Saint Lea of Rome, Widow, A.D. 384
by VP
Posted on Saturday March 22, 2025 at 12:00AM in Saints
"She was a rich Roman lady. After the death of her husband, entering into a monastery, she was chosen abbess; and by her exemplary piety promoted all good. She had now sackcloth to succeed that rich attire, which she had worn in her conjugal state, and haircloth to take the place of her fine linen. The nights formerly wasted in entertainments, she now employs in prayer, and having been attended by many servants, she is now the servant of all. In this state of penance and humility, without any mixture of affectation, she lived till God called her to the possession of what she had sought. St. Jerome has recorded the virtues of this holy widow. He observes that in her austerities and good works, she carefully avoided all ostentation, lest she might receive her reward in this world, and not in the next. Now however she enjoys eternal rest for her short labour; she is received by choirs of angels, and cherished in Abraham's bosom.
The present season of Lent is a time of penance proper for following such an example. Look upon your sins, and see if justice does not demand it of you: there will be trouble in the practice; but this is one of those
troubles, which will be turned into joy. Let this example be always
before you. Take necessity for your rule, and keeping your eye upon it,
come as near it as you can. Let it be before you at your table, in your
clothing, sleeping, and diversions. You cannot depart many degrees from
it, but with the danger of sin. To exceed in sleep is sloth and laziness; it has no great horror in its appearance, but is the forerunner of all evils. To exceed, or be
nice in diet, is self-love and luxury; to exceed in dress, is pride and
injustice, seeking honour for what deserves contempt. Think of this seriously, taking your measures not from the world, but from the Gospel; and you will soon find reason to retrench. Ask grace to follow the dictates of such reason. Look well to your own state; and as far as you see penance and forsaking any part of this world necessary for your amendment, resolve heartily upon undertaking it. Let no niceness or self-love link you to your sins, and hinder the effects of mercy. Who knows if you shall have another opportunity given you?" The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother
Day 18. Lent with the Cure of Ars: On Anger
by VP
Posted on Saturday March 22, 2025 at 12:00AM in Lenten Sermons
"Anger is an emotion of the soul, which leads us violently to repel whatever hurts or displeases us.
This emotion, my children, comes from the devil; it shows that we are in his hands; that he is the master of our heart; that he holds all the strings of it, and makes us dance as he pleases. See, a person who puts himself in a passion is like a puppet; he knows neither what he says, nor what he does; the devil guides him entirely. He strikes right and left; his hair stands up like the bristles of a hedgehog; his eyes start out of his head, he is a scorpion, a furious lion...
Why do we, my children, put ourselves into such a state? Is it not pitiable? It is, mind, because we do not love the good God. Our heart is given up to the demon of pride, who is angry when he thinks himself despised; to the demon of avarice, who is irritated when he suffers any loss; to the demon of luxury, who is indignant when his pleasures are interfered with...
How unhappy we are, my children, thus to be the sport of demons! They do whatever they please with us; they suggest to us evil-speaking, calumny, hatred, vengeance; they even drive us so far as to put our neighbor to death. See, Cain killed his brother Abel out of jealousy; Saul wished to take away the life of David; Theodosius cause the massacred of the inhabitants of Thessalonica, to revenge a personal affront...
If we do not put our neighbor to death, we are angry with him, we curse him, we give him to the devil, we wish for this death, we wish for our own. In our fury, we blaspheme the holy Name of God; we accuse His Providence...What fury, what impiety! And what is more deplorable, my children, we are carried to these excesses for a trifle, for a word, for the least injustice! Where is our faith? Where is our reason? We say in excuse that it is anger that makes us swear; but one sin cannot excuse another sin. The good God equally condemns anger and the excesses that are its consequences.
How we sadden our guardian angel! He is always there at our side, to send us good thoughts, and he sees us do nothing but evil. If we did like St. Remigius, we should never be angry. See, this saint, being questioned by a Father of the desert how he managed to be always in an even temper, replied: "I often consider that my guardian angel is always by my side, who assists me in all my needs, who tells me what I ought to do and what I ought to say, and who writes down, after each of my actions, the way in which I have done it."
Philip II, King of Spain, having passed several hours of the night in writing a long letter to the Pope, gave it to his secretary to fold up and seal. He, being half asleep, made a mistake; when he meant to put sand on the letter, he took the ink-bottle and covered all the paper with ink. While he was ashamed and inconsolable, the king said, quite calmly, "No very great harm is done; there is another sheet of paper" and he took it, and employed the rest of the night in writing a second letter, without showing the least displeasure with his secretary."
Source: The Spirit of the Cure d'Ars, by Abbe Monnin, p.247, 1865
Prayer for Lent: O Lord who, for our sake, didst fast forty days and forty nights; give us grace to use such abstinence that, our flesh being subdued to the spirit, we may worthily lament and acknowledge our wretchedness, and may obtain perfect remission and forgiveness of Thee, the God of all mercy, who livest and reignest with the Father and Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen
Source: Lent with the Cure d'Ars Compiled by the CAPG