Rapturous, blissful, intoxicating love

The perfect union in heaven of our hearts with the heart of Jesus is a mystery which we believe here below, but cannot understand. The kingdom of Christ, which on earth embraces all who suffer and strive for His cause, will not cease in heaven; there, however, combat will give place to the victor’s crown, and the Church militant will become the Church triumphant. King of the kingdom of the blessed is Christ. His heart is the heart of the Church triumphant. His heart and the hearts of His followers will be but one heart. Of course, each of the blessed will have his own body and his own physical heart; he will also have his own soul endowed with intelligence and free will. But all beatific knowledge and all beatific love will have its source and origin in Christ, just as all grace which we pilgrims receive here below is vital energy from the vine which is Christ. Even in heaven the blessed are not merely individuals existing for themselves alone, but constitute there, even as here, the mystical body of Christ, with this difference, however, that in heaven the union of all with each other and with Christ is absolutely perfect. The sentiments of Christ are the sentiments of each individual, nor does the least obstacle mar such conformity. These sentiments are the purest, most ardent love of God, not a love of sacrifice nor of suffering for there is nothing to be sacrificed or suffered, but only rapturous, blissful, intoxicating love of God. All the flames of this love have their origin in the heart of Jesus, and in union with the love of the heart of Jesus they constitute the worship of heaven that endures without ceasing from day to day, from hour to hour. How long will this union of hearts with the heart of Jesus endure? Forever!

~ Christian Pesch, S.J., Our Best Friend [Unser bester Freund: Erwägungen für den Herz-Jesu-Monat] translated from the German by Bernard A. Hausmann, S.J. (Milwaukee, The Bruce Publishing Company, 1953), pp. 219-220.

Tu nobis Victor Rex, miserere.

Edward Knippers, The Resurrection of our Lord - oil on panel - 5' X 4' - 2011

On the day of His Resurrection Jesus Christ left in the tomb the shroud which is the symbol of our infirmities, our weaknesses, our imperfections. Christ comes from the tomb triumphant - completely free of earthly limitation; He is animated with a life that is intense and perfect, and which vibrates in every fibre of His being. In Him everything that is mortal has been absorbed by His glorified life.
Here is the first element of the sanctity represented in the risen Christ: the elimination of everything that is corruptible, everything that is earthly and created; freedom from all defects, all infirmities, all capacity for suffering.

But there is also another element of sanctity: union with God, self-oblation and consecration to God. Only in heaven shall we be able to understand how completely Jesus lived for His Father during these blessed days. The life of the risen Christ became an infinite source of glory for His Father. Not a single effect of His sufferings was left in Him, for now everything in Him shone with brilliance and beauty and possessed strength and life; every atom of His being sang an unceasing canticle of praise. His holy humanity offered itself in a new manner to the glory of the Father.

~ Blessed Columba Marmion, O.S.B., The Mysteries Of The Rosary. Translated and published by the Monks of Marmion Abbey, Aurora, Illinois. Translation of Dom Columba Marmion's "Les Mysteres du Rosaire" published with the permission of the Abbey of Maredsous in Belgium.

Aspice Deus et respice in faciem Christi tui

ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ.

Quod autem nunc vivo in carne in fide vivo Filii Dei qui dilexit me et tradidit se ipsum pro me.

And that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. ~ Galatians 2.20 [RV]

By death He conquered death

Devictus vincit

A Saint for Holy Week

A Saint for Holy Week

Un Saint pour la Sainte Semaine

Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, the 18th Century mendicant pilgrim, reached the end of his life of poverty and humility in April 1783. On the morning of the 16th of that month, he collapsed on the front steps of his favorite Roman church, Santa Maria ai Monti, was carried to the home of a local family who tried to assist him in his final hours, and fell asleep in the Lord in the evening of that day - the Wednesday in Holy Week. This year the calendars again align, and April 16th is the Wednesday in Holy Week once more ... 

on which we remember this 'living likeness of God's crucified Son.'

Saint Benedict Joseph Labre

[From the Raccolta]

O wondrous pattern of Christian perfection, Saint Benedict Joseph,

from thy earliest use of reason even to thy dying day,

thou didst keep unspotted the white robe of innocence,

and, forsaking all things and becoming a pilgrim on the earth,

thou didst gain naught therefrom save only suffering, privations and reproaches.

Miserable sinner that I am, I kneel at thy feet,

and return thanks to the infinite goodness of the Most High God

Who hath willed to imprint on thee the living likeness of His crucified Son.

At the same time I am filled with confusion

when I consider how different is my life from thine.

Do thou, beloved Saint, have pity on me!

Offer thy merits before the throne of the Eternal,

and obtain for me the grace to follow thine example

and to direct my actions according to the precepts and teachings

of our divine Master:

Thus let me learn to love His sufferings and His humiliations,

and to despise the pleasures and honours of earth:

So that neither the fear of the former, nor the desire of the latter

may ever induce me to transgress His holy law.

May I merit in this manner to be acknowledged by Him

And numbered amongst the blessed of His Father.  Amen.

Pater  Ave  Gloria

+ 16 April 1783

St Gemma Galgani

April 11th

Novena to St Gemma Galgani

O my crucified God, behold me at Thy feet; do not cast me out, now that I appear before Thee as a sinner. I have offended Thee exceedingly in the past, my Jesus, but it shall be so no longer. Before Thee, O Lord, I place all my sins; I have now considered Thine own sufferings and see how great is the worth of that Precious Blood that flows from Thy veins. O my God, at this hour close Thine eyes to my want of merit, and since Thou hast been pleased to die for my sins, grant me forgiveness for them all, that I may no longer feel the burden of my sins, for this burden, dear Jesus, oppresses me beyond measure. Assist me, my Jesus, for I desire to become good whatsoever it may cost; take away, destroy, utterly root out all that Thou dost find in me contrary to Thy holy will. At the same time, I pray to Thee, Lord Jesus, to enlighten me that I may be able to walk in Thy holy light.  Amen.

~ Prayer composed by St Gemma

O my crucified God, behold me at Your feet; do not cast me out, now that I appear before You as a sinner. I have offended You exceedingly in the past, my Jesus, but it shall be so no longer. Before You, O Lord, I place all my sins; I have now considered Your own sufferings and see how great is the worth of that Precious Blood that flows from Your veins. O my God, at this hour close Your eyes to my want of merit, and since You have been pleased to die for my sins, grant me forgiveness for them all, that I may no longer feel the burden of my sins, for this burden, dear Jesus, oppresses me beyond measure. Assist me, my Jesus, for I desire to become good whatsoever it may cost; take away, destroy, utterly root out all that You find in me contrary to Your holy will. At the same time, I pray to You Lord Jesus, to enlighten me that I may be able to walk in Your holy light.
Amen.
--Prayer composed by St Gemma - See more at: http://www.stgemmagalgani.com/2008/09/prayer-of-st-gemma-galgani-to-obtain.html#sthash.LrUQArw6.dpuf

O my crucified God, behold me at Your feet; do not cast me out, now that I appear before You as a sinner. I have offended You exceedingly in the past, my Jesus, but it shall be so no longer. Before You, O Lord, I place all my sins; I have now considered Your own sufferings and see how great is the worth of that Precious Blood that flows from Your veins. O my God, at this hour close Your eyes to my want of merit, and since You have been pleased to die for my sins, grant me forgiveness for them all, that I may no longer feel the burden of my sins, for this burden, dear Jesus, oppresses me beyond measure. Assist me, my Jesus, for I desire to become good whatsoever it may cost; take away, destroy, utterly root out all that You find in me contrary to Your holy will. At the same time, I pray to You Lord Jesus, to enlighten me that I may be able to walk in Your holy light.
Amen.
--Prayer composed by St Gemma - See more at: http://www.stgemmagalgani.com/2008/09/prayer-of-st-gemma-galgani-to-obtain.html#sthash.LrUQArw6.dpuf

Novena to St Gemma

Novena to St Gemma

Novena to St Gemma

Act of Contrition

Bishop Hedley's Act of Contrition

O my God, who art afar off, awful in Thy majesty and Thy power, pardon me my sins.  O God, who art so near me, yet so silent and so patient, pardon me for having forgotten Thee.  O Lord heavenly Father, who holdest me up, who speakest to me often, who promisest me eternal bliss, grant me forgiveness for having slighted Thee.  O my Father and my only Friend, who hast watched over me from my first existence, who hast directed me with blessings and calls, forgive me for the sins of my youth and my ignorance.  O Lord of all goodness, sun of all perfection, infinite majesty, eternal King, I detest from my heart every thought, word, and act in which I have ever offended Thee.

O Savior, who hast shed the last drop of Thy Blood for me, I throw myself down at Thy feet and pray for pardon. O Lord, mighty and jealous, may the dread of Thy judgments, the thought of the fire of hell, the idea of the horror of an eternity without Thee, pierce my flesh with compunction for my folly, my pride, and my self love.

O Holy Spirit, who lovest and carest for the immortal souls of all, I repent from my inmost being of the sins by which I made others sin.  May I spend my life henceforward in teaching my fellow men to know and love my God!

I accept, O Jesus, in satisfaction for my sins, in order That I may never sin again, all the sufferings, crosses and afflictions, whether of mind or body, which it may please Thee to send me, in union with Thy Cross and with the sorrows of Thy Sacred Heart.  To Thee, and to Thee only, O my Redeemer, do I turn - to Thee on whom in the past I have so often turned my back.  Inspire me with true resolution of amendment! May I be firm in my purposes, and resolute in self-restraint!  Above all, may I never depart from Thy feet and from true humility of heart!  Give me the deepest trust in Thee and the utmost fear of myself - for thus only, O my master, can I be secure of never offending Thee again.

Most holy Mary, Refuge of sinners, I have offended in ways without number thy Son whom thou lovest: yet because He came to save sinners, thou art the Mother of sinners who wish to repent.  Receive me therefore, assist me, and obtain for me the grace of true and lasting contrition.

~ Bishop John Cuthbert Hedley (15 April 1837 – 11 November 1915)

Prodigal Parents

A family from Lyons, France, had a son who seemed destined to be their crown in the eyes of men and in the eyes of God.  This pious young man felt himself called to leave the world and to consecrate himself to the Lord in the religious life.  Hurt by this resolve, his parents fell into his arms, shedding so many tears and reproaching him so much that they succeeded in shaking his resolution; they secured at least a delay.

They then pushed him into the world in order to change his inclinations, and the young man too easily let himself fall into the trap.  Very soon he neglected his religious observances, withdrew from the sacraments and surrendered to all kinds of licentiousness.

To escape from the shame of his scandals and from the reproofs of his parents, he left the country and enlisted in the army.  His father and mother were grieved, overcome with remorse and sorrow; they scarcely dared to speak anymore to God after stealing from Him their child to hand him over to the devil.  The thought occurred to them of addressing themselves to Saint Joseph in order to obtain at one and the same time their pardon and the conversion of their son.  They began, therefore, a novena along with several pious persons and prayed most fervently.

They had hardly prayed a few days when the prodigal son knocked at the door of his father’s house and threw himself in tears at the feet of his parents.  He was completely changed.  The father and mother burst out into tears and embraced in forgiveness this ungrateful son who had become a Christian again.  With him joy entered again under their roof.  They owed it to Saint Joseph, and they rendered him solemn acts of thanksgiving.

The Glories of Saint Joseph, compiled by the Monks of Saint Joseph’s Abbey (Flavigny): Traditions Monastiques, 1997, pp.197-198.

Prayer to Saint Joseph

O Glorious patriarch Saint Joseph,

whose power can render possible even things which are impossible:

come to my aid in my present trouble and distress.

Take under thy protection the important and difficult affair which I entrust to thee,

that it may end happily: [ Pause - Petition ].

My beloved Father, all my confidence is in thee.

Let it not be said that I invoked thee in vain;

and since thou art able to obtain every thing before Jesus and Mary,

show me that thy goodness equals thy power.  Amen.