with Our Lord in His cruel abandonment, we who have been the cause of this agony. Our Lord suffers the same feeling of desertion when we do not visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament. Let it be our joy, our pastime, our recreation, to go to Him, and to thank Him for His great love for us.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirty-eighth Day.

The last words which Our Lord uttered were, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” Again Jesus calls God His Father. God has accepted the sacrifice, and has taken His divine Son to His bosom, hence the Lord calls Him Father. The sacred countenance of Jesus takes on the pallor of death, the lips are parted and the last breath is gone. His soul has flown to the Father; the adorable spirit of Jesus has entered the realms of eternal bliss, where He is joyfully received. Jesus is dead, but by the infinite merits of His death and Passion He has freed us from death. Jesus is dead, but by His death we have become children of God. Jesus is dead, but we acknowledge Him to be our good Lord, our Master and our King. The death of Christ is our life, but we must exterminate sin, and let the love of Jesus flame up in our hearts.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Thirty-ninth Day.

“It is consummated.” All the sufferings of Our Lord are now over. The depth of humiliation has been reached, the bitter chalice has been drained, the soul of Jesus has left the body, and the body is dead. How often, dear Jesus, have I tried to shake off the cross which God has imposed on me! I, too, ought to remain fixed to the cross, until all is over and the soul leaves my body. The fact is that I have not the virtue of perseverance, that sister [pg 167] virtue of patience, which protects our sanctity. I ought to be able to say with Our Lord, “The work which I was to do is completed.” The day will come when I, and the whole world, will see the mystery of my crosses: when I shall see clearly the purpose for which I had to bear them. Give me the grace, gracious Jesus, that I may welcome that day, because I am conscious that I have done my duty. With the consummation of the work will also come my reward.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

Fortieth Day.

When Our Lord had given up the ghost great events took place, that struck terror to the hearts of those who witnessed them, and which were told from mouth to mouth. The great veil of the Temple, behind which stood the holy of holies, was rent. A terrible earthquake shook the earth, so that the rocks were burst asunder. The graves opened and men buried for years came forth and stalked about the streets of the city. Then the centurion, who stood beneath the cross and witnessed these supernatural manifestations, exclaimed to those who stood by him that truly this must have been the Son of God. The soldier saw that all was over, and he had but one duty more to perform before he could go away: that of piercing the Heart of Jesus with the lance. Then they took the body of the Lord from the cross, and laid it for a moment in the arms of Mary. Preparations were made by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus for the burial; hurried preparations, [pg 168] for it was the eve of the Pasch. They laid the body in the tomb, whence, on Easter Sunday, Jesus rose triumphantly.

Prayer.

Look down upon me, good and gentle Jesus, etc., etc.

A Method of Hearing Mass by Way of Meditation.

Before The Service Begins, While Waiting For The Priest To Come In

call to mind the Last Supper, in which Christ instituted the sacrifice of the Mass, and gave Himself to us all to be our food. Oughtest thou not to acknowledge and give Him thanks for this excess of love?

Affections.

Jesus, “having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end.”—John xiii. 1.

“For Thou hast prepared a table before me, against them that afflict me.”—Ps. xxii. 5.

“I will sacrifice to Thee the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.”—Ps. cxv. 17.

When The Priest Is Descending From The Altar Before Commencing The Mass,

consider Christ after the Last Supper going from Mount Sion, where the Supper had been held, to the Garden of Gethsemani. “And His disciples also followed Him.”—Luke xxii. 39. And wilt thou forsake thy God in the time of temptation and trial?

Affections.

“In what place soever Thou shalt be, my Lord King, ... there will Thy servant be.”—2 Kings xv. 21.

“It is good for me to stick close to my God: to put my hope in the Lord God.”—Ps. lxxii. 28.

“Lord, I am ready to go with Thee both into prison and to death.”—Luke xxii. 33.

At The Confession

contemplate Christ praying in His agony, when “His sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon the ground.”—Luke xxii. 44. Thy sins forced out His blood; and wilt thou not grieve on account of them?

Affections.

“Who will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my eyes? and I will weep day and night.”—Jer. ix. 1.

“Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before Thee. I am not now worthy to be called Thy son.”—Luke xv. 21.

“O God, be merciful to me a sinner.”—Luke xviii. 13.

When The Priest Kisses The Altar, And At The Introit,

consider Judas betraying Christ with a kiss. And art not thou also a traitor, whilst thou rejectest thy Saviour to embrace some trifling pleasure?

Affections.

“Impute not to me, my Lord, the iniquity, nor remember the injuries of Thy servant.”—2 Kings xix. 19.

“I know my iniquity; and my sin is always before me.”—Ps. l. 5.

Lord, have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me.

At The Kyrie Eleison

reflect on the threefold denial of Peter, who did not repent until the Lord looked upon him.—Luke xxii. 61. How often art thou ashamed of thy Lord Jesus, and deniest Him before men? When wilt thou repent and return to Him with contrition?

Affections.

“I have sinned against the Lord.”—2 Kings xii. 13.

“Cast me not away from Thy face.”—Ps. l. 13.

“Look Thou upon me, and have mercy on me.”—Ps. xxiv. 16.

At The Gloria

think of the exultation of the Jews at the mocking and sufferings of Christ. And art not thou as one of them, if thou takest pleasure in wicked things?

Affections.

“What shall we answer ... or what shall we say?... God hath found out the iniquity of [His] servants.”—Gen. xliv. 16.

“Convert us, O God, Our Saviour: and turn off Thy anger from us.”—Ps. lxxxiv. 5.

“I will be glad and rejoice in Thee.”—Ps. ix. 3.

At The Collect, Epistle, And Gradual

think of all the accusations, mockeries, blows, and spittings, which Christ endured in the houses of Annas and Caiphas.—John xviii. 22. Christ was silent as a lamb before His shearers; but how easily art thou made angry, and reproachest thine accusers!

Affections.

“Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience?”—Job iv. 6.

“Thou art my patience, O Lord.”—Ps. lxx. 5.

“Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and a door round about my lips. Incline not my heart to evil words.”—Ps. cxl. 3, 4.

At The Gospel

meditate how Christ was hurried from Caiphas to Pilate, questioned concerning His teaching, and rebuked.—John xviii. Dost thou value the precious doctrine of Jesus? Dost thou receive it carefully thyself, and hand it on to others?

Affections.

“Direct my steps according to Thy word: and let no iniquity have dominion over me.”—Ps. cxviii. 133.

“Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths.”—Ps. cxix. 105.

“I will teach the unjust Thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to Thee.”—Ps. l. 15.

At The Credo

meditate upon Christ sent by Pilate to Herod, and by him sent back again to Pilate (when he obtained not the signs he expected to see), clothed in a white garment, as a silly person not worthy of credit.—Luke xxiii. Art thou among those who, before they will believe, demand of Christ that they may see a sign?

Affections.

“Blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.”—John xx. 29.

“I do believe, Lord: help my unbelief.”—Mark ix. 23.

“I live in the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and delivered Himself for me.”—Gal. xi. 20.

At The Offertory

meditate upon the resignation of Christ and His offering Himself to bear all things for the glory of His Father, and the redemption of mankind.—Ps. xxxix. Art thou prepared to endure adversity and affliction?

Affections.

“I am ready for scourges.”—Ps. xxxvii. 18.

“I will take the chalice of salvation: and I will call upon the name of the Lord.”—Ps. cxv. 13.

“Confirm, O God, what Thou hast wrought in us.”—Ps. lxvii. 29.

At The Lavabo

reflect how Pilate sought to excuse himself for his most wicked deed by washing his hands. But he did not escape the guilt itself.—Matt. xxvii. 24. How often dost thou seek to conceal thy sins, and to make excuses for them? So doing thou dost rather increase than diminish them.

Affections.

“I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord.”—Ps. xxxi. 6.

“O God, Thou knowest my foolishness: and my offences are not hid from Thee.”—Ps. lxviii. 6.

“Man cannot be justified compared with God. If he will contend with Him, he cannot answer Him one for a thousand.”—Job ix. 2, 3.

At The Orate Fratres

meditate upon Christ about to be condemned by Pilate, presented to the people crowned with thorns and in a purple robe.—John xix. 5. What will be thy state, O man, when thou shalt stand before Christ the judge at the Last Day?

Affections.

“Who will grant me this, that Thou mayst protect me in hell, and hide me, till Thy wrath pass?”—Job xiv. 13.

“I will let go my speech against myself, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say to God: Do not condemn me.”—Job x. 1, 2.

“For behold I was conceived in iniquities: and in sins did my mother conceive me.”—Ps. l. 7.

At The Preface

reflect that the very same Jews who, five days before, saluted Christ with hosannas, now cry out, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.”—John xix. 6. Art thou guilty of similar inconstancy?

Affections.

“Perfect Thou my goings in Thy paths; that my footsteps be not moved.”—Ps. xvi. 5.

“Strengthen Thou me in Thy words.”—Ps. cxix. 28.

“Thy hand [shall] lead me: and Thy right hand shall hold me.”—Ps. cxxxix. 10.

At The Canon

meditate upon Jesus bearing His own cross as He went up to Calvary.—John xix. 17. Dost thou not hear the voice of Christ? “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”—Matt. xvi. 24.

Affections.

“Draw me: we will run after Thee to the odor of Thy ointments.”—Cant. i. 3.

“God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”—Gal. vi. 14.

“Let us go forth therefore to Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.”—Heb. xiii. 13.

At The Elevation Of The Host

meditate on Christ nailed to the cross by His hands and feet, set forth as a spectacle to the whole world.—Luke xxiii. 33. Behold, O man, thy Redeemer! With what affection hast thou hitherto embraced Him, Who here, with extended arms, invites thee to His embrace?

Affections.

“My Beloved to me, and I to Him.”—Cant. ii. 16.

“Tell Him that I languish with love.”—Ibid. v. 8.

“Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation? or distress, or famine?... For I am sure that neither death, nor life, ... nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus Our Lord.”—Rom. viii. 35-39.

At The Elevation Of The Chalice

reflect how profusely Christ poured forth His blood from His five sacred wounds for the washing away of our sins. Run to Him, O sinner, that thou mayest be cleansed, and “draw waters with joy out of the Saviour's fountains.”—Is. xii. 3.

Affections.

“Suffer me, therefore, that I may lament my sorrow a little, before I go, and return no more, to a land that is dark and covered with the mist of death.”—Job x. 20, 21.

“Perhaps darkness shall cover me.”—Ps. cxxxix. 11.

At The Memento For The Dead

reflect on the infinite mercy of God towards those who fear Him, and pray for those holy souls who have departed this life according to His justice, and in the one true faith.

Affection.

O Jesus, “enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.”—Luke i. 79.

At The Pater Noster

meditate upon the seven words of Christ uttered by Him upon the cross: 1, Christ prayed for His enemies; what dost thou do? 2, The thief, repenting, obtained heaven; learn seriously to repent and do penance, but delay it not to the last. 3, Christ commends His Mother to St. John, and St. John to His Mother; to whom canst thou better commend thyself? 4, Christ complains that He is forsaken; and dost thou expect consolation as thy right? 5, Christ thirsted for thy salvation; and dost thou turn away from it with loathing? 6, Christ announced that all His torments were finished; thus shall all thy good and evil in this world be brought to a close. 7, Lastly, after the example of Christ, commend thy spirit into the hands of thy heavenly Father.—Luke xxiii. 46.

Affections.

“And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.”—Matt. vi. 12.

Make me also to hear, “This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise.”—Luke xxiii. 43.

O Mary, “behold thy Son!”—John xix. 26.

“Forsake me not, O Lord my God: do not Thou depart from me.”—Ps. xxxvii. 22.

“For Thee my soul hath thirsted.”—Ps. lxii. 2.

“Happy is he who hath finished his course, who hath kept the faith.”—2 Tim. iv. 7.

“Into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”—Luke xxiii. 46.

At The Division Of The Sacred Host

reflect upon the separation of Christ's soul from His body.—Matt. xxvii. 50. It is appointed unto men once to die.—Heb. ix. 27.

Affections.

“Let my soul die the death of the just.”—Num. xxiii. 10.

“Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.”—Rom. xiv. 8.

“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.”—Apoc. xiv. 13.

At The Agnus Dei,

when the priest strikes his breast, reflect how many of those who saw Christ dying on the cross, striking their breasts returned.—Luke xxiii. 48. And dost not thou strike thy breast in token of true sorrow for thy sins?

Affections.

Lord, I strike my breast with the publican, and say, “Be merciful to me a sinner.”—Luke xviii. 13.

“And now, O Lord, think of me, and take not revenge of my sins, neither remember my offences, nor those of my parents.”—Tob. iii. 3.

“Let Thy mercies speedily prevent us.”—Ps. lxviii. 8.

At The Communion Of The Priest

meditate upon the burial of Christ.—John xix. 42. He asks from thee thy heart as a sepulchre.

Affections.

“My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.”—Ps. lvi. 8.

“Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting-place, Thou and the ark [of Thy holiness].”—Ps. cxxxi. 8.

“My heart shall rejoice with Thee.”—Prov. xxiii. 15.

At The Last Collect

meditate upon Christ's joyful and glorious resurrection.—Mark xvi. 6. “For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”—Colos. iii. 3.

Affections.

“We look for the Saviour, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of His glory.”—Phil. iii. 20, 21.

“When shall I come and appear before the face of God?”—Ps. xli. 3.

“I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ.”—Phil. i. 23.

At The Benediction

meditate how Christ, ascending into heaven, blessed His disciples.—Mark xvi. 19. “Unto this are you called, that you may inherit a blessing.”—1 Pet. iii. 9.

Affections.

“Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance.”—Ps. xxvii. 9.

“May God, our own God, bless us. May God bless us.”—Ps. lxvi. 7, 8.

“Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, O Lord: they shall praise Thee forever and ever.”—Ps. lxxxiii. 5.

Prayer at the Conclusion of Mass.

Accept, O Holy Trinity, this sacrifice of the body and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which I have offered to Thy divine majesty in remembrance [pg 178] of His Passion and death; and by His infinite merits I beseech Thee that all my defects and negligences may be supplied, for He is the propitiation for our sins. Amen.

Litany of the Passion of Our Lord.

(For Private Devotion Only.)

Jesus Christ.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, made man to redeem us, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Who, during Thy whole life, didst burn with desire to die for us, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, prostrate in prayer in the Garden of Olives, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, agonizing, and covered with a bloody sweat, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, comforted by an angel, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, betrayed by Judas with a kiss, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, tied and bound by Thy enemies, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, abandoned by Thy disciples, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, arraigned before Annas and Caiphas, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, struck on Thy face by a servant, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, accused by false witnesses, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, declared worthy of death, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, spit upon, blindfolded and buffeted, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, denied thrice by Peter, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, delivered in chains to Pilate, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, despised and mocked by Herod, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, to whom Barabbas was preferred, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, cruelly scourged with whips, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, wounded and bruised for our sins, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, clothed in derision with a purple garment, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, crowned with thorns, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, with a reed in Thy hand instead of a sceptre, derided and insulted as a mock king, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, most unjustly condemned to the ignominious death of the cross, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, loaded with a heavy cross and carrying it to Calvary, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, led as an innocent lamb to slaughter, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, nailed to a cross, and elevated upon it between two thieves, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Who hast loved us, and delivered Thyself for us, as an oblation and a sacrifice to God, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Who didst wash us from our sins in Thy blood, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, praying for Thy enemies, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, blasphemed by those who passed by, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, promising paradise to the penitent thief, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, giving Thy Mother to St. John for his Mother, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, complaining of being forsaken by Thy Father, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, drenched in Thy thirst with vinegar and gall, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, recommending Thy spirit into Thy Father's hands, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, bowing Thy head and expiring on the cross, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Whose side was opened with a spear, whence issued forth blood and water, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, taken down from the cross, wrapped up in a clean linen cloth, and laid in a new monument, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Whose soul after Thy death descended into hell, Have mercy on us.

Jesus, Who, in judgment, will demand an account of the profit derived from Thy Passion and death, Have mercy on us.

Be merciful, Spare us, O Lord!

Be merciful, Hear us, O Lord!

From all evil, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

From the snares of the devil, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy most bitter Passion, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

Through Thy infinite merits, Lord Jesus, deliver us.

We sinners,

Beseech Thee to hear us.

That being dead to sin, we may live to justice, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That we do not glory but in Thy holy cross, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That for the love of Thee the world may be crucified to us, and we to the world, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That we may always bear about in our body Thy mortification, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That we may crucify our flesh, with its vices and concupiscences, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That Thy sacred blood may cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God, We beseech Thee to hear us.

That being partakers of Thy sufferings, we may be also of Thy glory, We beseech Thee to hear us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Jesus!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Jesus!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Jesus!

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

V. O Lord, hear our prayer.

R. And let our cry come unto Thee.

Let Us Pray.

O Lord Jesus! Who didst shed Thy precious blood for the remission of our sins, grant, we most humbly beseech Thee, that in the day of judgment we may merit to hear from Thy adorable mouth these consoling words: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you.” Amen.

A Prayer to Jesus Suffering.

O spotless Lamb! O innocent Victim, Who, by Thy death and blood, hast effaced the sins of mankind, blot out my iniquities, and do not permit that Thy sufferings should become useless to me. O Jesus, abandoned by every one, sorrowful, desolate, and resigned to death! help me now to receive with resignation like Thine, whatever afflictions Thou shalt please to send me. O Jesus, calumniated, accused, despised! teach me to disregard the judgments of men, and to suffer with patience the most base injuries. O Jesus, torn with stripes, pierced with thorns, weltering in blood for my sake! teach me to endure for love of Thee, the anguish and inconvenience of ill-health and sickness. O Jesus, abandoned to executioners, shamefully condemned to a cross! enable me to fly all vainglory, and embrace the most humbling confusion. O Jesus, sinking [pg 181] under the weight of Thy cross! I unite myself to Thee, and my cross also to Thine. May I ever carry it with the same strength and courage which Thou didst. O Jesus, raised upon Thy cross! draw me now powerfully to Thee. Thou art expiring for my sake. Oh, let me never live but for Thine! that being henceforth crucified with Thee, my whole occupation may be to love, to praise, and to adore Thee. Amen.

Prayers to the Five Wounds of Our Lord.

To The Wound Of The Left Foot.

O my divine Saviour! I humbly adore the sacred wound of Thy left foot, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused Thee. I thank Thee for the love with which Thou didst make Thy painful journey to Calvary, marking every step of the way with Thy precious blood. I offer to the eternal Father the love and sufferings of Thy holy humanity, in expiation of my crimes, which I detest with sincere and bitter contrition.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

To The Wound Of The Right Foot.

O my divine Saviour! I adore the sacred wound of Thy right foot, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused Thee. I thank Thee for the love with which Thou didst suffer Thy sacred feet to be pierced, and with barbarous cruelty nailed to the cross, to atone for my wanderings, and for the [pg 182] guilty indulgence of my disorderly passions. I offer to the eternal Father the love and sufferings of Thy holy humanity. I beseech Him to grant me the grace to weep bitterly for my sins, and to persevere in virtue to the end of my life, without ever straying from the obedience due to Thy holy commandments.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

To The Wound Of The Left Hand.

O my divine Saviour! I humbly adore the sacred wound of Thy left hand, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused Thee. I thank Thee for having thereby, with so much love, delivered me from the eternal punishments which my sins deserve. I offer to the eternal Father the love and sufferings of Thy holy humanity. I beseech Him to grant me the grace to profit by the remainder of my life, that I may bring forth fruits worthy of penance, and thus disarm the divine justice provoked by my repeated sins.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

To The Wound Of The Right Hand.

O my divine Saviour! I adore the sacred wound of Thy right hand, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused Thee. I thank Thee for all the blessings which this bountiful hand has so [pg 183] abundantly bestowed on me, notwithstanding my ingratitude in refusing to correspond with Thy gracious designs. I offer to the eternal Father the love and sufferings of Thy holy humanity. I beseech Him to change my heart and affections, and to render all my actions conformable to His holy will.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

To The Wound Of The Opened Side.

O my divine Saviour! I humbly adore the sacred wound of Thy opened side. I am exceedingly moved at this cruel outrage. I thank Thee for the love with which Thou didst suffer Thy side to be pierced and Thy Heart opened, to give us even the last drop of Thy precious blood that our redemption might be most abundant. I offer to the eternal Father both this outrage offered to Thy holy humanity, and the love with which Thou art always ready to receive the greatest of sinners, that my soul may be received into this most loving Heart and may abide therein forever. Amen.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

[pg 184]

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May. The Blessed Virgin Mary.

We are now on the eve of the beautiful month of Mary—this blessed month so ardently looked for by every true Christian. On its approach we see the altars of our blessed Mother in churches, chapels, and oratories decorated, and everywhere during this lovely month exercises in honor of the beloved Mother of Our Redeemer are performed with more or less pomp and ceremony. Mary is our heavenly Mother, and we are her children. What well-trained child but is anxious to express his love and gratitude towards his mother, in order to make her happy? What mother so worthy of love as Mary? Do you wish to please her? This month gives you an opportunity of so doing. Dedicate it to her, practise daily some little act of devotion in her honor, and be faithful in making these meditations. Then only will you deserve to be called a child of Mary. O immaculate Mary, Mother of our Jesus, and our Mother! also obtain that we may give thee most fervent homage during this month, and by our words and example draw all hearts to thee and thy divine Son.

Considerations and Prayers for Every Day.

First Day. Mary's Immaculate Conception.

“Thou art all fair, O My love, and there is not a spot in thee.”—Cant. iv. 7. These words are found in the Canticles of Solomon, and are applied to the Blessed Virgin. From all eternity she had been predestined to be the Mother of God, [pg 185] to give to the almighty God that body, that flesh and blood, which He was to assume for our redemption, and the creature that He selected for His Mother must have been all pure, all holy, and free from the slightest taint of sin. A few saints, such as John the Baptist and the prophet Jeremias, were sanctified in their mother's womb. And if these men, because of their predestination, were born without sin, surely it cannot be supposed that God did not bestow on Mary a greater privilege—that He exempted her from the necessity of being even for one instant the slave of sin. O Mother mine, O Mother of the Church of God, I hail thee! Have pity on us, O Mary conceived without sin, and obtain for us the grace to struggle against our passions.

Prayer.

O holiest and purest of virgins, well dost thou merit this title! Thou who wast a virgin although a mother, pray for us. Take pity on us, thy children; intercede for us with Jesus, that He may have mercy on us, and grant us the grace to walk worthy of our vocation, that we may be His through time and eternity. Amen.

Second Day. Mary's Nativity.

The whole earth was filled with gladness at the birth of Mary, because of her was to be born Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and Redeemer, Who was to deliver us from the slavery of the devil. How heaven must have rejoiced at the birth of such a mother! A nation's joy at the birth of an heir to [pg 186] the throne may give you some faint idea of the joy the angels experienced at Mary's nativity. This is a day of jubilation for the entire world, for the just and the sinner, for time and eternity. Hell alone is afraid, for this is the woman destined to crush the serpent's head. Her appearance was the blessed dawn, announcing the rising of the Sun of righteousness. Made holy at her conception, the object of God's love at her birth, every step in Mary's life was marked by new progress in virtue; no shadow of sin ever tarnished the beauty of her soul. Let us then praise our Mother and Queen, and implore her to take pity on us, whose lives are passed in a constant struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Let us beg her to aid us in these combats, and to bring us to our eternal home.

Prayer.

What relief do I feel in my miseries, and what consolation in my sorrow! what strength do I not find in the midst of temptations, when I remember thee, and call thee to my aid! O my most sweet and holy Mother Mary, my own Mother, do thou console me! I see myself loaded with sins and surrounded with enemies, without virtue, and cold in my love towards God. Comfort me, and let me begin a new life, a life which will be pleasing to thy divine Son and to thee. Amen.

Third Day. Mary's Presentation.

Who is she that advances as the sun, beautiful as Jerusalem? It is Mary, the well-beloved daughter of the Father, who repairs to the Temple of [pg 187] Jerusalem to consecrate herself to the service of God. Happy he who gives himself to God in his youth, who offers Him a heart which has not been wounded by the thorns on life's weary way, a heart which has not known the state of sin. He has not to struggle against the memories of the past, which strive to draw him from the service of God. How beautiful, how filled with sweetest instruction for us, is every passage in the life of our beloved Mother! Let us look at the picture now presented to us of the infant Queen of saints, on the day of her early entrance into the Temple of God. Let us follow her, and learn our first lesson from our little Queen, so full of grace. See her as she passes up the long flight of stairs, the little arms folded above the pure young heart, the upturned face glowing with heavenly joy—a face where lies reflected the light of a soul which never for a moment was shrouded in the gloomy shadow of sin.

Prayer.

O Lord, Thou wilt not reject a contrite and humble heart! I come then to Thee, O my Father. At the sight of my bruised and bleeding heart Thou wilt have compassion on Thy child, and receive my offering. Blooming rose, Mother of God all beautiful, Virgin most sweet, pray for us, that we may be worthy to find eternal happiness in eternal light. Grant that by thy intercession our sins may be effaced. Amen.

Fourth Day. The Annunciation.

God sent His archangel, St. Gabriel, one of the great ones of His kingdom, to impart to the [pg 188] Blessed Virgin, Our Lady, His eternal counsel, and to ask her consent. The archangel went to Nazareth, and before the rising of the sun entered the oratory where the Blessed Virgin was, and beholding in her his Queen, he saluted her with such reverence that she was overcome with fear, not knowing what to think. We know how the heavenly messenger bowed before his Queen and said, “Fear not, Mary; the Lord is with thee, for thou hast found grace before God. Behold thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name, Jesus.” And we know when that young maiden, bowing her head in her heavenly humility, consented, saying, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to Thy word,” that the Holy Ghost overshadowed her, and “the Word was made flesh.” Truly she is blessed among all women, blessed among all mothers. By her blessedness all women are raised and ennobled. She is their honor, their glory, their model. Blessed Virgin and Mother, ever immaculate on earth as now in heaven, where she leads the army of virgins who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. Think of Mary raised above all women, and see her wonderful humility. God loved her for it. The one thought of her life, the one end of her actions, was truly to be the handmaid of God. This is a lesson we all must learn, namely: to yield ourselves up to the will of Him Whose we are already by so many titles, wondering how He can forget the sins we have committed against Him, and how He can desire to pour His celestial grace into so unworthy a vessel.

Prayer.

May Thy will, O God, be done in us, through us, and by us, this day and always, here and everywhere! Hail, glorious Mother of God; hail, Queen of heaven; hail, my patroness! To thy tender maternal love I commend myself, in order that all my actions may have for their end three things, namely, the glory of thy Son, my own salvation, and my neighbor's good. In every tribulation and sorrow come to my aid and the aid of my friends. Amen.

Fifth Day. The Visitation.

No sooner had Mary heard the words of the angel, announcing that she had been chosen to be the Mother of the long expected Messias, and that her kinswoman Elizabeth was also with child, than she rose up and went with haste into the hill country, and entering into the house of Zachary, saluted Elizabeth. Her heart was full of unselfish love for God and man, and the very love of God which made her heart burn with joy at the coming of Jesus, made it also beat quickly with gladness at the great blessing granted to Elizabeth. The angel had told Zachary that his son John was to be the immediate precursor of the Messias, and Elizabeth had been constantly thinking of all this, longing to know when and whence the Messias should come. Lost in these thoughts she sat on the day of Mary's arrival, and the instant that sweet voice struck on her ear, it was made known to her in a wonderful manner that this was the Mother of the Messias. [pg 190] Rising, she knelt before her, crying, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” For a moment Mary stood in astonishment—then she realized the greatness of her title of Mother of God, and while the light of ecstasy transfigured her holy face, she exclaimed, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is His name. And His mercy is from generation unto generations to them that fear Him. He hath shewed might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.” The visit which occasioned this beautiful canticle preaches in every line the great virtue of charity which marked Our Lady's life so clearly. The Holy Scripture tells us that Mary remained with Elizabeth for three months, when she returned to her own home.

Prayer.

O Virgin most fair, worthy of all praise and honor! Sanctuary consecrated to God, Virgin Mother, hidden treasure of innocence, splendor of virginity! Thy prayers are favorably received [pg 191] on high. Address them for us to Him, Whom in thy virginity thou didst conceive, Who is true Lord and God, the Author of all creatures. Amen.

Sixth Day. The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

And when the fulness of time was come, “God so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son,” Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. The Emperor Augustus ordered that a great census should be taken in all the provinces of his empire, each family being enrolled in the city of its respective tribe. Thus, in obedience to the order, Mary came to the city of David, and in all its length and breadth there was not room for her to lay her weary head. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” Gold would doubtless have procured admission to an appropriate shelter, but Joseph had no gold. The evening wind fell cold and piercing on the young virgin, who breathed not a word of complaint though she was scarcely able to support herself. The lonely travellers, seeing themselves rejected by all the world, quitted Bethlehem, and in a poor ruined stable Mary brought forth her first-born Son, the promised Messias, and laid Him in a manger. Great artists have striven to paint the rapture of Mary as she laid her Jesus, her Son, her God, in the manger. Who can understand what it was to see Him, to adore Him as her God, to caress Him as her Child, to forget all her fatigue in her wonderful joy? We can adore Him and watch the movements of our beloved [pg 192] Mother, a model and example of resignation on this night of poverty and humiliation. Glory and praise to thee, O holy Mother, in this thy poverty in Bethlehem! Many a poor mother in sorrow and want will look to thee and find consolation, knowing thy tender heart will sympathize with her. For what are we that we should be better treated than the Mother of Our God?

Prayer.

Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God, receive my prayer. Help me in all my necessities, intercede for me, O glorious one, with my Redeemer, even with Him, thy divine Son, Whom thou didst bear without spot of sin. Deliver me from every snare of the enemy, and from all carnal delights, that by thy intercession I may obtain the pardon of all my sins, steadfast resistance to all my enemies visible and invisible, and the amendment of my life. Amen.

Seventh Day. The Purification.

It was ordered by the Law of Moses that all women should, at a stated time after childbirth, repair to the Temple and present themselves to the priest, in order that they might be purified. Could she who had been immaculately conceived, an immaculate Virgin and Mother, be made more pure? No, certainly not; but obedience required that she should comply with the conditions of the Law, and obedience was one of Mary's greatest virtues. Should not her example fill us with confusion—we who are apt to murmur against any command [pg 193] that is in the slightest manner distasteful to our feelings? The Law also commanded that every first-born son should be offered to God in the Temple, and then ransomed by some gift, according to the condition of the parents. Mary and Joseph were poor, so they took their humble offering of two doves and set out for Jerusalem, to present the Son of God in the Temple. As Mary walked on, with her precious Child clasped in her arms, how little the passers-by suspected Who this first-born Son was! If they could have only known what He was to do for His people, how they would have bowed before Him and adored Him, poor weak Infant as He was! But no, “He came unto His own, and His own knew Him not.” “And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was in him. And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit into the Temple. And when His parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law: he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace: Because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples. A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people, Israel.” As Simeon stands thus with the Babe in his arms, the Holy Ghost shows him the sad, sad future of the Child and Mother. Turning to Mary, he said: “Behold this Child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of [pg 194] many in Israel.... And thy own soul a sword shall pierce.” Oh, the awful sorrow that fell on her young heart! For a moment she bowed down under the crushing burden of her coming pain, but only for a moment; then she stretches out her arms to receive her Child, and murmurs, “Thy will, not mine, be done; be it done unto me according to Thy word.” What a lesson for us to learn, we who are restless and impatient under every little trial! What a contrast to our disobedience and pride when God wishes to take some loved object from us! Oh, let the example of this most perfect of women sink deeply into our hearts, and may we learn from her the great virtues of charity, obedience, humility, and purity.

Prayer.

O Mother of mercy, forsake us not in our hour of trial and temptation! Never allow us to lose courage, but cheer us with thy aid, make us patient under suffering, and render our wills conformable to the will of thy divine Son. Conduct us through the dawn of penance to the fulness of thy light. Amen.

Eighth Day. Simeon's Prophecy.

The holy Simeon had foretold that Jesus should be a stumbling block to many. By these words Mary understood that Jesus would suffer much persecution from the Jews, and her immaculate heart was deluged with sorrow. She saw Anna come into the Temple and heard her acknowledge Jesus as her God. She obeyed everything which the Law ordained, [pg 195] and then with Joseph and her Child returned to the city of Nazareth, with the sharp sword of sorrow within her heart. Oh, the constant grief that followed each ray of joy that lighted her soul! How she suffered at every insult offered to her divine Son—she who loved Him as no other mother ever loved a child! Every look at Jesus, every movement that He made, every word He spoke, brought to her mind the prophecy of Simeon and filled her heart with bitterness. The memory of those words were always before her, and as time passed on she saw Gethsemani and Calvary hourly drawing nearer and nearer. The words of the prophet Isaias came whispering to her heart, “He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before His shearer, and He shall not open His mouth.” Yet ever and anon she murmured, “Thy will, not mine, be done.” Oh, what an example of loving resignation to the will of God! It is astonishing how shallow all human consolation is. Let Our Lady teach us how to suffer without seeking consolation. She suffered in silence; we can make our sorrows in a measure like hers by constantly uniting them to the sorrows of our dearest Lord. With confidence then we may seek the Mother of sorrows, and ask her to be the Mother of our sorrow, to help us bear our burdens to the very end—to be like her, loving and patient with those who cause us pain. It is a consolation to those who mourn to know that our blessed Lady was a lifelong mourner. So let us take up our sorrow bravely, and following in the footsteps of our dear Mother, walk cheerfully on.

Prayer.

O Mary, Mother of sorrows, my refuge, neglect not to pray for me in all my tribulations! First of all in the blood of Jesus Christ, then in thy prayers, do I trust for my eternal salvation. In thee, O Lady, have I hoped; I will say to thee with St. Bonaventure, “I shall not be confounded forever.” Obtain for me the grace to love my God in this life and in eternity, and I ask for nothing more. Amen.

Ninth Day. The Flight into Egypt.

Filled with joy and praising God, the Magi left the stable with the intention of going to Herod, so that he might share in the happiness. But an angel appeared to them, warning them not to return to Herod, for he sought to destroy the Christ, the new-born Messias, so they turned their camels' heads and went another way into their own country. Herod did not intend, however, to be deprived of his Victim, and lest he should miss taking the life of the new-born King, he gave orders that all the children of two years and under in and around Bethlehem should be killed. While Herod is thus plotting the Infant's death, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, to warn him, saying, “Rise, take the Child and His Mother and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the Child that he may destroy Him.” Joseph and Mary immediately obeyed the command, for poverty has but few preparations to make. Not a murmur or complaint escaped their lips, though our hearts can imagine how difficult it must have been for [pg 197] Mary to leave home again, and to face the hardships of the wilderness. Trembling with apprehension from the dread of Herod's followers, and suffering from heat and cold in their severest forms, they travelled on for many a weary day. But God had so ordained it, and they were ready to do His holy will. What a lesson of perfect obedience! They knew that they were carrying Jesus, yet they did not look for miracles to lighten their burden. We may reverently follow them on their journey in our meditations. Tradition tells us of trees that bowed down their leafy heads to shade with their fan-like plumes the Mother and her Child. It also tells us that the images of the heathen gods fell from their pedestals when the true God went by. And there, amid the Egyptian idolaters, Mary, the frail, girlish Mother, and Joseph, so patient and uncomplaining, with the holy Babe dwelt for seven years. Joseph pursued his trade of carpenter, and Mary no doubt contributed her share to the support of the modest household, while Jesus grew in beauty day after day. When Herod died an angel came to Joseph, saying, “Arise, and return into Judea, for they who sought the life of the Child are dead.” This was glad news to Mary and Joseph, and joyfully they returned to commence anew their life in Nazareth of Galilee.

Prayer.

Hail, Mother of mercy, Queen of heaven, thou art our life, our sweetness, and our hope! Obtain for me the grace of the Holy Ghost, that He may dispose of me in all things according to His will, that He may direct my body, elevate my soul, guide my life, rule my conduct, inspire my actions, maintain [pg 198] within me holy thoughts, pardon my sins of the past, correct those of the present, and preserve me from sin in the future. Amen.

Tenth Day. The Three Days' Loss.

From the time of the return from Egypt, history is silent as to the life of the Holy Family, until the time when they went to keep the Easter festival at Jerusalem. According to the Law, the Jews were obliged to go up to Jerusalem to worship God three times a year, unless they were legitimately hindered. The first time was at the Pasch, instituted in remembrance of the exodus from Egypt, and corresponding to our Easter; the second time was the feast of weeks, which was Pentecost or Whitsuntide; the third was the feast of tabernacles. St. Luke, in his gospel, gives us this account of the occurrence: “When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.” Unknown and unnoticed, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph passed into the holy city. Mary's heart was filled with joy at the thought that she was leading to the Temple God's only Son made man. As she looked at the surging crowd around her both within and without the Temple, she thought to herself, “Ah, if you could but know that this Boy, Whom you think is only the son of a carpenter, is the Son of the most high God! He is your King.” But the week of unleavened bread came to a close. Thousands as usual had thronged the holy city to worship God. After the festival was over, the custom was that all the women should depart by one gate of the city, the men by another, in order to reunite at the halting-place [pg 199] of the first night. The children might go either with the father or with the mother. Thus it was that Mary and Joseph travelled on contentedly, Mary thinking that Jesus was with Joseph, while Joseph on his side supposed the Child to be with His Mother. The night had fallen before the two bands of men and women met; imagine the consternation of the holy parents when they discovered the absence of their precious charge. They asked among their kinsfolk and acquaintances if He were with them, but Mary knew it would be all in vain. She knew if He were in the company He would long since have joined her; so in all haste, alone and silent, Mary and Joseph retraced their steps to the holy city. For three days they searched in sorrow for their loved Child; they made inquiries everywhere, but all to no purpose. On the third day they heard of a wonderful Child Who sat daily in the Temple disputing with the doctors. With eager steps Mary and Joseph went to the Temple; as they came along Mary's ear has caught the sound of a voice which it is impossible for her to mistake—it is the voice of Jesus. What a sight greets their eyes as they enter—the great doctors of the Law sitting around, and her Boy in the midst of them answering questions! “My Son, my Son,” Mary cries, “Why hast Thou done so to us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing.” The Son of God lifted His eyes and looked at her, saying, “Why have ye sought Me? Did ye not know that I must be about My Father's business?” Nevertheless, He went down to Nazareth and was subject to them. And His Mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus [pg 200] advanced in age and grace with God and man. When we sin we too lose Jesus, Our Father and Friend; but do we, like Mary, search for Him until we find Him? We must not wait for Him to come back to us; we must go and find out where He is. Sometimes Jesus permits us to suffer pain and anguish. When this is so, think of Mary, and how sweetly and patiently she suffered during those three days when she was separated from Jesus. Let us also dwell on the obedience of Jesus; the Son of God, Our Creator, was subject to His creature. Oh, my God, give us grace to understand this great mystery and strength to follow it!

Prayer.

What relief do I feel in my miseries, and what consolation in my tribulation; what strength do I not find in the midst of temptations, when I remember and call thee, O my Mother, to my aid? O my most sweet and most holy Mother Mary, my own Mother, do thou console me! I see myself loaded with sins and surrounded by enemies, without virtue, and cold in my love towards God. Comfort me, and let me begin a new life, a life which will be pleasing to thy Son and to thee. Amen.

Eleventh Day. Meeting Jesus with the Cross.

We have now come to the morning of Good Friday—to Mary's meeting Jesus with the cross, which is one of her seven dolors. It is twenty-one years since the three days' loss, and the heart of Mary has traversed a world of mysteries since then—always [pg 201] in joy, yet always with her lifelong sorrow before her. It would be impossible to make any calculations of the sum of love which these years produced in Mary's heart. But now the time has come when Mary must give Jesus up, to be scourged and to be put to death. The Passion may be said to begin on the Thursday in Holy Week. The first Mass took place that night, Our Lord's first unbloody sacrifice, to be followed on the morrow by the dreadful one of blood. By a miraculous grace Mary is enabled to go through all the dreadful tortures of that long night of pain. She hears the sound of the scourging, and sees the cruel soldiers crown Him with thorns, bandage His eyes, and dare to bend the knee in mockery before Him Who has one day to be their Judge. She has heard Pilate say, “Behold the man,” and the cry of the people, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” and when Pilate said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just man; look you to it,” she heard the dreadful imprecation that was shouted by the demons around her, “His blood be upon us, and upon our children! Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Then they lead Him away to pronounce the final sentence. The streets are filled with a great concourse of people, all going in one direction towards Calvary. What a journey for Mary, yet she never shrinks. Oh, how can we, when we look at our sinless Mother suffering so patiently, how can we murmur at the petty trials that God sends us? Mary, with St. John and Magdalen, stands at the corner. She does not even tremble. Hark, that hoarse shouting, that trampling and hurrying of feet! The procession comes in sight; the centurion leads the way, the soldiers dragging Jesus and His heavy [pg 202] cross—then the maddened crowd surge around, about and behind her. She approaches to embrace Him, but the soldiers thrust her rudely back. He staggers, and falls with a dull, heavy sound upon the street. O God of heaven! He falls, and His sweet Mother must stand and look on. Well may she say, “Look and see if there be sorrow like unto my sorrow.” Men crowd around Him, and with curses and blows drag Him up, and sweep on again on the way to Calvary, to finish their impious designs. O my Mother, I too was one of the agents in that cruel work! Surely, when I see all that my most sorrowful Mother had to undergo, it will cost me no great effort to have a loving devotion to her. Can we look on this sinless, uncomplaining Mother, standing in the streets of Jerusalem, gazing on her Son and her God torn and bruised, crowned with cruel thorns, bending under the heavy cross which we gave Him, and refuse to bear the little crosses which He gives us? Oh, no! Let us look at our Mother, and like her see all the beauty of our Jesus in the blood-stained countenance of the God made man, and carry most gladly all trials that our loving Lord may send us.

Prayer.

O most holy Mary, in the great battle in which I am now engaged with hell, do thou always help me! And when thou seest me wavering, and likely to fall, O my Lady, do thou extend thy hand and sustain me. Mary, my hope, my refuge, my strength, do thou protect me, and never allow me to lose the grace of God. And on my part, I resolve always and instantly to have recourse to thee in all [pg 203] temptations, saying, “Help me, Mary, help me.” Amen.

Twelfth Day. The Crucifixion.

The way of the cross is ended, and they have come to Calvary. They have stripped Jesus of His garments, and have laid Him on the hard bed of the cross. Now commences the dreadful work of nailing His blessed hands and feet to the cross. The right hand is nailed to the cross first, but through some mistake the left hand will not reach; then a fearful scene takes place. The brutal soldiers pull with all their force, until, dislocating the arm, they succeed in stretching the hand to its place. Picture Mary looking in mute agony on that dreadful scene! His legs are stretched out, one foot crossed upon the other, and through them the nail is driven. Now the cross is raised on high, and Jesus hangs upon it. In the past few moments Mary has suffered a world of woe. The sacrifice of the Mother was inseparable from that of the Son; it would have cost her much less to have given her own life, and for this reason she is justly styled the Queen of martyrs. The first hour of the three long hours of agony has passed; still Jesus is silent. The second hour begins. There are fewer persons around the cross; all is silent, and then His lips move. Mary listens with all her heart: “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” Beautiful, beautiful prayer—true of all sins and of all sinners—“they know not what they do.” Beautiful prayer also because it discloses the heart of a God. For God alone could teach such charity as this, and Mary, joining her Son in His prayer, looks [pg 204] up to heaven and repeats, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” The third hour begins, and His first word in this last hour goes through her very soul: “I thirst.” Well might He thirst. Since the night before nothing has crossed His lips, and Mary, His Mother, is unable to give Him a drink to cool them, parched and swollen as they are; she cannot even reach to wipe away the blood that has congealed there. Thus for three long hours she watches Him in His death-agony, unable to afford Him the slightest alleviation; until at last He cries out with a loud voice, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” And bowing His head, Jesus dies. Such were the sufferings endured by the Mother of that divine Son. Jesus dies for love of us, and we live to torture and crucify Him afresh. What sublime lessons Mary here gives us, and how perfectly is she the model of those souls whom God permits to be sorely tried in affliction! Their trials are great, but are they to be compared with hers? Ah, do not complain, but to enable you to endure your sufferings cast your eyes on this sorrowful Mother, and ask her to obtain for you grace to imitate her firmness, her constancy, and her generosity. After Jesus on the cross, the most beautiful book one can study is Mary at the foot of the cross.

Prayer.

O most tender Mother, it was I that covered thy divine Son with wounds, and put Him to death! It was I that pierced thy heart with the most bitter sword of grief! Oh, by those wounds and by that blood, by thy sorrows and by thy tears, I conjure thee, O Mary, to be my protectress and [pg 205] my advocate. Pray for me, and for all sinners like me, that so many precious sufferings may not become useless to us. Amen.

Thirteenth Day. The Taking Down from the Cross.

The sorrowful day is over. All have gradually dispersed, and now only Mary and the other holy women, with the disciples, remain at the cross. The bruised and mangled body is lifted down, and laid on the Mother's knee. When Our Lord dies we are tempted to think that Our Lady's dolors ought to have ended there; but no, there is still more to be endured. Mary embraces the lifeless body, washes the gaping wounds, smoothes the tangled hair, and bathes away the clotted blood that dims its glory. She wraps Him tenderly in a white linen cloth, and gives Him into the reverential arms of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Both of these were disciples of our blessed Lord. Joseph was a good and just man, and Nicodemus was a man learned in the Scriptures, who had come to Jesus by night, for fear of the Jews, and had learned the doctrine of regeneration. Joseph had gone to Pilate and had begged the body of Jesus, which had been granted to him. Now he takes Him in his arms, and with the help of Nicodemus places Him in his own tomb. Well has our blessed Lord said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests: but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.” Mary found nothing strange even in the tremendous sorrows that almost crushed the life out of her. She looks only to God's will. No matter how uncommon, how exacting, or how apparently unreasonable, she [pg 206] was always found prepared, always found with these words on her lips, “O God, Thy will be done.” Let us look at our lives, and see if we, like Mary, are ever ready to do God's will; ever looking at Our Lord crucified, and willing to bear all the disappointments, trials, and sorrows that He may send us. Let us look at our immaculate Mother, standing patient and resigned at the foot of the cross, looking on the sufferings of her dearly beloved Son, and we will never murmur—no matter how heavy the cross which our good God in His divine providence may place upon our shoulders.

Prayer.

O Mary most sorrowful! words fail to express the gratitude we owe thee, for the readiness wherewith thou didst consent to come to the rescue of our lost world. But do thou deign to receive our thanks, faint and inadequate though they may be. May the enjoyment of thy present bliss move thee to intercede with God in behalf of us, thy weeping, weary children. Be propitious to those who flee to thee for aid, and do thou ever intercede for those whom thy divine Son redeemed. Amen.

Fourteenth Day. The Burial of Jesus.

It is now the evening of Good Friday, and Mary is sitting at the foot of the cross with her dead Son upon her lap. It is here that mourners for future generations will come to find rest and peace. Here the widow, the orphan, and the lonely will find how good a thing it is to have their hearts crushed with sorrow, because here they will find the [pg 207] loving arms of their new Mother Mary around them, and through their grief they will see God. But now the time has come when Mary must give up her treasure. So giving the signal to Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, they lift the body of the dead Creator and move towards the garden tomb. Mary arranges everything; she adjusts the winding-sheet, and then takes her last look on the lifeless body of Jesus. “Oh, look and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow!” Then her adopted son, John, comes to her, drawing her away, for she is half-dead with the grief and anguish of the past night and day. Through the same gate by which she had left the city of Jerusalem in the morning, she re-entered it that night. Poor Jerusalem, that city of God, how often had Our Lord yearned and wept over it, longing to gather those chosen ones to Himself! But no, they had rejected Him, and now their cup of iniquity is filled. They have crucified their King; their pavements are stained with His blood. Mary knows all this, still there is no room in her heart for bitterness. Oh, what a contrast to our spirit of revenge, sometimes for even a fancied wrong. We learn from this dolor of Mary that there is no darkness like the darkness of a world without Jesus, and if His absence is caused by our own fault, our own sin, then it is the greatest of sorrows. O Mary, my Mother, keep us ever by thy side at the foot of the cross! so that remembering all that thou hast suffered, we will gladly accept all the sorrows that may come. Amen.

Prayer.

O Virgin Mother most sorrowful, I detest my sins because they have offended God, and caused thee so much pain! I am sorry for them, and will be sorry for them as long as I live, and according to the best of my power will do penance for them. Forgive me, dear Lord, for Thy mercy's sake; pardon me all that is past, and be Thou my keeper for the time to come, that I may nevermore offend Thee. Amen.

Fifteenth Day. Help of Christians.

“She hath opened her hand to the needy and stretched out her hand to the poor.”—Prov. xxxi. 20. The whole life of our blessed Mother shows how ever dear to her has been the alleviation of the miseries that surround us. Everything in her proves to us how justly the Church gives to her the title of Help of Christians. Mary's desire to console us in our miseries is so immense, so vehement, that scarcely have we resolved to address ourselves to her mercy than she immediately flies to our relief. If Mary is already inclined and prompt to aid us, even when we do not pray to her, what may we not expect from her when we lay our miseries before her, to beseech her to deliver us from them? The Church urges us to apply unceasingly to her, to observe faithfully the pious practices which are authorized to be observed in her honor. With this view the Church has established a great number of feasts in the course of the year, to show her children that they cannot pay too much honor to the Mother of [pg 209] God. Happy is he whose love for Mary is ever growing; he is enjoying in time one of the choicest blessings of eternity. Let us then follow in the spirit of our holy Church, and have frequent recourse to the bounties of the divine Mother. If we would only remember how anxious our dear Mother is to assist and help us, how eagerly we would turn to her in all our sorrows and joys. O holy Virgin, Help of Christians, come to our aid in the midst of the miseries by which we are surrounded! We entreat thee, then, O Mother of goodness, to supply our insufficiency and to bless our labor. Imprint thy love in all hearts, so that having loved and honored thy Son upon earth, we may go to praise Him eternally in heaven.

Prayer.

Most loving Mother, no suppliant ever had recourse to thee in vain! Whatever our needs, thy ear is ever open to our cry. Thou art the Help of Christians! O good and powerful Mother, come to our aid, and deliver us from all our troubles. Show thyself our Mother, intercede for each one of us that we may lead a Christian life, and hereafter reign with Christ throughout eternity. Amen.

Sixteenth Day. Our Lady of Mercy.

Everything in Mary recalls the august character of mercy. It is her essence, so to speak; so that whoever names Mary names mercy, as Mary cannot be without mercy. What could we not say to prove that Mary is all mercy, and that everything she does tends to clemency? But it may be that the [pg 210] greatness or the sanctity of this powerful Queen alarms us, and makes us fear to present ourselves before her, we who are so guilty in the sight of God. Let us take courage, for the more holy and elevated Mary is, the more gentle and affable she shows herself to the sinner. Mary welcomes all mankind without exception; no one leaves her presence with a disconsolate or sorrowful heart. Let our confidence in Mary have no bounds, since we know that her power equals the extent of her mercy. That good Mother herself gave St. Bridget to understand as much when she told her, “I am the Queen of heaven, and the Mother of mercy. There is none on earth to whom I refuse my pity; not one who has not obtained some grace through my intercession.” Who can doubt that it is true to say that many who are now saved would have been lost except for Mary? If it is true to say that he is happy who loves Mary, so it is also true to say that there will be woe for all eternity to him who in this life is able to secure her mercy, but does not do so, and thus loses himself by his own fault. Flee then to Mary, O my soul; beseech her to take pity on thee, and secure thy salvation, which cost her Son so dear, and which is so priceless to her maternal heart. Be assured that all will be well with thee if thou art not lacking in true devotion and love to Mary.

Prayer.

O blessed Mother, thou art the Mother of God, the Mother of sinners, the Mother of the banished ones! Grant, O gracious Virgin, that I, thy sinful child, may not be condemned by thy divine Son; but do thou intercede for me, that He, [pg 211] the divine Judge, may at last welcome me, a poor exile, into His eternal home. Amen.

Seventeenth Day. Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

It is impossible to study the history of Jesus and Mary without perceiving a uniform law of Providence uniting them in the great events of their lives. Unless Mary had consented to become His Mother, Jesus would not have been born. Divine grace, no doubt, disposed her to give assent, but the act was not the less one of her own free will. As certain as man has been redeemed by the incarnation and Passion of Jesus, so surely did God make the whole depend in the first instance on the co-operation of Mary. If, therefore, you believe that Jesus Christ came to us through Mary, believe also that the graces which He merited for us must come to us through His Mother. If you believe that without her you were not redeemed, believe also that without her you will not be saved. God wished that Mary should be looked upon and honored as the perpetual help of sinners, to obtain their conversion. O Mother of perpetual help! thou art the dispenser of all those gifts which God granted to us wretched sinners. He has made thee so powerful, so rich, and so beautiful, in order that thou mayest succor us in our misery. In thy hands I place my eternal salvation, and to thee I consign my soul. I wish to be remembered among thy devoted servants.

Prayer.

O Mother of perpetual help, take me under thy protection and I shall be secure! I shall not [pg 212] fear Jesus Christ, my eternal Judge, for by one prayer of thine He will be appeased. What I fear is that in the hour of temptation, I may neglect to have recourse to thee, and thus be lost. Obtain for me, therefore, the pardon of my sins, final perseverance, and the priceless gift to love Jesus Christ and to have recourse to thee, O Mother of perpetual help. Amen.

Eighteenth Day. Confidence in Mary.

Let our veneration for Mary be full of confidence. Our first parents had drawn upon us the greatest of miseries, but through the divine mercy a new Adam and Eve have more than repaired our misfortunes. God could have performed the work of redemption by other means; but He preferred the very way by which man had lost his innocence. That is to say, that as Satan first deceived the woman, and through her means deceived all men, so by a woman Satan in his turn should be confounded, and men be saved. Of course Our Lord is the true mediator between God and man, yet it is also true that after having sinned, we dare not appear before God. His presence fills us with fear, so we have need of a mediatrix—and this we have in Mary. If you desire an intercessor with God, have recourse to Mary, all pure, all powerful, and full of mercy. Oh, then, all you who are exposed to the temptations of the world, raise your eyes to this Star of the sea. Call on Mary, and you will soon experience the powerful effects of her intercession. Conducted by her, you will securely reach the port of a blessed eternity.

Prayer.

Sweet and kind Virgin, full of dignity and bounty, Virgin sanctified in the womb, Virgin powerful as thou art pure, most glorious Mother of God, Mother most chaste, and Lady most reverently honored, I pray thee of thy goodness to preserve my body and my soul from all sin, and take them both into thy holy keeping. Amen.

Nineteenth Day. The Love of Mary.

O Mary most amiable, who can name thee and not be inflamed with love? What Mother so worthy of love, so kind and generous to us as Mary? To her heaven is indebted for the countless number of the elect redeemed by the blood of her dear Son. As Mother of Our Redeemer, Mary regards us as her own possession. She knows how costly was the ransom paid for us, therefore she never ceases to intercede that none may be lost. How then could we help loving this Daughter of the King, who interests herself so much in our behalf? If we love God we must love His holy Mother. It is our daily task to love Jesus more and more, and experience tells us that we never advance more rapidly in love of God than when we are accompanied by His Mother. There is no time lost in seeking Jesus if we go at once to Mary. She is the short road to Him, and speedy and full are the answers to the petitions which her hand presents. O Mary most admirable, obtain that we may love thee with all the powers of our soul, with all the tenderness of our heart, and with all our strength.

Prayer.

O Mother most amiable and admirable! O wondrous Mother, thou art all lovely and glorious! Thou art the most blessed and most perfect of all! Kind and gracious Mother, pray for us, win us grace to love thee with a most tender love, that we may thereby grow in love for Jesus, thy Son. Amen.

Twentieth Day. Imitation of Mary.

All true love consists in the imitation of what we honor. If we love the immaculate Mary, if we desire to please her, endeavor to imitate her virtues, we must first imitate her in her life of prayer. To lead a life of prayer it is not necessary to spend hours on our knees in the church, for every-day duties would not admit of that. We find that Our Lady always left her prayer to spend an allotted time at work. We should let the thought of God be the first object of our waking love, and the love of God be the absorbing feeling of our heart. During the day we should every now and then cast a loving glance towards heaven, and make acts of love and gratitude. “If you imitate and follow Mary,” says St. Bernard, “you cannot wander from the road. Our Blessed Lady will fill you with great confidence in God and in herself, because you will not be approaching to Jesus by yourself, but always by that good Mother.” O Mary, Mother of the divine Saviour, Who from the height of His cross, seeing each one of us in the person of the beloved disciple, pronounced the memorable words, “Behold thy son!” “Behold thy Mother,” obtain [pg 215] that we may love and imitate thee with all the tenderness and strength of our will.

Prayer.

Glory and honor be to thee, O Mary! Thy throne is in the highest heavens! Be thou our loving Mother; from the throne of thy glory cast a glance on us, who are encircled with so many dangers and trials. Pray to thy Son Jesus for us, that we may emulate the purity of the angels, so that we too may one day enjoy the “beatific vision,” and praise Our Creator throughout eternity. Amen.

Twenty-first Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Faith.

The Blessed Virgin has left us examples of faith which are full of instruction and consolation. She believed the mystery of the Trinity, that she should conceive and bring forth a child; the words of the angel announced this mystery to her. She believed that the Son of God the Father was to take the form of man, thereby making Himself like unto us. She believed herself to be the Virgin chosen by God in whom this mystery was to be accomplished. The apostles had faith in Jesus Christ and acknowledged Him to be the Son of God, but in the hour of Our Lord's Passion they abandoned their divine Master. It was not so with our blessed Mother; she followed Him even to Calvary. O Mary, may we understand well the excellence of this fundamental virtue, without which it is impossible to please God. It is by faith that Jesus Christ comes into our hearts. By faith we resist the devil, and put him to flight. Let us then love and value more and more [pg 216] the precious gift of faith, and endeavor, after the example of Mary, our Mother, to be animated by its spirit. But the faith of the Blessed Virgin teaches us another lesson: namely, that after her example we should make an open profession of our faith, even though by it we should lose goods, fortune, honor, even life itself.

Prayer.

O Mary, thou art the Queen of heaven and Mistress of all created things! Obtain for us the lively faith that animated thee, so that we may grow in love, persevere to the end, and hereafter, in company with patriarchs, prophets, and all the elect of God, glorify thee, together with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost through all eternity. Amen.

Twenty-second Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Piety.

According to universal opinion, the Blessed Virgin dwelt in the Temple till she was about twelve years of age. During those tender years of her life she passed the greater portion of the night in the contemplation of heavenly things, giving but a very short time to repose. Chosen by the Lord, adorned and enriched with His most signal favors, the immaculate Virgin corresponded thereto with constant and generous fidelity. The devotion of Mary is worthy of imitation, especially in this, that she gave herself up to it from her early youth. Alas! how many souls have perished because they have not followed this example? On the other side how happy those who have imitated the early devotion of the Blessed [pg 217] Virgin! Oh, how strong and mighty we are with Jesus Christ, when we are armed with the worthy merits and intercession of the Mother of God! O Mary, vessel of singular devotion, obtain for us that, after thy example, we may be entirely devoted to God!

Prayer.

Most loving Mother, no suppliant ever had recourse to thee in vain! Whatever our needs, thy ear is ever open to our cry. Thou art the comforter of the afflicted, O good and powerful Mother. Come to our aid and deliver us from all our troubles; intercede for each one of us that we may lead a Christian life, and hereafter reign with Christ throughout eternity. Amen.

Twenty-third Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Hope.

The salvation of the just (as well of the body as of the soul) is from the Lord. He is their help in time of tribulation, He will uphold them lest they fall, He will bring them out of danger, deliver them from the hands of sinners, and will save them in the end. And why will God bestow such honors on the just? Because, replies the Psalmist, they have hoped in Him, and put all their confidence in Him. At the marriage of Cana, Mary saw the sudden failing of the wine, and her tender charity caused her to have recourse to the omnipotent power of her Son. Our Lord up to that period had not worked any miracles, but knowing His tender Heart Mary hesitated not to have recourse to Him, and her hope was not unfounded. Let us [pg 218] then, like Mary, expose our wants to Jesus, and we shall obtain strength and courage to aid us in the accomplishment of our duties. Let us labor by every possible means to obtain this great gift of confidence by frequent prayer, almsdeeds, and penitential works, as well as by great purity of life. “Whatever you shall ask the Father in My name, I will grant it to you.”

Prayer.

Mother most amiable! By thy beauty and unsullied purity thou wast ever attractive in the divine sight. Entreat Jesus that He would grant us grace to love Him more and more fervently, and that by our purity and innocence of life we may spread abroad the sweet odor of Jesus Christ, and daily become more acceptable in His sight. Amen.

Twenty-fourth Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Humility.

The Blessed Virgin possessed the spirit of humility in a perfect degree. Not that she failed to know the gifts which God had bestowed upon her; on the contrary she ever remembered that God had drawn her out of nothing, and she returned Him incessant thanks for the favors which He had given her. This virtue is most essential, since without it there is no grace for us, no recompense in heaven; while with it there is pardon, every blessing, and eternal salvation. Let us often meditate on these words of our blessed Mother when she went to visit St. Elizabeth: “The Lord hath regarded the humility of His handmaid.” The archangel Gabriel had saluted her full of grace and blessed [pg 219] among women, but the holy Virgin only humbles herself more and more, confessing aloud that she is but the handmaid of the Lord. What a contrast to our pride and self-sufficiency! If, on account of some appearance of good, we are charged with some duty of importance, do we not immediately begin to consider ourselves something? while in reality we are but nothingness, misery, and sin. St. Basil says there are three things which will establish humility in the heart. First, a perfect conviction of our own nothingness. Second, the constant consideration of the conduct of the good, who are better than ourselves. Third, persevering obedience to those to whom we owe submission.

Prayer.

O tender Mother! despise not our petitions, receive our homage, veneration, and love. Be thou our Queen; in thee do we place our whole trust, for thou art our gracious Mother. To thee do we commit ourselves, body, soul, and spirit, with all we have and are. Show thyself our Mother both in life and death, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

Twenty-fifth Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Charity.

It is truly Mary, who, after her divine Son, has given us the most touching example of charity. Everywhere she appears full of grace, of meekness, consideration, goodness, mildness, and tenderness. Her charity was as boundless as her love of God. But now that she enjoys the clear vision of her Beloved, how great must be the increase of her love [pg 220] towards Him, and consequently of her charity towards mankind. All her person, her looks, her actions, her movements, her whole life breathe nothing but charity. In going to visit her cousin Elizabeth, the charity of Mary was manifested. This charity caused her to leave her home to undertake a long and painful journey under circumstances that unfitted her for fatigue. The same virtue shone forth at the marriage of Cana, when she saved the bride and bridegroom the mortification of telling their guests that the wine had given out. Her heart was one with her divine Son, Who loved His enemies so much that He gave Himself up for their salvation. Alas, how we shrink from forgiving the slightest offence that is offered to us! O my Mother, why am I not inflamed by at least a spark of the love of God! Then I would not find it so hard to forgive all who have offended me.

Prayer.

With deep humility do we exclaim, Pray for us, O holy Mother of God! Thou art the Mother of Him Who is Our Redeemer and Our God, but thou art also the Mother of sinners, for whom thy divine Son shed His blood. Intercede for us with Jesus, and beg for grace that we may love Him with all our heart and all our strength. Amen.

Twenty-sixth Day. The Virgin Mary the Model of Advancement in Virtue.

Our spiritual advancement consists, as we have often heard, in being well persuaded that we are far from the height to which we aspire, and on that account we should make constant efforts [pg 221] to become better—because not to advance is to go back. Persons who are aiming ever so little at perfection are the choice portion of God's creation, and are dear to Him as the apple of His eye. Oh, that we could imitate Mary, who, full of grace from the first moment of her conception, corresponded thereto with such fidelity that the angels exclaimed, “Who is she that cometh forth as the morning, rising fair as the moon, bright as the sun?” The most exact observance, not only of precepts but of the lightest counsels, was the fruit of the love that burned in the heart of Mary, so that she was never guilty of the least imperfection. Ah, would that I too could speed more rapidly onwards in the heavenly road! How many graces would God then lavish upon me! O Mary, my tender Mother, aid me to imitate thee in thy advancement in virtue. O Mother most sweet, draw us more and more by the sweet odor of thy virtues to be a perfect disciple, imitator, and slave of the Incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ, thy Son.

Prayer.

O Mary, by thy example thou didst animate confessors and virgins, sustaining them in the dangerous struggle with the world, the flesh and the devil. Aid us, too, O mighty Queen, so that we may live as becomes the faithful disciples of thyself and thy divine Son. Amen.

Twenty-seventh Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Patience.

Of the virtue of perfect patience, the Blessed Virgin has left us many bright examples. We have meditated on her dolors and we have seen with [pg 222] what wonderful patience she endured them. How patient and firm she stood at the foot of the cross, on which her Son was fastened, covered with wounds and loaded with ignominy! Mary maintained an entire resignation to the divine will, which she loved more than her own, but this perfect conformity did not render her less sensible to her martyrdom. She loved to suffer because it was God's will that she should do so. We are encouraged, by the example left us of the invincible patience of Mary, to imitate it to the best of our power and according to our degree of grace. We shall follow, though distantly, in the footsteps of this perfect model, if we bear with patience the trials that overtake us, whether they be loss of fortune, health, or reputation. If we feel that we are getting angry let us overcome ourselves by silence; for then it is that we have the most need to be silent, because even the most prudent man when roused to anger can with difficulty restrain himself from angry words, which later he will regret heartily. O my Mother, obtain for us from Jesus the gift of patience, by means of which we shall acquire all other virtues and be enabled to persevere in holiness to the end of our lives. Amen.

Prayer.

O blessed Mother! Look graciously on thy children; behold how we, by our sins, have forfeited all claim to grace. Compassionate our misery, aid us from the abundance of thy fulness, and entreat thy Son Jesus that He would grant us grace to be pleasing in His sight and thine, and to remain faithful unto death. Amen.

Twenty-eighth Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Poverty.

True and perfect poverty, says Albert the Great, consists in voluntary renouncing all temporal things for God's sake, in having but what is absolutely necessary, and in sometimes retrenching even in that for God; for where there is full provision against necessity, there is no poverty. Throughout her entire life Mary's perfect love of poverty is manifest. It was evident in the obscure city of Nazareth where this young virgin espoused to a poor carpenter dwelt, and afterwards when she set forth with Joseph for Bethlehem in obedience to the edict of Augustus. On her arrival where does she find shelter? There is no place at the inns for one so poor, so they are obliged to take refuge in a deserted stable, and there, exposed to all the inclemencies of the weather, the Queen of angels brings forth the Son of the Most High. Let every one, according to his state in life, imitate the poverty of the Blessed Virgin. Those who possess temporal goods should imitate her by despising them, and by not loving them too much, by estimating them at their true value, since they pass away so quickly. Those who are poor from necessity should imitate the example of the Blessed Virgin, and freely embrace and be contented with the state in which God has placed them.

Prayer.

My most sweet, most compassionate, most amiable Queen! Oh, how great is the confidence with which St. Bernard inspires me when I have recourse to thee! I am a poor sinner, deserving of a [pg 224] thousand hells; I wish to change my life; I wish to love my God, Whom I have so greatly offended. My Lady, dost thou understand me? Yes, I trust that thou hast understood me, and graciously heard my prayer. Amen.

Twenty-ninth Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Obedience.

Our Lord became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross, in order that we might, after His example, labor to acquire and practise the virtue of obedience. The perfection to which Mary carried the obedience due to her Creator has been implied in treating of the love of God with which her heart was inflamed; it was the source of her perfect conformity to the divine will. What an example of obedience does she not give us in the presentation of Jesus in the Temple! Mary was exempted from the obligation common to all women to go to the Temple to be purified. Nevertheless, as her divine Son was pleased to submit to circumcision, so she would submit to the law of purification. The person who obeys merits very much while doing little, because obedience springs from the spirit of perfect self-abnegation, which is the most agreeable holocaust to God. Thomas à Kempis says, “Whoever willingly obeys his superiors for God's sake, performs an heroic action as a valiant soldier of Jesus Christ, for he will receive with the martyrs the palm of a glorious immortality.”

Prayer.

My most sweet Lady and Mother, I am a vile rebel to thy great Son; but I come repentant [pg 225] to thy mercy that thou mayest obtain pardon for me. From thee I hope for every good, forgiveness, perseverance, and heaven. I hope to be one of those, who, in the kingdom of the blessed will most praise thy mercies, O Mary, for having saved us by thy intercession. Amen.

Thirtieth Day. The Blessed Virgin the Model of Modesty.

The Blessed Virgin was a perfect pattern of modesty; her exterior senses were in all things under the control of reason, and subjected to the will of God; gravity and composure marked her every movement. Oh, you who have the happiness of having chosen her for your Mother, if you love her as true children, endeavor with all possible ardor to imitate her modesty. We should particularly try to acquire that moderation of the tongue for which the Blessed Virgin was so conspicuous, and for this reason we should avoid all useless conversations. The Holy Ghost Himself has told us that in much speaking we cannot escape from sin. Thus walking in the footsteps of our blessed Mother in the faithful practice of this virtue, it will not only preserve us from many falls, many temptations and dangers, but it will also be a most powerful means of advantage in the way of sanctity and of edifying and drawing souls to God. Then will all our exterior conduct, regulated by interior motives, tend to the glory of God, the edification of our neighbor, and our own advantage.

Prayer.

Most holy, immaculate Virgin, and my Mother Mary, to thee, who art the Mother of my [pg 226] Lord, the Queen of the world, the advocate, the hope, and the refuge of sinners, I have recourse—I who am the most miserable of all. I thank thee for all the graces which thou hast hitherto granted me, and especially I thank thee for having delivered me from hell, which I have so often deserved. I promise always to serve thee, and to do all that I can that thou mayest also be loved by others. Amen.

Thirty-first Day. The Assumption.

Tradition says that after Mary's sacred remains had been most reverently entombed by the apostles, songs were heard proceeding from her sepulchre during the space of three days, and on the third day St. Thomas came, imploring to have the slab removed from the tomb that he might gaze for the last time on the beloved features of Mary. The slab was raised, but as he bent forward to look upon her, he started back in amazement; naught was to be seen save the grave-clothes in which the sacred body had been enveloped. The body itself was nowhere to be found. Then they knew that God had taken her, body and soul, to heaven. St. John describes the coronation in these terms: A great sign appeared in the heavens; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and the Queen thus crowned took her place near her Son on a throne prepared from all eternity. O you who fear the justice of God! O you who dare not cast yourself at the feet of Jesus! remember you have with Him a powerful advocate, who is Mary. O Mary, thou blessed, loving Mother, compassionate thy orphan children; pray for us, and [pg 227] place us one day near thee in the heavenly Jerusalem.

Prayer.

O holy virgin Mary, who, in order to inspire us with boundless confidence, hast been pleased to assume the sweet name of Mother of perpetual succor, we implore thee to come to our aid always and everywhere; in our temptations, after our falls, in our difficulties, in all the miseries of life, and above all in the sad hour of our death. Amen.

Mass in Union with Mary Immaculate.

Prayer Before Mass.

O Mary immaculate! I come to place myself body and soul under thy special care and protection. Take me by the hand, that thy purity may hide the deformity of my soul, thy praises and thy love may supply my deficiencies. I also place in thy hands all my hopes, all my sorrows, all my cares—my life and the end thereof. As thou didst stand by the cross of thy Son, joining thy prayers to His for man's redemption, so wilt thou come to help me now. Kindle my devotion, aid me with thy mighty intercession, so that I may worthily love and praise my God, and participate in the merits of Jesus, thy divine Son. Amen.

Confiteor.

“O Father,” will I cry with the prodigal, “I have sinned against heaven and before Thee. I am not worthy to be called Thy child.” I have grievously offended Thee through my whole [pg 228] life, and therefore am unworthy to lift my eyes to heaven. O Mary, my Mother! beg of God grace for me, and He will hear thee. Obtain that I may know all my faults and devoutly make a sincere avowal of them, followed by a true repentance, so that I may obtain pardon for them through the loving mercy of my God. Amen.

Introit.

Behold me, O my God, at Thy feet; dispose of me as Thou pleasest. I devote myself entirely to Thee, and since my sins alone can render me displeasing to Thee, therefore I cry aloud to Thee for mercy and pardon. Amen.

Kyrie.

Lord be merciful to me a sinner! O Father of infinite mercy, have pity on Thy child! O Mary, powerful advocate, help of sinners, aid us by thy supplicating voice, and the just One by excellence will descend as a long-expected rain! O Fountain of love, grant this mercy to me and to all poor sinners! Amen.

Gloria.

Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace to men of good-will! I praise Thee, I bless Thee, I adore Thee! Blessed angels, messengers of Our Lord, who came before our King to prepare a place in which He should descend, I beseech thee in the name of thy love for Our God, teach me to love Him. Amen.

Collect.

Glorious Virgin Mary, thou who art the true mediatrix between thy sweet Son and poor [pg 229] repentant sinners, pray for me, obtain for me the favorable attention of Our God and Saviour. And do Thou, O Jesus, enrich my soul with Thy gifts, to the full extent of Thy tender compassion. Amen.

Epistle.

O most pure Mary, who knowest so well how to penetrate and comprehend Jesus, open my soul, dilate it, so that it may be replenished with that abundance of gifts which it will receive from heaven through thy intercession. Amen.

Gospel.

Ah, to whom shall we go, O Jesus, if not to Thee, since Thou hast the words of eternal life? Thou, O Jesus, my Lord and my God, art the true light, for Whose dawn the saints of the Old Law watched with longing eyes, looking to Thee for grace and salvation. O Mary immaculate, Virgin always faithful! lead us to Jesus, help us to find Jesus, and attach us to Him forever by the bonds of perfect charity, which, uniting us to His sacrifice during time, will associate us to His glory in eternity. Amen.

Credo.

O my God, I firmly believe in one God in three divine Persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost! I believe in Jesus Christ, the true and only Son of God, Who was born of the Virgin Mary, and died on the cross for our salvation. I also believe all the sacred truths the Catholic Church believes and teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived. O sweet Jesus, [pg 230] give me knowledge and understanding that I may live and die in this faith! Amen.

Offertory.

Accept, O eternal Father, this offering which is here made to Thee by Thy minister, in the name of all here present and of Thy whole Church. It is yet only bread and wine, but by a miracle of Thy power and grace it will shortly become the body and blood of Thy divine Son. Now the august sacrifice begins, everything recalls the sorrows of our dear Jesus; His bitter agony, accompanied by a most heroic act of perfect submission when He consents to expiate every crime. O Jesus, Jesus! It is I who have bound Thee! it is I who have had the misfortune to lead Thee out to death! From this instant, O Jesus, I give myself to Thee! O Mary, my powerful protectress, purify us in the ardors of thy pure love, and do thou thyself place us on the paten with the bread, and in the chalice with the wine. Amen.

Lavabo.

Create a clean heart in me, O God, and renew a right spirit within me! Oh, wash me, dear Lord, from all the stains of sin, in the blood of the Lamb, that I may be worthy to be present at these heavenly mysteries. O Mary immaculate, may thy sorrows heal the wounds of my soul. Amen.

Preface.

Let us lift ourselves up to heaven, O my soul, and render thanks to the Lord Our God. O Mary most pure, aid us to break all the ties that still bind [pg 231] us to earth. Oh, may I, great God, unite my heart and voice with all the heavenly court, and cry with them: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts! Blessed is He Who cometh in the name of the Lord! Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory! Hosanna in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest!

Canon.

We conjure Thee, O Lord, to listen favorably to our humble prayers, to receive the vows and supplications we offer. We desire to adore, praise, and glorify Thee, and to give Thee thanks for Thy great glory, joining our hearts and voices with all the blessed in heaven, and with Thy whole Church upon earth. O Mary, Mother of mercy! Ask Jesus to give us the ineffable grace of appreciating, imitating, and loving Him until death—that Jesus sacrificed by love, and immolated perpetually for us upon our altars. Amen.

Consecration.

The priest has said: “This is My body; this is My blood;” and Jesus has descended into his hands. The God of heaven and earth obeys a weak creature. O mystery of love! O prodigy of annihilation! O my soul, gratitude and love ought to be thy language. Eternal Truth, in Thee I believe, strengthen Thou my faith, that I may love Thee ever more and more, and hereafter behold Thee face to face in Thy celestial kingdom—my Jesus and my all! Amen.

Elevation Of The Host.

Hail, Victim of salvation, eternal King, Incarnate Word! Sacrificed for me and for all mankind, O Jesus host, Jesus love, Jesus Saviour! Holy Father, turn Thy eyes upon me, or rather look upon Thy beloved Son. Give me all that I ask in His name, and in the name of my immaculate Mother. Amen.

Elevation Of The Chalice.

Holy, holy blood, flowing from my Saviour's Heart, do thou cleanse me from all sin. It is Thyself, again Thyself, sweet and blessed Jesus Christ, Who art also entire within this chalice. Again and again, I adore Thee, and beseech Thee to be my salvation. Amen.

Memento Of The Living And The Dead.

And now, O my God, I wish to pray for all Thy holy Catholic Church, and for all Christians, religious and secular; to all give perseverance, O my God! Remember, O Jesus, those souls purchased by Thy precious blood, who have died in Thy peace, but nevertheless are deprived of Thy presence. Stretch forth unto them Thy strong right hand, and bring them into a place of refreshment, light, and peace. Amen.

Nobis Quoque.

I most humbly implore Thy mercy, O Lord, for myself also. I beg pardon for all my sins; I desire to detest them, and to renounce them forever. Then, O my God, Thou wilt accept my gifts, and [pg 233] we will render to Jesus all honor, praise, and glory. Amen.

Pater Noster.

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Agnus Dei.

O Lamb of God, sacrificed for my sake, have mercy on me! O adorable Victim of my salvation, look down on me and save me! Divine Mediator, obtain pardon of Thy Father for me a sinner, and mercifully grant me the sweets of Thy peace! O Mary, conceived without sin, obtain for me purity of heart, soul, and body. Amen.

Communion.

In the presence of the true body and the true blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, O my God, I place myself most humbly and devoutly at the feet of Thy loving mercy. Make me avoid sin in the present, pardon that which I have committed in the past, and guard me against it in the future. O Mary, conceived without sin, place me in the sanctuary of thy maternal heart, so that, like thee, I may preserve in peace, silence, and love, Him Whose possession makes all my happiness, all my delight, all my hope. Amen.

Benediction.

O Jesus, Saviour of my soul, pour down on me by the hand of Thy minister Thy most abundant blessing. Illuminate my heart with Thy clear light, and grant that nothing may ever separate me from Thee. Amen.

Last Gospel.

O Word made flesh Who didst annihilate Thyself to give Thyself to me! Thou Who art the life and light of the world, enlighten me. How ought I not to be affected with the exceeding privilege I have enjoyed. O my God! I unite myself to Thee by the ties of love and gratitude; thus alone can I correspond with Thy mercies. Amen.

Prayer After Mass.

And now once more I commend myself to Thee, O my God! I commend myself throughout the hours of this day to Thy keeping, to the keeping of Thy holy Mother and of Thy holy angels, and bring before Thee, for the same loving care, my kindred, my brothers and sisters, my friends, my benefactors, and all Christian people. Amen.

Litany of the Blessed Virgin.

(An indulgence of three hundred days each time)

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord have mercy on us.

Christ hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, Have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us.

God, the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Pray for us.

Holy Mother of God, Pray for us.

Holy Virgin of virgins, Pray for us.

Mother of Christ, Pray for us.

Mother of divine grace, Pray for us.

Mother most pure, Pray for us.

Mother most chaste, Pray for us.

Mother inviolate, Pray for us.

Mother undefiled, Pray for us.

Mother most amiable, Pray for us.

Mother most admirable, Pray for us.

Mother of our Creator, Pray for us.

Mother of our Saviour, Pray for us.

Virgin most prudent, Pray for us.

Virgin most venerable, Pray for us.

Virgin most renowned, Pray for us.

Virgin most powerful, Pray for us.

Virgin most merciful, Pray for us.

Virgin most faithful, Pray for us.

Mirror of justice, Pray for us.

Seat of wisdom, Pray for us.

Cause of our joy, Pray for us.

Spiritual vessel, Pray for us.

Vessel of honor, Pray for us.

Vessel of singular devotion, Pray for us.

Mystical rose, Pray for us.

Tower of David, Pray for us.

Tower of ivory, Pray for us.

House of gold, Pray for us.

Ark of the covenant, Pray for us.

Gate of heaven, Pray for us.

Morning star, Pray for us.

Health of the sick, Pray for us.

Refuge of sinners, Pray for us.

Comforter of the afflicted, Pray for us.

Help of Christians, Pray for us.

Queen of angels, Pray for us.

Queen of patriarchs, Pray for us.

Queen of prophets, Pray for us.

Queen of apostles, Pray for us.

Queen of martyrs, Pray for us.

Queen of confessors, Pray for us.

Queen of virgins, Pray for us.

Queen of all saints, Pray for us.

Queen conceived without original sin, Pray for us.

Queen of the most holy Rosary, Pray for us.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord!

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Lord!

Anthem. We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God! Despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and Blessed Virgin.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray.

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may, by His Passion and cross, be brought to the glory of His resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

V. May the divine assistance remain always with us.

R. Amen.

V. And may the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

R. Amen.

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