without beginning or end,
who art the giver, preserver, and rewarder of all virtue:
Grant me to stand firm on the solid foundation of faith,
be protected by the invincible shield of hope,
and be adorned by the nuptial garment of charity;
Grant me by justice to obey thee,
by prudence to resist the crafts of the Devil,
by temperance to hold to moderation,
by fortitude to bear adversity with patience;
Grant that the goods that I have I may share liberally
with those who have not,
and the good that I do not have I may seek with humility
from those who have;
Grant that I may truly recognise the guilt of the evil I have done,
and bear with equanimity the punishments I have deserved;
that I may never lust after the goods of my neighbour,
but always give thanks to thee for all thy good gifts…
Plant in me, O Lord, all thy virtues,
that in divine matters I might be devout,
in human affairs wise,
and in the proper needs of the flesh onerous to no one…
And grant that I may never rush to do things hastily,
nor balk to do things demanding,
so that I neither yearn for things too soon,
nor desert things before they are finished.
Amen
O merciful God, grant that I may desire ardently, search prudently, recognize truly, and bring to perfect completion whatever is pleasing to You for the praise and glory of Your name.
Put my life in good order, O my God.
Grant that I may know what You require me to do.
Bestow upon me the power to accomplish Your will, as is necessary and fitting for the salvation of my soul.
Grant to me, O Lord my God, that I may not falter in times of prosperity or adversity, so that I may not be exalted in the former, nor dejected in the latter.
May I not rejoice in anything unless it leads me to You; may I not be saddened by anything unless it turns me from You.
May I desire to please no one, nor fear to displease anyone, but You.
May all transitory things, O Lord, be worthless to me and may all things eternal be ever cherished by me.
May any joy without You be burdensome for me and may I not desire anything else besides You.
May all work, O Lord, delight me when done for Your sake and may all repose not centered in You be ever wearisome for me.
Grant unto me, my God, that I may direct my heart to You and that in my failures I may ever feel remorse for my sins and never lose the resolve to change.
O Lord my God, make me submissive without protest, poor without discouragement, chaste without regret, patient without complaint, humble without posturing, cheerful without frivolity, mature without gloom, and quick-witted without flippancy.
O Lord my God, let me fear You without losing hope, be truthful without guile, do good works without presumption, rebuke my neighbor without haughtiness, and—without hypocrisy—strengthen him by word and example.
Give to me, O Lord God, a watchful heart, which no capricious thought can lure away from You.
Give to me a noble heart, which no unworthy desire can debase.
Give to me a resolute heart, which no evil intention can divert.
Give to me a stalwart heart, which no tribulation can overcome.
Give to me a temperate heart, which no violent passion can enslave.
Give to me, O Lord my God, understanding of You, diligence in seeking You, wisdom in finding You, discourse ever pleasing to You, perseverance in waiting for You, and confidence in finally embracing You. Grant that with Your hardships I may be burdened in reparation here, that Your benefits I may use in gratitude upon the way, that in Your joys I may delight by glorifying You in the Kingdom of Heaven. You Who live and reign, God, world without end.
Stanzas Concerning An Ecstasy Experienced In High Contemplation
I entered into unknowing, and there I remained unknowing transcending all knowledge.
1. I entered into unknowing, yet when I saw myself there, without knowing where I was, I understood great things; I will not say what I felt for I remained in unknowing transcending all knowledge.
2. That perfect knowledge was of peace and holiness held at no remove in profound solitude; it was something so secret that I was left stammering, transcending all knowledge.
3. I was so ‘whelmed, so absorbed and withdrawn, that my senses were left deprived of all their sensing, and my spirit was given an understanding while not understanding, transcending all knowledge.
4. He who truly arrives there cuts free from himself; all that he knew before now seems worthless, and his knowledge so soars that he is left in unknowing transcending all knowledge.
5. The higher he ascends the less he understands, because the cloud is dark which lit up the night; whoever knows this remains always in unknowing transcending all knowledge.
6. This knowledge in unknowing is so overwhelming that wise men disputing can never overthrow it, for their knowledge does not reach to the understanding of not understanding, transcending all knowledge.
7. And this supreme knowledge is so exalted that no power of man or learning can grasp it; he who masters himself will, with knowledge in unknowing, always be transcending.
8. And if you should want to hear: this highest knowledge lies in the loftiest sense of the essence of God; this is a work of his mercy, to leave one without understanding, transcending all knowledge.
The following Gregorian chant from medieval times Dies Irae/Day of Wrath is attributed to Thomas of Celano. I am guided to the chant for several reasons. One being seemingly mere chance. I posted the Angelus and once completing a viewing, the lovely rendition of Dies Irae stood poised for clicking. I witnessed the video, moved by the rendition. I recalled the chant being associated with Thomas of Celano. The writing of the chant is recognized unofficially by Brother Thomas. Brother Thomas, an early Franciscan wrote a definitive biography of St Francis that is vital to my spiritual growth. The work is grander than the telling of simply the life of St Francis. All respect given to the immensity of the life of St Francis, the time he was born and his social and religious ramifications, the biography written by Thomas of Celano is a spiritual endeavor on an individual level, a guide through scripture, spiritual thought, while ruminating upon the events of the life of St Francis. I have a fiction work in progress I have actually abandoned, one calling me to finish. I feel it is my opus maximum. It is the story of an errant knight, the ill-begotten son of a priest, a man of immense physical proportions at war with not only the world, yet torn inside from an unknown father infamous as a corrupt priest, and a beautiful mother overly-compassionate, obsessively attached to her only son, a woman outcast with only her son for companionship. The severe affliction the mother inflicts upon her son through intense unfocused love, pouring all of her faith, hope, and charity into her offspring damages the child’s psyche. The troubled psyche also greatly affected by an absent father, a man of ill-repute who wore the collar of a priest. The mother dies the death of a leper. Her son moves into the world as Man Tower, a mammoth man of might known for his cruelty in battle–his moniker in respect to the towers commonly built in cities of Italy during the time. He represents a tower of defense personified. A modern Achilles loving only war, fearing not death, while all fear his appearance upon the battlefield. During this time, the time of St Francis, the years roughly a thousand years after the death of Our Lord, a complex psychological time. Many saw the end of the world after the thousand year reign of man after the death and resurrection of Our Lord. The Church was lost, corrupt priest running rampant morally and economically. Social conditions were evolving as feudalism gave way to a hierarchal social structure based upon mercantilism; royalty being usurped by markets, individuals gaining ascendency over the church and royal domination. The common man was emerging as a vital economic and political force. St Francis appeared during this critical time offering not only reform in the church, always keep in mind Pope Innocent’s dream of St Francis holding up the church. St Francis and St Clare also provided immense social change in their embracing of poverty, truly demonstrating the worth of knowing the Lord through lacking rather than riches. They lived in a time when riches became accessible, a viable dream for every peasant, either through economic enterprise or spoils gained through knightly efforts in the Holy Land. The dream of wealth established itself as a dream in the mind of every man (including priest), woman, and child. Whether realized or not, avariciousness became a mental preoccupation for every man.
Anyway to cut myself short. In this work, I place scripture as stolen from Thomas of Celano’s biography of St Francis within the story, synchronously dropped in throughout. As Thomas of Celano applied it to the telling of the life of St Francis, I use it the same in my story. Thy Will be done. St Francis and St Clare play vital within the story told around their times and lives. Now I would like to honor the chant associated with Thomas of Celano. First introducing the theme of death through the writing of St Alphonsus De Liguroi. The chant is a sobering, long forgotten, and much needed reminder of man’s finality, with a very clear admonition that we had better be prepared for judgment and eternity.
My brother, if you wish to lead a proper life, endeavor to live during the days which may remain to thee, keeping death ever in view. ” O death, thy judgment is good.” (Ecclus. xli. 3.) Oh how well does he who judges of things and regulates his actions act; who judges and regulates them, with death ever in view. The memory of death makes us lose the affection which we feel for things that are earthly”. Let the end of this life be thought upon, and there will be nothing in this world to be loved,” observes S. Lawrence Justinian”. For all that is in the world: the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” (i S. John ii. 16.) All the pleasures of the world may be reduced to the pleasures of sense, the pleasures of riches and honors; but he who thinks that within a short time he will be reduced to ashes, and that he will be food for worms under the earth, despises all the pleasures the world can give him. –St Alphonsus De Liguroi ‘Preparation for Death’.
It is but seldom a sinner is found so hopeless, as to wish to be preparation for condemned. Sinners are willing to sin, but they are not willing to give up the hope of being saved. They commit sin, and say to themselves, God is merciful ; I will commit this sin, and afterwards confess it. Behold, says S. Augustine, this is how sinners talk: “God is good, I will do what it pleaseth me;”but O God, how many, who are now in hell, have said the same!
The Lord tells us not to say that the mercies of God are great, and that although we may commit many sins, by one act of sorrow they will be pardoned. “Say not the mercy of the Lord is great, He will have mercy on the multitude of my sins”. (Ecclus. v. 6.) God tells us not to say this, and wherefore”? For mercy and wrath quickly come from Him, and His wrath worketh upon sinners”. (Ecclus. v. 7.) The mercy of God is infinite, but the acts of this mercy, are finite. God is merciful, but He is also just. S. Basil observes that sinners will only consider God in one aspect”. The Lord is good, but also just; we are unwilling to think of God in His half-nature”. To bear with him who makes use of the mercy of God, only to do Him more offence, observes Father Avila, would not be mercy, for justice would be lacking. Mercy is promised to him who fears God, not, indeed, to him who abuses it, as the holy Virgin sang”, His mercy is on them that fear Him”. To the obstinate, justice is threatened, and, as S. Augustine observes, God never fails in His promises, neither does He fail in His threats. –St Alphonsus De Liguroi ‘Preparation for Death’.
Dies Irae/Day of Wrath
DIES irae, dies illa,
solvet saeculum in favilla,
teste David cum Sibylla.
Day of wrath and doom impending,
David’s word with Sibyl’s blending,
Heaven and earth in ashes ending.
Quantus tremor est futurus,
quando iudex est venturus,
cuncta stricte discussurus!
O what fear man’s bosom rendeth,
When from heaven the Judge descendeth,
On whose sentence all dependeth.
Tuba mirum spargens sonum
per sepulcra regionum,
coget omnes ante thronum.
Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth,
Through earth’s sepulchers it ringeth,
All before the throne it bringeth.
Mors stupebit et natura,
cum resurget creatura,
iudicanti responsura.
Death is struck, and nature quaking,
All creation is awaking,
To its Judge an answer making.
Liber scriptus proferetur,
in quo totum continetur,
unde mundus iudicetur.
Lo, the book exactly worded,
Wherein all hath been recorded,
Thence shall judgment be awarded.
Iudex ergo cum sedebit,
quidquid latet apparebit:
nil inultum remanebit.
When the Judge His seat attaineth,
And each hidden deed arraigneth,
Nothing unavenged remaineth.
Quid sum miser tunc dicturus?
quem patronum rogaturus?
cum vix iustus sit securus.
What shall I, frail man, be pleading?
Who for me be interceding
When the just are mercy needing?
Rex tremendae maiestatis,
qui salvandos salvas gratis,
salva me, fons pietatis.
King of majesty tremendous,
Who dost free salvation send us,
Fount of pity, then befriend us.
Recordare Iesu pie,
quod sum causa tuae viae:
ne me perdas illa die.
Think, kind Jesus, my salvation
Caused Thy wondrous Incarnation,
Leave me not to reprobation.
Quarens me, sedisti lassus:
redemisti crucem passus:
tantus labor non sit cassus.
Faint and weary Thou hast sought me,
On the Cross of suffering bought me,
Shall such grace be vainly brought me?
Iuste iudex ultionis,
donum fac remissionis,
ante diem rationis.
Righteous Judge, for sin’s pollution
Grant Thy gift of absolution,
Ere that day of retribution.
Ingemisco, tamquam reus:
culpa rubet vultus meus:
supplicanti parce Deus.
Guilty now I pour my moaning,
All my shame with anguish owning,
Spare, O God, Thy suppliant groaning.
Qui Mariam absolvisti,
et latronem exaudisti,
mihi quoque spem dedisti.
Through the sinful woman shriven,
Through the dying thief forgiven,
Thou to me a hope hast given.
Preces meae non sunt dignae:
sed tu bonus fac benigne,
ne perenni cremer igne.
Worthless are my prayers and sighing,
Yet, good Lord, in grace complying,
Rescue me from fires undying.
Inter oves locum praesta,
et ab haedis me sequestra,
statuens in parte dextera.
With Thy sheep a place provide me,
From the goats afar divide me,
To Thy right hand do Thou guide me.
Confutatis maledictis,
flammis acribus addictis.
voca me cum benedictis.
When the wicked are confounded,
Doomed to flames of woe unbounded,
Call me with Thy Saints surrounded.
Oro supplex et acclinis,
cor contritum quasi cinis:
gere curam mei finis.
Low I kneel with heart’s submission,
See, like ashes, my contrition,
Help me in my last condition.
Lacrimosa dies illa,
qua resurget ex favilla.
iudicandus homo reus:
huic ergo parce Deus.
Ah! That day of tears and mourning,
From the dust of earth returning,
Man for judgment must prepare him,
Spare, O God, in mercy spare him.
Pie Iesu Domine,
dona eis requiem. Amen.
Lord, all-pitying, Jesus blest,
Grant them Thine eternal rest. Amen.
Continuing the focus upon the essential nature of a stout prayer life, I recall a friary time. We spent a week at a seminary in Minnesota. Father David Mary worked with the seminarians in workshops, while we brothers were offered a week of Moral Theology lessons from a priest serving as head counselor and professor of the undergraduate sophomore class. Our final Sunday, Father David Mary performed mass, providing an entertainingly inspiring homily for the young men starting their second year of undergraduate studies. A main point father firmly established was that the young men at this early stage in their career must initiate a vigorous prayer life, a spiritual foundation. He stressed an hour a day dedicated to personal prayer was essential. The hour took precedence, never being justifiably missed. It was a must. The young men had to develop a rich interior life based upon daily one-on-one time with the Lord. Before the Eucharist preferably, the aspiring priest must put aside lessons, reading, and concentrate upon Divine intimacy. The Divine Office did not count. The young men must ignite their own individual prayer life. Once out in the world as a full-fledged priest, understanding Bishop Sheen’s insight that a priest is not his own, the young men would need that hour to strengthen themselves. Later as a working priest, the hour of personal prayer must maintain imperative importance. It would become their refuge, their solace and security, their place of comfort. Without it they would be soldiers marching into battle naked and unarmed. Under the strain of priestly life, it would be too late to develop the necessary prayer life if matters had not been tended to during seminary days. The stress, responsibilities, and demands of the priestly life could only be countered by a strong prayer life. As contemplatives living in the world, we must take example, comprehending that without a rigorous prayer life we are defenseless. Without a prayer life we are not contemplatives. Not a single day can be missed. We are not part-time soldiers. We are more than daily recipients of the Eucharist, or intelligent and articulate readers of books–knowledgeable collectors of religious information, more than a quoter of saints. Full-time and fully engaged, we endure toward Christ, surrendering to faith, hope and charity through an uncompromising prayer life.. All this in order to serve God better, and thus our fellow man, including those trudging through the harsh strain of purgatory.
The. glorious Apostle and Evangelist. St. John, in the fifth and eighth chapters of the Apocalypse, expresses admirably well the excellency and merit of prayer. ‘There came an angel and stood before the altar, having in his hand a thurible of gold, to whom was given much incense, to the end he should offer up. of the prayers of the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne of God. And the. smoke of the incense of these prayers went up from the hand of the angel to the presence of God’ (Apoc. viii. 3, 4). St. Chrysostom says that one proof of the merit of prayer is· that in the Holy Scripture, it alone is compared to thymiama, which was a composition of incense and of many other admirable perfumes; for as the smell of well composed thymiama is very delicious, so prayer also, when well made, is very acceptable to God,. and gives great joy to the angels and all the citizens of heaven. Thus St. John, speaking in such human language as we can speak, says that those heavenly beings hold in their hands pouncet-boxes full of admirable perfumes, which are the prayers of the Saints, and these they apply again and again to their most pure nostrils to enjoy that sweet odor (Apoc. v. 8).
St. Augustine speaking of prayer says, ” What more excellent than prayer? What more useful and profitable? What sweeter and more delicious? What higher and more. exalted in the whole scheme of our Christian religion?
–St Alphonsus Rodriguez ‘On Christian Perfection’
Without a prayer life we are left abandoned to our own devices, imperfect creatures able to access only self-will, functioning and interacting with the world based upon our terms. Without prayer, genuine humility is impossible, spiritual progress only induces pride, leading us to believe we are spiritual superiors, tyrants onto the world. No matter the amount or extensiveness of our efforts to know God, without a prayer life, the true means of communication is blocked. Our spiritual life is stifled and we become a danger to those advancing toward God. Centered upon self-will, plagued by self-consciousness, competition, the need to impress, selfish intent; whether positive or negative, we are constantly an affront, never able to offer others Our Lord, the ultimate master of prayer, His invitation to ‘take upon My yoke, and learn, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest in your soul’. Without prayer, we weary ourselves, forced to rationalize, forced to justify, forced to reason, forced to manipulate, forced to be a burden onto ourselves and all those willing to love us. With the purest of intent, functioning through self-will we fall short. We bring immense and intense tears onto ourselves, and others. In the ancient world, they used the term crocodile tears, huge tears shed through profound sorrow. I attribute the term to Homer. It always moved me. Another Homer term I borrow is ‘winged words’, words possessing immense inspiration, hope, and insight–I adapt the term to embrace words inspired by the Holy Spirit.
To reiterate, a lacking prayer life renders one unable to surrender to faith, hope, and charity, unable to prosper within infused virtues.
The Blindness post touched on remaining hidden as a contemplative, as well as, identifying those of suspect religious intent as possessing a hidden agenda. They are two distinct matters. As a contemplative, my interior life is protected, hidden, ‘cast not thy pearls before swine’. My natural self an employee, friend, man in recovery, father, brother, son, remains open, comfortable and easy for others to understand. My hidden contemplative efforts do not make me a mystery to others. I make myself vulnerable to others, placing myself at their disposal, while protecting my interior life. I am not overly clever, nor diabolical. I go to the extreme not to inflict self-will upon others. In regards to bringing others into intimate spiritual communication I exercise extreme caution. The telltale sign of affirmation is the witnessing of a fortitude in prayer. A strong prayer life, a presence developed, indicates a healthy spiritual person of advanced effort. Without words, manipulation, or awesomeness, such individuals present themselves in humility and peace. I am especially leery of church devotees overly ambitious to throw themselves at me, coming on hard to impress, making great claims of being a daily communal recipient for a vast number of years, knowing the Bishop or esteemed individuals of respected religious reputation, telling tales of great pilgrimages, or dominating congregational responses and song with brilliance and expertise. Once serious progress is made in prayer such individuals will force themselves upon contemplatives. In politeness, and if necessary sternness, I must safeguard my interior life. I am reminded of a lesson from my therapist, a Catholic psychologist, Dr. Lawrence Nitcha. I utilize all forms of healing in order to cleanse the vessel for proper filling.
Dr Nitcha on co-dependent behavior: …difficulty establishing and maintaining appropriate boundaries, difficulty saying “No”, acting ‘nice’ when a tougher love is called for, and feeling overly responsible for the feelings or behavior of others.
Sadly, many Christians fall into the trap of justifying such behaviors as being examples of the call to ‘love one’s neighbor’. A variety of Gospel passages, each emphasizing the Christian call to service, is used to legitimize such behaviors. However, their use more often represents a distortion of the Gospel message.
One of the Gospel parables to which I frequently refer in helping individuals realize their rights is Matthew 25:1-13, the parable of the 10 Virgins. In that parable the behavior of the five Wise Virgins is highlighted as exemplary. And what is the behavior they displayed? It is the antithesis of codependent behavior. When asked to share some of their lamp oil with the Foolish Virgins, the Wise Virgins in effect responded: “No. We are keeping what we have for ourselves. We are not sharing what we have with you.”
On the surface their response can seem downright cold to some. Uncaring. Certainly seems ‘un-Christian’. But it is not! The Wise Virgins were simply remaining committed to their fundamental call to be ready for the bridegroom. Despite the pain, suffering, and panic experienced by the Foolish Virgins, the Wise Virgins remained resolute. They had been prepared with enough oil for their own lamps and to have shared their oil would have put the Wise Virgins at risk of failing to live up to the primary call they had received. They were not being selfish; they were exemplifying enlightened self-interest.
Undoubtedly the Wise Virgins experienced some anguish over the Foolish Virgins’ situation. Yet, they were not disinterested and cold in their refusal to share. No hostility here! Quite the contrary, they came up with an idea: “Quick, go to the market and buy some oil.” In other words, take responsibility for your selves; follow the call you were given. Well, too little, too late for the Foolish Virgins. The parable does not discuss how the Wise Virgins felt seeing the Foolish Virgins miss the wedding procession, but I imagine that they felt sad. Not guilty (that would be codependent) – they did nothing wrong. But sad! A sadness with the accompanying experience of powerlessness in the realization that they had been helpless to prevent the results of the Foolish Virgins’ poor planning.
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