Virgo Potens

ABOUT THE GOLDEN ARROW PRAYER Jesus is God! Alas! they say On earth the numbers grow, Who His Divinity blaspheme To their unfailing woe. ~ Fr. F. W. Faber In 1843, the “GOLDEN ARROW” PRAYER was dictated by Our Lord Himself to Sister Mary of St. Peter, a Carmelite nun, in Tours, France. Just as sins of blasphemy were like a ‘poisoned arrow’ continually wounding God’s Heart, Our Lord said “This Golden Arrow will wound My Heart delightfully, and heal the wounds inflicted by blasphemy.” Then, in 1844, Sister Mary of St. Peter was given a vision in which she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus delightfully wounded by the “Golden Arrow” Prayer, as torrents of graces streamed forth from His Heart for the conversion of sinners. Our Lord revealed to her the inseparable connection between honouring the unutterable name of God through the “Golden Arrow” Prayer and venerating the Holy Face of Jesus.

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 14th Fourteenth Day (continued from above) From his earliest years, St. Thomas Aquinas abhorred praise. He was never heard to speak one word that showed he sought the esteem of creatures. He acknowl­edged one day to a religious that, with God’s grace, he had never been tempted to pride. St. Vincent de Paul had taken the resolution that never without necessity would he speak of anything that might attract esteem. Travelling one day with three priests, he related to them some interesting events that had happened to him; but in the middle of the narrative, when they were most entertained, he was seen to strike his breast and heard to say that he was a miserable sinner, full of pride and always speaking of himself. The priests having reached their destination, he threw himself on his knees before them, and begged pardon for the bad example he had given them. Prayer O humble Jesus, my adorable Master, give me indiffer­ence for the esteem of men, a horror of their praise, love for humiliations and contempt. Grant that I may love to be unknown, forgotten, covered with disgrace for Thy sake. Never permit me to speak to my advantage, nor be governed by vanity, nor listen to self-love. Give me true humility, a profound humility of heart. ~ Abbé Lasausse, Short Meditations For Every Day (1889)

1 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 14th Vain complacency, and the desire that others would speak of us and praise us, is an evil which makes us forget God and spoils our holiest actions. There is no vice more pernicious to those who would make any progress in the spiritual life.—St. Vincent de Paul (continued below)

BLESSED FEAST of the HOLY FACE of OUR LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST Shrove Tuesday

Monthly Renewal of Consecration to Mary To be said on the 13th of every month in honor of Our Lady of Fatima I, (say your name), a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands, O Immaculate Mother, the vows of my baptism; I renounce Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before. In the presence of all the Heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity. Amen.

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 13th Thirteenth Day (continued from above) St. Teresa, meditating on the singular favors she re­ceived from God, made it an occasion to humble herself profoundly. “They are the supports which prove my weakness,” said she. “A house that is not solid has all the more need of stays to support it.” There was no virtue that was not to be found in St. Vincent de Paul, although he studied to hide them all. According to himself, he was so poor in spiritual gifts that he deserved the title of miserable, which was the name he chose. Prayer My God, I desire but the title of miserable and of sinner, since there is nothing in me but sin and misery. Alas ! in which of my works canst Thou discover anything but faults ? I am lost if Thou dost not treat me according to Thy mercy. ~ Abbé Lasausse, Short Meditations For Every Day (1889)

1 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 13th Thirteenth Day To be great before God, by the practice of virtue, and little and vile in our own eyes—this is the humility so agreeable to God, and so rare among men.—St. Bernard (continued below)

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 12th Twelfth Day (continued from above) A monk said to his abbot that he never lost sight of God. The abbot, who was a saint, replied: “That is a very small thing ; it would be a much greater thing if you always placed yourself beneath every one.” It is said of St. Teresa that her thoughts were always occupied in regarding her own faults and in admiring the virtues of others. When she would hear of others doing a good work, she would exclaim: “How happy for them! All are endeavoring to serve God but me.” Prayer My God, grant that I may never lose sight of my lowli­ness, my weakness, my inconstancy, the abuse I make of Thy graces, and of my iniquities. Let this thought fill me with confusion, and bring me often to Thee for mercy. ~ Abbé Lasausse, Short Meditations For Every Day (1889)

SWEETNESS AND HUMILITY Learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart. (St. Matthew XI, 29) 1 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 12th Twelfth Day Do not think you have made any progress in perfection until you regard yourself as the last of all, and desire that all others should be preferred to you, because it belongs to those who are great in the eyes of God to be little in their own.—St. Teresa (continued below)

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 12th Twelfth Day (continued from above) A monk said to his abbot that he never lost sight of God. The abbot, who was a saint, replied: “That is a very small thing ; it would be a much greater thing if you always placed yourself beneath every one.” It is said of St. Teresa that her thoughts were always occupied in regarding her own faults and in admiring the virtues of others. When she would hear of others doing a good work, she would exclaim: “How happy for them! All are endeavoring to serve God but me.” Prayer My God, grant that I may never lose sight of my lowli­ness, my weakness, my inconstancy, the abuse I make of Thy graces, and of my iniquities. Let this thought fill me with confusion, and bring me often to Thee for mercy. ~ Abbé Lasausse, Short Meditations For Every Day (1889)

2 of 2 February 11th ~ FEAST of OUR LADY of LOURDES (continued from above) The Holy Virgin revealed five prophetic secrets to St. Bernadette, which were handwritten and entrusted to the Vatican. These were not disclosed until a century later, having been miraculously found in the Vatican Library in an unlabeled box by a priest researching Lourdes. Xavier Reyes-Ayral in his book Revelations (2022), states that the first four secrets (including Lourdes as a center of healing, the harnessing of electricity, the rise of Hitler and man’s flying in outer space and walking on the moon) have been fulfilled. The time of the fifth secret is the 21st century. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. St. Bernadette Soubirous, pray for us.

1 of 2 February 11th ~ FEAST of OUR LADY of LOURDES Between February 11, 1858 and July 16th, 1858 the Most Holy Virgin Mary appeared a total of 18 times to a poor, illiterate, fourteen-year-old peasant girl by the name of Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France. The ‘Lady’ identified herself as the ‘Immaculate Conception’, confirming the doctrine infallibly defined, ex cathedra, by Pope Pius lX in 1854 (the Papal Bull Ineffabilis Deus) and a miraculous spring at the location of the apparitions has cured untold numbers of men, women and children. The apparition itself received formal papproval by Pope Pius lX on February 1, 1876. St. Bernadette died at the age of 35, a pious and holy nun, and her body remains incorrupt to this day. (continued)

2 of 2 February 11th ~ FEAST of OUR LADY of LOURDES (continued from above) The Holy Virgin revealed five prophetic secrets to St. Bernadette, which were handwritten and entrusted to the Vatican. These were not disclosed until a century later, having been miraculously found in the Vatican Library in an unlabeled box by a priest researching Lourdes. Xavier Reyes-Ayral in his book Revelations (2022), states that the first four secrets (including Lourdes as a center of healing, the harnessing of electricity, the rise of Hitler and man’s flying in outer space and walking on the moon) have been fulfilled. The time of the fifth secret is the 21st century. Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. St. Bernadette Soubirous, pray for us.

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 11th Eleventh Day (continued from above) St. Paula, according to St. Jerome, was so filled with the thought of her own nothingness, on account of her great humility, that one who was not acquainted with her, and wished to see her on account of the great reputation for sanctity she had acquired, would never suspect it was she from the lowliness of her aspect. Surrounded by a number of pious virgins, there was nothing in her exterior, in her language or manners to distinguish her from them. One would think she was the last among those to whom she was a mother and a model. “ I am not worthy to be looked upon, to be borne with; I am not worthy to live, since I have sinned; I am worthy only to be despised and abused; I am worthy only of hell,” said a great servant of God. Prayer Teach me, O my God, to be little in my own eyes, to be the least of all. Deign to make known to me my ingratitude to Thee, and that I may never lose sight of it, but be always deeply penetrated with the sense of it. ~ Abbé Lasausse, Short Meditations For Every Day (1889)

1 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 11th Eleventh Day Our Saviour has said that it is necessary for him who would become greater than others to make himself the least. This is a truth all Christians believe. How is it so few conform their lives to it ?—St. Vincent de Paul.

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 10th Tenth Day (continued from above) There was no one St. Vincent de Paul did not esteem. In his eyes every one was better than himself, more pru­dent, more perfect, better fitted to perform any duty. From this, he had no difficulty in preferring the opinions of others to his own. This thought that all others were better than himself it was that made him constantly place himself at the feet of all. Imagine that you hear Jesus Christ address you in these words: “If you wish for a great love of God, keep yourself interiorly at the feet of all creatures. Believe that this is your place.” Prayer I have good reason, O my God, to prefer myself to no one. There is no one more guilty than I, more unworthy of Thy mercies. Have pity on a miserable worm of the earth, who has the audacity to rebel against Thee and make use of Thy gifts to offend Thee. ~ Abbé Lasausse, Short Meditations For Every Day (1889)

1 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 10th Tenth Day We should always consider others as our superiors, and even submit ourselves to those who are our inferiors, by showing a wish to serve them. May God well establish us in this excellent practice ! —St. Vincent de Paul (continued below)

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 9th Ninth Day (continued from above) St. Vincent de Paul said of himself that he was an old sinner, unworthy to live, and was much in need of the mercy of God on account of the enormity of his sins. Prostrating himself one day before the priests of his con­gregation, they were astonished to hear him thus address them: “If you knew my miseries, you would drive me from the congregation of which I have charge, which I dis­honor, and to which I do harm.” He often spoke of the lowliness of his birth. One day a nephew called to see him, who was dressed in the costume of a poor peasant. The Saint afterwards accused himself to his priests of the mortification he felt in presenting his relative to them and to some other gentlemen who were present on that occasion. Having occasion to speak frequently of his slavery at Tunis, he never mentioned that he was the cause of bringing back to the Church his master, who was a renegade, lest it might awaken vain thoughts in him. If necessity or charity obliged him to speak of any good that he did, it was always to the zeal of others he attributed his success. Prayer I acknowledge, O my God, that I merit all kinds of re­proaches, humiliations, and contempt. I have done only evil. I am ready to submit to whatever punishment Thou mayst inflict. But remember Thou art my Father. Spare me in the world to come. ~ Abbé Lasausse, Short Meditations For Every Day (1889)

1 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 9th Ninth Day Humility, which Jesus Christ has so recommended by word and example, should have three conditions. It should convince us that we deserve to be blamed by men. It should make us rejoice when others see our faults and despise us. If God performs any good in us or through us, it should make us attribute it to the mercy of God and the merit of others.—St. Vincent de Paul (continued below

2 of 2 Month of the Holy Family ~ February 8th Eighth Day (continued from above) Prayer Lord, have compassion on the greatest of sinners, on be­holding that I detest my sins because they offend Thee Who art my Father, my God. ~ Abbé Lasausse, Short Meditations For Every Day (1889)