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

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Fourth Sunday After Pentecost



Morning Meditation

V.-HOW TO CONVERSE CONTINUALLY AND FAMILIARLY WITH GOD

Think of the Lord in goodness. In these words the Wise Man exhorts us to have more confidence in God’s Mercy than dread of His divine Justice, for God is immeasurably more inclined to bestow favours than to punish. Mercy exalteth itself above judgment.

I.

Think of the Lord in goodness-(Wis. i. I). In these words the Wise Man exhorts us to have more confidence in the divine mercy than dread of the divine justice; since God is immeasurably more inclined to bestow favours than to punish; as St. James says, Mercy exalteth itself above judgment-(James ii. 13). Hence the Apostle St. Peter tells us that in all fears, whether about our interests for time or for eternity, we should commit ourselves altogether to the goodness of our God, Who has the greatest care of our safety: Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you-(1 Peter v. 7). Oh, what a beautiful meaning does this lend to the title which David gives to the Lord, when he says that our God is the God Who makes it His care to save: Our God is the God of salvation-(Ps. lxvii. 21), which signifies, as Bellarmine explains it, that the office peculiar to the Lord is, not to condemn, but to save all. For while He threatens with His displeasure those who disregard Him, He promises, on the other hand, His assured mercies to those who fear Him, as the divine Mother said in her Canticle: And his mercy is to them that fear him-(Luke i. 50). I set before you, devout soul, all these passages of Scripture, that when the thought disquiets you-Am I to be saved or not? Am I predestined or not?-You may take courage, and understand from the promises He makes you what desire God has to save you, if only you are resolved to serve Him and to love Him as He commands.


II.

When you receive pleasant news, do not act like those unfaithful, thankless souls who have recourse to God in time of trouble, but in time of prosperity forget and forsake Him. Be as faithful to Him as you would to a friend who loves you and rejoices in your good; and, go therefore, at once and tell Him of your gladness, and praise Him and give Him thanks, acknowledging it all as a gift from His hands; and rejoice in that happiness because it comes to you of His good pleasure. Rejoice, therefore, and comfort yourself in Him alone: I will receive in the Lord and I will joy in God my Jesus-(Habac. ii. 18). Say to Him: My Jesus, I bless, and will ever bless Thee, for granting me so many favours, when I deserved at Thy hands not favours, but chastisements for the affronts I have offered Thee. All fruits, the new and the old, my Beloved, I have kept for thee-(Cant. vii. 13). Lord, I give Thee thanks; I keep in memory all Thy bounties, past and present, to render Thee praise and glory for them for ever and ever.

But if you love your God, you ought to rejoice more in His blessedness than in your own. He who loves a friend very much, sometimes takes more delight in that friend’s good name than if it were his own. Comfort yourself, then, in the knowledge that your God is infinitely blessed. Often say to Him: My beloved Lord, I rejoice more in Thy blessedness than in any good of mine; yes, for I love Thee more than I love myself.

Another mark of confidence highly pleasing to your most loving God is this: that when you have committed any fault, you be not ashamed to go at once to His feet and seek His pardon. Consider that God is so greatly inclined to pardon sinners that He laments their perdition, when they depart far from Him and live as dead to His grace. Therefore does He lovingly call them, saying: Why will you die, O house of Israel? Return ye, and live-(Ezech. xviii. 31, 32). He promises to receive the soul that has forsaken Him, as soon as she returns to His arms: Turn ye to me, … and I will turn to you-(Zach. i. 3). Oh, if sinners did but know with what tender mercy the Lord stands waiting to forgive them! The Lord waiteth, that he may have mercy on you-(Is. xxx. 18). Oh, did they but know the desire He has, not to chastise, but to see them converted, that He may embrace them, that He may press them to His Heart! He declares: As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live-(Ezech. xxxiii. 11). He even says: And then come and accuse me, saith the Lord: if your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow-(Is. i. 18). As though He had said: Sinners, repent of having offended Me; if I do not pardon you, accuse me; upbraid Me, and treat Me as one unfaithful. But no, I will not be wanting to My promise. If you will come, know this: that though your consciences are dyed deep as crimson by your sins, I will make them by My grace as white as snow. In a word, God has declared that when a soul repents of having offended Him, He forgets all its sins: I will not remember all his iniquities-(Ezech. xviii., 22).

Spiritual Reading

CORAM SANCTISSIMO

TWENTY-FIFTH VISIT

St. Paul praises the obedience of Jesus Christ, saying that He obeyed His Eternal Father even unto death: becoming obedient even unto death-(Philipp. ii. 8). But in this Sacrament He has gone still farther; for here He has been pleased to become obedient, not only to His Eternal Father, but also to man; and not only unto death, but as long as the world shall last; so that we can say: “He has become obedient even unto the consummation of the world.” He, the King of Heaven, comes down from Heaven in obedience to man, and then seems to dwell and converse there, in order to obey men: And I do not resist. There He remains without moving Himself; He allows Himself to be placed where men will, be it for exposition in the Monstrance, or to be enclosed in the Tabernacle. He allows Himself to be carried wheresoever He is borne, be it into houses or through the streets; He allows Himself to be given in Communion to whomsoever He is administered, be they just or sinners. St. Luke says that whilst He dwelt on earth He obeyed the Most Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph; but in this Sacrament He obeys as many creatures as there are priests on earth: and I do not resist-(Is. 1. 5).

Permit me now to address Thee, O most loving Heart of my Jesus, from which indeed all the Sacraments flowed forth, but principally this Sacrament of love. I would gladly give Thee as much glory and honour as Thou givest in the Holy Sacrament to the Eternal Father. I know that on this altar Thou still lovest me with that same love with which Thou didst love me when Thou didst close Thy divine life in the midst of so much anguish on the Cross. O Divine Heart, enlighten all those who know Thee not with the knowledge of Thyself! Through Thy merits deliver from Purgatory, or at least relieve, the afflicted souls, who are already Thy spouses for all eternity. I adore Thee, I thank Thee, I love Thee, in union with all souls who at this moment love Thee, be they on earth or in Heaven.

O most pure Heart, purify my heart from all attachment to creatures, and fill it with Thy holy love! O sweetest Heart of Jesus, possess my heart, so that henceforward it may be all Thine, and may be always able to say: Who, then, shall separate us from the love of God, … which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord?-(Rom. viii. 38). Write, O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, upon my heart all the bitter sorrows which for so many years Thou didst endure on earth with so much love for me, that, on seeing them, I may henceforward desire, or at least endure with patience, all the sorrows of this life. Most humble Heart of Jesus, give me a share of Thy humility. Most meek Heart, impart Thy sweetness to me. Take from my heart all that displeases Thee; convert it wholly to Thee, so that I may no longer will or desire other than what Thou willest. In a word, grant that I may live only to obey Thee, only to love Thee, only to give Thee pleasure. I know that I, indeed, owe Thee much; and that Thou hast indeed placed me under great obligations: it will be but little if I consume and wear myself out for Thee.

Ejac. O Heart of Jesus, Thou art the sole Lord of my heart!


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 says that Mary is that heavenly Ark in which, if we take refuge, we shall certainly be delivered from the shipwreck of eternal damnation: “She is the ark in which we escape shipwreck.” The Ark In which Noe escaped from the general wreck of the world was indeed a type of Mary. But Hesychius says that Mary is a more spacious, a stronger, and a more compassionate Ark. Only a few men and a few beasts were received into and saved by the Ark of Noe; but Mary, our Ark, receives all who take refuge under her mantle, and with certainty saves them. Unfortunate should we be had we not Mary! But still, my Queen, how many are lost! And why? Because they have not recourse to thee. And who would ever be lost had he recourse to thee?

Ejac. Grant, most holy Mary, that we may always have recourse to 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.

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

I.

God wishes us to love Him with our whole heart: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart -(Matt. xxii. 37). That person loves Jesus Christ with his whole heart who says to Him with the Apostle: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?-(Acts ix. 6). Lord, signify to me what Thou wilt have me do; for I desire to perform all. And let us be persuaded that whilst we desire what God desires, we desire what is best for ourselves; for assuredly God only wishes what is best for us. St. Vincent de Paul said: “Conformity with the will of God is the treasure of a Christian and the remedy for all evils; since it comprises abnegation of self and union with God and all virtues.” In this, then, is all perfection: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Jesus Christ promises us that not a hair of your head shall perish-(Luke xxi. 18), which is as much as to say, that the Lord rewards us for every good thought we have of pleasing Him, and for every tribulation embraced with patience in conformity to His holy will. St. Teresa says: “The Lord never sends a trial without remunerating it with some favour as often as we accept it with resignation. “


II.

But our conformity to the Divine will must be entire, without any reserve, and constant, without withdrawal. In this consists the height of perfection; and to this, I repeat, all our thoughts, all our desires, all our works, and all our prayers ought to tend. Some souls given to prayer, on reading of the ecstasies of St. Teresa and St. Philip Neri, come to wish to enjoy themselves these supernatural unions. Such wishes must be banished as contrary to humility; if we really desire to be saints, we must aspire after true union with God, which is to unite our will entirely to the will of God. St. Teresa said: “Those persons are deceived who fancy that union with God consists in ecstasies, raptures, and sensible enjoyments of Him. It consists in nothing else than submitting our will to the will of God; and this submission is perfect when our will is detached from everything, and so completely united with that of God that all its movements depend solely on the will of God. This is the real and essential union which I have always sought after, and continually beg of the Lord.” And then she adds: “Oh, how many of us say this, and seem to ourselves to desire nothing besides this; but, miserable creatures that we are, how few of us attain to it.” Such, indeed, is the undeniable truth; many of us say: O Lord! I give Thee my will, I desire nothing but what Thou desirest,-but, in the event of some trying occurrence, we know not how to yield calmly to the Divine will. And this is the source of our continually complaining that we are unfortunate in the world, and that we are the butt of every misfortune, and so of our dragging on an unhappy life.