How Sorrows are to be Borne Patiently: [III]

What boundless gratitude is Thy due, for revealing to me and to all
faithful people the true and holy way to Thine eternal Kingdom! Thy
life is our Way, and by holy patience we will journey onwards to Thee,
who are our crown and consummation. If Thou, Lord, had not gone before
us and showed the way, who could follow? How many would have stayed
behind and far distant had they not Thy glorious example for their
guide? Even now we are cold and careless, although we have heard Thy
teaching and mighty acts. What would happen to us had we not Thine
light as our guide? (John 8:12; 12:46)
--Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 18

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May 24th - Our Lady, Help of Christians
(1815)

Pope Pius VII, after he returned to Rome in 1815 from several years of captivity imposed by the emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, instituted this
feast day in honor of the assistance which the Blessed Virgin had
accorded the Church. The occasion of the Pope’s exile and captivity
was the emperor’s resistance to the authority of the Vicar of Christ, superior before God to his own.

A decree of the emperor in 1809 had ordered that the papal States be
joined to the French empire; violence followed in Rome, when the
French tricolor flag was set up and the papal arms broken. The Pope’s
very courageous bull of excommunication of the emperor was made public
in the following month. Then, one morning, a group of armed men
entered the Quirinal Palace by breaking down the doors with axes, and
its leader announced that the pope must either renounce his
sovereignty over Rome or be taken by the troop to a French General,
who would communicate to him his next destination.

The sacrilegious seizure of his person was executed, and he spent five
years in exile in various places, finally at Fontainebleau, France.
After 1815 the clemency of the great Pope towards the Emperor and his
family are a matter of history; the latter were afforded a secure
refuge in Rome itself, when Napoleon was exiled. And for the Emperor
himself, relegated to the island of Saint Helena, the Pope pleaded for
clemency with the Prince-Regent of England. When Napoleon died, it was
with the assistance of chaplains sent to him by Pius VII.

Our Lady, Help of Christians, was made better known by Saint John
Bosco, who consecrated his Order of Salesian priests to Her. And in
Turin, beginning in 1865, he began to raise in Her honor a vast and
magnificent church. Without ever having a penny in advance, always the
needed sums of money arrived in time. About three-fourths of the gifts
offered were presented in thanksgiving for favors obtained through Her intercession.

We will relate just one of those. A certain Senator of the Kingdom of
Italy was ill; Don Bosco went to visit him and found him very
discouraged and speaking of his imminent death. “What would you do,”
said Don Bosco, “if Our Lady Auxiliatrix obtained your cure from God?” “My cure! Well, I would give two thousand francs a month for Her
church, for six months.” “Be of good courage,” said the Saint on
rising; “I will see that prayers are said for you.” Three days later,
Baron Gotta, perfectly cured, went to Don Bosco to make his first
payment, giving more than he had promised; and he did not cease to
outdo himself in generosity.

Sources: L’histoire ecclésiastique, by M. l’Abbé Darras (Louis Vivès: Paris, 1888), Vol. 40; Les deux intendants de la Providence à Turin
(Joseph Cottolengo and Don Bosco) (Librairie St. Paul: Paris, 1904).


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Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth. --Matt. 5:4

 "The only consideration of Superiors ought to be the love of God, and
the sanctification of the souls committed to their care. This cannot
be better attained than by humility, combined with a peaceable
disposition and good example"
--St. Vincent de Paul

("A Year with the Saints".  May -- Meekness)

Bible Quote
And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should
not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the
Father, which you have heard (saith he) by my mouth. 5 For John indeed
baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost,
not many days hence.  (Acts 1:4-5)


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The words of God are to be heard with humility, and many weigh them not

It is astonishing to witness how much men undertake, urged on by vain
and deceitful hope, to obtain temporal and perishable goods, and how
very little they do to obtain spiritual and eternal rewards, though
encouraged by a solid and certain hope founded upon the word of God,
which never fails. The prospect of interest, or the uncertain hope of
riches, animates every heart, enhances every pleasure, dries up every
tear, lightens every labor; and we think ourselves well repaid for our
trouble when we have acquired the honor, the pleasure, or the
advantage we had in view. The hope of Heaven alone, the prospect of
eternal happiness, which may be obtained by patience and good works,
animates us not, it neither supports nor consoles us: we are as much
cast down and discouraged at the thought of gaining Heaven by patient
suffering as though we esteemed it of no value. Whence comes this? It
is because we are too much attached to things present and too
indifferent about the things to come. Our hope is faint because our
faith is weak.

Prayer: What confusion for me, O Lord, that I should give myself so
much trouble to please the world and to gratify my passions, and take
so little pains to satisfy Thy justice by works of penance, or Thy
goodness by punctuality in the discharge of my duties! Alas! why do I
not undergo as much for Thee as for myself? Why is not my ardor to
please Thee as fervent as my eagerness to gratify myself? Change, O
Lord, change the object and inclinations of my heart. Take Thou the
place of self within me, and grant that my love for Thee may be as
ardent to please Thee as my own self-love is to satisfy myself. Give
me such a love for Thee as may be called a love of reparation, that
is, such as may, by its ardor and constancy, make amends for the
languor and inconstancy of mine. Amen.

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