St Alphonsus Liguori

Text from a friend

“In his sermons for Sundays Campadelli relates that a young nobleman addicted to sins of the flesh, was warned by God and by men to amend his life; but he despised all their admonitions. He afterwards fell into a severe illness, confessed his sins, and promised to change his life; but, after his recovery, he returned to the vomit. Behold the vengeance of God! Being one day in a field during the vintage, he took fever, went home, and feeling that the disease was far advanced, he sent in haste for a priest who lived near the house. The priest comes, enters the house, salutes the sick man, but sees a frightful spectacle, the eyes and mouth open, the face black as jet. He calls the sick man, but finds that he is dead. Dearly beloved brethren, take care that you, too, be not miserable examples of the justice of God. Give up sin; but give it up from this moment; for, if you continue to commit sin, the same vengeance which has fallen on so many others shall also fall on you. Let us come to the remedy.

SECOND POINT. THE REMEDY FOR THOSE WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN SIN, AND WISH TO SAVE THEIR SOULS.

Jesus Christ was one day asked, if the number of the elect is small. Lord, are they few that are saved? But he said to them: Strive to enter by the narrow gate, for many, l say to you, shall seek to enter, and they shall not be able.” (Luke 13:23, 24.) He says that many seek to enter heaven, but do not enter; and why? Because they wish to obtain eternal life without inconvenience, and without making strong efforts to abstain from forbidden pleasures. Therefore, he said: ‘strive to enter at the narrow gate.”

Saint Alphonsus de Liguori Collection

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Jesus Dies on the Cross. Station 12

We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.

Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Consider how thy Jesus, after three hours’ Agony on the Cross, consumed at length with anguish, abandons Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head, and dies.

O my dying Jesus, I kiss devoutly the Cross on which Thou didst die for love of me. I have merited by my sins to die a miserable death; but Thy death is my hope. Ah, by the merits of Thy death, give me grace to die, embracing Thy feet, and burning with love for Thee. I yield my soul into Thy hands. I love Thee with my whole heart; I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Dear Jesus, Thou dost go to die For very love of me: Ah! let me bear Thee company; I wish to die with Thee.

Have mercy on us, O Lord.

Have mercy on us.

The Way of the Cross. Saint Alphonsus De Liguori.

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Evening Prayer

Ah, Lord,
how many nights have I slept in enmity with Thee?
O God!
in what a miserable state was my soul during that time!
it was hated by Thee,
and wished to be hated by Thee.
I was condemned to hell;
there was nothing wanting
but the execution of the sentence.
But Thou, my God,
hast never ceased to seek after me,
and invite me to pardon.
But who can assure me
that Thou hast pardoned me?
Must I, O my Jesus!
live in this uncertainty
till Thou dost judge me?
But the sorrow which I feel
for having offended Thee,
my desire to love Thee,
and still more,
Thy Passion,
O my beloved Redeemer!
make me hope that Thy grace dwells in my soul.
I am sorry for having offended Thee,
O Sovereign Good!
and I love Thee above all things.
I resolve to forfeit everything
rather than lost Thy grace and Thy love.
Thou dost wish that the heart
which seeks Thee should be full of joy.
“Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.”
Lord, I detest all the injuries
I have offered to Thee.
Give me courage and confidence;
do not upbraid me with my ingratitude;
for I myself know and detest it.
Thou hast said that Thou willest not
the death of a sinner,
but that he be converted and live.
Yes, my God,
I leave all things and turn to Thee.
Give me Thy love;
I ask nothing else.
O Mary! thou, after Jesus, art my hope;
obtain for me holy perseverance.

By St. Alphonsus Liguori

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Select Stations

“The Way of the Cross’ St Alphonsus Liguori

Jesus falls the first time

My beloved Jesus, it is not the weight of the Cross, but my sins, which have made Thee suffer so much pain. Ah, by the merits of this first fall, deliver me from the misfortune of falling into mortal sin. I love Thee, O my Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to separate myself from Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

My most beloved Jesus, Thy face was beautiful before, but in this journey it has lost all its beauty, and wounds and blood have disfigured it. Alas, my soul also was once beautiful, when it received Thy grace in Baptism; but I have disfigured it since by my sins; Thou alone, my Redeemer, canst restore it to its former beauty. Do this by Thy Passion, O Jesus. I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Jesus falls a second time

My most gentle Jesus, how many times Thou hast pardoned me, and how many times have I fallen again, and begun again to offend Thee! Oh, by the merits of this new fall, give me the necessary help to persevere in Thy grace until death. Grant that in all temptations which assail me I may always commend myself to Thee. I love Thee, Jesus my love; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

Jesus falls a third time

Ah, my outraged Jesus, by the merits of the weakness Thou didst suffer in going to Calvary, give me strength sufficient to conquer all human respect, and all my wicked passions, which have led me to despise Thy friendship. I love Thee, Jesus my love, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

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Accountability through counsel and Holy Spirit inspired recognition

the saints earnestly recommend…to discover our temptations (through counsel and fellowship), and it is for the same reason that the devil, who desires nothing more than to destroy us, hinders us as much as he can from understanding our temptations….nothing pleases the devil more than to meet with one that will not discover his temptations, for then, since he fights with him hand to hand, he is sure of victory, according to the words of scripture, ‘Woe to him who is alone; because if he comes to fall, there is no one to help him up.’ On the contrary, adds the saint, there is nothing the devil fears so much, and which gives him so much pain, as to see himself discovered, exposed to others. For then he loses all courage and hopes of gaining victory….Saint Ignatius…makes use of the following comparison: he says that when the devil tempts us, he deals with us as a man does who solicits to evil a young woman who has prudent parents, or a married woman who has an honest husband. The first thing the young man does is to hinder the young woman from saying anything to her father or mother, or the wife to her husband, and fears nothing more than to be discovered, because then all hope of effecting his wicked designs are lost; whereas, as long as they keep it secret, he thinks he has still ground to hope. It is thus, continues our holy founder, that when the devil would deceive anyone, the first thing he does is to hinder him from discovering his temptations through counsel, living alone in secret, as long as the temptations are concealed, the devil is sure to overcome and to obtain what he desires…On the contrary, the devil fears being exposed to a superior or confessor, ’whoever does ill hates the light’.   St Alphonsus Rodriguez ‘The Practice of Christian & Religious Perfection’

I posted this in regards to the dinner party last night and recent Hospice work.  Alone, or amongst spiritually unhealthy fellowship, we are abandoned to our own devices, fodder for the manipulative and clever Satan.  Extreme self-righteousness, the desperate need to be right, spiritual fanaticism are some of the ugliness willing to arise.  Subtly, the nuances of pride and brokenness allow us to pull the wool over our own eyes.  In darkness, a life lived in secret, or affirmed within a strangling crowd, trends severely toward delusion, self-deceit and thus a falling away from grace.  Counsel providing accountability does not have to be direct.  I do not have to pour myself out to everyone in order to receive enlightenment regarding faults and proclivities to temptation.  Remaining honest, open, and willing, the Holy Spirit will speak, an awareness for the wiles and ways of evil made apparent.  Words are not necessary for defining.  It is good to entertain myself amongst those seeking the refinement of their Christian life, having fun while staying attuned, unafraid and vulnerable to others while strong and independent in conviction and knowledge of myself.  Expectations held low, I listen to myself and others, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak loudest, all while enjoying life in simplicity and a lack of demand.

St Alphonsus Rodriguez

St Alphonsus Rodriguez

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Petition within patience

When Jesus comes to the soul in Holy Communion he brings every grace to it, especially the grace of holy perseverance. This is the principal effect of the Most Holy Sacrament—to nourish the soul that receives it with this food of life, to give it great strength to advance to perfection and to resist those enemies who desire our death….

Patience under contempt

St Teresa reminds us, “Whoever aspires to perfection must beware of ever saying: ‘They had no right to treat me so’. If you will not bear any cross but one which is based on reason, then perfection is not for you.”

…affronts, poverty, torments, and all tribulations…when they happen to a soul who loves God they become an instrument of closer union with God and more ardent love of God. However great and grievous trouble may be, so far from extinguishing the flames of charity, they only serve to enkindle them more in a soul who loves nothing else but God. 

St Alphonsus Liguori

St Alphonsus Liguori

The above words from St Alphonsus Liguori in ‘The Holy Eucharist’ settle nicely upon the Matthew Gospel readings the last two days of mass, a personal exploration of necessity. However, I turned to them in regards to relevancy while discovering them searching for another idea. I wanted a saintly inspired meditation upon patience and the Eucharist. I am fascinated by slow developments in my life regarding the Eucharist. Several phone calls, phone messages, and now a conversation leading to an appointment with a priest form an opening to the Aggregation of the Blessed Sacrament aligned with the parish of St Paschal Baylon in Highland Heights. Nothing happening fast, patience gracing, respect to the uniqueness of charisms, marks the events with intrigue. The Sunday vigil mass of Corpus Christi I attended at the church allowed me to witness seven laypeople complete formation into the third order. Me being me, my mind races forward in fantasy and imagination, excited by the idea of socializing based upon the Eucharist. It was a quality crowd of Catholics. The entire third order stood during the mass, all seated together, as the seven new inductees conducted their formal ceremonies of graduation. In respect to Dr Nichta’s stressing that I function best in structure, routine, and order, I feel it appropriate to explore further. Thy Will be done. More Dr Nichta wisdom: Maybe this is the key to a healthy social life, and maybe it is not. Explore the matter realistically, patiently prepared for a yes or no. Most likely, the truth is somewhere in between. There is no reason to fear being wrong, nor no glory in being right. All is in God’s hands. Trust in the Lord. I am a dreamer and tend to get overly-excited. The opportunity of taking the Eucharist to the homebound, nursing homes, and whatever other opportunities exist surrounding the Eucharist may be just the spiritual and natural extending of myself necessary for further contemplative growth.  So many have assisted me in establishing where I am at today, it would serve perfection to serve others: allow me Lord to provide love-filled service to my brothers and sisters, teach me to see You, Lord, in all the lives that I touch.. A new social world, brothers and sisters in Christ, would soothe my heart, ease my awkwardness in life. Every day, through all complications, love amasses within me. I am not sure why God is not providing me an outlet for my love. Friends to share with are developing at St Paul’s, a spiritual home is revealed, yet could there be more to fill my mornings.  Taking inspiration from Janette, I do not complain, nor whine, grateful for the miracles in my life, yet I plead with God to use me.  Let me give back Lord.  I am a good man with a heart ready to explode. I am alone and hurting. My family is distant. I have no one close. Conducting the novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots, I plead with my Holy Mother, the wisest, kindest and gentlest of all women, to allow me the opportunity to love and serve. Self-knowledge focused upon a devoted personality, I understand it is essential for me to love. Love brings meaning to my life. Root out my complexities, Holy Mother allow me to love properly. You know how much I enjoy my time with Janette. Are there other elderly people who can serve me so blessedly by allowing me to take the Eucharist to them, possibly even to share Rosaries together? Could such a miracle truly take place in my life? God, could You break my loneliness by allowing me to serve You? Could I truly have the opportunity to love on such a profound level, filling my mornings with the supplying of the body of Christ to those in need? I have known disappointment and rejection all of my life, I implore with proper intent and respect, God that You please grace me with the opportunity to serve You with, in, and through love.

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Necessities and patience

Jesus, I trust in You
Holy Presence I kneel broken, sincere, making the sign of the Cross,
Corpus Christi, resting exposed I repose blinded, overpowered,
Fighting within, struggling against pain and sadness, waiting,
Relishing moments of peace, capabilities, a monstrance, harvesting confidence,
Trusting, instituting patience, the Eucharist through, with and in the Church,
Lord, I am a weak, one filled with tears, arrest the anger,
I need You, bring me others to be near,

The just and the unjust must each carry his own cross. Carry it with patience to be saved; carry it with impatience and be lost….

…with this present life, those who practice the most patience have the most peace of mind. Let us be convinced that in this valley of tears true peace of heart cannot be found except by those who lovingly embrace their crosses to please Almighty God. “If anyone wishes to come after me,” says the Lord, “he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). This must be done, not by constraint and against our will, but with humility, patience, and love.

St Catherine of Genoa…”To attain union with God, adversities are indispensable. By them God aims at destroying all our corrupt propensities both within and without. All injuries, contempt, abandonment by loved ones, temptations and mortifications are necessary in the highest degree so that we carry on the fight until, by repeated victories, we come to extinguish all viciousness within us.”

“The patient man is better than the valiant” (Proverbs 16:32)…. –St Alphonsus Liguori ‘The Holy Eucharist’

Revelation-1412

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