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Imitation of Christ,
by Thomas á Kempis: Book 4, Chapter 11
That the Blood of Christ and the Holy Scriptures
Are Most Necessary unto a Faithful Soul
O most sweet Lord
Jesus, how great is the pleasure of the devout soul that feasteth with Thee
in Thy banquet; where there is set for her no other food to be eaten but
Thyself, her only Beloved, and most to be desired above all the desires of
her heart! To me also it would be indeed sweet, in Thy presence to pour forth
tears from the very bottom of my heart, and with the grateful Magdalene to
wash Thy feet with tears (Luke 7:38). But where is that devotion? Where that
bountiful flowing of holy tears? Surely in the sight of Thee and Thy holy
Angels, my whole heart ought to burn, and to weep for joy. For in this Sacrament
I have Thee mystically present, hidden under another shape. For to look upon
Thee in Thine own Divine brightness, mine eyes would not be able to endure;
nor could even the whole world stand in the splendor of the glory of Thy
majesty. Herein then Thou hast regard to my weakness, that Thou dost hide
Thyself under this Sacrament.
From True Devotion
To the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nos. 261-265
In Mary
261. We must do
everything in Mary. To understand this we must realise that the Blessed Virgin
is the true earthly paradise of the new Adam and that the ancient paradise
was only a symbol of her. There are in this earthly paradise untold riches,
beauties, rarities and delights, which the new Adam, Jesus Christ, has left
there. It is in this paradise that he "took his delights" for nine months,
worked his wonders and displayed his riches with the magnificence of God
himself.In this earthly paradise grows the real Tree of Life which bore our
Lord, the fruit of Life, the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which bore
the Light of the world. In this divine place there are trees planted by the
hand of God and watered by his divine unction which have borne and continue
to bear fruit that is pleasing to him. Only the Holy Spirit can teach us
the truths that these material objects symbolise. 262. The Holy Spirit speaking
through the Fathers of the Church, also calls our Lady the Eastern Gate,
through which the High Priest, Jesus Christ, enters and goes out into the
world. Through this gate he entered the world the first time and through
this same gate he will come the second time.
For Mary
265. Finally, we
must do everything for Mary. We take Mary for our proximate end, our mysterious
intermediary and the easiest way of reaching him. Relying on her protection,
we should undertake and carry out great things for our noble Queen. We must
defend her privileges when they are questioned and uphold her good name when
it is under attack. We must attract everyone, if possible, to her service
and to this true and sound devotion. As a reward for these little services,
we should expect nothing in return save the honour of belonging to such a
lovable Queen and the joy of being united through her to Jesus, her Son,
by a bond that is indissoluble in time and in eternity.
Prayers
for the Third Week |
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