aeternus

Never shall there be discord

2009-11-06T20:09:45Z

You know, every once and awhile a soul can get a little confused by all the distractions of the world. Living in our day it is difficult to “stay hidden in Christ” and keep our hearts united to His in the midst of our own turmoil and daily mundane struggles. I think I can say with certainty that we all feel a bit trodden upon at times. We may do our best to “offer it up” but a soul can get weary!

In the middle of one of my own wearisome battles a certain grace came to me in the form of a comment to this little blog. Its message of hope in the beauty of a peaceful eternity of love and fellowship with our God and all His holy Angels and Saints came at just the right time. It was like a loving smack on my tired brain to say, “Hey Lady, stay the course, be strong, never fear, I AM with you!” Well, it may have been even more than a smack because it produced in me a good old long cry which has invigorated my soul once again. I thank the sender immensely and will always pray for him!!! AMEN! AMEN!

Here is the quotation I am passing along. It is from a sermon by St. Venerable Bede and is currently prayed in the traditional breviary at II Nocturns. (I think it was that Nocturn part which inspired me to post the photo above which I took a few weeks ago. It is of two Great Horned Owls at sunset who happen to be our neighbors. You may have to play “Where’s Waldo” to spot the 2nd owl.) I hope the quote will inspire your soul…

“Never shall there be discord anywhere there, but all things in harmony. For everywhere there, things are in such concord that all the Saints are at unity with each other in one peace and joy. Everywhere there, all things are tranquil and quiet. Perpetual is the splendour there ; not like unto the sunlight which we know here, but a light which is the brighter, as it is the more blessed. For that city, as saith Scripture, needeth not the light of the sun, because the Lord Almighty doth enlighten it by the Lamb which is the Light thereof. There the Saints shall shine like as the brightness of the firmament, and they that have turned many to righteousness, as the stars, for ever and ever.

And so there is no night there, no darkness, no gathering of clouds, no asperity of heat or cold. But such is the nature of things there as no eye hath seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, except of those only who have been found worthy to enjoy it, whose names are written in the book of life ; and who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, and are before the throne of God, serving him day and night. There is no old age anywhere there, nor misery of old age, for all are come to perfect manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

But far above all these things is the fellowship there. That is, to enjoy the companionship of the heavenly citizens : to look upon the choirs of Angels and Archangels, of Thrones and Dominions, Principalities, Powers, and all the heavenly Virtues on high : and to behold the army of the Saints shining more gloriously than the stars ; of the Patriarchs glowing with faith ; of the Prophets rejoicing in hope ; of the Apostles judging the world reformed into twelve tribes of the new Israel ; of the Martyrs resplendent in their ruddy crowns of victory ; and of the Virgins wearing garlands of the purest white.”

Nice day we’re having?

2009-11-05T12:26:33Z

“In external matters. In times of great heat, cold or rain; in times of famine, epidemics and similar occasions we should refrain from expressions like these: “What unbearable heat!” “What piercing cold!” “What a tragedy!” In these instances we should avoid expressions indicating opposition to God’s will. We should want things to be just as they are, because it is God who thus disposes them. An incident in point would be this one: Late one night St. Francis Borgia arrived unexpectedly at a Jesuit house, in a snowstorm. He knocked and knocked on the door, but all to no purpose because the community being asleep, no one heard him. When morning came all were embarrassed for the discomfort he had experienced by having had to spend the night in the open. The saint, however, said he had enjoyed the greatest consolation during those long hours of the night by imagining that he saw our Lord up in the sky dropping the snowflakes down upon him.”

– St. Alphonsus de Liguori — Special Practices of Uniformity

Burning cloister of love

2009-10-27T15:54:22Z

I was alerted many months ago to a new translation of Dante’s Purgatory by Anthony Esolen. I am fairly sure many of you have already read this classic tale (of the trilogy) in which a fictional Virgil navigates his way through the 7 terraced provinces of Purgatory as he is led there to discover and write about the souls who populate the landscape and witness their particular sins and sufferings.

There are many quotations in this poetic masterpiece which speak to the heart of the reader but there is within an anagogical interpretation which is to be mystically discovered by a soul who prayerfully reads its prose. It is for this prayerful purpose and as we ourselves are in the midst of traveling through our own novena for the souls who endure sufferings as they penitentially wait in hope, that I will share quotations from this section of the Divine Comedy.

As Dante leads his reader from the remorseless gates of the inferno and crosses over the threshold of the lands of atonement. Here a soul must learn to trust in the ultimate power of divine justice and remove from his intellect his past ways of knowing in the earthly world he once lived. A soul here says:

“..I surrendered, yielding to Him who pardoned willingly.

My sins were horrible, but endless grace

has arms of generous goodness thrown so wide

they take in all who turn to them…

No man loses, by their curse’s power,

eternal love, that love cannot return

so long as hope shows any green in flower…

For we can gain

Much profit from what prayers on earth obtain.”

Ah, my friends, should the witness of the afflictions about to be endured by these heroic trusting souls be unobserved through our daily prayers? Shall we allow their apology through affliction be had in secret? Oh, how it is our duty to pray for them and to offer up little mortifications for them daily. For in truth, their future is known and their ultimate destiny secured. One day there souls will reach the summit of love and in a blaze of beauty become a heavenly soul of praise which witnesses the eternal glory of our creator. How awesome a destiny!

I will offer one more quote here as to me it speaks further to the grace of hope for souls. It comes from Canto Fifteen in the poem in which our traveler reaches a ring of pride-filled souls who appreciated too greatly their esteem on earth. In this district of Purgatory these souls will learn the meaning of the beatitude “beati misericordes” or “blessed are the merciful”. As Virgil travels through this land he sees reflections of the heavenly lights from far above…

“So a reflected radiance seemed to come

striking from something on the road ahead,

making my dazzled vision quick to flee…

“Don’t be amazed if you are dazzled still

by Heaven’s family, for he is sent

a herald summoning men to climb the hill.

Soon it shall not oppress you anymore,

but you will look upon these things with joy -

all the delight your nature formed you for.”

And when we’d come before that angel blest,

with a glad voice he said, “Come here and enter

upon a stairway gentler than the rest.”

Climbing, we left him within we heart a voice

singing, “Blest are the merdiful,” behind us,

and, “You who have the victory, rejoice!”

But if love for the highest heavenly sphere

had wrung your yearnings, turning them above,

your breast wouldn’t be troubled by such fear,

For there, the more who say, “This joy is ours,”

the more joy is possessed by every soul,

the more that cloister burns in charity.”…

That Good, ineffable and infinite -

as beams of light stream to a light-filled body -

turns to whoever turn in love to It,

And give according to the warmth It finds,

so that, the greater love you spread abroad,

the more will the eternal Worth reward.

And the more souls that burn in Heaven above,

as mirrors flashing light on one another,

the more there is for all of them to love.”

Oh what a glorious “burning cloister of love” will the final destination be! Amen!

** photo above from St Michael’s cemetery in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. A view of a grave marker looking Northward towards Southside row houses and the now defunct Bethlehem Steel Mill Plant furnaces. This cemetery was photographed by Walker Evans for the Farm Security Administration in 1935.

Awaiting relief from the prayers of those good souls who will pray

2009-10-25T22:16:03Z

Thanks once again to my very dear friend who is becoming my Novena secretary (ie. she is always letting me know when to begin all the most important Novenas! God Reward Her!!) I am now passing this notification on to all you great prayer warriors!Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory composed by the great Saint, St. Alphonsus Ligouri.

Day 1

Jesus, my Savior I have so often deserved to be cast into hell how great would be my suffering if I were now cast away and obliged to think that I myself had caused my damnation. I thank Thee for the patience with which Thou hast endured me. My God, I love Thee above all things and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee because Thou art infinite goodness. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of perseverance. Have pity on me and at the same time on those blessed souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession. Say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory .

Day 2

Woe to me, unhappy being, so many years have I already spent on earth and have earned naught but hell! I give Thee thanks, O Lord, for granting me time even now to atone for my sins. My good God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Send me Thy assistance, that I may apply the time yet remaining to me for Thy love and service; have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.