Of seeking peace of mind and of spiritual progress VI

[rich]

Of seeking peace of mind and of spiritual progress VI

. It is a hard thing to break through a habit, and a yet harder thing
to go contrary to our own will. Yet if thou overcome not slight and
easy obstacles, how shalt thou overcome greater ones? Withstand thy
will at the beginning, and unlearn an evil habit, lest it lead thee
little by little into worse difficulties. Oh, if thou knewest what
peace to thyself thy holy life should bring to thyself, and what joy
to others, methinketh thou wouldst be more zealous for spiritual
profit.
--Thomas à Kempis ---Imitation of Christ Bk 1, Ch 11

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October 18th – St. Justus of Beauvais, Martyr

"At Sinomovicus in the territory of Beauvais", says the Roman
Martyrology, "the passion of St. Justus the martyr who, while still a
boy, was beheaded during the persecution of Diocletian.” Three
Christians including Justus came to Sinomovicus (now Saint-Just-en
Chaussée), between Beauvais and Senlis. They sat down to eat by the
side of a spring, when young Justus suddenly saw the four horsemen in
the distance. Justin and Justinian at once hid themselves in a near-by
cave, telling the boy to put the soldiers off if they came that way.
When they rode up the pursuers saw Justus and asked him where were the
two men they had seen with him and to what gods they were in the habit
of sacrificing. He ignored one question, and replied to the other that
he was a Christian. At once one of the soldiers smote off his head,
and was about to pick it up to carry it back to Rictiovarus when the
dead body stood upright and a voice was heard saying, “Lord of Heaven
and earth, receive my soul, for I am sinless!” At this prodigy the
soldiers fled from the place, and when Justin and his brother came out
of the cave there was the body of St. Justus with its head in its
hands; and it is fabled to have directed them to bury the trunk in the
cave and to take the head home to his mother, “who, if she wants to
see me again, must look for me in Heaven”. A similar story is told of
the St. Justin venerated at Paris, for whom the “acts” of St. Justus
have been borrowed, “unde multiplex orta at in breviariis
perturbatio”, observe the Bollandists.

Although this legend is entirely fabulous, we may infer from the fact
that it is preserved in four recensions that it must have enjoyed a
certain popularity. See the Acta Sanctorum, October, vol. viii, and
BHL., nn. 4590-4594.


Saint Quote:
To prefer man to God: A strange and unhappy slavery is that of a man
who seeks to please other men. I vow never to do anything nor to leave
anything undone because of what people think. This will set up in me a
great interior peace.
--St. Claude de la Colombiere

Bible Quote:
For we know, if our earthly house of this habitation be dissolved,
that we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal
in heaven. [2 Corinthians 5:1] DRB

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THIRTY-ONE DAYS OF PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SOULS
FROM THE PURGATORIAN MANUAL (Imprimatur 1946)

Twentieth Day

LOVE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN TOWARDS THE SOULS IN PURGATORY

Since our Divine Redeemer has given us Mary as a mother, when, dying
upon the cross, He. spoke to His disciple, "Behold thy mother," the
Blessed Virgin regards us all as her beloved children, but she harbors
most tender feelings of maternal love towards the suffering souls in
Purgatory. Let us then afford the Mother of love the satisfaction of
giving abundant suffrages to the souls in Purgatory. Taking into
consideration the great prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin, and the
infinite love of the Holy Trinity towards her, we cannot doubt that by
her merit and intercession every penitent suffering soul would be
delivered, that Purgatory could be emptied at once, were such
according to the inscrutable ways of God.

But God has His own designs, founded on His infinite wisdom, justice,
and mercy. The Blessed Virgin does not pray to have all the suffering
souls delivered at once, for her will is in perfect conformity to the
Will of God, and she exercises her dominion over the souls in
Purgatory in perfect union with this Divine Will.

St. Bernardine of Siena applies to Mary the text of Holy Writ, "I have
walked in the waves of the sea," (Eccl. xxiv. 8) and adds, "She
descends into that sea of fire, quenching the flames for the suffering
souls." Denys the Carthusian attests that the souls in Purgatory
experience the same joy and relief, at the mere mention of her name,
that consoling words bring to the bedridden sick.

Prayer: O most holy and glorious Virgin Mary, Blessed Mother of our
Lord! we place our petitions for the suffering souls into thy hands;
cleanse them from all imperfections, and, by thy intercession, obtain
for them eternal rest. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our
Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who were most zealous in
their devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine
upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Say the Litany of the Blessed Virgin for the suffering souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy !