St. Alphonsus Liguori: Daily Meditations for Fourth Week after Pentecost

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Friday – Fourth Week after Pentecost

Morning Meditation

X.-HOW TO CONVERSE CONTINUALLY AND FAMILIARLY WITH GOD

The heavens and the earth and all things in them, says St. Augustine, tell me to love Thee, O my God! St. Teresa used to say that when she saw beautiful hills and slopes they seemed to reproach her for her ingratitude to God.

I.

When your eye rests on scenes in the country or along the sea-shore, on flowers or fruits, and you are delighted by the sight and scent of all, say: Behold, how many are the beautiful creatures that God has created for me in this world, in order that I may love Him; and what further enjoyments does He not keep prepared for me in Paradise? St. Teresa used to say that when she saw any beautiful hills or slopes, they seemed to reproach her for her own ingratitude to God. And the Abbot de Rance, Founder of La Trappe, said that the beautiful creatures around him reminded him of his own obligation to love God. St. Augustine also said the same thing, crying out aloud: “Heaven and earth and all things tell me to love Thee.” It is related of a certain holy man that in passing through the fields he would strike with a little stick the flowers and plants along his way, saying: “Be silent! Do not reproach me any longer for my ingratitude to God. I have understood you; be silent I say no more!” When St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi held in her hand any beautiful fruit or flower, she used to feel herself smitten by divine love, saying to herself: “Behold, my God has thought from eternity of creating this fruit, this flower, in order to give it me as a token of the love He bears towards me.”


II.

When you see the rivers and brooks, reflect that as the water which you behold keeps running on to the ocean without ever stopping, so ought you to be ever hastening on to God, Who is your only Good. When you happen to be in a vehicle drawn by beasts of burden, say: See what labour these innocent animals go through for my service; and how much pains do I myself take in order to serve and please my God? When you see a little dog, which for a miserable morsel of bread is so faithful to its master, reflect how much greater reason you have to be faithful to God Who has created and preserved and provided for you, and heaps upon you so many blessings. When you hear the birds sing, say: Hearken, O my soul, to the praise these little creatures are giving to their Creator; and what are you doing? Then do you also praise Him with acts of love. On the other hand, when you hear the cock crow, recall to your memory that there once was a time when you also, like Peter, denied your God; and then renew your contrition and your tears. So, likewise, when you see the house or place where you have sinned, turn yourself to God and say: The sins of my youth and my ignorance remember not, O Lord-(Ps. xxiv. 7).

When you behold the valleys, consider that as their fertility is due to the waters that run down from the mountains, so from Heaven do graces descend upon the souls of the humble, and pass by the proud. When you see a beautifully ornamented church, consider the beauty of a soul in a state of grace, which is a real temple of God. When you behold the sea, consider the immensity and the greatness of God. When you see fire, or candles lighted on an altar, say: How many years is it since I ought to have been cast into hell to burn! But since Thou, O Lord, hast not sent me there, make this heart of mine burn with love for Thee, as that wood and those candles burn. When you look up at the sky, all studded with stars, say with St. Andrew of Avellino: “O my feet, you will one day have those stars beneath you.”

In order frequently to recall to mind the Mysteries of our Saviour’s love, when you see hay, a manger, or a cave, let the Infant Jesus in the Stable of Bethlehem be present in your recollection. When you see a saw, a hammer, a plane, or an axe, remember how Jesus laboured like a mere working boy in the shop at Nazareth. Then if you see ropes, thorns, nails, or pieces of wood, reflect on the Passion and death of our Redeemer. St. Francis of Assisi, on seeing a lamb, would begin to weep, saying, “My Lord, like a lamb, was led to death for me.” Again, when you see altars, chalices, or patens, recall to mind the greatness of the love which Jesus Christ has borne us in giving us the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.

Spiritual Meditation

CORAM SANCTISSIMO

THIRTIETH VISIT

Why hidest thou thy face?–(Job xiii. 24). Job feared when he saw that God hid His face: but to know that Jesus Christ veils His majesty in the Most Blessed Sacrament should not inspire us with fear, but rather with greater love and confidence; since it is precisely to increase our confidence, and with greater evidence to manifest His love, that He remains on our altars concealed under the appearance of bread. Novarinus says: “God in hiding His face in this Sacrament discloses His love.” And who would ever dare to approach Him with confidence, and lay bare before Him his affections and desires, did this King of Heaven appear on our altars in the splendours of His glory?

Ah, my Jesus, what a loving invention was this of the Most Blessed Sacrament, in which Thou hidest Thyself under the appearance of bread, in order to make Thyself loved and that Thou mayest be found on earth by all who desire Thee! The Prophet was right in saying that men should speak and raise their voices throughout the world, in order to make known to all men, to what an excess the inventions of the love of our good God go for us. Make his works known among the people-(Is. xii. 4). O most loving Heart of my Jesus, worthy to possess the hearts of all creatures-Heart all and ever full of flames of most pure love! O consuming Fire, consume my whole being, and give me a new life of love and grace! Unite me to Thyself in such a way that I may never more be separated from Thee. O Heart open to be the refuge of souls, receive me! O Heart, which on the Cross was so agonised for the sins of the world, give me true sorrow for my sins! I know that in this Sacrament Thou preservest the same sentiments of love for me which Thou hadst when dying on Calvary; and therefore Thou hast an ardent desire to unite me wholly to Thyself. And is it possible that I should any longer resist yielding up my entire self to Thy love and to Thy desire? Ah, by Thy merits, my beloved Jesus, be pleased Thyself to wound me, to bind me, to force me, to unite me in all things to Thy Heart. I am now determined by Thy grace to give Thee all the pleasure I possibly can, by trampling under foot all human respect, my inclinations, repugnances, all my tastes and conveniences, which may prevent me from entirely pleasing Thee. Do Thou, my Lord, so help me, that I may execute this determination in such a way that henceforth all my works, opinions, and affections may be in conformity with Thy good pleasure. O love of God, do Thou drive all other loves from my heart! O Mary, my hope, thou art all-powerful with God, obtain for me the grace to be a faithful servant of the pure love of Jesus until death. Amen, amen. So I hope; so may it be in time and eternity!

Ejac. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? -(Rom. viii. 85).


AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION

My Jesus, I believe that Thou art truly present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love Thee above all things, and I desire to possess Thee within my soul. Since I am unable now to receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace Thee as already there, and unite myself wholly to Thee; never permit me to be separated from Thee.


VISIT TO MARY

St. Bernard affirms that the love of Mary towards us cannot be greater or more powerful than it is; hence by her affection she is always abundant in her compassion for us, and by her power she is plentiful in the relief she affords us: “The most powerful and compassionate charity of the Mother of God abounds in tender compassion and in kind relief; she is equally rich in both.” So that, my most pure Queen, thou art rich in power, and rich in compassion; thou art able and desirest to save all. I therefore beseech thee now, and I will do so always, in the words of the devout Blosius: “O Lady, protect me in my combats, and strengthen me when I am wavering.” O most holy Mary, in this great battle in which I am engaged with hell, do thou always succour me; but when thou seest me wavering and likely to fall, O Lady, do thou then extend thy hand with greater promptitude, and sustain me with greater vigour. O God, how many temptations have I still to overcome before my death! 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 temptations, saying:

Ejac. Help me, Mary! Mary, help me.


Concluding Prayer

Most holy Immaculate Virgin and my Mother Mary, to thee, who art the Mother of my Lord, and Queen of the world, the advocate, the hope, the refuge of sinners, I have recourse today I, who am the most miserable of all. I render thee my most humble homage, O great Queen, and I thank thee for all the graces thou hast conferred on me until now, particularly for having delivered me from hell, which I have so often deserved. I love thee, O most amiable Lady; and for the love which I bear thee, I promise to serve thee always, and to do all in my power to make others love thee also. I place in thee all my hopes; I confide my salvation to thy care. Accept me for thy servant, and receive me under thy mantle, O Mother of Mercy. And since thou art so powerful with God, deliver me from all temptations, or rather obtain for me the strength to triumph over them until death. Of thee I ask a perfect love of Jesus Christ. From thee I hope to die a good death.

O my Mother, for the love which thou bearest to God, I beseech thee to help me at all times, but especially at the last moment of my life. Leave me not, I beseech thee, until thou seest me safe in Heaven, blessing thee, and singing thy mercies for all eternity. Amen. So I hope. So may it be.

Evening Mediation

THE PRACTICE OF THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST

XLIII.-HE THAT LOVES JESUS CHRIST WISHES WHAT JESUS CHRIST WISHES

I.

Now what is the surest way to know and ascertain what God requires of us? There is no surer way than to practise obedience to our superiors and directors. St. Vincent de Paul said the will of God is never better complied with than when we obey our superiors. The Holy Ghost says: Much better is obedience than the victims of fools-(Eccles. iv. 17}. God is more pleased with the sacrifice we make to Him of our own will, by submitting it to obedience, than with all other sacrifices which we can offer Him; because in other things, as in alms-deeds, fastings, mortifications, and the like, we give of what is ours to God, but in giving Him our will, we give Him everything. So that when we say to God: O Lord, make me know by means of obedience what Thou requirest of me, for I wish to comply with all, we have nothing more to offer Him.

Whoever, therefore, gives himself up to obedience, must needs detach himself totally from his own opinion. “What though each one,” says St. Francis de Sales, “has his own opinions, virtue is not thereby violated; but virtue is violated by the attachment we have to our own opinions.” But, alas! this attachment is the hardest thing to part with; and hence there are so few persons wholly given to God, because few render a thorough submission to obedience. There are some persons so fondly attached to their own opinion that, on receiving an obedience, although the thing enjoined suits their inclination, yet, from the very fact of its being commanded, they lose all fancy for it, all wish to discharge it; for they find no relish in anything but in following the dictates of their individual will. How different is the conduct of Saints! Their only happiness flows from the execution of what obedience imposes on them. The saintly Jane Frances de Chantal once told her daughters that they might spend the Recreation-day in any manner they chose. When the evening came, they all went to her, to beg most earnestly that she would never again grant them such a permission; for they had never spent such a wearisome day as that on which they had been set free from obedience.


II.

It is a delusion to think that anyone can be possibly better employed than in the discharge of what obedience has imposed. St. Francis de Sales says: “To desert an occupation given by obedience in order to unite ourselves with God by prayer, by reading, or by recollection, would be to withdraw from God to unite ourselves with our own self-love.” St. Teresa adds, moreover, that whoever performs any work, even though it be spiritual, yet against obedience, assuredly works by the instigation of the devil, and not by Divine inspiration, as he perhaps flatters himself; “because,” says the Saint, “the inspirations of God always come in company with obedience.” To the same effect she says elsewhere: “God requires nothing more of a soul that is determined to love Him than obedience.” “A work done out of obedience,” says Father Rodriguez, “outweighs every other that we can imagine.” To gather a straw off the ground from obedience is of greater merit than a protracted prayer, or a discipline to blood, done out of our own head. This caused St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi to say that she would rather be engaged in some exercise from obedience than in prayer; “because in obedience I am certain of the will of God, whereas I am by no means so certain of it in any other exercise.” According to all spiritual masters, it is better to leave off any devout exercise through obedience than to continue it without obedience. The Most Blessed Virgin Mary revealed once to St. Bridget that he who relinquishes some mortification through obedience reaps a twofold profit; since he has already obtained the merit of the mortification by the good-will to do it, and he also gains the merit of obedience by foregoing it. One day the famous Father Francis Arias went to see the Blessed John of Avila, his intimate friend, and he found him pensive and sad; he asked him the reason of it, and received this answer: “Oh, happy you who live under obedience, and are sure of doing the will of God. As for me, who shall warrant me whether I do a thing more pleasing to God in going from village to village, catechising the poor peasants, or in remaining stationary in the confessional to hear every one that presents himself? Whereas he that is living under obedience is always sure that whatever he performs by obedience is according to the will of God, or rather that it is what is most acceptable to God.” Let this serve as a consolation for all those who live under obedience.