Virgo Potens

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 7th But if we accept the other humiliations which come to us, irrespective of our will, mortifying our feelings, thoughts and passions with prompt resignation to the will of God, it is a sign of a true and sincere humility; because such humiliations tend to mortify our self-love and to perfect the submission which we owe to God. Voluntary and self-sought humiliations may cause the soul to become hypocritical. But involuntary humiliations sent to us by the Divine Will, and borne by us with patience, sanctify the soul; and for this reason the Holy Ghost has given us this most important mandate: “In thy humiliation keep patience. For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.” [Ecclus ii, 4, 5] It is impossible except in rare cases not to discover the hypocrisy of affected humility: “Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.” [Ps. cxliii, 5] And, again, it is impossible not to know the virtue of true humility, because its spirit is “gentle, kind, steadfast, assured, secure, having all power.” [Wisd. vii, 23] ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 7th 35. There are two kinds of humiliations: those which we seek of our own free-will, and those which proceed from the natural and temporal vicissitudes of this life. Against the first we must be on our guard, notwithstanding the ardor with which we embrace them, for the ever-lurking vanity of our self-love is so subtle that it seeks even to enhance its own vain-glory while it appears to seek the contempt of man. (continued)

LENT March 7th, 2026 ✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧ Saturday after the Second Sunday in Lent — In the House of Annas Read St. John xviii. 19-24 The high priest therefore asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him: I have spoken openly to the world: I have always taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither all the Jews resort; and in secret I have spoken nothing. Why asketh thou me? ask them who have heard what I have spoken unto them: behold they know what things I have said. And when he had said these things, one of the servants standing by, gave Jesus a blow, saying: Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him: If I have spoken evil, give testimony of the evil; but if well, why strikest thou me? And Annas sent him bound to Caiphas the high priest. 1. Try to picture the scene; watch the persons, listen to their words, observe their actions. Annas, a cunning, bitter, cynical old man, delighted to find his enemy in his power; the Pharisees' crowding round in eager excitement, the false witnesses trying to concoct a plausible story, and in the midst Jesus, sorrowful, bleeding, exhausted, yet calm and full of dignity. Hear the insulting questions of Annas, the derisive jeers of the Pharisees, the shouts of the mob, the firm, quiet, gentle words of Jesus. See the angry, eager gestures of the enemies of Christ, the assumed indignation, of the judge, the cruel blow struck by the mailed hand of the soldier on the face of Jesus, causing the blood to flow from His sacred mouth. 2. Christ received this blow upon His face to atone for our sins of the tongue, for the wicked words, the censorious words, the uncharitable words, the impure words that too often proceed from our mouth. Grant, O Lord, that I may remember Thee suffering this cruel blow, and so may learn to hate my sins of the tongue, that inflicted it upon Thee. 3. Our Lord desired to teach us another lesson, viz., to bear with patience and gentleness all outrage and unkindness, all reproaches and ill-usage, and especially such as we endure fot His sake. "Blessed are ye," He says, "when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for My sake." But we must take care to bear it for Christ's sake, and for love of Him, if we would earn the blessing. ~ Rev. Richard F. Clarke, S.J., The Devout Year (1893)

2 of 2 ACT of CONSECRATION (to the Immaculate Heart of Mary) We pledge ourselves to keep the commandments of God and His Church, in particular to keep holy the Lord's Day. We likewise pledge ourselves to make the consoling practices of the Christian religion, and above all, Holy Communion, an integral part of our lives, in so far as we shall be able to do. Finally, we promise thee, O glorious Mother of God and loving Mother of men, to devote ourselves whole-heartedly to the service of thy blessed cult, in order to hasten and assure, through the sovereignty of thine immaculate heart, the coming of the kingdom of the Sacred Heart of thine adorable Son, in our own hearts and in those of all men, in our country, and in all the world, as in heaven, so on earth. Amen. An indulgence of 3 years. A plenary indulgence under the usual conditions, if this act of consecration is repeated daily for a month (S. C. Ind., Feb. 21, 1907; S. P. Ap., April 29, 1933). ~ The Raccolta (1943)

ACT of CONSECRATION (to the Immaculate Heart of Mary) O Mary, Virgin most powerful and Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and Refuge of Sinners, we consecrate ourselves to thine immaculate heart. We consecrate to thee our very being and our whole life; all that we have, all that we love, all that we are. To thee we give our bodies, our hearts, and our souls; to thee we give our homes, our families, our country. We desire that all that is in us and around us may belong to thee, and may share in the benefits of thy motherly benediction. And that this act of consecration may be truly efficacious and lasting, we renew this day at thy feet the promises of our Baptism and our First Holy Communion. We pledge ourselves to profess courageously and at all times the truths of our holy Faith, and to live as befits Catholics who are duly submissive to all directions of the Pope and the Bishops in communion with him. (continued)

2 of 2 ❀•°❀°•❀•°❀°•❀ •°❀°•❀ THE FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS MARY’S GREAT PROMISE AT FATIMA (continued) This devotion and the wonderful promises connected with it were revealed by the Blessed Virgin with these words recorded by Lucy, one of the three children to whom the Blessed Virgin appeared at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917: I promise to help at the hour of death, with the graces needed for salvation, whoever on the First Saturday of five consecutive months shall: 1. Confess and receive Holy Communion. 2. Recite five decades of the Rosary. 3. And keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary, with the intention of making reparation to me. NOTE: Confession during the week, preceding the first Friday, will suffice for the first Saturday, or conversely when Saturday is the first day of the month. The Rosary May be recited at any convenient time of the day, and the fifteen minute meditation may be made at any time during the day on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary. A sermon for the occasion may be substituted for the meditation. ~ St. Joseph Daily Missal (1950) ❀•°❀°•❀•°❀°•❀ •°❀°•❀

March 7th, 2026 FIRST SATURDAY of MARCH 💙 1 of 2 ❀•°❀°•❀•°❀°•❀ •°❀°•❀ THE FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS MARY’S GREAT PROMISE AT FATIMA THE observance of the First Saturday in honor of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is intended to console her Immaculate Heart, and to make reparation for all the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. (continued)

2 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 6th And from whence proceeds this difference? The humble man enjoys peace and quiet because he lives according to the rules of truth and justice, submitting his own will in all things to the Divine will. The proud man is always agitated and perturbed because of the opposition he is continually offering to the Divine will in order to fulfill his own. The more the heart is filled with self-love, so much the greater will be its anxiety and agitation. This maxim is indeed true; for whenever I feel myself inwardly irritated, disturbed and angered by some adversity which has befallen me, I need not look elsewhere for the cause of such feelings than within myself, and I should always do well to say: If I were truly humble [ . . . ] I should not be disquieted. My great agitation is an evident proof which ought to convince me that my self-love is great and dominant and powerful within me, and is the tyrant which torments and gives me no peace. If I feel aggrieved by some sharp word that has been said to me, or by some discourtesy shown me, from whence does this feeling of pain proceed? From my pride alone. Oh, if I were truly humble, what calm, what peace and happiness would my soul not enjoy! And this promise of Jesus Christ is infallible: “Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart, and you shall find rest to your souls.” [Matt. xi, 29] When we are distressed by some adversity, it is unnecessary to seek consolation of those who flatter us or have pity on us, and to whom we can pour out our troubles. It is sufficient to ask our soul: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me?” [Ps. xli, 12] My soul, what hast thou? and what seekest thou? Dost thou perchance desire that rest which thou hast lost? Listen then to the remedy offered to thee by thy Savior, exhorting thee to learn of Him to be humble, “Learn of Me, because I am meek and humble of heart,” and further listen to what He adds when He assures thee that with thy lost humility thou shalt also recover thy peace: “And you shall find rest to your souls.” ~ Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (1660-1753), Humility of Heart. Tr. Herbert Cardinal Vaughan (1903).

Jésus, doux et humble de cœur, faites mon cœur semblable au vôtre. Jesus meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. 1 of 2 Month of St. Joseph ~ March 6th 34. The heart of the proud man is like a stormy sea, never at rest: “Like the raging sea which cannot rest;” [Isa. lvii, 20] and the heart of the humble is fully content in its humility–—“Rich in his being low” [James i, 10]–—and is always calm and tranquil and without fear that anything in this world should disturb him, and shall “rest with confidence.” [Isa. xiv, 30] (continued)

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)