Virgo Potens

THE RESURRECTION and ASCENSION of JESUS CHRIST May 1st, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ 27.— St. Peter Hastens to Jesus Read St. John xxi. 7 That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved, said to Peter: It is the Lord. Simon Peter, when he heard that it was the Lord, girt his coat about him, (for he was naked,) and cast himself into the sea. (continued)

May 1st, 2026 FIRST FRIDAY of MAY ❤️ O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee! If possible, receive Holy Communion today and make reparation to Our Lord and Saviour for past and present offenses against His Most Sacred Heart.

MAY MAY, among her violets airy, Sings exultant hymns of praise: “All my nights and all my days, Are thy very own, dear Mary!” ~ E. C. DONNELLY ~ Short Lives of the Saints (1884)

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯ 2026 May ~ Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary ✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Eucharist ~ April 30th And it is this pride that so greatly augments the grievousness of sin; and how great our sin must be when, knowing in our minds that God deserves to be obeyed by us, we oppose our will to the will of God, whom we know to be worthy of all obedience. What wickedness there is in saying to God, “I will not serve,” [Jer. ii, 20] when we know that all things serve Him.” [Ps. cxviii, 91] To give an example of this, let us imagine a person endowed with the noblest qualities possible, such as health, beauty, riches and nobility, and with every natural gift and grace of body and soul. Now, little by little, let us take away from that person all those gifts which come from God. Health and beauty are gifts from God; riches and rank, learning and knowledge, and every other virtue are all from God; body and soul belong to God. And this being so, what remains to this person of his own? Nothing; because all that is more than nothing belongs to God. But when this person says of himself: “I have riches, I have health, and I have knowledge,” etc., what is meant by this “I”? Nothingness; and yet this “I,” this nothingness, that derives all it possesses from God, dares to disregard this same God by disobeying His sovereign commandments, saying to Him, if not in words most certainly in deeds, which is far worse, “I will not serve”; no, I will not obey. Ah, pride, pride! But, O my soul, “Why doth thy spirit swell against God ?” [Tob. xv, 13] Am I not right in preaching and recommending this humility to thee? Each time thou sinnest thou art like the proud, Pharao, who, when he was told to obey the commandments of God, said: “Who is this God? I know Him not.” [Exod. v, 2] ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Non serviam ~ I will not serve Month of the Holy Eucharist ~ April 30th 86. The malice of pride lies in reality in the practical contempt which we show for God’s will by disobeying it. Thus it is, says St. Augustine, there is pride in every sin committed, “by which we despise the commandments of God.” [Lib. de. Salut. docum. c. xix] And St. Bernard explains it in this way that God commands us to do His will: “God wishes His will to be done”; and the sinner in his pride prefers his own will to the will of God: “And the proud man wishes his own will to be done.” (continued)

2 of 2 26.— The Appearance of Jesus at the Lake 1. As the day began to dawn, the apostles looked up and espied a figure standing upon the shore of the lake, in which they were wearily dragging their nets. Who could this stranger be? He accosts them, and asks whether they have any fish in their boat; and they sadly answer: No! In spite of all our toil we find no results. How often we seem, in our prayers,our work for God and for the souls of others, to obtain no results! All the time seems wasted; nothing to show for it, nothing but fruitless labor and constant failures. 2. The stranger calls again to them: "Cast your nets on the right side of the ship, and you shall find." The apostles, with the instinct of obedience, at once follow His directions, and their obedience brings, as its result, a plentiful haul of fish. It is always better to take the advice of another than to follow our own devices; the very fact of submission brings a blessing with it. He who follows the counsel of another, especially if his adviser has any position of authority, shows true prudence, and earns the blessing of God upon his work. 3. This unexpected and marvellous success at once suggests to St. John that the stranger can be none other than Jesus. St. John was pure in heart. He did all with a pure intention; and His Master was ever present to his thoughts. This was the reason why he recognized Him so quickly. It is a great mark of love for Jesus if every piece of good fortune reveals Him to us; if we see Him in all, and recognize Him as the author of all the success to which we attain. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

THE RESURRECTION and ASCENSION of JESUS CHRIST April 30th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ 26.— The Appearance of Jesus at the Lake Read St. John xxi. 4-6. But when the morning was come, Jesus stood on the shore: yet the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus therefore said to them: Children, have you any meat? They answered him: No. He saith to them: Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find. They cast therefore; and now they were not able to draw it, for the multitude of fishes. (continued)

May 1st, 2026 FIRST FRIDAY of MAY ❤️ O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee! If possible, receive Holy Communion today and make reparation to Our Lord and Saviour for past and present offenses against His Most Sacred Heart.

May 1st, 2026 FIRST FRIDAY of MAY ❤️ O Sacred Heart of Jesus, animated with a desire to repair the outrages unceasingly offered to Thee, we prostrate before Thy throne of mercy, and in the name of all mankind, pledge our love and fidelity to Thee! If possible, receive Holy Communion today and make reparation to Our Lord and Saviour for past and present offenses against His Most Sacred Heart.

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Eucharist ~ April 29th Profound humility should exist in every state of life, but exterior acts of humility are not expedient to all. For this reason Holy Writ says: “Beware that thou be not deceived into folly and be humbled.” [Ecclus xiii, 10] We can learn of the pious Esther how to practice humility of heart in the midst of pomp and honours: “Thou knowest my necessity,” she cried to God, “that I abominate the sign of my pride.” [Esther xiv, 16] I attire myself in this rich apparel and with these jewels because my position demands it; but Thou, Lord, seest my heart that through Thy grace I am not attached to these things nor to this apparel, and that I only wear them of necessity. Here indeed is a great example of that true inward humility which can be practiced and felt amid external grandeur. But now we come to the point. This humility of heart must really exist before God, whose eyes behold the most hidden motions of the heart; and if it does not exist what excuse can we allege before the tribunal of God to justify ourselves for not having had it? and the more easily we could have acquired it now, the more inexcusable will it be for us on that day. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Holy Eucharist ~ April 29th 85. Humility of heart, St. Thomas teaches, has no limit, because before God we can always abase ourselves more and more even unto utter nothingness, and we can do the same to our fellow men, but in the exercise of these exterior acts of humility it is necessary to be directed with discretion so as not to fall into an extravagance that might seem excessive. “Humility,” says St. Thomas, “lies chiefly in the soul, and therefore a man may submit himself to another as regards his interior acts, and this is what St. Augustine means when he says: “Before God a prelate is placed under your feet but in exterior acts of humility it is necessary to observe due restraint.” [2a 2æ, qu. clxi, art. 3 ad 3] (continued)

2 of 2 25.— The Fishing of the Apostles 1. After the second appearance to the apostles, Our Lord did not for some time again manifest Himself to them. During this interval they did not remain idle. Under Peter's guidance, they go up to the Lake of Tiberias, and once more fetch out their nets and set out to fish in the lake. After all their gifts and privileges, the supernatural powers intrusted to them, the places of dignity assigned them in the Church, they did not regard it as beneath them to undertake once more their humble craft. This is a great sign of grace— when high dignity does not lead a man to think great things of himself, but rather to love a humble occupation. 2. St. Peter naturally takes the lead. His fall has left no trace of discouragement: he does not allow it to palsy his actions; there is no morbid deprecation and reproach of self, now he has learnt not to think about self, but about what Christ would wish him to do. The other apostles, too, follow him with simple and docile readiness. His denial ofChrist has left no trace upon their minds. This is what pleases God—that the sinner, when once he has made a good act of contrition, should behave as if he had never fallen. When he does this,God takes away from the minds of others the remembrance of his fall. 3. All night long the apostles take nothing. Long ago Our Lord had promised them that henceforth they should be fishers of men; and their long disappointment in their craft seemed to foreshadow that they must expect many such disappointments in seeking to bring into the net of Christ the souls of men. We, too, must expect often to fail; we must not give up when we seem to labor in vain. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

THE RESURRECTION and ASCENSION of JESUS CHRIST April 29th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ 25.— The Fishing of the Apostles Read St. John xxi. 1-4. After this, Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. And he shewed himself after this manner. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas, who is called Didymus, and Nathanael, who was of Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter saith to them: I go a fishing. They say to him: We also come with thee. And they went forth, and entered into the ship: and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was come, Jesus stood on the shore: yet the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Eucharist ~ April 28th Whoever desires to make a good confession should not only confess his sin, but also the reason and occasion of the sin; saying for example: “I accuse myself of having taken pleasure in impure thoughts, caused by my want of custody of the eyes, too great freedom of speech, and frivolous behaviour.” And in the same way we must confess our sins of pride, saying: “I accuse myself of having been angry and annoyed with those around me, and the sole reason of my anger and annoyance was my pride. I accuse myself of having envied and even of having taken what belonged to others, only to satisfy my pride and vanity. I have also spoken with contempt of my neighbour and this again because of my pride, that can bear no one to be thought superior to myself.” Continue to examine all your faults in the same way, and you will find the truth of the inspired words: “The spirit is lifted up before a fall”; [Prov. xvi, 18] and “Before destruction the heart of man is exalted.” [Ibid. xviii, 12] To subdue our pride it is well to mortify and shame it by these accusations which are also acts of virtuous humility, but it is most necessary too to insist upon our own amendment for “What doth his humbling himself profit him that doth the same again?” [Ecclus xxxiv, 31]” It is not enough to confess our sins, Holy Writ says, but it is necessary also to amend them so as to obtain God’s mercy: “He that shall confess his sins and forsake them shall obtain mercy.” [Prov. xxviii, 13] ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Holy Eucharist ~ April 28th 84. There are certain sins we seldom or never mention in our confessions, either because our conscience is too easy and elastic or perhaps because we do not really desire to amend. Pride is one of these sins; there are but few who accuse themselves of it; but those who really wish to amend their lives should make it a special subject of their examen and confession, so as to learn to hate it and repent of it; and to make firm resolutions of amendment in the future. (continued)

2 of 2 24.— St. Thomas's Profession of Faith 1. When St. Thomas heard the voice of Jesus and saw Him with his eyes he needed no further confirmation of his faith. Humbly he falls upon his knees and acknowledges the Divine Visitor to be indeed his Lord and his God! What a grace the presence of Jesus brings with it. All the obstinacy and incredulity of St. Thomas vanishes at once under that holy influence. So, too, in holy Communion Jesus often gives the same grace. Difficulties and obstacles to our advance in virtue fade away, and, what is more, our own scepticism and hardness melt under His sacred presence. 2. "My Lord and my God!" In these words there is a very clear testimony to the Divinity of Jesus Christ. It is an expression we should often repeat to Him. Before the Blessed Sacrament we should cry again and again, "My Lord and my God!" If doubts against faith trouble us, we should repeat these words with all the energy we can command. Above all, when we receive holy Communion we should cry out to our Divine Guest, "My God and my Lord!" 3. Our Lord's answer to St. Thomas's act of faith was to remind him that there was a far higher faith than his. St. Thomas's faith was of that lower kind that will only believe when the senses bear witness to some invisible power of God working in the visible world; but the higher and nobler faith believes in the testimony of God, and despises the evidence of sense. Pray that you may have a lively faith in things you see not, and that you may not be slow to believe. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

THE RESURRECTION and ASCENSION of JESUS CHRIST April 28th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ 24.— St. Thomas's Profession of Faith Read St. John xx. 28-30 Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed. Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight of his disciples, which are not written in this book. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Eucharist ~ April 27th We do not wonder when we see the fig-tree bearing its figs year after year, and the apple-tree its apples. No; because each tree bears its own fruit. In the same way pride is rooted like a tree in our hearts; and our sins of anger, envy, hatred, malice and uncharitableness and rash judgments of others which we confess over and over again are the fruit of pride; but as we never strike at the root of this pride these same sins, like clipped branches, ever sprout out anew. Let us endeavour to eradicate pride thoroughly, following the advice of St. Bernard: “Put the axe to the root” [Serm. 2 de Assum.] and then we shall have great joy and consolation in our own conscience. We must regard pride as the king of all vices and follow the wise advice given by the king of Syria to his captains: “You shall not fight against any, small or great, but against the king only.” [3 Kings, xxiii, 31] Judith too, by killing the proud Holofernes, conquered the whole Assyrian army. And David triumphed over all the Philistines by slaying the proud Goliath; and in like manner we shall also triumph, because by conquering pride we shall have subdued all other vices. King David erred in one thing, for knowing Absalom to be the chief of the rebels he yet commanded that he should neither be killed nor hurt: “Save me the boy Absalom.” [2 Kings, xvii, 15] Alas, how many imitators he has found! We know full well that pride is the chief rebel among all our passions, but notwithstanding it is the one which we seem to respect the most, and which we almost fear to offend displaying even a tendency to encourage it. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Holy Eucharist ~ April 27th 83. Pride is the root of all our vices, so that, when once we have uprooted it, those vices will little by little disappear also. This is the true reason of our having to accuse ourselves of the same sins over and over again in our confessions, because we never confess that pride which is the root of them all. (continued)