The New-born Child
by VP
Posted on Friday December 26, 2025 at 12:00AM in Meditations
Jean-Baptiste Marie Pierre
(1714–1789) 
"In the cradle before us lies the new-born
Infant wrapped in swaddling-clothes and laid in the manger. Let us
contemplate Him for a few moments and see what lessons He teaches us.
1.
He teaches us the unspeakable force of divine charity. How was it
possible for the Eternal Word, the co-equal Son of God, to leave the
bosom of His Father to clothe Himself with the flesh of sinful man? It
seems an almost extravagant act of love, one unworthy of the dignity of
God. Yet love puts everything aside except the burning desire to promote
the welfare of the loved. The Son of God forgot all else in His divine
compassion for us. How dearly He must love us ! How great should be our
confidence in His love!
2. He teaches us never to judge by
appearances. If we had been told that God had come to dwell on earth,
would not the stable of Bethlehem have been the last place where we
should have sought Him. In how many a humble cottage there may still be
found saints more dear to God than even those who have a world wide
repute for their holiness and virtue !
3. He teaches us the true
dignity of self-abasement. God could not do anything unworthy of
Himself when clad in human flesh. It therefore was no disparagement to
the divine honor that He should thus infinitely condescend. Nay, it
proved that the greatest possible likeness to God is attained by the
most complete humiliation of self. How little I have learned to practice
this lesson ! "
Meditations for Christmas . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891
The Shepherds, in receiving the Angel’s tidings, were a figure of watchful priests
by VP
Posted on Thursday December 25, 2025 at 12:00AM in Meditations
I. They Were The First To Be Called.
II. They Were The First To Be Enlightened.
III. They Were The First To Be Comforted.
"And there were in the same country, shepherds watching, and
keeping the night-watches over their flock. And behold an Angel of the
Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them,
and they feared with a great fear: and the Angel said to them: Fear
not."—St. Luke ii. 8, 9, 10.
1. And behold an Angel of the Lord stood by them.
The shepherds who kept watch over their flocks by night, were a figure
of Priests, who, as St. Ambrose says, in the night time of this present
life sleep not, but watch in order to guard the souls committed to their
care from the assaults of their spiritual enemies; and it was fitting,
as St. Ambrose says further, "that shepherds should be found watching,
and that they should be the first to receive the Heavenly Tidings, that
He, the Good Shepherd, the Pattern of Shepherds, was born." Therefore
all Priests who teach or direct souls, should remember that they
especially are called upon to adore the new-born Child. Venerable Bede
says, "Mystically speaking, they signify the pastors of the flock,
teachers also, and rulers of faithful souls." Let us then be the first
at the manger; let us contemplate this great mystery; let us be the
first to attract the glance of the Divine Child, and let us melt into
tears of tenderness, love, and compunction. He says to us: Come, make
haste, and buy of Me without price, at the expense of only asking, the
wine of strength, and the milk of consolation: "Come, make haste, buy
wine and milk . . . without any price" (Isa. lv. 1). "Come, eat My
Flesh, and drink My Blood; this is your food, this is your drink, and
therefore am I born in Bethlehem," that is, in " the House of Bread."
"Come eat My bread, and drink the wine which I have mingled for you"
(Prov. ix. 5). Come, you who are afflicted with misery, oppressed by the
weight of your ministry. "Come to me all you that labor, and are
burdened, and I will refresh you" (St. Matt. xi. 28). Let us go, then;
"let us go over to Bethlehem," let us imitate the shepherds, who came
with haste, and let us be the first to offer tribute to the new-born
Monarch; for the princes of the people ought to go before the people in
their acts of homage.
2. And the brightness of God shone round about them.
The light which shone round about the shepherds is an image of the
divine light with which worthy ministers of God are invested; and, as
St. Gregory says, the greater their vigilance for the salvation of
souls, the greater will be the light of grace which enlightens them; and
the more solicitous they are for the welfare of their flocks, so much
the more will they merit to understand divine truths better than others.
God, who predestined us to the priesthood, Who enlightened us with His
heavenly light from our earliest years, and gave us a clearer knowledge
of His Son than He gave to the rest of the Faithful: "He hath shined in
our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in
the face of Christ Jesus" (2 Cor. iv. 6). When we studied Dogmatic
Theology, we learned the treatise, De Incarnatione, in order that the
sublime teaching of this great mystery might be impressed on our minds;
we have often instructed the ignorant in it, we have confuted
unbelievers, we have defended its truth. One step more remains for us to
take, and it is this; to nourish our minds and hearts with the Faith
and sound doctrine, by imploring the descent of the divine light into
our souls, and so shall we be "good ministers of Christ Jesus" (1 Tim.
iv. 6). Therefore let us hasten to adore the Divine Child; let us study
Him, the pattern of humility, patience, and every virtue; let us say to
Him, with St. Bernard: "The meaner Thou makest Thyself for me, the
dearer Thou art to me." Let Thy grace be made manifest in us, bestow on
us abundance of light, for Thou hast "destroyed death, and brought to
light life and incorruption by the gospel" (2 Tim. i. 10).
3. Fear not. The Angel took away all fear from
the hearts of the shepherds; much more will Jesus Christ take away all
fear from the hearts of His Priests. He says to them now from the
manger, by His infant cries, what, on another occasion, He said in
words: "It is I, fear ye not" (St. Matt. xiv. 27). I am Who am, and you
are My ministers; whom should you fear? I am come, not to give you the
spirit of fear, which was in the Old Law, but the spirit "of power, and
of love, and of sobriety" (2 Tim. i. 7). Preach My Gospel without shame,
without weariness, without diffidence: "be not ashamed of the testimony
of Our Lord . . . but labor with the gospel according to the power of
God" (2 Tim. i. 8). Three times to-day you will offer the mighty
Sacrifice which is the source of all strength, which, as Holy Church
declares, was the support of the martyrs amidst their torments; three
times to-day you will eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, so that in the
strength of that food you may walk, even to "the Mount of God" (3 Kings
xix. 8). And we will answer Him: Jesus, be Thou my strength: come to me,
come to my soul, live in me; or, with St. Ambrose, we may say, For
otherwise what would Thy coming into the world profit me 1
"Say
to my soul, I am thy Salvation."—Ps. xxxiv. 3. "The Lord is my
strength, and my praise, and He is become my salvation." —ha. xii. 2.
Vigil of the Nativity of our Lord
by VP
Posted on Wednesday December 24, 2025 at 12:00AM in Meditations
"THIS day is a preparation for one of the greatest festivals of the year, a festival of infinite mercy and goodness. On the effects of this mercy depends your eternal good: prepare then for it in the best manner you are able; join contrition with your fasting, and a most profound humiliation of spirit. Confess your manifold weakness and unworthiness: He that comes to be your physician will be pleased with the sincere acknowledgment of your infirmities.
This vigil has been kept from the time of the apostles; and in the primitive ages with such exactness, that a neglect of it was reputed criminal.
St. Augustin removed a priest from amongst his clergy, for being wanting in the observance of it, and for breaking his fast. St. Gregory of Tours gives particular instances of God's displeasure against some who had little regard to it. It cannot be questioned that there is great abuse in the disorderly conduct of those who, after assisting at the Holy Sacrifice, hasten from the altar to their entertainments, which are unbecoming at this holy time, and too often profaning it by irreverence and intemperance. Avoid all these abuses: and if necessity obliges you to take any refreshment, let it be with great moderation, without noise or conversation, that your soul may not be disturbed, but be at full liberty to entertain your Lord, and acknowledge all his mercies.
Beg of your Saviour that the mercy of this night may be extended to you, and help you so powerfully in overcoming all the corruption that is yet within you, that having in Him so plentiful a redemption, you may not be lost by any neglect of yours. Appeal to Him under all the infirmities, to which you are subject. Represent to Him all the dangers you meet in the way of salvation.
He comes to be your Saviour; beseech Him then to be a Saviour to you,
and give you all that grace, which He sees necessary for you." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
"He who believes shall be saved: he who believes not shall be condemned."
by VP
Posted on Sunday December 21, 2025 at 02:00AM in Meditations
"My Lord and My God".
Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Rocky Mount NC
"Thomas, now returned to Jerusalem, was the only one who refused to believe so many witnesses. "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails," he said, "and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side. I will not believe." Therefore, the eighth days after Easter, the Apostles, and this time Thomas with them, being gathered together in the upper chamber for prayer, and the doors being closed, Jesus stood suddenly in the midst of them, and turning to Thomas, He said, "Put in thy finger hither, and see My hands, and bring hither thy hand, and put it into My side, and be not faithless, but believing." The Apostle, now convinced, fell on his knees, exclaiming, in faith and repentance, "My Lord and my God!" Then, in tones of reproof, Jesus answered him, "Because thou hast see Me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed."
This, then, is the last link in the chain of evidence which attests the resurrection of our Lord, and it was, as St. Gregory remarks, for the confirmation of our faith that God permitted such marvelous unbelief. Could those who might refuse to believe the Apostles possibly refuse to accept the testimony of St. Thomas? Therefore Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, died upon the cross to expiate our sins and truly rose from the dead by His own power; therefore the Christian faith is divine and absolutely certain: therefore the Catholic Church, which brings to us this faith, is the mother of our souls and harbor of salvation.
Let us have more faith than Thomas, let us believe without seeing, the truth affirmed by the Gospel, by the holy Apostles and martyrs; let us believe, love, and adore our risen Lord.
"He who believes shall be saved: he who believes not shall be condemned."
Source: The Light of the Cross in the Twentieth Century, by the Paulist Father Volume 3, 1905
The Golden Rose
by VP
Posted on Sunday December 14, 2025 at 12:00AM in Meditations
"The lights of hope and joy, the shadows of despondency and sorrow are ever flitting over the surface of human life, teaching the heart the solemn lesson of detachment from earth and giving it glimpses of heaven, that city of perpetual brightness whose "light is the Lamb," the uncreated splendor of the Father. We need this succession of light and shade; continual prosperity would make us love the world, and we would forget that the days of our pilgrimage are few and evil, whilst lasting adversity would deaden the elasticity of the heart and drive it to despair. The Church knows the requirements of our nature in this respect and provides for them. The penitential seasons of Advent and Lent are succeeded by the joys of Christmas and the glories of Easter. The sorrows of Holy Week are interrupted by the Gloria of Holy Thursday, and then again the last notes of the Angelic Hymn die away in the wail of the Miserere of Tenebrae and the Improperia of Good Friday.
Advent has its Gaudete Sunday,
when the Church bids her children rejoice in the Lord always, because
He is near, because He is soon to be manifested to the world as the Babe
of Bethlehem; so too on the fourth Sunday of Lent a cry of joy resounds
through the office, Rejoice O! Jerusalem! Rejoice thou barren that
bearest not. The time for the reconciliation of the penitents is
approaching; the children that were dead in sin will come to life and be
restored to the arms of their mother, and in anticipation her heart
beats high with gladness. Then her eye turns to Palestine, ranges the
dark sky that overhangs the scenes of the Passion and rests on the
horizon just reddening with the first faint streaks of light from the
Easter Sun. Sorrow and penance yield for a moment to the exultation of
triumphant love and from her lisp breaks forth an anthem of gladness
Laetare, Laetare, Rejoice, Rejoice."
The Sacramentals of the Holy Catholic Church; Or, Flowers from the Garden of the Liturgy By Rev. William James BARRY, 1858
Eighth Day: Pain of Helplessness and Desolation
by VP
Posted on Saturday November 08, 2025 at 04:00AM in Meditations
"The souls in Purgatory have entered into the realm of Divine Justice. The penance and satisfaction due for their faults must be made, either by the pain of Purgatory itself, or by the suffrages of the faithful, consisting in prayer, good works and the spiritual treasure of indulgences bestowed upon them; for the suffering souls can no longer merit and are entirely unable to assist themselves. A sick man and a beggar have a tongue to ask for help, and the very sight of their misery will move others to compassion. The suffering souls, however, have no resource but that of patience, resignation and hope. To all their moans there is but one answer, "the night hath come, in which no man can work."
Hence in their extreme desolation and distress, they incessantly cry out to us for relief and assistance. But since they cannot do this in a manner perceptible to us, holy Church does it for them by instituting many touching devotions in their behalf. Can we, then, be cold and heartless towards these souls? "A hard heart will fare evil at the last." Be not, then, indifferent to your own interests."
Prayer: Have mercy, O Lord, upon the suffering souls in Purgatory, in their helplessness and desolation. Comfort them by the prayers and petitions of the just in Heaven and upon earth; shorten the time of their suffering, and reward them with joys eternal. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen
Prayer for Priests in Purgatory: My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine Agony in the Garden, in Thy Scourging and Crowning with thorns, in the Way to Calvary, in Thy Crucifixion and Death, have mercy on the souls of priests in Purgatory, especially those most forgotten and who have no one else to pray for them. I wish to remember all those priests who ministered to me, the priests my heart has never forgotten, and for those that I no longer recall due to my frailty of memory. Do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in Paradise.
Pope Saint Pius X and Saint John Vianney, pray for us and especially for our priests. Amen
Special Intercession: Pray for the most forsaken and helpless souls.
Lord grant them eternal rest, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. (three times)
Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!
Source: Manual of the Purgatorian Society, Redemptorist Fathers. 1907Third Day: The Doctrine of Purgatory
by VP
Posted on Monday November 03, 2025 at 01:00AM in Meditations
The destiny awaiting us at death is not the same for all men: "He will render to every man according to his works." (Matthew XVI. 27) Heaven, Hell and Purgatory are the three places into which the souls of the departed are received. Heaven is the happy destination of perfectly pure and holy souls only; Hell the final doom of the reprobate; Purgatory, temporarily for the just, who are not, as yet, entirely purified. There God completes the punishment due to their faults, which were not sufficiently atoned for on earth; there He submits these holy souls to the last purgation, to cleanse them from the least stain, and, by fire, to bring them to that degree of perfected purity, which is necessary for them before being admitted to eternal bliss.
Hence there are two classes of souls in Purgatory:
1. Those who depart this life, stained by venial sins and imperfections.
2. Those who have repented, and if possible, confessed their mortal sins without, however, having done sufficient penance for them. Judging from our lives, experience teaches us that most men deserve Purgatory for both causes.
Prayer: Graciously hear, O Lord, the fervent prayers we offer Thee for the suffering souls in Purgatory, who, not being able to satisfy Thy divine justice, confide in Thine infinite mercy and our intercessions. Extend unto them Thy consolations, and redeem them, through Christ, our Lord. AmenPrayer for Priests in Purgatory: My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst
suffer in Thine Agony in the Garden, in Thy Scourging and Crowning with
thorns, in the Way to Calvary, in Thy Crucifixion and Death, have mercy
on the souls of priests in Purgatory, especially those most forgotten
and who have no one else to pray for them. I wish to remember all those
priests who ministered to me, the priests my heart has never forgotten,
and for those that I no longer recall due to my frailty of memory. Do
Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and
admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in Paradise.
Pope Saint Pius X and Saint John Vianney, pray for us and especially for our priests. Amen
Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who suffer in Purgatory for little faults.
Lord grant them eternal rest and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen (Three times)
Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!
Source: Manual of the Purgatorian Society, Redemptorist Fathers. 1907Nov 1: Prayers for the Holy Souls In Purgatory
by VP
Posted on Saturday November 01, 2025 at 01:00AM in Meditations
"One of the most consoling doctrines of the Catholic Church is that of the Communion of Saints. All, the saints in Heaven, we upon earth, the souls in Purgatory, are members of one great family. By this "bond of perfection" which unites the Suffering and Triumphant Church with the Militant Church upon earth, incorporating them into one body, mutual charity becomes an obligation. This reciprocal love, being the duty of all men, renders it imperative that all should pray for one another, for in this general prayer, offered mutually, Christian charity is most beautifully and eloquently expressed.
From this general obligation we derive the special duty to pray for the suffering souls in Purgatory, who are unable in their extreme distress to do aught for their own relief. It has always been the belief of Holy Church that the faithful, united in the Communion of Saints, can mutually assist each other. As the saints in Heaven pray for us, so must we also offer our petitions for the suffering souls in Purgatory, that God in His goodness and mercy, may mitigate and shorten their punishment, and hasten their entrance into Heaven. It is the doctrine of the Church that the faithful upon earth are really able to relieve the temporal punishment of the holy souls in Purgatory. "In this," says the Roman Catechism, "we must praise the infinite goodness and mercy of God with greatest thankfulness, that He has granted to human weakness the grace that one can make satisfaction for another."
Prayer: O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Who hast said, "Where there are two or three gathered together in My name, there Am I in the midst of them," (Matthew XVIII. 20) look mercifully upon Thy holy Church, who implores Thy clemency in behalf of her suffering members. End their intense pain, and open unto them the portals of the heavenly Jerusalem, that they may praise and bless Thee forever and ever. AmenPrayer for Priests in Purgatory: My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine Agony in the Garden, in Thy Scourging and Crowning with thorns, in the Way to Calvary, in Thy Crucifixion and Death, have mercy on the souls of priests in Purgatory, especially those most forgotten and who have no one else to pray for them. I wish to remember all those priests who ministered to me, the priests my heart has never forgotten, and for those that I no longer recall due to my frailty of memory. Do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in Paradise.
Pope Saint Pius X and Saint John Vianney, pray for us and especially for our priests. Amen
Special Intercession: Pray for those who, during the course of their earthly lives, did most to relieve the souls in Purgatory.
Lord grant them eternal rest, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. (three times)
Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!
Source: Manual of the Purgatorian Society, Redemptorist Fathers. 1907
Nativity of our Lady: Mary's Sublime Vocation
by VP
Posted on Monday September 08, 2025 at 01:00AM in Meditations
Giotto di Bondone: Scenes from the Birth of Our Lady
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
GIVE God thanks for all the graces and privileges bestowed on the Blessed Virgin. Rejoice in spirit on this day of her birth, and for the approaching mercy of the incarnation, which was then drawing near. While God is liberally pouring forth his graces on her, step in, and beseech him to give you a blessing also. Let his bounty confirm your hope, and make you earnest in your prayers.
Pray in particular for that virtue, of which you are most in want. How far are you from her humility, her purity, charity, and patience? Be not then dull and slothful, when you see your wants, and have encouragement enough to hope for remedy.
The memory of past blessings ought to be a subject of perpetual joy and thanksgiving. Heaven is the place, where these holy affections are to be perfected; but here on earth we are not to be wanting in those exercises, which we hope will be our employment for ever. Bow down therefore, and with a true sense of gratitude, bless and adore the infinite goodness of your God, for the rich present which he made this day to the earth, in the birth of the Blessed Virgin, of whom was to be born the Saviour of the world. Repeat your thanks; and see that the real sentiments of your heart exceed the expressions of your lips. And having sincerely performed this part of your devotion, then turn your thoughts, and see what lessons the present festival affords.
"Mary was born in order to be the Mother of Jesus. : "Of whom was born Jesus." This is the principle of all her privileges, the summing up of all her praises. (...) It is as the Mother of the Redeemer of mankind that she will be the refuge and advocate of sinners. She is the aurora which precedes and ushers in the morning sun. (...) Certain it is that if men had known the blessings which Mary's nativity drew upon them, there would have been throughout the whole world a repetition of that which occurred among the Jews at their having been preserved from death through the meditation of Ester. "A new light seemed to rise, you, honor, dancing in all peoples...wonderful rejoicing." (Est. viii. 16,17). You also, O Priests, were born for a sublime destiny! Accomplish it faithfully, and you shall be the cause of an unspeakable joy for heaven and earth. To give Jesus to the world, and with Jesus to give it all blessings, such is your vocation, and such was the vocation of Mary. This is the reason why the holy Virgin has such a warm affection for good priests and lavishes upon them such truly maternal cares. Source: September 8, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin p444. Meditations for the Use of the Secular Clergy, from the French of Father Chaignon, S.J. Volume 2. 1907
The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, In her Canticle, Mary teaches Priests how to thank God for their elevation to the Priesthood.
by VP
Posted on Wednesday July 02, 2025 at 01:00AM in Meditations
The Visitation by Gerónimo Antonio de Ezquerra (1660–1733)
"THE Blessed Virgin Mary visits St. Elizabeth, and St. John is sanctified in his mother's womb. This is the first communication of the spirit of the Word incarnate; and Jesus on this day begins to give grace and joy to souls. Open your heart to Jesus, and pray that you may partake of His grace. Leave not your prayers, till you have reason to hope that this happy effect is wrought in you. Mary no sooner spoke, but Elizabeth was filled with grace. Beg now of Mary to speak in your behalf. By her charity, she co-operates to the spiritual birth of St. John; and may not she now by the same charity co-operate to yours? Fear not to join with St. Elizabeth, and proclaim her blessed among women, and that blessed is the fruit of her womb. Profess the Incarnation of the Son of God, and that she is truly the Mother of our Lord.
Learn what your visits ought to be. As far as they are necessary to maintain charity, and keep up a good correspondence with your neighbours and friends, they are not to be censured. Nay, there may be so much trouble and mortification in making them, that if submitted to as necessary for the support of charity, they may be of great advantage to your soul. Visit then, as far as charity requires; and fail not to be punctual in visits, where you have any prospect of doing good, by bringing comfort, relief, or light. One word of a saint sometimes fills others with light and grace. Contribute what you can, in all your visits, to the good of others. Frequent opportunities are offered of defending the innocent, of doing right to justice and truth, and moderating something of that bitterness and prejudice, with which you see the minds of others unduly possessed. By such moderation, charity, and humility, your visits, like this of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may be sanctified, But if the true ground of your frequent visiting be to gratify any vain, idle, or unsettled humour; and if in your discourses you ever flatter company, by concurring with them in every subject that is brought up, you are in the way of contracting so manifold guilt, in the breach of all charity, that without any other crimes you are in danger of excluding from your soul the visits of the Divine Spirit, and of never being admitted into the company of the blessed. Pray for grace, for a prudent management of this affair; and that you may never forfeit your title to heaven, by indiscreet compliances with modes and humours. Be therefore on your guard, and beseech God to accompany you in all your visits. His protection is necessary in time of danger, and especially in the occasion of sin; and such, it is to be feared, are most of your visits." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
“I will praise the Name of God with a canticle, and I will magnify Him praise” Ps. Lxviii. 31 “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” St. Luke i. 46
1. My Soul doth magnify the Lord. In this Canticle (says St. Bonaventure) three things are to be observed; first, the affection of Her who praises; secondly, the reason of Her praise; thirdly, the enlargement of the Divine praise; for no praise is perfect unless it be accompanied by a due affection and reason, and performed in due method… The Blessed Virgin listened to the praise which St. Elizabeth bestowed on Her, and immediately referred all the praise to God. When Elizabeth told Her that her son rejoiced in her womb with joy at the voice of Her salutation, Mary replied that Her spirit rejoiced in God. “Thou magnifiest the Mother of thy Lord, by my soul doth magnify the Lord. Thy son exulteth at my voice, but my spirit rejoiceth in God my Savior.” Thus does St. Bernard explain Her words. Or (according to St. Athanasius) “the greater is the miracle of Divine goodness of which I am the instrument, the more am I constrained to glorify Him Who works wonders in me.” Now, let us enter into ourselves, and consider what the Priesthood is which God has conferred upon us. Is it not a great miracle of Divine omnipotence by reason of its divine dignity, and because of the means with which it furnishes us for exercising it aright? Do not we work miracles at the Altar, in the Confessional, in administering the other Sacraments? What, then, is the affection with which we “magnify the Lord,” and “rejoice in Him?” St. Basil says that, in Holy Scripture, by this term is signified the lively, joyful, affection of a soul which is rightly disposed! Oh that in each one of us had Mary’s spirit to rejoice in God! And yet how few are the Priests who thank God with sincere affection for their vocation! Might they not at least take pattern by the gratitude of Nebuchadnezzar, and say, “I praise and magnify and glorify the King of Heaven!” (Daniel 4, 34).
2. Because “He hath regarded the humility of His hand maid". Here (says St. Bonaventure) Mary adds the reason of Her praise. The Blessed Virgin shows forth the beneficence of grace, which had made Her amiable before God. And worthy of the praises of men; and She shows forth also the great and merciful miracle of His power which He had worked in Her (says the same St. Bonaventure). We, too, ought to acknowledge that stream of grace by which Almighty God has united us to Himself, and caused us to be called blessed by the Faithful; we, too ought to acknowledge that truly great and merciful miracle by which “ God hath chosen the weak and base things of the world to confound the strong” (1 Cor. 1. 27,28); and this should be our reason for praising God, Who hath “looked upon us for good, and hath lifted us up from our low estate” (Eccl. 11. 13). What merit had we that we should be preferred before so many millions of men? The whole reason of this act consists in the power of the doer (says St. Augustin). Who, among men, can ask of God why He should have preferred us before them? For He will do all that pleaseth Him, and His word is full of power; neither can any man say to Him, “Why dost thou so?” (Eccl. 8. 3,4) Let us speak continually the words of Azarias: “Blessed is the Holy Name of Thy glory” (Dan. 3. 52).
3. And His mercy is from generation unto generations. The third part of the Canticle enlarges the Divine praises, by celebrating God’s mercy, His power, His liberality, and the truth of His promises (as St. Bonaventure points out). Are not we Priests bound to praise the mercy of the Lord,, Who by His special providence has freed us from innumerable dangers of soul and body, in order to lead us to the Altar, and to make us what we are – so that each one of us might say with the Apostle, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace in me hath not been void… yet not I, but the grace of God with me?” (1 Cor. 15. 10) We also have experienced God’s power, Who “hath showed might in His arm;” “Who hath raised up the needy from the dust, and lifted up the poor from the dunghill; that he might sit with princes, and hold the throne of glory?” (I Kings 2. 6) Again, ought we not to praise God’s liberality in that He hath “poured forth upon us abundantly” the Holy Spirit (Tit. 3.6.), and thus “hath filled the hungry with good things, but the rich He hath sent empty away?” Lastly, the truth of the Divine promises was magnified by the Blessed Virgin in these words – “As He spoke, ect.;” and ought not we, too, to call to mind the innumerable promises, made by Almighty God in Holy Scripture, that He would “raise up among His people a faithful priest, who should do according to His heart” (1 Kings 2. 35), and give to His flocks “pastors according to His own heart: (Jer. 3. 15); “to fill the soul of the Priests with fatness” (31.14); and “to give glory, joy, and power to the Priests of the new covenant?” (Is. 56. 4) Therefore, let us bless the Lord, and in the daily recital of this magnificent Canticle, let us join ourselves in spirit with Mary in blessing Him, praying to Her to offer Him our benedictions in such wise as to obtain for us a blessing which shall enrich us with all “good things.” Source: Meditations for the use of the clergy : for every day in the year. On the Gospels for the Sundays, Volume 3 1872. (by Scotti, Angelo Antonio; Oblates of Saint Charles)
