Virgo Potens

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 17th The first reason is to consider in our hearts what really belongs to us, namely, malice and wickedness, and to consider what our neighbour possesses that is of God, namely, his innumerable benefits. The second is to consider some particular good quality which that person may have and which we have not. The third is to recognize some fault in ourselves which that other person has not. The fourth is to possess a wise fear that there may be some secret pride within us which corrupts our holiest actions, and that we may be mistaken in the opinion we have of ourselves, imagining ourselves to be virtuous when we are not. [2a 2æ, qu. clxi, art. 3 in 4; dist. 25, qu. ii, art. 3 ad 2] ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 17th [123. continued] When St. Paul teaches us that in holy humility we must believe all others to be better than ourselves, he also teaches us the way to accomplish this, namely, not by considering the good we have in ourselves, but that which others have or may have, “each one not considering the things that are his own, but those that are other men’s.” [Phil. ii, 4] Upon this St. Thomas founds this doctrine that all the evil that is in man, and is done by man, comes from man, and all the good that is in man and is done by man comes from God; and he says that for four reasons we may unhesitatingly affirm that everyone is better than we are. (continued)

2 of 2 O JESUS, OPEN WIDE THY HEART 3. O sweetest Jesus, how do we For all this make return? Do we give love for love to Thee, Or all Thy mercies spurn? Alas, our heart’s are icy cold, Our souls are sinful still; We pierce Thy Heart for pride or gold, We rob Thee of our will. 4. And still with Thy most tender Heart Thou lovest us so well, That Thou from us wilt ne'er depart, But on our altars dwell. There rises up with morning’s breath The saving sacrifice, In holy mem’ry of the death That opened Paridise. 5. O Jesus, meek and merciful, To Thee my soul I turn; Thou wilt not crush the bruised reed, Nor contrite spirit spurn. Then take me to Thy sacred Heart, And seal the entrance o’er, That from this home my wayward soul May wander nevermore. ~ “Hosanna" Catholic Hymn Book (1910)

O JESUS, OPEN WIDE THY HEART Hymn 1. O Jesus, open wide Thy Heart, And let me rest therein; For weary is my stricken soul Of sorrow and of sin. I've sought for rest, and found it not In things of earthly mould; One Heart alone deserves my love,— A Heart that grows not cold. 2. O Heart of Jesus, living fount Of hope and peace divine! The crimson stream down Calv'ry's mount Shows what a love was Thine: 'Twas there Thy life blood flowed for man. 'Twas there his peace was sealed; And there in God’s redeeming plan His wounds of sin were healed. (continued)

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart of Jesus among Little Children 2. On another occasion when the children shouted to Him in childish glee, Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord! the Pharisees begged Him to silence them. But Jesus rebuked the objection almost sternly: Have you never read, Out of the mouths of infants and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise? Perfected praise! As if there was something in their innocent voices sweeter to Him than in any others of the mingled crowd! 3. But Jesus bestowed still higher praise on the sweet simplicity of children. He told His disciples that if they wish to enter the kingdom of heaven, they must become like little children: docile, obedient, cheerful, submissive, affectionate. Am I such? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Sacred Heart of Jesus among Little Children 1. All good men love little children. There is something in them that recalls the presence of God, a freshness and innocence which is the mark of His creative hand before sin has marred and almost obliterated it. Our Lord more than once showed the love of His Sacred Heart for children. When a crowd of women came with their little ones begging Him to bless them and the disciples tried to push them aside, Jesus interposed: Suffer the little children to come to Me. And then He called them one by one and blessed each one, and laid upon each His Sacred hands. What graces must have flowed into the hearts of those favored children! We should pray for all the little ones whom we love, that Our Lord may in like manner bless them. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 16th When you prefer yourself to others it often seems as if you speak with a certain humility and modesty, saying: By the grace of God I have not the vices of such an one: By the grace of God I have not committed so many grievous sins as such an one. But is it really true that you recognize that you owe all this to the grace of God, and that you give Him the glory rather than to yourself? If you esteem yourself more highly than such an one, and if he in his turn esteems himself inferior to you, he is therefore humbler than you, and for that reason better. If by the grace of God you are chaste, charitable and just, you must endeavour by that same grace to be humble as well. And how can you be humble if you have such an abundance of self-esteem, preferring yourself to others?” (continued) ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (190

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 16th [123. continued]. The truly humble man believes that everyone is better than himself, and that he is the worst of all. But are you really humble like this in your own opinion? You easily compare yourself with this one and that one, but to how many do you not prefer yourself with the pride of the Pharisee: “I am not as the rest of men.” [Luke xviii, 11] (continued)

2 of 2 O HEART of JESUS, LIVING FOUNT (continued from above) 3. Alas, our heart’s are icy cold, Our souls are sinful still, We pierce Thy Heart for pride or gold, We rob Thee of our will. 4. And yet, most sweet and gracious heart, Thou lovest us so well, That Thou from us wilt ne’er depart, But on our altars dwell. 5. There rises pure with morning’s breath The saving sacrifice, The spotless Lamb of God, whose death Hath opened Paradise. ~ “Hosanna" Catholic Hymn Book (1910)

Gœttliches Herz Jesu, Rette Uns! Divine Heart of Jesus, Save Us! 1 of 2 O HEART of JESUS, LIVING FOUNT Hymn 1 O Heart of Jesus, living fount Of hope and peace divine, The crimson stream down Calv’rys Mount Shows what a love was Thine. 2. ‘Twas there Thy life blood flowed for man, ‘Twas there his peace was sealed, And in redemption’s mighty plan His wounds and sorrow healed. (continued)

2 of 2 The Sacred Heart of Jesus among Sinners 2. Once upon a time an unhappy woman was brought to Him who had been taken in adultery. She was a great sinner and deserved to die. But how did Jesus treat her? By silence He rebuked her accusers and then turned with Divine compassion to the poor adultress, and spoke to her words of peace. Where should I have been, on the side of the accusers or on the side of Jesus? 3. Jesus is just the same now, the Friend of sinners and therefore my Friend. He is the Friend of sinners, and therefore woe to me if I am hard on others as the Pharisees were. He is the Friend of sinners, I can therefore win His love by showing great kindness and tenderness and love to these His friends. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Sacred Heart of Jesus among Sinners 1. One of the things at which the Pharisees took scandal during Our Lord's sacred ministry was His association with publicans and sinners. They taunted Him with His friendship for sinners. They asked His disciples why He ate and drank with them, talked to them words of gentleness and sympathy, seemed attracted by their company. Yes, it was all true. He was, above all, the Friend of sinners. He came to search them out and bring them back to the fold. He had a tender love for the miserable outcast because she was an outcast, and the compassion of His Sacred Heart went out towards her and longed to bring her back to purity and peace. Am I at all like to Jesus in His pity and love for sinners ? (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 15th He does not tell us to sit down in a place in the middle, nor in one of the last, but in the last; that is we ought to have such an opinion of ourselves that we must esteem ourselves inferior to all, as St. Bernard exclaims: “That thou shouldst take thy seat alone and least of all, not only not putting thyself before others, but not even daring to compare thyself with others.” [Serm. 37 in Cant.] The reason is that you do not know but that those whom you deem inferior to yourself, and above whom you exalt yourself, may not be far more dear to God, and be placed hereafter at the right hand of the Highest. (continued) ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 15th He does not tell us to sit down in a place in the middle, nor in one of the last, but in the last; that is we ought to have such an opinion of ourselves that we must esteem ourselves inferior to all, as St. Bernard exclaims: “That thou shouldst take thy seat alone and least of all, not only not putting thyself before others, but not even daring to compare thyself with others.” [Serm. 37 in Cant.] The reason is that you do not know but that those whom you deem inferior to yourself, and above whom you exalt yourself, may not be far more dear to God, and be placed hereafter at the right hand of the Highest. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 15th 123. We have to practice two kinds of humility to all our neighbours–—one is of knowledge, the other of affection. The humility of knowledge consists in recognizing and holding ourselves in our inmost soul to be inferior to all, and that is why Jesus Christ advises us in His gospel to take the lowest place: “Sit down in the lowest place.” [Luke xiv, 10] (continued)

For Patience O GOD, who, by the humility of thy only begotten Son, hast confounded the pride of the old enemy; grant, we beseech thee, that we may often call to mind what he meekly suffered for us, and, by his example, patiently endure all adversities: through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour, who, with Thee and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth one God, world without end. Amen. ~ The Key of Heaven or A Manual of Prayers, Dublin, 1839 Devout Prayers on Different Occasions

NOVENA to ST. JOHN the BAPTIST Say once a day for 9 days, especially beginning on June 15th and ending on June 23rd, the eve of the Feast of St. John. Begins today at Christus Regnat ~ https://t.me/RexUniversi

2 of 2 The Excellence of the Sacred Heart 2. The Sacred Heart received all these perfections in order to dispense them to others. It overflows with graces; they proceed from it in copious streams to all who are willing to receive them. What beauty they impart to the soul that drinks in the stream of grace from that Heart! Every perfection of the Heart of Jesus is communicated to it in some degree, and renders it so beautiful that it is an object of admiration to God Himself. 3. Through the heart of man continually flows the blood that circulates throughout his body. Hence the precious Blood of Jesus flowed continually through His Sacred Heart. In that Blood what unbounded virtue! One drop is enough to cleanse the greatest sin, nay, the sins of the whole world. In that Heart there is the same virtue, and I, a sinner, can take refuge there, knowing that I shall be healed. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ✧✿✿✧❁❁✧✿✿✧ The Excellence of the Sacred Heart 1. The Sacred Heart of Jesus was the instrument of a human soul, which contained in it all the perfections, natural and supernatural, of which they are capable. It was the ideal of which the soul, even of the greatest of the saints, was but an utterly inadequate realization. Its sweetness, its gentleness, its power to attract, its Divine beauty was unbounded and almost infinite. Let us contemplate that Sacred Heart radiant with glory and splendor, and adore it with grateful love. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ~ June 14th Much as I should praise you for regarding yourself as inferior in merit to all those below you, “in the knowledge of your heart,” as St. Gregory says so well; yet it must not be to the detriment of your office, lessening its superiority. For being in a superior position does not prevent you from being humble of heart; but this humility must not be an impediment to the exercise of your authority. The quotation from St. Augustine is referred to by St. Thomas: “In secret look upon others as your superiors to whom in public you are superior.” [2a 2æ, qu. clxi, art. 6 ad 1]” ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).