Stational Church: S. Agostino

Our Lord had suffered a terrible ordeal in His initial phase of trial in the Garden of Olives. He had, some thirty-three years earlier, taken on the burden of human nature. Now in this fateful garden, Christ took on the awful burden of man’s sins, and He rightfully looked to His closest friends to share His burden in return, if only by compassion. They failed Him. They slept. Oh how the words of the prophet were fulfilled: “I looked for one that would grieve together with me, and there was none; for on that would comfort me, and I found none.” (Ps. 68:21)

Note that Our Lord goes back a second time to pray. This time He is even more alone than before. He prays to His Father, and His heavenly Father turns a deaf ear to His petition. His disciples are sleeping again, and yet He prays on alone. He is now in a state of supreme desolation and yet He prays. He is in a state of complete dereliction but He prays on. Learn from this lesson to pray even under the most adverse circumstances.

Consider the fact that Christ persevered in His prayer. Already He had prayed to His Father saying: “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me.” (Mt. 26:39) That prayer was unanswered.

The second prayer of our Lord was a repetition of the first, for He said: “My Father, if this cup cannot pass away unless I drink it, thy will be done.” (Mt. 26:42)

The third prayer was couched in the same words – a prayer more fervent, more earnest than any uttered by any man who ever lived on this earth – yet His Father, it seemed, did not listen to His petition. Christ did not grow impatient, He calmly and resignedly adds: “Not my will but thine be done.” (Lk. 22:42)

What a great lesson in this for all of us! If the Son of God must plead three times for the fulfillment of His prayer, and does so without a trace of bitterness, why are we so depressed when our prayers are not immediately answered? St. Monica prayed for eighteen years for her son Augustine’s conversion, but how richly her perseverance was rewarded. “We wait a whole year,” says St. Francis de Sales, “before the seed we sow in the ground bears fruit; and are we more impatient in regard to the fruits of our prayers?”

There is great consolation for all of us in the refusal of the Father to hear the petition of His adorable son. God the Father refused the most perfect, the most precious prayer uttered on this earth – but He did so to prove His love for sinful man. For the sake of sinful man He will not answer the prayer of His own Son, because, had God acted otherwise, we would all have been lost. See the reason behind God’s refusal to answer our prayers – He always has the greater good in view:

From now on, never complain if your prayers are unanswered. Just keep right on praying. Say your rosary today for the great grace of perseverance.

See how you can spread devotion to the Passion by assisting in the campaign to provide my publication of meditations on the Passion written by a Passionist priest for novices. May this little effort of ours bear much fruit in the reform of the Church, starting with our own souls and the souls of as many future priests we can reach! Find more information out at the BOOKS4SEMS campaign.

*From Reflections on the Passion, by Father Charles Hugo Doyle, S.J., The Bruce Publishing Company, 1957, p. 19-21

Stational Church: Ss. Giovanni e Paolo

Our Blessed Lord had designedly planned that Peter, James, and John should be afforded but a glimpse of His divinity when it burst forth on the occasion of His Transfiguration. Now in the Garden of Olives these same Apostles would see their Lord and their God bent and crushed under the weight of sin. The thought of the Transfiguration would have to strengthen them in this hour of disillusionment.

The Apostles had always known our Lord to be composed in the face of attack or crisis. For instance, when the elements of nature tossed their fishing boats until they, hardened fishermen though they were, quaked with fear, Christ was calm and unafraid; but in the Garden of Gethsemani they were to see this same Christ prostrate on the ground, bathed in a sweat of blood. That which made up the very essence of the anguish of Gethsemani was the fact that Christ, at that moment, took upon Himself the sins of the world – past, present, and future.

But why had Christ invited the Apostles to accompany Him to the Garden of Olives? Well, as He entered the darkness, He may have craved human companionship. It was not that the Apostles could do anything for Him, but that their very presence would support Him. Too, He wanted to teach them some important lessons.

The first lesson was this, that when one is oppressed, discouraged, heartbroken, and forsaken, he should pray. That is what Our Lord did. He was afraid. He was overwhelmed by the sins of mankind, His Apostles, His closest friends, fell asleep – yet He prayed. Always remember what our Lord told His weak Apostles when He awakened them the first time: “Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Mt. 26:41)

The second lesson is equally apparent. While Christ’s closest friends were asleep as He went through the initial phases of the Passion, His enemies were very much awake. At that very moment Judas was briefing the soldiers on where to find Christ and how to apprehend Him. The soldiers were getting themselves ready to arrest the Son of God.

So it has always been, and always will be – the enemies of your soul and mine, the enemies of Christ and His Church never sleep. They are always more vigilant, more energetic, more active than we are.

Resolve today to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and let the picture of Christ in the Garden of Olives come to your mind. Approach your prostrate King – promise Him to do some positive penance for the sins you have committed. Ask Him to teach you this important lesson – that when doubts, trials, sorrows, and temptations assail you, you, following His example, will pray, pray, pray.

See how you can spread devotion to the Passion by assisting in the campaign to provide my publication of meditations on the Passion written by a Passionist priest for novices. May this little effort of ours bear much fruit in the reform of the Church, starting with our own souls and the souls of as many future priests we can reach! Find more information out at the BOOKS4SEMS campaign.

*From Reflections of the Passion, by Father Charles Hugo Doyle, S.J., The Bruce Publishing Company, 1957, p. 17-19

In You, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In Your justice rescue me and deliver me. Ps. 30:2.

In all the adversity we face in these present days, in the darkness and confusion, in the open battle, as we strive to revive the life of virtues, as Christians, following Christ Who is the exemplar of virtue, we should moment after moment recite in our hearts the above psalm.

I had an interesting experience this morning at St. Peter’s Basilica which was a microcosmic display of the state of things in the Church. My priest friend and I, desiring to celebrate the Mass of Quinquagesima at the station Church, were confronted with the tyrannical hysteria which is the modus operandi of so many in the hierarchy. It flows from the effeminacy and narcissism striving to secure power and position in the Church. The law of the individual is placed above the Church’s law, and even God’s law, as we have seen with the display of all these abuses and scandals.

My friend and I discussed the matter after hand and pointed to the huge reality of oppression in the city of Rome. When this is unchecked, one’s whole life loses the essential reference we all need towards Christ, and even more so should this be for the priest who stands in persona Christus capitis. I don’t say any of this for confirmation bias or to make any reader justified in any misplaced or rash anger and disappointment. Rather, I pray this encourages you to increase your love.

Let’s listen to St. Paul:

Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows to his brother:

Love Mary!… She is loveable, faithful, constant. She will never let herself be outdone in love, but will ever remain supreme. If you are in danger, she will hasten to free you. If you are troubled, she will console you. If you are sick, she will bring you relief. If you are in need, she will help you. She does not look to see what kind of person you have been. She simply comes to a heart that wants to love her. She comes quickly and opens her merciful heart to you, embraces you and consoles and serves you. She will even be at hand to accompany you on the trip to eternity.

For the First Saturday devotions, go HERE.

From the the account of how Saint Gemma was cured through the intercession of Saint Gabriel, in the course of praying the Novena to the Sacred Heart:

This last time, after I had finished the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, he did not touch my hand; I seemed to feel it (the Passionist badge) upon my breast; in the moment when my visitor kissed me; I seemed to feel also the breath of a person on my face (I seemed to feel these things, but I do not know whether I really did). I do not know how to explain this otherwise than to say that I was very happy! I did not know how to say any other words other than “Jesus, I thank you! … Blessed Margaret, thank you!”

For the Devotions to the Sacred Heart, go Here.