Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

May it please Thee, O Lord. to deliver me: for, poor wretch that I am, what can I do, and whither shall I go without Thee? How much the more difficult this is to me, so much the easier to Thee, is the change of the right hand of the Most High (Ps 76:2)

In spite of all the graces Heaven was showering upon me, I was far from deserving them. I had a great desire for virtue, but all that I did was full of imperfections. I was so sensitive that I was a very great trial to others; it was once and for all, and God worked this little miracle to make me grow up on a date I shall never forget: December 25, 1886. The newborn Child turned my darkness into light; having for my sake became small and weak, He made me strong and brave; He armed me with His own weapons, and after that I ran my course like a giant (Ps 18), going from victory to victory. The fountain of my tears was dried up, and very rarely flowed again. This is how I received the grace of conversion.....They still treated me at home like a baby, filling my shoes with presents and putting them by the fire-place on Christmas Eve. My father had always shared in my delight as I drew out each gift, but this year Our Lord wished to cure me of my childishness. As I went up to my room after midnight Mass, I heard my father say: "Therese is too big a girl for such nonsense ; I hope this will be the last year." The words cut me to the heart, and Celine, knowing my sensitiveness, begged me not to go down at once, as I would be sure to cry, but I was no longer the same, Jesus had changed my heart. I went down to the dining-room as though nothing had happened, and gaily pulled out the presents one by one, my father joining in the merriment. Celine thought that she was dreaming, but the fact remained that I had found once more the fortitude I had lost at the age of four and a half. On that blessed night the third period of my life opened, the most beautiful and full of graces. The work I had attempted for years, was done in an instant by Our Lord, who accepted my good will. Like the Apostles, I could say: Master, we have laboured all the night, and have taken nothing (Luke 5:5), but Our Lord did more for me than He did for them, for He cast the net Himself and drew me into a fisher of souls. Charity took possession of my soul and filled me with the spirit of self-forgetfulness, and from that time I was always happy. (St Therese, Story of a Soul)

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St John of the Cross

Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you....I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them (St John 17:25-26)

O flame of the Holy Spirit that so intimately and tenderly pierces the substance of my soul and cauterizes it with Your glorious ardor! Previously, my requests did not reach Your ears, when, in the anxieties and weariness of love in which my sense and my spirit suffered because of considerable weakness, impurity, and lack of strong love, I was praying that You loose me and bring me to Yourself, because my soul longed for you, and impatient love did not allow me to be so confirmed to the conditions of this life in which You desired me still to live. The previous impulses of love were not enough, because they did not have sufficient quality for the attainment of my desire; now I am so fortified in love that not only do my sense and spirit no longer faint in You, but my heart and my flesh, reinforced in You, rejoice in the living God (Ps 83:3), with great conformity between the sensory and spiritual parts. What You desire me to ask for, I ask for, and what You do not desire, I do not desire, nor can I, nor does it even enter my mind to desire it. My petitions are now more valuable and estimable in Your sight, since they come from You, and You move me to make them, and I make them in the delight and joy of the Holy Spirit, my judgment now issuing from Your countenance (Ps 16:2), that is, when You esteem and hear my prayer. Tear then the thin veil of this life and do not let old age cut it naturally, that from now on I may love You with plenitude and fullness my soul desires forever and ever. (The Living Flame of Love, 1:36)

Toledo by El Greco. The view similar to that St John might see from the window of his cell while imprisoned in the Carmelite Monastery, Toledo. The main picture of St John is by Zurbaran  

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Feast of Immaculate Conception of Our Lady

O Lord, teach me to do Thy will, teach me to converse worthily and humbly in Thy sight; for Thou art my wisdom, who knowest me in Truth, and didst know me before the world was made, and before I was born in the world. (Imitation Bk 3:3)

Our Lady's unique privilege was her Immaculate Conception and divine Motherhood, and yet Our Lord tells us that whosoever shall do the will of my Father that is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother (Matt 12:15). it is well to speak of Mary's prerogatives but that is not enough, we must make her loved. If a sermon on her only calls forth "ohs"! and "ahs"! of admiration, it ends by being wearisome, and does not draw us to love and imitate her. (St Therese 'Novissima Verba')

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On the Love of God

They will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. (Luke 21) 

O strong love of God! I really think nothing seems impossible to one who loves. O happy soul that has obtained this peace from its God! For it has become mistress over all the trials and perils of the world. If only it can serve its good Spouse and Lord, it fears none of them – and with good reason... Think of something which occurs to me now and which is applicable to those who are naturally pusillanimous and have little courage... Although in actual fact their soul has been raised up to this state, the weakness of their nature makes them afraid. We must be on the watch or this natural weakness will deprive us of a great crown. When you find yourselves as pusillanimous as this, my daughters, have recourse to faith and humility and do not fail to go forward with faith, for nothing is impossible to God (Lk 1,37). He has thus been able to give many holy saints the courage to endure all the cruel tortures which they had resolved to suffer for His sake! It is of this resolution and this free-will that the soul wishes to make Him Master, though He has no need of our efforts. Indeed, His Majesty is pleased that His works should shine forth in those who are weak, since in these there is more scope for His power and for the fulfilment of His desire to grant us favours... Pay no heed to the arguments adduced by your mind and your own weakness: this weakness will only grow if you begin to imagine what will and what will not happen...This is no time to think about your sins: leave them alone; humility is out of place now, it comes at the wrong time... Be assured that the Lord never forsakes those who love him and risk everything for his sake. (St Teresa of Jesus, ‘Conception of the Love of God’)

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"Pray always without becoming weary"

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, "There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.' For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, 'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'" The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? (St Luke 18:1-8) 

What an extraordinary thing it is, the efficiency of prayer! Like a queen, it has access at all times to the Royal presence, and can get whatever it asks for. And it's a mistake to imagine that your prayer won't be answered unless you've something out of a book, some splendid formula of words, specially devised to meet this emergency. If that were true, I'm afraid I should be in a terribly bad position. You see, I recite the Divine Office, with a great sense of unworthiness, but apart from that I can't face the strain of hunting about in books for these splendid prayers-it makes my head spin. There are such a lot of them, each more splendid than the last; how am I to recite them all, or to choose between them? I just do what children have to do before they've learned to read; I tell God what I want quite simply, without any splendid turns of phrase, and somehow he always manages to understand me. For me, prayer means launching out of the heart towards God; it means lifting up one's eyes, quite simply, to heaven, a cry of grateful love, from the crest of joy or the trough of despair; it's a vast, supernatural force which opens out my heart, and binds me close to Jesus. (St Therese of the Child Jesus) 

 

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Feats of All Saints and All Souls

Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.(Matt 5:48) 

O my God, what unspeakable sufferings our souls have to endure because they have lost their liberty, and are not their own masters!  What tortures come on them through that!  I sometimes wonder how I can live through such agony of soul as I myself suffer.  God be praised who gives me His own life in my soul, so that I may escape from so deadly a death!  My soul has indeed received great strength from His Divine Majesty.  He has had compassion on my great misery, and has helped me.  Oh, what a distress it is for my soul to have to return to hold commerce with this world after having had its conversation in heaven!  To have to play a part in the sad farce of this earthly life!  And yet I am in a strait between two.  I cannot run away from this world.  I must remain in it till my discharge comes.  But, meantime, how keen is my captivity; how wretched in my own soul am I.  And one of my worst distresses is this, that I am alone in my exile.  All around me people seem to have found their aim and end in life in this horrible prison-house, and to have said, Soul, take thine ease.  But the life of my soul is a life of incessant trouble.  The cross is always on my shoulder; at the same time I surely make some progress.  God is the Soul of my soul.  He engulfs into Himself my soul.  He enlightens and strengthens my soul.  He attends to my soul night world, and to lay up their treasure in those things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.  May it please His Majesty that the great munificence with which He has dealt with my soul, miserable sinner that I am, may have some weight with some of those who read this, so that they may be strong and courageous to give up everything at once and most willingly for such a God! (Santa Teresa an Appreciation: On the Soul)

The souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect. (Book of WIsdom 3:1-9)

Picture from public domain

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Year of Faith declared by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, October 2012-2013

Today, on Monday 11th of February 2013, His Holiness Pope Benedict 16 announced his retirement at the end of February, 2013. Let us all pray for him and for the next Pope which will be elected afterwards. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us! 

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On the love of neighbour

ON THE LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOUR 

There are only two duties that our Lord requires of us, the love of God, and the love of our neighbour. And, in my opinion, the surest sign for discovering our love to God is our love to our neighbour. And be assured that the further you advance in the love of your neighbour, the further you are advancing in the love of God likewise. But, oh me, how many worms lie gnawing at the roots of our love to our neighbour! Self-love, self-esteem, fault-finding, envy, anger, impatience, scorn. I assure you I write this with great grief, seeing myself to be so miserable a sinner against all my neighbours. Our Lord, my sisters, expects works. Therefore when you see any one sick, compassionate her as if she were yourself. Pity her. Fast that she may eat. Wake that she may sleep. Again, when you hear any one commended and praised, rejoice in it as much as if you were commended and praised yourself. Which, indeed, should be easy, because where humility truly is, praise is a torment. Cover also your sister’s defects as you would have your own defects and faults covered and not exposed. As often as occasion offers, lift off your neighbour’s burden. Take it off her heart and on upon yourself. Satan himself would not be Satan any longer if he could once love his neighbour as himself. Endeavour, my daughters, all you can, to be affable to all. Demean yourselves so that all who have to do with you may love your conversation, so as to desire after your way of life. Let no one be affrighted or turned away from the life of virtue and religion by your gloom and morosity. This concerns religious women very much.(Santa Teresa an Appreciation)

 

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Carmelite Saints we venerate in August

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St Mary Magdalen Penitent - click to read more

He who believes in Me, the works that I do he also shall do, and greater than these shall he do. (John 14:12)
Of the earlier life of Saint Mary Magdalen we know only that she was "a woman who was a sinner." From the depth of her degradation she raised her eyes to Jesus with sorrow, hope, and love. Covered with shame, she came to where Jesus was at table, and knelt behind Him. She said not a word, but bathed His feet with her tears, wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed them with humility. Then she poured on them costly ointment. The divine lips of her Saviour removed her reproach, spoke her absolution, and bade her go in peace. From that time on, she ministered to Jesus, sat at His feet, and listened to His words. She was one of the family of Bethany "whom Jesus so loved" that He raised her brother Lazarus from the dead. It happened that once again, on the eve of His Passion, she brought precious ointment, and this time, as His purified and beloved follower, poured it on His head; and we may say that the entire House of God is still filled with the fragrance of her anointing. Mary Magdalen stood with Our Lady and Saint John at the foot of the cross, representative of the many who have loved much because much has been forgiven them. To her, the first after His blessed Mother, and through her to His Apostles, Our Lord gave the certainty of His resurrection. When the faithful were scattered by persecution, the family of Bethany found refuge in the south of France. The cave in which Saint Mary Magdalen lived for thirty years is still seen, with a chapel on the mountaintop, in which she was caught up daily, like Saint Paul, to “visions and revelations of the Lord.” When her end drew near she was borne to a place still marked by a monument, where the holy Bishop Maximin awaited her; and when she had received her Lord, she peacefully fell asleep in death.

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TRINITY SUNDAY

O MY GOD, Trinity whom I adore, help me to forget myself entirely that I may be established in You as still and as peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity. May nothing trouble my peace or make me leave You, I my Unchanging One, but may each minute carry me further into the depths of Your heaven, Your beloved dwelling place. May I never leave You there alone but be wholly present, my faith wholly vigilant, wholly adoring, and wholly surrendered to Your creative Action.

   O my Beloved Christ, crucified by love, I wish to be a bride for Your Heart; I wish to cover You with glory; I wish to love You....even to dying of it! But I feel my weakness, and I ask You "to clothe me with Yourself," to identify my soul with all the movements of Your soul, to overwhelm me, to possess me, to substitute Yourself for me that my life may be but radiance of Your Life. Come into me as Adorer, as Restorer, as Saviour.
   O Eternal Word, Word of my God, I want to spent my life listening to You, to become wholly teachable that I may learn all from You. Then, through all nights, all voids, all helpnessness, I want to gaze on You always and remain in Your great light. O my Beloved Star, so fascinate me that I may not withdraw from Your radiance.
   O consumating Fire, Spirit of Love, "come upon me," and create in my soul a kind of humanity for Him in which He can renew His whole Mystery. And You, O Father, bend lovingly over Your poor little creature; "cover her with Your shadow," seeing in her only the "Beloved in whom You are well pleased".
   O my Three, my All, my Beatitude, Infinite Solitude, Immensity in which I lose myself, I surrender myself to You as Your prey. Bury Yourself in me that I may bury myself in You until I depart to contemplate in Your light the abyss of Your greatness. (Bl Elizabeth of the Trinity, 1904, Personal notes)

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Pentecost

O Holy Spirit, with everlasting wisdom you gently urge rational creatures who want to receive Your gifts, but You do not take away their liberty. You knock at all hearts, but You knock gently, urging each one to prepare to receive these gifts. Softly singing, You are the source of sweet tears. Rejoicing and lamenting, You strive ardently that everyone may be disposed to receive You. May the intellect admire, the will and memory understand Your immense goodness, O Holy Spirit, in infusing Yourself and all Your gifts into the soul! O Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Word, You infuse Yourself into the soul so gently that it does not understand You, and being not understood, Your ineffable gift is esteemed by few. Yet, besides Your goodness, You infuse into the soul the power of the Father, and the wisdom of the Son. The soul, having thus become powerful and wise is made fit to bear You within itself as a sweet Guest, cherishing You, that is, behaving in such a way that You take pleasure in it and do not leave it. (St Mary Magdalen dei Pazzi)

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Today is the day of canonization of St Therese which took place on 17th of May, 1925. Let us read this little fragment of her autobiography:

"If in the midst of our earthly combat and suffering the thought that God has called us out of the world gives us such joy, what will it not be in Heaven, where in eternal glory and endless rest, we shall see what an immense grace we received when we were chosen to dwell in God's house, the very gate of Heaven." (The Story of a Soul)

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Good Shepherd Sunday - click to read

'Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep, Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture' (Jn 10:7) 

I also feel the desire to love the Lord alone and to find joy only in Him. (St Therese, The Story of a Soul)

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St Teresa of Jesus of the Andes

My Mother, I know you are my mother. Remember that I gave myself to you in your Immaculate Heart, keep me pure, a virgin. May it be my refuge, my hope, my consolation, my solitude. I place myself in your maternal arms, so you may put me in the arms of Jesus. I abandon myself to Him. May His holy will be done.

Thank you, my Mother, for having freed me from all dangers and for having made me spend my vacation well. Thanks, my Mother. My Mother, I would like tell you many things. But my language is so poor that it trembles in just telling you that I love you. My Mother, at your virginal feet I would love to sing praises, but my voice is so weak that I can only formulate a prayer. I have pain because, despite having asked and at the same time having mortified myself, I have not obtained my request that my father, Miguel and Luis make a retreat. But my God's will be done. ("God the Joy of My Life; Bl Teresa of the Andes" by Michael Griffin OCD)

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EASTER SUNDAY - THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD

'THIS IS THE DAY WHICH THE LORD HATH MADE; LET US BE GLAD AND REJOICE THEREIN' (ROMAN BREVIARY)

This is the most excellent day, the happiest day of the whole year - the Paschal solemnity resounds with an unmistakable note of triumph; it is joy for the triumph of Christ, for His victory. "Pour forth upon us, O Lord, the spirit of Thy love, to make us of one heart." (Postcommunion Prayer). Without unity and mutual charity there can be no real Paschal joy. Every year Easter marks a time of renewal in our spiritual life, in our search for God; every year we reascend the path toward Him in novitate vitae, in newness of life (Rom 6:4)

"As long as I carry about with me these fragile members, give me the grace, O Lord, to cling to You, for he who adheres to the Lord is one spirit with Him" (St Augustine)

Easter Sunday Pope Francis Urbi et Orbi
Watch Urbi et Orbi with Vatican Player chosing 'video on demand'

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As St Therese says, “...as long as you recite the Rosary, God will not abandon the world, because it is powerful on His Heart”. 

Italian organisation CENTRO CULTURALE LEPANTO has launched 1 million Rosary crusade utnil the end of conclave. Please sign up for the prayers HERE. Let us pray this Lent for the new Pope.
From Papal Encyclicals online, the Pope Paul VI Encyclical 'Election of the Roman Pontiff' to read HERE , and from Vatican website, Encyclical of the Pope John Paul II 'Universi Dominici Gregis' HERE and the motu proprio of Pope Benedict 16 'Normas Nonnullas' HERE
The list of Cardinal Elelctors HERE
News from Vatican HERE
The first meeting of General Congregation is scheduled on Monday the 4th of February which means the Cardinals may vote for the starting day of Conclave on Monday see here

Latest news, conclave is scheduled on Tuesday, March 12th in the afternoon according to Vatican News
 

Cardinal Electors group photo (after Rinnovamento Nella Fede Cattolica), and one of them may be elected for the next Pope.

Voting explained:

Smoke times: 12th of March, only one ballot and results around 7-7:30pm (Rome local time). Since 13th of March, four rounds of voting. We may see first smoke in the morning at around 11:30-noon and in the evening, between 6pm  and 7pm.

The smoke may be watched directly with Vatican player
Some of the history of Papal conclaves HERE

13th of March 2013 - 18.05 London time - HABEMUS PAPAM!

The new Pope is Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, Jesuit from Argentina, Pope Francis I, the name taken possibly after great Jesuit Saint, St Francis Xavier.
Update: I was wrong, the new pope took the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi because he is a lover of the poor, according to Vatican spokesman the Rev. Tom Rosica said. Also, the new pope should be known as Pope Francis, not Pope Francis I.

First Urbi et Orbi

I hope and pray the new Pope, Pope Francis will be pleasing to God. I have devotion to St Ignatius, the founder of Jesuits, as he is my patron Saint. AMDG 

Prayer for the Sovereign Pontiff V. 

Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Franciscum. 

R. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius. (Ps 40:3) 

Pater Noster, Ave Maria,

Deus, omnium fidelium pastor et rector, famulum tuum Franciscus, quem pastorem Ecclesiæ tuæ præesse voluisti, propitius respice: da ei, quæsumus, verbo et exemplo, quibus præest, proficere: ut ad vitam, una cum grege sibi credito, perveniat sempiternam. 

Per Christum, Dominum nostrum. Amen. V. 

Let us pray for Francis, our Pope. 

R. May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. (Ps 40:3) 

Our Father, Hail Mary 

O God, Shepherd and Ruler of all Thy faithful people, look mercifully upon Thy servant Francis, whom Thou hast chosen as shepherd to preside over Thy Church. Grant him, we beseech Thee, that by his word and example, he may edify those over whom he hath charge, so that together with the flock committed to him, may he attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Yesterday, it would seem, we received a Pope who is truly a servants of the servants of God as the world best knows it: a man who is not afraid to approach the weak, the sick and the poor, who shuns pomposity and vanity and, as we soon learned, chose to take the bus with the other cardinals back to the Domus Sanctae Marthae, instead of taking the limousine that was waiting.

But that humility should not be taken for weakness or even simplicity. As his chosen papal name indicates, underneath the simplicity of his appearance and actions, not unlike his two immediate predecessors, lies a person of great strength and faith. Whereas Benedict XVI was the professor who taught us about the faith, Francis will be the older brother who walks with us and shows us the way in love and charity." comment on Papal election from In Coelo et in Terra blog

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Feast of St Joseph

 

His Holiness, Pope Francis praying before the statue of Our Lady with Child Jesus at the end of Inaugural Mass of his Pontificate.

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Why fasting and abstinence during Lent? Sermon from AudioSancto

Lent: Fasting and Abstinence in the Tradition of the Church

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Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us! - click here for link to previous posts

No sudden splendour broke the grey

And even tenor of your days

No ecstasy made you forget

Your poverty in its bright rays.

Mary, the lowliest can tread

With confidence the path you trod

Your life the bright and shining star

That leads the wayfarer to God

(St Therese, Poems)

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Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus - click to read more

Luke 2:21
And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

At the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the father. O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy Name in the whole earth! (Introit of the Mass, Phillip. 2:10,11)

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January, the Month dedicated to the Most Holy Name of Jesus - click to listen to Iesu Dulcis Memoria, Jesus, Sweet Memory

 

 

O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet: blessed is the man who hopeth in Him (Ps. 33:9)

Jesus, the very thought of Thee,
With sweetness fills my breast;
But sweeter far Thy Face to see
And in Thy presence rest.
 

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name,
O Saviour of mankind!
 

O Hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art,
How good to those who seek.
 

My tongue and words cannot express,
Their usefulness is low
But having felt is to believe,
sweet Jesus' love to know.
 

Jesus, our only joy be Thou,
As Thou our prize wilt be;
O Jesus, be our glory now
And through eternity.
Amen. 

(Jesus, Sweet Memory, Vespers hymn for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus - 

St. Bernard of Clairvaux)

Adopted from Angelqueen

 

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