Feast of St. Paul of the Cross

April 28

The eighty-one years of this Saint’s life were modeled on the Passion of Jesus Christ. In his childhood, when praying in church, a heavy bench fell on his foot, but the boy took no notice of the bleeding wound, and spoke of it as “a rose sent from God.” A few years later, the vision of a scourge with “love” written on its lashes assured him that his thirst for penance would be satisfied. In the hope of dying for the faith, he enlisted in a crusade against the Turks; but a voice from the Tabernacle warned him that he was to serve Christ alone, and that he should found a congregation in His honor. At the command of his bishop he began while a layman to preach the Passion, and a series of crosses tried the reality of his vocation. All his first companions, save his brother, deserted him; the Sovereign Pontiff refused him an audience; and it was only after a delay of seventeen years that the papal approbation was obtained, and the first house of the Passionist was opened in Monte Argentario, the spot which Our Lady had pointed out. St. Paul chose as the badge of his Order, a heart with three nails, in memory of the sufferings of Jesus, but for himself he invented a more secret and durable sign. Moved by the same holy impulse as Blessed Suso, St. Jane Frances, and other Saints, he branded on his side the Holy Name, and its characters were found there after his death. His heart beat with a supernatural palpitation, which was especially vehement on Fridays, and the heat at times was so intense as to scorch his shirt in the region of his heart. Through fifty years of incessant bodily pain, and amidst all his trials, Paul read the love of Jesus everywhere, and would cry out to the flowers and grass, “Oh be quiet, be quiet,” as if they were reproaching him with ingratitude. He died whilst the passion was being read to him, and so passed with Jesus from the cross to glory.

Prayer to St. Paul of the Cross

O glorious St. Paul, who on earth wast a mirror of innocence, and a pattern of penance! O hero of sanctity chosen by God to meditate day and night on the most bitter Passion of His only-begotten Son, and to spread devotion to it through the world, by thy words, by thy example, and by means of thy Institute! O Apostle, powerful in work and word, who didst spend thy life in bringing back to the foot of the crucifix, the misguided souls of so many sinners, look graciously from heaven, I beseech thee, on my soul likewise, and hear my prayers. Obtain for me such love for my suffering Jesus that, meditating on Him continually, I may make His sorrows mine. Let me see in the deep wounds of my Savior the malice of my sins, and let me gain from them, as from fountains of salvation, the grace to weep over them bitterly, and efficacious resolution to imitate thee in thy penance, if I have not followed thee in thy innocence. Obtain for me likewise, O St. Paul the grace which I particularly and earnestly ask, prostrate at thy feet. [Here mention the grace which is desired.] Obtain, moreover, for the holy Church, our mother, victory over her enemies; for sinners their conversion; for heretics, for whom thou didst pray so much, a return to the Catholic faith. Finally, intercede for me with God, that I may have a holy death, so that I may come to enjoy Him with thee in heaven for all eternity. Amen

Twelve Advantages To Be Derived From The Contemplation Of Death

1. Contemplation of death enables us to judge properly and prevents our being imposed upon in all affairs. With nothing we came into this world and with nothing shall we leave it. Why then should we consume our very lives in the accumulation of riches? No one is to accompany us out of this world; why then are we so fond of creatures? The stench and corruption of the grave in which the pampered body is the prey of the lowest vermin show us the folly of carnal pleasures. In our narrow cell beneath the earth among the meanest things of creation, when our very blanket of soil may be trampled upon by the meanest of beggars, then we shall be freed of the vanity of seeking distinction and preference over others.

2. It is our best instructor through life, laying down but one simple rule, which is the direction of all our acts to one last end. This consideration drives away all the petty troubles which punctuate this life with unfailing regularity; it steadies us on the course and sustains us on the journey.

3. It teaches us to know ourselves, one of the essential points of true wisdom.

4. It teaches us to despise all that this world can offer, and is the solace of all true servants of God.

5. It is like ice, and helps to chill and deaden the fire of concupiscence; it is a bridle which curbs our sensual appetites.

6. It is a continual source of humiliation, a specific remedy against pride and vanity.

7. It is an excellent preservative against sin. “In all thy works be mindful of thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.” Eccl. VII 40

8. It brings exasperated minds back to peace and reconciliation. Whoever considers seriously that a certain and unavoidable death will one day bring him before the Judge Who shows no mercy but to those who show mercy to others, he will easily be induced to forgive.

9. It is an antidote against the pleasures and vanities of the world. Thus the prince who once placed a jester in a crazy chair over a large fire told him very justly, seeing the jester’s uneasiness, that life should be considered like a defective chair, which at any hour, at any moment, might fall to pieces; and the fire beneath the prince represented the fires of hell which everyone should hold in dread.

10. It teaches us a provident economy with regard to our salvation, by setting before our eyes the transitory character of this life, and the necessity of laying up a treasure of good works, while it is in our power to do so.

11. It induces us to embrace penance with a cheerful spirit.

12. It encourages us to persevere in the way of penance with unshakable firmness.

- From the Spiritual Combat

RESURREXIT

Henry Longan Stuart


All you that weep, all you that mourn,
All you that grieving go,
Lift up your eyes, your heads adorn,
Put off your weeds of woe.
The sorrows of the Passion week
Like tearful dreams are fled,
For He hath triumphed whom you seek,
Is risen – That was dead.


Oh! you who to the Sepulchre
At break of morning bring
The tribute of your spice and myrrh
To balm our murdered King,
Each cleft of His forsaken tomb
With Easter sun is red,
For He you laid amidst the gloom
Is risen that was dead.


See! all about the prostrate stone
Its abject sentries stand
Death, with his diadem downthrown,
And Fear, with fettered hand.
Lo! captive of the nails and spear
Captivity is led,
For Love, that conquers Death and Fear,
Is risen – That was Dead.

Prayer to the Angel Who Strengthened Jesus in the Garden of Olives

O holy angel who strengthened Jesus Christ Our Lord, come and strengthen us also and tarry not!

I salute thee holy angel who didst comfort my Jesus in His agony, and with thee I praise the Most Holy Trinity for having chosen thee from among all the holy angels to comfort and strengthen Him who is the comfort and strength of all that are afflicted. By the honor thou didst enjoy and by the obedience, humility and love wherewith thou didst assist the sacred Humanity of Jesus, my Savior, when He was fainting for very sorrow at seeing the sins of the world and especially my sins, I beseech thee to obtain for me perfect sorrow for my sins; deign to strengthen me in the afflictions that now overwhelm me, and in all the other trials, to which I shall be exposed henceforth, and in particular when I find myself in my final agony. Amen.

Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Novena of the Seven Sorrows of the
Blessed Virgin Mary

Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please Our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories. Amen. (500 days)

Dwell Often On The Passion

LOVE moves and governs all things. Tell me what you love and I shall tell you what you are. If your love is for the world, you are its slave. If your love is for Jesus Christ, you are free; you are becoming conformed to His image; your conversation, that is your life and conduct even here below, are continually in heaven.

Jesus Christ is alone worthy of your whole heart. But you cannot love Him if you do not know Him. It is not enough to know that “God so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son”, that “He emptied Himself out”, and that “He laid down His life for His flock”. We must know the details of His sufferings, if we would know the excess of His love.

From the Introduction - Reflections on the Passion by Charles Hugo Doyle