7th Day after Epiphany.
Meditation theme fragments from the week after Epiphany - 'Divine Intimacy' by Fr Gabriel of St Mary Magdalen OCD. Part 1.

"Jesus the true vine". 1.Jesus is the one Mediator between God and men (1Tim 2,5); however, He did not will to effect the work of our redemption independently of us, but used it as a mean of strengthening the bond between Himself and us. This is the wonderful mystery of our incorporation in Christ, the mystery which Our Lord revealed to His apostles the night before His Passion. 'I am the true vine; and My Father is the husbandman...Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear the fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me' (Jn15,1-4). Jesus strongly affirms that there is no redemption, no supernatural life, no grace-life for one who does not live in Him, who is not grafted unto Him....We cannot receive the least degree of grace except through Christ's mediation...if we abide in Him, we shall not only have supernatural life, but we shall become the recipients of special attention from our heavenly Father, the Husbandman of the mystical vine. In fact our heavenly Father, acknowledges us as His adopted children, loves us as such, and takes care of us, precisely to the degree in which He sees in us Christ, His only-begotten, His well-beloved Son. The grace of adoption, then is wholly dependent upon our union with Christ, a union so close that we form, as it were, a 'living part' of Him, as the branch forms a living part of the vine....This spiritual engrafting, an accomplished fact, was made possible for all men by Christ's death on the Cross, and it became effective for each one of us at the time of our Baptism. Christ grafted us into Himself at the cost of His precious Blood. Therefore we "are" in Him, but He insist further that we "abide" in Him and bring forth fruit. "Abide in Me" is not a chance expression. Christ wished to show us that our life in Him requires our personal collaboration with Him, that we are to employ all our strength, our mind, our will, and our heart that we may live in Him and by Him....by faith, charity, and good works done with the intention of pleasing God...That we shall become..the branches laden with fruit, the fruit of sanctity destined to bring joy to the Heart of God..."In this is my Father glorified, that you bring forth very much fruit" (Jn 15,8).

"The mystical body of Christ". 'I am the vine you are the branches'. On these words of Jesus, which describe our union with Him, the whole doctrine of the Mystical Body of Christ is founded (1Cor 12, 12.27). Christ is the Head of this Body...the Church...(Eph 5,23). Christ Our Lord vivifies the Church with His supernatural life; by His divine power He permeates the whole Body and nourishes and sustains each of the members (Mystici Corpus)....it is a mysterious union, and in this sense is called mystical, but it is no less real and vital....The Holy Spirit, 'the soul of the Church' (ibid.), is the bond which intimately and really unites and vivifies all the members of Christ, diffusing grace and charity in them....so it is not a symbolical, metaphorical union, but of a real union, so real that it surpasses all the others. We are members of Christ. This is our greatness and our glory, infinitely surpassing all earthly dignity and glory.

"I am the life". Jesus explained His mission in these words: 'I am come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly' (Jn 10,10). What is this life....? It is the life of grace, which is the participation in His divine life. Jesus is the Incarnate Word; in His divine nature as the Word, He possesses divine life in the same way and to the same degree as His Father possesses it. This plenitude of divine life reverberates in Christ's humanity by reason of hypostatic union. His sacred humanity, placed in direct contact with His divinty, to which it is united in one Person, is inundated with divine life; that is, it receives the greatest possible participation in it through 'such plentitude of grace that no greater amount can be imagined' (Mystici Corporis). The sanctifying grace which fills the soul of Jesus is so plentiful, perfect, intense, and superabundant that theologians do no hesitate to call it 'infinite grace'. 'Because in Him [Christ], it hath well pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell' (Col 1,19), affirms St Paul; and St John describes Him as being 'full of grace and truth' (Jn 1,14). But Jesus...wishes to have brethren with whom He can share it. For this reason He embraced His sorrowful Passion; by dying on the Cross, he merited for us His members that grace which He possesses in such great plentitude. Thus Christ becomes the one and only source of grace and supernatural life for us. He is so 'full of grace and truth' that 'of His fullness we have all received' (ibid. 1,14.16). Here, then, is how divine life comes to us: from the father to the Word; from the Word to the humanity which He assumed in His Incarnation, and from this humanity, which is the sacred humanity of Christ, to our souls. 2. Grace, like everything that exists, apart from God, is created by God. Jesus as God, that is, as the Word, is together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, the Creator of grace. Let us now contemplate Jesus as our Redeemer, therefore, as Man, and as such, the Mediator of grace, the One who merited grace for us, in virtue of His own infinite treasure of grace, and who also bestows it upon us. He not only merited it for us once for always by His death an the Cross, but He is continually applying it to our souls and producing it in us. Thus grace is infused and made to grow in us by means of His living and ever-present action. In this way, Jesus gives us life; He is Life for us, the one source of our supernatural life. For this reason the grace of Jesus is called 'capital grace', that is, grace belonging to the Head, who both merited it and dispenses it to His members....The grace which sanctifies our soul is, in essence the same identically the same as that which adorns the sacred soul of Jesus (St Thomas, IIIa, q.8, a.5)....but differs immensely in measure and perfection, however the nature of grace is the very same. Thus it can sanctify us, making us live in union with God and for His glory. By giving us grace, Jesus has truly communicated His life to us; He has planted in us the seed of His sanctity, so that we can live a life similar to His own. Read whole post......

Feast of Baptism of Our Lord

It is at this moment, and in the midst of circumstances such as these, that Jesus at length makes His appearance. There is no great disturbance, neither Nazareth nor Judea notice it. It is late season of the year, when the countryside is bare and work in the fields is less pressing. It is on the occasion of some festival, it may have been the feast of Tabernacles in October, when numbers make towards the Holy City. The news concerning John and his baptism has reached as far as Galilee, and a carpenter living at the upper end of Nazareth, with others who have long 'waited for the consolation of the Israel', goes up by the ordinary route that runs alongside the Jordan, crossing the river into Judea at the ford where John is preaching and baptizing. Like the rest of the band of pilgrims He stops at the ford to listen to the earnest preacher; like others who have come well-disposed, when the preaching is over, He draws nearer and adjust His clothing to take the step which is proof of a sinner's submission. He waits till all the rest are baptized, yielding to the eager throng that presses forward, Himself easily unnoticed and pushed aside; then, the very last in the group of penitents that day, He Himself walks into the water. This is the simple matter of fact as the evangelist give it to us. There is not, and obviously during the last eighteen years there is anything more than any of the men standing round Him. Even John on a later occasion declares that at the first he did not know who He was; for that even he required a direct revelation from above.

'And John gave testimony saying, I saw the Spirit coming down as a dove from heaven and he remained upon him and I knew him not but he who sent me to baptize in water said to me he upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending he it is that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost and I saw and I gave testimony that this is the Son of God' (John 1: 32-34)

Still, already before the revelation was given, naturally, instinctively, John stayed with his hand; he hesitated to baptize. Though he knew not all that Jesus was, yet as a relative he knew Him. He knew the story of His birth, so intimately connected with his own, he knew what his own mother had said of Him; if before he was born he had leaped for joy at His coming, now when they met he could not fail to be stirred. Whoever Jesus was, John knew He was no sinner, and this baptism was not for such as He; whoever He was, by comparison with Him John himself could scarcely be called clean. Was His coming then a sign that it was time for him to yield, and allow this better man to take his place? He stayed his arm; he made a sigh of protest; for a moment he held Jesus back.

'But John stayed him saying I ought to be baptized by thee and comest thou to me?'

The answer of Jesus confirmed the recognition; it was the answer of one man to another whom he knew and who knew him. It was also an answer of command; Jesus did not hide from John that He understood, and accepted the honour done to Him. Though he submits, yet is He the Master; it is the same Jesus, acting in precisely the same way, as the Jesus of eighteen years before in the Temple, Master of His Mother and Joseph, yet afterwards in all things 'subject to them'. Though He stands there in the stream to be baptized, yet the baptism is not given without His order; it is the same Jesus as, three years later, was the Jesus of Calvary who submitted unto death, yet laid down His life when and as He chose and in no other way. Thus though the word He speaks are those of complete subjection, nevertheless there is in them the authority and firmness of one who had a mission to fulfill, and who knew exactly all that it included; before the Spirit came down upon Him Jesus knew.

'And Jesus answering said to him suffer it to be so now for so it becomes us to fulfill all justice'

There was nothing more to be said or done. Submissively the meek John baptized the meek, submissive Jesus; Jesus had indeed begun at the very beginning. The crowd, already baptized, was threading its way homeward; the few that remained noticed nothing strange; it would seem that what then happened was known alone to John and Jesus. He came up out of the water; for a moment He stood upon the bank absorbed in prayer; while He prayed, with His eyes upward , a common attitude as we shall often see:

'Lo! He saw the heavens opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending in a bodily shape as a dove and coming and remaining upon him and behold there came a voice from heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased'

When we read separately three accounts of the baptism of Jesus, it seems manifest that each of the evangelists the chief part of the story is 'the voice from heaven' and the witness that it gave. Next it would seem, from the mere construction of the sentences, more especially in the narrative of St Luke, that the coming of Jesus of His own accord to be baptized, and the humiliation of the baptism, are looked upon as preludes to this; the first solemn declaration by the Father, the formal acceptance of the Sonship of man, with all its sin to be atoned for, being rewarded by acknowledgement as the Son of God; true Man, with the consequent burthen, true God, with the consequent right.

'He humbled himself therefore hath God exalted him';

this would seem to be the meaning of the mystery, and it is confirmed in the mystery of the Temptations that follows. The 'voice from heaven' compels us to link up this scene with that other scene later when the same 'voice from heaven' uttered the same words, the Transfiguration. As then the vision and the voice were confined to three, so now it would seem they were permitted to confirm and enlighten the Baptist. It was the sigh that he looked for, henceforth he knew; and it was meet that he should know, both as a reward for his fidelity and as a guide through what was next to come.
But for the rest all was darkness. The people were given to see nothing; they were to discover for themselves by other signs as time went on, or not at all.. From the beginning to the end Jesus would thrust Himself on no one. He would give such signs as, if men chose, they could question and reject; He would come to them as one of themselves and they should come to Him in response. He would have their willing faith only, their spontaneous allegiance only, the more free, the more their own, the better. That this might be engendered and developed He would bide His time, He would go ever so slowly, He would endure unceasing disappointment, endless misunderstanding; He would even submit to the failure of many if only in the end He could win true faith and love and trust and glad allegiance from a few. If we forget this feature of the character of Jesus we lose the key to many mysteries.

From "The Public Life Of Our Lord Jesus Christ - an Interpretation" by Archbishop Alban Goodier SJ, Burns Oates & Washbourne, London 1941

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6th Day of the Octave of Epiphany
"Elizabeth of the Trinity-Her message and spirituality" by Jennifer Moorcroft, CTS Publications

On God's indwelling presence - From the letter to Antoinette de Bobet, January 1906:
"May the God who is all Love be your unchanging home, your cell and your cloister in the midst of the world. Keep in mind that he is living in the deepest centre of your being as in a sanctuary where he wants you to love and adore him continually. He is there to shower you with his grace, to transform you into himself. When you feel your weakness, go to him; he is strong and gives victory by the power of his strong right hand, as Psalmist sings (Ps 44:4-5). He covers you with his shadow (Ps 91:4). Have absolute confidence in his love.

To Germaine de Gemeaux, 20 August 1903
...It is the whole Trinity who lives within us, the whole mystery which will be our vision in heaven: make that your cloister. You tell me that you spent your life there, and I am pleased. It is the same for me. I am "Elizabeth of the Trinity": Elizabeth disappearing, losing herself, letting herself be invaded by Three. Let us live by love like St Teresa of Avila and St Therese of Lisieux. Let our approach be single-minded like theirs, with every moment of the day lived in total self-giving and surrender to the will of good God, without looking for extraordinary means. Let us make ourselves small enough to be carried, as children in their mother's arms, by him who is our All. Yes, we are very weak, I would say almost wretched, but he is well aware of that; he longs to forgive us; to pick us up and carry us to himself, to his purity and infinite holiness. His will make us pure by this continual contact with himself and by his divine touch: we must let ourselves be transformed into his own image. This is so simple. All we need to do is to love all the time with that love which unites those who love!
Like you, I want to be a saint to give him joy. Beg him for me that I will live only by love, because this is my calling. Let us join together in making our days continual communion. Let us wake up in the morning in Love. Let us surrender ourselves to Love throughout the day by doing the will of good God, in his sight, with him, in him, for him alone. Let us give ourselves at every moment in whatever way he wants and then, when evening comes, after an unceasing dialogue of love, let us sleep in Love. There may have been faults and failures but let us hand than over to Love: he is consuming fire, so let us make our purgatory in Love as well! Read whole post......

5th Day within the Octave
Union with God, according to St. John of the Cross. By Fr Gabriel of Mary Magdalen OCD, Chapter II, The presence of God in us (commentary on the 1st stanza in "Spiritual Canticle" by St John of the Cross). 1990 reprint of 1961 edition.

From the first to the last pages of the "Spiritual Canticle", the Saint puts before us the soul anxious for union with God. "Ah, where are you hiding?" it sings in the first stanza of the delightful poem that he will comment on during the whole course of work. It is the soul's cry of desire for union with God. This soul, he notes, is the Christian soul. It is not necessarily a religious soul, a brother, or a nun; it is simply the soul that, regenerated by baptism and reclothed with divine grace, becomes painfully conscious of the potentially contained in its elevation to the state of child of God, and desires to see it brought to fulfillment...Man has need of God. This need finds its first source in our condition as creature. We exist because God created us and keeps us in existence; not only that but we have need of Him continually in order to live and to act. Further, our actions are dependent upon Supreme Being who has to give us capacity for action even in minute things: without Him we cannot move even a finger. There are then so many human undertakings before which the serious and prudent man recognizes more clearly that ever his limitations and the uncertainty of success, which frequently depend on conditions over he cannot exercise his personal influence other than in a very minor capacity....Man has need of God and of having recourse to Him. If nature already orients us toward the Lord, how much more does divine grace. We ought never forget that grace makes us children of God. A man clothed with sanctifying grace belongs to the house of God, he is of the family of God:"You are no longer guests or stranger, but members of God's household."(Eph.2:19)....he who dies in the grace of God will infallibly possess Him eternally in Heaven. Grace therefore disposes us for the beatific vision; it will make us to live in the divine companionship.....That is why there is in the man who lives in the state of grace, a certain inclination, a certain tendency to live in company with God. Unfortunately, there are very many Christians who do not cultivate this beautiful inclination, or who smother it under so many tendencies and natural impulses that draw it toward creatures and distance it from God. When instead a soul seeks to dominate the natural impulses and in this way arrives at a certain interior tranquility, resulting from this domination, or rather from a sufficient mastery of itself, then this inclination toward God, that was as though hidden and buried under the tumult of the passions, awakens and is easily set free. And here it is that the soul begins to feel the need for God, the need to come close to Him, and there come to the lips the words that the Saint puts in the mouth of the enamoured soul: "Ah, where have you hidden yourself?"....Yes, effectively God is in us, even more, He can be there in twofold way: not only with His natural presence because of His immensity, but also with His supernatural (presence) which is called the divine indwelling. Let us explain briefly first the one and then the other.
The first presence of God in us, that which is commonly called the presence of immensity, is a consequence of the creative act of God. We have indicated this above: we exist only through the divine action which communicating being to us preserves us in existence, a communication of which God alone is capable. God does not operate as we do, that is, by means of certain faculties that derive from our essence but are distinct from it. God being simplicity itself, works through his own essence; therefore where He immediately works, there He is. Hence, since He works in the interior of all creatures communicating their being, He dwells necessarily in the inmost part of each of them. Since our soul is a creature, God is necessarily present in us; otherwise, if He were not present, He would not operate in us; nor would He communicate existence to us and we, quite simply, would not "be", as we would not exist. Therefore, with all truth St. John can say to the soul:"You cannot be without Him".
That is not all: close to this fundamental presence, in souls clothed with sanctifying grace there is another that we know only by means of revelation. Jesus has taught us that if a soul loves God supernaturally - and it cannot do so without being in grace - the three Persons of the Most Blessed Trinity will come to it and make their dwelling in it. It is the presence that theologians call "indwelling presence." With this the three divine Persons in a new manner, not simply as creative cause that preserves and moves all things, but as object that offers itself to the knowledge and love of the soul, and therefore as object with the soul can enter into communication. For that reason it is said that with this presence, God comes to keep company with the soul and invites it to keep company with Him.
By this special presence of God in the soul, there is a corresponding capacity in it to put itself in personal relations with Him. That is because where there is grace, there are the three theological virtues, faith, hope and charity, and these supernatural virtues give our soul the capability of establishing an intimate relationship with the Most Holy Trinity. Elevated by faith, our intellect is rendered capable of knowing the Most Holy Trinity who dwells in us; and our will, corroborated by a confident hope and inclined by charity toward God, the author of all supernatural life, can love Him intimately. What more is wanting to us to be able to begin even in this world a relationship and a union of knowledge and of love with that God who dwells in us? It will be enough to put into action our theological virtues; and who can say even where this activity may be able to reach, when to the virtues will be united the gifts of the Holy Spirit which, according to theologians, have the property of rendering our knowledge of God in some ways, at least, experiential. Obviously, here indeed we shall meet contemplation.
The first presence of God in us, that of immensity, is therefore essential here; but much more precious still is the indwelling presence. However, let us not forget this: it is connected with divine grace, and he who loses grace also loses this precious divine company. This is one of the most disastrous consequences of mortal sin: destroying sanctifying grace in us, it also deprives us of the indwelling of the Most Holy Trinity in our souls! Read whole post......

'Spiritual Canticle' St. John of the Cross, Ed.&translated by E.A.Peers, Image Book edition, 1961. Part I

Stanza the first
Whither hast thou hidden thyself, And hast left me, O Beloved, to my sighing?

Exposition
In this first stanza, the soul that is enamored of the Word, the Son of God, her Spouse, desiring to be united with Him through clear and essential vision, sets forth her love's anxieties, reproaching Him for His absence, the more so because, being wounded by her love, for which she has abandoned all things, yea even herself, she has still to suffer the absence of her Beloved and is not yet loosed from her mortal flesh that she may be able to have fruition of Him in the glory of eternity. And thus she says: WHITHER HAST THOU HIDDEN THYSELF?
It is as thou she said: O Word, my Spouse, show me the place where thou art hidden. Wherein she begs Him to manifest His Divine Essence, the which is removed and hidden from every mortal eye and from all understanding. This Isaias signified when he said:"Verily Thou art a hidden God" (Isa XIV, 15). Here it is to be noted that, however lofty are the revelations of His presence, and however high and exalted is its knowledge of Him, they are not God in His Essence...For which cause says the prophet Job: "If He (that is to say God) comes to me, I shall not see Him: If He departs, I shall not understand Him (Job IX, 11). Wherein is to be understood that, if the soul should experience any great communications or knowledge of God, or any other feeling, it must not for that reason persuade itself that it possess God more completely or is more deeply in God; nor that that which it feels and understands Is God in His Essence, however profound that experience might be; and, if all these communications fail, it must not think that that for that reason God is failing it. For in reality the one estate can give no assurance to a soul that it is in His Grace, neither can the other, that it is outside it. As the Wise man says: No mortal man can know if he be worthy of the grace or of the hatred of God. So that the intent of the soul in this present line is not merely to beg for sensible and affective devotion, wherein there is neither certainty nor clear evidence of the possession of the Spouse in this life by grace, but also to beg for the presence and clear vision of His Essence, wherewith it desires to be given assurance and satisfaction in glory.
4.And it is to be observed, if one would learn how to find this Spouse (so far as may be in this life), that the Word, together with the father and the Holy Spirit, is hidden essentially in the inmost centre of the soul. Wherefore the soul that would find Him through union of love must go forth and hide itself from all created things according to the will, and enter within itself in deepest recollection, communing there with God in loving and affectionate fellowship, esteeming all that is in the world as though it were not. Hence Saint Augustine, speaking with God in the "Soliloquies" said: "I found Thee not, O Lord without, because I erred in seeking Thee without that wert within. He is then, hidden within the soul, and there the good contemplative must seek Him, saying:"whither hast Thou hidden Thyself?"
AND HAST LEFT ME, O BELOVED, TO MY SIGHTING?
5. The Bride calls Him 'Beloved' in order the more to move and incline Him to her prayer, for, when God is loved indeed, He hears the prayers of His lover with great readiness; and then in truth He can be called Beloved when the soul is wholly with Him and has not its heart set on aught that is outside Him. Some call the Spouse "Beloved' when He is not in truth their Beloved, because they have not their heart wholly with Him; and thus, before the Spouse, their petition is of less effect.
6. And in the words which she then says: 'And hast left me to my sighting' it is to be observe that the absence of the Beloved is a continual sighing in the heart of the lover, because apart from Him she loves naught, rests in naught and finds relief in naught; whence a man will know by this if he have indeed love toward God-namely, if he be content with aught that is less than God. To this sighting Saint Paul referred clearly when he said: We groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption and possession of sons of God. Which is as though he said:Within our heart, where we have the pledge, we feel that which afflicts us- the absence. This, then, is sighing which the soul ever makes, for sorrow at the absence of her Beloved, above all when, having enjoyed some some kind of sweet and delectable communion with Him, she is left dry and alone. For this cause she grieves greatly, and says next:.......


In the "Cloud of unknowing" by anonymous English medieval mystic (translation by C. Wolters), 1961 ed. we read in chapter 6:

But now you will ask me, "How am I to think of God Himself, and what is He? And I cannot answer you except to say 'I do not know!'. For with this question you have brought me into the same darkness, the same cloud of unknowing where I want you to be! For though we through the grace of God can know fully about all other matters, and think about them-yes, even the very works of God Himself-yet of God Himself can no man think. Therefore I will leave on one side everything I can think, and choose for my love that thing which I cannot think! Why? BECAUSE HE MAY WELL BE LOVED, BUT NOT THOUGHT. BY LOVE HE CAN BE CAUGHT AND HELD, BUT BY THINKING NEVER. Therefore, though it may be good sometimes to think particularly about God's kindness and worth, and though it may be enlightening too, and a part of contemplation, yet in the work now before us it must be put down and covered with the cloud of forgetting. And you are to step over it resolutely and eagerly, with a devout and kindling love, and try to penetrate that darkness above you. Strike that thick cloud of unknowing (which is between God and you) with the deep dart of longing love, and on no account whatever think of giving up.
In chapter 16 (ibidem) we read: No one need think he presumes because he, the most wretched sinner in the world, now dares, after true amendment and a subsequent call to contemplation, and with the full support of his director and his conscience, to offer God his humble love, and secretly to press into that cloud of unknowing between him and God . For Our Lord said to Mary Magdalene, the typical representative of sinner called to contemplative life, "Thy sins are forgiven thee" (Luke 7:47). Not for her great sorrow; not for her anxiety over her sins; not for her humility as she contemplated her wretchedness; but surely, because she loved much. This is the point where we can see what secret and urgent love may obtain from Our Lord; far beyond anything we could imagine..... We need not be surprised; it is characteristic of the true lover that the more he loves, the more he wants to love. Read whole post......

Octave of Epiphany.
The prayer of recollection in words of St Teresa - the quotations taken from 'The Complete Works of Saint Teresa of Jesus' vols 1&2 tr.EA Peers, London: Sheed&Ward, 1944, 1946 after E.McCaffrey OCD 'Quietly resting in God' Mount Carmel v.54 no.1
"Remember how important it is to have understood this truth - that the Lord is within us and that we should be there with Him" (Way of Perfection 28:3). ...'imagine that we have within us a palace of priceless worth.....Imagine that within the palace dwells this great King, Who has vouchsafed to become your Father, and Who is seated upon a throne of supreme price-namely, your heart' (WP 28:9); "Those who are able to shut themselves up in this way within this little Heaven of the soul, wherein dwells the Maker of Heaven and earth, and who have formed the habit of looking at nothing and staying in no place which will distract these outward senses, may be sure that they are walking on the excellent road, and will come without fail to drink of the water of the fountain, for they will journey a long way in a short time" (WP 28:5)

"Now, in the first place, you know that His Majesty teaches that this prayer must be made when we are alone, just as He was often alone when He prayed" (WP 24:4). "However quietly we speak, He is so near that He will hear us: we need no wings to go in search of Him but have only to find a place where we can be alone and look upon Him present within us" (WP 28:2).

"There are some souls, and some minds as unruly as horses not yet broken in. No one can stop them: now they go this way, now that way; they are never still" (WP 19:2). "If I can recall the companionship which I have within my soul for as much as a moment, that is of great utility....All I want is that we should know and abide with the Person with whom we are speaking, and not to turn our backs upon Him; for that, it seems to me, is what we are doing when we talk to God and yet think of all kind of vanity" (WP 29:5).

"I am not asking you now to think of Him.... or to make long and subtle meditations with your understanding. I am asking you only to look at Him. For who can prevent you from turning the eyes of your soul (just for a moment, if you can do no more) upon this Lord?" (WP 26:3). "He never takes His eyes off you. See, He is only waiting for us to look at Him....He longs so much for us to look at Him"(WP 26:3).

".....but speak with Him as with a Fether, a Brother, a Lord and a Spouse - and, sometimes in one way and sometimes in another. He will teach you what you must do to please Him. Do not be foolish: ask Him to let you speak to Him... Remember....that the Lord is within us and that we should be there with Him" (WP 28:3). "If words do not fail you when you talk to people on earth, why should they do so when you talk to God?....for both kinship and friendship lose their influence when communication ceases" (WP 26:9). "Do you suppose that, because we cannot hear Him, He is silent? He speaks clearly to the heart when we beg Him from our hearts to do so" (WP24:5). "...one thing is needful: you must not leave the side of the Master" (WP 24:5). "Keep at the side of this good Master and be most firmly resolved to learn what He teaches you" (WP 26:10).
"All I want is that we should know and abide with the person with Whom we are speaking" (WP 29:5) "The whole mischief comes from our not really grasping the fact that He is near us, and imaging Him far away-so far, that we shall have to go to Heaven in order to find Him" (WP 29:5). "How is it, Lord, that we do not look at Your face, when it is so near us? We do not think people are listening to us when we are speaking to them unless we see them looking at us. And do we close our eyes so as not to see that You are looking at us?" (WP 29:5).

"If....recollection is genuine, the fact becomes very evident...It is as if the soul were rising from play, for it sees that wordly things are nothing but toys; so in due course it rises above them, like a person entering a strong castle, in order that it may have nothing more to fear from its enemies. It withdraws the senses from all outward things and spurns them so completely that, without its understanding how, its eyes close and it cannot see them and the soul's spiritual spiritual sight becomes clear" (WP 28:6).

The prayer of recollection is a prayer of love and those who practice it - "are more secure... and the fire of Divine love is the more readily enkindled in them; for they are so near that fire that...any small spark that flies out at them will cause them to burst into flame" (WP 28:8) "When no hindrance comes to it from outside, the soul remains alone with its God and is thoroughly prepared to become enkindled" (WP 28:8) "It is a method of prayer which establishes habits that prevent the soul from going astray and the faculties from becoming restless" (WP 29:6).

"When a soul sets out upon this path, He does not reveal Himself to it, lest it should feel dismayed at seeing that its littleness can contain such greatness; but gradually He enlarges it to such an extent requisite for what He has to set within it....He has power to make the whole of this palace great" (WP 28:12) "For love of the Lord....accustom yourselves to saying the Our Father in this recollected way, and before long you will see how you gain by doing so...I only beg you to test it, even at the cost of a little trouble, which always results when we try to form a new habit. I assure you, however, that before long you will have a great comfort of finding it unnecessary to tire yourselves with seeking this holy Father to Whom you pray, for you will discover Him within you" (WP 29:6). Read whole post......

Saturday - Traditionally Day of Our Lady

"The old Irish woman's Rosary" fragment from the book "How to be happy how to be holly" by Fr P.O'Sullivan TAN Books

Lady Beatrice Allen, a noble and wealthy English Lady, an ardent Protestant by conviction, once accosted a poor Irish woman whom she found saying her Rosary. In hope of converting "the poor benighted creature", as she considered her, good Lady Beatrice asked the poor woman why it was that she said that silly prayer. "Silly prayer, my Lady, you call it, but it is for me my joy and consolation. When I am sad and sorrowful it consoles me, and when I am happy it gives me more joy and pleasures.
"How could it be silly, my Lady, to speak to the Holy Mother of God, and sure that is what I am doing when I say the Rosary".
"Well then", replied Lady Beatrice, "will you tell me all about it?"- quite sure that she was going to hear a story of gross superstition. The explanation of the Rosary which this poor vendor of vegetables gave Lady Beatrice was so clear and, withal, so impressive that she afterward confessed that she had never heard from bishop or dean of her religion a sermon that gave her more to think about......
Here is briefly how the dear, old, unlettered woman preached her sermon on the Rosary. Holding her beads to Lady Beatrice, she showed her the crucifix and said:"When I begin to say my beads, my Lady, I kiss the five wounds of Jesus Christ as His Holy Mother did when He was taken from the Cross and placed in her arms. I thank Him for all He suffered for me, and I beg Him to pardon my sins and take me to Heaven after my death.
"Then, as you see, my Lady, there are two parts in the Rosary: one is small and has only five beads. That tells me that life is short and that my suffering will be soon over, and that I had better be ready for I may die any day, and I pray for a happy death. "There is the big part, the five decades, and that reminds me of the long life that is to come that will never end. And I say to myself, "Take care, Bridget Murphy, that you go to Heaven and not to offend God. On the big beads we say Our Father, the prayer that God Himself gave to us. He must hear us, for sure He promised to do so. It was He who put the words into our mouth, and He must be our Father if He says it. "Oh, it's a beautiful prayer and I love to say it! To think that God is my Father! That is enough to make anyone happy. "On small beads we say Hail Mary, and that prayer, too, came from God for it is what the Angel Gabriel said to the Blessed Virgin when he told her that she was to be the Mother of God. "Oh, how pleased the Blessed Virgin must be to hear again the self-same words of the angel for I wish with all my heart to give her again the happiness and joy the angel gave her! She is my Mother, and I make bold ask her to give me some of her great joy and holiness, for a true mother gives everything to her children.
"In the Hail Mary, I ask the Blessed Mother to pray for, her poor child, now, during this hard and wearisome life, to help me in my little troubles, but above all I ask her to pray for me when I am dying, at the hour of my death. Amen.
"Now, my Lady, how could God's Mother, who is so good and sweet, refuse to listen to my poor prayers? "I know she hears me, I am sure of it, and I am never tired saying the Hail Mary's and giving her pleasure". "But it must be tired repeating all these Hail Mary's", queried Lady Beatrice. "I am never tired, my Lady, of speaking to the Mother of God. "I now want to explain to you that when we are saying the holy prayers we are thinking of how Our Lord became man and lived 33 years on earth. These we call the Joyful Mysteries. "After that we think of all His terrible sufferings and how He died on the Cross. These are the Sorrowful Mysteries". Here the woman became wonderfully eloquent, talking about the Passion and death of Jesus Christ. She felt all she said, for her poor voice became broken and tears ran down her cheeks. "Last of all, my Lady, we think of how Our Lord rose up from the dead, glory be to God, and how He went to Heaven. These are the Glorious Mysteries. But before going, He told St Peter and the other Apostles that He would send down the Holy Ghost to comfort and console them and us all and that He Himself would be always with us to help us. "And truth He is in the Blessed Sacrament which we have in the Church. Every morning I go to Mass and poor and bad as I am, the priest tells me that I must go to Holy Communion. "And I say the Joyful Mysteries and I think that the Good God comes into my heart as He did when he went into the womb of the Blessed Virgin herself, and I ask her to help me to receive my God as she herself did. And I am sure she does, for I feel such comfort and peace". Lady Beatrice listened in wonder and asked the old woman:"Who taught you all these wonderful things?"
"It was the nuns at home in Ireland where I went to school and the parish priest, Fr. O'Toole, God be merciful to him. He had a great way with him and used to explain everything very clearly".
It was Lady Beatrice herself who told us this story, but at much greater length and with more details......She loves to tell to priests the story of her conversion, and she wears on her arm the old Irish woman's rosary in the form of bracelet. She treasures this as one of her most prized possessions. From this fact we see how the Rosary can give to the humblest of the faithful a clear grasp and understanding of the great Mysteries of our Faith.

Prayer to the Little Flower (From the Novena to Saint Therese)

O Saint Therese of the Child Jesus, who during thy short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of whole-hearted abandonment to God, now that Thou rejoicest in the reward of Thy virtues cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in Thy hands. Make my troubles Thine own - speak a word for me to Our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love Thou wert - to that Queen of Heaven 'who smiled on Thee at the dawn of life'. Beg Her as Queen of the Heart of Jesus to obtain for me by Her powerful intercession the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment, and that She join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life, defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity. Amen.

O God, who didst inflame with Thy spirit of love the soul of St Therese of the Child Jesus, grant that we also may love Thee, and may make Thee much loved Read whole post......

The EPIPHANY of Our Lord. The generous fidelity of the Magi, representing mankind from Word of Life, on the margin of the Missal by D.Columba Marmion

The Magi at Bethlehem represented the Gentiles in their vocation to the light of the Gospel. This way in which the Magi acted show us the qualities that our faith ought to have. What is at first apparent is the generous fidelity to the inspiration of the grace is wonderful. Doubt take no hold upon their minds; without staying to reason, they immediately begin to carry out their design. They obey the divine call without delay or hesitation. "We have seen HIS star in the East and are come (Gospel of the Mass)'; we set forth as soon as it was shown to us. In this the Magi are our models. If with fidelity we listen to the divine call, if we generously press onward with our gaze fixed upon the star, we shall come to Christ Who is the life of our souls.
And whatever be our sins, our falling, our miseries, Jesus will welcome us with kindness. He has promised to do so:"All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me, and him that cometh to Me I will not cast out." Read whole post......

January 6th, The Epiphany of Our Lord

The Four Gospels - Harmonized by Canon A.Weber, Catholic Association for the Diffusion of Gospel, 1903
Chapter IX - The Magi (St. Matthew II, 1-12)
When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of King Herod, behold, there came wise men from East to Jerusalem, saying: "Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East, and are come to adore Him?"
And King Herod hearing this, was troubled and all Jerusalem with Him; and assembling together all the chief priests and the Scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ Should be born. But they said to him: "In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the Prophet: "And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel." Then Herod privately calling the wise men learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them; and sending them into Bethlehem said: "Go and diligently inquire after the Child; and when you have found Him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore Him." Who having heard the king they went their way; and behold the star which they had seen in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was.


The Adoration of the Magi (from "The Mystical City of God" by Ven Mary of Agreda, TAN Books)

The three Magi Kings, who came to find the divine Infant after His birth, were natives of Persia, Arabia and Sabba (Ps.71,10), countries to the east of Palestine. Their coming was prophesied especially by David, and before him by Balaam, who, having been hired by Balaac, king of the Moabites, to curse the Israelites, blessed them instead (Numb. 24,17). In this blessing Balaam said, that he would see the King Christ, although not at once, and that he would behold Him, although not present; for he did not see Him with his own eyes, but through the Magi, his descendants many centuries after. He said, also, that a star would arise unto Jacob, which was Christ, who arose to reign forever in the house of Jacob (Luke 1,32). At the same time the holy angel, who had brought the news from Bethlehem to the Kings, formed of the material air a most resplendent star, although not so large as those of the firmament; for it was not to ascend higher that was necessary for the purpose of its formation. It took its course through the atmospheric regions in order to guide and direct the holy Kings to the cave, where the Child awaited them. Its splendor was of a different kind from that of the sun and the other stars; with its most beautiful light it illumined the night like a brilliant torch, and it mingled its own most active brilliancy with that of the sun by day. On coming out of their palaces each one of the kings saw this new star (Matth.2,2) although each from a different standpoint, because it was only one star and it was placed in such distance and height that it could be seen by each one at the same time. As the three of them followed the guidance of this miraculous star, they soon met. Thereupon it immediately approached them much more closely, descending through many shifts of the aerial space and rejoicing them by shedding its refulgence over them at closer range. They began to confer among themselves about their plans, finding that they were identical. They were more and more inflamed with devotion and with the pious desire of adoring the newborn God, and broke out in praise and admiration at the inscrutable works and mysteries of the Almighty. The heavenly Mother awaited the pious and devout kings, standing with the Child in her arms. Amid the humble and poor surrounding of the cave, in incomparable modesty and beauty, She exhibited at same time a majesty more than human, the light of heaven shining in her countenance. Still more visible was this light in the Child, shedding through the cavern effulgent splendor, which made it like a heaven. The three kings of the east entered and at first sight of the Son and Mother they were for a considerable time overwhelmed with wonder. They prostrated themselves upon the earth, and in this position they worshipped and adored the Infant, acknowledging Him as the true God and man, and as the Savior of the human race. By the divine power, which the sight of Him and His presence exerted on their souls, they were filled with new enlightenment. They perceived the multitude of angelic spirits, who as servants and ministers of the King of kings and Lord of lords attended upon Him in reverential fear (Heb.1,4). Arising, they congratulated their and our Queen as Mother of the Son of the eternal Father; and they approached Her on their knees. They sought her hand in order to kiss it, as they were accustomed to do to their queens in their countries. But the most prudent Lady withdrew her hand, and offered instead that of the Redeemer of the world, saying: "My spirit rejoices in the Lord and my soul blesses and extols Him; because among all the nations He has called and selected you to look upon and behold that which many kings and prophets have in vain desired to see, namely Him who is the eternal Word incarnate (Luke 10,24). Let us extol and praise his name on account of the sacraments and mysteries wrought among his people; let us kiss the earth which He sanctifies by his real presence.".......
During these divine colloquies the Magi remembered the dire destitution of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in their cave, and they resolved immediately to send them some gifts in order to show their affections and to satisfy their desire of serving them, since they could not do anything else for them. They sent through their servants many of the presents, which they had already set aside for them, and others which they could procure. Most holy Mary and Joseph received these gifts with humble acknowledgment and they made a return not of emptyworded thanks, as other men are apt to make, but many efficacious blessings for the spiritual consolation of the three kings. These gifts enabled our Queen to prepare for her ordinary guests, the poor, an abundant repast; for the needy ones were accustomed to receive alms from Her, and attracted still more by her sweet words, were wont to come and visit Her. The Kings went to rest full of incomparable joy in the Lord; and in their sleep the angels advised them as to their journey homeward. Read whole post......

January 5th The Vigil of the Epiphany
Jesus the universal King (from "Divine Intimacy" by Fr Gabriel of St Mary Magdalen)

Presence of God: O Lord, Your greatness is unfathomable; unable me to adore and love You in a manner worthy of Your infinite Majesty.
MEDITATION
1. Since Jesus is all things to us, it is fitting that we honor Him as our King. He Himself proclaimed, "I am a king" (Jn 18,37). "All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth" (Mt 28,18). In the Encyclical Quas Primas, Pius XI teaches that "Jesus is King by right of nature, "He possesses....power over all creatures, not that He seized it by violence nor received it from another, but He possesses it by His own nature and essence; His power comes from that wonderful union which is called by theologians hypostatic. For this reason Christ is to be adored not only as God by angels and men, but these angels and men owe submission and obedience to Him also as man". In fact, Christ as man participates fully in the royalty and sovereign majesty of Christ as God; since, as man and as God, Christ is one Person, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity. He is at the summit of all creation: the beginning and end, the King of all things; he holds "the primacy in all things" (Col 1,18).
"What could be more pleasing and agreeable than the thought that Christ is our Ruler, not only by right of nature, but by a right of conquest, which He acquired when He became our Redeemer! O that ungrateful men would remember how much we have cost our Savior! We were not redeemed at the price of gold and silver.... but by Christ's precious Blood. We no longer belong to ourselves, because Christ has paid a precious ransom for us" (Quas Primas). Jesus has every right to rule over us; He must reign; oportet Illum regnare! (1Cor15,25).
2. From all eternity, God the Father beheld in Christ His only-begotten Son, made man for the redemption of sinful humanity-the masterpiece of His hands, and therefore He decreed that all should be created by Him, given to Him as His royal allotment. St Paul states that God the Father has set Christ "on His right hand in the heavenly places, above all principality and power, and virtue and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come" (Eph 1,20.21). Behold Christ the King set above the angels, above those pure spirits who also were created for His glory. As for mankind, we must repeat with the Apostle that we have been chosen and predestined in Christ, "that we may be unto the praise of His glory" (ibid. 1,12). Like the angels, we have been created for the glory of Christ, the universal King. By glorifying Him on earth, we unite our praise with that of angels in heaven. To glorify Jesus as our King is to acknowledge His sovereign rights over us, that is to say, to live in docile submission to His gentle rule. His reign is one of love: out of love for us and for us and to save us, He came down from heaven and became one of us. He died on the Cross for the same reason, shedding all His sacred Blood for us. Jesus reigns in the crib; He reigns from the height of the Cross. Behold the price He paid to win our poor hearts, He who by His very nature was already our absolute ruler. Let us not resist the gentle violence of His infinite love; let us give ourselves entirely to Him, allowing Him to reign in our minds, in our wills, and in our hearts.
COLLOQUY
"O my Lord and my King! If one could but picture Your Majesty! It is impossible not to see that in Yourself, You are a great Emperor, for to behold Your Majesty strikes terror. But my terror is greater, my Lord, when together with Your majesty I behold Your humility and the love that You bestow on such a creature as I. "When I have overcome the first feeling of terror which is aroused at the sight of Your great Majesty, I can converse with You, and speak freely about my interests....Although You are God, I can talk with You as with a friend, for You are not like those whom we call lords on earth, all of whose power rests upon an authority conferred on them by others. Your Kingdom, O Lord of Glory and King of kings is without end. How little we need any intermediaries to reach you. I have only to see You to realize that You alone deserve the name of Lord; Your Majesty is so great that You need neither guard nor escort to convince us that You are King" (St Teresa of Jesus, Life, 37).
O Lord, grant that I may always acknowledge You as the King and sovereign Ruler of my soul. Everything I have I have received from You; how then, could I fail to understand that You hold all rights over me? Yet You are a King who seems to take no account of His sovereign rights. Why did You have to abase Yourself to the obscurity of Bethlehem, to humiliate Yourself even to dying on the Cross, even to shedding all Your Blood in order to win my heart? My heart, my whole life, and all my being already belonged to You, because are my Creator and because I was created for your glory. But You willed to forget all Your rights and You came to me like a beggar, seeking my poor heart.
O Jesus, how can I still resist Your infinite love? Take my heart; take my whole being; and make ma a living praise of Your glory.

St Elizabeth of the Trinity to Canon Angels, August 1903 from "Elizabeth of the Trinity Her Message and Spirituality" CTS booklet Ed&translated by J.Moorcroft

'I feel such love within me that it is like an ocean into which I plunge and loose myself. It is my vision here on earth while I wait for that full meeting with him in the light, He is in me and I in Him, and I only have to love Him and let myself be loved at every moment, whatever happens: to wake up in Love, to work in Love, to sleep in Love, my soul in Love, my soul in His Soul, my heart in His Heart, seeing with His eyes, so that His Presence can purify me and set me free from my failings'. Read whole post......

January 4th Octave Day of Holy Innocents

The Child Jesus model and cause of our sanctification (from "Word of life, on the margin of the missal" By Dom Columba Marmion, Abbot of Maredsons)
If with faith and love we contemplate the Child Jesus in His Crib, we shall find in Him the Divine Example of many virtues; if we know how to lend the ear of our hearts to what He says to us, we shall learn many things; if we reflect upon the circumstances of His Birth, we shall see how the Humanity serves the Word as the instrument to instruct us, but likewise to raise us, to quicken us, to make us pleasing to His Father, to detach us from passing things, to lift us up even to Himself.
Christ being rich, became poor. He is not born in a palace; His Mother, finding no room in the inn, had to take refuge in a stable cave: the Son of God, Eternal Wisdom, willed to be born in destitution and laid upon straw.
"Divinity is clad in our mortal flesh... and because God humbles Himself to live a human life, man is raised towards divine things": Dum divinitas defectum nostrae carnes suscepit, humanum genus lumen, quod amiserati, recepit. Unde enim Deus humana patitur, inde homo ad divina sublevatus (St Gregory).

The second conversation, September 1666 continued

That perseverance is required at first in making a habit of converse with God and of referring all we do to Him, but after a little His love moves us to it without any difficulty. That he expected a meed of grief and suffering after the consolations which God had given him, but he had not worried about it, knowing that, since he could do nothing for himself, God would not fail to give him strength to bear whatever should come. That when there was a chance of exercising some virtue he always said to God: "Lord, I cannot do that unless you enable me," and that then he was given the strength required, and more.
That when he was at fault he simply admitted it and said to God: "I shall never do otherwise if you leave me to myself; it is for you to prevent my failing and to correct what is wrong." He then felt assured of God's forgiveness, and did not let the failing prey on his mind. That we ought to act very simply towards God, speaking frankly to Him; and asking His help in things as they occurred, in his experience, God never failed to give it. That he had been sent lately into Burgundy to buy wine. This was a very hard job for him, as he was not good at business, and, furthermore, was lame in one leg, so that he could only get about the boat by sliding from cask to cask. However, he worried neither about this nor about his purchase; he told God that it was His business he was on: and he found that everything went well. He had been sent into Auvergne the previous year on a like errand; he did not know how the business had been done: but done it was, and very well done. It was the same in the kitchen, from which he had by nature a very strong aversion: having accustomed himself to do everything there for the love of God, always praying for the grace to get through his work, he had found it quite easy all the fifteen years he had been engaged there. That he was then in cobbler's workshop and enjoyed it, but that he was ready to leave that job too, since he was glad to do any sort of work for the love of God. That with him the time of prayer was not different from any other; he had set times for it, which the Father Prior had appointed; but he neither wanted, nor asked for them, for the most absorbing work did not divert him from God. That, since he knew he must love God in all things and endeavoured to do so, he had no need of a director, but a great need of his confessor to absolve him. He was very much aware of his sins, but was not discouraged by them. He confessed them to God and did not ask Him to excuse them, and when he had done so he returned in peace to his ordinary business of love and worship. That he had not consulted anybody about his difficulties; but knowing by the light of faith that God only was present he directed all his actions towards Him, come what would, and that he was willing gladly to lose all for the love of God for the love is all-sufficing. (From "Practice of the presence of God" by Br Lawrence of the resurrection).
We read in the Editor's introduction that Br Lawrence was born at Herimesnil, in Lorraine, about the year 1611. His family name was Herman, he was christened Nicolas, and he was brought up by his parents, who were religious folks. At the age of eighteen he became a soldier, but was wounded in a raid by the Swedes on the village of Rambervilliers, and he had to give up that profession. For some time he was a footman, but his naturally religious tendency, encouraged by the example of an uncle who was a Carmelite friar, impelled him towards the religious state. Several times he attempted the life of a hermit, but was soon reduced to such a state of spiritual instability and uncertainty that he realized that he must submit himself to a rule. At last, after a further period of irresolution, he offered himself as a lay brother to the Discalced Carmelites of Paris; he was accepted, received the name of Lawrence-of-the-Resurrection and was set to work in the kitchen. The rest of his life may be found in his works. Abbot de Beauford, vicar General of Cardinal de Noailles and chronicler of the Conversations, has written of Him: "Nobody can paint the saints so well as they themselves...so nothing can bring this servant of God more clearly before you than his own words spoken in the simplicity of his heart". Br Lawrence exemplified to a remarkable degree 'the simplicity that is in Christ'......He died as he had lived, finding in his last and painful illness the long-desired opportunity to suffer for God. He received the last sacraments, surrounded by his Carmelite brethren and in his own words, "blessing God, praising God, worshipping God and loving Him with all my heart: that is our one business, brethren, to worship Him and love Him, without thought of anything else". He died at nine o'clock in the morning of Monday, February 12, 1691, being about eight years of age. Read whole post......

General preparation for meditation after "Conversation with Christ - the teaching of St Teresa of Avila about personal prayer" by PT Rohrbach

The best overall preparation for succesful meditation is a personal conviction of its importance and a staunch determination to persevere in its practice. If one has aquired this attitude of mind, he has made a splendid preparation for his meditation.
St Teresa gives us this important admonition: it is essential, I maintain, to begin the practice of prayer with a firm resolution to preserve in it (The Way of perfection).
To engage in a satisfactory conversation with Christ during a given fifteen-minute period, it is necessary to employ other spiritual aids throughout the entire day. Chief among them are: recollection, spiritual reading, mortifications, and the cultivation of a humble heart. It is understably, much easier to unite ourselves with Our Lord during a meditation period if we have remained in contact with Him throughout the day in the midst of our duties and occupations. This happy state can be effected by an exercise known in spiritual terminology as "the presence of God". It consist basically in evoking aspirations and short prayers to Our Lord at the various intervals of the day. The employment of such an exercise is of incalculable help in one's prayer life. Daily spiritual reading will furnish thoughts, ideas, and backgrounds for our conversation with Christ. The more we know about Our Lord, the more we will appreciate Him and be able to speak intelligently to Him. Then, too, a generous program of mortification aids greatly in perfecting one's meditation. Mortification serves a twofold purpose: it detaches one from loves and attachements which hinder the soul's affection for Christ; and it gives one the self-mastery and discipline so necessary during meditation. Finally, the cultivation of a humble heart assures us of avoiding an excessive preoccupation with ourselves during the period of meditation. We will find our sufficiency in Christ and tend to depend on Him rather than upon ourselves.
Above all, though, one's attitude to the practice is of primary importance.
To ensure perseverance in meditation, one should determine the precise time at which he meditate each day. Some find it easier to meditate in the morning, others in the evening. Each one should choose the time most suited for him in relation to his temperament and occupations.
One must also convince himself that his efforts will eventually be rewarded with success, that he will learn to make satisfactory conversation with Our Lord. "Besides the courage we ought to have in the combat of mental prayer, we must also be firmly convinced that, unless we allow ourselves to be vanquished, our efforts will be crowned with success" (St Teresa, The Way of Perfection). Read whole post......

"Practice of the Presence of God" according to Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection (1611-1691), Discalced Carmelite of Paris, translated by Donald Attwater, St Pauls Press

Necessary practices for attaining the Spiritual Life
1. The most holy, the most general and the most necessary practice in the spiritual life is the practice of the presence of God, whereby the soul finds her joy and contentment in His companionship, talking humbly and lovingly to Him always and at all times, but particularly in moments of temptation, of trouble, of spiritual dryness, of revulsion, and especially when we fall into unfaithfulness and sin
2. We should try unceasingly to allow each one of our actions to become a moment of communion with God: not a studied act, but just as it comes from purity and simplicity of heart.
3. We must act recollectedly, not with that impetuosity and thoughtlessness that mark an undisciplined mind; and we must work quietly, calmly and lovingly before God, beseeching Him to accept our labours. By such unceasing turning to God we shall crush the head of Satan and strike his weapons from his hands.
4. During our work and other activities, during our spiritual reading or study, yes, even in our set devotions and vocal prayer, we ought to stop for a moment, as often as we can, in order to worship God in our hearts, to touch Him as it were by stealth as He passes. Since you know that God is with you in all your actions, that He is at the very depth and centre of your soul, why not then pause an instant in your external occupations, and even in your prayers, to worship Him inwardly, to praise Him, to petition Him, to offer Him your heart and to thank Him? What can be more pleasing to God than this quitting many times a day of material things, in order to withdraw within ourselves and worship Him? Furthermore, these moments of recollection little by little purge us of those things of sense, among which alone self-love can flourish. Indeed, we can give God no more convincing evidence of our faithfulness than often to put aside and avoid the creature, that we may rejoice for one moment in the Creator. I am not proposing to you to give up material things entirely; that is impossible: Prudence, the queen of virtues, must be your guide. Nevertheless, I maintain that it is a common mistake among religious people to neglect this periodical recollection in which they may worship God inwardly and enjoy for a few moments the peace of His holy presence. The digression has been long, but no longer that I believe the matter to require; let us then return to our subject.
5. All these acts of worship must be the fruit of faith. We must believe that God is indeed within our hearts, and that we must worship, love and serve Him in spirit and in truth; that He knows all that happens or can happen among His creatures; that He is self-existent, while we depend entirely upon Him; that His infinite perfections are such sovereign excellence and authority that we are required to put everything, ourselves, our souls and bodies at the disposition of His will now and for ever; that in justice we owe Him our thoughts, our words and our deeds. Let us see that we act accordingly.
6. We must diligently examine our conscience to find out of what virtues we are most in need, and which are the most difficult for us to acquire; and to learn our habitual sins and the occasions upon which we generally fall into them. In times of temptation we should go straight to God with complete trust: remain recollected in His presence, humbly worshipping the divine majesty: tell Him our woes and weaknesses: lovingly beg for the aid of His grace; and we shall find in Him the strength that we ourselves lack. Read whole post......

Outline of Meditation

This fragment is taken from the book by Peter Rohrbach 'Conversation with Christ' published by TAN Books:

General purpose: to hold loving conversation with Christ

1. Preparation:
Place oneself in the presence of Christ.
2. Selection of the material:
Read; or study a picture of Christ
3. Consideration:
Reflect upon the material. Ask yourself the questions: who, what, why, for what reason?
4. Conversation: (Core of the Meditation, Colloquy)
Converse with Our Lord about the material. Employ the affections of love, adoration, thanksgiving, sorrow, petition
5. Conclusion:
Gratitute to Christ for favours received. Examination of faults during meditation, resolution of further effort in succeeding meditation.

MEDITATION

After 'Divine Intimacy' by F. Gabriel of St Mary Magdalen OCD, Imprimatur Richard Cardinal Cushing Archbishop of Boston

January 2nd Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Presence of God: O Jesus, make me understand the mysteries and the treasures contained in Your most sweet Name

Meditation:
1. The Feast complements the circumcision mystery- which is celebrated today, since it was during the rite of circumcision that the name of Jesus was given to the Child. Today the Church directed our attention to the humility of the Son of God; tomorrow she invite us to celebrate the glories of His Name. That these glories flow especially from His prodigious humiliations is affirmed by St Paul:"Brethren, Christ humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the Cross. For which cause God also hath exalted Him and hath given Him a Name which is above all names: that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow" (Phil 2,8-10). The Church invites us, her children, to render grateful and pious homage to Him who humbled Himself so profoundly for us. The heart of every Christian should respond to this invitation and exalt the most Holy Name of Our Savior, that is His very Person, for the Name of Jesus expresses what He is: Savior, Redeemer. This sacred Name announced by the Angel to both Mary and Joseph was given to Our Lord by God Himself. "Thou shalt call His Name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins" (Mt 1,21). This Name expresses and synthesizes the great mysteries of Incarnation and Redemption; it is at the center of the universe like a point of contact, like a bridge between God and all mankind. Man can reach God only by means of Jesus and in the Name of Jesus: " for there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved" (Ep: Acts 4,8-12).
2. Today's Mass, continuing St Paul's thought, offers us a majestic picture of the glory which is due the holy Name of Jesus: "That 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" (Introit). The entire Church-triumphant, militant and suffering- is prostrate in adoration; the whole of creation seems to be silent, having stopped in its course for a moment to hear this most holy Name which gives glory to God and salvation to mankind. Truly, "neither tongue can tell, nor pen express" the inestimable treasures contained in the Name of Jesus. Nothing sweeter can be sung, nothing more agreeable can be heard, nothing more delightful can be imagined than Jesus, the Son of God" (Roman Breviary). "Thy name is as oil poured out (Ct 1,2), says Holy Scripture, and St Bernard comments, "Oil gives light, it nourishes, it anoints... See how well this applies to the Name of the true Bridegroom. It is light when it is preached; it is food in meditation; it is balm and healing when it is invoked for aid... All food is as dry husks to the soul unless it is stepped in this oil; insipid unless seasoned with this salt. If you write, it has no savor for me, unless I read there the Name of Jesus. If you discourse or converse, it has no taste unless the Name of Jesus shall sound. The Name of Jesus is honey to the mouth, music to the ears, gladness to the heart. It is healing (RB). Let us lovingly bless and invoke this most sweet Name which contains all our hope and salvation, all our life and glory. Only he who loves can praise it suitably, not by words alone but by deeds; only he who loves can penetrate the mysterious sweetness contained in it; only he who loves can bear witness to it by his entire life."May Thy Name, O Jesus, resound in our voices! May our actions express Thy life and our hearts love Thee now and forever!"(ibid.)

COLLOQUY
"O glorious Name! Gracious Name! Name full of love and virtue! Through You, sins are forgiven, enemies overcome, the sick healed, and sufferers strengthened in adversity! You are the honor of believers, the master of preachers, the comfort of those who toil, the support of the weak. Holy desires are nourished by the ardor of Your fire; and by it, necessary suffrages are obtained, contemplative souls are inebriated, and the triumphant are glorified in heavenly glory! By Your most Holy Name, O sweet Jesus, You make us reign with the Blessed, You, their glory, You who triumph gloriously with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in perfect Unity and Trinity, forever and ever.
"O Name of Jesus, exalted above every other Name! O triumphant Name! O joy of Angels! O terror of hell! All hope of pardon, of grace and of glory is found in You! O sweetest Name, You pardon the guilty, You reform evil habits, You fill the timid with divine sweetness and drive away terrifying visions! O glorious Name! By You, the mysteries of eternal life are revealed, souls are inflamed with divine love, strengthened in time of struggle, and freed from all dangers. O desirable Name! Delightful Name! Adorable Name! Venerable Name! Little by little You raise the souls of the faithful by your gifts and graces to the heights of heaven. All to whom You communicate Your ineffable grandeur by Your power attain to salvation and glory" (St Bernardine of Siena).
How good is your Name, O lord! Grant that its goodness may make me, unworthy creature that I am, capable of loving and praising You with all my heart.
I want to begin and end all my work by invoking Your Name, and to mark all my affections, desires, undertakings, joys and sorrows with this sacred seal. But O Lord, I beg You, above all, imprint Your Name in my heart and mind, so I may always love You and think of You.

Hymn (Vespers)

Jesu dulcis memoria
Dans vera cordis gaudia
Sed super mel et omnia
Ejus dulcis praesentia. Amen

Jesu the very thouht of Thee
With sweetness fills my breast
But sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest. Amen

The Wonders of the Holy Name, By Fr Paul O'Sullivan, TAN Books, Chapter 9 fragments:
WE CAN ASK FOR EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF JESUS

The Angels are our dearest and best friends and are most ready and able to help us in every difficulty and danger. It is most regrettable that many Catholics do not know, love and ask the Angels for help. The easiest way to do so is to say the Name of Jesus in their honor. This gives them the greatest joy. They in return will help us in all our troubles and keep us safe from many dangers. Let us say the Name of Jesus in honor of all the Angels, but especially in honor of our dear Angel Guardian, who loves us so much.

Our Sweet Lord is present in catholic Churches around the world. During many hours of the busy day and during nights He is forgotten and left alone. We can do much to console and comfort Him by saying, "My Jesus, I love and adore Thee in all the Tabernacles of the world, and I thank Thee with all my heart for remaining on all the altars of the world for love of us" Then say twenty, fifty or more times the Name of Jesus with this intention.

We may do most perfect penance for our sins by offering the Passion and Blood of Jesus many times each day for this intention. The Precious Blood purifies our souls and raises us to a high degree of holiness. It is all so easy. We have only to repeat lovingly, joyfully, reverently, "JESUS, JESUS, JESUS".

If we are sad or cast down, if we are worried with fears and doubts, this Divine Name will give us a delightful peace. If we are weak and wavering, it will give us a new strength and energy. Did not Jesus, when on Earth, go about consoling and comforting all those who were unhappy? He is still doing it every day for those who ask Him.

If we are suffering from weak health, if we are in pain, if some disease is taking hold of our poor bodies, He can cure us. Did He not cure the sick, the lame, the blind, the lepers? Does he not say to us, "Come to Me, all you who labor, and are heavily burdened, and I will refresh you." Many could have good health if they only asked Jesus for it. By all means consult doctors, use remedies, but above all call on Jesus.

The Name of Jesus is the shortest, the easiest, the most powerful of all prayers. Our Lord tells us that anything we ask the Father in His Holy Name, viz., in the name of Jesus, we shall receive. Every time we say "Jesus" we are saying a fervent prayer for all, all that we need.

The Souls in Purgatory. It is very lamentable that so many Christians forget and neglect the souls in Purgatory. It is possible that some of our dear friends are suffering in these dreadful fires, waiting, waiting for our prayers and help - which we could so easily give them. We have pity for the poor whom we see in the streets, for the hungry and for all those who suffer. None suffer so terribly as the souls in Purgatory, for the fire of Purgatory, as St Thomas tells us, is the same as the fire of Hell!
How often, dear Reader, do you pray for the Holy Souls? Days and weeks and perhaps months pass and you do little, perhaps nothing for them!
You can easily help them if you will say frequently the Name of Jesus, because you thus offer for them the Precious Blood and suffering of Jesus Christ, as we have explained. Read whole post......