Miracle Of Our Lady Of Fatima Portugal 1917

The Truth about Our Lady of Fatima

Padre Pio : More than the saint of stigmas

Immortal Body 5

Immortal Body 4

Foto BUNDA PENOLONG ABADI - Foto Dinding

Banyakkah orang yang bingung, malah meragukan Injil dan Yesus? Banyak! Termasuk Yohanes yang sekian abad yang lalu membaptis Yesus. Dia kaget bahwa Yesus tidak seperti yang diharapkannya. Sebab Yesus tidak membakar orang jahat dan tidak memerangi pimpinan yang rusak akhlaknya. Padahal ia menantikan Mesias yang demikian! Jadi, ia bertanya, "Engkaukah yang dinantikan itu atau akan datang yang lain lagi?"



Sebenarnya ini pertanyaan banyak sekali orang yang melihat bahwa sesudah ada Yesus, dunia pada dasarnya tidak berubah. Malah, orang miskin semakin miskin dan yang berkuasa semakin tidak tahu diri. Lalu bagaimana? Yesus tidak mencela Yohanes. Tetapi, Ia menegaskan, "Kepada orang miskin diberitakan kabar baik!" Lalu Ia menghimbau, "Berbahagialah orang yang tidak menolak Aku!"

Di bumi ada dua jenis manusia. Yang satu merasa sudah benar sehingga tidak berkekurangan, tidak miskin; yang lain yakin akan kedosaannya. Selama manusia menantikan sesuatu dari Allah (misalnya pengampunan), selama itu ia tentu tidak menolak Yesus dan Injilnya. Tetapi mereka yang merasa benar, tampaknya tidak butuh apa-apa, termasuk Yesus. Mereka tolak Yesus, karena Ia - menurut pikiran mereka - mengajarkan hal-hal yang tidak masuk di akal (cintailah musuhmu, ampunilah, juallah hartamu...). Juga, karena Yesus membiarkan dunia ini semakin kacau, tidak bertindak dengan kuasa, tidak menjadikan para pengikut-Nya kaya raya... Malah, Ia tidak berbuat apa-apa untuk meniadakan sengsara!

Mengapa Yesus mengecewakan orang yang tidak menantikan-Nya? Sebab Yesus adalah Sang Kerahiman. Ia tidak mau memisahkan orang baik dari yang jahat. Ia mau melindungi dan memberi rahmat kepada semua orang. Dari pada melemparkan beban segala dosa dan keburukan dunia ini pada orang atau kelompok tertentu, Yesus sendiri mengambilnya dan memikulnya sampai mati. Ia memilih kelemahan, bukan kekuatan kuasa dan senjata atau paksaan. Ia Anak Domba bukan serigala. Ia tidak pernah mau menghancurkan apa-apa dan siapa-siapa. Kekuatan-Nya ada dalam kasih dan kerahiman yang membawa-Nya ke salib. Ia berani menghadapi penolakan manusia supaya tak ada seorang pun ditolak oleh Allah. "Berbahagialah orang yang tidak menolak Yesus!" (Bacalah Injil Lukas 7:19-23).

Ya bunda Maria, sejak Simeon menubuatkan bahwa jiwamu akan ditembus pedang derita, engkau sudah tahu anak macam apa yang sedang kaukandung. Terima kasih atas kerelaanmu menjadi bunda Juruselamat kami. Antarkanlah kami kepada putramu yang terkasih dan ciptakanlah dalam diri kami kebutuhan lestari akan Yesus dan rahmat-Nya. Ave Maria! Ave gratia plena!

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DOA UNTUK BEATIFIKASI EDEL QUINN

Bapa yang kekal dan kuasa, kuhaturkan terimakasih kepada-Mu atas rahmat yang telah Engkau anugerahkan bagi hamba-Mu Edel Quinn untuk berusaha agar senantiasa hidup dalam sukacita di hadapan-Mu. Syukur kepadaMu Bapa, atas kasih yang senantiasa memancar yang Engkau leburkan dalam hatinya melalui daya Roh Kudus-Mu dan daya kekuatan yang ia peroleh dari Roti Kehidupan untuk berkarya sampai ajalnya demi kemuliaan nama-Mu dalam ketergantungan mesra pada Maria, Bunda Gereja.
Dengan penuh keyakinan, Ya Bapa yang berbelas kasih, oleh karena hidupnya telah menyenangkan hati-Mu, kumohon kepada-Mu untuk menganugerahkan kepadaku, melalui pengantaraannya, anugerah khusus yang kini aku mohonkan……
(sebutkan permohonan yang dikehendaki dalam hati)
Ya Bapa yang maharahim, nyatakanlah itu melalui anugerah-anugerah mulia yang ia nikmati di surga, sehingga ia boleh dimuliakan juga oleh Gereja-Mu di bumi, melalui Kristus Tuhan kami. Amin.



Anugerah yang diberikan Allah dengan bantuan Doa Venerabilis Edel Quinn,
Mohon untuk ditulis dan dikirimkan ke:


Legion of Mary, De Monfort House
Morning Star Avenue, Brunswick Street,
Dublin 7, Ireland

Can We Be Saints ? by Frank Duff

Can We Be Saints ?
by Frank Duff

Contents
• WHAT IS A SAINT ?
o Who are Called to be Saints?
o The Two Successes
o I Am a Bundle of Weakness
o A Changed Outlook
o A New Ambition
o Being Really in Earnest
o Perseverance
o The Secret of Perseverance is Prayer
o Pray! Pray! Pray!
• THE DAY IN DETAIL
o The Foundation Stone
o The Morning Offering
o Our Daily Work
o A Right Idea of Duty
o Praying at Our Work
o The Mechanism of Frequent Prayer
• HINDRANCES AND PITFALLS ON THE WAY
o Sin
o Discontent
o When Discontent is Banished
o Another Big Obstacle -- Human Respect
o Discouragement and Pride
• WEAPONS AND AIDS
o Devotion to Mary
o St. Joseph
o The Necessity of Spiritual Reading
o We Must Read the Lives of the Saints
o The Question of the Newspaper
o Meditation, Realisation, Action
o Meditation is so Very Difficult
o I Am Not Able to Meditate At All
o Our Work for Our Neighbour
o The Influence We Can Exert
o Trials that show Progress
o Some Responsibilities of Holiness
o Attacks Against the Church
o The Call to Good Works
o How can we do Big Things
o "Thou Shalt Love Thy Neighbour As Thyself"
o Promoting the Week-End Retreats
o Breaking New Ground
o Some Homely Ways of Doing Great Work
• THE SECRET OF INFLUENCING OTHERS
• GOD IN HIS WORKS
o All Things are but Signposts that Point to God
o You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in You
o Heaven and Earth are Full of Thy Glory
o God's Dealing with Men
o Trust as a Characteristic of the Saints
o Our Love for Him

WHAT IS A SAINT ?
In the heart of every right-thinking Catholic, God has implanted the desire to become a Saint. Yet few make a serious attempt to realise the ambition. The cause for this is to a large extent discouragement, due to the misunderstanding of what a Saint really is.
What is a Saint? The answer usually returned to this question is: one who does extraordinary penances and works miracles. Now, this is an incorrect description, for neither miracles nor great penances are essential. The man who works a miracle does not raise himself in God's eyes by it; and, while penance in some shape is necessary, still the teaching of the Saints on this difficult question is encouraging.
What they direct is not bodily penances of a terrifying kind, but rather the strict avoidance of delicacies, softness, comfort. We are told to beware of injuring our health, and to eat enough plain food to enable us to work and pray without hindrance. There is ample opportunity for the severest mortification in the restraint of eyes and tongue, and in a warfare against the seven Deadly Sins.
Thus, there is another definition of what a Saint is. It is this: One who, with the object of pleasing God, does his ordinary duties extraordinarily well. Such a life may be lived out without a single wonder in it, arouse little notice, be soon forgotten, and yet be the life of one of God's dearest friends.
It is obviously an encouragement to look on sanctity in this way. When we see that those things which so terrified us in the lives of the Saints, because we felt we could not do them ourselves, are not the important part of their sanctity at all, we should feel heartened to begin to-day and make a serious effort for great holiness. Believe this: it is only the first few wrenches given to the will that really hurt. Perhaps the following words of Cardinal Newman will tempt us to take a step forward on the road:
"If you ask me what you are to do in order to be perfect, I say, first do not lie in bed beyond the time of rising; give your first thoughts to God; make a good visit to the Blessed Sacrament; say the Angelus devoutly; eat and drink to God's glory; say the Rosary well; be recollected; keep out bad thoughts; make your evening meditation well; examine yourself daily; go to bed in good time, and you are already perfect."

Who are Called to be Saints?
Every person that is born is called to be a Saint. Take it as most certain that you -- no matter how unfitted your life may seem for holiness -- are being given graces sufficient, if corresponded with, to bring you to sanctity. We have already seen that nothing beyond our strength is expected; neither is sanctity the exclusive property of any grade or manner of life. Among the Saints canonised by the Church are kings and beggars, and representatives of every trade, slaves, hermits, city people, mothers of families, invalids, soldiers, and persons of every race and colour.
As a canonised Saint is a pattern provided by God, it is evident that an invitation to become Saints is extended to men and women of every type. It is equally a fact that to those who seriously try to respond to His invitation, He gives help sufficient to carry them to the goal.
The Two Successes
Watch how the thought of fame or gold moves men. What sufferings they will endure for a mere chance of earthly gain. And in the end, though disappointed themselves, they will fill the minds of their children with the same longings for worldly success, so that each generation sees the same weary beat of the pendulum -ambitious youth to soured age. Is it really worth the trouble? So many are handicapped by lack of health or knowledge or brains that it never is a fair fight. Except for a few, striving is pure waste of time.
How differently God deals with anyone striving after holiness. Here all is certain. Every effort gets its reward. Everything is made to favour us; for alike out of health and sickness, poverty and wealth, what looks good and what looks evil -- can the man of good-will extract spiritual gain. Every reasonable request granted; obstacles removed for the asking; no trial beyond our strength permitted. In the ears of the world, this would sound like a fairy-tale, but it is in sober truth God's way of dealing with the earnest seeker after Heavenly riches.
Surely, to announce calmly, as so many good people do, that they have no ambition to be Saints, is very ungenerous treatment of One so kind. As He has so plainly set His Heart upon our doing great things, let us resolve to please Him and return generosity for generosity.
I Am a Bundle of Weakness
"I am appalled at the thought of a life of constant effort to crush my nature into a new form. I have no strength of will and such a life is beyond my powers."
With such reasonings, we harden ourselves against the call which rings so often in our ears. We forget that the same holy lips which say, "Come follow Me," say also to all, "My yoke is sweet and My burden light," What, then, is wrong with us that we fear the yoke of Christ?
It is this... our point of view. Unimportant ideas occupy the strongholds of our minds and shape our thoughts; while He, the owner of Eternity, is left only as one of the hundred interests in our lives, so that it is not surprising that the zeal, the courage, the ardour, that do big things, are spent on gains or pleasures which give a visible and rapid return. In a word, we undervalue holiness.
Once alter this -- and little is required to do it -once accept the fact that holiness is the most important thing in the world for us, and it will become the most natural thing in the world for us to strive after it. There lies the whole secret of effort. Make the goal attractive and reasonable, and we pursue it in spite of hardships, and almost in spite of ourselves. The human mind works in that way.
A Changed Outlook
The secret of bringing this about is contained in a few words; we must face facts. Now and then we must give the mind a chance to raise itself above the sea in which it is immersed, of things that do not matter, and face in all coldness the grim truths which group themselves around the central facts of Death and Eternity. Think of the immortality of the Soul; the insanity of preferring temporal to eternal; the shortness of our stay on earth; the nearness of that moment which will decide all; and the pricelessness of each minute of time, which, short as it is, yet shapes our undying life beyond the grave.
To occupy oneself deliberately with these solemn considerations and still remain indifferent is impossible. Dwelt upon so that they become familiar, these thoughts bring a new force into our lives. There is operated in us a wonderful change. As if the needle of the compass were to turn from the North and point due South, worldliness will not repel, and reason drive us on to God. Add a little love and the stock-in-trade for a Saint is there.
But we have already been deliberating too long. Whilst we have been in doubt, "the precious days have slipped away, and we find ourselves in the rapids above the great waters of the grave, and we hear the falling of the waters into the immeasurable abyss, and we feel the suction of eternity."
Eternity!! What a thought!
So, in God's Name, let us begin, while yet we have the time, and while the thirst is still in us to love Him ardently.
A New Ambition
Fear the postponed beginnings. A chill grows up, and our great destiny is forgotten.
Oh, my God! Grant that I have not in my indecision let that day come upon myself. I confess that Your work has never been anything to me but occupations for an idle moment. My heart has been set upon the things that pass. But henceforth I will give myself entirely to You. Give me the time, and faithfully do I promise now to serve You. Give me back the years that the worm and the locust have devoured, that I may one day restore them to You full of achievement.
And I do not ask for the big things -- the life of the missionary or the monk, or those others I see around me so full of accomplishment. I do not ask for any of these; but simply set my face to follow out unswervingly, untiringly, the common life which day by day stretches before me, satisfied in it I love You, and try to make You loved. Nature rebels against this life with its neverending round of trivial tasks and full of the temptation to take relief in amusement or change. It seems so hard to be great in the small things, to be heroic in the doing of the commonplace, but still this life is Your Will for me. There must be a great destiny in it. And so I am content.
And then to crown the rest, dear Jesus, I beg of You to give me this... fidelity to the end... to be at my post when the final call comes, and to take my last weary breath in your embrace. A valiant life . . . and faithful to the end. A short wish, dearest Jesus, but it covers all.
Being Really in Earnest
Good will is the very foundation of our progress. By good will is meant not an empty wish to reach the goal, but a readiness to toil along the road that leads to it. Now the symbol of our religion is a Cross. Our Lord has told us that we must carry it daily if we desire to be perfect. What excuse, therefore, can there be for being upset when trials come upon us? He that is discouraged by them evidently began without thought. But he who gives up altogether plainly never was in earnest. Of such Our Lord Himself has said: "These have no roots."
Perseverance
There is usually a sweetness in beginnings. God gives this aid freely then in order to encourage, just as a helping hand is given to children learning to walk. It is not for our good that we should always be carried, so after a while the sweetness is lessened. Then comes the critical time when our resolution is being tested. Guardian angels must weep to see so many who gave hopes of high sanctity stop short in their course.
Now, to give up because our fervour is gone is to admit that we never had in view God's pleasure, but our own. Our pleasure in the work having gone, we labour no more. It apparently matters little to us that God's pleasure in the work is still the same -- greater, perhaps, for the offering made from a sick heart and tired brain is always the most precious.
Perseverance is the last grace that will be given to us, and the greatest. It is the test of our good will. Excitement, novelty, or any one of a dozen other merely human things may start something, but they will not keep it going. What is wrong with all these who begin so splendidly and stop so soon? Call for volunteers for any good work. There are many -- full of enthusiasm -but hardly one who remains steadfast, hardly one who keeps his hands to the plough to the end . . . And the good intentions of a Retreat . . . How short-lived they are!
Is there any definite reason why all these people lack the quality of perseverance? Here is the answer in the words of the celebrated Pere de Ravignan:
"I do here affirm that all deceptions, all spiritual deficiencies, all miseries, all faults, and even the most serious wanderings out of the right path, all proceed from this single source -- a want of constancy in prayer."
The Secret of Perseverance is Prayer
From reading the lives of the Saints, one would conclude that they fall, roughly, into two classes: those who gave themselves to contemplation, and those who spent their lives in active works. In reality they were all alike. All were souls whose whole lives were prayer. Prayer was their business. Their good deeds were only valuable because they sprang from prayer; they bore the same relation to prayer that the trunk of a tree bears to the roots; good deeds are a visible part of prayer; and good deeds cannot live without prayer.
The present is a period when successful appeal is being made to Catholics to show by works of charity the Faith that is in them. That the most ordinary act may become holy when inspired by a holy intention is well understood and the words of Christ Himself, assuring us that "Just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family you did it to me," draws us powerfully on to the service of our neighbour.
The possibilities of holiness here are immense. But it is not sufficiently recognised that a proper balance of regular prayer and good works is essential to perseverance in the latter. There is a tendency to consider good works as prayerful enough in themselves. Their variety makes them easy, while prayer is difficult. Besides, we like to see results, and usually we do not see the results of prayer. So we reduce our prayers to little or nothing satisfying ourselves with the recollection that we are doing plenty of practical work for our neighbour.
Readers of Canon Sheehan will remember how a similar course of reasoning ended in the case of Luke Delmege in complete loss of spirituality and in disaster.
Of course, this is an extreme case. But we all know of many with noble qualities, holy intentions, and high promise, who just reach a certain point and no further. In a way, these makings of Saints who give up advancing are most to be pitied. It is far easier to pick a sinner out of the mire than to induce such people to get out of the rut of mere goodness, which God never intended for them.
Let us sound once more the note upon which we began a little while ago. The cause of all this pitiful failure is this: there is not Prayer enough.
Pray! Pray! Pray!
This is how St. Teresa stated she would summarise all her teachings.
People do not understand the importance of prayer. They say it is difficult. What wonder, considering that they make no effort to learn. The man who thinks it quite natural to put his son to a six years' apprenticeship to learn a trade, would think it absurd to spend six hours reading a book which might teach him how to pray.
Prayer must be brought to occupy a most prominent and definite place in our lives. This does not mean that we have to spend many hours each day on our knees. The duties of our state probably prevent that. But certainly we must aim at more than the saying of prayers twice a day, or even three or four times a day. He prays little who only prays on his knees.
Just as a gong or a tuning-fork could be kept quietly sounding all day by an occasional tap, so will the soul of itself send up incessant prayer, if now and then we apply the tap of an aspiration, a thought, an ejaculation. Never let the mind be too long away from God. The great disinclination to pray which most of us feel when the time set apart for prayer comes is plain proof that we are not, as it were, living with Him.
THE DAY IN DETAIL
The Foundation Stone
Foremost in the consideration of our day -- and on an eminence apart, like the Cross itself -- must stand the daily Mass and daily reception of the Holy Eucharist. These are so obviously the greatest means of Grace that they need not be urged at length. The person who is able easily to go to morning Mass, and does not do so, only deceives himself if he thinks he is aiming at great holiness.
Mass and Communion mean a day perfectly begun -- and that is half the battle. But out of this great act come two smaller obligations: (a) to your neighbour. There are many whom lack of thought alone keeps from Daily Mass. Lend a book; say a word to awaken them; (b) to yourself; read to increase knowledge and reverence.
The Morning Offering
The day should have opened with the morning offering of all our thoughts, words, and actions to Jesus through Mary. This offering must be the guiding idea of the whole day. We do not need to repeat the words many times, but the thought of it must lie in the heart, and govern our daily life in such a way that we feel ourselves to be working for God and not for the world.
Our Daily Work
First, let no one pride himself on having what he considers a dignified occupation. In despising menial or manual labour, he is parting company with Christianity and allying himself to paganism, which in all ages has counted such work the greatest of all evils. sanctification and as a penance for our sins. Thus it is the foundation of our spiritual life. He who neglects his work and yet thinks, because he says many prayers, that he is leading a holy life, deludes himself.
A Right Idea of Duty
We are to do what it is our duty to do -- and at the right time. Duty is not something which is to be thrown off with our working clothes, as so many people imagine. It is as strictly our duty to keep an appointment or a secret as it is to do our work. A duty goes before even "Devotions." It is your duty to wash the dishes, do not run off to Benediction instead.
There are many duties in the day which seem less , important than others, and for this reason we think very little of setting them aside to suit the convenience of the moment. Such conduct is wrong, and it does not build up a strong character. The real value of our day lies in the exact performance of all our obligations. The greater ones take care of themselves -- their importance makes them easy to do. So look particularly to the small things.
Consider your whole day as a picture where every line has its proper place. And where the smallest may be the most essential. Do everything that you are supposed to do, and do it down to the tiniest detail -- not because somebody is supervising you, but simply because you are supposed to do it.
There is a proverb: "Death is light as a feather. Duty as heavy as lead," and a life lived in devotion to duty is going to be a hard life. But it is going to be the life of a Man. Here is a lesson from the Far East.
A Japanese craftsman was observed to be spending days in perfecting the inside of an article he was making. He was asked "Why waste all this time? Nobody will ever see your work." He replied, "Do I not see it myself?" To this answer, may not we, as Christians add, "And God sees it, too."
Praying at Our Work
We see that Work and Duty are holy things when the idea of God is in them. But, by themselves, they are not holy enough for those who are trying to be Saints. We must bring God closer to our work than by the mere offering of it in the morning. We must keep Him at our side by frequent thought of Him.
It is told by a Spanish Nun who had charge of the refectory that in order never to be distracted she imagined those she served to be Our Blessed Lord and His Mother and the Apostles. In this way her work became a great means of prayer to her, and the hours spent in it were amongst the most devotional in the whole day.
While this may be above the reach of our poor minds, distracted by a thousand things, we may at least confidently seek after a quiet sense of God's Presence. This does not mean that we have actually to feel Him near us. If we have by the regular practice of prayer and frequent thought of Him, so drilled the mind that there is a tendency to swing back to Him when left free, we are doing very well. For this means that however distracting our occupations are, the soul is giving Him a quiet attention all the time. We shall have reached the stage of praying always.
The Mechanism of Frequent Prayer
In endeavouring to build up a spirit of prayer such as this, there is little use in relying on vague resolutions made in moments of fervour -- to pray frequently. Vague resolutions have no influence over people so strongly drawn away from prayer as we unfortunately are. We must set up certain of the events of each day as regular calls to a word or thought of prayer.
Some of these reminders we already have: the Angelus, grace at meals, the passing of a Church, and so forth. This number can be largely increased, so that quite a number of items of our daily life will in the end cause an easy and natural lifting of the mind to God.
A passing funeral, the meeting of a friend, the hearing of a death, the striking of a clock, the ringing of a bell, the writing of a date, the sharpening of a pencil, the threading of a needle -- one could go on for ever with suggestions for such a list. But the occupations of each one will determine what is best. Do not mind how foolish your expedients seem. They may have all the more love in them. In any case nothing is foolish that leads to God.
It is better that the acts be not too frequent. They might tire out one's good intentions or interfere with attention to work. But above all, they must, for the beginner, be definite. That is, the resolution must take this shape: "Whenever I look at my watch (or whatever else it may be), I will say such an ejaculation." Do not stop because this practice may at first seem mechanical and undevotional and tiring. Habit will soon come to your aid and make it less difficult. But determination will always be needed, as the Tempter will make many an effort to hinder so excellent a practice.
While progress is being made in acquiring the spirit of prayer those things which are a hindrance must go. Not until there is quiet within us, can an attempt be made to build up a real spiritual life.
HINDRANCES AND PITFALLS ON THE WAY
Sin
Sin in its various forms is, of course, the greater barrier. Such serious things as dishonesty, wronging one's employer or those who work for one, gambling, intemperance, cursing, might be gone into at length. But surely this is unnecessary. We are considering a person who is making a serious effort for sanctity; who is fully aware of the gravity of such failings, and who has probably already cut them out of his life.
Then, there is the host of commoner faults: self-love, lying, backbiting, vanity, envy, and so forth, in direct attacks on which a life-time could be spent with poor results. A surer success will quietly come of itself if prayerfulness and love develop. These will induce a frame of mind to which anything wrong will be distasteful. Such failings become no longer temptations, and simply drop out of one's life.
All the foregoing are plainly labelled "sin." When we are guilty of any of them, we know that it is an occasion for repentance and amendment. But there are other enemies to sanctity that are more hidden, and which constantly deceive even well-intentioned people by assuming an innocent and commendable appearance. Amongst these may be mentioned discontent, human respect, an uncontrolled tongue, ill-temper, discouragement, conceit. The seriousness of these is that they are harboured by good people, when sin has been driven out, in ignorance that they do sin's work.
Discontent
This is the great fault of the good. "There is no harm in being dissatisfied," they will say. Or they will call it ambition, and make a virtue of the turmoil which it makes in their minds. There would be some advantage in discontent if it spurred us on to aim at better things. But unhappily, discontent tends only to make us despise what we have. So warped are we by it that we envy today in someone else what yesterday we scorned in ourselves.
Now, this spirit of discontent particularly concerns us when it sets up the delusion that our particular mode of life and surroundings are unsuited to sanctity. Very often we entertain the thought as a holy one. We feel sure we could be Saints if God made us Priests or Nuns, or indeed anything else but what we happen to be.
Than such a delusion, no greater obstacle to progress can exist. The conditions of each man's life, as it is, are the raw materials out of which he has to fashion his future. Disbelief in the possibilities of doing any good with what he has is unlikely to lead to effort. A man is just as likely to start digging in his back garden for diamonds, as to seek for the jewels of sanctity where he does not believe they exist.
It may be that our present manner of life really is unfavourable to higher things. If this be so, God will in good time open up another door to us, that is, provided we are doing our duty in making the best of what we now have.
Most probably, however, far from being unfavourable, our present life is just the only one which will bring us to sanctity. God, Who sees all things, did not choose it over all others for us without ample reason. By discontent we are setting ourselves up as judges over His actions. Now let us pay Him the compliment of thinking deeply over this, and then bind ourselves with a stern resolution to put away every such disturbing thought. Its place will be filled by a grace. A calm will steadily grow up within us. We will find ourselves less and less put out by the worries of everyday life. We are getting on.
When Discontent is Banished
Those who have always been in the close friendship of God cannot fully value the greatness of this treasure -peace of mind -- which they have always possessed. But to those who have known the opposite, this feeling of cahn, as it develops, carries a plain message of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the soul. One is on the way to that tranquillity which was a notable feature in the lives of the Saints. For instance, it is written of St. Vincent Ferrer:
"Whether in the streets, or the choir, or his own cell, or preaching, or on a journey, or whatever he did, he was always tranquil because he made an oratory in his heart, and there conversed uninterruptedly with God without any outward thing disturbing him."
Another Big Obstacle -- Human Respect
The danger of Human Respect is not sufficiently recognised. In almost every Catholic it is a weak spot. In the case of some, it is a defect so grave as to put real holiness out of the question. Human Respect may be defined as the putting of the opinion of others in the place of our conscience. It sets up ridicule and unpopularity as the thing most to be avoided even at the risk of offending against truth and principle. Beginning in small things, if constantly yielded to Human Respect brings about a general lowering of principle. A state of mind is reached which is as different from sanctity as chalk is from cheese.
You have always been in the habit of blessing yourself when at your meals. When not at home, through a form, of shame, you do not do this. This is Human Respect.
You always touch your hat as you pass a Church -except when with Protestants? You would not have a religious picture in your drawingroom. You are shy about making the Stations of the Cross. You would be mortified if your Rosary Beads fell from your pocket in Protestant company or in the bus. All these are signs of the disease we are discussing.
In a word, you are so taken up with making your conduct acceptable to others that you have no room for the thought that God might have been pleased by these little open professions of Faith. You have treated Him as the rich are supposed to treat their poor relations -acknowledging them in private, ignoring them in public.
In the life of St. Philip Neri, we read how that Saint was in the habit of imposing very humiliating penances upon his disciples in his anxiety to destroy in them any trace of this mean spirit. Such practices would nowadays be termed extreme. Here is a suggestion which is not extreme. It will help anyone resolved upon the destruction of this failing . . . Wear openly something Catholic; some little devotional badge or emblem that will mark you as a Catholic, who is not ashamed to be known as one. The feeling of unwillingness to do this which will come to many, is the best test of its value; it is the spirit you seek to kill that is protesting in you.
Such objection as: "I don't believe in badge-wearing," and "I don't believe in making a parade of my religion," are usually not sincere. Those who speak in this way seldom seem to have any objection to wearing political or trade badges. Be honest with yourself. The trouble is that you are not really proud of being a Catholic. It is human nature to publish the fact if you are.
The priest and the nun advertise themselves to the world for what they are. Let the laity also, in the little ways that are open to them, confess Christ before men that He may one day confess them before His Father in Heaven. But in this let there be wholesome moderation. Do nothing that will earn for yourself the name of mere eccentricity, for this would destroy much of your influence. To cover yourself with religious emblems or to make an unnecessary show of devotion in a Church is to err in this way.
Discouragement and Pride
This spiritual value of any work you do is not to be judged by the little or much result you see from it, but by the purity of intention and the effort which you have put into it. The powerful sermon or book that converts many might bring less merit to its author than the smallest act of self-sacrifice. Thus it is as foolish to be discouraged by lack of visible results as it is to be puffed up by apparent success. Many average people have seen wonderful things come of their labours, while Saints often have been faced with constant failure.
Whatever you take up -- act well your part. Let this be your only concern. Be not anxious for results, which may bring conceit -- one touch of which can destroy the beauty of any work in God's sight.
Should some success cause stings of self-conceit, summon common sense to your side to tell you how little self-denial there is in your life; how little you do; and how much more you could easily do if you liked. And then contrast yourself with those multitudes of good people over the world who have given up everything for the Master's sake, and yet count themselves as idlers in His sight.
Let your frequent prayer be: "Jesus, meek and humble of heart -- make my heart like unto Thy Heart." If you become perfectly humble, God will certainly use you for some great work.
O Jesus, I desire to become a saint -- not that I may be great, but that You may be greatly loved.
WEAPONS AND AIDS
Devotion to Mary
"Show me how you say your hail Mary's," said a great Saint, "and I will tell you how to love God." The fingertips of the other Saints -- hardened by the use of their beads -- show this same idea in practice.
You must have a tremendous love for Mary. Read and pray, and pray again, until you get that love. Implore Our Lord to give you just the love for her that He would wish you to have. A great love for her is a great sign of sanctity.
Do not treat her only as the Queen of all Saints. She is much more than that. She is the most beloved Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, and the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. When you pray to any one of these Three Divine Persons, let her be near to recommend your prayer.
And she is also our Mother. Is this idea real to us? The love of our own dear earthly mothers is a wonderful thing. What seas of fire and water would they not go through for us! Yet their love is faint and weak compared with hers.
There is a beautiful traditional custom which unhappily seems less common than it was -- the consecration of babies by their parents to this Blessed Mother. The terrible power of the Evil One over the bodies of people possessed by him should be the best recommendation of this Devotion. More than he can do for evil, a millionfold, she can do for good.
Let us consecrate to her not only our children, but ourselves in the most solemn manner -- remembering that what belongs to Mary is all for Jesus.
St. Joseph
Our Lord and His blessed Mother looked to St. Joseph for their daily bread. What wonder then that the Church tells us: "Go to Joseph."
He was very dear to the Saints. In particular that great master of prayer -- St. Teresa -- has glowing things to say of the fruits of devotion to him.
There seems to be no occupation or condition of life which cannot claim some point of likeness to him, from which to draw encouragement. Above all, as the Patron of those who work hard and are hard used, we address ourselves to him, knowing that to be like him in this way brings at once the arms of the Divine Babe around us.
We might make a frequent practice of saying some little prayer to him, such as "St. Joseph, called Father by Jesus pray for us."
This was his greatest dignity.
The Necessity of Spiritual Reading
Read good literature; get others to read good literature; and later, all of us will do good deeds.
We must form a taste for religious literature. It must take a definite place in each day. From it we will acquire an interest in our religion; extend our knowledge of the doctrines of the Church; learn of its history, glories, institutions, opponents, and be able to answer the innumerable questions and objections which constantly proceed from friend and enemy.
There is a dearth of good religious libraries. Probably we shall have to buy the books we wish most to read. But let there be a little sacrifice, an occasional book purchased and read thoroughly, and more than once. If an author has put deep thought into his work, this will not be appreciated in one reading.
After that, let its mission be not to gather dust, but souls. Send it on a busy apostolic round amongst those friends who can be trusted to return a borrowed book. Some good religious periodical should enter our home regularly -- one which will keep us in touch with the wideworld doings of the Universal Church.
We Must Read the Lives of the Saints
We were taught to read by means of a headline. Unconsciously, we shape our lives by some headlines, too. God's purpose in bringing about the Canonisation of the Saints was to provide a headline which would draw us on to goodness and heroism.
Saints are the doctrines and practices of holiness made visible. If we frequent their company, we will soon imitate their qualities.
The Question of the Newspaper
We are inclined to think it necessary to read the daily papers in order to keep in touch with what is going on in the world. Let us beware lest they place us in the world's grip.
The modern newspaper is so well written, so attractive to the eye, that it tends to become an absorbing taste. It is a tendency of the day to wallow in the daily papers.
Endless discussion, a prejudiced outlook, a little scrappy knowledge, a distaste for serious or good literature, loss of power of concentration, faulty memory -- such are the products of those wasted hours during which God's Kingdom could have been so powerfully advanced.
Meditation, Realisation, Action
Reading is a direct preparation for prayer and intimacy with God. To meditate on religious matters, one must have read, otherwise there is nothing to meditate on The lamp has no oil. But, read slowly and think upon what has been read. Books rapidly run through and unreflected upon are as valueless as food eaten but no digested.
We must, therefore, accuse ourselves of waste of time if we read without the desire to profit by our reading Yet such is our ordinary habit. We do not meditate hence we do not realise. We leave in the unexplored depths of our souls the divine truths which should be governing our intellects and driving us on to grea things.
There is a wonderful difference between merely believing and realising. Here are some truths we all believe in:
1. Death is inevitable-- then judgment.
2. Grace is the greatest possession in the world.
3. Sin even venial -- is infinitely the greatest misfortune in the world.
Now to what extent do we realise these truths and act upon them?
And again. We know that the Infinite God became Man for our sake: not a King -- He wanted love, not fear -- but the shivering babe of poor people; a roughhanded working-man; a homeless wanderer -- one might almost say an outcast... and then He was taken and tortured and put on a cross to die, an object of contempt; all, that He might win our love or even our pity, which is akin to love.
Oh ! the horror of it ! Saints have cried out in anguish to think that love so great should be so unwanted by the world. For so it isl The Crucifix is only a piece of wood or metal to us. We have tears for any friend but Him!... Loyalty for every cause but His!... and why?
Because we neglected the means which common-sense directs us to use. Prayer and meditation would make Him real and vivid to us; but in our indifference, we leave Him a shadow -- and who can love a shadow? Thus it is we miss the greatest force in the world -- that personal love for Jesus, which looks for no reward, laughs at death, makes sacrifice delightful, and sanctity easy.
Meditation is so Very Difficult
There are very many who really are unable to meditate in a regular manner. These should not be so discouraged as to avoid meditation altogether. Meditation is very advisable, and some such simple method as the following can be used.
Endeavouring to bring the Master vividly before our minds, we must attentively consider that Divine Model. His slender Form, and serene, lovely Face, His words, His actions -- take them one by one, and as best we can reflect upon them with affection. What an incomparable beauty beams forth in all! Such mildness, wisdom, purity, patience, tenderness; and a love which is true to us in all our waywardness and disloyalty. Look and admire, and seek to draw a breath of their loveliness into ourselves.
We can take consolation from this... we do not seek fruitlessly. The treasury of perfection in Him is not like the treasures of the world, behind bars or in museums -- to be admired but not possessed. Each perfection shining in Jesus is there solely to be communicated to us. With all His Heart, He desires to give them to us. So look on them, and long to have them, and they will become yours.
Of this simple character may be our meditation. No regular system is necessary, though it helps. There need be no effort, resolutions even -- only a wish to love Him and to be like Him. Yet our advance will be by leaps and bounds. And why is this? It is because, as theologians put it, Our Lord and His qualities are not only holy but sanctifying: that is, the mere looking upon them with good intentions will imprint them on our hearts and make them part of us.
And let our gaze be as Mary's must have been. Ask her help in this contemplation. It was her employment from the night she first looked upon her new-born babe's face.
I Am Not Able to Meditate At All
Those to whom even a simple form of meditation is difficult, will find it very profitable to take some spiritual book before the Blessed Sacrament, and then very slowly to read it -- more in the manner of prayer than of ordinary reading. Pause frequently -- after all, every second word represents an idea -- and frequently speak to the Eucharistic Presence. The longer one spends on each sentence, the better. Ability to dwell on the reading for a time means that a very satisfactory form of meditation is being made.
Our Work for Our Neighbour
The fact that God in His Providence has left us in the world, instead of giving us a religious vocation, indicates that He wishes the world to be our vocation. That is, the persons and everyday things around us are to be the means of sanctity to us. It may be taken that the practical service of our neighbour is essential for our all-round development. We should bear in mind that serving our neighbour out of love of God means that what we do to him we do to God.
The Influence We Can Exert
The power each one of us has to influence others to good or evil is so great that it is almost without limit. The explanation of this is that when God finds a willing, a humble, a dependable worker, He uses him as a channel for His grace to others. And horrible to say, there are many who lend themselves in similar manner to be the instruments of the Devil, and accept the dreadful destiny of aiding him in his work.
A thought on names such as St. Paul, St. Dominic, St. Francis of Assisi, and on the other hand, Luther or Voltaire, will serve to show what it lies in one man to do -- to influence a whole world, century after century.
Man is small, but a man who is in earnest about an idea is not small. He is going to influence others, and nobody knows where that is going to end. Let our dominating idea be the glory of God and the salvation of souls.
Trials that show Progress
Certain trials may be expected. We shall be sneered at as would-be Saints, milksops, and upbraided with narrowmindedness and intolerance.
The latter charge should be welcome to us. It lifts us out of that numerous class who are considered and consider themselves as broadminded, when in reality they are only trimmers. Yet the charge possesses just a grain of truth which will make it hurtful to us. For, to have definite rules of principle and conduct does mean that we shall appear narrow to those who are not similarly hampered. It is part of the penalty of being right.
Some Responsibilities of Holiness
To become associated in people's minds with religion, as you undoubtedly will if you work for it, involves a responsibility. It may be unreasonable of them, but nevertheless people will judge religion in general from you. If you play a manly part, you are doing religion a benefit in making it attractive to others. If you make yourself a Universal Good Samaritan, whose tongue like St. Alphonsus Liguori's does not know how to say harsh or sarcastic things, and whose deeds are in keeping -you will draw men to you, and better still, you will make them love God, because in your goodness they will catch a glimpse of Him.
On the other hand, if you are careless at your work, dirty in your dress, mean in your conduct, you have done your religion an injury. It sinks into the gutter with yourself.
It is a big thing that Christ should thus have placed His honour in your keeping. If you are but half a man, it will stimulate you. Furthermore, it means that even the more worldly side of your life, your work in the factory or in your home, in the technical school or university or trade union, your athletics, your music, your painting, so on, can all be made to tell for Him in a very practical way.
Attacks Against the Church
Wherever you go, at your work or in clubs or societies, you will hear difficulties raised and questions asked which, perhaps, strike at the foundations of the Church or of Faith itself, and in aiding others, do not forget the danger to yourself.
Many of these objections you will be able to meet effectively from your own knowledge. Others may appear so strong as to frighten you. It is useful then to reason thus to oneself: "Whatever the objection is, there is an answer to it. All these difficulties have been raised and answered before. Great men have in all ages endeavoured to pick holes in the doctrine of the Church, and they and their philosophies have gone, while the Church lives on."
Always remember that the truth of Catholic doctrines does not depend on your ability to prove them true. Ten lifetimes would not be long enough to satisfy oneself on every point. The real proof of them lies in the declaration of the Church, which is the pillar and the ground of truth.
So do not let what someone in the works has said unsettle you. Let his objection -- even if it raises a difficulty in your mind -- only give you the opportunity for an Act of Faith:
"I don't understand, Dear Lord, but I believe because the Church teaches it, and the Church is infallible."
Read the promise of Our Lord: "Upon this Rock I will build My Church . . . and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."
Then hear the words of Loed Macaulay, who was no friend of the Church, and see how that promise stands after nineteen centuries: "When we reflect on the tremendous assaults which the Catholic Church has survived, we find it difficult to conceive in what way she is to perish."
The Call to Good Works
In times of retreat, or at your prayers, or by the invitation of a friend, a call to some good work will come. It may be from on high, so do not lightly refuse. You may miss your life's vocation. St. Augustine speaks solemn words: "Fear Jesus passing by ... He may not again pass your way."
How can we do Big Things
With industry, self-sacrifice, and some knowledge of human nature, we can produce results: (a) by organising -- by making things ready for people who will not make them ready for themselves; (b) by bringing to people, who would never get them for themselves, things that would benefit them; (c) by apealing individually to people who would never respond to a general appeal.
In other words, we are to be a bridge that covers the chasm between what people will do of themselves, and what God wants them to do. For example:
a. A Pilgrimage is organized. Everything is cut-and-dried. All that one has to do is to buy a ticket and take one's place. One thousand persons go. Would any have gone had the Pilgrimage and its details never been arranged?
b. An appeal is made from the pulpit to support a certain religious publication. Only a handful of people respond. A house-to-house canvass later on, bringing the paper directly under the people's notice, produces hundreds of fresh readers.
c. Everybody in a town knows the needs of a local charity. Yet few subscribe, until a door-to-door call is organised. Then all give.
"Thou Shalt Love Thy Neighbour As Thyself"
The foregoing are only indications of what might be done. Your own tastes, surroundings, conscience, will suggest many powerful means of benefiting your own soul by benefiting the souls of other people. "Love thy neighbour as thyself" is a hard saying. But keep in mind Who said it, and neglect no way of helping others on towards good. Ask St. Vincent de Paul, who is the Patron of all such works, to inspire you with knowledge of what will suit you best. Perhaps you might make a beginning by joining the Society which bears his name.
Here are some additional suggestions:
a. You know an excellent Sodality. Work hard for it. Be prefect of a guild. Train the sub-prefect to do the work, and then when you are sure you can be done without form another guild for yourself. Thus you will increase the Sodality membership and keep yourself keen.
b. You know a night-school which sends many of its pupils into the Priesthood or the Convent. Tell anybody who might be interested. Many will join, and their settling down to work will be just the step which will turn into solid resolutions what otherwise would never be anything but hazy desires.
c. There is some organisation which you know has produced great spiritual improvement in its members. Bring your friends into it.
d. There is a religious magazine or paper which you think good. Extend its circulation.
e. You know someone who has the gift of making those he meets enlist themselves in social work. Introduce people to him.
f. You have read a book which did you great good. Buy a copy or two and lend it round.
Promoting the Week-End Retreats
You might work for the Enclosed Retreats, those drilling-grounds of Christian perfection -- as the latest Pontiff has termed them -- producing wherever they exist, hosts of tireless workers in the cause of religion, sanctifying the good, uplifting the degraded.
If you would wish to see far-reaching good accomplished, here is your means to hand, speedy and certain.
So where these Retreats are, organise for them, spread abroad the idea of them, and where they are not yet established, aim to have this done.
Breaking New Ground
Perhaps you could band together others in association to do good, and give the first impulse to what St. Vincent calls the sacred contagion of charity.
Start a little organisation. Gather a few around you for some good work. Hold a regular meeting -- weekly, if possible -- and discuss your little efforts under the auspices of prayer. You have it on His own word that He, Who can make your efforts fruitful, is there in the midst of you.
Do not soar too high. Do not be over-anxious. Look above all to the routine duties and the small details of the meeting. A punctual start, carefully-written minutes, attendance-roll regularly marked up, discussion of business and business only, affection among the members, these -- far more than organising ability or exceptional workers -- will ensure a lasting success.
It cannot be over-emphasised that the progress and the permanence of the organisation depend upon the meetings, and that the meetings in turn depend upon the system, the prayerfulness, and the fraternity which are found in them. Act mindfully of this: face calmly the inevitable ups and downs and your work may be multiplied exceedingly. All the great movements have had just such simple origins.
Some Homely Ways of Doing Great Work
The following are some of the many ways in which a multitude of men and women are spending their free time serving God. Judgment Day alone will show the joy they have given Him, and the good they have effected.
The few examples given will make it clear that such work is within the capacity of anyone with perseverance.
(a) The Catechism Teacher
The saintly Pius X was once asked by a lady who was desirous of doing some really good work for God, what he would suggest to her. He surprised her by answering: "Teach children the Catechism."
Take a class and put your heart into it. Acquire a large stock of anecdotes by which you can both train and interest these little ones who are, as has been beautifully said, wax to receive, marble to retain. Many of them will some day do great things for God. And it will be through you.
(b) The Holy Childhood
Organise and run, with the sanction of your Parish Priest, a branch of the Holy Childhood. Keep a double object in view: first, the spreading of devotion to the Foreign Missions together with the aiding of them financially; and secondly, to get into touch with the children, who by the rules have to pay their little subscriptions once a month. Let them pay in person. Get to know them well. Tell them stories, and teach them little devotions and the art of making sacrifices. Tell them to collect used postage stamps; the practice itself is a prayer, and the stamps are valued on the Foreign Missions.
Such a work can be made the mould of Saints. Not that you will see a wonderful advance suddenly made by the children. That is not their way. But do you keep on without slacking and the years to come will see a rich harvest of holiness from amongst them.
(c) Visiting the Sick
The first concern of St. Ignatius of Loyola and his companions on coming to each new town was to visit the sick in the hospitals, knowing that in doing this, they did it to Christ Himself.
Pick some hospital, by preference a workhouse hospital, and find one or more of the very many patients who are without friends or visitors. Be you both friend and visitor to them. Visit them regularly. Your smiling face and cheerful words will make your visits longed for. And what wonderful prayers will ring up to high Heaven for you from these poor suffering ones of Christ, whom you have succoured.
(d) Spreading Good Literature
There are many who act as promoters for a certain valuable little religious periodical, packed full of instructions in simple and interesting form. These promoters have worked up a list of people who are willing to subscribe to the paper, and month by month each home is visited -- and it is delivered. Father, mother and children will read it and be influenced by it. It is the setting up in the home of a regular lighthouse of grace.
A poor widow had a large family and had to work hard during the day to keep them. Yet the day began with Mass and Holy Communion. She had almost a hundred subscribers who took this periodical. She delivered it herself to their widely scattered homes in the evenings when she must have craved for rest. She knew all their families well and used this intimacy to interest them in those things that were dearest to her own heart: Daily Mass and Communion, the Apostleship of Prayer, the Maynooth Mission to China.
And again. Some years ago in New York a negro washerwoman, who had spent her life in just this same way, received a semi-public funeral and was laid to rest amid the mourning of thousands to whom her face had constantly been a needed reminder of their duty to God.
Loving Jesus and making Him loved... There it is in practice! Who can assess the true value of such lives?
(e) The Duly Authorised Outdoor Collector
His or her little book in hand showing the sanction and approval of the Parish Priest, the outdoor collector may be seen, usually on a Sunday, toiling up long flights of tenement stairs, diving into alleys and back lanes where the most charitable of all people -- the poor -- live. Here he gets week by week his pennies and twopences for some Church Building Fund, or other charitable work sanctioned by the Parish Priest.
Always a holy work, his round may be made a genuine apostolate. He need not take up a preaching tone. A quiet word here and there can do all the work. And he can add to his words weapons more powerful -the Scapulars, Medals, Badges, approved by the Church. In spreading devotion to these he is setting up channels along which grace will certainly flow.
He finds time for a short chat in each home, and he is keenly interested in each member of the family. How are the Children's Communions? Are Paddy and Molly enrolled in the Brown Scapular? Here is a miraculous medal for one and a little picture for another. He has an eye to see that the elders are in some Sodality. He probably has the father in his own guild.
He does not talk about what is in the papers. They know enough about that without him. Besides, he may differ in opinion from some, which often results in hot words, bitterness left behind and his influence gone. There is more than enough to talk of in the shape of Church and Parish matters, the private concerns of the family, and occasionally a suggestion about the First Fridays Devotion, the Enthronement of the Sacred Heart, etc. Many are the stories he relates of the blessing of the Family Rosary, and the way in which it saved the Faith in the Black Times.
His reference to the approaching Missions will be more powerful than poster-covered walls.
Moreover, people will talk about their neighbours. So he will gain a good knowledge of his district, and his report on anything amiss is always useful to the Priest.
And it will come to this, that his very step, his face, will be like a breath of religion to all, and a special reminder to those that are negligent. People will go to Mass or the Sacraments simply because they saw him and it reminded them of their neglect.
THE SECRET OF INFLUENCING OTHERS
There is an art in the moving of others, and those that work for their neighbour must study it.
Do not say "I cannot," or "I am not fitted," or "Nobody heeds me." For there is one thing that can clothe you with power in your dealings with others -affection for them. This is the great secret of all real influence. To possess it, follow this simple rule -- Look only for good qualities in anyone you meet; you will find them. Never look for faults, for you would find them. Act thus, and you will easily develop the habit of love. Convince those around you, by deeds, not phrases, that you truly have this feeling for them, and you can lead them where you like.
GOD IN HIS WORKS
All Things are but Signposts that Point to God
We have been considering at some length methods of serving God. Let us try to remember they are only methods. There is always a tendency for the interest of any work to absorb us so that we forget why and for Whom we began it.
It is natural that this should happen. The work is visible; the supernatural is not; and we unthinkingly allow the visible things to push the supernatural into the background of our lives. This takes from the value of all our acts as offerings to God.
Instead, a little thoughtfulness would turn those very things which were inclined to lead us away from God, into visible reminders of His presence in the world.
When we see a Church, even though it is only a spire in the distance, it induces a feeling of reverence at the thought of His Presence with us in the Eucharist. But then Churches are rare. We want that feeling of reverence over all our life. We can make it habitual if we cultivate the practice of seeing Him in all things.
In the beginning He created all things from nothing. But he did not then cease to work. It requires His omnipotent power to keep all these things there now. Were His Hand removed this second from any object we see, it would at once disappear from our vision into its original nothingness.
Thus everything we see should tell us that God's Hand is upon it. A sense of awe should fill us to think that we can touch what He is touching. The waving leaves on the trees tell us of the presence of the breeze which we do not see. Why not make trees and leaves and wind, and all else around us, speak plainly to us of the wonderful Power which holds them in existence?
We pick up an insect, or a flower, or bread, or a book. Each one proclaims Him to the thoughtful mind.
St. Bonaventure said of St. Francis of Assisi that he made everything in nature a step in the ladder by which he went to Heaven. He loved the very stones beneath his feet because there were the works of his Creator.
All the Saints saw without effort God in His works. Everything was a cause of prayer to them. But there was a time when they were only beginners as we are. They persevered; shall we?
You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is in You
In considering God in His works around us, we are not to forget His presence in ourselves.
It is of Catholic doctrine that the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling in anyone who is free from mortal sin. Life would be greatly brightened if we could bring home to ourselves this wonderful truth.
How could we ever again feel sorrowful, or lonely, or think ourselves poor!
If we consider God in His heavenly Kingdom, we are apt to think of Him as at a great distance. We know Him as a loving Father, but this sense of remoteness diminishes the sense of His protection. Rather let us think of Him living in each of us -- giving our hearts their beat and listening to our inmost thoughts.
Look at the great Sun blazing in the sky with enough light and heat for the entire world. He Who made it is within us with a Glory infinitely greater.
There is holiness in the very thought of this; and the idea of sin as something that will drive out this Divine Tenant acquires a clearer and more repulsive meaning.
Heaven and Earth are Full of Thy Glory
The greatness and the loveliness of God, being infinite, cannot while we live be measured by us. We can only feebly search after an idea of them by representing to ourselves the pick and cream of what we know, and then trying to raise our minds above that.
Take from what is around, all that is delightful, mighty, pure, exquisite, glorious. Gaze upon them, and their beauty takes the very breath away. But their beauty is only the shadow of His Beauty.
In the light of this truth, will not the delicate flower, or sky tinted with splendour, speak to us with a new meaning? Before, we admired them for what they are; now rather, let us reverence them for what they suggest.
God's Dealing with Men
His goodness is equally beyond our comprehension. Our Lord's life on earth, or the Host and Chalice lifted up in the Mass, should give us an idea of the depth of the love He has for each individual one of us, however wretched.
We are being dealt with in a princely way. One of the first results of our increases in holiness will be the gradual realisation of the wonderful goodness which is lavished upon us from morning until night. We grumble at the apparent afflictions and punishments that come to us, though each one of them bears, as the saying is, a jewel in its head. We are blind to the fact that nothing which is the bearer of a blessing can really be punishment at all.
God is good . . . Let this be the great thought whenever the shadows thicken. There is nothing from Him which is not kind -- though it may seem hard. Whether it is one of those things that people dread most, such as death, or cancer, or bankruptcy; or only a headache, we may be sure it is for the best. There is some hidden mercy in it. God is good... God is so good.
Trust as a Characteristic of the Saints
In this spirit of trusting faith did the Saints receive whatever came to them. Aware that they were enfolded in the arms of a loving Providence, it was equally a cause of thanks to them whether they were cradled to the left or to the right.
This holy spirit is not beyond imitation by all, for we see it in the poor of our day. The greatest calamity is met with fortitude. "There is no Cross but breaks a heavier," they will observe. and then -- even though the tears are falling fast -- "God's will be done; welcome be the Holy Will of God."
We must follow the holy ones of all times in this childlike confidence, this perfect knowledge that He is their Good Father.
Our Love for Him
Our hearts were made to hold the biggest and the purest of loves. For nothing less than this did God intend them. It is dishonouring such vessels to keep in them a love based only on motives of reward or punishment, wholesome though these are. So let us try to send our love for the Good Shepherd to summits far above such thoughts of self, and love Him... "not that in Heaven we may reign... not to escape eternal pain... nor in the hope of gain"... but for Himself, and that we may satisfy with something clean that great love of His which craves for our love.
And as this pure love strengthens in our hearts, it will soon, like the eagle, grow impatient even of the mountain peaks, and hunger after heights of heights, till -- with the Little Flower -- we will cry out in longing: "Jesus! . . . Jesus! . . . I would so wish to love you... Iove you as you never yet have been loved.!'
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Can We Be Saints?
By Frank Duff
Nihil Obstat: Joseph P. Newth. C.C., Censor Theol. Deput.
Imprimi Potest:IOANNES CAROLUS,
Archeip. Dublinen, Hiberniae Primas.
Dublini die 80 Julii ano 1958.
Reprinted 1998
Legion of Mary,
De Montfort House,
Morning Star Ave, Brunswick St., Dublin 7, Ireland

Arti Doa Bapa kami

Jangan katakan BAPA,kalau kamu tidak berlaku sebagai anak setiap hari
Jangan katakan KAMI,kalau hidupmu penuh egoisme
Jangan katakan YANG ADA DISURGA,kalau kamu hanya pikirkan perkara duniawi
Jangan katakan DIMULIAKANLAH NAMAMU,kalau kamu tidak menghormati Allah semestinya
Jangan katakan DATANGLAH KERAJAANMU,kalau yang kamu maksudkan adalah keberhasilan duniawi
Jangan katakan JADILAH KEHENDAKMU,kalau yang kamu lakukan hanya yang kamu inginkan
Jangan katakan BERILAH KAMI REJEKI,kalau kamu tidak peduli terhadap orang yang lapar
Jangan katakan AMPUNILAH KESALAHAN KAMI,kalau kamu dendam terhadap sesama
Jangan katakan JANGAN MASUKAN KAMI KEDALAM PERCOBAAN,kalau kamu tidak berniat berhenti berdosa
Jangan katakan BEBASKANLAH KAMI DARI YANG JAHAT,kalau kamu tidak tegas menolak kejahatan
Jangan katakan AMIN,kalau kamu tidak serius menanggapi doa Bapakami

THE LEGION OF MARY SCHOOL FOR SAINTS by Rev. Msgr. Thomas B. Falls, S.T.D., Ph.D.

INTRODUCTION
Yes, the Legion of Mary is truly a school for saints. In fact, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that some members of the Legion of Mary will actually be canonized saints, if not in this century, certainly in the next.
The Legion of Mary is not yet seventyfive years old, yet three of its members are now being considered for possible canonization.
Edel Quinn, who died in 1944, is probably closest to becoming a saint in our time, since she has been declared Venerable on December 31, 1994, by His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.
Alphonsus (Alfie) Lambe was an Irish Envoy to South America where he worked to spread the Legion of Mary for some six years until his death in 1959. In 1971, twelve years after his death, his cause for canonization was opened in Rome at the request of many South American bishops.
Mr. Frank Duff, the saintly founder of the Legion of Mary, died in 1980. The Diocesan Process of Canonization was opened in Dublin in 1989.
These are the three saintly legionaries featured in this pamphlet.
________________________________________
EDEL MARY QUINN
Edel Mary Quinn was born in Ireland, at Greenane, near Kanturk, a remote town in County Cork, on September 14, 1907. I like to point out how modern a saint Edel would be by saying that if she were alive today, she would be 2 months and 12 days older than I am.
Her father, Charles Quinn, from County Galway, was in the banking business; her mother, whose maiden name was Louise Burke Browne, was from Clare. Edel Mary was the first-born in the family of three other girls, Leslie, Mona and Dorothea, and one brother, Raphael.
There is an interesting story of how Edel received the name Edel at her baptism. It is said that her mother had chosen the name Adele after one of her own sisters. At the baptismal service in the, parish church Mr. Quinn was asked the baby's name by the priest. Mr. Quinn faithfully expressed his wife's wish by answering in his thick Irish brogue: Adele, with the accent on the second syllable. The priest however understood "Edel", thinking they had chosen the name "Edel" as a shortened form of Edelweiss - the beautiful mountain flower. Edel, however, was never quite pleased with her name. She often joked about lt.
From her earliest years Edel was a very happy child, and ever so happy when she received Holy Communion for the first time. As a school-girl Edel was a serious student, but at the same time a care-free, joyous and fun-loving girl. She always presented a happy exterior, never giving any outward signs of inward worry.
She showed a mature poise in all her actions, even in her early years. Nothing seemed to bother her: she was fearless, totally unselfish, forgetting herself entirely in helping others. Her grace and charm impressed everyone and in her relationship with her superiors she displayed a properly balanced degree of ease and respect. She had a great sense of humor and was actually a prankster! Her laughter was contagious and her smile (everyone who knew her spoke of her beautiful smile) was mischievous and gentle. Frank Duff once said that ~hotographs never did justice to Edel's eauty. He said a camera could catch some features of her external beauty, but not her real inner beauty which radiated through her beautiful blue eyes, her expressive lips and her knowing smile.
As a teenager Edel was very interested in sports. She was captain of her school's cricket team and liked tennis, golf and swimming. She was quite fond of music, played the piano and was an excellent stager and dancer. And she dressed in style, but with modesty. Yes, Edel was one beautifully accomplished girl - a girl of our times.
After her school days were over, Edel worked as a secretary in a tile company in Dublin. When her employer fell in love with her and proposed marriage, she was surprised, but she refused his offer by explaining to him that she had already promised herself to God through the Religious Life.
Indeed Edel in her choice of Religious Life had chosen the most difficult - the cloistered life. In fact, Edel had been accepted by the religious community of the Poor Clare Sisters and was waiting until her family could spare her. As she was preparing herself for the convent Edel discovered the Legion of Mary - and she loved it.
After a couple of years in the Legion she was appointed president of a praesidium devoted to the care of street girls. In spite of her youth (she was around 20 years of age) she eventually gained the respect and admiration of the older members of that praesidium, and rightly. so, for she was an exemplary Legionary in every sense of the word.
During her immediate preparations for entering the convent, Edel became ill with tuberculosis and was confined to a sanatorium for eighteen months. As her disease was diagnosed "incurable" she left the sanatorium and got another job as secretary in order to help alleviate the pressing needs of her family.
She immediately returned to the Legion of Mary and after about five years joined a vacation extension team sent to Wales, England. She was so impressed by the need of the Legion in Wales that she volunteered to return there, to get a job, settle in and continue to extend the Legion in that area.
Instead of sending her to Wales, the Concilium officers asked her if she would be willing to go to Africa as a Legion Envoy. Without the slightest hesitation and with great joy she agreed. After all the objections to her being sent to Africa in questionable health were set aside, Edel set sail in October of 1936, leaving her family and friends, knowing she would never see them again.
The frail young lady of 29 years, in spite of her illness, performed superhuman wonders in the mission field for over seven years. The bishops were anxious for Edel to set up branches of the Legion in their territories. Many priests and nuns told her that the Legion of Mary would not work in Africa. But with her never failing persistence she finally showed them that it would work there and it did. It became the greatest aid to the bishops, priests and sisters in their missionary work.
What won everyone to Edel's side were her gentle smile, her shining blue eyes, her great sense of humor, her complete naturalness, her constant charm of manner, and her readiness to undertake the hardest of tasks, working in the heat and dust and mud long after the others were taking their muchneeded afternoon siesta. Edel was always respectful of ecclesiastical authority. If there was a difference of opinion she was strongwilled, but always the soul of conciliation; but when there was a question of the following the Legion rules as outlined in the Handbook she was inflexible.
In setting up and revisiting hundreds of praesidia, curiae and comitia, Edel travelled hundreds and hundreds of miles by ship, by train, by bus, by car and truck, by bicycle, by rickshaw, or by foot - and always at the price of great physical pain and discomfort.
Shortly before the final stage of her illness she travelled eighteen hours one way by train to visit Legion praesidia and curiae.
The area that she actually covered in Africa during her mission there was wider than all of Europe.
When Edel died in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 12, 1944 at the age of thirty-six, the bishops, priests, sisters and laity who knew her were convinced that they had had a saint in their midst for almost eight wonderful years.
Consequently, in 1952 Bishop McCarthy and many other bishops asked Rome to open the Cause for the Canonization of Edel. Since that time the process has been progressing steadily and well - so well that she now has the title of Venerable.

CONCILIUM LEGIONIS MARIAE
DE MONTFORT HOUSE MORNING STAR AVENUE BRUNSWICK STREET DUBLIN 7 IRELAND
31st December 1994 Edel Quinn Now Venerable
The Pope has confirmed a vote of the Cardinals and Archbishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints affirming the outstanding holiness of Edel Quinn, the Legion of Mary envoy who died in Nairobi in 1944. She is now given the title Venerable. One miracle, attributed to her intercession, is still required for her beatification. If an adequately attested miracle is forthcoming the beatification should follow quickly. The Pope has asked the Congregation to give priority, as far as possible, to processing the Causes of lay people.
What are the virtues and qualities that marked Edel as a holy person fit for Canonization? Why was she so different from others of her time who may have been holy persons yet were not mentioned for Canonization? What were some of her virtues which made her so different?
Everyone who knew her, including her parents, her three sisters and a brother, describe Edel as having been totally unselfish, giving herself to others without consideration of herself. Edel had a concern for everyone and shared in their sufferings, but never revealed her own. She was truly patient in her suffering, which was considerable, but she never gave evidence of pain or worriment. She was always cheerful, even when she was in intense pain or extreme discomfort.
Those persons who knew her speak of her natural simplicity, her generosity, and her fearlessness. To Edel her Legion work was sacred. With an extraordinary ability to organize, she gave her time, her talents and her toil to the Legion, without ever counting the cost. But you might say, is that all that set her apart as a candidate for official sainthood? We know that there has to be more than all the above virtues and qualities.
One of the virtues that will help Edel towards Canonization was her extraordinary love of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist. Any day that she could not attend Mass and receive her Lord in Holy Communion was considered by her as incomplete - as a lost day. Her greatest joy of the day was to be in union with her God in Holy Communion.
A Poem by Edel Quinn (Found in a notebook from her boardingschool days)
Come my Jesus, I am waiting waiting for you here full of love and ardent longing banishing all fear.
Not an angel or Thy Mother could content me now: none can satisfy my craving Jesus! only Thou...
Come today and come tomorrow come each dawning day while the flood of life is flowing, till it ebb away till my heart be still forever till my voice be dumb; then with open arms to meet me come Lord Jesus, come!
Another virtue that would be stressed in the process of her cause was that of her living an the presence of the Blessed Trinity and of Mary every moment of the day. Frank Duff tells us that Edel's every thought, word and deed were activated by highly spiritual motives. In other words, all of Edel's thoughts, words and actions were the thoughts, words and actions that Jesus and Mary would have had under similar circumstances. Some of Edel's friends have testified that in unguarded moments, especially at Legion meetings, they would notice her lips moving, probably as she uttered some prayers to God and Mary. These friends cite this as a proof of her constant awareness of the presence of God, and of her constant union with Jesus and Mary.
I believe that this particular facet of Edel's spirituality shows us that the secret of Edel's sanctity came from St. Louis Marie De Montfort's "Secret of Mary", for Edel followed De Montfort's True Devotion to Mary as very few persons ever have. As a legionary in Ireland and as an envoy in Africa, Edel always recommended to her legionaries the reading and the following of De Montfort's "Secret of Mary". After her death in Africa her personal belongings were sent back to Ireland in her battered trunk, and two books in that trunk were the Handbook and the "Secret of Mary".
One final reason that Rome may find compelling for Edel's canonization is what she has done for the Catholic Church. On this subject Frank Duff has written: "Out of her physical wreckage and her short life (of nearly 37 years) Edel Quinn fashioned an achievement which can rank with any of the epics of the past, but which is bigger than common history for it helped to build the Catholic Church".
Edel helped to build the Catholic Church in Africa through her work with the Legion of Mary. Before Edel's arrival in Africa the image of the Church there was that of an unstable church. Conversions of native Africans were numerous enough but they were not lasting, for many of the new converts often fell back into paganism after a few months in the church. But Edel and her legionaries changed that image of instability. Edel did tMs by training her native legionaries to go out every week and pull the lapsed Catholics back into the Church, and then by repeated visits to keep them in the church.
Archbishop (later Cardinal) Antonio Riberi as Apostolic Delegate to British East Africa saw what Edel and her native legionaries did for the Church in Africa. When he arrived in Peking, China, as Apostolic Delegate, his first move was to have the Legion of Mary set up in every Chinese village, and he appointed Father Aedan McGrath, who was then a missionary in China, to do this. When Archbishop Riberi saw how Father McGrath was setting up the Legion of Mary in so many towns and villages in China, he made this great statement: "Edel Quinn changed the face of the Church in Africa and saved the Church in China". Isn't this enough for Edel's canonization? I think so.
"THANKS TO EDEL"
Some of the favors attributed to the intercession of the Servant of God Edel Quinn

Edel on O'Connell Bridge
In the course of her office work in Dublin Edel Quinn met and befriended a young married woman who had a lot of domestic and financial trouble. Edel was a constant source of strength and encouragement and also of material help:
"I could write a book on all that she did for me and my family," wrote the friend later. When Edel left for Africa she missed her greatly, and though she did not forget Edel's assurance that God was with her in her suffering she frequently became very down-hearted.
One day, in May 1944 Edel's friend was crossing O'Connell Bridge in a state of such deep depression that the sight of the river suggested the thought of doing away with herself. Then suddenly she saw Edel standing on the pavement a short distance ahead. She saw her quite clearly and was certain of her identity.
She was about to approach her when her attention was momentarily distracted and when she looked again there was no sign of Edel. She was puzzled but thought that Edel mustn't have seen her and had moved away in the crowd of pedestrians. Disappointed, but thrilled by the fact that Edel was back in Dublin she went home and told the good news to her husband.
Two days later she read in a newspaper that Edel had died in Nairobi shortly before she had seen her, as she firmly believed, on O'Connell Bridge.
From then on she constantly prayed to her and received many blessings which she attributed to her intercession. Among these was the conversion of a close relative who had seemingly lost the faith and obstinately refused to see a priest even on his deathbed. She besged Edel to intercede for him and almost immediately he spontaneously asked for a priest and died in peace with God.
In her old age, Edel's friend gave an impression of great peace and happiness and loved to talk about Edel Quinn's holiness, and her kindness to herself and her family.
(Ireland)
Edel Forestalls the Surgeon
In October 1988, Mademoiselle X underwent a major operation for an abdominal tumor in a French hospital. Following the operation, an ulcer (fistula) formed on the pancreas, with continuing discharge of pus. The patient was extremely ill, suffering great pain and frequent vomiting. Unable to eat or drink, she had to be fed artificially.
Things went on like this for six weeks and then the surgeon (a professor of surgery) informed her that, as the ulcer showed no signs of healing, another operation would be necessary. Mlle. X pleaded that she was too weak to face up to further surgery. However, on the surgeon's insistence that it was her only hope of recovery, she agreed to the operation and it was fixed for the two days later.
During her stay in hospital, Mlle. X had learned about Edel Quinn from some Legion of Mary visitors from whom she also received a prayer leaflet. The legionaries joined with her in earnest prayer for a cure through Edel's intercession.
She herself had great confidence in Edel's power with God and kept calling on her day and night, and now allthe more earnestly with the operation so near. Then the extraordinary thing happened.
On the morning of the day preceding that fixed for the operation, she felt vastly improved and examination disclosed that the recalcitrant ulcer had healed overnight. The surgeon came to visit her and when he saw her new condition he exclaimed, "This is fantastic, it is a miracle! This is the best gift you could give me" (alluding, apparent, to his imminent departure to take up a post overseas). After this spontaneous reaction, he added that two years of non-recurrence would be needed before the cure could be confirmed.
The proposed operation never took place and Mlle. X s general health steadily improved. At the end of 1990 she underwent a thorough medical examination which resulted in an excellent report. (France)
Blind Child Receives His Sight
Not long after the birth of a little boy his parents observed that he gave no sign of being able to see. A few months passed and now seriously worried, they consulted a doctor who confirmed that there was absolutely no response to light. They then took the child to a specialist who examined him very thoroughly and declared that the child, in his opinion, was suffering from incurable blindness; there was no trace of an optic nerve. The parents were in great distress. A few days later they went to visit some friends in Ireland and brought the child with them. One of the friends advised them to have recourse to Edel Quinn on the little boy's behalf, and introduced them to a priest who had a relic of Edel in his possession. At the parents' request, the priest blessed the child with the relic praying that, through the intercession of Edel Quinn, he might be given his sight. The next day, to the amazement and joy of the parents, the child seemed to be following some moving object with his eyes. Subsequent days made it perfectly obvious that he was able to see. It was some weeks before the parents were able to bring him back to the specialist. The specialist was completely astonished when, on examination, he found the child's eyes perfectly normal. He said he couldn't understand how he had failed to detect the optic nerve on the previous occasion. He suggested that perhaps there had been a delayed development of the nerve but didn't offer any explanation of the fact of the whole process taking place so suddenly. The parents were quite satisfied with their own explanation and remain full of gratitude to Edel Quinn. (s.r)
Completely Unexpected Cure of Severe Ulcer
Following a superficial injury, Fr. Robert Hilton, a priest on the teaching staff of an English seminary, developed a very bad ulcer on the side of his knee which steadily grew worse in spite of careful treatment in hospital and in the infirmary of the seminary.
At the end of three months a nurse who dressed the ulcer described it as "very angry and like a real hole in the knee." Three months later a different witness said it was "a deep hole into which one could put one's finger; the wound was full of pus and very raw. The doctor described it then as being "one and a half inches in diameter with a sloughing base extending to the lower tissues;" he warned that it would take a long time to heal. The ward sister of a hospital where the priest spent some weeks, also at that time, was fully convinced that the ulcer would take perhaps up to a year to heal if, indeed, it ever healed. The patient left the hospital to be cared for by .the very competent infirmarian of the semmary, a religious sister. A few days later, seeing that the ulcer had defied all medical treatment and was continuing to deteriorate, she began to pray earnestly for a cure through the intercession of Edel Quinn, and was wholeheartedly joined in her prayer by Fr. Hilton himself. Very soon after the start of this prayer the ulcer began to show improvement and within two weeks the heavy discharge of pus had completely ceased while the ulcer was seen to be healing from the base deep down. The prayers continued and each day showed a further improvement. By another ten days the ulcer was completely healed. The doctor subsequently made a statement describing the cure as a most extraordinary phenomenon and entirely unexpected. He was personally convinced that the cure should be attributed to the invocation of Edel Quinn and not to the medical treatment which, in this case, had proved of so little avail. (U.K)
Cure of Nervous Disorder
A Dublin client of Edel writes: "I wish to state that for the past ten years I have prayed solely to Edel Quinn to intercede with Almighty God for a close relative now in her fifties who had suffered a succession of nervous breakdowns and mental illness, was unable to hold any employment or face any responsibility for very long without deteriorating.
Since the start of praying this relative not only has improved so much but has twice been promoted at work in those ten years.
I have recently started praying for three other people I know who have had breakdowns and they are all making remarkable recovery so far. I am so grateful to Edel Quinn for the intercession to Almighty God and His wonderful answers to my prayer." (Ireland)
Man Suddenly Hears After Years of Deafness
"I wish to inform the Legion of my remarkable hearing recovery, which I attribute to the intercession of Edel Quinn. Previous to my experience I had been deaf for many years and found it necessary to wear a hearing aid.
During the year, I became interested in the life story of Edel and decided to offer up a Novena that she would intercede and cure my loss of hearing - this she did.
On August 4 last, while watching television, my hearing aid suddenly failed to function. On pulling it out, I discovered that I could hear very clearly. The aid was no longer necessary. There is absolutely no medical explanation. All this I owe to Edel Quinn." (Ireland)
Hand Saved from Amputation
A Dublin man writes: "A friend of mine received a bad cut in his hand with an electric saw. It had been stitched but when the stitches were removed the cut opened again. The hand became swollen and black and there was a very bad odour from it. The doctor said he would have to amputate. I called to see my friend who had resigned himself to amputation. I suggested that we start a novena to Edel Quinn and promised to lend him Edel's relic which was then on loan to someone else. We started the novena that night. The next day he was due to see the doctor and arrange to go into hospital. On his way up to the Mater Hospital he says he suddenly felt light and as if he had enormous strength. When the bandage was removed the swelling, blackness and odour had disappeared and there was no talk of amputation. He continued to improve and although he expected to have an ugly finger, it is back to normal. We believe this to be Edel's doing." (Dublin)
A Vocation Saved in Thailand
"On the day of the Mass commemoration of Edel Quinn a sister from the Congregation handed in a letter to the Superior General expressing her desire to leave the convent for good. The latter accepted the letter and had a talk with the sister. Everything was set for her departure but the Superior asked her to think again before leaving. The Superior placed the letter under the portrait of Edel Quinn and asked her for her intercession to change the mind of the sister. On May 12 (Edel's anniversary) the sister returned to the Superior and withdrew her resignation. So she is back in the Congregation and has promised to stay for good." (Thailand)
Prayer for the Intercession of Venerable Edel Quinn

Eternal Father, I thank you for the grace you gave to your servant, Edel Quinn, of striving to live always in the joy of your presence, for the radiant charity infused into her heart by your Holy Spirit, and for the strength she drew from the Bread of Life to labor until death for the glory of your name, in loving dependnce on Mary, Mother of the Church.

Confident, O Merciful Father, that her life was pleasing to you, I beg you to grant me, through her intercession, the special favor I now implore ...
and to make known by miracles the glory she enjoys in Heaven, so that she may be glorified also by your Church on earth, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

We place our petition in the hands of Mary to whom Edel turned in every need. Hail Mary...

(With Ecclesiastical approval)
Favors attributed to the intercession of Edel Quinn should be reported to:
LEGION OF MARY, DE MONTFORT HOUSE, BRUNSWICK STREET, DUBLIN 7, IRELAND.
Words of Life from Edel Quinn
Introduction
Edel Quinn has for Legionaries of Mary the character of a symbol. Nobody questions that. And, because she is a symbol, she exercises over us a power of active sympathy; of attraction and of imitation. This little pamphlet is animated by her personality, and that in a unique way.
Yes, unique. A word is like the incarnation of the person. And this little book is made up entirely of words of Edel, nothing but her own words. Reading the biography by Cardinal Suenens, one notices how the book is bejewelled, here and there, with sentences from this heroic soul. I thought that to collect them and publish them in the form of a little pocket book would provide something useful and practical for all Legionaries and for others as well They are her "words of life" and could be ours too, because in pithy form they contain the apostolic ideal which we all desire to incarnate and live. It is certain that she wrote other notes as well but those here are all I have within my reach.
I started copying them and dividing them into themes, putting them into some order under each heading. I found there were a hundred, a hundred "words of life" of Edel Quinn. To be strictly accurate, there were a hundred and one, but, keeping to the nice round number, I took one out, one that because of its mystical character, seemed to be less suitable for the ordinary lay apostle: "The spouse delights to be with the beloved, she makes his wishes her own"
And, nevertheless, in that sentence there breathes the authentic Edel. Edel wished to be a contemplative - a Poor Clare in Belfast - but her tuberculosis prevented it and she was launched into a marvellous apostolic life. In the depth of her being, the nostalgia for the contemplative life remained with her always, accompanying her in her prodigious activity. Edel remained a lover of the Lord, consecrated to him in union with Mary, the perfectly consecrated One. To her we can apply the words attributed to St. Francis of Assisi by an author of his own time, "My cell is my heart and the entire world is my cloister".
May the Spirit of the Lord - with Our Lady the Virgin Mother - make this little book bear fruit.
Daniel Elcid, O.F.M.
God
1. To desire Our Lord frequently, and with love.
2. Offer Him through Mary to the Trinity in thanksgiving, love and adoration.
3. Delight to give oneself more and more in everything to Him through her.
4. Beg the grace to make the Divine Life a continuous reality in us, our union with God.
5. When we think of Jesus as a baby in His Mother's care, how much we feel compelled to kneel, to adore the Word made Flesh, to reverence God in His wonderful abasement. Can we ever fathom the incomprehensible depths of God's love? What could we refuse to that love? No humiliation is too great in face of His.
6. If we want to be more full of God's life, it can only be got -- apart from the Sacraments -- through prayer. Let us put ourselves in union with Him by faith, prayer -- for long fixed times, morning and evening apart from visiting the Blessed Sacrament. Let us do our part to win His grace; the Holy Spirit and Our Lady will help.
7. It is so difficult to know the Will of God and life is too short for mistakes.
8. Of ourselves we know not what we desire, but the Paraclete will teach us.
9. Let us take up the position of a child with Mary and God the Father. Try and realise what this attitude implies, how we should depend at each moment, and never get very far away from our Mother. "To be, like Him, in her care... taught everything by her".
10. Mary in me will love her Son.
11. Imitate Our Lady in her silent adoration of the Word made Flesh in her womb.
12. Adore the Word in our souls.
13. In Him we adore the Trinity. Holy, Holy, Holy. Try and adore the Trinity in our soul, even in the midst of trouble or external duties.
14. To be with Him in union with Mary -- just loving Him in my soul during the day, during travelling, uniting my actions with the similar actions clone by Him whilst on earth.
15. If Our Lord spent thirty years in obedience and dependence on Mary, doing His Father's Will, what better example have we? Unite ourselves to Him, and ask Mary to teach us how to love perfectly, how to fulfil daily God's Will in all things. "As the Father hath loved Me, abide in My love". "I am the Vine". With Him and helped by Mary, let us adore the Trinity.
16. Everything is His, through Mary.
17. All that He permits is good. In all things know what God wants us to do. Do His Will.
18. I do not like to act on my own initiative.
19. The spiritual life is a constant fight. It seems to me to be an unending struggle to rise; one gets no rest.
20. We must have charity towards ourselves. We must prove our love by fidelity to prayer.
21. Meditation each morning for an hour if I have the strength for it.
22. Do all you can when things are easier, but do not feel tied down when work presses or when you do not feel well. From what one reads, it would seem that meditation is the important thing. So meditate if possible, even if you cannot manage anything else. Do it even for a quarter of an hour. Do not think I always practise what I preach -- there are days when I let everything go by the board. I am not what you think, you know! One must only start again. I think the great thing is not to get discouraged, no matter how much we will fail, but always be ready to begin again. In that way only, will we be sure to persevere. Sometimes it is really hard to struggle on; everything seems against us. Even if we have the time for it, meditation is very difficult. Therefore, we must only pray for grace to persevere in spite of ourselves.
23. Daily review, to see how far I have lived the day for Jesus and the Father with Mary.
Eucharist
24. I could assist at Mass the whole day long.
25. Mary loves Jesus in me, caresses and compassionates Him for all His wounds. But, above all, she speaks her gratitude for the Eucharist, and gives thanks to the Eternal Father for that Gift. Without the Eucharist, what a desolation life would be!
26. At Mass I united myself to the victim Christ, through Mary's hands, for the glory of the Trinity, in thanksgiving for everything, and on behalf of souls. At Mass always to have special intention of offering and hearing it on behalf of those souls who cannot hear it themselves by reason of sickness, distance, work or war. Place this intention in Mary's hands.
27. The weakness which He leaves in us must not hold us back from our desires. It is our share in His sufferings. What a grace to be let bear a little for Him! Each morning at Holy Mass, the Bread of Life will help the body as well as the soul, if we have faith. If we but touch the hem of His garment... and how much more have we than that!
28. We can find Him, at every free moment, on the Altar. Be with Him there. Better than all books!
29. Thank the Trinity over and over again for this Gift.
30. Rest in His presence, and my Guardian Angel will adore Him for me. Silence.
31. We want to be united with Him, to give ourselves to Him utterly. Our faith tells us He is in the Eucharist; let us seek Him there. If we knew we could find Him anywhere on earth we would do our utmost to go there.
32. The disciples ask Him: "Master, where dwellest Thou? And they abode with Him." My privilege is the same.
33. In dryness be satisfied just to be with Him; Mary will love and adore. "It is good for us to be here," even if attention wanders. Like a child with his Mother: our very presence tells Jesus that we love Him, even if we are too stupid and too earthly-minded to appreciate and behave properly in His presence.
34. Resolve to be in chapel at least 10-15 minutes before Mass.
35. Keep Our Lord company in the Blessed Sacrament.
36. How pale is our love of Christ, how little we are ready to do and sacrifice for Him even in little things, when it costs an effort. Try and overcome this by the practice of little sacrifices. How few hearts give Him full entry! He would pour Himself into souls but they will not receive. Even His priests have so many other interests; how few are wholly His! Can we not aim at emptying our hearts of everything, so that He may fill them completely, pour His love, His "merciful" love into them. Let us be in the mind of Christ, taught by Mary, working for the Father, led by the Spirit of Love. Cut out all else. To cut out all, how difficult! But can we give Him less, for really how little it is as reparation and gratitude?
I am almost afraid of this enjoyment and sweetness in Our Lord these days. Ask to be equally faithful when all is black. Now rejoice the Bridegroom is there.
Mary
37. Our Lady, dwelling-place of the Trinity.
38. The Immaculate Heart of Mary is a symbol of God's love.
39. Mary our Mother: this title means more than 'Our Lady'. Often remember Christ's words: "Son, behold thy Mother."
40. Mary, Mother of the life of our souls. Turn to her in all circumstances so that she may teach us to love Jesus, to serve the Father, to become like a child in our attitude -- trusting utterly, never doubting, showing loving tenderness in the little things.
41. No one knows better than our Mother to whom we belong what is best for others. Pray to her that God's Will be done in them. Souls in sin, souls dear to us but not in grace, Legionary souls who have served Mary and gone astray-- for all these we can importune Mary to intercede with her Son. It is surely His Will that they come back. Therefore, there is no lack of submission to God's Will in pleading -- it is a duty. Ask and you shall receive. Mary our Mother cannot be refused.
42. In regard to Mary, I must preserve the attitude of a child to its mother. Total confidence!
43. Since God gave us His Son through her, let us go to Him through her.
44. As Jesus and with Him, to love Mary -- Mary in me will love her Son.
45. Often remember Christ's words: "Son, behold thy Mother." Like St. John, I must take her to my own. Pray that the full efficacy which Christ put in that word 'Mother' be developed by my acceptance of it.
46. Realise that Mary loves us because we are Christ's legacy to her.
47. Let Our Lady do the work.
48. The Blessed Virgin wishes to continue giving Jesus to the world. We are not Christians if we do not go to our brother and give him Jesus also.
49. With Mary, I must be a channel of grace to every soul -- or rather, Mary through me.
50. Let us renounce our own human views to take on Mary's, and so be led by her Spirit in all things. Let us adopt her outlook, her thoughts in everything. Let us not allow our natural inclinations to creep in.
51. When I make mistakes, ask Mary to settle matters. She knows how stupid I am, how little I can do right by myself; but she is my Mother. She knows how to make all things work together in balanced harmony. I have the sense of her help and her possessive care.
52. Why could we not trust Our Lady?
53. We give our acts to Mary, then she takes such of them as have spiritual value and uses them to build up Christ in us.
54. Let us give ourselves completely to her, to be made all His, to be consumed unceasingly.
55. Be hers, in order to be all the more His.
56. I could never refuse anything to Our Lady that I thought she wanted.
Suffering
57. Our Mother's most precious gift to her children is the Cross.
58. Let us offer to the Eternal Father those sufferings endured for our sins. What great confidence we can have in spite of our failures in the past.
59. We should realise that those things which run counter to our own plans and likings are graces one and all. The Will of God permits them for us; they represent His persistent following of us. We should embrace them, make the most of them, pay the little price that they entail. His Will must always over-ride ours. Little sacrifices are all we are able to bear; let us be faithful in accepting them gladly with our Mother's help. We have only this life, and perhaps only a short one, in which to prove our love. If we make the effort, Jesus and Mary will help us to carry it through. If one saw things truly, how one should be grateful and rejoice at every physical weakness, tiredness... These are our slight share of Christ's sufferings and graces.
60. Rejoice to imitate Our Lord in joyful acceptance of suffering: Difficulties of health, daily upsets, are His choicest gifts.
61. Christ "sanctified Himself" for us. How rich we are! His excessive sufferings are all for us, a repairing of our sins, a meriting of graces for us.
62. By His grace and the merits of His sufferings, resolve never to sin again.
63. Let us pray for grace to accept the cross gladly and willingly "in the likeness of Christ."
64. I have realised the meaning of "Christ delivered Himself." He put Himself completely in their hands, and let them work their will on Him. His infinite submission in this. His silence. Mocked and spat upon -- and He is God. That is why the saints valued harsh treatment-- and they regarded themselves as justly ill-treated.
65. When we unite our sufferings with His and offer them up for His Glory, those sufferings become sweet and bring us very close to Him, and will be a source of real happiness.
66. We who have sinned should be glad when we are put aside and treated as we deserve. If people knew us as we really are, how astonished they would be! How differently they would behave towards us!
67. Sufferings are precious.
68. To suffer for love of Our Lord Is my very greatest joy.
Apostolate
69. An idealist who does not try to put his ideals into practice, is not worth much.
70. Let us try to give utterly, in every possible way, without counting the cost, to be spent for Christ.
71. What boundless trust we should have in God's Love. We can never love too much; let us give utterly, and not count the cost. He will respond to our faith in Him. We must do what we can for Him, and rely on Him to give us each day the strength for the work He expects from us.
72. Let us clothe ourselves with Christ. Ask Mary Mediatrix to pour His Divine Life into our souls, so that it may be He Who lives and no longer we. Ask Mary each day to obtain for us strength for that day, to carry on His work and hers.
73. Charity. A new commandment: "See You and serve You in our neighbour." I must be prompt in the service of Legionaries in replying to letters, reports, etc.
74. Not to let myself be overcome by fatigue, be careful not to show want of interest or fatigue before others. Patience in all things, detachment in small things.
75. It is no part of our duty to judge others, so let us not torment ourselves about their doings. We will love our neighbour--and we will be unable to speak ill or criticise -- if in each one we see Christ. Restrain the tongue; employ it as you think Mary would have used her speech. Noli judicare.
76. It's just what one would expect, when one works for the Blessed Virgin, one need never worry about anything.
77. Always remember you are Legionaries of Our Lady. You should be proud to be known as Legionaries, members of 0ur Lady's army. It is a privilege to be allowed to work for our Queen and her Son, and we must try to give of our best, for nothing less is good enough in her service.
78. For me the Legion comes before everything.
79. It will be one of the most powerful forces for the reconstruction of society.
80. Mary calls upon us: what an honour! She offers us her instrument, the Legion. Are we going to refuse her our indispensable cooperation?
81. Let us start the Legion, the rest will come; Our Lady will make plain to us what she wants.
82. The Legion will be the answer to all your problems.
83. I must enlist all my powers in the service of the Legion.
84. My vocation is a legionary one. Envoy and Praetorian -- consecrated to work for the Father by the Holy Spirit of Jesus and by Mary.
85. Try to live as Envoy and Praetorian to the fullest. Leave the rest to others.
86. Ask Mary to secure these graces for us. Expect great things, a burning love. It is the Holy Spirit Who breathes these desires into us.
87. I promised to be there, and I explained to them that on no account does a Legionary miss a meeting.
88. I keep rubbing it in that the Legion is for everyone and that by starting with the upper classes, one might cut out the ordinary run of people.
89. Above all, be very faithful to your daily prayer, the Catena. Every Legionary, whether priest, religious, active or auxiliary member, says this prayer every day. The word Catena means chain, and every Legionary is a link in that chain, which can now be said to encircle the world. Do not be the one to break this union of prayer by neglecting that daily duty.
90. Act as Jesus and Mary would act towards other people. Remember that these others are the temples of God, and that we cannot know the motives of their acts. Try and act as Mary would. Adopt the point of view of Mary, her patience, her understanding love which accepts our least effort, however imperfect it may be. Let me remember my own failings.
91. When inclined to criticise others for lack of interest in the Legion or understanding of it, consider what efforts I have made or could make to help or change them. I must not take their attitude for granted. Ask Mary to do all the good she can to them through me, to rectify my mistakes.
92. For graces for others, how confidently we may pray, especially for the grace of conversion. I asked Mary today to pour down graces on the Legion, to obtain graces of repentance for those who have gone away, to sanctify and enlighten all officers.
93. One's duty is not only to work, but to pray and sanctify oneself for those worked for. May Mary this day give fresh fervour to those who are growing slack. May she sanctify those who have been good to me for her sake. May she turn to good all my errors and failures.
94. The harder the fight, the more one appreci-ates and values the victory.
95. One must be prepared for the difficulties which arise on the way. Even for the average person, to keep a good disposition under the daily preoccupations requires a constant battle. It is, of course, natural that a soul which is specially gifted will encounter trials and difficulties which are unknown to mediocre souls. The greatest saints were always subject to the greatest trials.
96. Our duty to work when we would sometimes rather be with Him. His Will alone counts. If at times work is our duty, then rejoice in His Will while doing it. Obedience to God's Will for me. Things to be eventually given up: the privacy of one's soul, one's power over one's actions, freedom to decide. Rejoice that God demands this through His representatives. Nothing of our own.
97. Work for the day. The saints never lost time. Live for the day. Life is made up of days. Why lose a moment on the way during a brief journey? Our eternity is built on time. Never waste time. If one has given all to Jesus and Mary, one has no right to waste time.
98. It is the will, the will, the will that matters.
99. Ask to be equally faithful when all is black.
100. What is impossible for us is possible for Him; take Him at His word.
Published by LEGION OF MARY
De Montfort House Morning Star Avenue, Brunwick Street, Dublin 7
with ecclesiastical approval
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