Sunday
\n**This week excerpts from Catholic Bishop Challoner’s meditations<\/p>\n
CONSIDER, first, that mortal sin is infinitely odious to God,
\nand infinitely pernicious to our souls. It makes them like
\nvery devils in his eyes: it deprives us of grace, the true life of
\nthe soul, and of all our good: it is a poison which brings present
\ndeath, and condemns us to a second and eternal death.
\nIt leaves behind it a dreadful stain, which endless ages and the
\nflames of hell will never be able to efface. Ah, my poor soul!
\nif thou couldst see thyself as thou art in the state of mortal sin,
\nthe sight alone would strike thee dead!
\nConsider, secondly, that wilful sinners are slaves of the
\ndevil; they are possessed by him. They have made God their
\nenemy, who holds the thread of their life in his hand: if he
\nbreaks it, in that moment they drop into hell. Death is always
\nadvancing apace; and a sudden, or at least an unprovided
\ndeath, is generally the reward of their presumption. Thousands
\nof them daily go down into the bottomless pit, “where
\nthe worm never dies, and the fire is never extinguished,”
\n(Mark ix. 43.) Ah! who can bear everlasting fire! Detest
\nthen all mortal sin, which can and will, without repentance,
\ncondemn you to hell.
\nConsider, thirdly, that sin makes a dreadful separation between
\nthe soul and God; which is begun here but extends to all
\neternity. “You are not my people,” says he, (Osee i. 9.)
\n“and I will not be your God.” How much then doesjthat evil
\ndeserve our detestation, which robs us of an infinite good, for
\neternity; and in exchange gives us nothing but endless and unspeakable
\nevils.
\nPrayer:\u00a0 O my God I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived. (Act of Faith)<\/p>\n
Monday
\nCONSIDER, first, that God is our first beginning and our last
\nend: he has given us our being out of pure love; he has thought
\nof us from all eternity, and has made us for himself, in the enjoyment
\nof a happy eternity. In the mean time, he is always
\nshowering upon us his benefits: he watches over us by his providence;
\npreserves us from numberless evils; has appointed
\nhis angels to wait upon us; and has sent his only Son from
\nheaven to redeem us. He has mercifully cleansed us from sin
\nin baptism, made us children and heirs to his kingdom; has
\ngiven us an early knowledge of himself and of his heavenly
\ntruths; favored us with abundant graces beyond thousands of
\nothers; admitted us to his sacraments; borne with our repeated
\ncrimes for so many years; and, notwithstanding our ingratitude,
\nhas been still our constant benefactor. Alas ! how
\nmany are now burning in the flames of hell for fewer sins than,
\nwe have committed! Ah! let us then detest our sinful life,
\nand henceforward, at least, be dutiful children to so tender a
\nfather.
\nConsider, secondly, what dreadful torments our Redeemer
\nendured for you in his passion and death! Call over in your
\nmind the particulars of his sufferings, from his agony and sweat
\nof blood, even to his expiring upon the cross; and learn from
\nthe multitude and variety of his torments, an ardent love of
\nhim and hatred of your sins, for the expiation of which he
\nfreely died.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 Having risen from sleep I hasten to Thee, O Lord, Lover of men, and by Thy loving-kindness I strive to do Thy work, and I pray to Thee:\u00a0 help me at all times, in everything, and deliver me from every evil thing of the world and every attack of the devil, and lead me into Thine eternal Kingdom. For Thou art my Creator, the Giver and Provider of everything good, and all my hope is in Thee, and to Thee I send up glory, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.\u00a0 Amen.
\n*Prayer for the next day\u2019s morning<\/p>\n
Tuesday
\nCONSIDER, first, how precious a thing time is, which we are
\n80 apt to squander away. It is all given us to be employed in
\nthe service of God; and there is not one moment of it, in
\nwhich we may not labor for an eternity of bliss. Our everlasting
\nsalvation or damnation will depend upon the good or bad
\nuse of this talent, which God has put into our hands to improve
\nby our good management. Alas! how little do we think
\nof this!
\nConsider, secondly, how short is the term of this mortal life;
\na mere nothing compared with eternity : and how quickly does
\nit pass away! When once gone, it cannot be recalled, nor
\nleaves the smallest trace behind it. The present time is all we
\ncan call our own : and God alone knows how long it will be
\nso. Our hours, one after another, post away with precipitate
\nhaste into the vast gulf of eternity, and appear no more. The
\nvery moment in which we read this line, is just passing, never
\nto return. Employ then the present time to the best advantage:
\nits loss can never be repaired.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears! Turn, then, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
\nV. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
\nR. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
\n*Salve Regina<\/p>\n
Wednesday
\nConsider, thirdly, that all temporal enjoyments of honors,
\nriches and pleasures, are of the like condition ; all pass away
\nwith time. Only eternity and the goods or evils which it comprizes,
\nare truly great; without end, without change, without
\nalloy. A few short years are more than any one can promise
\nhimself; arid after that, poor sinner, what will become of thee?
\nAlas! the worms will prey upon thy body, and merciless devils
\non thy unrepenting soul! Thy worldly friends will all forget
\nthee : the very stones on which thou hast thy name engraved,
\nwill not long outlive thee. Oh! “vanity of vanities, and all
\nis vanity, but to love God, and to serve him alone!”
\nConclude, so to use this present time and all temporary
\nthings, as to make them useful to your soul on her journey towards
\neternity.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia: For He whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.
\nLet us pray : O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beg Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
\n*Regina Coeli<\/p>\n
Thursday
\nCONSIDER, first, that all the kingdoms of the earth would
\nnot be sufficient to purchase for the dying sinner one hour of
\ntime, in his greatest need. Then we shall clearly comprehend
\nits value, and the infinite importance of spending it well.
\n“What would not the damned willingly give for one of these
\nhours? How would they employ it if it could be granted? But
\nalas! they would network while they had the day before them:
\nand now the dismal and eternal night has overtaken them, in
\nwhich there is no time to work. Ah! Christians, let us learn
\nwisdom at their expense.
\nConsider, secondly, the strict obligation Incumbent on us all,
\nof employing our time to the best advantage, by sin we had
\nforfeited our life, and of course, our time; and whatever time
\nGod has allowed us since our sin, has been purchased for us
\nwith the blood of Christ, in order to OUT repentance. It has
\ncost him an infinite price : it therefore strictly belongs to him;
\nand we cannot misuse it without the crime of injustice.
\nPrayer:\u00a0 The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.\u00a0\u00a0 And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
\nHail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.<\/p>\n
Friday
\nConsider, thirdly, that there is not one moment of our time
\nin which we may not merit a new degree of eternal bliss; and
\nevery new degree of eternal bliss is something far more valuable,
\nthan all the kingdoms of the earth. What a loss then, to
\nthrow away so many hours, and days, and years of this precious
\ntime. A loss so great, that if the happy state of the
\nblessed in heaven could admit of grief, they would certainly
\nregret to all eternity, every moment which they had not employed
\nto the best advantage.
\nConclude to dedicate all your time to the doing of the will
\nof God. Thus you will secure your own eternal interest.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 \u00a0Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.<\/p>\n
Saturday
\nCONSIDER, first, that the remembrance of death, the view
\nof the grave, and of the speedy corruption of this body of ours;
\nand the serious reflection that we must quickly part with^our
\ndearest friends and possessions, must needs humble us, and
\ncheck our sensual and carnal inclinations. But when we look
\nbeyond the grave, and consider that a severe judge will there
\nawait us, whose all-seeing eye is ever upon our thoughts, words
\nand actions; that these are all to be Aveighed in the scales
\nof his divine justice, which cannot endure iniquity; and that
\nthe issue will, be life or death eternal : how is it possible we
\nshould dare to sin?
\nConsider, secondly, that the transitory things of this world;
\nits goods and evils, as we call them, make a great impression
\non our souls, shut up as they are, in this earthly prison. We
\nare fond of honor, riches and pleasures, and dread contempt,
\npoverty and pain, as something real. But the meditating on
\neternity undeceives us, and shows that all is nothing, which
\npasses with time; that nothing is truly great but what is eternal;
\nthat those things deserve not the name of goods, which
\ncontribute nothing to make us either good here, or happy hereafter;
\nand that those are no evils, which help to bring us to an
\ninfinine good.
\nConsider,<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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