zaterdag 30 november 2019
engelen (8)
John Chrysostom:
“The angels are present here. The angels ánd the martyrs meet today. If you wish to see the angels and the martyrs, open the eyes of faith and look upon this sight.
For if the very air is filled with angels, how much more so the Church! And if the Church is filled with angels, how much more is that true today when their Lord has risen into heaven! The whole air about us is filled with angels. Hear the apostle Paul teaching this, when he bids the women to cover their heads with a veil because of the presence of the angels.”
And again, in regard to the Resurrection, he writes:
“It is not only earth, but heaven as well which has part in today’s feast... The Angels exult, the Arch-angels rejoice, the Cherubim and the Seraphim join us in the celebration of today’s feast... What room is there for sadness?”
mogen de engelen u geleiden naar het paradijs
~bron~
“The angels are present here. The angels ánd the martyrs meet today. If you wish to see the angels and the martyrs, open the eyes of faith and look upon this sight.
For if the very air is filled with angels, how much more so the Church! And if the Church is filled with angels, how much more is that true today when their Lord has risen into heaven! The whole air about us is filled with angels. Hear the apostle Paul teaching this, when he bids the women to cover their heads with a veil because of the presence of the angels.”
And again, in regard to the Resurrection, he writes:
“It is not only earth, but heaven as well which has part in today’s feast... The Angels exult, the Arch-angels rejoice, the Cherubim and the Seraphim join us in the celebration of today’s feast... What room is there for sadness?”
mogen de engelen u geleiden naar het paradijs
dat de martelaren bij uw komst u zullen ontvangen
en u binnenleiden in de heilige stad Jeruzalem
moge het koor van de engelen u ontvangen
en moge u met Lazarus, eens een arme
de eeuwige rust ontvangen
~bron~
engelen (7)
heilig ist der Herr!
heilig, heilig, heilig
heilig ist nur Er!
Er, der nie begonnen
Er, der immer war
ewig ist und waltet
sein wird immerdar
-
heilig, heilig, heilig
heilig ist der Herr!
heilig, heilig, heilig
heilig ist nur Er!
Allmacht, Wunder, Liebe
alles rings umher!
heilig, heilig, heilig
heilig ist der Herr!
~Johann Philipp Neumann~
[1774-1849]
engelen (6)
It is easy to see how the display of the liturgy of earth is a visible reflection, an efficacious symbol, of the heavenly liturgy of the angels. This unity of the two cults is expressed by the liturgy itself in the Preface, where it invites the community of the Church to unite with the Thrones and the Dominations, the Cherubim and the Seraphim, to sing the angelic hymn of praise, the Thrice-Holy:
“Reflect upon whom it is that you are near, and with whom you are about to invoke God - the Cherubim. Think of the choirs you are about to enter. Let no one have any thought of earth [sursum corda], but let him lose himself of every earthly thing, and transport himself whole and entire into heaven. Let him abide there beside the very throne of glory, hovering with the Seraphim, and singing the most holy song of the God of glory and majesty.”
Elsewhere St. John Chrysostom remarks that the Gloria in Excelsis is the chant of the lower angels. Even the catechumens are permitted to join in it. But the Sanctus is the chant of the Seraphim! It leads into the very sanctuary of the Trinity, and thus “it is reserved for the initiated, the baptized.”
~bron~
“Reflect upon whom it is that you are near, and with whom you are about to invoke God - the Cherubim. Think of the choirs you are about to enter. Let no one have any thought of earth [sursum corda], but let him lose himself of every earthly thing, and transport himself whole and entire into heaven. Let him abide there beside the very throne of glory, hovering with the Seraphim, and singing the most holy song of the God of glory and majesty.”
Elsewhere St. John Chrysostom remarks that the Gloria in Excelsis is the chant of the lower angels. Even the catechumens are permitted to join in it. But the Sanctus is the chant of the Seraphim! It leads into the very sanctuary of the Trinity, and thus “it is reserved for the initiated, the baptized.”
Heilig, heilig, heilig de Heer, de God der hemelse machten.
Vol zijn hemel en aarde van uw heerlijkheid.
Hosanna in den hoge.
This chant of the Seraphim expresses holy fear. It describes the awe felt by even the highest creatures in the presence of the infinite divine excellence. And this enables us to understand better the holiness of the Eucharist, which leads us, with the Seraphim, into the presence of the all-holy God, hidden only by the fragile species of bread and wine.Hosanna in den hoge.
~bron~
engelen (5)
The angels are associated with the different parts of the sacrifice.
Theodore of Mopsuestia shows them symbolized by the ministers who arrange the offerings upon the altar: “By means of the deacons who minister in what is being accomplished, we can see in spirit the invisible Powers ministering as they assist in this ineffable liturgy.”
Further on he adds...
“You must realize that there is an image of the invisible Powers in this service that the deacons are charged with now, as they bear the offering for the oblation... And when they have brought it in, it is placed upon the Holy Altar by the angels for the perfect fulfillment of the Passion.
The deacons who spread the cloths upon the altar recall the burial linens. And those who, once the sacred Body has been produced, stand on either side and fan the air around it, represent the angels who remained by Christ all the while He was dead. To honor Him, until they had seen His Resurrection.”
~bron~
Theodore of Mopsuestia shows them symbolized by the ministers who arrange the offerings upon the altar: “By means of the deacons who minister in what is being accomplished, we can see in spirit the invisible Powers ministering as they assist in this ineffable liturgy.”
Further on he adds...
“You must realize that there is an image of the invisible Powers in this service that the deacons are charged with now, as they bear the offering for the oblation... And when they have brought it in, it is placed upon the Holy Altar by the angels for the perfect fulfillment of the Passion.
The deacons who spread the cloths upon the altar recall the burial linens. And those who, once the sacred Body has been produced, stand on either side and fan the air around it, represent the angels who remained by Christ all the while He was dead. To honor Him, until they had seen His Resurrection.”
engelen (4)
There is only one priestly activity.
And that is Jesus Christ’s.
By it, the whole of creation glorifies the Trinity.
This is this same activity that is offered by the angels in heaven, and the saints on earth.
This participation appears in the New Testament, where the liturgy of the Church is presented as a participation in that of the angels. Thus, in the letter to the Hebrews 12:22-24, we read: “But you have come to Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels, and to the Church of the firstborn who are enrolled in the heavens, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect, and to Jesus, mediator of a new testament, and to a sprinkling of blood which speaks better than Abel.”
[...Gij zijt genaderd tot de berg Sion, en de stad van de levende God, het hemelse Jeruzalem, en de duizendtallen engelen, de feestelijke en plechtige vergadering van de eerstgeborenen die in de hemel zijn ingeschreven, tot God, de rechter van allen, en de geesten der rechtvaardigen die de voleinding bereikt hebben, tot Jezus, de middelaar van een nieuw verbond, wiens vergoten bloed iets beters afroept dan het bloed van Abel...]
[wat vooraf ging:
Hebreeën 12:1-11:
1 Laten wij ons dan aansluiten bij die menigte getuigen van het geloof, en elke last en belemmering van de zonde van ons afschudden, om vastberaden de wedstrijd te lopen waarvoor we hebben ingeschreven.
2 Zie naar Jezus, de aanvoerder en voltooier van ons geloof. In plaats van de vreugde die Hem toekwam, heeft Hij een kruis op zich genomen en de schande niet geteld: nu zit Hij aan de rechterzijde van Gods troon.
3 Denk aan Hem die zulk een tegenstand van zondaars te verduren had. Dat zal u helpen om niet uit te vallen en de moed niet op te geven. 4 Uw strijd tegen de zonde heeft u nog geen bloed gekost.
5 Zijt ge al het Schriftwoord vergeten dat u als kinderen aanspreekt en aanmoedigt: Kind, minacht de tucht van de Heer niet, laat u door zijn straf niet ontmoedigen. 6 Want de Heer tuchtigt hen die Hij liefheeft, Hij straft ieder die Hij als zijn kind erkent.
7 Het lijden dient om u te verbeteren en op te voeden; God behandelt u als kinderen. Ieder kind wordt wel eens door zijn vader gestraft. 8 Tucht is het deel van allen. Zou u elke kastijding bespaard blijven, dan waart gij bastaards, geen echte kinderen...
11 Tucht is nooit prettig, op het moment zelf is er meer verdriet dan blijdschap. Maar op de lange termijn levert ze voor degenen die zich door haar lieten vormen, de heilzame vrucht op van een heilig leven.]
~bron~
And that is Jesus Christ’s.
By it, the whole of creation glorifies the Trinity.
This is this same activity that is offered by the angels in heaven, and the saints on earth.
This participation appears in the New Testament, where the liturgy of the Church is presented as a participation in that of the angels. Thus, in the letter to the Hebrews 12:22-24, we read: “But you have come to Mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels, and to the Church of the firstborn who are enrolled in the heavens, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect, and to Jesus, mediator of a new testament, and to a sprinkling of blood which speaks better than Abel.”
[...Gij zijt genaderd tot de berg Sion, en de stad van de levende God, het hemelse Jeruzalem, en de duizendtallen engelen, de feestelijke en plechtige vergadering van de eerstgeborenen die in de hemel zijn ingeschreven, tot God, de rechter van allen, en de geesten der rechtvaardigen die de voleinding bereikt hebben, tot Jezus, de middelaar van een nieuw verbond, wiens vergoten bloed iets beters afroept dan het bloed van Abel...]
[wat vooraf ging:
Hebreeën 12:1-11:
1 Laten wij ons dan aansluiten bij die menigte getuigen van het geloof, en elke last en belemmering van de zonde van ons afschudden, om vastberaden de wedstrijd te lopen waarvoor we hebben ingeschreven.
2 Zie naar Jezus, de aanvoerder en voltooier van ons geloof. In plaats van de vreugde die Hem toekwam, heeft Hij een kruis op zich genomen en de schande niet geteld: nu zit Hij aan de rechterzijde van Gods troon.
3 Denk aan Hem die zulk een tegenstand van zondaars te verduren had. Dat zal u helpen om niet uit te vallen en de moed niet op te geven. 4 Uw strijd tegen de zonde heeft u nog geen bloed gekost.
5 Zijt ge al het Schriftwoord vergeten dat u als kinderen aanspreekt en aanmoedigt: Kind, minacht de tucht van de Heer niet, laat u door zijn straf niet ontmoedigen. 6 Want de Heer tuchtigt hen die Hij liefheeft, Hij straft ieder die Hij als zijn kind erkent.
7 Het lijden dient om u te verbeteren en op te voeden; God behandelt u als kinderen. Ieder kind wordt wel eens door zijn vader gestraft. 8 Tucht is het deel van allen. Zou u elke kastijding bespaard blijven, dan waart gij bastaards, geen echte kinderen...
11 Tucht is nooit prettig, op het moment zelf is er meer verdriet dan blijdschap. Maar op de lange termijn levert ze voor degenen die zich door haar lieten vormen, de heilzame vrucht op van een heilig leven.]
~bron~
engelen (3)
The angels are present...
especially at the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
The Mass is, actually, a sacramental participation in the liturgy of heaven, the cult officially rendered to the Trinity by the full host of the spiritual creation. The presence of the angels introduces the Eucharist into heaven itself. They help to surround it with a sacred mystery.
“The angels surround the priest,” writes St. John Chrysostom. “The whole sanctuary and the space before the altar is filled with the heavenly Powers come to honor Him who is present upon the altar.”
And elsewhere: “Think now of what kind of choir you are going to enter. Although vested with a body, you have been judged worthy to join the Powers of heaven in singing the praises of Him who is Lord of all. Behold the royal table: the angels serve at it, the Lord Himself is present.”
~bron~
especially at the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
The Mass is, actually, a sacramental participation in the liturgy of heaven, the cult officially rendered to the Trinity by the full host of the spiritual creation. The presence of the angels introduces the Eucharist into heaven itself. They help to surround it with a sacred mystery.
“The angels surround the priest,” writes St. John Chrysostom. “The whole sanctuary and the space before the altar is filled with the heavenly Powers come to honor Him who is present upon the altar.”
And elsewhere: “Think now of what kind of choir you are going to enter. Although vested with a body, you have been judged worthy to join the Powers of heaven in singing the praises of Him who is Lord of all. Behold the royal table: the angels serve at it, the Lord Himself is present.”
~bron~
engelen (2)
5 Heeft God ooit tot een engel gezegd:
"Gij zijt mijn zoon. Ik heb u heden verwekt"?
Of: "Ik zal een Vader voor hem zijn, en hij zal mijn zoon zijn"?
6 Wanneer Hij evenwel de eerstgeborene opnieuw de wereld binnenleidt, zegt Hij:
"Alle engelen Gods moeten Hem hulde brengen".
7 Terwijl Hij van de engelen zegt:
"Die zijn engelen tot stormwinden maakt. en zijn dienaars tot laaiend vuur"...
8 spreekt Hij over de Zoon aldus:
"Uw troon, o God, is voor altijd en eeuwig,
en de scepter van het recht is de scepter van Zijn koningschap"...
9 "Rechtvaardigheid hebt Gij liefgehad, en onrecht gehaat.
Daarom, o God, heeft uw God U gezalfd met de olie der vreugde
en U geplaatst boven uw gelijken".
10 En elders:
"In het begin, o Heer, hebt Gij de aarde gegrondvest
en de hemel is het werk van uw handen"...
11 "Zij zullen vergaan, Gij echter blijft.
Zij zullen verslijten als kleren"...
12 "Gij zult ze opvouwen als een mantel
gelijk een kledingstuk zullen zij verwisseld worden.
Gij echter zijt dezelfde en uw jaren nemen geen einde".
13 Heeft Hij ooit tot een van de engelen gezegd:
"Zet u aan Mijn rechterhand, totdat Ik uw vijanden
gemaakt heb tot een voetbank voor uw voeten"?
14 Wat zijn zij anders dan dienende geesten,
uitgezonden ten behoeve van hen
voor wie het heil is weggelegd?
~Hebreeën 1~
engelen (1)
14 Daarom heeft Hij ons bestaan willen delen:
om door Zijn dood de vorst van de dood, de duivel, te onttronen.
15 En te bevrijden hen die door de vrees voor de dood
heel hun leven aan onvrijheid onderworpen waren.
16 Want het zijn niet de engelen wier lot Hij zich aantrekt,
maar de nakomelingen van Abraham.
17 Vandaar dat Hij in alles aan zijn broeders gelijk moest worden,
om als een barmhartig en getrouw hogepriester hun belangen
bij God te behartigen en de zonden van het volk uit te boeten.
18 Omdat Hij zelf de proef van het lijden doorstaan heeft,
kan Hij allen helpen die beproefd worden.
~Hebreeën 2~
vrijdag 29 november 2019
jan -viii-
One of the miracles used in the canonization...
was wrought in the United States.
On September 20, 1866, Miss Mary Wilson arrived at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Driven from her home in Canada by her Protestant parents, who were displeased on account of her conversion, she sought refuge as a postulant in the convent at Grand Coteau.
After a month of preparation, and on the eve of her reception among the novices, she was suddenly seized with a violent sickness. At last, it became evident that there was no hope of recovery by natural means.
A novena was at once begun in honor of blessed John Berchmans. On December 14, the last day of the novena, the condition of the patient was most pitiable. For 40 days, she had not taken an ounce of food. She took only a little tea or coffee, and the last eight days she had not been able to take even this.
She was expected to die at any moment. Her limbs were cold and contracted, her mouth and tongue were raw, and covered with clots of black blood. With the greatest difficulty, the Holy Viaticum was administered, by giving her a small piece of the host.
All the Sisters then retired to hear Mass, except the infirmarian, who seeing the patient calm, left her for a moment to attend the sick in the adjoining room. In less than one hour after the reception of the Viaticum, the patient was entirely cured, restored to health, as she said... by St. John Berchmans, who appeared to her.
Every symptom of the disease had passed away, and the next day she was going through the ordinary duty of community life - she would have done so on the day of her cure, but the Mother Superior thought it more prudent for her to remain in bed.
The two doctors who attended her attributed her cure to supernatural agency for, they said, she was beyond the reach of natural remedies. The entire community and many visitors who had seen and known the patient attested the truth of the cure...
~bron~
was wrought in the United States.
On September 20, 1866, Miss Mary Wilson arrived at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Driven from her home in Canada by her Protestant parents, who were displeased on account of her conversion, she sought refuge as a postulant in the convent at Grand Coteau.
After a month of preparation, and on the eve of her reception among the novices, she was suddenly seized with a violent sickness. At last, it became evident that there was no hope of recovery by natural means.
A novena was at once begun in honor of blessed John Berchmans. On December 14, the last day of the novena, the condition of the patient was most pitiable. For 40 days, she had not taken an ounce of food. She took only a little tea or coffee, and the last eight days she had not been able to take even this.
She was expected to die at any moment. Her limbs were cold and contracted, her mouth and tongue were raw, and covered with clots of black blood. With the greatest difficulty, the Holy Viaticum was administered, by giving her a small piece of the host.
All the Sisters then retired to hear Mass, except the infirmarian, who seeing the patient calm, left her for a moment to attend the sick in the adjoining room. In less than one hour after the reception of the Viaticum, the patient was entirely cured, restored to health, as she said... by St. John Berchmans, who appeared to her.
Every symptom of the disease had passed away, and the next day she was going through the ordinary duty of community life - she would have done so on the day of her cure, but the Mother Superior thought it more prudent for her to remain in bed.
The two doctors who attended her attributed her cure to supernatural agency for, they said, she was beyond the reach of natural remedies. The entire community and many visitors who had seen and known the patient attested the truth of the cure...
~bron~
jan -vii-
His death was followed by an outburst of devotion in Rome...
and an immense throng [menigte] crowded around his remains and sought to secure some relic of the saint. Many miracles were wrought in Belgium and in Rome, and crowned heads petitioned for his beatification.
Pius IX published the decree on May 3, 1865. On the eleventh, his relics were solemnly translated to their present resting place beneath the altar of our Lady in the Church of the Roman College, opposite the splendid shrine of St. Aloysius.
On January 15, 1888, Leo XIII, amid the festivities of his Sacerdotal Jubilee, solemnly canonized the Belgian student.
~bron~
and an immense throng [menigte] crowded around his remains and sought to secure some relic of the saint. Many miracles were wrought in Belgium and in Rome, and crowned heads petitioned for his beatification.
Pius IX published the decree on May 3, 1865. On the eleventh, his relics were solemnly translated to their present resting place beneath the altar of our Lady in the Church of the Roman College, opposite the splendid shrine of St. Aloysius.
On January 15, 1888, Leo XIII, amid the festivities of his Sacerdotal Jubilee, solemnly canonized the Belgian student.
~bron~
jan -vi-
Early in August 1621...
he was attacked by the insidious Roman fever, and was obliged to go to the infirmary. On the feast of St. Lawrence, inflammation of the lungs set in, and his strength rapidly gave way.
He prepared most carefully for the reception of the last Sacraments. When the Rector came to give him Holy Communion, he rose from his couch, dressed in his habit, and threw himself on his knees.
Two lay brothers supported him. And as he knelt, he made the following act of faith: “I declare that there is here really present the Son of God the Father Almighty and of the most Blessed Mary, ever Virgin. I protest that I wish to live and die a true son of our Holy Mother, the Catholic Apostolic Roman Church, a true son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a son of the Society”...
He then received Viaticum and Extreme Unction. At eight o'clock on Friday morning, August 13, 1621, with his eyes on his crucifix and with the holy names of Jesus and Mary on his lips, he went to his reward.
~bron~
he was attacked by the insidious Roman fever, and was obliged to go to the infirmary. On the feast of St. Lawrence, inflammation of the lungs set in, and his strength rapidly gave way.
He prepared most carefully for the reception of the last Sacraments. When the Rector came to give him Holy Communion, he rose from his couch, dressed in his habit, and threw himself on his knees.
Two lay brothers supported him. And as he knelt, he made the following act of faith: “I declare that there is here really present the Son of God the Father Almighty and of the most Blessed Mary, ever Virgin. I protest that I wish to live and die a true son of our Holy Mother, the Catholic Apostolic Roman Church, a true son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a son of the Society”...
He then received Viaticum and Extreme Unction. At eight o'clock on Friday morning, August 13, 1621, with his eyes on his crucifix and with the holy names of Jesus and Mary on his lips, he went to his reward.
~bron~
jan -v-
It was then the custom in the Roman College...
for the students of philosophy, to serve a Mass every morning. The one which fell to Berchmans was unusually long, and occupied a great deal of the time which was valuable to him for study. Yet he never thought of asking to have it changed.
And when, after some time, a change was made, it was only to have him serve the Mass of a Father whose infirmities made him un able to fix any special hour for the purpose. So that our Saint was liable to be called at any hour of the morning, a thing which seriously interfered with his time of study.
The sacristan expressed his sorrow at the great inconvenience, but Berchmans only replied with his usual composure: “Obedience can never be troublesome. Especially when it gives one the privilege of serving at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass”...
~bron~
for the students of philosophy, to serve a Mass every morning. The one which fell to Berchmans was unusually long, and occupied a great deal of the time which was valuable to him for study. Yet he never thought of asking to have it changed.
And when, after some time, a change was made, it was only to have him serve the Mass of a Father whose infirmities made him un able to fix any special hour for the purpose. So that our Saint was liable to be called at any hour of the morning, a thing which seriously interfered with his time of study.
The sacristan expressed his sorrow at the great inconvenience, but Berchmans only replied with his usual composure: “Obedience can never be troublesome. Especially when it gives one the privilege of serving at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass”...
~bron~
jan -iv-
On January 2, John took up his quarters in the Roman College. In a room once occupied by St. Aloysius, about 25 years before. And such was the life he led, that many remarked that Aloysius had come again to live amongst them...
In the college, as in the novitiate, he had the charge of preparing the lamps. He loved this occupation, because the same task had been performed by St. Aloysius.
He had a special devotion to the Mother of God, and vowed to defend her Immaculate Conception. This vow he signed with his blood. To him we owe the little Rosary of the Immaculate Conception, now approved and indulgenced by the Church.
In the college, as in the novitiate, he had the charge of preparing the lamps. He loved this occupation, because the same task had been performed by St. Aloysius.
He had a special devotion to the Mother of God, and vowed to defend her Immaculate Conception. This vow he signed with his blood. To him we owe the little Rosary of the Immaculate Conception, now approved and indulgenced by the Church.
~bron~
jan -iii-
To reach Rome...
he set out in October and had to travel on foot a long journey through France and Italy.
One incident in this journey was remembered with deep devotion by our Saint. On Christmas eve the pilgrim caught the first view of the dome and towers of Loreto, and it was his privilege to assist at the midnight Mass, beneath the same roof that sheltered Mary and the child Jesus.
The recollection of the young religious, who knelt through the long service, deeply impressed the pilgrims, who were attracted by his devotion.
~bron~
jan -i-
John Berchmans was born in Diest on March 13, 1599.
At Baptism he was named John in honor of St. John the Baptist. The child had a quick temper, but - under the careful religious training of his mother - grew up as gentle as a lamb.
At a great sacrifice, his father placed him, when still very young, under the direction of Father Peter Emmerich, a monk of the Premonstratensian Order, who was in charge of the Church of Our Lady of Diest, and who had in his house a kind of seminary for the training of boys who wished to become priests.
During the three years Berchmans spent in this school, he won the admiration of all by his mature judgment, good conduct, and love of prayer. In fact, his whole time was taken up with study and prayers, which he knew well how to combine.
He did not take part in the games in which boys of his age usually engaged, but it must not be imagined that he was therefore sad or disagreeable in disposition. On the contrary, he was always cheerful. He sacrificed the sports in order to have more time to study and to pray.
We are told by his teacher, Canon Emmerich, that he went to Communion twice a month, as also on the feasts of our Lord and of the Blessed Virgin. He always prepared himself for this holy duty by many and fervent prayers.
In his great love for the God of the Eucharist, he resembled strikingly the angelic youth St. Aloysius. When in the act of receiving Holy Communion, there was something heavenly in his countenance. His deep recollection, the modesty of his downcast eyes, and his sweet devotion were subjects of admiration for all who chanced to see him. His love for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament was remarkable even from his earliest years.
~bron~
At Baptism he was named John in honor of St. John the Baptist. The child had a quick temper, but - under the careful religious training of his mother - grew up as gentle as a lamb.
At a great sacrifice, his father placed him, when still very young, under the direction of Father Peter Emmerich, a monk of the Premonstratensian Order, who was in charge of the Church of Our Lady of Diest, and who had in his house a kind of seminary for the training of boys who wished to become priests.
During the three years Berchmans spent in this school, he won the admiration of all by his mature judgment, good conduct, and love of prayer. In fact, his whole time was taken up with study and prayers, which he knew well how to combine.
He did not take part in the games in which boys of his age usually engaged, but it must not be imagined that he was therefore sad or disagreeable in disposition. On the contrary, he was always cheerful. He sacrificed the sports in order to have more time to study and to pray.
In his great love for the God of the Eucharist, he resembled strikingly the angelic youth St. Aloysius. When in the act of receiving Holy Communion, there was something heavenly in his countenance. His deep recollection, the modesty of his downcast eyes, and his sweet devotion were subjects of admiration for all who chanced to see him. His love for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament was remarkable even from his earliest years.
~bron~
maandag 25 november 2019
faustina -7
'be not afraid
of Your Savior
o sinful soul
I make the first move
to come to you
for I know that by yourself
you are unable to lift yourself to Me'
'child...
do not run away
from your Father
be willing to talk openly
with your God of Mercy
Who wants to speak words of pardon
and lavish His Graces on you
how dear
your soul is to Me
I have inscribed your name upon My hand
you are engraved as a deep wound in My heart'
of Your Savior
o sinful soul
I make the first move
to come to you
for I know that by yourself
you are unable to lift yourself to Me'
'child...
do not run away
from your Father
be willing to talk openly
with your God of Mercy
Who wants to speak words of pardon
and lavish His Graces on you
how dear
your soul is to Me
I have inscribed your name upon My hand
you are engraved as a deep wound in My heart'
faustina -6
Jesus told Saint Faustina
that the prayer
most pleasing to Him
is the prayer
for the conversion
of sinners
Saint Faustina saw
how the work of Redemption
is bound up with the work of Mercy
requested by Our Lord
she saw
that damnation is for the soul
who wants to be damned
but for the one who desires salvation
there is the inexhaustible ocean
of God's Mercy to draw from
she understood
that only the soul
who wants it
will be damned
for God
condamns no one
that the prayer
most pleasing to Him
is the prayer
for the conversion
of sinners
Saint Faustina saw
how the work of Redemption
is bound up with the work of Mercy
requested by Our Lord
she saw
that damnation is for the soul
who wants to be damned
but for the one who desires salvation
there is the inexhaustible ocean
of God's Mercy to draw from
she understood
that only the soul
who wants it
will be damned
for God
condamns no one
faustina -5
Jesus said:
'say unceasingly the chapelet
that I have taught you
whoever will recite it
will receive great mercy
at the hour of death'
'priests are recommended to sinners
as their last hope of salvation'
-
'even if they were a sinner most hardened
if he were to recite this chapelet even once
he would receive Grace
from My infinite Mercy'
-
'the souls that say this chapelet
will be embraced by My Mercy
during their lifetime
and especially at the hour of their death'
faustina -4
she stopped
the Angel of Wrath
by praying these words:
'Eternal Father,
I offer You
the Body and Blood
Soul and Divinity
of Your dearly beloved Son
our Lord Jesus Christ
for our sins and those
of the whole world
for the sake
of His Sorrowful Passion
have mercy on us'
Jesus told Saint Faustina
to recite the chapelet
for nine days
on the beads of the rosary
beginning with one Our Father
one Hail Mary
and the I Believe in God
-
He told her to pray
on the Our Father-beads
the following prayer:
'Eternal Father,
I offer You
the Body and Blood
Soul and Divinity
of Your dearly beloved Son
our Lord Jesus Christ
in atonement
for our sins and those
of the whole world'
-
on the Hail Mary-beads
Jesus told saint Faustina
to pray the following words:
'for the sake of His Sorrowful Passion
have mercy on us and on the whole world'
-
and in conclusion
she was to recite the words:
'Holy God
Holy Mighty One
Holy Immortal One
have mercy on us
and on the whole world'
the Angel of Wrath
by praying these words:
'Eternal Father,
I offer You
the Body and Blood
Soul and Divinity
of Your dearly beloved Son
our Lord Jesus Christ
for our sins and those
of the whole world
for the sake
of His Sorrowful Passion
have mercy on us'
to recite the chapelet
for nine days
on the beads of the rosary
beginning with one Our Father
one Hail Mary
and the I Believe in God
-
on the Our Father-beads
the following prayer:
'Eternal Father,
I offer You
the Body and Blood
Soul and Divinity
of Your dearly beloved Son
our Lord Jesus Christ
in atonement
for our sins and those
of the whole world'
-
on the Hail Mary-beads
Jesus told saint Faustina
to pray the following words:
'for the sake of His Sorrowful Passion
have mercy on us and on the whole world'
-
and in conclusion
she was to recite the words:
'Holy God
Holy Mighty One
Holy Immortal One
have mercy on us
and on the whole world'
faustina -3
look and see the human race
in its present condition !
-
He promised
that the soul
who venerated the image
would not perish
the two rays
that come out of His heart
denote blood and water
water, which makes
souls righteous
and blood, which is
the life of souls
-
they were opened
at the cross
by the lance
into His heart
-
the first sunday after Easter
is to be the Feast of Mercy
in its present condition !
-
He promised
that the soul
who venerated the image
would not perish
the two rays
that come out of His heart
denote blood and water
water, which makes
souls righteous
and blood, which is
the life of souls
-
they were opened
at the cross
by the lance
into His heart
-
the first sunday after Easter
is to be the Feast of Mercy
faustina -2
she learned...
that the world's existence
is maintained by chosen souls
she heard our Lord tell her
forcefully within her soul
that she would prepare the world
for His final coming
that the world's existence
is maintained by chosen souls
she heard our Lord tell her
forcefully within her soul
that she would prepare the world
for His final coming
faustina -1
Faustina Kowalska
was given the Grace
to cooperate with Jesus
in the supreme work
of saving souls
He said...
He did not want to punish aching mankind
but to heal it, and to press it to His merciful heart
He asked to saint Faustina to make known to souls
the great mercy that He has for them
and to exhort them to trust
in the bottomless depth of His mercy
was given the Grace
to cooperate with Jesus
in the supreme work
of saving souls
He said...
He did not want to punish aching mankind
but to heal it, and to press it to His merciful heart
He asked to saint Faustina to make known to souls
the great mercy that He has for them
and to exhort them to trust
in the bottomless depth of His mercy
zondag 24 november 2019
kateri (6)
'we were then inseparable, until death
for God had given us to one another
to encourage each other on the spiritual journey
under the guidance of the Jesuit fathers
together we worked hard and prayed
and guided one another in our practice
of mortification and prayers'
'we went out into the forests
and into the fields together
and avoided meeting
with other girls and women
so as to evade unimportant matters
that would turn us aside from our devotions
we spoke only of God
and things pertaining to Him'
'many times we went deep into the forest together
so as to tear our shoulders with willow shoots as a penance
which I had been doing alone
we consecrated ourselves entirely to our Lord
with much courage, and lived in innocence
doing all that we could to satisfy for our sins
and for the love of God
Mary Therese and I both agreed never to mary
I dedicated my virginity to God
and Mary Therese her perpetual widowhood
and we kept those vows secret
with permission of our confessors'
for God had given us to one another
to encourage each other on the spiritual journey
under the guidance of the Jesuit fathers
together we worked hard and prayed
and guided one another in our practice
of mortification and prayers'
'we went out into the forests
and into the fields together
and avoided meeting
with other girls and women
so as to evade unimportant matters
that would turn us aside from our devotions
we spoke only of God
and things pertaining to Him'
'many times we went deep into the forest together
so as to tear our shoulders with willow shoots as a penance
which I had been doing alone
we consecrated ourselves entirely to our Lord
with much courage, and lived in innocence
doing all that we could to satisfy for our sins
and for the love of God
Mary Therese and I both agreed never to mary
I dedicated my virginity to God
and Mary Therese her perpetual widowhood
and we kept those vows secret
with permission of our confessors'
kateri (5)
'many years I spent alone
until our Lord decided to bless me
by giving me a holy companion
whose heart and soul was like mine
one morning, I walked around the chapel
as did a native woman called
Mary Theresa Tekakwitha'
'we had never spoken before
and so greeted one another and spoke for the first time
during this first conversation
we talked only about God and salvation
and our desires for penance
our hearts and plans were in perfect accord
and so we set ourselves at the foot of the Cross
on the side of the great river
and told each other our lives
resolving to unite one another
to do penance'
until our Lord decided to bless me
by giving me a holy companion
whose heart and soul was like mine
as did a native woman called
Mary Theresa Tekakwitha'
'we had never spoken before
and so greeted one another and spoke for the first time
during this first conversation
we talked only about God and salvation
and our desires for penance
our hearts and plans were in perfect accord
and so we set ourselves at the foot of the Cross
on the side of the great river
and told each other our lives
resolving to unite one another
to do penance'
kateri (4)
'the pain and embarresment that I suffered
I offered for their conversion
I resolved to offer all of my crosses
lovingly to our Lord
but then I began to fear
that perhaps I would loose my salvation'...
'finally...
after a year and a half
of persecutions and sufferings
it came about
that I would be able to leave
my dear clan in peace
so as no longer be a burden to them
and so that I might also be out
of danger of corruption'
I offered for their conversion
I resolved to offer all of my crosses
lovingly to our Lord
but then I began to fear
that perhaps I would loose my salvation'...
'finally...
after a year and a half
of persecutions and sufferings
it came about
that I would be able to leave
my dear clan in peace
so as no longer be a burden to them
and so that I might also be out
of danger of corruption'
kateri (2)
'I did not attend the drum feasts
the dances, or other native gatherings
for I saw these as occasions
for sins against purity
I had a great horror for impurity
and always left the company
of people my age
preferring solitude
and work'...
kateri (1)
Kateri Tekakwitha
'lily of the Mohawks'
[1656-1680]
'although I did not know God
through the holy sacrament of baptism
our Lord watched over me attentively
as His own, blessed me...
with a great detachment of people
and the things of the world'
'I never had a desire
to do as the other girls did
I did not wear ornaments
braid my hair into a single braid
to indicate that I was not married
pierce my ears, or paint my face
I prefered to be alone
and to remain unwordly'
'lily of the Mohawks'
[1656-1680]
'although I did not know God
through the holy sacrament of baptism
our Lord watched over me attentively
as His own, blessed me...
with a great detachment of people
and the things of the world'
'I never had a desire
to do as the other girls did
I did not wear ornaments
braid my hair into a single braid
to indicate that I was not married
pierce my ears, or paint my face
I prefered to be alone
and to remain unwordly'
thérèse
Therese of Lisieux...
'it is only in heaven
that we will see
the whole truth
about everything
on earth
this is impossible'
'since they say that all souls
are tempted by the devil
at the moment of death
I will have to pass
that way too...'
'...but perhaps not
I am too little...
with the very little
he cannot do anything'
'it is only in heaven
that we will see
the whole truth
about everything
on earth
this is impossible'
'since they say that all souls
are tempted by the devil
at the moment of death
I will have to pass
that way too...'
'...but perhaps not
I am too little...
with the very little
he cannot do anything'
edith
Edith Stein
sr. Teresa Benedicta
of the Cross !
- ph.d saint -
'if your life does not consist
in imitating [the Crucified]...
it has no value'...
'God has created each human...
being as an image of himself.
There is a seed within each of us
pushing blindly towards fulfillment
of this goal for which we are created.
We can think of the plant,
which reaches constantly for sun, air and water,
which will flower to its own perfection...
We too have instilled that awaiting perfection - holiness -
as a unique image of God'...
~bron~
mechtild
Mechtild of Magdeburg
as a beguine..
had great devotion to the passion of Christ
did special praying for souls in purgatory
like anchoresses [zr.Bertken...] interceded for the church
practiced the virtues, prayed for and defended the pope
did not wish to speak about the world's vanities
avoided men, even close relatives
kept silence
profound insights
often revelations
from our Lord
domenico
after his death, appeared
in a dream of Don Bosco...
with a bunch of flowers
representing...
- love
- humility
- purity
- self-discipline
- frequent communion
- obedience
- penance
- constancy
- perseverance
'make sure your boys have it!'...
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