St. Camillus's continual prayer

...He spent the greater part of both day and night in prayer, in reading, and meditation; nor could all the works of piety and mercy in which he was daily engaged distract him from the consideration of any of the eternal truths.

...

It is impossible to say how a man with a wounded leg, and with callosities on his knees like sharp bones, could remain so long keeling without any support.

...

He often recommended his religious not to forget to pray for the benefactors of the order, living and dead, for the soul in purgatory, for those who were living in mortal sin, and principally for those who were in their agony. He said more than once that every one of our Fathers, without leaving his own room, might be present by prayer and recommended the soul of every person in the world who was in his agony.

He was anxious that all his religious should be men of prayer, and wished that, whether they were at home, in the hospitals, or in the streets , their thoughts should always be occupied with some devout subject. He used to say, "Woe to that religious who is contented with his mornings' mental prayer, and remains all the rest of the day with his mind distracted here and there; such a one in the evening will find his hands full of flies and wind." Indeed, he wished that the body only should be occupied with external exercises, and that the soul should always, as far as possible, be kept united internally with God.

...

So great was his care not to offer the Holy Sacrifice with his conscience defiled with even the slightest defect, that once when he was saying Mass in the hospital of St. Spirito, in the presence of all the servants of the establishment, just before the consecration he remembered having rebuked a little too harshly a novice who was serving his Mass. He would not proceed without first turning and begging pardon, at the same time advising him not to communicate that day, for fear he might be a little ill-tempered.

The Life of St. Camillus of Lellis by Father Sanzio Ciccatelli, trans. by Father Frederick Faber. pp. 293-301

Prayer to St. Aloysius for the virtue of Purity

Why we say the Angelus

S

I would gladly know, wherefore it Page 110 ring to the Aue Maria, three times in the day, to wit, in the morning, at midday, and in the euening.

M

To the end we may vnderstand, that we haue need to make recourse often to the helpe of God, and of the Saints: being in the middest of ene|mies visible & inuisible. And that we ought not to thinke it sufficient to haue recourse to the armour of praier in the beginning of our works but that we must do the same in the progresse and in the end. There is also an other mysterie in this ringing thrise to the Aue Maria. That is, ho|lie Church would haue vs continu|ally to remember the three principal mysteries of our Redemptiō, the In|carnation, the Passion, and the Re|surrection. And therfore willeth that wee salute our B. Ladie in the mor|ning, in memorie of the Resurrecti|on of our lord: at midday, in memo|rie of the passion: & at night, in me|mory Page 111of the Incarnation. Because as we are certaine that our Lord was mayled on the Crosse at midday, & rose in the morning, so it is probably thought, that the Incarnation was in the night.

Catechism of St. Robert Bellarmine

preparing before prayer

The angelical youth saint Aloysius of Gonzaga, proposed as an example of a holy life, with some considerations [&c.]. Tr. by M.E. di Gonzaga-Mantua By Pasquale de Mattei: ""

One Our Father well said is better than many repetitions of it said fast

An introduction to the devout life By François de Sales: ""

ejaculatory prayer strongly recommended

An introduction to the devout life By François de Sales: ""

the loss can scarcely be made good by any other means

An introduction to the devout life By François de Sales: ""

FIRST MEANS. — Prayer.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus -- Fr. Croiset
Particular Means.

FIRST MEANS. — Prayer.

BESIDES the obstacles that we must avoid, and the dispositions in which we must find ourselves, in order to acquire this perfect love of Jesus Christ, and this tender devotion to His Sacred Heart, it is well to suggest here the means that are most appropriate for this end. Now, the first means to obtain this ardent love of Jesus Christ, and this tender devotion to His Sacred Heart, is Prayer. We may well wonder that Christians are not, as it were, all powerful ; that they have not all they desire, since they have an infallible means of obtaining all they ask, and this means consists only in asking.

There is nothing to which Jesus Christ has so solemnly and so repeatedly bound Himself as to hear our prayers. But of all prayers there can be none more pleasing to Him than that by which we ask Him for His love. He has strictly bound Himself to grant this love to all who should ask Him for it. But we may add, that even though He had not engaged Himself to it, the request itself would oblige Him to it.

Jesus Christ has done all that we can imagine, nay more, to oblige us to love Him. It rests with Him to give us this love. Who will dare believe that He will refuse it to us if we ask Him for it ? But our esteem for this love must be indeed small, since we trouble ourselves so little about it, and ask for it so seldom. You wonder that you have not an ardent love for Jesus Christ, though this love is so just and so conformable to reason. There would be greater reason for astonishment if you did love Him, seeing that this love is the greatest of all His gifts, and that yet you do not even condescend to ask it. Of all the means of obtaining the love of Jesus Christ, there is none more efficacious than prayer. There is none more easy. For who can excuse himself from praying ? Still there is none, as it appears, that is more neglected. It might be said, that the most powerful motive by which Jesus Christ seeks to oblige us to make use of this means keeps us from it. Credite, quia accipietis. Be sure that you will be heard. But, my God, is not this the very thing that is dreaded ? " Timebam, ne me cito exaudires." " I was afraid that you would hear my prayer too soon" (St. Aug. Confess., book i.). We fear, unhappy as we are, that didst Thou but once hear us, Thy love would induce us to become more virtuous, more recollected, more devout, and more holy than we wish to be. We fear that if we had an ardent love for Thee, we should feel nothing but disgust for all that we have loved, and that we still love. In a word, we seem to fear that we shall not be able to help loving Thee. But regard not, oh my Saviour, these sentiments that arise within us, and which we detest as soon as we perceive them. Give us only Thy love with thy grace, and we shall be rich enough. How soon shall we, disgusted with everything else, if, opening to us Thy Sacred Heart, Thou allowest us but once to taste the sweetness that is experienced in loving Thee. Let us pray and often ask for this love. It is impossible to ask for it earnestly and constantly without obtaining it. We fear, perhaps, to be importunate or excessive in our requests, to offend Jesus Christ by our indiscretion or our importunity. But, on the contrary, the reason why we obtain so little from God is because we do not ask much. We are too limited in our desires, and too languid in our prayers. Jesus Christ has given us in the Gospel the parable of the man, who obtained what he asked, merely by his importunity, in order to teach us that, if we wish to obtain what we ask, we must become importunate. We obtain little, because we ask too little, and because we do not beg earnestly for the little we ask for. We must ask Him for nothing less than His love ; but it must be a tender, ardent, generous, and perfect love, and we must ask for it earnestly and with importunity. As He has so solemnly engaged Himself to refuse us nothing that we ask in His Name, He cannot refuse to hear us without breaking His promise. Most frequently we do not know what we ask. But we should do an injury to Jesus Christ, and falsify our own belief, if, when we ask Him for His love, we were to doubt His hearing us, more especially if we ask it with earnestness and sincerity. I believe, indeed, that Jesus Christ, to punish us, or to humble us, and in any case to increase our merit, will leave us certain defects and imperfections, from which we entreat Him to deliver us.

But no one will ever persuade me that, after we have asked Him sincerely and earnestly for an ardent love of Him, He will refuse it to us. On the contrary, He will grant us more than we asked. Thou hast brought this divine fire on earth, oh Lord, and what dost Thou desire but that it be enkindled ? Ignem veni mittere in terrain, et quid volo, nisi ut accendatur ? (Luke xii.) With whom does it rest wholly to inflame me with it ? Give me, then, if it please Thee, give me Thy love, oh Lord. This shall be in future my constant prayer. I will make it morning and night, when at rest and when at work. I will make it every hour, and will never cease to say : Give me but Thy love, oh Lord, with Thy grace, and I am rich enough ; I ask no more.

Of the Angelical Salutation (St. Peter Canisius)

Which is commonly called the Angelical salutation?

That which was pronounced unto the most holy Virgin, the mother of God in these words: Hail MARY full of grace, our Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, IESVS. Holy MARIE mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death. AMEN.

Whereupon came this manner of saluting the mother of God?

First of the words and examples of the Gospel, whereas the great Archangel GABRIEL and ELISABETH the holy mother of the forerunner of our Lord, both inspired by the holy Ghost, do so teach and instruct us.

Then we have form of salutation confirmed and ratified, by the continual custom and consent of the Church, which the holy ancient Fathers and men of old time have religiously observed, even to this day, and would have also of us to be observed.

What does it profit us to use this manner of salutation?

By these excellent words, we are first of all admonished of that exceeding great benefit, that the eternal Father would begin in Christ, by MARIE the mother of God, and mercifully bestow upon mankind by redeeming it.

This is also a singular commendation of the most holy and wonderful Virgin, which God has determined to be the finder of grace and mother of life unto us all.

Wherefore no marvel, if after those Godly petitions, which we offered unto God in our Lord's prayer; being here mindful of the grace that we received by Christ, we do not only praise the mother of Christ but also God the Father in the same Virgin mother of God, and rejoicing together with the Angels, with great reverence, and often salute her.

What is the sense of this salutation?

In the first words thereof, we do justly rejoice with, and in rejoicing praise and renown her, that was to us the second and that a most happy EVE. For, that woe of malediction that the first EVE brought into the world, this other by her wholesome fruit has taken away, and has exchanged the very curse of the children of ADAM with a perpetual blessing.

Most worthy no doubt to be called full of grace, as who being full of God, full of virtues. alone (for I will use S. AMBROSE his words) obtained that grace which no other had ever deserved before, that she might be replenished with the author of grace. And what place could there be in her soul or body for any vice, when she was made the temple of the holy of all hollies?

There is added besides: Our Lord is with thee. because both the power of the Father did singularly overshadow her: and the holy Ghost came plentifully upon her: and the word being made flesh, from her did proceed in most wonderful wise, as a bridegroom from his chamber.

Then it follows, Blessed art thou among women. Because she was together a spouse by Virginity and a mother by fruitfulness. And therefore with great right all generations do, and shall always call her blessed. A woman all fair and immaculate: a Virgin before her delivery: at her delivery, and after her delivery: always uncorrupted: free from all spot of sin: exalted above all heavens: who no less by giving life was profitable, than unhappy EVE by killing was hurtful unto all mankind.

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, IESVS. as he that springing up like a flower from MARIE the root, has both showed himself after a sort of fruit of the earth: and does in such manner yield the fruit of life and salutation to his members, as a Vine does juice and life unto the branches. O blessed womb indeed that bear and brought forth a Savior to the world: O blessed paps without doubt, that being filled from heaven, suckled the Son of God.

Finally the Church has added in the end; Holy MARIE mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. For we following the steps of the holy Fathers, do not only salute that wonderful Virgin, worthy of all commendation, which is as a Lillie amongst thorns but do also believe and profess that she is endowed with so great power and ability from God, that she is able to profit, favor, and pleasure miserable mortal men, sepecially when they do commend themselves, and their desires unto her, and do humbly sue for the grace of God, by the Mother's intercession.

Testimonies of the Fathers touching the Virgin MARY.

IRENAEVS: As EVE was seduced to swerve from Almighty God: so MARY was persuaded to obey God; so that MARY a Virgin was made the advocate of EVE a Virgin: and as mankind was made subject to death by a Virgin: a Virgin's disobedience, being counter appeased by a Virgin's obedience.

Saint CHRYSOSTOM: It is very meet and just, to glorify thee the mother of our God, ever most blessed, and altogether undefiled, more honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious incomparably, than the Seraphim, which without all corruption has brought forth God. we do magnify thee, the very mother of God. Hail Mary full of grace, our Lord is with thee, blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of they womb; because thou has brought forth the Savior of our souls.

S. AMBROSE: Let he Virginity and Life of blessed MARY be set forth unto us as it were in an image; from whom, as from a glass, there shines out bright the beauty of chastity and fairness of virtue. What is more noble than the mother of God? What is more bright, than she whom brightness did choose? What is more chaste, than she that brought forth a body without contagion of the body? Such a one was MARY, that her only life might be a document to all men.

Saint ATHANASIVS: Forasmuch as he is a king that was born of the Virgin, and the same also Lord and God: for that cause, she that bear him is truly and properly judged to be a Queen, and a Lady, and the mother of God. This new EVE is called the mother of life, and she remains replenished with the first fruits of immortal life above all living creatures. We do call her therefore again and again, and evermore, and every way most blessed. To thee we cry, be mindful of us, O most holy Virgin, which even after thy delivery remains a Virgin. Hail MARY full of grace, our Lord is with thee: The holy orders of all Angels, and men do call thee blessed. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb: make intercession for us O Mistress, and Lady, and Queen, and mother of God.

S. GREGORY NAZIANZEN.

O ter beata Mater, O lux Virginum,
Quae templa caeli lucidissima incolis,
Mortalitatis liberata fordibus,
Ornata iam immortalitatis es stola:
Meis benignam ab alto aurem exhibe verbis,
Measque, Virgo, suscipe, obsecro, preces.

O mother thrice happy, and light of Virgins pure,
Inhabiting the Temples bright of heavenly globe,
Thou now from mortal filth, exempted and secure
Of immortality art decked with the robe.
Yield courteous audience from high to what I say,
And entertain my suits, O Virgin, I thee pray.

S. AVGVSTINE, holy MARY succor the miserable, help the faint-hearted, cherish the sorrowful, pray for the people, be a mean for the clergy, and make intercession for the devout woman kind. Let all feel thy help, whosoever do celebrate thy Commemoration.

FVLGENTIVS: MARY was made the window of heaven; because by her, God gave the true light unto the world. MARY was made the ladder of heaven; because by her God descended down to earth, that by her also men may ascend unto heaven. MARY was made the restorer of women, because by her they are known to be exempted from the ruin of the first curse.

S. BERNARD: The kingly virgin is the very way by the which our Savior came unto us, proceeding out of her womb, as a Bridegroom out of his chamber. By thee let us have access to thy Son O blessed inventrix of grace, bringer forth of life, an mother of salvation, that by thee he receive us, who by thee was given unto us.

The Summe of Christian Doctrine by St. Peter Canisius [Not available for view online]

Pater Noster explained by St. Peter Canisius.

What good things are those which a Christian must hope for?

First, and specially those good things of the kingdom of heaven, which do make men blessed and happy, and exempts them from all manner of misery. Then, all such things as serving for the necessary uses of mortal men in this life, are rightly desired and prayed for at God's hands, ought to be reputed in the number of those good things which are to be hoped for and expected. All which are specially expressed in our Lord's prayer, as which Christ our Lord with his own most sacred mouth delivered, and with wonderful wisdom prescribed to all those, that would gladly by prayer lay open their hope and good desires before All, God.

What is the form of our Lord's prayer?

This that follows; Our Father which art in heaven.

1. Hallowed be thy name.
2. Thy kingdom come.
3. Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in heaven.
4. Give us this day our daily bread.
5. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass agaist us.
6. And lead us not into temptation.
7. But deliver us from evil. Amen.


What are the sum of Our Lord's prayer?

There are seven petitions therein contained, unto which, all manners and forms of prayers whatsoever may an ought to be referred, whether we treat with Almighty God, for the obtaining of some good things: or for the wiping away of sin: or for the turning away of any evil whatsoever. And in the three first petitions, those things are in order demanded, which are properly eternal and everlasting: in the four others we do ask even temporal things, as being necessary for us, to the getting of the eternal.

What is meant by the beginning of this prayer, Our Father which art, etc.

It is a little preface, and it puts us in mind of that great and inestimable benefit, whereby God the Father, that eternal majesty, reigning most happily in heaven, received us into his favor, and for Christ his Son's sake, adopted us by the holy Ghost to be his sons, and heirs unto his heavenly kingdom.

And this remembrance of so great benefits, does not only stir up attention: but provoke also the sons to render love again to their father and to obey him, and it does in like manner encourage them to pray, and afford them confidence to obtain.

What is the sense of the first petition, Hallowed be Thy Name?

We desire that as well in ourselves as in all others, that may always be preferred and advanced, which stands most with the glory an honor of our sovereign and most excellent Father.

And this indeed we do perform, when the confession of the true faith, hope and charity, and holy conversation of Christian life, do show forth their light and force in us, that others also beholding the same, may take occasion to glorify our Father.

What is contained in the second petition, Thy kingdom come?

We do ask that God by his grace and justice, may reign in his Church, yea, and in the whole world all adversary powers, and evil affections being once abandoned and rooted out.

Then we do wish and pray, that being once called out of this world, as out of a troublesome pilgrimage and warfare, we may be speedily transported into the kingdom of glory, and everlasting felicity, to reign with Christ and his saints forever.

What imports the third petition, Thy will be done?

We do wish in this petition, that as the angels and blessed saints in heaven; so we also upon earth, though weak, and of small force, may exhibit unto Almighty God, exact obedience, desiring or coveting nothing so much as that we may willingly submit ourselves to the will of God, both in prosperity and adversity, and renouncing our own will, which is prone unto evil, we may rest and settle our minds in the will of God.

What has the fourth petition, Give us this day our daily bread?

We do like poor folks, and beggars, crave of the author and fountain of all goodness, those things that be sufficient for the daily maintenance of our corporal life, to wit, food, and clothing, also those things that do serve to a better the life of the soul: as the word of God, the spiritual food of the soul; the most holy and Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, that heavenly bread: and other most wholesome Sacraments and gifts of God, which do feed, cure, and confirm the inward man to a well ordered and happy kind of life.

How is the fifth petition understood, Forgive us our trespasses?

In this we crave, that God will mercifully purge us from the spot of sin, which above all things is most foul and pestilent unto the soul; and that he will also remit those very debts, which we have contracted by sinning.

And lest our prayer should not be available, by reason that we are evil affected towards our neighbor; we add this besides, that all secret hate and desire of revenge being laid aside, we are at atonement with our neighbor, and have forgiven every one that has offended us, even from the bottom of our hearts. For this is that which Christ signified in another place when he said: Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. And again: If you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offenses.

What is the sense of the sixth petition, Lead us not into temptation?

Because this present life is a very warfare upon earth, while we are always assaulted with divers temptations,and in a hard and continual conflict, with the world, the flesh, and, the devil: therefore, being devoutly careful of our own estate, we sue for help at the hands of almighty God, that we do not yield to such assaults of our adversaries, and by yielding incur damnation; but that standing always in this continual combat, relying upon the might and hand of God, we may valiantly resist the power of the devil, have the world in contempt, chastise the flesh, and so finally as invincible soldiers of Christ, be crowned after the victory, for no man is crowned, as witnesses the Apostle, unless he strive lawfully.

What is the seventh and last petition, deliver us from evil?

We pray at the last, that God will not suffer us to be overthrown, and cast away with the wicked, by the calamities of this world, wherewith even the Godly also are exercised: but that by his benignity he deliver us, so far forth as is expedient for our salvation: and mercifully defend us from all evil both of body, an of soul, as well in this life, as in the life to come. For so has himself promised: Call upon me in the day of tribulation, I will deliver thee and thou shalt honor me.

Last of all, we conclude the whole prayer with this one word Amen, that we may show our confidence in praying an hope of obtaining, in regard as well of Christ's promise that never fails, Ask, (saith he) and it shall be given you: as also of the infinite clemency and ready mercy of God the Father. Insomuch that hereupon, S. John has said, Whatsoever we shall ask according to his will, he hears us.

What is the sum of our Lord's prayer?

It contains a perfect and absolute form not only of asking that which is good, but also of praying to be delivered from whatsoever is evil.

And among the things that be good, this is first to be wished and prayed for, that all men may glorify our heavenly Father, at all times and in all places: then, that we may be partakers of his Kingdom: afterward, that we may not want those helps that are convenient for the attaining unto the same Kingdom. As is, on the behalf of our soul, to be conformable to the will of God: and as touching our body, to have necessary living and maintenance.

But those things that are added in the second place, and do continue to the end of the prayer, do express the affect of one that craves delivery from evils, which by the grace and power of almighty God he desires to have either utterly taken away, to wit, sin the contagion of all goodness and the sink and puddle of all evils. or else that they may be so tempered, that by their violence, they hinder us not in the way to salvation. Such are, divers temptations that invade us in this world, and all calamities both present and to come. All other things that are to be said touching prayer, shall be reserved for that place, where the three kinds of good works shall be expounded.

The Summe of Christian Doctrine by St. Peter Canisius [Not available for view online]

Prayer of St. Gertrude to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Golden Manual Being a Guide to Catholic Devotion, Public and Private By Golden manual: ""

EXPOSITION OF THE APOSTLES' CREED by St. Francis Xavier

EXPOSITION OF THE APOSTLES' CREED by St. Francis Xavier

1. Christians, rejoice to hear and know how God in creation made everything for the use of men. First He created heaven and earth, angels, sun, moon and stars, birds and beasts that live in the land and the rivers, and the fish that live in the waters; and when all things had been created at last He created man in His likeness.

2. The first man whom God created was Adam, the first woman Eve; and after God created Adam and Eve in the terrestrial Paradise, He blessed and married them, and commanded them to have children and to people the land; and from Adam and Eve we, all the peoples of the world, come; and since God did not give Adam more than one wife, clearly it is in opposition to God that Moors and heathen and bad Christians have many wives.

3. And also it is true that fornicators live in opposition to God, since God first married Adam and Eve before He commanded them to increase and multiply having legitimate children [sons of blessing]. And thus those who adore idols as the unbelievers do, and those who believe in witchcraft, in lots and in diviners, sin greatly against God, for they adore and believe in the devil and take him for their lord, forsaking the God who created them, and gave them soul and life and body and all they have. These miserable creatures by their idolatries lose heaven, which is the place of souls, and the glory of Paradise, for which they were created.

4. But the true Christians and loyal to their God and Lord believe and adore willingly and heartily the one God and Lord, true creator of heaven and of earth. And well they show it when they go to the churches and see the images which are the reminders of the Saints who are with God in the Glory of Paradise.

5. So Christians put their knees on the ground when they are in the churches, and lift their hands to the heavens where is the Lord God, who is all their good and comfort, and confess in the words of St. Peter, “I believe in God, Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth" God created the angels in the heavens before the men in the earth. St. Michael, chief of all, and the greater part of the angels at once adored the Lord God, giving Him thanks and praises that He had created them: Lucifer, on the contrary, and many angels with him, were not willing to adore their Creator, but said with pride, Let us go up and be like God who is in the high heavens; and for the sin of pride God thrust Lucifer and the angels with him from Heaven to hell.

6. Lucifer, in envy of Adam and Eve, the first human beings who were there created in grace, tempted them with the sin of pride in the terrestrial Paradise, telling them they would be as gods if they ate of the fruit which their Creator had forbidden them. Adam and Eve, desirous of being as gods, consented to the temptation of the enemy, and conquered by the demon they forthwith ate of the forbidden fruit, and so lost the grace in which they were created, and for their sins the Lord God thrust them out of the terrestrial Paradise. Outside it they lived nine hundred years in trouble, doing penance for the sin they had committed; and so great was their sin that neither Adam nor his sons could satisfy it, nor again gain the glory of Paradise, which they had lost by their pride of wishing to be as God; so the gates of Heaven were shut upon Adam and his sons because of their sin.

7. Oh, Christians, what will become of us the wretched? If the demons for a sin of pride were thrust from the heavens to hell, and Adam and Eve for another sin of pride from the terrestrial Paradise, how shall we, miserable sinners, ascend to the heavens with such sins, and we so clearly lost?

8. The High God, sovereign and powerful, moved with pity and compassion, seeing our great misery, sent the angel St. Gabriel from the heavens to the city of Nazareth, where was the Virgin Mary, with a message which said: “God hail thee, Mary, full of grace, the Lord be with thee: blessed art thou among women: the Holy Spirit will come over thee, and the virtue of the highest God will lighten thee, and what will be born of thee will be called Jesus, Son of God." The Virgin St. Mary answered the angel St. Gabriel: “Behold the servant of the Lord; be His will done in me." In the same instant that the Virgin St. Mary obeyed the message which St. Gabriel brought her from God, the Holy Spirit formed in the womb of this Virgin a human body of her virgin blood; together He created a soul in the same body, and the second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, God the Son, in that instant was incarnate in the womb of the Virgin Mary, thus uniting and joining that soul and the so holy body; and from the day that the Son of God was incarnate until the day of His birth nine months passed.

9. At the end of this time Jesus Christ, Saviour of all the world, being God and true man, was born of the Virgin Mary, remaining virgin in the birth and after as before it: And St. Andrew confessed it, saying, “believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God, our only Lord; and after him at once St. John said, “believe that Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. In Bethlehem, near to Jerusalem, Christ our Redeemer was born: then the angels and the Virgin His mother, with her spouse Joseph, and the three [Kings inserted in one MS.] and many others, adored Him as Lord.

10. But Herod, who was evil, being king in Jerusalem, with the covetousness of reigning, desired to kill Him. Joseph was advised by an angel to flee from Bethlehem to Egypt, and he took Jesus Christ and the Virgin His mother, because Herod desired to kill Jesus. St. Joseph went to Egypt with Christ and His mother, where he was until Herod died of an evil death; for he was so cruel that in Bethlehem and its neighbouring villages he killed all the men children from two years downwards, thinking that he would kill Jesus Christ among them. After Herod died the Virgin and St. Joseph with the Child Jesus returned to their own country, to the city of Nazareth, by command of the angel.

11. When Christ was twelve years He went up from Nazareth to the Temple of Jerusalem, where were the doctors of the law, and He expounded to them the Scriptures of the Prophets and Patriarchs, who spoke of the coming of the Son of God, and all were astonished when they saw His wisdom. Returning to Nazareth, He was there until the age of nearly thirty years; and then He went to the river Jordan, where St. John Baptist was baptizing many people: and in this river Jordan St. John baptized Jesus Christ; and from there Christ went to the wilderness, where for forty days and forty nights He did not eat. The demon in the wilderness, without knowing that Jesus Christ was Son of God, tempted Him with three sins that is to say, gluttony, covetousness, and vainglory.

12. And in all the temptations Christ conquered the demon. And from the wilderness with victory He descended to Galilee and converted many people, and commanded the demons to come out of the bodies of the people, and the demons obeyed the command of Jesus Christ, coming out of the bodies of the men where they were; and the people who saw this were astonished and said: "Who is this, whom the demons obey?" So the fame of Jesus Christ grew greatly among the people, because they saw that the demons obeyed Him, and that He did many miracles. The men who heard the holy preaching of Jesus Christ and saw the great power which He had over the demons began to believe in Jesus Christ, and brought Him the sick: He cured all of whatsoever infirmity they had.

13. And afterwards Christ called the twelve Apostles and the seventy-two Disciples, and took them in His company around the districts where He was teaching the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Christ preached to the people, and did miracles which proved the truth of what He preached. In the presence of the Apostles and Disciples Christ gave sight to the blind, speech to the dumb, hearing to the deaf, and life to the dead: He healed the lame and the maimed. The Apostles and Disciples who saw this each time believed more and more in Jesus Christ. Christ gave them such wisdom and virtue that they preached to the people, though they were fishers who had no learning except what the Son of God taught them. In the name and virtue of Jesus Christ the Apostles did miracles, healing many infirmities, casting the demons from the bodies of men in sign that what they preached of the coming of the Son of God was the truth.

14. Such was the fame of Jesus Christ and His Disciples among the people that the principal Jews agreed to kill Him, in their envy of Him and His works, for they saw that all followed and praised the teaching of Jesus.

15. When the Pharisees recognised that they were losing the honour and credit which they formerly had among the Jews before Jesus Christ was manifested to the world, moved with envy, they took Jesus Christ, insulted Him freely, carrying Him from one house to another, scorning and making a mock of Him.

16. And because of the great hate the Pharisees had of Jesus Christ they carried Him to the house of Pontius Pilate, where the Pharisees accused Him with false witnesses, and Pilate, to please the Jews, scourged Jesus Christ so cruelly that from the feet to the head all His holy body was wounded; and, thus cruelly scourged, Pilate handed Him to the Jews to crucify Him.

17. And before they crucified Him they put on the head of Jesus Christ a cruel crown of thorns, and a reed in His right hand; and the soldiers, to make a mock of Jesus Christ, placed themselves on their knees before Him, saying, “God hail You, King of the Jews," and spitting in His face and buffeting Him; and with a reed He carried they struck Him on the head, and, finally, on Mount Calvary, near Jerusalem, the Jews crucified Jesus Christ, and thus Christ died on the Cross to save sinners; so that the most holy Soul of Jesus Christ was truly separated from His most precious and most holy body when He expired on the Cross, the divinity being always united with the most holy soul of our Redeemer Jesus Christ, the same divinity remaining with the most holy and precious body of Christ on the Cross and in the sepulchre.

18. And at the death of Jesus Christ the sun was darkened, ceasing to give its light; the whole earth trembled, and the rocks divided, striking one another; the monuments of the dead opened, and many of the holy men rose and went to the city of Jerusalem, where they appeared to many; and those who saw these signs in the death of Jesus Christ said, “Truly Jesus Christ was Son of God"; and because this is so the Apostle James said: “believe that Jesus Christ suffered under the power of Pontius Pilate, was crucified, and dead and buried." Jesus Christ was God, since He was the second person of the most Holy Trinity, and also He was true man, since Pie was son of the Virgin Mary and has a rational soul and human body; and inasmuch as He was man, truly He died on the Cross when He was crucified; for death is nothing else but a separation of the soul, leaving the body to which it gave life, and the most holy soul of Jesus Christ was separated from the body when He expired on the Cross.

19. Then, having expired, the most holy soul of Jesus Christ, being united to the divinity of God the Son, as it had always been from the instant when the Lord God created it, descended to Limbo, which is a place below the ground, where were the Holy Fathers, Prophets, and Patriarchs and many other just men, waiting for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was to withdraw them from Limbo and take them to Paradise.

20. In every time, beginning with Adam and Eve until now, were men good and bad; the good, being friends of God, reproved with words of truth the evil for their vices and sins, because they offended God, their Lord and Creator; and the bad, being slaves and captives of the demon, persecuted the good, friends of God, taking them, and exiling them, and wounding them, and killing them, and doing them many evils: so that when the good died their souls went to Limbo; and the Limbo because it is below the ground is called inferno [hell].

21. Lower than Limbo is a place called Purgatory: to this Purgatory go the souls of those who, when they die, are without mortal sin, and on account of the past sins, which they did in their life, and for which before their death they had not made complete penance, go to Purgatory, where are very great torments of fire, in order to pay the evils and sins done in their life; and when they have paid the penance of their sins, they issue from Purgatory, and go at once to Paradise.

22. The last place which is below the ground is called the infernal hell [inferno infernal], where are great torments of fire and miseries: if men would think on this for an hour daily, and if they knew the troubles of the infernal hell, they would not sin as they do: in this hell is Lucifer, and all the demons who were thrust out of heaven, and all who die in mortal sin. Those who go to this hell have no remedy of salvation [nenhum remedio de salvagao], but forever and ever and without end of ends have to be in it.

23. Oh, brothers! how is it that we have so little fear of going to hell, since every day we do the greatest sins? It is a sign that we have little faith, since we live like men who do not believe in the inferno infernal. The Church and the Saints who are with God in Heaven never pray for those in hell, for these have no remedy to go to Paradise; but the Church and the Saints pray for the dead who are in Purgatory and for the living.

24. Jesus Christ died on Friday, and the most holy soul of Jesus Christ, always united with the divinity, descended to Limbo, and drew all the souls which were then in Limbo waiting for Him. Then on the third day, which is the Lord's Day, He rose from among the dead, His most holy soul again taking the same body which it left when He died on the Cross. After that Jesus Christ rose again in a glorious body, he appeared to the Virgin Mary, His Mother, and to the Apostles and Disciples, and to His friends, who were sad for His death; and with His Glorious Resurrection He consoled the sad and disconsolate, pardoning sinners their sins; and many believed in Jesus Christ, after they saw Him rise again from among the dead, who formerly were not willing to believe that He should die and rise again. And St. Thomas affirmed that this is true when he said: “believe that Jesus Christ descended to the hells, and on the third day rose again from the dead."

25. And after Jesus Christ rose again He was forty days in this world, teaching the Disciples what they had to believe and do and teach the world in order to go to Paradise; and in this time He showed His Holy Resurrection to be true, and those who doubted in His death, that He would not rise again: and in those forty days He appeared to the Apostles and Disciples, and to many other His friends, who doubted that He would not rise again when they saw Him die on Mount Calvary on the Cross. And in these forty days those who did not believe during the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ that He was to rise again on the third day completely believed without ever doubting that He was true Son of God, Saviour of the whole world, since He rose to life from death.

26. At the end of the forty days Jesus Christ went to the Mount Olivet, whence He was to ascend to the high heavens, and with Him went the Virgin Mary, His Mother, and His Apostles and Disciples, and many others; and from this Mount Olivet Jesus ascended to the high heavens in body and in soul, and carried in His company to the glory of Paradise all the souls of the Holy Fathers whom He drew from Limbo. The gates of the heavens opened when Jesus Christ ascended to the high heavens; the angels of Paradise came to accompany Jesus Christ to carry Him with great glory to God the Father, whence to save sinners He descended in the womb of the glorious Virgin Mary, taking human flesh to pay in it our debts; so that Jesus Christ, Son of God, for sins became man, was born, died, rose again, ascended to the heavens, where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father. And since this is truth, James the Less said: "I believe that Jesus Christ ascended to the heavens, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty."

27. And since this world had a beginning, it is bound to have an end, and so it will finish, and thus as Jesus ascended to the heavens so He will descend to give each one what he deserved; and so it is true that all who believe in Jesus Christ and keep His commandments will be judged that they may go to the glory of Paradise; and those who would not believe in Jesus Christ, such as the Moors, Jews, and heathen, will go to hell without any redemption. Bad Christians who would not keep the ten commandments will be judged by Jesus Christ to go to hell.

28. At the end of the world all then living will die, for every man is born with this condition that he must die: since Jesus Christ our Redeemer died and rose again for sins, we all must die and rise again. Besides this, the bodies of good men who may be alive at the end of the world will not be holy and glorious, or ready to ascend with them to heaven; therefore they must die; and in their resurrection they will take the same bodies, yet not subject to suffering as formerly. So when Jesus Christ descends from heaven on the day of judgment to judge the good and the bad, all will rise again, beginning from the first to the last who died. And as this is truth, St. Philip said: "I believe that Jesus Christ will come from Heaven to judge the living and the dead."

29. When we Christians bless ourselves we confess the truth as to the most Holy Trinity, that there are three persons, one God. The first is the person of God the Father, and the second person of God the Son, and the third person of God the Holy Spirit; and all three persons are one only God, threefold and one. God the Father is not made nor created nor begotten. The Son of God the Father is begotten and not made nor created. The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son, not created, nor made, nor begotten. When we make the sign of the Cross we show this order of proceeding, placing the right hand on the head, saying in Name of the Father, in sign that God the Father is not made nor created nor begotten; and then placing the hand on the breast, saying and of the Son, in sign that the Son was begotten of the Father, and not made nor created; and then placing the hand on the left shoulder, saying and of the Spirit; and passing the right hand by the head to the right shoulder, saying Holy, in sign that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Son and from the Father.

30. Every good Christian is obliged to believe firmly, without doubting, in the Holy Spirit and in His holy inspirations, which protect us from doing evil, and move our hearts to keep the ten commandments of God, and the commandments of the holy universal Mother Church, and to fulfil the works of mercy, corporal and spiritual. And as this is truth, the Apostle St. Bartholomew said: "I believe in the Holy Spirit."

31. All we faithful Christians are obliged to believe, without doubting, what the Apostles and Disciples and Martyrs and all the Saints of Jesus Christ believed of Jesus Christ concerning all that is necessary to believe for our salvation, as to His divinity and humanity, for Jesus Christ was God and true man. Also in general we are obliged to believe firmly, without doubting, in all that those who rule and govern the universal Church of Jesus Christ believe, for they are inspired and ruled by the Holy Spirit in what they have to do as to the government of the universal Church in the matters of our holy faith, in the which they cannot err, because they are ruled by the Holy Spirit. We must also believe Scriptures of our religion [ley], and of Jesus Christ; and further we are obliged to believe such of the holy canons and councils as are ordered by the Church, and the ordinances made by the Pope, Cardinals, Patriarchs, Archbishops, and Bishops, and Prelates of the Church, when in all these things, without doubting, we believe all that those who rule and govern the universal Church of Jesus Christ believe. This is what the Apostle Evangelist St. Matthew charged when he said: “believe in the holy Catholic Church."

32. And so we true Christians believe that the good works and merits of Jesus Christ are communicated to and profit all other Christians who are in a state of grace: and as in the natural body the works of one member profit all the body, so it is in the spiritual body (which is the Church).

33. And as chiefly from the head there descends to the members and is communicated to them their sustentation, so from Christ our Lord, only begotten Son of God, who is Head of all the true faithful, there is communicated spiritual sustentation by means of the seven sacraments of the Church that is to say, by baptism, by confirmation (which we call chrism) by the Most Holy Sacrament of the altar, by the sacrament of penance, by the extreme unction, by the sacrament of the orders, by matrimony. For whoever takes duly any one of these sacraments is granted grace by which his soul lives spiritual life, which Christ our Lord, only begotten Son of God, merited by the most holy works He did in this world, labouring and suffering injuries and the death of the Cross to free sinners from the captivity of the demon, and to turn them to the true knowledge of their God, communicating to them His own merits. And not only are the merits of the Son of God communicated, as from the head to the other members, but further those of the other saints are communicated to all the faithful, who are in grace, as the goods of one member of the body are communicated to the other members of the same body.

34. Christians further confess and believe: that God our Lord has power to pardon the sins by which the sinners separate themselves from Him, and lose the grace which He had before communicated to them: and that this power He gives and communicates to the priests of the Catholic Church, by which communication they now have power to absolve from sins those whom they find worthy to be absolved before God.

35. And accordingly men must so prepare to do what they are obliged for the safety of their soul, so that the priests may judge them (in conformity to what God commands) as worthy to be absolved; and having done this and having confessed at the obligatory times, and being absolved by the priest, they again gain the grace of God, and are pardoned their sins. And this is what St. Mathias said: “believe the communion of Saints and the remission of sins."

36. And because it is a just thing to believe in the goodness of our Lord and His infinite mercy which will not leave without reward those who serve Him in this life, nor without chastisement those who offend and break His precepts: we believe in the resurrection of the flesh, which is to say, that we all have to rise again in the body, the very same as we are now, after we have passed temporal death, and that it is certain that our Lord, according to His justice, will then give for ever the reward to the bodies which in this world for His love suffered troubles and persecutions, and were afflicted for not consenting in sins; and since their souls shared in trouble, they also may enjoy glory and rest.

37. And on the contrary (we believe) that the bodies of the bad, who in this life cared to do their own will and fulfil their appetites rather than keep the law of God our Lord, should be eternally chastised in the hells, since they offended the eternal Lord God, their resurrection will be made in the day of final judgment, when all born in this life must rise in body and soul: the bad to be cast into hell for their sins, and the good to enter the glory of Paradise with God our Lord. And this is what St. Thaddeus said: “believe the resurrection of the flesh."

38. And as our soul is like God almighty and eternal in so far as it is spiritual, and in the powers which God Himself gave it that is to say, will, understanding and memory and the desire of men is to last for ever, it is meet that a creature, so excellent as is man, should fulfil this longing, and so all we Christians believe that it will be fulfilled; and therefore we believe in the life eternal, which we confess will never have end; rather after the resurrection of the flesh, wherein the soul, which never dies, has again to take its body, will live together with it, as they are now united, and by a much better mode, eternally with God, and will enjoy in the heavens, together with the angels, the Presence of their Creator and Lord, and of all the celestial benefits, the which are so great that, however much one may in this life think of them and imagine them, it is not possible to reach or understand their grandeur.

39. There the Saints rest, without any opposition; there nothing is lacking of all they can desire; there no evil is found, nor can it be found nor exist, nor is there lacking, nor will ever be lacking, all good, which the blessed will enjoy eternally. And this is what St. Matthias said: "I believe in the life eternal."

Many copies were made of this composition, and it soon
became well known throughout the Maluccas. After Xavier's
death it used to be read aloud on feast days in places where
there were no priests, and those who understood it explained
it to the others, while the boys and girls learned it by heart.
It was printed in Goa in 1556.

From: http://www.archive.org/stream/MN5145ucmf_0/MN5145ucmf_0_djvu.txt

Neccesity of preparation before prayer

Before prayer prepare thy soul, and be not as a man that tempteth God. (Ecclus. xviii. 23).

If, then, thou findest thyself dry, wandering, and distracted in prayer, do not be surprised. It is thy own fault, for whereas it is in thy power to prepare thyself for it, as so many faithful servants of God do, thou nevertheless neglectest to do this, either through disinclination or want of attention, and at the same time persuadest thyself that God will not, on this account, fail to show Himself to thee in prayer with the same gracious countenance which is the reward earned by others at the cost of great diligence and preparation. Is not this an extraordinary kind of presumption, nay, even of irreverence and impiety? For if, when thou hast to speak to thy sovereign, thou thinkest carefully beforehand of what thou hast to say, how much more oughtest thou to do so when it is to God that thou art about to speak? "Speak not anything rashly before God." [1 Eccles. v. 1.]

From: The Manna of the Soul: December 1st

The Three Hail Marys Prayers

DEVOUT PRAYERS MADE USE OF BY ST. MECHTILDIS

Hail, Mary, etc. O Holy Mary! Our sovereign Queen! as God the Father, by his omnipotence, has made thee most powerful, so assist us at the hour of our death, by defending us against all the power that is contrary to thine. Hail, Mary, etc.

O Holy Mary! our sovereign Queen! as God the Son has endowed thee with so much knowledge and splendor, that it enlightens all Heaven, so in the hour of our death, illumine and strengthen our souls with the knowledge of the true faith, that they be not perverted by error or pernicious ignorance. Hail, Mary, etc.

O Holy Mary! our sovereign Queen! as the Holy Ghost has plentifully replenished thee with the love of God, so instil into us at the hour of our death, the sweetness of divine love, that all bitterness at that time may become acceptable and pleasant to us Hail, Mary, etc.

"Our Blessed Lady, herself, taught St. Mechtildis the above-mentioned triple salutation, promising her certain assistance for it at the hour of her death."

http://books.google.com/books?id=1sIPAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA109&dq=Colombiere+scapular&as_brr=1&ei=CYAvSeuxB4z2MNedwSg#PPA77,M1

with what distractions, what want of application in your prayers

The Manna of the Soul Meditations for Each Day of the Year By Paolo Segneri: ""

Prayer--ardent desire and loving attention

The Manna of the Soul Meditations for Each Day of the Year By Paolo Segneri: "
"...And, desiring to teach her daughters the noblest possible prayer..."

trying to avoid the slightest distraction in prayer, but blind

A father thinks that it is quite enough to maintain good order in his house; he will not have anyone swearing or using obscene words. That is very good. But he has no scruple about allowing his boys to go to amusements, to fairs, and all sorts of pleasures like that. This same father permits work to be done on Sundays on the slightest pretext, even such as not to go against the wishes of his reapers or his threshers. However, you see him in church adoring God, even prostrate before Him: he is trying to avoid the slightest distraction. But tell me, my friends, how do you suppose God can look upon such people as that? Carry on, my poor friend, you are blind. Go and learn your duties and then you may come to offer your prayers to God. Do you not see that you are doing the work of Pontius Pilate, who recognised Jesus Christ and who yet condemned Him?

...

We see others, too, who are all full of pious practices, who become full of scruples at omitting some prayers they usually say. They would think themselves lost if they were not at Holy
Communion on certain days when they have the habit of receiving, but trifles make them impatient and grumblers. A mere word which they did not care for will fill them with coldness and dislike. They will have difficulty in being civil to their neighbour; they will want to have nothing to do with him; on different pretexts, they will avoid his company; they will find that someone has been behaving badly in respect of them.

Go away, you poor hypocrites, go and become converted; after that you may have recourse to the Sacraments, which, in your state, without knowing it, you are only profaning with your wrongly understood devotion.

From the Sermons of St. Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney

[The lessons to be learned from this is that we should not excel in only in parts of our spirituality; we must strive to know our duties well by much spiritual reading, so that we may never commit evil nor omit good in any aspect of our lives.]