Virgo Potens

LENT March 6th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Friday after the Second Sunday in Lent — Jesus Led Away Captive Read St. John xviii. 12, 13 Then the band and the tribune, and the servants of the Jews, took Jesus, and bound him: And they led him away to Annas first, for he was father in law to Caiphas, who was the high priest of that year. 1. The chief priests and Pharisees had brought with them a coil of rope with which they bound tightly the sacred hands of Jesus, and He was led away like a lamb going to theslaughter. This is the beginning of the apparent powerlessness of Jesus. He Who before bid defiance to His enemies, put them to the rout by word and work, now seems unable to resist them, feeble and helpless in their hands. Yet under this apparent weakness was hidden a divine force; nay, it was this very weakness which was the means of conquering the whole world. 2. The officers tied the hands of Jesus, so that He could no longer lay them upon the sick and the afflicted, to heal their diseases and their miseries. So we too tie the hands ofJesus by bands far more fatal, in hindering His power to heal the sickness of our soul. When we reject His graces and turn a deaf ear to His counsel, we render Him powerless to assist us; He cannot bestow upon us the blessings He delights to impart: our obstinacy has tied His hands so that He cannot help us as He would. 3. Often in our desire to work for others we find our hands tied. Something hinders our charitable designs; some hostile influence renders us apparently powerless. Our prayers seem to avail nothing; our kind acts are rejected; we seem to do the wrong thing when trying our best to do what is right. Yet we must not repine; we are only treading in our Master’s steps. The very suffering entailed in this is a sure means of earning the graces we desire ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

2 of 2 Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be Thou, O Most Merciful Heart, my justification before God Thy Father, and screen me from His anger which I have so justly merited. I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope all from Thine infinite Goodness. Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee. Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee. I beseech Thee, through Thine infinite Goodness, grant that my name be engraved upon Thy Heart, for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants. Amen. ~ St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

ACT of CONSECRATION to the SACRED HEART O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to Thee I consecrate and offer up my person and my life, my actions, trials, and sufferings, that my entire being may henceforth only be employed in loving, honoring and glorifying Thee. This is my irrevocable will, to belong entirely to Thee, and to do all for Thy love, renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease Thee. (continued)

March 6, 2026 FIRST FRIDAY of MARCH ❤️ ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ 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 St. Joseph ~ March 5th All the Martyrs were perfectly humble because they preferred to die suffering the most terrible torments rather than abandon truth and justice. How great their endurance and courage in resisting those who tried to force them to deny Jesus Christ! To contradict others is an effect of pride whenever we contradict them in order to follow our own unjust and mistaken will; but when our opposition to the creature proceeds from a determination to fulfill the will of the Creator it is dictated by humility; for by this we confess our indispensable obligation to be subject and obedient to the Divine will. It is for this reason that the proud man is always timid because his pride is only sustained by the weakness of human nature. And he who is humble is always brave in the exercise of his submission to the Divine Majesty because he receives his strength through grace. The humble obey men, when in so doing they also obey God; but they refuse obedience to men, when by obeying them they would disobey their God. Reflect upon that answer, as modest as it was magnanimous, given before the elders of Jerusalem by St. Peter and St. John: “If it be just in the sight of God to hear you rather than God, judge ye.” [Acts iv, 19] The humble man is above all human respect, and there is no danger that he will become a slave to the opinions, fashions or customs of the world; he knows his failings and that he is capable of every evil even though he does not commit it. If he sees others doing wrong he compassionates them, but is never scandalized or induced to follow the bad examples of others; because all his intentions are directed towards God, and he has no other desire than that of pleasing God and of being directed by God alone. “He clings to God alone;” hence, as the angelic St. Thomas says so well: “No matter how much he sees others acting inordinately in word or deed, he himself will not depart from his uprightness of conduct.” [22, qu. xxxiii, art. 5]” ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 5th 33. Humility is not a sickly virtue, timid and feeble as some imagine; on the contrary, it is strong, magnanimous, generous and constant, because it is founded on truth and justice. The truth consists in knowing what God is and what we are. Justice consists in our recognizing that God as our Creator has a right to command us, and that we as His creatures are bound to obey Him. (continued)

LENT March 5th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Thursday after the Second Sunday in Lent — The Apprehension of Jesus Read St.John xviii. 2-11 And Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place; because Jesus had often resorted thither together with his disciples. Judas therefore having received a band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said to them: Whom seek ye? They answered him: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith to them: I am he. And Judas also, who betrayed him, stood with them. As soon therefore as he had said to them: I am he; they went backward, and fell to the ground. Again therefore he asked them: Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way. That the word might be fulfilled which he said: Of them whom thou hast given me, I have not lost any one. Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And the name of the servant was Malchus. Jesus therefore said to Peter: Put up thy sword into the scabbard. The chalice which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? 1. When Judas had given to his Master the traitor's kiss, Our Lord, knowing that His hour was come, boldly advanced to meet His enemies, and told them that He was Jesus of Nazareth. At this word they went backward and fell to the ground. If this was the result of Our Lord's presenting Himself to them in His humiliation and abasement, what will be the terror and the dread of sinners when He comes again in all His glory? O my God, grant that I may have no sin upon my soul, no debt still to pay, when I appear before the judgment seat of Christ ! 2. The soldiers then advanced to seize Jesus. St. Peter, with impetuous courage and loyalty, draws his sword and attacks the servants of the high-priest, and in the affray cuts off the ear of one of them. But Our Lord checks him, and bids him put up his sword into the scabbard. His loyalty was natural, not supernatural, and it did not endure long in the face of danger. Natural motives, however good, will not serve the cause of God. 3. When Our Lord was in the hands of His enemies, all the apostles forsook Him and fled. Not one was found to remain by His side in His abandonment. It was the will of God that He should suffer alone. "I looked about, and there was none to help; I sought, and there was none to give aid." Christ then suffered alone, and He can sympathize with that loneliness in suffering which adds so much to its bitterness. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 4th Do you wish to have an idea of what that humility is which is a true virtue? The soul is truly humble when it recognizes that its true position in the order of nature or of grace is entirely dependent on the power, providence and mercy of God; so that finding in itself nothing but what is of God, it appropriates to itself only its own nothingness, and abiding in its nothingness it places itself on the level of all other creatures without raising itself in any way above them. It annihilates itself before God, not so as to remain in an otiose inactivity, but seeking rather to glorify Him continually, conforming with exact obedience to His laws and with perfect submission to His will.” “Humility has two eyes: with one we recognize our own misery so as not to attribute to ourselves anything but our nothingness; with the other we recognize our duty to work and to attribute everything to God, referring all things to Him: “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Thy name give glory.” [Ps. cxiii, 1] The truly humble man considers that whatever is good to his material or spiritual nature is like unto the streams that have come originally from the sea and must eventually return to the sea; and therefore he is always careful to render to God all that he has received from God, and neither prays nor loves nor desires anything except that in all things the name of God be sanctified: “Hallowed be Thy name.” [Matt. vi, 9] ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 4th 32. To confess our unworthiness and nothingness and to proclaim that all that is good in us comes from God is often the sterile exercise of a very contemptible humility, and may even be great pride, “magna superbia,” as St. Augustine observes, and St. Thomas teaches: “Humility, which is a virtue, is always fruitful in good works.” [22, qu. clxi, art. .5, ad 4] (continued)

LENT March 4th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Wednesday after the Second Sunday in Lent — The Betrayal of Jesus Read St. Matthew xxvi. 47-50 As he yet spoke, behold Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the ancients of the people. And he that betrayed him, gave them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, hold him fast. And forthwith coming to Jesus, he said: Hail, Rabbi. And he kissed him. And Jesus said to him: Friend, whereto art thou come? Then they came up, and laid hands on Jesus, and held him. 1. As soon as Jesus had for the third time roused the apostles from their slumber, the tramp of approaching soldiery is heard, and presently a band is seen escorted by the Pharisees and ancients, and headed by one who acts as their guide. Who is it who has pointed out Christ to His foes? Alas! it is none other than the traitor Judas; one of the chosen twelve who had lived for three years in familiar intercourse with Jesus, listened to His words of grace, seen His acts of love and mercy. If Judas fell so low, I too am in continual danger. How awful a thing it would be if I too were to turn traitor to Jesus ! 2. Our Lord does not shrink away from Judas as we do from those who we think have treated us ill. On the contrary, He advances to meet him with words of friendship, in spite of the deadly wrong He had received. How is it we are so unforgiving, so slow to make friendly advances, so ready to wrap ourselves up in our offended dignity? It is because we are so ungenerous, so petty, so mean, so unlike to Jesus. 3. Jesus still loved Judas, sought to win Judas, strove by words of gentle remonstrance to bring him to a sense of his wickedness before it was too late. "Friend, whereto art thou come?" He calls this miserable wretch His friend. Jesus meant what He said; for He is the friend of sinners, even the greatest. He then is my friend, so why should I fear? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 3rd There is an immense difference between the morality of human philosophy and that evangelical morality taught by Jesus Christ. Read the works of Seneca attentively–—he who was held to exceed all other philosophers in morality,–—and you will see how in those very maxims with which he teaches magnanimity and fortitude he also instills pride. Read the works of the most famous of the Stoics, and you will say with St. Jerome that “When they are studied with the greatest care and attention, there is to be found no satisfactory fullness of truth, no correspondence with the true principles of justice.” [Epist. 146, ad Damas.] All is vanity that only inspires vanity. It is only in the Gospel of Jesus Christ that are to be found the rules of that humility of heart which is true virtue, consisting in the knowledge of God’s greatness and of our own nothingness; and it is by attending to the study of this wise humility that we fulfill the Apostolic precept: “Not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety.” [Rom. xii, 3] Jesus Christ before teaching anything of His new law wished to teach humility, as St. John Chrysostom observes: “When He began to lay down His Divine laws, He started with humility.” [Hom. 39 in Matt.] For without humility it is impossible to comprehend this Heavenly doctrine, but with humility we are enabled to understand everything that is necessary or useful to our salvation. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 3rd 31. We read of various ancient philosophers who bore calumny, insults and contempt with perfect equanimity and without anger or perturbation, but they did not even know the name of humility. Their courageous fortitude was only an effect of refined pride, for as they considered themselves far above kings and emperors they cared little about insults, and maintained their equanimity by the contempt with which they looked down on those who insulted them. They overcame their feeling of resentment by a passion that was more dominating still, and that they were modest, peaceable and gentle was an effect of that pride which despotically ruled the feelings of their hearts. (continued)

LENT March 3rd, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Tuesday after the Second Sunday in Lent — The Sequel of the Sacred Agony Read St. Mark xiv. 41, 42 And he cometh the third time, and saith to them: Sleep ye now, and take your rest. It is enough: the hour is come: behold the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go. Behold, he that will betray me is at hand. 1. At length Our Lord's mental agony in the Garden was over; He had accepted the Chalice which His heavenly Father had given Him to drink. Now He is no longer sad and downcast, but He returns to His apostles full of vigor and courage. He encounters His Passion almost with eagerness. This is always the result of a perfect submission to the will of God and absolute confidence in Him. God will always give us the courage to meet every trial, and when the time comes He will impart strength and force and Iight-heartedness that make it easy to face the trial. 2. Yet this change had another cause. It was won by prayer; or, rather, Our Lord as our Divine Example imparted for our sakes to His human nature grace such as earnest prayer alone can obtain for men from God. This is the secret of all spiritual victories; all are won by persevering prayer. Prayer changes the poor, timid, frightened, shrinking soul to one brave and courageous and ready to do great things for God. Without prayer we are sure to fail. Am I earnest in prayer? 3. We observe, too, that it was not merely prayer, but repeated prayer—the same words over and over again, the same entreaty to be spared, joined to the same act of resignation. We sometimes say we cannot piay, but at least we can repeat over and over again some prayer for mercy and for help. Our repetitions will be not vain repetitions, but will bring certain relief from Him Who encourages us to importunity in prayer. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

NOVENA in HONOR of the PASSION of OUR LORD This Novena may be said as a devotion during Lent, on all Fridays of the year, for 30 days, or for 33 days. It begins today and will continue through Good Friday at Christus Regnat https://t.me/RexUniversi

LENT March 2nd, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Monday after the Second Sunday in Lent — The Consolations of the Sacred Agony Read St. Luke xxii. 40-46 And when he was come to the place, he said to them: Pray, lest ye enter into temptation. And he was withdrawn away from them a stone's cast; and kneeling down, he prayed, saying: Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: but yet not my will, but thine be done. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow. And he said to them: Why sleep you? arise, pray, lest you enter into temptation. 1. No words can tell, no human heart can conceive, the intensity of the sacred Agony of Jesus. It would have crushed Him out of His very life had He not by means of His Divinity supported His sacred humanity, and so enabled it to suffer more. See Him pale, haggard, scarce to be recognized in His abasement and His terror! See the sweat of blood pouring from His sacred limbs! Can this be the well-beloved Son of God? My God make me more contrite at the thought that I have taken part in bringing Thee to this. 2. But He was not without consolation in His Agony. An angel was sent to comfort Him, to present before His vision the innumerable company of the saints won by His precious Blood. He saw their joy and happiness to be won by His sacred Passion, by the labor of His soul, and seeing it He was satisfied to bear it all. O pure, unselfish joy ! O joy surpassing all other joys ! The joy of seeing others happy was the promised reward which supported Jesus in His Agony. 3. But He had a still greater and stronger support than this. He beheld the honor and glory that would accrue to His Eternal Father. He saw that all the glory God would reap from His works would be as nothing in comparison with this greatest work to be wrought by His Eternal Son, and seeing this He was satisfied, and more than satisfied. In the head of the Book it is written of Him: "Behold, I come to do Thy will, O my God. I am content to do it." Have I the glory of God at heart as the first and foremost motive of my actions? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

LENT March 2nd, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Monday after the Second Sunday in Lent — The Consolations of the Sacred Agony Read St. Luke xxii. 40-46 And when he was come to the place, he said to them: Pray, lest ye enter into temptation. And he was withdrawn away from them a stone's cast; and kneeling down, he prayed, saying: Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: but yet not my will, but thine be done. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow. And he said to them: Why sleep you? arise, pray, lest you enter into temptation. 1. No words can tell, no human heart can conceive, the intensity of the sacred Agony of Jesus. It would have crushed Him out of His very life had He not by means of His Divinity supported His sacred humanity, and so enabled it to suffer more. See Him pale,haggard, scarce to be recognized in His abasement and His terror! See the sweat of blood pouring from His sacred limbs! Can this be the well- beloved Son of God? MyGod make me more contrite at the thought that I have taken part in bringing Thee to this. 2.But He was not without consolation in His Agony. An angel was sent to comfort Him, to present before His vision the innumerable company of the saints won by His precious Blood. He saw their joy and happiness to be won by His sacred Passion, by the labor of His soul, and seeing it H e was satisfied to bear it all. O pure, unselfish joy ! O joy surpassing all other joys ! The joy of seeing others happy was the promised reward which supported Jesus in His Agony. 3. But He had a still greater and stronger support than this. He beheld the honor and glory that would accrue to His Eternal Father. He saw that all the glory God would reap from His works would be as nothing in comparison with this greatest work to be wrought by His Eternal Son, and seeing this He was satisfied, and more than satisfied. In the head of the Book it is written of Him: "Behold, I come to do Thy will, O my God. I am content to do it." Have I the glory of God at heart as the first and foremost motive of my actions? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 2nd Do not let us call these sins against humility scruples, but let us regard them as real sins, worthy of confession and of amendment. May God guard us from too easy a conscience in respect to that true humility which is commanded us in the Gospel. We should indeed be taking the broad way mentioned by the Holy Ghost, which though it seems the right and straight road nevertheless leads direct to perdition: “There is a way that seemeth to a man right, and the ends thereof lead to death.” [Prov. xvi, 25] There are people who think like the Pharisees that virtue and sanctity consist in prayers of great length, in the visiting of churches, and in some special abstinence, in retreats, in modesty of attire, in spiritual conferences or in some exercise of exterior piety; but in all this who thinks of humility? Who esteems it and studies to acquire it? What is all this then but a vain delusion? ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 2nd 30. At times we are over-scrupulous about works of supererogation, such for instance as having omitted on such a day to say a certain prayer or to perform some self-imposed mortification; these are scruples of omissions which in regard to our eternal salvation are of little or no importance; but we take but little heed of that humility which is to us most essential and necessary and without which no one can be saved. St. Paul warns us: “Do not become children in sense.” [1 Cor. xiv, 20] Do not be like children who cry and despair if an apple is taken away from them, but care little for losing a gem of great value. Let us place humility above all things. It is the hidden treasure buried in the field, to acquire which we ought to sell all we possess. [Matt. xiii, 44] It is the pearl of great price, to obtain which we should sell all we have. [Matt. xiii. 45] (continued)

2 of 2 The Second Sunday in Lent — The Help for the Saints in the Sacred Agony 1. Our blessed Lord was not satisfied with taking upon Himself the sins of the world; in His divine mercy and compassion He added to this a further sacrifice of Himself. He also took upon Himself all the sufferings of the just, and especially all that His saints and martyrs would have to suffer for Him. He endured beforehand the thousand forms of agony to which they would be subjected for His sake. Not only would He in His love and mercy redeem them, but "He bore their infirmities and carried their sorrows." What sufficient thanks can we show to Him for His unbounded goodness? 2. This it is which enabled the martyrs to despise their torments, and made the apostles rejoice to suffer shame for His sake. This it is which makes tolerable anguish which otherwise would be intolerable; for if it be borne patiently for love of Christ, He has already in Himself, if not exhausted its bitterness, at least taken the main part of it on Himself. Every pang, every struggle, every throb of agony which should fall to the lot of His servants till the end of the world, He made His own for their relief. 3. For this reason we are taught to unite our sufferings with those of Our Lord; for what else does this mean except that He desires to share them with us? In point of fact, the more we do, the more we bear our troubles with a supernatural motive, the lighter they will become, or rather the greater will be our power and willingness to bear them. I will be more resigned, more patient, for Christ's sake; to Him I will offer all my sufferings and unite them to His. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)