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"He was brought up to a working trade: but being mindful that he was to work for heaven, as well as for bread, his great care was to join the exercises of religious duties to his trade, as of prayer, fasting, watching, and alms-deeds; and as often as circumstances would permit, he had some good book open before him. Learn to sanctify your labours by his example. If you are of the number of those who work for a livelihood, endeavour to be faithful in what you have undertaken. And this, not only in regard of your neighbour, by carefully avoiding what is fraudulent, or may be to his prejudice, through your neglect; but likewise to God and your own soul, by a watchful care against all the suggestions of a covetous, worldly, or solicitous temper; that so you neither rob him of his honour, nor deprive yourself of what is necessary for your salvation. What will your gain profit you, if you lose your soul?

Devotion for the Month of December:  the Immaculate Conception

Virtue for the month of September: Union

Qui manet in eharitate, in Deo manet, et Deus in eo — Whoabidethin charity, abideth in God, and God in him. — I John, iv : 16.

 The object of all virtues is to bring us into union with God, in which alone is laid up all the happines that can be enjoyed in this world. Now, in what does ibis unioa properly consist ? In nothing save a perfect conformity and resemblance between our will and the will of God, so that these two wills are absolutely alike — there is nothing in one repugnant to the otber ; all that one wishes and loves, the other wishes and loves ; whatever pleases or displeases one, pleases or displeases the other. — St. John of the Cross.

December's Poetry:

December thou wert named              
By whom the wise remember
As fighting warrior famed
To fill Ambition's blighting.

Thy frozen runes appear,
As slanting sun has chosen,
Directing icy cheer
And life of Bloom dissecting.

The smitten hearts are sad
By wind and cold much bitten,
But cheerful is and glad
The soul of bliss less fearful.

Thy mornings shine not bright
Nor fill the daytime yearnings,
Yet glory's thy delight
And shows the festive stories.

The purest feast of her
Who was of bliss the surest
Engages days that stir
The virtuous of all ages.

Thy sainted list is grand
As Nature white is painted
In glowings joys that stand
Above all human knowing.

The manger saw the Light
The inn foretold a danger,
And heaven, in the night,
Announced the saving Leaven.

The Glorious of the meek,
Who spent His days laborious,
Remembers them who seek 
His love in sorrow's embers.

First Martyr, John, and they
Who gave their life as charter
The hated sword to stay
Are in they rolls related.

Let cherished be thy days!
Thought Nature now has perished,
December still we praise 
Our birthright to remember.

Rev. T.F. Kramer, C.PP.S.

1923  Messenger of the Most Precious Blood, Volumes 28-29

"Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them" St. Martt. VII. 19,20

1. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit: Our Saviour had spoken of false Prophets, and in their person had signified wicked Priests : He had enjoined His disciples to avoid them, but He had not enjoined them to punish them. He fills them with fear, threatening them with the punishment of God (says St. Chrysostom). A wicked Priest has, indeed, need of threats rather than of promises, and for his amendment he has need to think of the former rather than of the latter. And, did he but reflect on the tremendous truth which is here inculcated — that is to say, that a Priest may be condemned for failing to produce good fruit — then surely he would never bring forth those many evil fruits which may be traced to him. He would shrink from incurring that dreadful curse, " You shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary . . . you shall bear the sins of your priesthood" (Numb, xviii. 1). 
If we are branches of that great Vine, which is Jesus Christ, we ought to remember His word, " Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He will take away;" and again, "If any one abide not in Me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth " (St. John xv. 2, 6). Let us, then, fear the fulfillment of so terrible a menace ; let us fear the teeth of the dragon (says St. Bernard); let us fear the belly of hell, the roaring of fierce beasts that stand ready to devour, the worm that ever gnaws, the fire that always burns, the smoke, the brimstone, the whirlwind, and the exterior darkness. It may be that our death is near, and that " the axe is already laid to the root of the tree " (St. Matt. iii. 10) ; it may be the Watcher and the Holy One has already cried aloud from heaven, " Cut down the tree " (Dan. iv. 1 1 ). Whither shall we then flee from the wrath of the Lamb ? Why do we not now by penance forestall this fatal stroke ?"

2. Shall be cut down. What terrible words are these ! They point to separation from the heavenly kingdom, which separation is incomparably more terrible than eternal fire ; although (as St. Chrysostom says) many fear hell more than they fear the loss of heaven. But the loss of a kingdom, and that the kingdom of God, will be most terrible for Priests, who have held the keys of it, who have opened it to others, and who will hear from the lips of devils that they have lost it, as the devils have lost it, without hope of recovery : " Thou also art wounded as well as we, thou art become like unto us" (Is. xiv. 10). — " Shall be cut down." They shall be separated from the Eternal Father Who had communicated to them immense power, Who had confided to them His Son, Who had made them Ministers of His mercies, but Who now says, " I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured " (Deut. xxxi. 17). — " Shall be cut down. " What an awful punishment is that of Priests — to be separated from Christ, to become the object of His hatred, and to hate Him and curse Him, through all eternity, after having been so familiarly associated with Him — after having called Him down so many times from heaven, held Him in their hands, taken Him for food, dispensed Him to the Faithful ! The punishment of ten thousand hells could not equal this (says St. Chrysostom). — "Shall be cut down".  How terrible for Priests to be separated for all eternity from the Holy Spirit, by Whom they were anointed, illuminated, sanctified, and made the instruments of diffusing Him on Whom the Angels, whose name and office they have borne, "desire to look!" (i Pet. i. 12). — "Shall be cut down." Surely, nothing ought to be so terrible to Priests who still retain their faith as the thought of losing for all eternity the sight, the possession, the enjoyment of the Blessed Trinity, with Whom they have been so closely associated on earth.

3. Shall be cast into the fire. The fire which is kindled by God's wrath is "a fire full of wisdom;" that is, it punishes each one according to the number and heinousness of his sins. Hence the sins of Priests, which are most heinous — because of their contempt of Divine light, their ingratitude for the Divine benefits, and because of the fatal consequences of such sins — will bring upon them a more severe and intense suffering than those of any others. Supreme is God's indignation against His reprobate Ministers, and therefore against them in an especial manner is " a fire kindled in His wrath, which shall burn even to the lower heir' (Deut. xxxii. 22). The breath of Almighty God, which, when breathed upon them, gave His Priests power to remit sins, will then be "as a torrent of brimstone" to punish their iniquity (Is. xxx. 33). Let us consider that the devils have already prepared a dwelling for us, and desire to see us precipitated into that furnace of fire ; " for Topheth is prepared from yesterday, deep and wide ; the nourishment thereof is fire and much wood." (Ibid.) What anguish for Priests to see themselves changed from shining stars into firebrands of hell !

O Jesus, Author of the Priesthood, and Supreme High Priest, abandon not Thy unworthy Minister. Convert me and save me.


" Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword, my only one from the hand of the dog." — Ps. xxi. 21.

" Which of you can dwell with devouring fire ? Which of you shall dwell with everlasting burnings ? " — Is, xxxiii. 14.

Source: 7 week after Pentecost Meditations for the use of the clergy : for every day in the year. On the Gospels for the Sundays, Volume 3 (Msgr. Scotti, Archbishop of Thessalonica)

Prayer for Priests Who Have Become Unfaithful to Their Vocation

Divine Savior Jesus Christ, Thou are the Good Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep. Oh, be in a very special way the Good Shepherd of those poor lost priests who are also appointed by Thee to be leaders of Thy people, but who have broken the oath of their holy ordination and have become unfaithful to their exalted calling. Bestow upon these poorest of the poor the very fullness of that pastoral solicitude with which Thou dost so faithfully seek the sheep that are lost! Touch their hearts with the irresistible ray of grace which emanates from Thine all-merciful love! Enlighten their minds and strengthen their wills, that they may turn away from all sin and error and come back to Thy holy altar and to Thy people. O most compassionate Savior! Remember that Thou didst once redeem the souls of Thine erring priests with Thy Precious Blood and in infinite preferential love didst impress upon them the indelible character of the priesthood. Put wholly to shame those miserable helpers of Satan who lay snares for the virtue of priests and endanger the holy ideal of the priesthood. Most graciously accept our prayers and sacrifices for poor priests who have gone astray and hear our earnest petition. Amen

Saints and Servants of God, obtain for us holy priests.

Imprimatur - Bishop John F. Null (April 18, 1948)

Source: Cure d'Ars Prayer Group

Advent is a season of penance set apart by the Church to prepare us for the festival of Christmas. It is her desire that on that day, our dear Savior should be born anew in our souls, by an increase of grace, and by the formation of our life upon His example. In order to this the Christian should watch, pray, and do penance. He should suffer no day to pass without grieving for his sins, and imploring the grace of Him who alone can deliver him from them." St. Vincent's Manual : Containing A Selection Of Prayers And Devotional Exercises : Originally Prepared For The Use Of The Sisters Of Charity In The United States Of America.

"1. Advent is the season when we are taught to look forward both to the first coming of our Lord into the world at Christmas-time, and also to His second coming at the end of time to judge the living and the dead. His first coming was to seek and to save that which was lost. His second coming will be to gather His elect into the celestial paradise, and to trample all His enemies under His feet. Shall I on that day be regarded by Him as a friend or as an enemy? Is my present life one of devotion to Him and union with Him, or one of selfishness, pride, impatience of the yoke of Christ?

2. Of all the miracles in the world never was there one to be compared to His coming on earth in the form of a man. It was a miracle so entirely above and beyond our reason that unless we knew it by faith to be a fact we should be inclined to pronounce it impossible. That the infinite God should take the form of a creature! that the Eternal Word should be clad in a body formed of the dust of the earth! that He should of His own accord leave the highest heaven for a life of suffering and a death of agony! Nothing but the power of God could work such a wonder as this.

3. Yet we know that it is a fact. "For us men and for our salvation He came down from heaven." He yearned after us with a divine love. Willingly, joyfully, almost eagerly He stripped Himself of all His glory. "He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death." Who after this can refuse to believe that He loved us and still loves us fondly, tenderly? Who can refuse to love Him in return, and to show this love by a loyal obedience to all that He asks of us?"

Meditations for Advent . By Rev. Richard F. Clarke S.J. The Catholic Truth Society, London 1891 Digitized by google

Saint Andrew Christmas Novena:

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment In which the Son of God was born Of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [here mention your request] through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His blessed Mother. Amen. (15 times)

Prayer to the Holy Infant for priests

Jesus, Divine Infant, I bless and thank Thy most loving Heart for the institution of the priesthood. Priests are sent by Thee as Thou were sent by the Father. To them Thou entrusted the treasures of Thy doctrine, of Thy Law, of Thy Grace, and souls themselves.

Grant me the grace to love them, to listen to them, and to let myself be guided by them in Thy ways. Jesus, send good laborers into Thy harvest. May priests be the salt that purifies and preserves; may they be the light of the world; may they be the city placed on the mountain. May they all be formed after Thy own Heart. And in heaven may they be surrounded by a joyous throng of those they shepherded on earth. Amen.

Glory Be (three times).
Infant Jesus, make me love Thee more and more!

"I was one of the faithful of Father de Foucauld. used to say Mass when it suited us. If you asked him to say it at four o'clock in the morning or at noon he would always say yes. And what a Mass! If you were never at his Mass you don't know what Mass is. When he said the Domine non sum dignus it was in such a tone that you wanted to weep with him." Charles De Foucault, Hermit and Explorer, by Herve Bazin p161

"(...) Mother Elizabeth began to exhort him to take Holy Orders. She showed him that he would do much more good by becoming a missionary; but he changed the conversation, and went back to the hermitage. As she was a woman of very strong will and accustomed to guide souls that do not give in to every argument, but only to one, she returned to the subject, and observed to Brother Charles that, if he became a priest, there would daily be one more Mass in the world, and an infinite number of graces for men; that it was then in his power to pour down a fresh blessing on the earth, or to keep it in heaven. If he had received gifts, which he had increased by study and a long spiritual work, was it to make use of them for himself alone? Brother Charles, whom the thought of honouring still more the Blessed Sacrament had moved to the depths of his soul, reflected on the words which had been said to him, and then replied: "To be a priest is to put myself forward, and I am made for the hidden life."

(...)

"I had at first thought of setting up a hermit chaplain there, in a poor room, and to settle down near him, to serve him as servant and sacristan. But I find that I cannot on any account impose these charges on my family. Another means must therefore be found. I see only one: it is to be myself the poor chaplain of this poor sanctuary."

Brother Charles, continuing his meditation upon this subject, asks himself whether he will thus fill his vocation better, which is "to imitate, in the most possible and perfect way, our Lord Jesus in His hidden life." And he replies affirmatively, comparing what he does in Nazareth with what he would do on the Mount of the Beatitudes.

"Faith in the word of God and of His Church can be practised equally well everywhere, but there, on the Mount of the Beatitudes, in destitution, isolation, in the midst of very malevolent Arabs, I shall, so as not to lose courage, need a firm and constant faith in these words: Seek ye the kingdom of God, and all things shall be added unto you.... Here, on the contrary, I lack nothing, and am safe. It is there then that my faith will be best exercised.

"There I shall be able to do infinitely more for my neighbour by the sole offering up of the holy sacrifice, by setting up a tabernacle which will invisibly sanctify the environs by the simple presence of the Holy Sacrament, as our Saviour in His mother's womb sanctified the house of John, or else by pilgrimages, or by hospitality, alms, and the charity I shall strive to give to all.