St. Ambrose, Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church, A.D. 397
by VP
Posted on Thursday December 07, 2023 at 12:00AM in Saints
St. Ambrose by Gerard Seghers (1591–1651)
"ST. AMBROSE was the most admirable model of invincible courage and constancy in resisting evil, and discharging his duty, since the days of the apostles. His father was a supreme magistrate of the empire; and the saint's birth happened about the year 340. Whilst he was a child, and lay asleep in one of the courts of his father's palace, a swarm of bees flew about his cradle, and some of them crept in and out of his mouth, and at last they mounted up into the air quite out of sight. This was looked upon as a presage of his future greatness and eloquence.
He was chosen bishop of Milan by a particular direction of heaven. Having undertaken the pastoral charge, he was a zealous promoter of church discipline; opposing errors and punishing vice, never letting the dignity of the offenders, or the fear of offending great ones, deter him from the just censure of the offence. Thus he refused admittance into the church to the Emperor Theodosius, because he had commanded a cruel massacre of seven thousand people at Thessalonica and when the emperor attempted some excuse, by saying that David had sinned, the holy bishop firmly replied: "Then as you have followed him in sinning, follow him also in repenting." Theodosius submitted, accepted the penance enjoined him, and passed eight months in his palace in mourning and penance. After this he went to the church, but St. Ambrose still forbade him to enter it, and ordered him to place himself among the public penitents at the church door. There he knelt and lay long prostrate in the rank of the penitents, lamenting his sin, and begging pardon of God; until St. Ambrose, satisfied that he was truly penitent, gave him absolution.
It was by the piety and zeal of St. Ambrose, that St. Augustin was reclaimed from his errors and sinful life.
Pray that all prelates and pastors may possess the spirit of St. Ambrose, so as to be above all flattery, fear, and human respect. Pray for all who are engaged in errors and sins; and beg the charity of this saint to join with you for obtaining grace for them." The Catholic Year; Or Daily Lessons on the Feasts of the Church by Rev. Fr. John GOTHER
Prayer of St. Ambrose.
JESUS CHRIST, our High Priest and Pontiff, who hast offered thyself on the altar of the cross, a pure and unspotted host for us poor sinners, who hast given us thy flesh to eat and thy blood to drink,-I beseech thee, by that blood, the great price of our salvation; I beseech thee, by that unspeakable charity which prompted thee to shed it for us; that thou wouldst teach me how to be present at this great mystery, how to behave with that reverence and honour, and to feel that fear and devotion, which is becoming so great an occasion. Make me, in thy mercy, ever believe and understand, think and speak, of this awful mystery, in a manner which may be pleasing to thee, and good for mine own soul.
Let thy good Spirit enter within my breast, and breathe into it, silently and sweetly, every truth which learned words might more slowly convey. For thy mysteries are profound indeed, and concealed beneath a sacred veil.
Permit me, O God, in thy great clemency, to go through this duty with a clear heart and a pure mind. Free my heart from all impure, vain, and hurtful thoughts. Strengthen me through the strong and faithful guardianship of thy blessed angels, that the enemies of my soul may be put to flight. May the virtue of this great mystery, and the power of thy holy angels, remove from me, and from all thy servants, the spirit of pride and indifference, of envy and blasphemy, of fornication and uncleanness, of doubt and hesitation. May those be confounded who persecute us: may those evil passions which war against our souls be destroyed.
O King of virgins and lover of chastity, may the dew of thy heavenly blessing quench within me every impure flame; so that unspotted chastity may alone find place in my body and soul. Mortify within me every disordered passion, every dangerous sensation; and, amid all thy other favours, give me that true and perpetual chastity which is pleasing to thee. For with what sorrow and tears, with what fear and reverence, with what chastity of body and purity of soul, ought we not ever to approach this divine and heavenly sacrifice, where thy flesh is truly eaten, where thy blood is truly drunk? where the lowest and the highest, where earth and heaven, are joined? where the holy angels are present? and where, in a wonderful and unspeakable manner, thou art both priest and sacrifice? Who could worthily join in this celebration, unless thou, God omnipotent, didst make him worthy? I know, O Lord, I know and I confess that I am not worthy to approach this great mystery, on account of my many sins and my endless negligences: but I know also, and I firmly believe and stedfastly confess, that thou, my God, canst make me worthy; that thou alone canst change impurity into cleanliness, and sin into justice and sanctity. By this thine omnipotence, I pray thee to enable me, a poor sinner, to partake of this sacrament with fear and trembling, with purity of heart, with tears of sorrow, with spiritual cheerfulness, with heavenly joy. Let my mind feel the sweetness of thy blessed presence, and of the company of thy holy angels around me.
For, O Lord, although a sinner, yet I approach to thy holy altar mindful of thy revered passion, that I may offer to thee the sacrifice which thou hast instituted, and which thou hast directed to be offered for our salvation in remembrance of thee. Receive it, I beseech thee, great God, for thy holy church, and for the people which thou hast purchased with thy blood. I offer to thee, O Lord, the sorrows of this thy people, the danger of nations, the groans of captives, the wants of orphans, the distresses of the weak, the failings of the old, the despair of the dying, the sighs of youth, the vows of virgins, the tears of widows. Lighten, I beseech thee, lighten and assuage the sufferings of all.
Yes; do thou, O Lord, have mercy on us all, and despise not that which thou hast created. Remember what our substance is : that thou art our Father: that thou art our God. Be not angry with us, and withhold not the multitude of thy mercies from us. For we do not come before thee to justify ourselves, but to pray for thy pardon and pity. Take away from us these hearts of stone, and give us feeling hearts, which may seek thee, which may love thee, which may tend towards thee and enjoy thee. Look down, O Lord, with a propitious and serene countenance, upon the wants of thy servants; and grant that no prayer may be offered up to thee in vain, that no hope may remain unfulfilled; and do thou thyself, O God, suggest to us those prayers which thou wilt most kindly hear and most freely grant.
We pray to thee, also, O holy Lord and Father, for the souls of the faithful departed; that this great sacrament of love may obtain for them health, salvation, refreshment, and joy. O Lord, my God, let them feel the effects of this great offering of thee, the living bread which came down from heaven and givest life to the world,-of thee, the Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world; let them be refreshed and consoled by it; and may its merits avail to bring them to the joy and glory of thy heavenly kingdom. the fulness of thy blessing, the holiness of thy Divinity, let the invisible and incomprehensible majesty of thy Holy Spirit, descend upon these our offerings; and enable me also to approach this sacrifice with purity, with devotion, with tears, and with reverence, so that even my prayers may conduce to render it available to the salvation of all, whether living or dead.
I beseech thee also, O
Lord, by the most holy mystery of thy body and blood, by which, in thy
church, we are daily fed, and cleansed, and sanctified, and made
partakers of thy great Divinity-I beseech thee to fill me with such
virtuous dispositions that I may approach with a good conscience to
thine altar, and find safety and life in this heavenly sacrament. For
thou hast said, "The bread which I will give is my flesh for the life of
the world; "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; "If
any one eateth of this bread, he shall live for ever.' O blessed bread,
heal the affections of my heart, that I may feel the sweetness of thy
love! O bread from heaven, containing all delights, strengthen my heart
that it may never fall away from thee, but may ever feel the effects of
thy presence! Thou art the bread of angels, and the bread of poor
pilgrims, whom thou refreshest with so excellent a viaticum, lest they
faint by the way. O holy bread, O living bread, O pure bread, which came
down from heaven and givest life to the world, come into my heart, and
purify me from every evil inclination of body and soul. Come into my
heart, and strengthen me and purify me, internally and externally. Be my
shield and the salvation of my soul and body. Drive from me every wily
foe; let them fly from the presence of thy power; so that, being
fortified by thee both within and without, may advance, by a straight path, to thy heavenly
kingdom, where I may no longer see thee beneath veils and mysteries, but
where my thirst may be for ever satisfied, and where I may for ever
enjoy thee, who, with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
livest and reignest for ever. Amen.
The Treasury of Prayer by ST. Vincent de Paul 1853
