<\/p>\n
Sunday<\/p>\n
*Readings this week from Catholic Bishop Challoner<\/p>\n
Meditations for ‘Low’ Sunday, the Sunday after Easter, and the week following<\/p>\n
…in virtue of the blood of Christ, here applied
\nto our souls; and we are “born again of water and the
\nHoly Ghost,” (John iii. 5.) to a new and everlasting life; and
\nare made children of the living God, and heirs of his eternal
\nkingdom.
\nConsider, secondly, that we are dedicated and consecrated
\nto God by this sacrament, to be eternally devoted to his divine
\nlove. “We who before were not his people, are now
\nthe people of God,” [1 Peter ii. 10.] “A chosen generation,
\na kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people,
\ncalled out of darkness into the admirable light*’ of Christ.
\nConsider, thirdly, that “all who are baptised it Christ Jesus,
\nare baptised in his death; that as Christ is risen from the dead
\nby the glory of the Father, so we may also walk in newness of
\nlife,” [Romans vi. 3, 4.] Knowing this, that our old man is
\ncrucified with him, that the body of sin may be destroyed, and
\nthat we may serve sin no longer,” [verse 6.] So that henceforward,
\nin consequence of our baptism, we must “reckon ourselves
\ndead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord,”
\n[verse 11.] And therefore, “as Christ, rising again from the
\ndead, dies now no more; as death shall no more have dominion
\nover him,” [verse 9,] so now we must die no more by
\nsin ; sin must no more have dominion over us.
\nConclude ever to bear in mind both the dignity and the obligations
\nof your baptism; and consequently, to imitate, by renouncing
\nsin and rising to a life of grace, the death and resurrection
\nof Jesus Christ.
\nPrayer:\u00a0 We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
\n*Sub Tuum Praesidium<\/p>\n
Monday<\/p>\n
Consider, thirdly, that we also engage ourselves strictly to
\nobserve the whole law, and the commandments of our heavenly
\nFather, our King, and our God; but more especially the
\ngreat commandment of “loving him with our whole heart,
\nwith our whole soul, with our whole mind, and with our whole
\nstrength” and of “loving our neighbor as ourselves.” Ah,
\nlet us not unnaturally spurn the just commands of the Parent
\nof all nature, nor impiously set aside our most sacred engagements.<\/p>\n
Conclude, henceforward at least carefully to observe your
\nbaptismal vows; and since God claims your whole being upon
\nall possible titles,\u00a0give yourself to him without reserve, in
\ntime and eternity.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 Holy angel of the Lord by guardian, pray to God for me.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tuesday<\/p>\n
Consider, secondly, that at baptism we renounce Satan and
\nall his works and pomps, and declare an eternal war against
\nthis mortal enemy of God and man. We are anointed with
\nconsecrated oil on the breast and between the shoulders,
\nto signify the inward unction of divine grace, to strengthen us
\nto love God and keep the commandments, arid to bear, in a
\nChristian manner, all the labors and adversities of this mortal
\npilgrimage. Immediately after baptism, we are anointed with
\nthe holy chrism on the top of the head, to signify our being
\nnow incorporated with Christ, the great Anointed of the Lord,
\nand consecrated to God for ever. In consequence of which,
\nall Christians are called by St. Peter a Mngly priesthood : as,
\nin the old law, God anointed his priests, prophets, kings, and
\nmartyrs.<\/p>\n
Consider, thirdly, that after baptism, by the white linen
\nwhich the priest puts upon pur head, (instead of the white
\ngarment anciently worn on this occasion,) and by the lighted
\ntaper which we receive from him, we are reminded of our
\nstrict obligation to lead a holy and innocent life to hold forth
\nthe light of faith, to the edification of all men and to keep it
\nalways burning with divine charity, till we meet our Lord in
\ns heavenly kingdom.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 Our Father, Who art in \u00a0Heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Wednesday
\nCONSIDER, first, how dismal is that fall, by which, in a moment,
\nwe lose all the dignity, all the advantages, all the treasures
\nconferred on us in baptism. A dreadful fall, indeed! by
\nwhich the poor soul falls from heaven to hell, from being a
\nchild of God, to be a slave of Satan, and of sin which is even
\nworse than Satan; from being the spouse of Christ, to be the
\nprostitute of unclean spirits; from being the temple of the Holy
\nGhost, to be the habitation of the most Wicked One!
\nConsider, secondly, the folly and madness of such an exchange!
\nAlas! the soul in acting thus, forfeits all her good at
\npresent, and all her title to happiness, either in time or eternity,
\nfor mere delusion and eternal misery. Ah, unhappy sinner!
\nopen thine eyes, and see the wretched bargain thou hast
\nmade. To part with thy GOD, and thy ALL, for something so
\nbase, so vile, so empty, and so transient! Before thy sin,
\nheaven was thine; GOD himself was thine!-But now thou
\nhast parted with thy GOD, thou hast exchanged heaven for
\nhell, and thou standest upon the very brink of a miserable
\neternity.
\nPrayer:<\/p>\n
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and on those in the tombs bestowing life!<\/p>\n
Christ is risen\u2026.truly He is risen!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Thursday
\nCONSIDER, first, that we must worship God “in spirit and
\nin truth,” (John iv. 24.) That is; we must join with the external
\nadoration and praise, prayer and sacrifice which is offered
\nin the Church of Christ, the internal homage of our heart,
\nand the pure worship of faith, hope, and charity. Embrace
\nthen, with your whole soul, these three divine virtues. There
\nis no other,way to heaven and a happy eternity.
\nConsider, secondly, that these virtues are called theological
\nand divine, from their immediate relation to God. Thus faith
\nbelieves in him as the sovereign truth, and obliges the soul to
\ngive a firm assent to all the truths revealed by him, however
\nincomprehensible to our weakness. Hope puts her whole trust
\nin him, as the infinite source of all good; and raises the soul
\nto a lively expectation of mercy, grace, and salvation from
\nhim, confiding in his almighty power and goodness, mercy and
\npromises, and in the precious blood of his Son. Charity or
\nDivine love embraces Mm above all things, and loves him for
\nhis own infinite goodness, and all others made after his image
\nand likeness, for his sake.
\nConsider, thirdly, that we must make frequent acts of these
\ndivine virtues. The soul which does not often employ her
\nthoughts upon the great truths of God and eternity, quickly forgets
\nboth God and herself; and thus, while her faith is asleep,
\nshe is exposed to the most dreadful evils.<\/p>\n
Prayer:<\/p>\n
Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and on those in the tombs bestowing life!<\/p>\n
Christ is risen\u2026.truly He is risen!<\/p>\n
Friday
\nCONSIDER, first, that “without faith it is impossible to please
\nGod,” ( Heb. xi. 6. ) This virtue is the ground-work and first
\nfoundation of all our good: here we must begin the -work of
\nour salvation. But what is faith? Not, as some vainly imagine,
\na presumptuous confidence of the pardon of our sins, and
\nof our justification and eternal beatitude; excluding that humble
\nfear with which the Christian is taught to work out his salvation,
\n(Phil. ii. 12.) (Rom. xi. 20.) but a firm belief of all
\nthose things which God has revealed or promised: a bowing
\ndown of the soul to all that God has taught, however exalted
\nabove our understanding. “Faith,” says the apostle, (Heb.
\nxi. 1.) “is the substance,” that is the strong foundation, “of
\nthings to be hoped for; the evidence of things that are not
\nseen.”
\nConsider, secondly, that the merit of faith which makes it
\nso acceptable to God, consists in this; it pulls down the pride
\nof man by captivating his understanding, and obliges it to believe
\nwhat it cannot see, to adore what it cannot conceive,
\nand to submit to truths which it cannot comprehend. Man fell
\nfrom his original justice by proudly pretending to a more extensive
\nknowledge than God was pleased to allow him, which
\nmight make him “like to God,” ( Gen. in. 5. ) And therefore
\nGod justly requires we should return to him by the sacrifice of
\nwhat is most dear to our pride, namely, the liberty we are so
\nfond of, of thinking as we please in all matters, without restraint
\nor control.<\/p>\n
Prayer:\u00a0 O my God relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
\n*Act of Hope<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Saturday
\nConsider, thirdly, then, some of the many strong and weighty
\narguments and motives, which enforce the testimony and authority
\nof this Church of Christ. This great and most ancient
\nsociety is, and has been these eighteen hundred years, spread
\nfar and near over the world. It was foreshown and foretold
\nlong before by many plain and glorious prophecies. It was
\nestablished by Christ and his apostles by signs and wonders
\nand innumerable miracles. It was wonderfully propagated in
\na short time throughout the world, in spite of all the opposition
\nof the whole earth and hell. It has been maintained ever
\nsince by the .blood of millions of martyrs, and by the saintly
\nand miraculous lives of millions of other servants of God, in
\nevery age. It has been embraced and followed by all the best
\nand wisest of men, and defended by the most godly and learned.
\nIt has, in a word, all this time held forth the light of God
\nto the whole world, by the purity and sanctity of its doctrines,
\nand by zealously promoting the conversion of numberless sinners,
\nand withdrawing thousands of all conditions from the
\nbroad way of the world to a life of holy solitude and penance:
\nso that it has at all times produced many eminent saints -whose
\nwhole lives have been standing miracles of divine grace, and
\npresumptive arguments of the truth of that faith and church
\nwhich they all professed.
\nGlory to Jesus Christ \u2013 Glory forever!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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