Virgo Potens

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 26th Do you delight and glory in your knowledge, your power, your riches, or in some other gift natural or moral? Remember the word God spoke by the Prophet Jeremiah: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, and let not the strong man glory in his strength, and let not the rich man glory in his riches.” [Jer. i, 23] And again by St. Paul: “We ought not to please ourselves.” [Rom. xv, 1] This delight and glory insinuates itself insensibly, but he who is humble notices it quickly and repels it as being nothing but vanity and only puffing up and filling the heart with pride. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 26th 129. Do you forget your own nothingness? Have you any self-esteem? If such be the case you are a seducer, a deceiver of your own self, because, as St. Paul says: Whoever believes himself to be something “deceiveth himself.” [Gal. vi, 3] (continued)

ALL FOR THEE Hymn All for Thee, O Heart of Jesus, All for Thee eternally, Naught for me, O Heart of Jesus, Save to be beloved by Thee. CHORUS. All for Thee, O Heart of Jesus All for Thee in life and death, All for Thee, dear Heart of Jesus, Till my latest dying breath, All for Thee, all for Thee. Not an object in this wide world Can true joy to me impart, Not an interest can allure me Save the glory of Thy Heart.—Chorus All for Thee, O Heart of Jesus, All the daily inward strife, All the soul's sharp crucifixion. All the weariness of life.—Chorus Thou hast taught me, O my Saviour, Where alone the heart finds rest, I have learned 'tis sweet to suffer, Pillowed on Thy Sacred Breast.—Chorus ~ Catholic School and Sodality Hymnal (1900)

Sweet Heart of Jesus Hymn 1 Sweet Heart of Jesus! my God, my Friend, In life and in death my soul defend; In joy and sorrow, in good and ill, Sweet Heart of Jesus, protect me still. 2 My joy, Thy glory; my hope, Thy Name, Sweet Heart of Jesus, my heart inflame; Grant I may never dessert Thy side; Sweet Heart of Jesus, be Thou my guide. 3 Let not Thy precious blood be in vain; Sweet Heart of Jesus, my will sustain; When I am tempted and sorely tried, Make me remember Thee crucified. 4 Help me to lead poor sinners to Thee; Fill me with zeal and charity; Teach me the holy and saving art Of teaching others to love Thy heart. ~ English and Latin Hymns (1884)

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart after the Resurrection 2. The chief point which Our Lord seems desirous to secure in His friends is that they should be at peace: at peace in themselves, and at peace with all around them. He knew that without peace no one can ever make progress, no society can prosper. This is why the peace-makers are so dear to His Sacred Heart, and why He gives them the title of being pre-eminently the children of God. Have I peace in my soul? and do I foster and promote peace around me? 3. Our Lord also seems to be grieved at any doubt or incredulity among His followers respecting the Resurrection. He cannot bear the sceptical spirit, He loves the spirit of simple faith. When we hear of some miracle in the physical or moral order, we ought to desire to believe it and to lean to the side of acceptance. The wish to believe will not make us foolishly credulous; it will rather quicken our instinctive per ception of truth. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Sacred Heart after the Resurrection 1. When Our Blessed Lord rose again from the dead, His apostles were at first struck with mingled fear and joy. He in His turn seeks to reassure them, condescends to eat with them, to let them touch Him, encourages in them a loving familiarity. Jesus in the love of His Sacred Heart does not like men to be afraid of Him—on the contrary, we cannot have too implicit a confidence in Him; we cannot go too far in reverent affection for His Sacred Heart. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 25th When you have dreams of dignity and honour, and you imagine yourself in the midst of grandeur and chimerical honours, how do you behave in these proud and vain imaginings? Do you rejoice and delight in them, desiring to dwell in them more and more? If we love humility we must treat these dreams of worldly ambition and pride with disdain and hatred, just as those who love chastity treat impure thoughts. We ought to pray thus with King David: “Let not the foot of pride come unto me,” because pride first enters into the soul through the thoughts of the mind, and he who accustoms himself to delight in these thoughts has already formed the bad habit of pride in his heart. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

“Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self; the heavenly by the love of God.” ~ Saint Augustine Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 25th Examen on Humility Towards Oneself RICHARD of St. Victor [lib. 2, cap. xxiii, De Epul. inter Hom.] defines humility as the interior contempt of oneself. Examine a little whether you have this feeling towards yourself. (continued)

Sweet Heart of Jesus Hymn 1 Sweet Heart of Jesus! my God, my Friend, In life and in death my soul defend; In joy and sorrow, in good and ill, Sweet Heart of Jesus, protect me still. 2 My joy, Thy glory; my hope, Thy Name, Sweet Heart of Jesus, my heart inflame; Grant I may never dessert Thy side; Sweet Heart of Jesus, be Thou my guide. 3 Let not Thy precious blood be in vain; Sweet Heart of Jesus, my will sustain; When I am tempted and sorely tried, Make me remember Thee crucified. 4 Help me to lead poor sinners to Thee; Fill me with zeal and charity; Teach me the holy and saving art Of teaching others to love Thy heart. ~ English and Latin Hymns (1884)

2 of 2 The Confidences of the Sacred Heart 2. At length Our Lord found one heart to which He could confide the story of His disappointments, and tell the tale of His sufferings. The Blessed Margaret Mary was an unknown, obscure, a poor, feeble woman. But she was so dear to His Heart that He determined to tell her of His griefs, and entrust to her the task of obtaining for Him some comfort and relief in His sorrows. How great a privilege was hers! Would that I had something of her love! 3. Moved by the devoted love of this poor, unknown religious, Our Lord appeared to her, revealed to her the treasures of His Sacred Heart, and complained to her of the cruel treatment He had received from men. Has He not good reason to complain of the way I have treated Him, and am I not one of those who have caused Him so much grief and sorrow? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Confidences of the Sacred Heart 1. Our Lord for nearly seventeen hundred years endured in silence all the ingratitude of men. Some faithful hearts had been devoted to Him, but from the generality He had received neglect, coldness, indifference, sometimes outrage, insult, sacrilege. He had witnessed the revolt of thousands and tens of thousands from the Church's yoke. Satan had usurped His place in their hearts, and they had heaped every sort of indignity on His servants, on His Church, on Himself in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. They had denied His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament; they had cast off His yoke and persecuted His servants. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 24th The humble man does not seek to appear humble by affectation of manner; on the contrary, if he knows that others believe him to be humble, he feels a painful confusion. His nature is to be sincere, simple and straightforward. He is of lowly bearing, and lowly too has he kept his human caprices and his pride. He is not hard and haughty, but gentle, reverent and obedient. And you?” Ah, try and realize how backward you are in the school of Jesus Christ! He came to teach you one single lesson, that of humility: “Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” And how have you profited by this lesson hitherto? You will reply that many of these practices seem very difficult to you; but say to yourself: “The impure find it difficult to live in chastity, the avaricious find it difficult to give alms, and in the same way the proud man finds it difficult to practice humility.” It is not that humility be difficult of itself, but it is your pride that makes it difficult, and we may say with Eusebius: “You make the yoke of the Lord heavy for yourselves.” [Hom. de Machab.] ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 24th [127. continued] The humble man respects and reverences those above him, and he is kind and courteous to the poorest of the poor; and in this he only follows the teaching of the Preacher: “Make thyself affable to the congregation of the poor, and humble thy soul to the ancient.” [Ecclus. iv, 7] Is this the way in which you generally behave? (continued)

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart on Calvary 2. "Father, forgive them." This prayer was not offered for those alone who were present on Calvary, but for all sinners. Instead of showing indignation at their sins, He only feels pity for them, knowing as He does the terror of the anger of God. What a lesson for us! When we are offended our prayer too often is: Father, punish them as they deserve. What a contrast to the prayer of the Sacred Heart! 3. But He not only prays for them, but urges an argument in their behalf: "They know not what they do." If they know what it is to offend God, they would not, could not sin. How ingenious is the Sacred Heart in finding an excuse for His murderers; for all who sin deliberately. Do I make excuses for those who treat me badly? Do I not too often imagine and invent a motive of malice which does not really exist? What a contrast between Jesus and myself. What need I have to pray: Jesus meek and humble of Heart, make my heart like unto Thy Heart. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Sacred Heart on Calvary 1. When a man is suffering intensely, an impulse must be very strong which turns him from his sufferings. Let us listen to the words that Our Lord kept repeating as His executioners nailed Him to the Cross, and as He hung there amid the insults and derision of the scribes and Pharisees. "Father, forgive them." This is the prevailing impulse of the Sacred Heart— to obtain forgiveness for those who ill treated and crucified Him! (continued)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 23rd 127. If the humble man becomes aware that he has offended or injured his neighbour, he immediately humbles himself, apologizes and asks to be forgiven, manifesting sorrow for the offense he has given. The humble man always fears to be dictatorial when carried away by his zeal, and therefore proceeds with much circumspection, exercising his zeal more on himself than on others. He gives his opinion modestly, and submits it to that of others without obstinacy. But you? (continued) ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Mother of Mercy, pray for us. THE NOVENA of THREE HAIL MARY’s In Preparation for the Feast of the Visitation of Our Blessed Lady, July 2nd This Novena honors three special gifts given to Our Lady by God: her power, her wisdom, and her mercy. The traditional practice of praying three Hail Mary’s each day in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, requesting her assistance throughout the course of one’s daily life, is centuries old, and has been recommended by St. Anthony of Padua, St. Mechtilde (Matilda) and St. Alphonus Liguori.  It originated about the same time as the most Holy Rosary in the form in which we have it today. Begins today at Christus Regnat ~ https://t.me/RexUniversi

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart at Gethsemane 2. Why was Our Lord at this time so shorn of His strength and courage? Because then He took upon Himself in detail the sins of the world. His Sacred Heart suffered for them the same blackness of desolation and distress as if they were His own. He voluntarily deprived Himself of every source of comfort, and allowed Himself to feel the effects of sin as none could feel them save one who saw the nature of sin as God sees it. 3. One of the lessons to be learned from the awful scene of Christ's Agony is the effect of sin wnen given its full scope, and its power to destroy the beauty and the strength even of God made Man. If it could work such havoc in the Son of God, what must it do in us? If they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Sacred Heart at Gethsemane 1. During Our Lord's Sacred Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His mental desolation and distress seem to have been more intense, more crushing, than at any subsequent part of His Sacred Passion, saving only when on the Cross He cried: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" During the rest of the Passion He seemed almost to rejoice, but in the Garden He was beaten down, full of terror and sadness, scarce able to endure, pale and haggard and ghastly under the agony of soul that overwhelmed Him. In your desolation think of the utter desolation of the Sacred Heart, and claim its sympathy for you. (continued)

Sayings of the Saints “Dost thou wish God to draw near to thee? Humble thyself, for the more thou raisest thyself, the more will He be above thee.” [Enarr. in Ps. cxli] ~ St. Augustine of Hippo St. Augustine, pray for us.