St. Athanasius, Bishop
by VP
Posted on Tuesday May 02, 2023 at 02:05AM in Articles
"Gentleness combined with firmness: St. Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria and doctor of the Church, by his mode of acting, exemplified the enigma formerly proposed by Samson to the Philistines; the sweetness of the honeycomb dwelling in him that had strength for his inheritance.
To the surging waves of Arianism he opposed a wall of brass; though driven forth from his diocese five times by the power and cabals of the heretics, he returned as often inflexible in doctrine, each time of return proving a fresh triumph for the faith. St. Gregory of Nazianzen has traced this sketch of him:
"Being gentle and affable towards all, every one had access to him; his reproofs were unmingled with bitterness; his praises were like so many lessons, for he reprimanded with the kindliness of a father and praised with the authority of a master. He was forbearing without weakness and firm without severity; in short, his conduct was in accordance with his teachings. The enemies of the faith found in him a soul unbending, and his persecutors a victim insensible to their shafts. No human consideration was capable of making him turn aside in favor of injustice." St. Athanasius died in 375.
Moral reflection: Thus does Holy Scripture depict Wisdom to us: "She reacheth from end to end mightily, and ordereth all things sweetly." (Wisdom. VIII 1)
Source: Little Pictorial of the Saints
Letter 19:
"6. Like these too, are the heretics, who, having fallen from true discernment, dare to invent to themselves atheism. 'For the fool says in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, and become abominable in their doings.' Of such as are fools in their thoughts, the actions are wicked, as He says, 'can you, being evil, speak good things Matthew 12:34;' for they were evil, because they thought wickedness. Or how can those do just acts, whose minds are set upon fraud? Or how shall he love, who is prepared beforehand to hate? How shall he be merciful, who is bent upon the love of money? How shall he be chaste, who looks upon a woman to lust after her? 'For from the heart proceed evil thoughts, fornications, adulteries, murders.' By them the fool is wrecked, as by the waves of the sea, being led away and enticed by his fleshly pleasures; for this stands written, 'All flesh of fools is greatly tempest-tossed.' While he associates with folly, he is tossed by a tempest, and perishes, as Solomon says in the Proverbs, 'The fool and he who lacks understanding shall perish together, and shall leave their wealth to strangers.' Now they suffer such things, because there is not among them one sound of mind to guide them. For where there is sagacity, there the Word, who is the Pilot of souls, is with the vessel; 'for he that has understanding shall possess guidance ;' but they who are without guidance fall like the leaves. Who has so completely fallen away as Hymenæus and Philetus, who held evil opinions respecting the resurrection, and concerning faith in it suffered shipwreck? And Judas being a traitor, fell away from the Pilot, and perished with the Jews. But the disciples since they were wise, and therefore remained with the Lord, although the sea was agitated, and the ship covered with the waves, for there was a storm, and the wind was contrary, yet fell not away. For they awoke the Word, Who was sailing with them , and immediately the sea became smooth at the command of its Lord, and they were saved. They became preachers and teachers at the same time; relating the miracles of our Saviour, and teaching us also to imitate their example. These things were written on our account and for our profit, so that through these signs we may acknowledge the Lord Who wrought them."
Reparation to the Holy Face of Jesus
by VP
Posted on Tuesday May 02, 2023 at 01:16AM in Prayers
Devotion to the Holy Face: Carmelites, Buffalo NY
The principal object of the devotion to the Holy Face is to offer respectful love and homage to the Adorable Face of Jesus disfigured in the Passion; to make reparation for blasphemy and the neglect of Holy Days, which outrages Him afresh; and, lastly, to obtain of God the conversion of sinners and profaners of the Holy Days:
Eternal Father, we offer You the Holy Face of Jesus, covered with blood, sweat, dust, and spittle, in reparation for the crimes of communists, blasphemers, and for the profaners of the Holy Name and of the Holy Day of Sunday.
Offering of the Holy Face by St. John Vianney, the Cure of Ars:
Oh, my beautiful
Immaculate Mother Mary, Queen of Sorrows, I beg of you, by the
inexpressible agony you did endure at the foot of the Cross, to offer to
the Eternal Father, in my stead, the Holy Face of your Divine Son, my
Jesus, covered with Blood, wounds, and other indignities heaped upon Him
during His Sacred Passion, and beg of Him to grant … (Here mention the
grace or favor you desire). Amen.
The Divine Praises in Reparation for Blasphemies
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother,
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste Spouse.
Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints.
I salute, adore, and love Thee, O Jesus, my Savior, covered anew with outrages by blasphemers, and I offer Thee, through the heart of Thy blessed Mother, the worship of all the Angels and Saints, as an incense and a perfume of sweet odor, most humbly beseeching Thee, by the virtue of Thy Sacred Face, to repair and renew in me and in all men Thy image disfigured by sin. Amen
Source: Veronica, or the Holy Face of Our Lord Jesus Christ 1871A Prayer for the Church
O God, by Thy Holy Name have pity on us, protect us, and save us.
O good Jesus, in the sweet Name guard our Sovereign Pontiff; breathe into his
soul the spirit of the Comforter.
Jesus, thy Church is menaced with great trials! Holy Father, by the virtue of
thy salutary Name protect the Church of Jesus Christ. This was the last will of
thy Divine Son; it is the holy prayer which love prompted towards the end of his
life. Holy Father, keep in thy Name those thou hast given me (St. John chap. xxxvii. 11)
O most holy and worthy Mother, refuge of the Church, intercede for us and save us by
the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
St. Michael and the Holy Angels, guard the bark of Peter; disperse its enemies
by the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Source: Sister Saint-Pierre and the Work of Reparation. Manual of the Archconfraternity of the Holy Face, 1887
Prayer to Obtain the Settlement of all Our Needs
Oh, Eternal Father, since it has pleased our Divine Savior to reveal to mankind in our present century the power residing in His Holy Face, we now avail ourselves of this treasure in our great needs. Since our Savior Himself promised that by offering to You, oh Eternal Father, the Holy Face disfigured in the Passion, we can procure the settlement of all our affairs, and that nothing whatsoever will be refused us, we now come before Your Throne.
Offering to You, oh God, this adorable Countenance, disfigured with painful bruises and covered with shame and confusion, we beg through the merits of this Holy Face to obtain these, our pressing needs.
Grant us pardon, Eternal Father, for the worst crimes of our age, which are atheism, blasphemy, and the desecration of Your holy days. May this offering of the Holy Face of our Savior before Your throne obtain for us deliverance from these evils.
Send us, oh God, many vocations to the priesthood and to the religious life, so that by their prayers, their works, and their sacrifices, they may spread the blessings of Your Church and confound Your enemies. Amen
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