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

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Monday – Third Week After Pentecost

Morning Meditation

“HE WAS SUBJECT TO THEM.”

God created Adam and enriched him with gifts, but ungrateful man offended Him by rebelling, and thus both he and all his posterity remained deprived of divine grace and Paradise. What did the Eternal Father do to save lost man? He sent His own Son to become Man, and to die for man, in order that by His death He might pay man’s debts to divine justice and so restore him to divine grace. O God, what a subject of astonishment to the Angels, this great love of God to rebellious man!

I.

God created Adam and enriched him with gifts, but ungrateful man offended Him by rebelling, and thus he and all his posterity were deprived of divine grace and Paradise. Thus, then, all mankind was lost and without a remedy. Man had offended God, and therefore was incapable of giving Him an adequate satisfaction; it was necessary, then, that Divine Person should satisfy for man. What did the Eternal Father do to save lost man? He sent His own Son to become Man, and clothe Himself with the same flesh as sinful men, in order that by His death He might pay man’s debts to divine Justice, and thus obtain for man a restoration to divine grace.

O my God, if Thy infinite bounty had not discovered this remedy, who of us could ever have asked it or even imagined it?

O God, what a subject of wonder must not this great love which God showed to rebellious man have been to the Angels! What must they have said when they saw the Eternal Word become Man, and assume the same flesh as sinful man, insomuch that this Word Incarnate appeared to the whole world in the form of sinful man, as were all others. O my Jesus, how much do we not owe Thee, and how much more than others am I not indebted to Thee, who have offended Thee so much more than others! If Thou hadst not come to save me, what would have become of me for all eternity? Who could have saved me from the pains that I deserve? Mayest Thou be ever blessed and praised for so great love!


II.

But, O God, how few there are who show themselves grateful for so immense a love by faithfully loving their Redeemer! Alas! the greater part of men, after so incomparable a benefit, after so many great mercies and so much love, still say to God: Lord, we will not serve Thee; we choose rather to be the slaves of the devil and condemned to hell than be Thy servants. Listen to how God upbraids such thankless wretches: Thou hast burst my bands, and thou saidst: I will not serve-(Jer. ii. 20).

What say you? Have you too been one of these? And. tell me, whilst living far from God and the slave of the devil, have you felt really happy? Have you been at peace? Ah, no, the divine words can never fail: Because thou didst not serve the Lord thy God with joy and gladness of heart, thou shalt serve thy enemy in hunger and thirst and nakedness, and in want of all things-(Deut. xxviii. 47). Since thou hast preferred to serve thy enemy rather than serve thy God, behold how that tyrant has treated thee. He has made thee groan as a slave in chains, poor, afflicted, and deprived of every interior consolation. But come, rise up; God speaks to thee whilst thou mayest still be freed from the fetters of death which bind thee: Loose the bonds from off thy neck, O captive daughters of Sion-(Is. Iii. 2). Make haste while time is left. Unbind thyself, poor soul, who hast become the voluntary slave of hell; strike off these cursed chains that hold thee fast as a prey for hell, and bind thyself instead with My chains of gold, chains of love, chains of peace, chains of salvation: Her bands are a healthful binding-(Ecclus. vi. 31). But in what manner are souls bound to God? By love: Have charity, which is the bond of perfection-(Col. iii. 14). A soul that always walks by the single way of the fear of punishment, and from this single motive avoids sin, is always in danger of making a relapse before long into sin; but he that attaches himself to God by love is sure not to lose God as long as he loves Him.

O my Jesus, Thou hast been pleased to become a Servant for love of me, and in order to release me from the chains of hell; and not only the Servant of Thy Father, but of men and of executioners, even to the laying down of Thy life: and I, for the love of some wretched and poisonous pleasure, have so often forsaken Thy service, and have become the slave of the devil. A thousand times over I curse those moments in which, by a wicked abuse of my free-will, I despised Thy grace, O infinite Majesty! In pity pardon me, and bind me to Thyself with those delightful chains of love with which Thou keepest Thy chosen souls in closest union with Thee. I love Thee, O Incarnate Word; I love Thee, O my sovereign Good!

Spiritual Reading

CORAM SANCTISSIMO

NINETEENTH VISIT

It is sweet to everyone to be in the company of a dear friend; and shall we not find it sweet in this valley of tears to remain in the company of the best Friend we have, and Who can do us every kind of good: Who loves us with the most tender affection, and therefore dwell always with us? Behold, in the Most Blessed Sacrament we can converse at pleasure with Jesus, we can open our hearts to Him, we can lay our wants before Him, and we can ask Him for His graces; in a word, in this Sacrament we can treat with the King of Heaven in all confidence and without restraint. Joseph was only too happy when, as the Sacred Scripture tells us, God descended by His grace into His prison to comfort Him: She went down with him into the pit, and in bands she left him not-(Wisd. x. 13). But we are yet more highly favoured; for we have always with us in this land of miseries our God made Man, Who by His real presence, is with us all the days of our life, and comforts and helps us with the greatest affection and compassion. What a consolation it is to a poor prisoner to have an affectionate friend, who keeps him company, consoles him, gives him hope, succours him, and thinks of relieving him in his misery! Behold our Good Friend, Jesus Christ, Who in this Sacrament encourages us, saying: Behold, I am with you all days-(Matt. xxviii. 20). Behold Me, He says, I am all thine: I am come from Heaven into thy prison expressly to console thee, to help thee, to deliver thee. Welcome Me, and do so always; cling to Me, and thus thou wilt never feel thy miseries; and afterwards thou wilt, come with Me to My Kingdom, where I shall make thee perfectly happy.

O God, O incomprehensible ocean of love, since Thy condescension towards us is so great, that in order to dwell near us Thou descendest upon our altars, I resolve often to visit Thee; I am determined, as often as I possibly can, to enjoy Thy most sweet presence, which is the beatitude of the Saints in Heaven. Oh, could I but always remain in Thy presence, to adore Thee and to make Thee acts of love! Arouse, I beseech Thee, my soul, when through tepidity or worldly affairs it neglects to visit Thee. Enkindle in me a great desire always to remain near Thee in this Sacrament. Ah, my loving Jesus, would that I had always loved Thee! Would that I had always pleased Thee! I console myself that I still have time to do so, not only in the next life, but also in this. I am determined to do so; I am determined to love Thee indeed, my sovereign Good, my Love, my Treasure, my All. I will love Thee with all my strength.

Ejac. My God, help me to love Thee!


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

The devout Bernardine de Bustis says: “O sinner, whoever you may be, despair not; but with confidence have recourse to this Lady; you will find her hands filled with mercies and graces.” And know also, that this most compassionate Queen has a greater desire to do you good than you can have to be succoured by her. I will ever, O my Lady, thank God for having taught me to know thee. Unfortunate indeed should I be did I not know thee, or did I forget thee; ill would it fare with my salvation. But, my Mother, I bless thee, I love thee and so great is my confidence in thee, that I place my whole soul in thy hands.

Ejac. O Mary, blessed is he who knows thee, and puts his trust in thee!


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 Meditation

THE PRACTICE OF THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST

XXXII.-HE THAT LOVES JESUS CHRIST SEEKS TO DETACH HIMSELF FROM EVERY CREATURE

I.

We must love God in the way that pleases God, and not that pleases ourselves. God will have us divested of all, in order to be united to Himself, and to be replenished with His Divine love. St. Teresa writes as follows: “The prayer of union appears to me to be nothing more than to die utterly, as it were, to all things in this world, for the enjoyment of God alone. One thing is certain, that the more completely we empty ourselves of creatures by detaching ourselves from them for the love of God, the more abundantly will He fill us with Himself, and the more closely shall we be united with Him.” Many spiritual persons would attain to union with God; but then they accept not the contradictions which God sends them: they fret at having to suffer from ill-health, from poverty, from affronts; but, for want of resignation, they will never come to a perfect union with God. Let us hear what St. Catherine of Genoa says: “To arrive at union with God, the contrarieties which God sends us are absolutely necessary: His purpose is to consume in us, by means of them, all irregular movements, both within and without. And hence all contempt, ailments, poverty, temptations, and other trials, are all indispensable, to give us the opportunity of fighting; that so, by the way of victory, we may eventually extinguish all inordinate movements, so as to be no longer sensible of them; furthermore, until we begin to find contradictions sweet for God’s sake, instead of bitter, we shall never arrive at divine union.”

O Jesus, my Love, my Hope, my Courage, and my Consolation, give me strength to be faithful to Thee! Grant me light, and make known to me from what I ought to detach myself; supply me too with a strong will to obey Thee in all things. O Love of my soul, I offer myself, and deliver myself up entirely, to satisfy the desire Thou hast to unite Thyself with me, that I may be wholly united with Thee, my God and my All. Come, then, my Jesus; come and take possession of my whole self, and occupy all my thoughts and all my affections. I renounce all my desires, all my comforts, and all created things; Thou alone art sufficient for me. Grant me the grace to think only of Thee, to desire only Thee, to seek only Thee, my Beloved and my only Good! O Mary, Mother of God, obtain for me holy perseverance!


II.

I will here subjoin the teaching of St. John of the Cross. The Saint says that to acquire a perfect union, “a thorough mortification of the senses and of the appetites is necessary. On the part of the senses, every single liking that presents itself to them, if it be not purely for the glory of God, should forthwith be rejected for the love of Jesus Christ; for example, should you have a desire to see or hear something in no wise conducive to the greater glory of God, then refrain from it. As to the appetites also, we should endeavour to force ourselves always to choose the worst, the most disagreeable or the poorest without fostering any other wish than to suffer and to be despised.” In a word, he that truly loves Jesus Christ loses all affection for things of earth, and seeks to strip himself of all, in order to keep himself united with Jesus Christ alone. Jesus is the object of all his desires, Jesus the subject of all his thoughts; for Jesus he continually sighs; in every place, at every time, on every occasion, his sole-aim is to give pleasure to Jesus. But to reach this point we must strive unceasingly to rid the heart of every affection which is not for God. And, I ask, what is meant by giving the soul entirely to God? It means, firstly, to shun whatever may be displeasing to God, and to do what is most pleasing to Him; secondly, it means to accept unreservedly all that comes from His hands, how hard or disagreeable soever it may be; it means, thirdly, to give the preference in all things to the will of God over our own: this is what is meant by belonging wholly to God.

Ah, my God and my All! I cannot help feeling that, in spite of all my ingratitude and remissness in Thy service, Thou still invitest me to love Thee. Behold me, then, I will resist Thee no longer. I will leave all to be wholly Thine. I will no more live for myself: Thy claims on my love are too strong. My soul is enamoured of Thee; my Jesus, it sighs after Thee. And how can I possibly love anything else, after seeing Thee die of suffering on a Cross in order to save me! How can I behold Thee dead, all worn out with torments, and not love Thee with my whole heart? Yes, I love Thee indeed with all my soul; and I have no other desire but to love Thee in this life and for all eternity.