Sunday<\/p>\n
Catholic Bishop Challoner meditations this week…<\/p>\n
…when Jesus was twelve years old,
\nafter celebrating at Jerusalem according to custom the solemnity
\nof the Pasch, he withdrew himself from his parents on their
\nreturn, and staid behind in the city. They, thinking he was in
\nthe company, went one day’s journey homeward, and then not
\nfinding him, were struck with unspeakable grief and concern
\nfor their loss. For in proportion to their love, which was far
\ngreater than we can conceive, their sorrow also must have been
\nbeyond expression great. Learn hence, my soul, how thou
\noughtest to value the happiness of having Jesus with thee, and
\nhow much thou shouldst regret the loss of him.
\nConsider, thirdly, that although the blessed Virgin and St.
\nJoseph had lost their Jesus as to his sensible presence, they had
\nnot lost him as to the presence of his grace and love: they had
\nhim still very near them, because they had him in their hearts.
\nA lesson for Christians of good will, not to be discouraged nor
\nto give themselves up to excessive anguish, if sometimes they
\nexperience the like substractions of the sensible presence of
\nour Lord, by a dryness in their devotions, and a spiritual desolation:
\nlet them but take care to keep their heart and will with
\nhim, and they may be assured he is not far from them. He has
\noften dealt thus with the greatest saints; and to their advantage
\ntoo, by making them more humble.
\nConclude not to drive away Jesus by wilful sin ; and be assured,
\nthat nothing else can ever separate him from you.<\/p>\n
Prayer:
\nGlory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will among men.<\/p>\n
Monday
\nCONSIDER, first, that when our Lord Jesus was found by his
\nparents in the temple, in the midst of the doctors, hearing them
\nand asking them questions, he said to them (Lukeii. ) “Did
\nyou not know that I must be about my Father’s business?…\u00a0secondly, how “he went down with Joseph and
\nMary to Nazareth, and was subject to them,” (Luke ii. 51.) and
\nstand astonished to see the Lord and Maker of Heaven and
\nEarth, submitting himself to his own creatures, and obedient to
\nthem. See how he serves them, even in the meanest offices;
\nhow he works with his reputed father at his humble trade.
\nChristians, learn from this example of your Lord, that the highest
\nperfection may be found in the exercise even of the lowest
\nand meanest offices, if in these the soiil do but keep close to her
\nGod, and embrace him by love.
\nConsider, thirdly, that our Lord Jesus, who from the first
\nmoment of his conception was full of heavenly wisdom and
\ndivine grace, was pleased, in proportion as he advanced in age,
\nto shoAv forth daily more and more, in his woids and actions,
\nthe admirable treasures of wisdom and grace, hidden in his
\nsoul; to teach us to make continual progress in the way of God,
\nand to advance every day, by large steps, from virtue to virtue,
\nlike this our blessed model, who “increased in wisdom, and
\nage, and grace with God and men,” (Luke ii. 52. )
\nConclude to apply yourself, in earnest, particularly to these
\nthree lessons of the private life of our dear Redeemer: 1. To
\nbe ever about your father’s business. 2. Always to be submissive
\nto your superiors. And, 3. To advance continually towards
\nGod.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0\u00a0 May the Strength of God guide us. May the Power of God preserve us. Tuesday .CONSIDER, first, that when a multitude of publicans and other Prayer: <\/p>\n Wednesday CONSIDER, first, these words of the apostle, (Phillip, ii.) Prayer: …the name of Jesus exhibits to us all Prayer: Friday Consider the great truths which the Christian faith Prayer: Saturday Prayer: Sunday Catholic Bishop Challoner meditations this week… …when Jesus was twelve years old, after celebrating at Jerusalem according to custom the solemnity of the Pasch, he withdrew himself from his […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-orthodox-daily-devotional","has_no_thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13510"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13512,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13510\/revisions\/13512"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nMay the Wisdom of God instruct us. May the Hand of God protect us.
\nMay the Way of God direct us. May the Shield of God defend us.
\nMay the Angels of God guard us. – Against the snares of the evil one.
\nPrayer for the Faithful of St. Patrick Part 1<\/em><\/p>\n
\nBishop Challoner on the Baptism of Jesus…<\/p>\n
\nsinners resorted to St. John, the forerunner of Christ, and
\nwere baptised by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins, and
\nreceiving from him the rules of a new life, our Lord Jesus also
\ncame to be baptized, as if he had been of their number, and
\nstood in need of that baptism of penance for the remission of
\nsins. The Baptist was astonished at it, and refused to baptise
\nhim, saying; “I ought to be baptised by thee, and comest thou
\ntome?” But Jesus insisted upon his doing it: “for so it becorneth
\nus,” said he, “to fulfill all justice,” (Matthew iii. 14,
\n15. ) that is, to exercise and give examples of all virtues ; among
\nwhich humility is the foundation, and supports all the rest.
\nGrant us, O Lord, thy grace, that we also may fulfil all justice,
\nby the imitation of thy humility.
\nConsider, secondly, that Jesus, having thus humbled himself
\nto fulfil all justice, Avas presently exalted by his heavenly Father,
\nwhen, “being baptised, and praying, heaven was opened,
\nand the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape as a dove upon
\nhim; and a voice came from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son;
\nin thee I am well pleased,” (Luke iii. 21, 22. ) Learn from
\nthis instance, that humility opens heaven, and conducts to God,
\nand to all good. Remark also, how upon this occasion the
\nchief mysteries of religion are displayed: how the Blessed
\nTrinity manifests itself; the Father, by his voice from heaven;
\nthe Son, in his human nature assumed for us; and the Holy
\nGhost, by descending in the shape of a dove. Behold, how
\nthe mission and the whole gospel of Jesus Christ is here<\/p>\n
\nMay Christ be with us! May Christ be before us! May Christ be in us, Christ be over all!
\nMay Thy Grace, Lord, Always be ours, This day, O Lord, and forevermore. Amen.
\nPrayer for the Faithful of St. Patrick\u00a0 Part 2<\/em><\/p>\n
\nOn the name of Jesus…<\/p>\n
\nspoken of the eternal Son of God, made man for us. “He
\nhumbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death
\nof the cross. Wherefore God also hath exalted him, and hath
\ngiven him a name which is above every name; that in the
\nname of Jesus every knee should bow,” &c. This holy name
\nof Jesus came from heaven: it signifies a Saviour; a Saviour
\nwho was to deliver his people from their sins, to reconcile lost
\nman to God, to purchase for him mercy, grace, and salvation,
\nand to make him a son of God and heir of heaven. How
\nadorable is this sweet name of salvation in which alone we are
\nto be saved!
\nConsider, secondly, that the name of Jesus is a name of virtue
\nand of power. In this name the churches of God were established
\nthroughout the world. In this name the apostles
\nwrought all kinds of miracles, and raised the dead to life. By
\nthis name have millions of martyrs overcome death in all its
\nshapes. This name has peopled the deserts with holy solitaries,
\nand every nation of the Christian world in every age with
\nsaints; who looking upon Jesus the author and finisher of their
\nfaith, have through his name overcome the world, the flesh, and
\nthe devil, and now sit with Jesus upon his throne, according to
\nthe promise<\/p>\n
\nGlory to Jesus Christ \u2013 Glory forever!
\nThursday
\nName of Jesus cont…<\/p>\n
\nthe divine attributes stooping as I may say, to the work of our
\nredemption, in order to raise us from the dunghill, and to bring
\nus to a heavenly kingdom. Jesus is a name of mercy, a name
\nof comfort, a name of grace and salvation: it promises pardon
\nand forgiveness to all penitent sinners: it preaches to them deliverance
\nfrom their slavery, the discharge of all their debts, the
\nhealing of their spiritual disorders, which expose them to eternal
\ndeath. This holy name is the Christian’s refuge in all dangers,
\nthe comfort of his pilgrimage, the source of all his good:
\nit encourages him to pray with an assurance that there is nothing
\nbut what he may obtain, if he prays in the name of his
\nSaviour. It puts to flight all the powers of hell; they cannot
\nbear that sacred name; and it opens heaven to all its true lovers
\nand followers.
\nConclude to have in veneration the divine name of Jesus, as
\npresenting to your soul the principal object of your faith, the
\nstrongest grounds of your hope, the chief motive and most powerful
\nattractive to engage your love. Thus may you exercise as
\noften as you hear this sacred name, all the theological virtues
\nof faith, hope, and the most ardent love of God.<\/p>\n
\nFor as many have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ\u2026Alleluia<\/p>\n
\nBishop Challoner Meditations…<\/p>\n
\nteaches: that there is a God *of infinite majesty, whose eye is
\nalways upon us; a God infinitely good and infinitely just, who
\nhates wilful sin with an infinite hatred; our Creator and Redeemer,
\nwho made us and sent us hither for no other purpose
\nthan to love and serve him in this world, and to be eternally
\nhappy with him in the next: that there is a future life, compared
\nwith which the present is but a moment: in a word, that
\nafter the vain and fleeting joys of life are over, judgment will
\nfollow; and that there is a heaven and a hell. And these are
\narticles of the Christian faith; all most certainly true and in
\nthemselves very moving. This every Christian readily acknowledges.
\nHow then is it possible they should live as the
\ngenerality do? How is it possible they should live unconcerned
\nin sin; and walk in the broad road to eternal damnation?
\nAlas! it is because they will not think.
\nConsider, thirdly, that the great difference between the good
\nand bad Christian is the one thinks well on the truths he believes,
\nand lets them sink deep into his soul, whereas the other
\ndoes not think ; and thus the truths of the gospel make small
\nimpression upon him: his faith is asleep, or rather dead, for
\nwant of consideration. On the contrary, what wonderful effects
\nhas consideration often produced even in the most hardened
\nsinners! it has sent numbers of these out of the midst of
\nBabylon to seek their God in solitude, and has rescued thousands
\nfrom the very jaws of hell.
\nConclude to allow yourself daily some time to meditate upon
\nthe great truths of eternity. It is the best means to secure the
\nsalvation of your soul.<\/p>\n
\nChrist is in our midst \u2013 He is and always shall be<\/p>\n
\nCONSIDER, first, that we cannot be saved without the knowledge
\nof God, and such a knowledge as may effectually command
\nour love and obedience. But without the help of consideration
\nwe can neither know God, nor love him as we
\nought. Consideration discovers to us his infinite perfections,
\nand the many pressing motives we have to give ourselves
\nwholly to his love and service. It sets before our eyes his
\neternal love and all his benefits towards us, and convinces us
\nthat he is both infinitely amiable in himself, and infinitely
\ngood to ns.
\nConsider, secondly, that God is in himself eternal; without
\nbegining, without end, without change; self-existent, independent:
\nhe is being itself; he alone properly is: “I am who am,”
\nsays he to Moses…
\nConsider, thirdly, what God is in our regard. He is our
\nsovereign good: he alone can satisfy our souls. He is our eternal
\nlover: his thought and heart are always upon us. His love
\nis most faithful and disinterested: he never abandons those who
\ndo not first abandon :him. He is our Maker, our Redeemer;
\nthe best of Fathers, the best of Friends, the spouse of our
\nsouls. And are not these sufficient motives to excite a generous
\nsoul to love her God? It is only because he is so little
\nthought of, that he is so little known in this wretched world;
\nand it is only<\/p>\n
\nPreserve O Lord while waking and guard us while sleeping that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"