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Meditation 34. The Blessed Sacrament
Preparatory Prayer as on page x
Composition of Place — Imagine you see Our Lord Jesus Christ at the Cenacle with His beloved Apostles, that you are with them, that Our Lord washes everyone's feet, yours as well as theirs, and that He gives you Holy Communion.
Prayer of Petition — Ah, my Jesus! . . . That Thou would wash my feet! . . . that Thou would want it so! . . . Thy most holy Will be done. As Thou dost wish to wash me . . . do so, and I shall be whiter than snow.
First Point
Consider, first, that a gift is valuable and precious according to how great it is in itself, how great the giver's love is, and how useful and profitable it is for us. These three qualities are found together in a supreme degree in the priceless gift that the Lord gave us of His Body and Blood in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
The grandeur of the gift could not rank any higher; for it was like a seal of all blessings and is the greatest among blessings — bringing the things that are contained within Christ to each of the Faithful, namely, all of Christ's goods and treasures — His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, with all His merits, graces and virtues.
This gift is made with a resourcefulness so wonderful that for all eternity a prodigy so astonishing would never have occurred to the mind of the most enlightened Seraphim. And it comes with such lavish affection that, though God is infinitely wise, good and powerful, He cannot give us in this life a boon and a treasure that is worth more.
Affective Acts
(1) Thanksgiving — I give Thee thanks, my loving Lord and God, for Thy infinite generosity toward this lowly creature — myself. Thou dost shame me at the same time for my having been so stingy toward Thee up to now. But with sorrow and repentance I humbly beg that Thou add to this Sovereign Gift, the favor of granting me a new spirit and heart so that henceforth I may rightly value this Thy Gift and respond with total love and faithfulness to Something so precious and so priceless.
(2) Prayer of Petition — O Virgin Mary, when Thou heard from the angel that Thou wert destined for the great dignity of Mother of God, You were humbly baffled. How will my soul react on hearing and knowing that Jesus Christ, Son of Thy chaste flesh, Who is in the Most Holy Sacrament, wants to come into my poor heart. Obtain for me, O my Mother, a heart meek and humble like Thine, that I may be able to welcome Jesus in it, Who greatly delights in dwelling in hearts that are well disposed. Help me, assist me, and be present with me, my Mother.
Second Point
Consider, second, the greatness of the giver's love. Here is where properly is found the excellence of the favor; for Jesus was moved by a most ardent love — and this is to be valued most highly. The warmest flame of love one can conceive of burned in His breast the night on which He instituted for our good this Divine Sacrament.
At the same hour in which men were plotting His arrest and His infamous and cruel death, the Lord, knowing all this, celebrated this solemn occasion much as an eager bridegroom celebrates a wedding. Our Lord's celebration was to provide that He remain with men until the end of the world.
He gave Himself in the manner of a banquet, and took the appearance of bread and wine, in order to be our food and drink and to unite Himself with us spiritually and bodily in such close union, that just as no skill can separate food once it is changed into the body's substance, so no skill nor power nor anything else can separate us from Him.
But there is something else in which He revealed the fine quality of His Charity. He knowing all the injuries, irreverences and sacrileges that were to be done to Him in the Consecrated Host by infidels, heretics and bad Christians as long as the world would last, He went ahead with His whole design and did not hold back this favor to us. Through this gift He feeds us with His Own Flesh and becomes closely united to our souls and makes us truly blessed, in order to satisfy the desires of His loving Heart.
Who would have ever imagined something so wonderful, if Faith did not give us the certain assurance?
Affective Acts
(1) Self-accusation — And how is it, O my soul, that you react to this great favor with such coolness, or rather such ingratitude and lack of faith? How is it that, though you have often had this Divine fire within your breast, no heavenly flame is now burning in it?
Recognize your unhappy condition, bitterly deplore it, lift up your heart with repeated Acts of Contrition, of Faith, of Hope and of Charity, and ask the loving Jesus to kindly visit you again with His presence, so that, united to Him intimately in Holy Communion, you will persevere until death in His friendship and grace and hereafter enjoy Him and bless Him forever in Heaven.
(2) Resolution — I see, Lord, that love is strong as death. Love obliged us to suffer everything, to bear everything. I resolve to surrender entirely to Thee. It will no longer be I who live, but Thou will live in me. I will be dead to the world and to myself. Praised be Jesus Christ!
Third Point
Finally let us consider, my soul, the benefits and advantages that this Divine Bread offers us. It is called, among other things, Communion, because in It the Lord communicates, or distributes, to each of the Faithful who receive Him in the 'State of Grace', the treasure of His virtues, gifts and merits that He earned by His holy life, passion and death.
At the same time He reveals with a fine tenderness not only the love with which He gave His Life for all, but the prompt and generous will whereby He would die again for the same cause if it were needed. As if to save us were a small thing to have offered once His Sacred Body on the altar of the Cross, He wonderfully multiplies His Body numberless times each day on altars by the ministry of priests for the same end.
Not satisfied with bringing us the gifts of His grace by the other Sacraments and other channels of His bounty and mercy, He comes in Person. And with His own hand in this Sacrament He is lavish with His heavenly riches, enlightening our minds, enkindling our wills, reducing the heat of our passions, reforming our feelings and depositing in us, even in our flesh, the seed of immortality, so that we may rise again one day to live eternally.
Affective Acts
(1) Admiration — O my God, in this sum of all marvels how wonderfully Thou hast shown us proof of Thy tender love with the sure pledge of eternal happiness! And I — how ungrateful and petty I appear toward One Who does not grow weary of being my most liberal benefactor! What small fruit I have obtained from the frequent sharing of this Source of all good things!
And what fruit — may I ask — if each time I am worse, each time more lacking in devotion, more vain, more impatient, more selfish, more anxious about pleasures of the world? I confess it with great shame, out of respect for Thy Divine honor. Ah! My ingratitude, my perversity, my hard-heartedness have gone far enough.
Help me with Thy powerful grace. Let Thy love triumph! O Jesus, Who already works so many miracles in this great Sacrament in order to become food for my soul, enkindle today within my breast, O Lord, the fire of Thy charity, so that my soul will always live in Thy grace and hereafter enjoy Thee in glory and praise Thee for all eternity. Amen.
(2) Prayer to Mary Most Holy — O my Mother, obtain for me the wine of divine love which I lack. Say to Thy Son Who is in the Most Holy Sacrament: "My Son, this poor soul has no wine." I am sure that then Thou wilt obtain it. Obtain also for me the faith of Saint Peter, the love of Saint John, the zeal of Saint James, and the devotedness of the other Apostles. Adorn me, my Mother, with those virtues which Thou knowest I need in order to approach the Most Holy Sacrament in the best possible way.
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds, hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.
From the malignant enemy defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me
and bid me to come to Thee,
that with Thy saints I may praise Thee forever and ever. Amen.
Now pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary and the Concluding Prayers as on page xi.
Meditation 35. On Perseverance
Preparatory Prayer as on page x
Composition of Place — Imagine that you see Christ and that He tells you: Remember what you have received and learned in this retreat, and observe it all faithfully. — "Behold, I come quickly: hold fast: that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Apoc. 3:11).
Prayer of Petition — My Lord and my God, grant me grace to perfectly fulfill the resolves I have made, and grant that I may persevere in them to the end of my life. Amen.
First Point
How fortunate you are, O my soul! Now you can truly be called happy. You have sought the Lord during these days of retreat and have found Him. He Who loves you has admitted you into His house, and opening the arms of His mercy, He has given you a place in the midst of His Heart.
He wants you to repay Him for this great love and the signs of affection which He has shown you, by opening to Him your heart and clinging to Him so firmly that you would never let Him go. You would do Him the most outrageous wrong if you would not accept this grace of a fond and favored familiarity with Him.
Then you would deserve that terrible woe of the Prophet Isaias — the woe against "apostate children;" "Woe to you, apostate children, saith the Lord, that you would take counsel, and not of Me: and would begin a web, and not by My spirit . . ." (Is. 30:1).
Woe to him who does not persevere with the Lord! Woe to him who quits His service! Alas for the ingratitude! Oh, what malice! Be astonished, ye Heavens! After God, in His overflowing love, has forgiven a sinner and has restored him to His grace, if the sinner is bold enough to gravely offend Him, he insolently declares to God, if not in words, at least by his actions: "I know not Thy favors. I am dissatisfied with Thy love. I am weary of serving Thee and so do not choose to serve Thee for the future. Satan will be my master. I put myself in his care and I am his slave. Down with Jesus! Long live satan!"
Do you not tremble, my soul, on hearing this language? Are you not filled with horror? Is it possible that you have no conscience about this deep in your heart? Where can we match an ingratitude so black, a treachery so unheard of, and a pride so mad? O Good God! It is not strange that those who know Thee not, run in the ways of wickedness.
Nor is it strange that they who have not experienced the pleasing taste of Thy sweetness would pursue the charms of their unbridled appetites, and that they who have not seen for themselves how sweet, how desirable is the yoke of Thy service, would serve Thy enemy. But that they who have known Thee, would leave Thee! That one who has experienced Thy lovable presence in his soul through grace, would offend Thee! That anyone would sin who has tasted the delightful fare of a good conscience and the enduring treat of peace of soul! How monstrous! What a profanation! What an insult to Thee, O Lord of Majesty!
An insult? Indeed, it is an insult to tell Thee plainly that sin is preferable to Thy grace, that it is more worthwhile to serve satan than Thee. That is what sinners do when they sin. They shut their eyes to Thy light in order to bury themselves in a pit of darkness. Alas for them!
In this very folly they have punishment. They have not wanted to see, and have remained blind. They have withdrawn from the source of All Good and have plunged into the sea of all evil. They have hated life and have fallen into the darkness of death. "If the just man turn himself away from his justice . . . Shall he live? No, he shall not live." (Ezech. 18:24).
While the tree stays planted beside the running stream of water, it will keep its greenness and vigor and in season it will bear fruit in abundance. But if it is uprooted and removed from the spot, it will promptly start withering, will shed its leaves, will bear no fruit, will dry up, and will only be good for firewood.
The same thing happens to a just man who does not persevere. As long as he sits by the streams of Divine grace, he is rich in virtue and merit for eternal life. But as soon as he removed himself by sin from that fertile soil, he serves no purpose but to consume himself in vice and in the end to enter the eternal fire.
Do you understand this, my soul? If you want to be saved, you must persevere in the good way you have begun. You must do this at all costs; for it is not beginnings that count so much as the end. Saint Paul began badly and ended well. Judas began well and ended badly. Paul is blessed and one of the greatest saints in paradise. Do you wish to be Judas or Paul?
The reward is offered to those who begin, but, as Saint Bernard says, is given only to those who persevere. The crown of glory is hanging over your head. To come to wear it, you must persevere, for perseverance alone will be crowned, as Saint Bonaventure rightly declares: Persevere, and it will be given to you. Jesus Christ Himself has pledged His word for it.
Read chapter 24 of Saint Matthew's Gospel and you will see that these words have come from His Divine Mouth: "He that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved." (verse 13). Be not deceived, my soul. The desire for salvation and an ineffective inclination to fulfill the means of salvation, are not enough. An effective will is necessary — one which goes ahead to perform the deeds needed for salvation.
Heaven and hell are full of men with desires, but with this difference: Those in hell stayed at a standstill with their desires, and those in Heaven put their hands to the task. The former were damned, and the latter were saved. You, too, should desire, proceed to the performance, and persevere, and you will be saved.
Here is where everything worthwhile for us lies. Therefore one must be whole-hearted, generous, and constant, without becoming frightened, no matter what the effort, the difficulty or the cost. The cost? Certainly it costs something. We should not hide the fact; for it has been written, "The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away." (Mt. 11:12)
One must put down all evil cravings, conquer a rebellious flesh, subject a wayward will, be humble before God's Almighty Will, and submit to all of God's designs without giving any hearing to self-love or other enemies. Ah, this is the way, but a rough way, my soul.
One must keep following it, going ahead without turning back, without weakening. — As for you, what will you do, my soul? Will you perhaps turn back? Ah, no. You have generously left a world which, like another wicked Pentapolis (Wisd. 10:6; Gen. 19:25), is burning in the flames of every vice. See that you are not like Lot's foolish wife, who turned her eyes back, and after changing into a statue of salt, was left on the road. (Gen. 19:26).
Saint Augustine tells you, my soul, to consider well this salt. Keep yourself from a great misfortune. Salt is a sign of prudence. Know to be prudent and take a warning from another's experience. Through God's Providence you have put your hand to the plough.
Continue to work out your eternal happiness, without becoming frightened at difficulties, and trusting that the Lord, Who inspired your generous thoughts, will give you the strength necessary to carry on to the end. If you do this, you will not be among the number of those fools who "began in the spirit" and ended "by the flesh" — using Saint Paul's blunt language to the faithful of Galatia (Gal. 3:3).
Be mindful that people guilty of this folly are not few. "The number of fools is infinite," says the wise man (Ecclesiastes 1:15); and Saint Jerome and Saint Augustine add that they who begin are many, but they who persevere are few. Will you not be generous enough to be numbered among the few? Surely you have resolved to stand with Our Lord, and I trust you will persevere.
Affective Acts
(1) Confidence — My Lord and Father, I know the dangers and I am convinced of my weakness; but I hope in Thy Goodness, that from everything Thou wilt safely deliver me. Thou wilt not forsake me, my Father.
(2) Prayer of Petition — Most Holy Virgin, my Mother, pray to God for me now and always, so that I will persevere until death. Amen.
Second Point
But it is necessary, my soul, that you get ready for temptation, for you must walk a road that is narrow and rough, and where cruel enemies are on either side. The world, the devil and the flesh are hiding in ambush on both sides of the road to Heaven, which you are travelling. They have observed and learned your aims. They are preparing surprise attacks on you and will attack you at the first opportunity.
Oh, the scandals, the snares, the flatteries, the charms, which the world, even now, keeps preparing, to captivate your heart! And beware, for it is so skillful at this that it now reckons its victory to be a sure thing. But, ah! if the world fails in this ambush, what a shower of jeers, unkind jests, misrepresentations, cruel persecutions, it will cause to fall on you! You will be dragged before tribunals of criticism where you will be judged without a hearing and condemned without compassion.
On streets men will point you out with a finger. In gatherings and gossiping circles your honor will be torn to shreds. Perhaps you will be booed. You will be the butt of tales and the topic of amusement for worldlings. As for you, what will you do? Will you quit on this account? Will you know how to laugh in return at the world and resist its attacks?
But when you do this, are you unaware that the devil will spur on the worldlings and supply them with schemes to overcome you, and if he cannot, he will make them cruel toward you? He will use your father, your brother, your friends perhaps, as his most powerful instruments. He will rage by the mouth of all and will avail himself of everyone to devour you.
Oh, what heroic manliness, what constancy, you will need! And where will you get this? Do you not see how weak you are and how feeble your flesh is? This is the flank where the devil will doubtless attack and where he thinks you will surrender. Your good will shows itself, and it will do so quickly for "the spirit is willing" (Mt. 26:41).
But where will you get enough strength to be able to resist and conquer? Where? Listen: Be circumspect, be ever watchful and pray without ceasing, as Jesus Christ tells you in His Gospel (Lk. 21:36); because what is impossible for you, is very easy for God. If God is with you, what can all your foes do against you? But do not grow slack on your part.
Do what you can and in this way you will oblige the Lord to help you. Does the world hate you? Does it want to involve you in its ruin? You too should hate it and shun its supporters, who are the salt of Babylon, so that they will not envelop you in their darkness. Is the devil not roaring furiously, going about in search of a chance to devour you?
Live in perfect sobriety and continued watchfulness, as the Apostle Saint Peter tells you (1 Pt. 5:8 ff.), and, armed with the shield of faith resist him with firmness, for it is certain that the devil is very courageous against the faint-hearted, but with courageous and generous souls he is faint-heartedness itself. Does the flesh seek to overpower the spirit?
Strengthen the spirit, crucify your flesh and its concupiscences by mortification and penance, and you will subject it. In this way you will be fighting as God commands you to fight; and you will win, and will receive the immortal crown. "Be thou faithful until death: and I will give thee the crown of life" (Apoc. 2:10), says the Lord.
But, alas for me! Saint Augustine declares that when they are guilty of a careless look, lofty cedars of Lebanon fall, of whom one would not have feared this any more than of an Ambrose and Jerome! Persons have fallen who were as mighty as Samson, as just as David, as wise as Solomon, as determined as Peter to die with Christ.
And we who are weak, ignorant, faint-hearted, will we be over-confident? "Your strength shall be as the ashes of tow" (Is. 1:31), God tells you by the Prophet. Should we despair, then? Oh, no! Then where will our weakness lean for support? On Thee, Lord. I put my hope in Thee to deliver me from my enemies (cf. Ps. 7:2).
Prayer — May Holy Mary and all the saints intercede for us to the Lord, that we may be worthy to receive help and salvation from Him Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. (Oration at Prime).
Third Point
Listen, my soul. Saint Paul defies tribulations, distress, danger, persecution, the sword, and has no fear of being overcome. "Who . . . shall separate us," he boldly exclaims, "who shall separate us from the Love of Christ?" (Rom. 8:35). No one. Why? Because, as this Apostle assures us, while he was by himself frail and weak, he could do all things in the Lord Who strengthened him.
Trusting not in himself, he fully leaned on the Lord. He had been told that the grace of Jesus Christ was sufficient for him to fight the good fight, to finish his course, to keep the Faith, and to earn for himself the crown of justice which the Lord was reserving for him. Crown of justice? Is it not through grace he was able to acquire it? Yes, my soul.
Take note of this: God wanted Paul's cooperation, and Paul added to grace his cooperation; that is, with the help of grace he performed the work which God had commanded him, and for the performance of which God had promised an unfading crown of glory as a reward. Thus, by the merits of Jesus Christ he won the crown, and in justice the crown was awarded to him.
This is what we, too, must do: Have trust, and apply ourselves using all means conducive to obtaining final perseverance — something hard and necessary, yet possible. Very many, millions of saints have gained it. Can we gain it also if we use the same means? And what are these means? Learn the answer in the five following maxims, which are the principles which you should observe and conscientiously keep:
(1) Death rather than sin — this was the principle which gave Susanna courage to resist the two elders (cf. Dan. 13:23), gave chaste Joseph courage to despise the advances of his master's wife (cf. Gen. 39), gave the aged Eleazar courage to be worthy of his grey hairs (cf. 2 Mach. 6). With this principle the seven young Machabees became mighty and their tender mother became a heroine (cf. 2 Mach. 7).
These good people resigned themselves, suffered as they struggled against tremendous torments, until they conquered and by dying gained the crown of victory. Let us lose a short, wretched life, they said to themselves, and gain for ourselves another life which is eternal and full of blessing.
This was the language of the Holy Martyrs, who, acting by those sentiments, succeeded in gaining the palm of glory in wearing the white garments which they had washed in their blood and the Blood of the unspotted Lamb, Who became Chief of Martyrs and blotted out our sins and purchased life for us by surrendering to death, without counting the distress. He expected to suffer.
Oh my God, death rather than sin was the determined sentiment of all the saints, it is the resolution of all the just, and if it has not been mine up to now, it is now and will be until my death. This I promise and with Thy grace I will fulfill it. Neither pleasure nor delights nor pain nor death itself is to separate me from Thee. Alas! I am nothing more than weakness itself! But I put my trust in Thee, my Lord.
(2) Flee all occasions of sin — This is the second principle for persevering. He who loves danger will fall into it and will perish, says the Lord (Ecclus. 3:27). Therefore I will no longer love danger, nor hunt for the occasion; rather, I will flee from it. The slippery places where I have fallen will not harm me any more, because I will avoid them.
The Lord admonishes me to watch and pray, so that I will not fall into temptation, and I will watch and pray (Mt. 26:41). But how should I do this so that I pray with fruit? Let it be in the Name of Jesus and by His merits — so the Savior Himself tells us; and let it be by the Blessed Virgin's intercession — so all the saints cry out. Here you have the remedy, my soul.
(3) Prayer and devotion to the Blessed Virgin — Oh, who knows how to be truly devoted to Mary and to pray to Her without ceasing? Who knows how to win the heart of this great Mother of Mercy, this powerful Advocate for sinners? Do you want to win Her Heart, O my soul? It is a very easy matter: Have a horror for sin, consecrate yourself to Her service, practise all the devotions you can, not so that you can get by with your sins, but so that thereby you amend your ways; and above all manage to form in yourself, in Her honor, a living copy of Her virtues.
Ah! Never has anyone doing this been lost, nor will such a person ever be lost. Within that tower of refuge, what can the enemies do against you? Sheltered by that shield, what arrows of theirs can wound you? Mary will be a sure guide for you to walk without a stumble on the difficult road of your salvation, and a gateway ever open for entering the heavenly Jerusalem.
Follow Her steps and you will not go astray. Give Her your hand and you cannot fall. Now those truly devoted to Mary go to Confession and Holy Communion often. This presents the fourth principle for perseverance, which I am going to set forth.
(4) Frequent Confession and Holy Communion — Tell me, my soul, would your body live long without food? To enable it to live, do you think it would be enough if it took food one, two, or three times a year? And even if it were possible for it to live that way, would it be very strong and healthy? And will you try to have your soul live the life of grace without frequently taking the Divine and supersubstantial Bread of the Eucharist? Do you imagine that is less necessary than material bread is for the body? No. You foolishly deceive yourself. Do not seek miracles without necessity.
As God has given you material bread to nourish your body, He has likewise given you the Eucharistic Bread to maintain and increase the spiritual life of your soul. Therefore, receive Holy Communion often, as the saints counsel you and your spiritual needs indicate; and you will live forever. "He that eateth this bread shall live for ever," says the Lord (Jn. 6:59). But you must eat it with the right disposition; otherwise this very healthful and Divine Food will become a poison to you.
Therefore take good care to cure your spiritual ailments with a healthful repentance and bathe yourself often in the heavenly bath of a good Confession, so that your life may be pleasing to the eyes of the heavenly Bridegroom of souls. Oh, if you do this, how lovable you will be to Jesus Christ! What a fondness He will have for you and you for Him! Then you can truly say: My Beloved is everything to me, and I to Him (Cant. 2:16). Then the good Jesus will let you know Him, He will become always present to you, and you will never fail to see things with lively faith; and perhaps you may come to have the light of contemplation.
(5) The presence of God — Consider that God sees you. In whatever place you are, whether in your house or in your yard, whether in a church or on the street, whether in a public place or in a deep cave, God is always watching you.
And would you dare offend Him before His very Eyes? Does God not happen to be your Bridegroom, your Father, your Lord, your Judge as well as your God? And what bride, what son, what slave, what defendant, what creature would boldly venture so far? Consider, my soul, all God's claims on you — His claim to your loyalty, your piety, your respect, your fear, your gratitude and your love — all, all these cry out to you and plead that you sin no more.
Have you not gained a bit of light during these days of retreat? Have you not meditated, reflected, resolved? Have you not written down resolutions in your heart? Ah! Inscribe them now in your memory, or, if you wish, write them also on paper so that you may read them every day, or at least every month, so that you will never forget them and so that you will practise them faithfully, aiding yourself in this by the five very important principles which you have just seen. Oh, how useful, how necessary they are for you! Always remember them, keep them ever in view, count them off by the five fingers of your right hand, and you will never sin.
Prayer of Petition — O my God, God of my heart! Come to my assistance. By the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and my Loving Redeemer, I ask of Thee final perseverance in Thy Grace, and I ask that I die in Thy Love. O my Sweet Jesus! Do not permit all that Thou hast done to save me, to be fruitless in me.
By Thy weariness and sweat, by the humiliations and ill treatment Thou didst suffer, by the Precious Blood Thou didst shed, by Thy dereliction, Thy Agony and death, do not allow me again to plunge to my ruin. I love Thee, my Jesus, above all things, and I hope to be bound to Thee forever with new ties of love. O my Beloved, shackle me ever more and more with Thy chains.
I want to live always loving Thee. May I breathe my last breath for love of You, O Mary. You are called the Mother of Fair Love and are the Dispenser of the great gift of final perseverance. I beg that gift from You, and I hope for it from You; I am certain that I shall not be left eternally disappointed and confounded.
Now pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary and the Concluding Prayers as on page xi.
Preparatory Prayer as on page x
Composition of Place — Imagine you see Our Lord Jesus Christ at the Cenacle with His beloved Apostles, that you are with them, that Our Lord washes everyone's feet, yours as well as theirs, and that He gives you Holy Communion.
Prayer of Petition — Ah, my Jesus! . . . That Thou would wash my feet! . . . that Thou would want it so! . . . Thy most holy Will be done. As Thou dost wish to wash me . . . do so, and I shall be whiter than snow.
First Point
Consider, first, that a gift is valuable and precious according to how great it is in itself, how great the giver's love is, and how useful and profitable it is for us. These three qualities are found together in a supreme degree in the priceless gift that the Lord gave us of His Body and Blood in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
The grandeur of the gift could not rank any higher; for it was like a seal of all blessings and is the greatest among blessings — bringing the things that are contained within Christ to each of the Faithful, namely, all of Christ's goods and treasures — His Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, with all His merits, graces and virtues.
This gift is made with a resourcefulness so wonderful that for all eternity a prodigy so astonishing would never have occurred to the mind of the most enlightened Seraphim. And it comes with such lavish affection that, though God is infinitely wise, good and powerful, He cannot give us in this life a boon and a treasure that is worth more.
Affective Acts
(1) Thanksgiving — I give Thee thanks, my loving Lord and God, for Thy infinite generosity toward this lowly creature — myself. Thou dost shame me at the same time for my having been so stingy toward Thee up to now. But with sorrow and repentance I humbly beg that Thou add to this Sovereign Gift, the favor of granting me a new spirit and heart so that henceforth I may rightly value this Thy Gift and respond with total love and faithfulness to Something so precious and so priceless.
(2) Prayer of Petition — O Virgin Mary, when Thou heard from the angel that Thou wert destined for the great dignity of Mother of God, You were humbly baffled. How will my soul react on hearing and knowing that Jesus Christ, Son of Thy chaste flesh, Who is in the Most Holy Sacrament, wants to come into my poor heart. Obtain for me, O my Mother, a heart meek and humble like Thine, that I may be able to welcome Jesus in it, Who greatly delights in dwelling in hearts that are well disposed. Help me, assist me, and be present with me, my Mother.
Second Point
Consider, second, the greatness of the giver's love. Here is where properly is found the excellence of the favor; for Jesus was moved by a most ardent love — and this is to be valued most highly. The warmest flame of love one can conceive of burned in His breast the night on which He instituted for our good this Divine Sacrament.
At the same hour in which men were plotting His arrest and His infamous and cruel death, the Lord, knowing all this, celebrated this solemn occasion much as an eager bridegroom celebrates a wedding. Our Lord's celebration was to provide that He remain with men until the end of the world.
He gave Himself in the manner of a banquet, and took the appearance of bread and wine, in order to be our food and drink and to unite Himself with us spiritually and bodily in such close union, that just as no skill can separate food once it is changed into the body's substance, so no skill nor power nor anything else can separate us from Him.
But there is something else in which He revealed the fine quality of His Charity. He knowing all the injuries, irreverences and sacrileges that were to be done to Him in the Consecrated Host by infidels, heretics and bad Christians as long as the world would last, He went ahead with His whole design and did not hold back this favor to us. Through this gift He feeds us with His Own Flesh and becomes closely united to our souls and makes us truly blessed, in order to satisfy the desires of His loving Heart.
Who would have ever imagined something so wonderful, if Faith did not give us the certain assurance?
Affective Acts
(1) Self-accusation — And how is it, O my soul, that you react to this great favor with such coolness, or rather such ingratitude and lack of faith? How is it that, though you have often had this Divine fire within your breast, no heavenly flame is now burning in it?
Recognize your unhappy condition, bitterly deplore it, lift up your heart with repeated Acts of Contrition, of Faith, of Hope and of Charity, and ask the loving Jesus to kindly visit you again with His presence, so that, united to Him intimately in Holy Communion, you will persevere until death in His friendship and grace and hereafter enjoy Him and bless Him forever in Heaven.
(2) Resolution — I see, Lord, that love is strong as death. Love obliged us to suffer everything, to bear everything. I resolve to surrender entirely to Thee. It will no longer be I who live, but Thou will live in me. I will be dead to the world and to myself. Praised be Jesus Christ!
Third Point
Finally let us consider, my soul, the benefits and advantages that this Divine Bread offers us. It is called, among other things, Communion, because in It the Lord communicates, or distributes, to each of the Faithful who receive Him in the 'State of Grace', the treasure of His virtues, gifts and merits that He earned by His holy life, passion and death.
At the same time He reveals with a fine tenderness not only the love with which He gave His Life for all, but the prompt and generous will whereby He would die again for the same cause if it were needed. As if to save us were a small thing to have offered once His Sacred Body on the altar of the Cross, He wonderfully multiplies His Body numberless times each day on altars by the ministry of priests for the same end.
Not satisfied with bringing us the gifts of His grace by the other Sacraments and other channels of His bounty and mercy, He comes in Person. And with His own hand in this Sacrament He is lavish with His heavenly riches, enlightening our minds, enkindling our wills, reducing the heat of our passions, reforming our feelings and depositing in us, even in our flesh, the seed of immortality, so that we may rise again one day to live eternally.
Affective Acts
(1) Admiration — O my God, in this sum of all marvels how wonderfully Thou hast shown us proof of Thy tender love with the sure pledge of eternal happiness! And I — how ungrateful and petty I appear toward One Who does not grow weary of being my most liberal benefactor! What small fruit I have obtained from the frequent sharing of this Source of all good things!
And what fruit — may I ask — if each time I am worse, each time more lacking in devotion, more vain, more impatient, more selfish, more anxious about pleasures of the world? I confess it with great shame, out of respect for Thy Divine honor. Ah! My ingratitude, my perversity, my hard-heartedness have gone far enough.
Help me with Thy powerful grace. Let Thy love triumph! O Jesus, Who already works so many miracles in this great Sacrament in order to become food for my soul, enkindle today within my breast, O Lord, the fire of Thy charity, so that my soul will always live in Thy grace and hereafter enjoy Thee in glory and praise Thee for all eternity. Amen.
(2) Prayer to Mary Most Holy — O my Mother, obtain for me the wine of divine love which I lack. Say to Thy Son Who is in the Most Holy Sacrament: "My Son, this poor soul has no wine." I am sure that then Thou wilt obtain it. Obtain also for me the faith of Saint Peter, the love of Saint John, the zeal of Saint James, and the devotedness of the other Apostles. Adorn me, my Mother, with those virtues which Thou knowest I need in order to approach the Most Holy Sacrament in the best possible way.
Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O Good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds, hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.
From the malignant enemy defend me.
At the hour of my death, call me
and bid me to come to Thee,
that with Thy saints I may praise Thee forever and ever. Amen.
Now pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary and the Concluding Prayers as on page xi.
Meditation 35. On Perseverance
Preparatory Prayer as on page x
Composition of Place — Imagine that you see Christ and that He tells you: Remember what you have received and learned in this retreat, and observe it all faithfully. — "Behold, I come quickly: hold fast: that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Apoc. 3:11).
Prayer of Petition — My Lord and my God, grant me grace to perfectly fulfill the resolves I have made, and grant that I may persevere in them to the end of my life. Amen.
First Point
How fortunate you are, O my soul! Now you can truly be called happy. You have sought the Lord during these days of retreat and have found Him. He Who loves you has admitted you into His house, and opening the arms of His mercy, He has given you a place in the midst of His Heart.
He wants you to repay Him for this great love and the signs of affection which He has shown you, by opening to Him your heart and clinging to Him so firmly that you would never let Him go. You would do Him the most outrageous wrong if you would not accept this grace of a fond and favored familiarity with Him.
Then you would deserve that terrible woe of the Prophet Isaias — the woe against "apostate children;" "Woe to you, apostate children, saith the Lord, that you would take counsel, and not of Me: and would begin a web, and not by My spirit . . ." (Is. 30:1).
Woe to him who does not persevere with the Lord! Woe to him who quits His service! Alas for the ingratitude! Oh, what malice! Be astonished, ye Heavens! After God, in His overflowing love, has forgiven a sinner and has restored him to His grace, if the sinner is bold enough to gravely offend Him, he insolently declares to God, if not in words, at least by his actions: "I know not Thy favors. I am dissatisfied with Thy love. I am weary of serving Thee and so do not choose to serve Thee for the future. Satan will be my master. I put myself in his care and I am his slave. Down with Jesus! Long live satan!"
Do you not tremble, my soul, on hearing this language? Are you not filled with horror? Is it possible that you have no conscience about this deep in your heart? Where can we match an ingratitude so black, a treachery so unheard of, and a pride so mad? O Good God! It is not strange that those who know Thee not, run in the ways of wickedness.
Nor is it strange that they who have not experienced the pleasing taste of Thy sweetness would pursue the charms of their unbridled appetites, and that they who have not seen for themselves how sweet, how desirable is the yoke of Thy service, would serve Thy enemy. But that they who have known Thee, would leave Thee! That one who has experienced Thy lovable presence in his soul through grace, would offend Thee! That anyone would sin who has tasted the delightful fare of a good conscience and the enduring treat of peace of soul! How monstrous! What a profanation! What an insult to Thee, O Lord of Majesty!
An insult? Indeed, it is an insult to tell Thee plainly that sin is preferable to Thy grace, that it is more worthwhile to serve satan than Thee. That is what sinners do when they sin. They shut their eyes to Thy light in order to bury themselves in a pit of darkness. Alas for them!
In this very folly they have punishment. They have not wanted to see, and have remained blind. They have withdrawn from the source of All Good and have plunged into the sea of all evil. They have hated life and have fallen into the darkness of death. "If the just man turn himself away from his justice . . . Shall he live? No, he shall not live." (Ezech. 18:24).
While the tree stays planted beside the running stream of water, it will keep its greenness and vigor and in season it will bear fruit in abundance. But if it is uprooted and removed from the spot, it will promptly start withering, will shed its leaves, will bear no fruit, will dry up, and will only be good for firewood.
The same thing happens to a just man who does not persevere. As long as he sits by the streams of Divine grace, he is rich in virtue and merit for eternal life. But as soon as he removed himself by sin from that fertile soil, he serves no purpose but to consume himself in vice and in the end to enter the eternal fire.
Do you understand this, my soul? If you want to be saved, you must persevere in the good way you have begun. You must do this at all costs; for it is not beginnings that count so much as the end. Saint Paul began badly and ended well. Judas began well and ended badly. Paul is blessed and one of the greatest saints in paradise. Do you wish to be Judas or Paul?
The reward is offered to those who begin, but, as Saint Bernard says, is given only to those who persevere. The crown of glory is hanging over your head. To come to wear it, you must persevere, for perseverance alone will be crowned, as Saint Bonaventure rightly declares: Persevere, and it will be given to you. Jesus Christ Himself has pledged His word for it.
Read chapter 24 of Saint Matthew's Gospel and you will see that these words have come from His Divine Mouth: "He that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved." (verse 13). Be not deceived, my soul. The desire for salvation and an ineffective inclination to fulfill the means of salvation, are not enough. An effective will is necessary — one which goes ahead to perform the deeds needed for salvation.
Heaven and hell are full of men with desires, but with this difference: Those in hell stayed at a standstill with their desires, and those in Heaven put their hands to the task. The former were damned, and the latter were saved. You, too, should desire, proceed to the performance, and persevere, and you will be saved.
Here is where everything worthwhile for us lies. Therefore one must be whole-hearted, generous, and constant, without becoming frightened, no matter what the effort, the difficulty or the cost. The cost? Certainly it costs something. We should not hide the fact; for it has been written, "The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away." (Mt. 11:12)
One must put down all evil cravings, conquer a rebellious flesh, subject a wayward will, be humble before God's Almighty Will, and submit to all of God's designs without giving any hearing to self-love or other enemies. Ah, this is the way, but a rough way, my soul.
One must keep following it, going ahead without turning back, without weakening. — As for you, what will you do, my soul? Will you perhaps turn back? Ah, no. You have generously left a world which, like another wicked Pentapolis (Wisd. 10:6; Gen. 19:25), is burning in the flames of every vice. See that you are not like Lot's foolish wife, who turned her eyes back, and after changing into a statue of salt, was left on the road. (Gen. 19:26).
Saint Augustine tells you, my soul, to consider well this salt. Keep yourself from a great misfortune. Salt is a sign of prudence. Know to be prudent and take a warning from another's experience. Through God's Providence you have put your hand to the plough.
Continue to work out your eternal happiness, without becoming frightened at difficulties, and trusting that the Lord, Who inspired your generous thoughts, will give you the strength necessary to carry on to the end. If you do this, you will not be among the number of those fools who "began in the spirit" and ended "by the flesh" — using Saint Paul's blunt language to the faithful of Galatia (Gal. 3:3).
Be mindful that people guilty of this folly are not few. "The number of fools is infinite," says the wise man (Ecclesiastes 1:15); and Saint Jerome and Saint Augustine add that they who begin are many, but they who persevere are few. Will you not be generous enough to be numbered among the few? Surely you have resolved to stand with Our Lord, and I trust you will persevere.
Affective Acts
(1) Confidence — My Lord and Father, I know the dangers and I am convinced of my weakness; but I hope in Thy Goodness, that from everything Thou wilt safely deliver me. Thou wilt not forsake me, my Father.
(2) Prayer of Petition — Most Holy Virgin, my Mother, pray to God for me now and always, so that I will persevere until death. Amen.
Second Point
But it is necessary, my soul, that you get ready for temptation, for you must walk a road that is narrow and rough, and where cruel enemies are on either side. The world, the devil and the flesh are hiding in ambush on both sides of the road to Heaven, which you are travelling. They have observed and learned your aims. They are preparing surprise attacks on you and will attack you at the first opportunity.
Oh, the scandals, the snares, the flatteries, the charms, which the world, even now, keeps preparing, to captivate your heart! And beware, for it is so skillful at this that it now reckons its victory to be a sure thing. But, ah! if the world fails in this ambush, what a shower of jeers, unkind jests, misrepresentations, cruel persecutions, it will cause to fall on you! You will be dragged before tribunals of criticism where you will be judged without a hearing and condemned without compassion.
On streets men will point you out with a finger. In gatherings and gossiping circles your honor will be torn to shreds. Perhaps you will be booed. You will be the butt of tales and the topic of amusement for worldlings. As for you, what will you do? Will you quit on this account? Will you know how to laugh in return at the world and resist its attacks?
But when you do this, are you unaware that the devil will spur on the worldlings and supply them with schemes to overcome you, and if he cannot, he will make them cruel toward you? He will use your father, your brother, your friends perhaps, as his most powerful instruments. He will rage by the mouth of all and will avail himself of everyone to devour you.
Oh, what heroic manliness, what constancy, you will need! And where will you get this? Do you not see how weak you are and how feeble your flesh is? This is the flank where the devil will doubtless attack and where he thinks you will surrender. Your good will shows itself, and it will do so quickly for "the spirit is willing" (Mt. 26:41).
But where will you get enough strength to be able to resist and conquer? Where? Listen: Be circumspect, be ever watchful and pray without ceasing, as Jesus Christ tells you in His Gospel (Lk. 21:36); because what is impossible for you, is very easy for God. If God is with you, what can all your foes do against you? But do not grow slack on your part.
Do what you can and in this way you will oblige the Lord to help you. Does the world hate you? Does it want to involve you in its ruin? You too should hate it and shun its supporters, who are the salt of Babylon, so that they will not envelop you in their darkness. Is the devil not roaring furiously, going about in search of a chance to devour you?
Live in perfect sobriety and continued watchfulness, as the Apostle Saint Peter tells you (1 Pt. 5:8 ff.), and, armed with the shield of faith resist him with firmness, for it is certain that the devil is very courageous against the faint-hearted, but with courageous and generous souls he is faint-heartedness itself. Does the flesh seek to overpower the spirit?
Strengthen the spirit, crucify your flesh and its concupiscences by mortification and penance, and you will subject it. In this way you will be fighting as God commands you to fight; and you will win, and will receive the immortal crown. "Be thou faithful until death: and I will give thee the crown of life" (Apoc. 2:10), says the Lord.
But, alas for me! Saint Augustine declares that when they are guilty of a careless look, lofty cedars of Lebanon fall, of whom one would not have feared this any more than of an Ambrose and Jerome! Persons have fallen who were as mighty as Samson, as just as David, as wise as Solomon, as determined as Peter to die with Christ.
And we who are weak, ignorant, faint-hearted, will we be over-confident? "Your strength shall be as the ashes of tow" (Is. 1:31), God tells you by the Prophet. Should we despair, then? Oh, no! Then where will our weakness lean for support? On Thee, Lord. I put my hope in Thee to deliver me from my enemies (cf. Ps. 7:2).
Prayer — May Holy Mary and all the saints intercede for us to the Lord, that we may be worthy to receive help and salvation from Him Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. (Oration at Prime).
Third Point
Listen, my soul. Saint Paul defies tribulations, distress, danger, persecution, the sword, and has no fear of being overcome. "Who . . . shall separate us," he boldly exclaims, "who shall separate us from the Love of Christ?" (Rom. 8:35). No one. Why? Because, as this Apostle assures us, while he was by himself frail and weak, he could do all things in the Lord Who strengthened him.
Trusting not in himself, he fully leaned on the Lord. He had been told that the grace of Jesus Christ was sufficient for him to fight the good fight, to finish his course, to keep the Faith, and to earn for himself the crown of justice which the Lord was reserving for him. Crown of justice? Is it not through grace he was able to acquire it? Yes, my soul.
Take note of this: God wanted Paul's cooperation, and Paul added to grace his cooperation; that is, with the help of grace he performed the work which God had commanded him, and for the performance of which God had promised an unfading crown of glory as a reward. Thus, by the merits of Jesus Christ he won the crown, and in justice the crown was awarded to him.
This is what we, too, must do: Have trust, and apply ourselves using all means conducive to obtaining final perseverance — something hard and necessary, yet possible. Very many, millions of saints have gained it. Can we gain it also if we use the same means? And what are these means? Learn the answer in the five following maxims, which are the principles which you should observe and conscientiously keep:
(1) Death rather than sin — this was the principle which gave Susanna courage to resist the two elders (cf. Dan. 13:23), gave chaste Joseph courage to despise the advances of his master's wife (cf. Gen. 39), gave the aged Eleazar courage to be worthy of his grey hairs (cf. 2 Mach. 6). With this principle the seven young Machabees became mighty and their tender mother became a heroine (cf. 2 Mach. 7).
These good people resigned themselves, suffered as they struggled against tremendous torments, until they conquered and by dying gained the crown of victory. Let us lose a short, wretched life, they said to themselves, and gain for ourselves another life which is eternal and full of blessing.
This was the language of the Holy Martyrs, who, acting by those sentiments, succeeded in gaining the palm of glory in wearing the white garments which they had washed in their blood and the Blood of the unspotted Lamb, Who became Chief of Martyrs and blotted out our sins and purchased life for us by surrendering to death, without counting the distress. He expected to suffer.
Oh my God, death rather than sin was the determined sentiment of all the saints, it is the resolution of all the just, and if it has not been mine up to now, it is now and will be until my death. This I promise and with Thy grace I will fulfill it. Neither pleasure nor delights nor pain nor death itself is to separate me from Thee. Alas! I am nothing more than weakness itself! But I put my trust in Thee, my Lord.
(2) Flee all occasions of sin — This is the second principle for persevering. He who loves danger will fall into it and will perish, says the Lord (Ecclus. 3:27). Therefore I will no longer love danger, nor hunt for the occasion; rather, I will flee from it. The slippery places where I have fallen will not harm me any more, because I will avoid them.
The Lord admonishes me to watch and pray, so that I will not fall into temptation, and I will watch and pray (Mt. 26:41). But how should I do this so that I pray with fruit? Let it be in the Name of Jesus and by His merits — so the Savior Himself tells us; and let it be by the Blessed Virgin's intercession — so all the saints cry out. Here you have the remedy, my soul.
(3) Prayer and devotion to the Blessed Virgin — Oh, who knows how to be truly devoted to Mary and to pray to Her without ceasing? Who knows how to win the heart of this great Mother of Mercy, this powerful Advocate for sinners? Do you want to win Her Heart, O my soul? It is a very easy matter: Have a horror for sin, consecrate yourself to Her service, practise all the devotions you can, not so that you can get by with your sins, but so that thereby you amend your ways; and above all manage to form in yourself, in Her honor, a living copy of Her virtues.
Ah! Never has anyone doing this been lost, nor will such a person ever be lost. Within that tower of refuge, what can the enemies do against you? Sheltered by that shield, what arrows of theirs can wound you? Mary will be a sure guide for you to walk without a stumble on the difficult road of your salvation, and a gateway ever open for entering the heavenly Jerusalem.
Follow Her steps and you will not go astray. Give Her your hand and you cannot fall. Now those truly devoted to Mary go to Confession and Holy Communion often. This presents the fourth principle for perseverance, which I am going to set forth.
(4) Frequent Confession and Holy Communion — Tell me, my soul, would your body live long without food? To enable it to live, do you think it would be enough if it took food one, two, or three times a year? And even if it were possible for it to live that way, would it be very strong and healthy? And will you try to have your soul live the life of grace without frequently taking the Divine and supersubstantial Bread of the Eucharist? Do you imagine that is less necessary than material bread is for the body? No. You foolishly deceive yourself. Do not seek miracles without necessity.
As God has given you material bread to nourish your body, He has likewise given you the Eucharistic Bread to maintain and increase the spiritual life of your soul. Therefore, receive Holy Communion often, as the saints counsel you and your spiritual needs indicate; and you will live forever. "He that eateth this bread shall live for ever," says the Lord (Jn. 6:59). But you must eat it with the right disposition; otherwise this very healthful and Divine Food will become a poison to you.
Therefore take good care to cure your spiritual ailments with a healthful repentance and bathe yourself often in the heavenly bath of a good Confession, so that your life may be pleasing to the eyes of the heavenly Bridegroom of souls. Oh, if you do this, how lovable you will be to Jesus Christ! What a fondness He will have for you and you for Him! Then you can truly say: My Beloved is everything to me, and I to Him (Cant. 2:16). Then the good Jesus will let you know Him, He will become always present to you, and you will never fail to see things with lively faith; and perhaps you may come to have the light of contemplation.
(5) The presence of God — Consider that God sees you. In whatever place you are, whether in your house or in your yard, whether in a church or on the street, whether in a public place or in a deep cave, God is always watching you.
And would you dare offend Him before His very Eyes? Does God not happen to be your Bridegroom, your Father, your Lord, your Judge as well as your God? And what bride, what son, what slave, what defendant, what creature would boldly venture so far? Consider, my soul, all God's claims on you — His claim to your loyalty, your piety, your respect, your fear, your gratitude and your love — all, all these cry out to you and plead that you sin no more.
Have you not gained a bit of light during these days of retreat? Have you not meditated, reflected, resolved? Have you not written down resolutions in your heart? Ah! Inscribe them now in your memory, or, if you wish, write them also on paper so that you may read them every day, or at least every month, so that you will never forget them and so that you will practise them faithfully, aiding yourself in this by the five very important principles which you have just seen. Oh, how useful, how necessary they are for you! Always remember them, keep them ever in view, count them off by the five fingers of your right hand, and you will never sin.
Prayer of Petition — O my God, God of my heart! Come to my assistance. By the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and my Loving Redeemer, I ask of Thee final perseverance in Thy Grace, and I ask that I die in Thy Love. O my Sweet Jesus! Do not permit all that Thou hast done to save me, to be fruitless in me.
By Thy weariness and sweat, by the humiliations and ill treatment Thou didst suffer, by the Precious Blood Thou didst shed, by Thy dereliction, Thy Agony and death, do not allow me again to plunge to my ruin. I love Thee, my Jesus, above all things, and I hope to be bound to Thee forever with new ties of love. O my Beloved, shackle me ever more and more with Thy chains.
I want to live always loving Thee. May I breathe my last breath for love of You, O Mary. You are called the Mother of Fair Love and are the Dispenser of the great gift of final perseverance. I beg that gift from You, and I hope for it from You; I am certain that I shall not be left eternally disappointed and confounded.
Now pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary and the Concluding Prayers as on page xi.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre