Chapter VI: Part 6

“Perfect Thou my goings in Thy paths; that my footsteps be not moved.”—Ps. xvi. 5.

“Strengthen Thou me in Thy words.”—Ps. cxix. 28.

“Thy hand [shall] lead me: and Thy right hand shall hold me.”—Ps. cxxxix. 10.

At The Canon

meditate upon Jesus bearing His own cross as He went up to
Calvary.—John xix. 17. Dost thou not hear the voice of Christ? “If
any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow Me.”—Matt. xvi. 24.

_Affections._

“Draw me: we will run after Thee to the odor of Thy ointments.”—Cant. i. 3.

“God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ.”—Gal. vi. 14.

“Let us go forth therefore to Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.”—Heb. xiii. 13.

At The Elevation Of The Host

meditate on Christ nailed to the cross by His hands and feet, set
forth as a spectacle to the whole world.—Luke xxiii. 33. Behold, O
man, thy Redeemer! With what affection hast thou hitherto embraced
Him, Who here, with extended arms, invites thee to His embrace?

_Affections._

“My Beloved to me, and I to Him.”—Cant. ii. 16.

“Tell Him that I languish with love.”—Ibid. v. 8.

“Who then shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation? or distress, or famine?... For I am sure that neither death, nor life, ... nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus Our Lord.”—Rom. viii. 35‐39.

At The Elevation Of The Chalice

reflect how profusely Christ poured forth His blood from His five
sacred wounds for the washing away of our sins. Run to Him, O
sinner, that thou mayest be cleansed, and “draw waters with joy
out of the Saviour’s fountains.”—Is. xii. 3.

_Affections._

“Suffer me, therefore, that I may lament my sorrow a little, before I go, and return no more, to a land that is dark and covered with the mist of death.”—Job x. 20, 21.

“Perhaps darkness shall cover me.”—Ps. cxxxix. 11.

At The Memento For The Dead

reflect on the infinite mercy of God towards those who fear Him,
and pray for those holy souls who have departed this life
according to His justice, and in the one true faith.

_Affection._

O Jesus, “enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.”—Luke i. 79.

At The Pater Noster

meditate upon the seven words of Christ uttered by Him upon the
cross: 1, Christ prayed for His enemies; what dost thou do? 2, The
thief, repenting, obtained heaven; learn seriously to repent and
do penance, but delay it not to the last. 3, Christ commends His
Mother to St. John, and St. John to His Mother; to whom canst thou
better commend thyself? 4, Christ complains that He is forsaken;
and dost thou expect consolation as thy right? 5, Christ thirsted
for thy salvation; and dost thou turn away from it with loathing?
6, Christ announced that all His torments were finished; thus
shall all thy good and evil in this world be brought to a close.
7, Lastly, after the example of Christ, commend thy spirit into
the hands of thy heavenly Father.—Luke xxiii. 46.

_Affections._

“And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.”—Matt. vi. 12.

Make me also to hear, “This day thou shalt be with Me in paradise.”—Luke xxiii. 43.

O Mary, “behold thy Son!”—John xix. 26.

“Forsake me not, O Lord my God: do not Thou depart from me.”—Ps. xxxvii. 22.

“For Thee my soul hath thirsted.”—Ps. lxii. 2.

“Happy is he who hath finished his course, who hath kept the faith.”—2 Tim. iv. 7.

“Into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”—Luke xxiii. 46.

At The Division Of The Sacred Host

reflect upon the separation of Christ’s soul from His body.—Matt.
xxvii. 50. It is appointed unto men once to die.—Heb. ix. 27.

_Affections._

“Let my soul die the death of the just.”—Num. xxiii. 10.

“Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”—Rom. xiv. 8.

“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.”—Apoc. xiv. 13.

At The Agnus Dei,

when the priest strikes his breast, reflect how many of those who
saw Christ dying on the cross, striking their breasts
returned.—Luke xxiii. 48. And dost not thou strike thy breast in
token of true sorrow for thy sins?

_Affections._

Lord, I strike my breast with the publican, and say, “Be merciful to me a sinner.”—Luke xviii. 13.

“And now, O Lord, think of me, and take not revenge of my sins, neither remember my offences, nor those of my parents.”—Tob. iii. 3.

“Let Thy mercies speedily prevent us.”—Ps. lxviii. 8.

At The Communion Of The Priest

meditate upon the burial of Christ.—John xix. 42. He asks from
thee thy heart as a sepulchre.

_Affections._

“My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready.”—Ps. lvi. 8.

“Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting‐place, Thou and the ark [of Thy holiness].”—Ps. cxxxi. 8.

“My heart shall rejoice with Thee.”—Prov. xxiii. 15.

At The Last Collect

meditate upon Christ’s joyful and glorious resurrection.—Mark xvi.
6. “For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in
God.”—Colos. iii. 3.

_Affections._

“We look for the Saviour, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of His glory.”—Phil. iii. 20, 21.

“When shall I come and appear before the face of God?”—Ps. xli. 3.

“I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ.”—Phil. i. 23.

At The Benediction

meditate how Christ, ascending into heaven, blessed His
disciples.—Mark xvi. 19. “Unto this are you called, that you may
inherit a blessing.”—1 Pet. iii. 9.

_Affections._

“Save Thy people, O Lord, and bless Thy inheritance.”—Ps. xxvii. 9.

“May God, our own God, bless us. May God bless us.”—Ps. lxvi. 7, 8.

“Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, O Lord: they shall praise Thee forever and ever.”—Ps. lxxxiii. 5.

_Prayer at the Conclusion of Mass._

Accept, O Holy Trinity, this sacrifice of the body and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which I have offered to Thy divine majesty in remembrance of His Passion and death; and by His infinite merits I beseech Thee that all my defects and negligences may be supplied, for He is the propitiation for our sins. Amen.

Litany of the Passion of Our Lord.

(_For Private Devotion Only._)

Jesus Christ. Lord, have mercy on us. _Christ, have mercy on us._ Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us. _Christ, graciously hear us._ God the Father of heaven, _Have mercy on us._ God the Son, Redeemer of the world, _Have mercy on us._ God the Holy Ghost, _Have mercy on us._ Holy Trinity, one God, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, made man to redeem us, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, Who, during Thy whole life, didst burn with desire to die for us, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, prostrate in prayer in the Garden of Olives, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, agonizing, and covered with a bloody sweat, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, comforted by an angel, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, betrayed by Judas with a kiss, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, tied and bound by Thy enemies, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, abandoned by Thy disciples, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, arraigned before Annas and Caiphas, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, struck on Thy face by a servant, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, accused by false witnesses, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, declared worthy of death, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, spit upon, blindfolded and buffeted, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, denied thrice by Peter, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, delivered in chains to Pilate, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, despised and mocked by Herod, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, to whom Barabbas was preferred, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, cruelly scourged with whips, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, wounded and bruised for our sins, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, clothed in derision with a purple garment, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, crowned with thorns, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, with a reed in Thy hand instead of a sceptre, derided and insulted as a mock king, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, most unjustly condemned to the ignominious death of the cross, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, loaded with a heavy cross and carrying it to Calvary, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, led as an innocent lamb to slaughter, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, nailed to a cross, and elevated upon it between two thieves, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, Who hast loved us, and delivered Thyself for us, as an oblation and a sacrifice to God, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, Who didst wash us from our sins in Thy blood, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, praying for Thy enemies, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, blasphemed by those who passed by, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, promising paradise to the penitent thief, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, giving Thy Mother to St. John for his Mother, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, complaining of being forsaken by Thy Father, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, drenched in Thy thirst with vinegar and gall, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, recommending Thy spirit into Thy Father’s hands, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, bowing Thy head and expiring on the cross, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, Whose side was opened with a spear, whence issued forth blood and water, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, taken down from the cross, wrapped up in a clean linen cloth, and laid in a new monument, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, Whose soul after Thy death descended into hell, _Have mercy on us._ Jesus, Who, in judgment, will demand an account of the profit derived from Thy Passion and death, _Have mercy on us._

Be merciful, _Spare us, O Lord!_ Be merciful, _Hear us, O Lord!_

From all evil, _Lord Jesus, deliver us._ From the snares of the devil, _Lord Jesus, deliver us._ Through Thy most bitter Passion, _Lord Jesus, deliver us._ Through Thy infinite merits, _Lord Jesus, deliver us._

We sinners, _Beseech Thee to hear us._

That being dead to sin, we may live to justice, _We beseech Thee to hear us._ That we do not glory but in Thy holy cross, _We beseech Thee to hear us._ That for the love of Thee the world may be crucified to us, and we to the world, _We beseech Thee to hear us._ That we may always bear about in our body Thy mortification, _We beseech Thee to hear us._ That we may crucify our flesh, with its vices and concupiscences, _We beseech Thee to hear us._ That Thy sacred blood may cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God, _We beseech Thee to hear us._ That being partakers of Thy sufferings, we may be also of Thy glory, _We beseech Thee to hear us._

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Spare us, O Jesus_! Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Graciously hear us, O Jesus_! Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, _Have mercy on us, O Jesus_! Christ, hear us. _Christ, graciously hear us._

_V._ O Lord, hear our prayer.

_R._ And let our cry come unto Thee.

_Let Us Pray._

O Lord Jesus! Who didst shed Thy precious blood for the remission of our sins, grant, we most humbly beseech Thee, that in the day of judgment we may merit to hear from Thy adorable mouth these consoling words: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you.” Amen.

A Prayer to Jesus Suffering.

O spotless Lamb! O innocent Victim, Who, by Thy death and blood, hast effaced the sins of mankind, blot out my iniquities, and do not permit that Thy sufferings should become useless to me. O Jesus, abandoned by every one, sorrowful, desolate, and resigned to death! help me now to receive with resignation like Thine, whatever afflictions Thou shalt please to send me. O Jesus, calumniated, accused, despised! teach me to disregard the judgments of men, and to suffer with patience the most base injuries. O Jesus, torn with stripes, pierced with thorns, weltering in blood for my sake! teach me to endure for love of Thee, the anguish and inconvenience of ill‐health and sickness. O Jesus, abandoned to executioners, shamefully condemned to a cross! enable me to fly all vainglory, and embrace the most humbling confusion. O Jesus, sinking under the weight of Thy cross! I unite myself to Thee, and my cross also to Thine. May I ever carry it with the same strength and courage which Thou didst. O Jesus, raised upon Thy cross! draw me now powerfully to Thee. Thou art expiring for my sake. Oh, let me never live but for Thine! that being henceforth crucified with Thee, my whole occupation may be to love, to praise, and to adore Thee. Amen.

Prayers to the Five Wounds of Our Lord.

To The Wound Of The Left Foot.

O my divine Saviour! I humbly adore the sacred wound of Thy left foot, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused Thee. I thank Thee for the love with which Thou didst make Thy painful journey to Calvary, marking every step of the way with Thy precious blood. I offer to the eternal Father the love and sufferings of Thy holy humanity, in expiation of my crimes, which I detest with sincere and bitter contrition.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

To The Wound Of The Right Foot.

O my divine Saviour! I adore the sacred wound of Thy right foot, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused Thee. I thank Thee for the love with which Thou didst suffer Thy sacred feet to be pierced, and with barbarous cruelty nailed to the cross, to atone for my wanderings, and for the guilty indulgence of my disorderly passions. I offer to the eternal Father the love and sufferings of Thy holy humanity. I beseech Him to grant me the grace to weep bitterly for my sins, and to persevere in virtue to the end of my life, without ever straying from the obedience due to Thy holy commandments.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

To The Wound Of The Left Hand.

O my divine Saviour! I humbly adore the sacred wound of Thy left hand, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused Thee. I thank Thee for having thereby, with so much love, delivered me from the eternal punishments which my sins deserve. I offer to the eternal Father the love and sufferings of Thy holy humanity. I beseech Him to grant me the grace to profit by the remainder of my life, that I may bring forth fruits worthy of penance, and thus disarm the divine justice provoked by my repeated sins.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

To The Wound Of The Right Hand.

O my divine Saviour! I adore the sacred wound of Thy right hand, and I feelingly compassionate the intense pain it caused Thee. I thank Thee for all the blessings which this bountiful hand has so abundantly bestowed on me, notwithstanding my ingratitude in refusing to correspond with Thy gracious designs. I offer to the eternal Father the love and sufferings of Thy holy humanity. I beseech Him to change my heart and affections, and to render all my actions conformable to His holy will.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

To The Wound Of The Opened Side.

O my divine Saviour! I humbly adore the sacred wound of Thy opened side. I am exceedingly moved at this cruel outrage. I thank Thee for the love with which Thou didst suffer Thy side to be pierced and Thy Heart opened, to give us even the last drop of Thy precious blood that our redemption might be most abundant. I offer to the eternal Father both this outrage offered to Thy holy humanity, and the love with which Thou art always ready to receive the greatest of sinners, that my soul may be received into this most loving Heart and may abide therein forever. Amen.

Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. Glory be to the Father, etc.

O holy Mother, impress deeply on my heart the wounds of my crucified Jesus.

MAY. THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

We are now on the eve of the beautiful month of Mary—this blessed month so ardently looked for by every true Christian. On its approach we see the altars of our blessed Mother in churches, chapels, and oratories decorated, and everywhere during this lovely month exercises in honor of the beloved Mother of Our Redeemer are performed with more or less pomp and ceremony. Mary is our heavenly Mother, and we are her children. What well‐trained child but is anxious to express his love and gratitude towards his mother, in order to make her happy? What mother so worthy of love as Mary? Do you wish to please her? This month gives you an opportunity of so doing. Dedicate it to her, practise daily some little act of devotion in her honor, and be faithful in making these meditations. Then only will you deserve to be called a child of Mary. O immaculate Mary, Mother of our Jesus, and our Mother! also obtain that we may give thee most fervent homage during this month, and by our words and example draw all hearts to thee and thy divine Son.

Considerations and Prayers for Every Day.

First Day. Mary’s Immaculate Conception.

“Thou art all fair, O My love, and there is not a spot in thee.”—Cant. iv. 7. These words are found in the Canticles of Solomon, and are applied to the Blessed Virgin. From all eternity she had been predestined to be the Mother of God, to give to the almighty God that body, that flesh and blood, which He was to assume for our redemption, and the creature that He selected for His Mother must have been all pure, all holy, and free from the slightest taint of sin. A few saints, such as John the Baptist and the prophet Jeremias, were sanctified in their mother’s womb. And if these men, because of their predestination, were born without sin, surely it cannot be supposed that God did not bestow on Mary a greater privilege—that He exempted her from the necessity of being even for one instant the slave of sin. O Mother mine, O Mother of the Church of God, I hail thee! Have pity on us, O Mary conceived without sin, and obtain for us the grace to struggle against our passions.

Prayer.

O holiest and purest of virgins, well dost thou merit this title! Thou who wast a virgin although a mother, pray for us. Take pity on us, thy children; intercede for us with Jesus, that He may have mercy on us, and grant us the grace to walk worthy of our vocation, that we may be His through time and eternity. Amen.

Second Day. Mary’s Nativity.

The whole earth was filled with gladness at the birth of Mary, because of her was to be born Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and Redeemer, Who was to deliver us from the slavery of the devil. How heaven must have rejoiced at the birth of such a mother! A nation’s joy at the birth of an heir to the throne may give you some faint idea of the joy the angels experienced at Mary’s nativity. This is a day of jubilation for the entire world, for the just and the sinner, for time and eternity. Hell alone is afraid, for this is the woman destined to crush the serpent’s head. Her appearance was the blessed dawn, announcing the rising of the Sun of righteousness. Made holy at her conception, the object of God’s love at her birth, every step in Mary’s life was marked by new progress in virtue; no shadow of sin ever tarnished the beauty of her soul. Let us then praise our Mother and Queen, and implore her to take pity on us, whose lives are passed in a constant struggle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Let us beg her to aid us in these combats, and to bring us to our eternal home.

Prayer.

What relief do I feel in my miseries, and what consolation in my sorrow! what strength do I not find in the midst of temptations, when I remember thee, and call thee to my aid! O my most sweet and holy Mother Mary, my own Mother, do thou console me! I see myself loaded with sins and surrounded with enemies, without virtue, and cold in my love towards God. Comfort me, and let me begin a new life, a life which will be pleasing to thy divine Son and to thee. Amen.

Third Day. Mary’s Presentation.

Who is she that advances as the sun, beautiful as Jerusalem? It is Mary, the well‐beloved daughter of the Father, who repairs to the Temple of Jerusalem to consecrate herself to the service of God. Happy he who gives himself to God in his youth, who offers Him a heart which has not been wounded by the thorns on life’s weary way, a heart which has not known the state of sin. He has not to struggle against the memories of the past, which strive to draw him from the service of God. How beautiful, how filled with sweetest instruction for us, is every passage in the life of our beloved Mother! Let us look at the picture now presented to us of the infant Queen of saints, on the day of her early entrance into the Temple of God. Let us follow her, and learn our first lesson from our little Queen, so full of grace. See her as she passes up the long flight of stairs, the little arms folded above the pure young heart, the upturned face glowing with heavenly joy—a face where lies reflected the light of a soul which never for a moment was shrouded in the gloomy shadow of sin.

Prayer.

O Lord, Thou wilt not reject a contrite and humble heart! I come then to Thee, O my Father. At the sight of my bruised and bleeding heart Thou wilt have compassion on Thy child, and receive my offering. Blooming rose, Mother of God all beautiful, Virgin most sweet, pray for us, that we may be worthy to find eternal happiness in eternal light. Grant that by thy intercession our sins may be effaced. Amen.

Fourth Day. The Annunciation.

God sent His archangel, St. Gabriel, one of the great ones of His kingdom, to impart to the Blessed Virgin, Our Lady, His eternal counsel, and to ask her consent. The archangel went to Nazareth, and before the rising of the sun entered the oratory where the Blessed Virgin was, and beholding in her his Queen, he saluted her with such reverence that she was overcome with fear, not knowing what to think. We know how the heavenly messenger bowed before his Queen and said, “Fear not, Mary; the Lord is with thee, for thou hast found grace before God. Behold thou shalt conceive and bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name, Jesus.” And we know when that young maiden, bowing her head in her heavenly humility, consented, saying, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to Thy word,” that the Holy Ghost overshadowed her, and “the Word was made flesh.” Truly she is blessed among all women, blessed among all mothers. By her blessedness all women are raised and ennobled. She is their honor, their glory, their model. Blessed Virgin and Mother, ever immaculate on earth as now in heaven, where she leads the army of virgins who follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. Think of Mary raised above all women, and see her wonderful humility. God loved her for it. The one thought of her life, the one end of her actions, was truly to be the handmaid of God. This is a lesson we all must learn, namely: to yield ourselves up to the will of Him Whose we are already by so many titles, wondering how He can forget the sins we have committed against Him, and how He can desire to pour His celestial grace into so unworthy a vessel.

Prayer.

May Thy will, O God, be done in us, through us, and by us, this day and always, here and everywhere! Hail, glorious Mother of God; hail, Queen of heaven; hail, my patroness! To thy tender maternal love I commend myself, in order that all my actions may have for their end three things, namely, the glory of thy Son, my own salvation, and my neighbor’s good. In every tribulation and sorrow come to my aid and the aid of my friends. Amen.

Fifth Day. The Visitation.

No sooner had Mary heard the words of the angel, announcing that she had been chosen to be the Mother of the long expected Messias, and that her kinswoman Elizabeth was also with child, than she rose up and went with haste into the hill country, and entering into the house of Zachary, saluted Elizabeth. Her heart was full of unselfish love for God and man, and the very love of God which made her heart burn with joy at the coming of Jesus, made it also beat quickly with gladness at the great blessing granted to Elizabeth. The angel had told Zachary that his son John was to be the immediate precursor of the Messias, and Elizabeth had been constantly thinking of all this, longing to know when and whence the Messias should come. Lost in these thoughts she sat on the day of Mary’s arrival, and the instant that sweet voice struck on her ear, it was made known to her in a wonderful manner that this was the Mother of the Messias. Rising, she knelt before her, crying, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?” For a moment Mary stood in astonishment—then she realized the greatness of her title of Mother of God, and while the light of ecstasy transfigured her holy face, she exclaimed, “My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because He that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is His name. And His mercy is from generation unto generations to them that fear Him. He hath shewed might in His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich He hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy. As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.” The visit which occasioned this beautiful canticle preaches in every line the great virtue of charity which marked Our Lady’s life so clearly. The Holy Scripture tells us that Mary remained with Elizabeth for three months, when she returned to her own home.

Prayer.

O Virgin most fair, worthy of all praise and honor! Sanctuary consecrated to God, Virgin Mother, hidden treasure of innocence, splendor of virginity! Thy prayers are favorably received on high. Address them for us to Him, Whom in thy virginity thou didst conceive, Who is true Lord and God, the Author of all creatures. Amen.

Sixth Day. The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

And when the fulness of time was come, “God so loved the world as to give His only‐begotten Son,” Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. The Emperor Augustus ordered that a great census should be taken in all the provinces of his empire, each family being enrolled in the city of its respective tribe. Thus, in obedience to the order, Mary came to the city of David, and in all its length and breadth there was not room for her to lay her weary head. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” Gold would doubtless have procured admission to an appropriate shelter, but Joseph had no gold. The evening wind fell cold and piercing on the young virgin, who breathed not a word of complaint though she was scarcely able to support herself. The lonely travellers, seeing themselves rejected by all the world, quitted Bethlehem, and in a poor ruined stable Mary brought forth her first‐born Son, the promised Messias, and laid Him in a manger. Great artists have striven to paint the rapture of Mary as she laid her Jesus, her Son, her God, in the manger. Who can understand what it was to see Him, to adore Him as her God, to caress Him as her Child, to forget all her fatigue in her wonderful joy? We can adore Him and watch the movements of our beloved Mother, a model and example of resignation on this night of poverty and humiliation. Glory and praise to thee, O holy Mother, in this thy poverty in Bethlehem! Many a poor mother in sorrow and want will look to thee and find consolation, knowing thy tender heart will sympathize with her. For what are we that we should be better treated than the Mother of Our God?

Prayer.

Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God, receive my prayer. Help me in all my necessities, intercede for me, O glorious one, with my Redeemer, even with Him, thy divine Son, Whom thou didst bear without spot of sin. Deliver me from every snare of the enemy, and from all carnal delights, that by thy intercession I may obtain the pardon of all my sins, steadfast resistance to all my enemies visible and invisible, and the amendment of my life. Amen.

Seventh Day. The Purification.

It was ordered by the Law of Moses that all women should, at a stated time after childbirth, repair to the Temple and present themselves to the priest, in order that they might be purified. Could she who had been immaculately conceived, an immaculate Virgin and Mother, be made more pure? No, certainly not; but obedience required that she should comply with the conditions of the Law, and obedience was one of Mary’s greatest virtues. Should not her example fill us with confusion—we who are apt to murmur against any command that is in the slightest manner distasteful to our feelings? The Law also commanded that every first‐born son should be offered to God in the Temple, and then ransomed by some gift, according to the condition of the parents. Mary and Joseph were poor, so they took their humble offering of two doves and set out for Jerusalem, to present the Son of God in the Temple. As Mary walked on, with her precious Child clasped in her arms, how little the passers‐by suspected Who this first‐ born Son was! If they could have only known what He was to do for His people, how they would have bowed before Him and adored Him, poor weak Infant as He was! But no, “He came unto His own, and His own knew Him not.” “And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was in him. And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit into the Temple. And when His parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the Law: he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word in peace: Because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples. A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people, Israel.” As Simeon stands thus with the Babe in his arms, the Holy Ghost shows him the sad, sad future of the Child and Mother. Turning to Mary, he said: “Behold this Child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel.... And thy own soul a sword shall pierce.” Oh, the awful sorrow that fell on her young heart! For a moment she bowed down under the crushing burden of her coming pain, but only for a moment; then she stretches out her arms to receive her Child, and murmurs, “Thy will, not mine, be done; be it done unto me according to Thy word.” What a lesson for us to learn, we who are restless and impatient under every little trial! What a contrast to our disobedience and pride when God wishes to take some loved object from us! Oh, let the example of this most perfect of women sink deeply into our hearts, and may we learn from her the great virtues of charity, obedience, humility, and purity.

Prayer.

O Mother of mercy, forsake us not in our hour of trial and temptation! Never allow us to lose courage, but cheer us with thy aid, make us patient under suffering, and render our wills conformable to the will of thy divine Son. Conduct us through the dawn of penance to the fulness of thy light. Amen.

Eighth Day. Simeon’s Prophecy.

The holy Simeon had foretold that Jesus should be a stumbling block to many. By these words Mary understood that Jesus would suffer much persecution from the Jews, and her immaculate heart was deluged with sorrow. She saw Anna come into the Temple and heard her acknowledge Jesus as her God. She obeyed everything which the Law ordained, and then with Joseph and her Child returned to the city of Nazareth, with the sharp sword of sorrow within her heart. Oh, the constant grief that followed each ray of joy that lighted her soul! How she suffered at every insult offered to her divine Son—she who loved Him as no other mother ever loved a child! Every look at Jesus, every movement that He made, every word He spoke, brought to her mind the prophecy of Simeon and filled her heart with bitterness. The memory of those words were always before her, and as time passed on she saw Gethsemani and Calvary hourly drawing nearer and nearer. The words of the prophet Isaias came whispering to her heart, “He shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before His shearer, and He shall not open His mouth.” Yet ever and anon she murmured, “Thy will, not mine, be done.” Oh, what an example of loving resignation to the will of God! It is astonishing how shallow all human consolation is. Let Our Lady teach us how to suffer without seeking consolation. She suffered in silence; we can make our sorrows in a measure like hers by constantly uniting them to the sorrows of our dearest Lord. With confidence then we may seek the Mother of sorrows, and ask her to be the Mother of our sorrow, to help us bear our burdens to the very end—to be like her, loving and patient with those who cause us pain. It is a consolation to those who mourn to know that our blessed Lady was a lifelong mourner. So let us take up our sorrow bravely, and following in the footsteps of our dear Mother, walk cheerfully on.

Prayer.

O Mary, Mother of sorrows, my refuge, neglect not to pray for me in all my tribulations! First of all in the blood of Jesus Christ, then in thy prayers, do I trust for my eternal salvation. In thee, O Lady, have I hoped; I will say to thee with St. Bonaventure, “I shall not be confounded forever.” Obtain for me the grace to love my God in this life and in eternity, and I ask for nothing more. Amen.

Ninth Day. The Flight into Egypt.

Filled with joy and praising God, the Magi left the stable with the intention of going to Herod, so that he might share in the happiness. But an angel appeared to them, warning them not to return to Herod, for he sought to destroy the Christ, the new‐born Messias, so they turned their camels’ heads and went another way into their own country. Herod did not intend, however, to be deprived of his Victim, and lest he should miss taking the life of the new‐born King, he gave orders that all the children of two years and under in and around Bethlehem should be killed. While Herod is thus plotting the Infant’s death, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream, to warn him, saying, “Rise, take the Child and His Mother and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the Child that he may destroy Him.” Joseph and Mary immediately obeyed the command, for poverty has but few preparations to make. Not a murmur or complaint escaped their lips, though our hearts can imagine how difficult it must have been for Mary to leave home again, and to face the hardships of the wilderness. Trembling with apprehension from the dread of Herod’s followers, and suffering from heat and cold in their severest forms, they travelled on for many a weary day. But God had so ordained it, and they were ready to do His holy will. What a lesson of perfect obedience! They knew that they were carrying Jesus, yet they did not look for miracles to lighten their burden. We may reverently follow them on their journey in our meditations. Tradition tells us of trees that bowed down their leafy heads to shade with their fan‐like plumes the Mother and her Child. It also tells us that the images of the heathen gods fell from their pedestals when the true God went by. And there, amid the Egyptian idolaters, Mary, the frail, girlish Mother, and Joseph, so patient and uncomplaining, with the holy Babe dwelt for seven years. Joseph pursued his trade of carpenter, and Mary no doubt contributed her share to the support of the modest household, while Jesus grew in beauty day after day. When Herod died an angel came to Joseph, saying, “Arise, and return into Judea, for they who sought the life of the Child are dead.” This was glad news to Mary and Joseph, and joyfully they returned to commence anew their life in Nazareth of Galilee.

Prayer.

Hail, Mother of mercy, Queen of heaven, thou art our life, our sweetness, and our hope! Obtain for me the grace of the Holy Ghost, that He may dispose of me in all things according to His will, that He may direct my body, elevate my soul, guide my life, rule my conduct, inspire my actions, maintain within me holy thoughts, pardon my sins of the past, correct those of the present, and preserve me from sin in the future. Amen.

Tenth Day. The Three Days’ Loss.

From the time of the return from Egypt, history is silent as to the life of the Holy Family, until the time when they went to keep the Easter festival at Jerusalem. According to the Law, the Jews were obliged to go up to Jerusalem to worship God three times a year, unless they were legitimately hindered. The first time was at the Pasch, instituted in remembrance of the exodus from Egypt, and corresponding to our Easter; the second time was the feast of weeks, which was Pentecost or Whitsuntide; the third was the feast of tabernacles. St. Luke, in his gospel, gives us this account of the occurrence: “When Jesus was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.” Unknown and unnoticed, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph passed into the holy city. Mary’s heart was filled with joy at the thought that she was leading to the Temple God’s only Son made man. As she looked at the surging crowd around her both within and without the Temple, she thought to herself, “Ah, if you could but know that this Boy, Whom you think is only the son of a carpenter, is the Son of the most high God! He is your King.” But the week of unleavened bread came to a close. Thousands as usual had thronged the holy city to worship God. After the festival was over, the custom was that all the women should depart by one gate of the city, the men by another, in order to reunite at the halting‐place of the first night. The children might go either with the father or with the mother. Thus it was that Mary and Joseph travelled on contentedly, Mary thinking that Jesus was with Joseph, while Joseph on his side supposed the Child to be with His Mother. The night had fallen before the two bands of men and women met; imagine the consternation of the holy parents when they discovered the absence of their precious charge. They asked among their kinsfolk and acquaintances if He were with them, but Mary knew it would be all in vain. She knew if He were in the company He would long since have joined her; so in all haste, alone and silent, Mary and Joseph retraced their steps to the holy city. For three days they searched in sorrow for their loved Child; they made inquiries everywhere, but all to no purpose. On the third day they heard of a wonderful Child Who sat daily in the Temple disputing with the doctors. With eager steps Mary and Joseph went to the Temple; as they came along Mary’s ear has caught the sound of a voice which it is impossible for her to mistake—it is the voice of Jesus. What a sight greets their eyes as they enter—the great doctors of the Law sitting around, and her Boy in the midst of them answering questions! “My Son, my Son,” Mary cries, “Why hast Thou done so to us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought Thee sorrowing.” The Son of God lifted His eyes and looked at her, saying, “Why have ye sought Me? Did ye not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Nevertheless, He went down to Nazareth and was subject to them. And His Mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in age and grace with God and man. When we sin we too lose Jesus, Our Father and Friend; but do we, like Mary, search for Him until we find Him? We must not wait for Him to come back to us; we must go and find out where He is. Sometimes Jesus permits us to suffer pain and anguish. When this is so, think of Mary, and how sweetly and patiently she suffered during those three days when she was separated from Jesus. Let us also dwell on the obedience of Jesus; the Son of God, Our Creator, was subject to His creature. Oh, my God, give us grace to understand this great mystery and strength to follow it!

Prayer.

What relief do I feel in my miseries, and what consolation in my tribulation; what strength do I not find in the midst of temptations, when I remember and call thee, O my Mother, to my aid? O my most sweet and most holy Mother Mary, my own Mother, do thou console me! I see myself loaded with sins and surrounded by enemies, without virtue, and cold in my love towards God. Comfort me, and let me begin a new life, a life which will be pleasing to thy Son and to thee. Amen.

Eleventh Day. Meeting Jesus with the Cross.

We have now come to the morning of Good Friday—to Mary’s meeting Jesus with the cross, which is one of her seven dolors. It is twenty‐one years since the three days’ loss, and the heart of Mary has traversed a world of mysteries since then—always in joy, yet always with her lifelong sorrow before her. It would be impossible to make any calculations of the sum of love which these years produced in Mary’s heart. But now the time has come when Mary must give Jesus up, to be scourged and to be put to death. The Passion may be said to begin on the Thursday in Holy Week. The first Mass took place that night, Our Lord’s first unbloody sacrifice, to be followed on the morrow by the dreadful one of blood. By a miraculous grace Mary is enabled to go through all the dreadful tortures of that long night of pain. She hears the sound of the scourging, and sees the cruel soldiers crown Him with thorns, bandage His eyes, and dare to bend the knee in mockery before Him Who has one day to be their Judge. She has heard Pilate say, “Behold the man,” and the cry of the people, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” and when Pilate said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just man; look you to it,” she heard the dreadful imprecation that was shouted by the demons around her, “His blood be upon us, and upon our children! Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Then they lead Him away to pronounce the final sentence. The streets are filled with a great concourse of people, all going in one direction towards Calvary. What a journey for Mary, yet she never shrinks. Oh, how can we, when we look at our sinless Mother suffering so patiently, how can we murmur at the petty trials that God sends us? Mary, with St. John and Magdalen, stands at the corner. She does not even tremble. Hark, that hoarse shouting, that trampling and hurrying of feet! The procession comes in sight; the centurion leads the way, the soldiers dragging Jesus and His heavy cross—then the maddened crowd surge around, about and behind her. She approaches to embrace Him, but the soldiers thrust her rudely back. He staggers, and falls with a dull, heavy sound upon the street. O God of heaven! He falls, and His sweet Mother must stand and look on. Well may she say, “Look and see if there be sorrow like unto my sorrow.” Men crowd around Him, and with curses and blows drag Him up, and sweep on again on the way to Calvary, to finish their impious designs. O my Mother, I too was one of the agents in that cruel work! Surely, when I see all that my most sorrowful Mother had to undergo, it will cost me no great effort to have a loving devotion to her. Can we look on this sinless, uncomplaining Mother, standing in the streets of Jerusalem, gazing on her Son and her God torn and bruised, crowned with cruel thorns, bending under the heavy cross which we gave Him, and refuse to bear the little crosses which He gives us? Oh, no! Let us look at our Mother, and like her see all the beauty of our Jesus in the blood‐stained countenance of the God made man, and carry most gladly all trials that our loving Lord may send us.

Prayer.

O most holy Mary, in the great battle in which I am now engaged with hell, do thou always help me! And when thou seest me wavering, and likely to fall, O my Lady, do thou extend thy hand and sustain me. Mary, my hope, my refuge, my strength, do thou protect me, and never allow me to lose the grace of God. And on my part, I resolve always and instantly to have recourse to thee in all temptations, saying, “Help me, Mary, help me.” Amen.

Twelfth Day. The Crucifixion.

The way of the cross is ended, and they have come to Calvary. They have stripped Jesus of His garments, and have laid Him on the hard bed of the cross. Now commences the dreadful work of nailing His blessed hands and feet to the cross. The right hand is nailed to the cross first, but through some mistake the left hand will not reach; then a fearful scene takes place. The brutal soldiers pull with all their force, until, dislocating the arm, they succeed in stretching the hand to its place. Picture Mary looking in mute agony on that dreadful scene! His legs are stretched out, one foot crossed upon the other, and through them the nail is driven. Now the cross is raised on high, and Jesus hangs upon it. In the past few moments Mary has suffered a world of woe. The sacrifice of the Mother was inseparable from that of the Son; it would have cost her much less to have given her own life, and for this reason she is justly styled the Queen of martyrs. The first hour of the three long hours of agony has passed; still Jesus is silent. The second hour begins. There are fewer persons around the cross; all is silent, and then His lips move. Mary listens with all her heart: “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” Beautiful, beautiful prayer—true of all sins and of all sinners—“they know not what they do.” Beautiful prayer also because it discloses the heart of a God. For God alone could teach such charity as this, and Mary, joining her Son in His prayer, looks up to heaven and repeats, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” The third hour begins, and His first word in this last hour goes through her very soul: “I thirst.” Well might He thirst. Since the night before nothing has crossed His lips, and Mary, His Mother, is unable to give Him a drink to cool them, parched and swollen as they are; she cannot even reach to wipe away the blood that has congealed there. Thus for three long hours she watches Him in His death‐agony, unable to afford Him the slightest alleviation; until at last He cries out with a loud voice, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.” And bowing His head, Jesus dies. Such were the sufferings endured by the Mother of that divine Son. Jesus dies for love of us, and we live to torture and crucify Him afresh. What sublime lessons Mary here gives us, and how perfectly is she the model of those souls whom God permits to be sorely tried in affliction! Their trials are great, but are they to be compared with hers? Ah, do not complain, but to enable you to endure your sufferings cast your eyes on this sorrowful Mother, and ask her to obtain for you grace to imitate her firmness, her constancy, and her generosity. After Jesus on the cross, the most beautiful book one can study is Mary at the foot of the cross.

Prayer.

O most tender Mother, it was I that covered thy divine Son with wounds, and put Him to death! It was I that pierced thy heart with the most bitter sword of grief! Oh, by those wounds and by that blood, by thy sorrows and by thy tears, I conjure thee, O Mary, to be my protectress and my advocate. Pray for me, and for all sinners like me, that so many precious sufferings may not become useless to us. Amen.

Thirteenth Day. The Taking Down from the Cross.