+++AMDG+++

LOW SUNDAY ~ CHRIST’S WORDS TO ST. THOMAS

(Read John xx, 19-31)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that Thomas either by chance or by some negligence was not in the cenaculum when our Lord appeared for the first time to the Apostles, and on account of this separation from the others was deprived of the consolation of seeing the Master. Neither afterwards could he be induced to believe in the mystery of the resurrection, although it had been attested by all with one accord. He remained still obstinate, nor would he believe unless he saw Christ risen with his own eyes and touched Him with his own hands. How much harm did not this separation from the other Apostles bring to this Apostle!

APPLICATION: Strive always to be united with your fellow-workers in their labours for God and for souls. Let your conduct be ever simple, humble and edifying. Avoid discord and selfish ways.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Light has risen to the just, and gladness to such as are right of heart. (Ps. xcvi, 11.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY  the extreme goodness of the divine Master Who wished to appear to Thomas in the presence of all the other Apostles, so that they might be as much edified by his repentance as they had been scandalised by his bad example. Jesus did not upbraid him nor reprove him with sharp words, but most tenderly corrected him: Be not faithless, but believing.  With excessive condescension He invites him not only top look at His wounds but to touch them, even as he had wished, in order to convince himself of His resurrection.

APPLICATION:  Hardness of heart is softened more easily by the heat of love than by the affability than severity, and more souls are gained by affability than by hardness. This is the true manner which you must use with your neighbour.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  How sweet are thy words to my palate: more than honey to my mouth. (Ps. cxviii, 103.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY  how fully Thomas repented and amended his error: My Lord and My God, confessing Him to be at the same time both God and Man, Man by acknowledging the Sacred Humanity in which He had died, and God by the divinity which raised Him to life again. We do not know whether Thomas really touched the wounds and put his hand into the sacred side as he had been invited to do by Christ. But what is certain is, that the wound of the sacred side inflamed the breast of the Apostle with love and zeal for the divine honour, the wounds of the sacred hands armed him to fight even to the shedding of his blood for His Master’s glory, and those of the sacred feet gave him strength to travel to the far ends of the East for the salvation of souls.

APPLICATION:   Do you likewise approach to those wounds which your Redeemer keeps open for you, because they will be for you fountains of light, strength and salvation.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  I have run in the way of thy commandments, when thou didst enlarge my heart. (Ps. cxviii, 32.)

+ + + + + + + JMJ + + + + + + +

MONDAY AFTER LOW SUNDAY ~ HUMAN LIFE

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting. (John vi, 27.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that there is nothing more unstable than a little vapour which disappears at the least breath of wind! Such also is human life, as St. James tells us: For what is your life? It is vapour. (James iv, 15.) How many accidents are capable of taking it from you even when you least think? The slightest blow on a vital part, a little cold, a poison-bearing little insect.

APPLICATION:  How then can your repute yourself as little less than immortal in this life? Thou hast not laid these things to heart, neither hast thou remembered thy latter end. (Isaias xlvii, 7.)

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: My days are vanished like smoke: and my bones are grown dry like fur for the fire. (Ps. ci, 4.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that vapour borne on high assumes at times a beautiful form, brilliant even as the sun itself. But how long does it last? It appears for a little while, and afterwards shall vanish away. (James, ib.) By its own virtue it is not capable of sustaining itself; it immediately falls and dissolves into nothing. Do not then forget your own nothingness, if at present you find yourself holding an exalted position either of great learning or of rank or of command over others.

APPLICATION:  They are lifted up for a little while ad shall not stand. (Job xxiv, 24.) Today they are seen in figure and form; tomorrow in the tomb. Today loved, esteemed and venerated by all; tomorrow under the earth and become the food of worms! Oh what an almost complete annihilation is that which every moment hangs over you! How many great captains have there been in the world, how many great princes, what a number of potentates, who are now no more than a mere memory! Of you then and of your talents what will remain?

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  All our days are spent; and in thy wrath we have fainted away. (Ps. lxxxix, 9.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY  what infatuation then is yours if you weary yourself so much for a life so worthless, and attend so little to the future and to the eternal life. Imagine to yourself that there were two classes of persons in the world. Some like ourselves and would die after a few years and others who would never die. Oh how would these latter scorn the folly of the former, if they saw them fatiguing themselves for the acquisition of earthly things! They would say: Leave these things to us who are immortal upon this earth; do you prepare yourself for death and content yourself rather with what will suffice to sustain this short life of yours.

APPLICATION:   In truth, we are not less worthy of being scorned now, although we seek to compassionate each other in this universal folly.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Who is the man who desireth life, who loveth to see good days? (Ps. xxxiii, 13.)

+ + + + + + + JMJ + + + + + + +

TUESDAY AFTER LOW SUNDAY ~ GOOD CONVERSATION

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matt. xii, 34.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that on hearing the strokes of a clock one may know immediately if it is right or otherwise. So in like manner it suffices to hear but a few words spoken by a man in order to judge whether his interior be well ordered or not. Even thy speech doth discover thee. Therefore does the Apostle St. Paul with good reason say to each of the faithful: Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth. (Ephes. Iv, 29.) He who breaks forth into impatient and arrogant words or into injurious language has clearly but little command over his own self.

APPLICATION:  Reflect on the faults of your tongue and that you may correct them with the necessary prudence, make doors and bars to thy mouth. (Ecclus. xxviii, 28.) If doors have no locks it is a sign there is no guard kept there. Keep secure the key of your mouth so that words may not find their way out without permission.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and a door round about my lips. (Ps. clx, 3.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that as you must keep a guard over your mouth so that words unworthy of your Christian profession may not come forth, in a similar manner you should open it in seasonable time for the edification of your hearers by good and holy conversation.

APPLICATION:  How then comes it to pass that you are ashamed to use the language of that country which ultimately you hope to be yours? Should it not rather be a frequent subject of your conversation? Perhaps you fear vain-glory by being accounted a too spiritual man? Have certainly the intention of avoiding all vanity, but strive only to benefit your neighbour, to the edification of faith that it may administer grace to the hearers. (Eph. Iv, 29.)

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  O Lord, thou wilt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praises. (Ps. l, 17.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY  the advantages which you will produce by your good and holy conversations. The good which they bring to all manner of persons, be they religious or lay, or even those who are leading indifferent lives, is exceedingly great. For these familiar conversations frequently penetrate the heart more intimately even than sermons, producing the grace of compunction in the guilty, the grace of fortitude in the good and in the perfect the grace of a still higher worship of God.

APPLICATION:   Be therefore given as much as you can to these good conversations according as your state of life and occasions permit, because by benefiting others, you will procure even more advantage for yourself.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be always in my mouth. (Ps. xxxiii, 2.)

+ + + + + + + JMJ + + + + + + +

WEDNESDAY AFTER LOW SUNDAY ~ MERIT OF SUFFERINGS

Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you. (Matt.v, 12.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY what is that price by which you must buy unto yourself the glory of paradise. Nothing else than the sufferings of this life. The sufferings of this time, as St. Paul calls them (Rom.viii, 18.) are: Sickness, poverty, humiliations, persecutions and other such inconveniences which are incident to the lives of all. When you disdain to accept these tribulations, you refuse that means which God gives to you as a poor man, in order that you may be enabled to make a great purchase. Would not people be seen running eagerly to a place where a prince was casting money among the crowd on the occasion of some great feast?

APPLICATION:  And will you not take even a step to gather profit from such and such tribulation, which God offers you in order to make you rich?

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches. (Ps. cxviii, 14.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that the suffering you endure for God may be considered as so much money wherewith to purchase paradise for yourself; but they are out of all proportion to such a purchase, because in themselves they do not possess a worth so immense. For what proportion could there possibly be between your sufferings and the glory of heaven? If there were no other difference there is at least this, that your sufferings are all connected with the time of this life, The sufferings of this time : whilst future glory is essentially one of eternity.

APPLICATION:  Ponder well then and oftentimes what proportion there can be between time and eternity? Momentary and light, as St. Paul tells us, is the tribulation that worketh for us above measure exceedingly and eternal weight of thy glory. (2 Cor. Iv, 17.)

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. (Ps. xlix, 15.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY that it seems hard to you to suffer because the future happiness of heaven is hidden from you. But do not fear. Very soon it will be made manifest to you: the glory to come shall be revealed in us. (Rom.viii, 18.) Oh if our Lord would only raise that veil a little which conceals it from your view and give you to contemplate even one single ray of that heavenly bliss, how happy would you be! You could not then refrain from calling out: The happiness I expect is so great, that every suffering is for me both welcome and delightful.

APPLICATION:   It must needs be that you now pass through the time of this earthly pilgrimage before this glory which is the future and eternal is revealed in you. Therefore at present be content that it be revealed to you in hope and not in reality: since by suffering and labouring to acquire this future glory, which you hope to attain, through faith, you will render yourself deserving of a great reward.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the Lord deliver them. (Ps. xxxiii, 20.) 

+ + + + + + + JMJ + + + + + + +

THURSDAY AFTER LOW SUNDAY ~ MUTUAL CHARITY

A new commandment I give you that you love one another as I have loved you. (John xiii, 34.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that one of the most necessary precepts is the mutual bearing with one another. And yet perhaps this is the one which is the least realised, because in order to carry burdens which at times are heavy it is necessary to possess much fortitude, and the greater number of persons are spiritually weak.

APPLICATION:  If then you would know to what degree of fortitude you have arrived, observe how far you are able to bear the burdens of others. If you can support them, you are strong and robust; but if, on the contrary, you cannot do so, then you are weak and lose immense merit and gain.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: Acceptable is the man who is merciful and lendeth. (Ps. cxi, 5.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY what are these burdens of others which we must carry. Firstly, they are the natural and moral defects of our neighbour, such as infirmity, melancholy, rudeness, ingratitude, anger, contradictions, all heavy burdens to bear. Secondly there are the spiritual and corporal necessities of your neighbour, assisting him as far as you can in the wants of the body and much more so in the needs of the soul, counselling him in doubt, comforting him in temptation and consoling him in affliction. In the third place, you have also to share part of the punishment due to his sins, by praying for him, doing penance for him.

APPLICATION:  The principal burden which you must necessarily bear is that of natural and moral defects. If you will reflect on what others have to suffer from your own defects, you will more easily be indulgent to them, you will gather strength to support in turn their shortcomings also.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. (Ps. cxxxii, 1.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY  that to bear mutually with one another is to fulfill the law of Christ, because it is founded on that charity which Christ had in our regard. He had compassion on our defects, coming to our aid in our necessities and expiating the punishment due to our sins. This is a law which binds all, but how few there are who observe it, because few are the souls who are generous and courageous in supporting the defects of their neighbour.

APPLICATION:   On your part then strive all you can to repair this fault and by so doing you will become more pleasing to Jesus Christ. On the other hand, if you retaliate when you are contradicted by others or when you hear their angry words, there will perish the law of charity which Christ has so specially made His own.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle? Or who shall rest in thy holy hills? He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not done evil to his neighbour. (Ps. xiv, 1-3.)

+ + + + + + + JMJ + + + + + + +

FRIDAY AFTER LOW SUNDAY ~ LABOUR AND ITS REWARD

Then will he render to every man according to his works. (Matt. xvi, 27.)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that for such a great and eternal reward as that which God is making ready for you in heaven, it would be but just that it should be preceded by labour that was immense and almost eternal; and, if that were not possible, at least it should be preceded by great endeavours which should last for many years. On the contrary observe how short the term is, especially when at the most, as the Psalmist says, the days of our years are threescore and ten (Ps. lxxxix, 10), and seldom more.

APPLICATION:  Will you not then be content to undergo some labour even for so brief a space of time that you may enjoy an eternity of happiness hereafter? God in His mercy will even shorten the life of man so that souls if they are not saved will have less reason to complain. How is it then that you are not willing to suffer and labour even to the last breath of your life for so unspeakable a reward?

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS: I am poor, and in labours from my youth; and being exalted have been humbled and troubled. (Ps. lxxxvii, 16.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that some are so far from being willing to undergo any such fatigue until death in order to purchase heaven, that it seems to them that they already do too much, and they are almost ashamed to use ordinary care in fully satisfying the obligations of their state in life. Does not this very fact show that they hold such a kingdom, and an eternal kingdom too, in but low estimation? Nevertheless such is the folly of many that they travel to far distant lands, and expose their lives in battle and to a thousand perils for a reward either of empty smoke or of a trifling gain.

APPLICATION: For the recompense which our Lord has promised you, namely the eternal; possession of all His goods, can you be afraid or ashamed to employ too much care and trouble in order to attain it?

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  We shall be filled with the good things of thy house, holy is thy temple. (Ps. lxiv, 5.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY  what Ecclesiasticus says to you, Be not afraid to be justified even to death. (Ecclus. xviii, 22.)  Therefore you ought not to fail to continue living until the moment of your death as if each day were the first on which you began to serve God. However, many there are who in the progress of time fall off from that diligence and fervour which they gave proof of as beginners in God’s service, as if they considered that now they had done sufficient.

APPLICATION:   If you indeed find yourself drawing near to the end of your life’s pilgrimage, and none of us can say he is not, so much the more reason have you to animate yourself with that fervour with which you started at the beginning. Reflect a little and see how much room there still is for amendment. So many imperfections yet remain to be corrected that you should account yourself not only a beginner, but even a sinner. Therefore it behoves you to believe that it is the present hour in which you must begin to serve God in right earnest: Be not afraid to be justified even to death.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  I said; Now have I begun, this is the change of the right hand of the most high. (Ps. lxxvi, 11.)

+ + + + + + + JMJ + + + + + + +

SATURDAY AFTER LOW SUNDAY ~ HOW TO MAKE PROGRESS IN VIRTUE

Behold I am with you all days. (Matt. xxviii, 20)

CONSIDER FIRSTLY that if by your own effort you were obliged to work out that progress in virtue which is suitable to your state in life, you would have much reason for discouragement, because of yourself you can do nothing. You must found your hopes on the assistance of God. He who has with him the help of his Lord can be confident of reaching even a high degree of Christian perfection. The essential point is that you on your part dispose yourself to receive this divine help. For this however two conditions are necessary: the first, that you have a full and intimate knowledge of your own weakness by which of yourself you cannot advance the least in virtue; the second that you frequently and ardently beg of our Lord that He would vouchsafe to grant you His assistance so necessary for you.

APPLICATION:  Up to the present moment you seem to have received but little help from God, because you have not been solicitous in fulfilling these two conditions. Begin now, and you will experience much profit.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:   I am needy and poor: O God, help me. (Ps. lxix, 6.)

CONSIDER SECONDLY  that you cannot attain to Christian perfection as quick as at first you might imagine, but only step by step. Our Lord wills that you climb, not that you should fly. This is the principal reason why so few become really holy, because they would at once find themselves with St. Paul raised to the third heavens. Our Lord does not wish to do all Himself, but He wills that we of ourselves ascend. For thus it is that we merit all the more by the violence we do ourselves, little by little conquering ourselves, just as is done in ascending a high mountain.

APPLICATION:  Strive then to do that which specially concerns yourself. Begin by exercising yourself more particularly in those virtues of which you have most need. Take first one step and then another, because it is by climbing that you must make the ascent.

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  Blessed is the man whose help is from thee, In his heart he hath disposed to ascend by steps. (Ps. lxxxiii, 6.)

CONSIDER THIRDLY  that climbing in this manner to the heights of Christian perfection necessarily requires much labour and suffering. Do not however lose courage, because your joy hereafter will be in proportion to the suffering and the reward to the labour. Even in this life, this valley of tears, you will also enjoy a foretaste of the happiness which awaits you, and for your final reward you will possess the Kingdom of Heaven. Above all act not like those who are inconstant in the practice of virtue which they have undertaken, even discontented in the state of life in which God has placed them. You are bound to be always climbing towards that which is better, working in the place which he hath set, as the Psalmist says, that is, in the state of life and in the work to which our Lord has called you.

APPLICATION: Hence it is essential that you be courageous. Recall to mind frequently that two conditions are necessary in order that you may arrive at the degree of perfection which God desires of you, namely the grace of God, and your own co-operation with that same grace. However, you must place all your confidence not in this latter but together in the grace which God is please to grant you.   

AFFECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS:  The Lord is my light and my salvation: Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: Of whom shall I be afraid? (Ps. xxvi, 1.)

+ + + + + + + JMJ + + + + + + +

+++AMDG+++