Mary, Mother of grace, Mother of mercy, protect me from the enemy and receive me at the hour of death. Amen.
A Meditation on Death
by Frank Parater (1897-1920)
I have nothing to leave or give but my life, and this I have consecrated to the Sacred Heart to be used as He wills. I have offered my all for conversions to God of non-Catholics in Virginia. This is what I live for and, in case of death, what I die for. Death is not unpleasant to me, but the most beautiful event of my life. Death is the messenger of God come to tell us that our novitiate is ended and to welcome us to the real life. Melancholic or morbid sentimentality is not the cause of my writing this, for I love life here, the College, the men. and Rome itself. But I have desired to die and be buried with the saints. I dare not ask God to take me lest I should be ungrateful or be trying to shirk the higher responsibilities of life; but I shall never have less to answer for–perhaps never be better ready to meet my Maker, my God, my All.
Since I was a child I have desired to die for the love of God and for my fellow man. Whether or not I shall receive that favor I know not, but if I live, it is for the same purpose; every action of my life here is offered to God for the spread and success of the Catholic Church in Virginia. I have always desired to be only a little child, that I may enter the kingdom of God. In the general resurrection I wish to always be a boy and to be permitted to accompany Saints John Berchmans, Aloysius and Stanislaus as their servant and friend.
Do we serve God and man less worthily by our prayers in heaven than by our actions on earth? Surely it is not selfish to desire to be with Him Who has loved us so well. I shall not leave my dear ones. I will always be near them and be able to help them more than I can here below. I shall be of more service to my diocese in heaven than I could ever be on earth. If it is God’s holy will, I will join him on Good Friday, 1920, and never leave him more–but not my will, Father, but thine be done! Amen.
Lord, Shake Away My Indifference
Lord, shake away my indifference and insensitivity to the plight of the poor. When I meet you hungry, thirsty or as a stranger, show me how I can give you food or quench your thirst or receive you in my home, and in my heart. Show me how I can serve you in the least of your brothers. Amen.
A Love Song
by Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Majestic sovereign, timeless wisdom, your kindness melts my hard, cold soul. Handsome lover, selfless giver, your beauty fills my dull, sad eyes. I am yours, you made me. I am yours, you called me. I am yours, you saved me. I am yours, you loved me. I will never leave your presence. Give me death, give me life. Give me sickness, give me health. Give me honor, give me shame. Give me weakness, give me strength. I will have whatever you give. Amen.
Maria, Mater Gratiae
Mary, Mother of grace,Sweet mother of clemency,Protect us from the enemy,And receive us at the hour of death.Jesus, to you be glory,Born of the Virgin,With the Father, and the Holy Spirit,For ever and ever. Amen.
May the Virgin Mary, Bless us with the Holy Child. Amen.
Meditation
by Julian of Norwich (1342-1423)
And all this being so, it seemed to me that it was impossible that every kind of thing should be well, as our Lord revealed at this time. And to this I had no other answer as a revelation from our Lord except this; What is impossible to you is not impossible to me. I shall preserve my word in everything, and I shall make everything well. And in this I was taught by the grace of God that I ought to keep myself steadfastly in the faith, as I had understood before, and that at the same time I should stand firm and believe firmly that every kind of thing will be well, as our Lord revealed at the time. For this is the great deed which our Lord will do, and in this deed he will preserve his word in everything. And he will make well all which is not well. But what the deed will be and how it will be done, there is no creature who is inferior to Christ who knows it, or will know it until it has been done. Amen.
Three Meditations by Saint Francis de Sales
First Meditation:
CreationO my great and good Creator, how much I owe to you. that in your mercy you raised me from nothing to make me what I am. What can I possibly do to bless your name or to thank you enough for your inestimable goodness? Yet, my Creator, instead of uniting myself to you by loving service, my inordinate desires have made me a rebel. I have cut myself off from you by preferring sin, dishonoring you as if you were not my Creator. O my God, with all my heart I offer you myself, as you have made me. I dedicate and consecrate myself to you.
Second Meditation:Sin
What was I thinking about, my God, when not of you? What was I remembering when I was forgetful of you? Where was my heart when not set on you? Truth should have been my food and yet I gorged myself with vanity, a slave to my own desires. My God and my Savior, from now on I will think only of you; no more will I think of things which displease you. My memories will always be of your greatness and of your mercy which you have so tenderly exercised on me. My heart shall find all its joy in you, and you shall be the object of its love. From now on I will detest the vain follies which have occupied my days and all the vain objects of my love. Accept, O God, these desires and aspirations, and give me your blessing, that I may put them into practice through the grace of your Son, who shed His blood for me on the cross.
Third Meditation: Death
One day my soul must depart from his body. When will it be? In winter or summer? In town or country? During the day or night? Suddenly or with warning? Due to illness or an accident? Shall I have a chance to confess my sins? Shall there be a priest to assist me? I know none of these things. One thing only is certain, that I will die, and sooner than I would like. Dear God, take me into your arms on that most important day. May all other days be sad, if only that day may be happy. I tremble with fear at the prospect, yet I know that you, and you alone, can save me. Set my whole heart on your promise of heaven. Guide my feet in your ways, O Lord, that I may walk the straight path towards eternal life. Let me cast off everything that holds me back on my journey here, so that all my strength may be directed towards that goal.
Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
I Thirst for You
It is true. I stand at the door of your heart, day and night. Even when you are not listening, even when you doubt it could be me, I am there. I await even the smallest sign of your response, even the least whispered invitation that will allow Me to enter. And I want you to know that whenever you do invite me, I do come-always and without fail. Silent and unseen I come, but with infinite power and love, and bringing the many gifts of My Spirit. I come with My mercy, with My desire to forgive and heal you, and with a love for you beyond your comprehension-a love every bit as great as the love I have received from the Father. I come, longing to console you and give you strength, to lift you up and bind all your wounds. I bring you My light, to dispel your darkness and all your doubts. I come with My power, that I might carry you and all your burdens: with My grace, to touch your heart and transform your life; and My peace I give to still your soul.
I know you through and through; I know everything about you. The very hairs of your head I have numbered. Nothing in your life is unimportant to Me. I have followed you through the years, and I have always loved you, even in your wanderings. I know every one of your problems. I know your needs and your worries. And yes, I know all your sins. But I tell you again that I love you, not for what you have or haven’t done. I love you for you, for the beauty and dignity My Father gave you by creating you in His own image. It is a dignity you have often forgotten, a beauty you have tarnished by sin. But I love you as you are, and I have shed My blood to win you back. If you only ask Me with faith, My grace will touch all that needs changing in your life; and I will give you the strength to free yourself from sin and all its destructive power.
I know what is in your heart; I know your loneliness and all your hurts: the rejections, the judgments, the humiliations. I carried it all before you. And I carried it all for you, so you might share My strength and victory. I know especially your need for love– how you are thirsting to be loved and cherished. But how often you have thirsted in vain, by seeking that love selfishly, striving to fill the emptiness inside you with passing pleasures–with the even greater emptiness of sin. Do you thirst for love? “Come to Me all you who thirst…” (John 7:37). I will satisfy you and fill you. Do you thirst to be cherished? I cherish you more than you can imagine–to the point of dying on a cross for you.
I thirst for you. Yes, that is the only way to even begin to describe My love for you: I thirst for you. I thirst to love you and to be loved by you; that is how precious you are to Me. I thirst for you. Come to Me, and I will fill your heart and heal your wounds. I will make you a new creation and give you peace, even in all your trials. I thirst for you. You must never doubt My mercy, My acceptance of you, My desire to forgive, My longing to bless you and live My life in you. I thirst for you. If you feel unimportant in the eyes of the world, that matters not at all. For Me, there is no one any more important in the entire world than you. I thirst for you. Open to Me, come to Me, thirst for Me, give Me your life, and I will prove to you how important you are to My Heart…
No matter how far you may wander, no matter how often you forget Me, no matter how many crosses you may bear in this life, there is one thing I want you to always remember, one thing that will never change: I thirst for you-just as you are. You don’t need to change to believe in My love, for it will be your belief in My love that will change you. You forget Me, and yet I am seeking you at every moment of the day standing at the door of your heart, and knocking. Do you find this hard to believe? Then look at the cross, look at My Heart that was pierced for you. Have you not understood my cross? Then listen again to the words I spoke there, for they tell you clearly why I endured all this for you: “I thirst…” (John 19:28)… I have never stopped seeking to love you and to be loved by you. You have tried many other things in your search for happiness; why not try opening your heart to Me, right now, more than you ever have before. Whenever you do open the door of your heart, whenever you come close enough, you will hear Me say to you again and again, not in mere human words but in spirit: “No matter what you have done, I love you for your own sake. Come to Me with your misery and your sins, with your troubles and needs, and with all your longing to be loved. I stand at the door of your heart and knock. Open to Me, for I thirst for you.” Amen.
Morning or Evening Prayer
Lord Jesus, I give you my hands to do your work. I give you my feet to go your way. I give you my eyes to see as you see. I give you my tongue to speak your words. I give you my mind to think as you think. I give you my spirit so that you may pray in me. I give you my self so that you may grow in me. So that it is you, Lord Jesus, who lives and works and prays in me. Amen.