We ordinarily rate the generosity of a man by the sacrifices he makes for his fellow creatures. We may do the same with the generosity of the Heart of Jesus. What has he not sacrificed for us? He only shared our goods so that he might be able to sacrifice them for us.
We jealously guard, with good reason, our honor, our reputation. Jesus sacrificed his reputation as a reparation for the dishonor sin had done to his heavenly Father; and to reconcile us to him. Submitting silently to the most atrocious calumnies, he died stripped of all reputation.
As he hung on the cross, his enemies dared him if he were the Son of God: “Let Christ come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” (Mt 27:40) He did not descend, leaving them to conclude that he was powerless, an impostor, the basest of men. And thus he died.
God will probably not require us to sacrifice our reputation as he has demanded of certain great saints such as St John of the Cross. He was imprisoned, and died a victim of calumny, without even a word of complaint.
What our Lord asks of us is to accept all feeling of resentment when, through malice or inadvertence, someone may have injured our reputation. To receive in silence any reprimand or penance for a fault we did not commit. Although these little sacrifices are not heroic, they will be pleasing to God and merit a reward.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp329-30
The Zeal of the Heart of Jesus
Zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls is but the love of God running over from our own hearts upon others, desiring to win them to God and to see them united with us in heaven. The measure of our love is, therefore, the measure of our zeal. What, therefore, must have been the zeal of that adorable Heart, which loved both God and man with an ineffable love!
Here is a faint allegory: “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!” (Lk 12:49-51) That is, until I have consummated the sacrifice I so ardently desire.
To procure the glory of God and the salvation of souls was always the most ardent desire of the saints, because they were full of the love of God. We find proof of this in almost every psalm of the holy King David. ‘For the zeal of Thy house has eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached Thee are fallen upon me ... My eyes have sent forth springs of water, because they have not kept Thy law ... Let all peoples give praise to Thee.’
If we cherish similar sentiments in our hearts, we, too shall find a thousand means of exercising our zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp331-2
The Consecration of Christ and Mary
In the area of Revelation, we know that seldom does man give something to God. The encounter between God and man finds its full realization in Christ, incarnated by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary, crucified and risen: the blood of the new alliance shed in sacrifice for the remission of sins, consecrates the people of all time and space.
Thus consecration and sacrifice are two inseparable poles of the same Paschal event of Christ. The prayer pronounced by Jesus before His death, has been rightly called ‘Priestly Prayer’ ... or a ‘prayer of consecration’, filled with the offer of His own life to the world.
In Greek, to consecrate means 1) to deify or to sanctify, and 2) to sacrifice, immolate. In the accomplishment of this consecratory sacrifice of Christ through the offering of His Body and Blood, He collaborated with the Virgin Mary: from her He took a body to sacrifice for us, the blood through which we are consecrated.
· “We will discover the Heart of Jesus when we contemplate the Heart of Mary.” -- St John Eudes
Ref: C Maggioni in “Alliance of the Two Hearts”, pp181-2
Confirmation Creates Witnesses to Christ
The Sacrament [of Confirmation] ... confirms and seals what was already mysteriously effected in you in Baptism, when you became adoptive children of God by full right. You were beneficially brought within the range of his love’s action: not only the love which he has for every creature as the Creator, but above all, the range of that most special love which he showed for man in Jesus Christ, as Redeemer.
With this chrism, you acquire a particular relationship directly with the Lord Jesus. You are officially consecrated to him as witnesses to the Church and the world. He has need of you, and he wants to employ you by lending him your countenances, your hearts, your whole persons, so that his behavior towards others will be as you behave yourselves.
If you are good, responsive, dedicated to the well-being of others, loyal servants of the Gospel, then Jesus will be giving that good impression; but if you should be weak and unspirited, then you will be casting a shadow over his real identity, and you will not be honoring him.
So, you are called to a very lofty task, which turns you into true, complete Christians. Confirmation actually brings you to the Christian’s adulthood. That is, it trusts you and acknowledges a sense of responsibility in you.
The child is not yet master of himself, of his acts, of his life. But the adult has the courage of his own choices; knows how to bear the consequences. He is capable of paying in person, because he has gained such an inner maturity that he can decide on his own, employ his existence as he thinks best, and above all give love, instead of only receiving it.
Ref: Cf “Prayers and Devotions from Pope John Paul II”, 1984, p219
Our Lady -- “Imitate the Blessed Virgin. Only by openly admitting that we are nothing can we become precious in the eyes of our Creator.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “The Forge”, 588)
• Our Lady of the “Dorada”, at Toulouse. The place which was formerly dedicated to the goddess Pallas, was changed into a church of Our Lady when the inhabitants received the faith. — Forcat, lib. i., de Gallico Imperio. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• “Notre Dame de la Dorade”. Toulouse, France. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of “La Dorade” (near Toulouse, France) (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (MaryLinks Calendar.htm); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help / Succor. Painting. Analysis of the picture. Icon. More on the icon. Story of the image. Prayer. Irish novena. American novena. Perpetual novena. ... Shrine. Modern icon. Namesake of many churches and schools. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help (13th Century). (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com)
• Our Lady, Perpetual Help (Baclaran PHL); Rome 13th C. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html)
• Mother of Perpetual Help -- Ancient tradition attributes to St Luke the painting of this miraculous icon. (Eusebius, “Ecclesiastical History”, II:43) In F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 7:225.
• St Cyril of Alexandria, bishop and Doctor of the Church -- He presided over the General Council of Ephesus, at which Nestorius and his doctrines were condemned. Invincible champion of the oneness of Person in Jesus Christ and divine maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Fr James Socias, ‘et al’ [Eds], “Daily Roman Missal”, 1989, p1559)
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