Virgo Potens

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 15th Nevertheless, many who are now Saints in Heaven were both rich and learned when they were on earth; but they are Saints because they were humble; and both riches and learning must be regarded as vanity, and not esteemed except in so far as they can help us to gain eternal happiness. This is the way of the truly humble; he does not esteem himself for his possessions or for his knowledge, but regards these all as nothing, because he regards himself also as nothingness. “Set not your heart upon them.” [Ps. lxi, 11] This is not a counsel but a precept; and God, through His prophet, wishes to instruct us: If you are rich in possessions or in knowledge, be nevertheless poor of heart, that is to say, be humble. This is difficult, it is true; but to overcome the difficulty increases the merit of the virtue. There is no great merit in being humble when our condition is lowly, but there is great merit in being humble when we are surrounded by the incentives to pride, which are riches and learning. St. Bernard says: “It is no great thing for a man to be humble in abjection, but for one who is honored humility is altogether a great and rare virtue.” [Horn. iv super “Missus est”] It is a beautiful sight for men and for Angels to see a rich man who is modest and apparently forgetful of his wealth, and a wise man who seems unaware of his great knowledge. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but wisdom is with the humble. Proverbs 11:2 1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 15th 43. It is difficult for those who possess riches or learning to be humble, because these two gifts are apt to cause vanity in those who possess them. It is far better therefore to be less rich and less learned and to be humble, than to possess great riches or great learning and to be proud. (continued)

2 of 2 The Fourth Sunday in Lent — Jesus Before Pilate Pilate therefore said to them: Take him you, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said to him: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death; that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he said, signifying what death he should die. Pilate therefore went into the hall again, and called Jesus, and said to him: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have others told it thee of me? Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Thy own nation, and the chief priests, have delivered thee up to me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence. Pilate therefore said to him: Art thou a king then? Jesus answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should give testimony to the truth. Every one that is of the truth, heareth my voice. Pilate saith to him: What is truth? And when he said this, he went out again to the Jews, and saith to them: I find no cause in him. But you have a custom that I should release one unto you at the pasch: will you, therefore, that I release unto you the king of the Jews? Then cried they all again, saying: Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. 1. Pilate was at first inclined to look with contempt on the charge brought against Christ of setting Himself up as King of the Jews. But he soon changed his tone. He was astonished at OurLord's silence and reserve. His calm dignity made a deep impression on him. How few there are who imitate Christ in this! Our babbling tongues pour forth so many foolish and ill-considered words. Learn of Jesus the dignity of timely silence. 2. Yet Jesus spoke when occasion required. He said enough to Pilate to convince him not only of His innocence, but of His claim to be king. Pilate was half-inclined to listen. He could not help recognizing in some degree the divine beauty of the Son of God amid all His humiliations. So the Catholic Church manifests herself to the world in a way that is sufficient to attract men of good will. There are few who have not the chance of recognizing her claims. Her beauty even in her humiliations and amid the sins of men shines forth as did the beauty of her Divine Spouse. 3. Pilate's long experience tells him plainly enough that the Jews are all wrong and Christ is right. His practiced eye detects the malice of the Jews, their hatred of their Victim, their selfishness and unscrupulous cruelty. He longs to release Christ; he knows he ought to do so, but he fears the Jews, lest he be reported as favoring revolt. Human respect overcomes his convictions, and he has not the courage to set Jesus free. How fatal is cowardice in things divine! ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

March 15th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ The Fourth Sunday in Lent — Jesus Before Pilate Read St. John xviii. 28-40 Then they led Jesus from Caiphas to the governor's hall. And it was morning; and they went not into the hall, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the pasch. Pilate therefore went out to them, and said: What accusation bring you against this man? They answered, and said to him: If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up to thee. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 14th Pride is always ready to take offense; and with this disposition to resent slights and injuries how is it possible to live in charity? When we find two persons who are prone to disagree, and to whom reconciliation is difficult, we cannot be far wrong in concluding that both are full of pride. Therefore it is obvious that charity cannot exist without humility. It is for this reason that St. Paul, after having exhorted Christians to brotherly love, advises them at the same time to be humble: “But in humility let each esteem others better than themselves,” [Phil. ii, 3] for well he knew that brotherly love cannot endure without humility; for where pride exists there will also arise contentions, quarreling and strife: “Among the proud there are always contentions.” [Prov. xiii, 10] Let us accept the apostolic admonition, and do not let us blame others for their pride when they cause us displeasure, but rather blame ourselves for not knowing how to bear that displeasure with humility. Let us begin by acquiring that patient humility ourselves which we desire so much to see in others, remembering that it is not through the patience and humility of others that we shall be saved but by our own. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 14th 42. There are two special virtues which the Son of God wished to teach us, and recommended us most earnestly to practice––humility and brotherly love; and it is precisely against these two virtues that the devil wages war the most. But it is enough that he should succeed in conquering humility for love to be overcome at the same time, because, as St. Augustine says: “You cannot attain to charity except through humility.” [Enarr. in Ps. cxxx, et serm. 10 de Verb. Dom.] (continued)

2 of 2 Saturday after the Third Sunday in Lent — Judas' Repentance And casting down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed: and went and hanged himself with an halter. But the chief priests having taken the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful to put them into the corbona, because it is the price of blood. And after they had consulted together, they bought with them the potter's field, to be a burying place for strangers. For this cause the field was called Haceldama, that is, The field of blood, even to this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was prized, whom they prized of the children of Israel. And they gave them unto the potter's field, as the Lord appointed to me. And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus saith to him: Thou sayest it. And when he was accused by the chief priests and ancients, he answered nothing. Then Pilate saith to him: Dost not thou hear how great testimonies they allege against thee? And he answered him to never a word; so that the governor wondered exceedingly. Now upon the solemn day the governor was accustomed to release to the people one prisoner, whom they would. And he had then a notorious prisoner, that was called Barabbas. 1. When Judas heard the unanimous voice of the chief priests and ancients declaring that Jesus was guilty of death, his soul was filled with a black remorse that made his life intolerable. How he hated the miserable pieces of silver for which he had sold his Master! How he hated the chief priests who had bribed him! How he hated himself! The sweetness and gentleness of Christ came vividly before him, and only added to his misery, as it will add to the misery of the lost at the day of judgment. How bitterly he repented his folly! At least he would rid himself of the accursed money and declare his guilt. But he had gone too far. He had refused so often to listen to the voice of Jesus that now his hardened heart refused to melt. What a warning to all who turn a deaf ear to the voice of conscience! 2. Yet he might have been forgiven even now if he had thrown himself at Jesus' feet and begged for pardon. But this he would not do. His repentance was a hopeless, black remorse— no element of hope or love or humble sorrow. It was the repentance of the lost in hell, who cry, "Fools that we were !" but yet will not, cannot, humble themselves to cry for mercy. 3. How miserable Judas had been from the first! Had those pilfered gains in early days brought him solid satisfaction? Had he been happy when he sacrificed his Master's interests to his own? Are we happy when we knowingly prefer our own selfish interests to those of Christ? Sin and misery are twin sisters. My God, may I never wilfully betray Thy interests to my own pleasure or gain! ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

March 14th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Saturday after the Third Sunday in Lent — Judas' Repentance Read St. Matthew xxvii. 3-16 Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repenting himself, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and ancients, Saying: I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. But they said: What is that to us? look thou to it. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 13th And even if we do bestow some slight thought on them, it is only in order to flatter ourselves that our sorrow is sufficient for the validity of our Confession, and what is still more amazing is that we are hardly out of the Confessional when the remembrance of all our sins vanishes, and even the greatest sinner lives in a state of absolute peace, as if he had always led the most innocent of lives. O miserable state! We always retain a vivid remembrance of those insults which we receive from our fellow-men, thereby fostering our resentment; but we do not bear in remembrance those insults which we have offered to God, thereby becoming humble and exhorting ourselves to repentance. What wonder that we do not become humble if we remain oblivious to these urgent motives for humility! Let us remember our sins, not in order that they should make us over-scrupulous, but so as to live in due humility. It is for that same reason that Jeremias the prophet said that he who does not do penance does not practice humility, because “There is none that saith: What have I done?” [Jer. viii, 6] If we thought well over this, “What have I done?” what have I done in sinning? what have I done in offending God? our hearts would certainly be far more contrite and humble. But few think of this. We call upon the heavens to be astonished at us: “Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this.” [Jer. ii, 12] If a nobleman is insulted in some public resort by a low-born menial, the offense is considered great, and an adequate punishment is demanded for such an outrage; and yet it is only a man who has been insulted by another man, a worm that is offended by another worm, nothingness offended by nothingness. But that this worm, this nothingness, should insult the Divine majesty of God apparently causes no dismay. “Be astonished, O ye heavens,” but at least let us be ashamed and humble ourselves for our insensate hardness of heart. ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 13th 41. We may say that one of the principal causes of our lack of humility is that we forget too readily the sins we have committed. We only think of our sins when we are preparing for Confession, and even then we only think of our sins in order to sum up their kind and number, in order to make a valid Confession, but we hardly ever stop to consider their gravity, enormity and malice. (continued)

Subjects for Daily Meditation ✧✿───✧✧✿✧✧───✿✧ Remember, Christian soul Remember, Christian soul, that thou hast this day, and every day of thy life: God to glorify, Jesus to imitate, The Blessed Virgin and the Saints to venerate, The Angels to invoke, A soul to save, A body to mortify, Sins to expiate, Virtues to acquire, Hell to avoid, Heaven to gain, Eternity to prepare for, Time to profit by, Neighbors to edify, The world to despise, Devils to combat, Passions to subdue, Death perhaps to suffer, And Judgment to undergo. ~ Manual of Prayers, Third Plenary Council of Baltimore (1888) ✧✿───✧✧✿✧✧───✿✧ Memento, tuum esse hodie Memento, tuum esse hodie: Deum glorificare, Iesum imitari, beatissimam Virginem et Sanctos venerari, Angelos invocare, animam salvare, corpus mortificare, virtutes a Deo exorare, peccata expiare, paradisum comparare, infernum evitare, aeternitatem considerare, tempus bene applicare, proximum aedificare, mundum formidare, daemones impugnare, passiones frenare, mortem semper exspectare, ad iudicium te praeparare. ~ Medulla Pietatis Christianae sive Libellus Precum pro Adolescentibus Litterarum Studiosis, Schneider, Joseph, S.J., Cologne (1876)

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.

LENT March 13th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Friday after the Third Sunday in Lent — Jesus is Dragged Before Pilate Read St. Luke xxii. 66-70 ; xxiii. 1 And as soon as it was day, the ancients of the people, and the chief priests and scribes, came together; and they brought him into their council, saying: If thou be the Christ, tell us. And he saith to them: If I shall tell you, you will not believe me. And if I shall also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go. But hereafter the Son of man shall be sitting on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all: Art thou then the Son of God? Who said: You say that I am. . . . And the whole multitude of them rising up, led him to Pilate. 1. At daybreak the council assembled, and Jesus was again brought before them and questioned again. The sentence of death passed the night before was confirmed. The whole multitude then hastened to Pilate with their prisoner, that they might obtain from the Roman governor the ratification of the sentence which they could not carry out themselves. They were resolved to have His life— anything to be rid of Him Whom they dreaded and hated. How strange it seems that they should so hate Him without a cause! Yet it is ever so: men who are proud and covetous and selfish instinctively hate the truth. This is why there prevails all over the world such a deadly enmity to the Church of Christ. 2. To wreak their vengeance, the Pharisees and ancients were ready to rise with the sun. How active men are in promoting worldly interests and criminal designs! So much more active than in working for God and for heaven. Might I not do something more by rising a little earlier or more punctually, so as to do something to please Our Lord before I begin my ordinary work? At least I might think of Him and offer my heart and my life to Him. 3. The Jews actually delivered over one of their own sacred nation to their enemies and oppressors, the Romans. No means are too base to get rid of their enemy. How much unreasoning malice I have shown against those whom I disliked or who interfered with my selfish interests, perhaps against those who are not only brethren of Christ, but very dear to Him? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 12th O my soul, God, Who Himself desires thine eternal salvation, desires also that thou shouldst acquire it through humility; “And humility goeth before glory”; [Prov. xv, 33] therefore bow down and adore His sovereign Will. When we say the “Our Father,” let us meditate upon that petition, in which we ask that the Will of God may be done, and let us apply that prayer to our own needs: O my God, since Thou desirest that I should be humble, “Thy Will be done.” Thy Will is done in Heaven by all those blessed Spirits who worship Thee with profound humility; may Thy Will be done by me also! “Thy Will be done on earth, as it is Heaven.” And in the same way let us apply the last petition to ourselves also, saying: “And deliver us from evil,” praying God to deliver us and preserve us from pride, which is the worst of all evils, if indeed it may not be called the greatest of all sins; for St. Augustine, inquiring into which sin King David desired most to be delivered from when he said, ” I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin,” [Ps. xviii, 14] answers that this sin was pride, for pride is the greatest of all sins, because it is the chief of all sins and the cause and origin of them all: “This I take to be pride, which is the chief and cause of every sin.” [Enarr. in Ps. xviii] ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 12th 40. It may be said that humility is the most efficacious remedy for all evil and a most potent antidote to preserve the soul from that death and guilt which leads to everlasting perdition. And yet it is this virtue which we neglect most of all. (continued)

Words of Our Lord “I recommend three practices very specially to you: “First: The practice of the Holy Hour, because it is one of the ways by which an infinite reparation can be offered up to God, the Father, through the mediation of Jesus Christ, His Divine Son. “Second: The devotion of the five Paters in honour of My wounds, since through them the world was saved. “Third: Constant union, or rather daily offering of the merits of My Heart, because by so doing you will give to all your actions an infinite value. Unceasingly use My Life, My Blood, My Heart . . . confide constantly and without any fear in this Heart: this secret is known to few; I want you to know it and to profit by it.” (430) ~ Our Lord to Sister Josefa Menéndez, The Way of Divine Love (pg. 430) As found in the pamphlet Fatima and “The Way of Divine Love”

LENT March 12th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Thursday after the Third Sunday in Lent — Jesus in the Guard-room of Caiphas Read St. Luke xxii. 63-65 And the men that held him, mocked him, and struck him. And they blindfolded him, and smote his face. And they asked him, saying: Prophesy, who is it that struck thee? And blaspheming, many other things they said against him. 1. After Our Lord had been condemned to death, the Sanhedrin rose, and He was handed over for custody during the night to the soldiers and servants, who, taking the cue from their masters, treated their prisoner with every kind of brutal ill-usage. They tied a dirty rag over His face, and struck Him on the face, challenging Him at the same time to show His divine power by saying the name of the striker. When He was silent, they mocked and jeered at Him, and at last they spat their filthy spittle in His sacred face. O my Lord, King of heaven and earth, how couldst Thou suffer Thy Divine Majesty to be outraged by these wretches? 2. Yet Our Lord was never more glorious than in the midst of His degradation and contempt. If at His baptism He was the beloved Son of God in Whom He was well pleased, much more now. Each blow, each gibe, each insult added to the glory of His sacred humanity to all eternity. Truly then does St. Peter say: "If you be reproached for the name of Christ, you shall be blessed." Wisely did the apostles count it joy to suffer shame for His sake. My God, I know it is so; but do I act on this principle, and rejoice in the reproaches and contempt that fall to my lot? 3. What did Christ specially atone for in the guard-room? For all the filthy words men speak, for all the obscene jests, for all the mockery of holy things, for all the angry, cruel, uncharitable words. Alas! my Jesus, have I not taken part in these insults poured upon Thee? ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 11th St. Luke, in his Gospel, [Luke xviii, 11] records two different kinds of vanity shown by the Pharisee, one when he praised himself for the sins he did not commit, the other when he praised himself for the virtues that he practiced: and he was equally condemned for each of these vain utterances. He apparently referred all the glory to God when he said: “O God, I give Thee thanks.” But this was only ostentatious self-esteem. It is only too easy for these thoughts of vain-glory to insinuate themselves into our hearts: and who can assure me that I am not guilty of many of them? “What I have done openly I see,” I can say with more truth than St. Gregory, ”but what I have inwardly felt I do not see.” [Lib. 9, Mor., c. 17] O my God, my God, “let no iniquity have dominion over me.” [Ps. cxviii, 133] Do not let me be dominated by pride, which is the sum of all wickedness; from my secret sins cleanse me. Purify me from those sins of pride of which I am ignorant; “then shall I be without spot.” [Ps. xviii, 14] This thought, says St. Thomas, causes every just man to consider himself worse than a great sinner: “The just man who is truly humble thinks himself worse because he fears lest in that which he seems to do well he should grievously sin by pride.” [in suppl. 3 part. qu. 6, art. 4]” ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 11th 39. It is most humiliating to reflect upon this, that even though we be exempt from grave sins, yet, through some secret disorder within us we may be as guilty as if we had committed them. For if pride arises in our hearts and leads us to consider ourselves better than those who have committed these sins we are at once rendered guilty and worse than they in the eyes of God, because, as the Holy Ghost says, “Pride is hateful before God.” [Ecclus. x, 7] (continued)