SATURDAY OF OUR LADY

From the Imitation of Mary

Madonna of Humility
Source: Wikipedia

...If you become the least, you will become the greatest. The conviction that you are and can do nothing will humble you and in that very act raise you up to the God whom you acknowledge as sovereign source of all good.

Humility will free you from all the vileness into which ambition and pride lead men. What soul can be more base than that of the man who is ruled by pride and wants to be applauded at any cost?

Humility will free you from false respect for men and from the worthless ideas men have. You will be able to say with the apostle: "It matters little to me that you pass judgment on me...I acknowledge but one judge, and that is God" (I Cor 4, 3-5).

Humility will make you look with detachment at the world's honors, for behind the splendid facade lurk illusion and emptiness.

Humility will  teach you not to vie with your neighbor but to honor him, and to have no envy when you see him raise about you, whether in rank or in esteem.

The natural man regards humility as base, because he judges entirely according to the senses and perceives only sensible things. Yet humility is one of the virtues best fitted to form great and noble hearts.

Of all the virtues, humility is the one that most steadies the spirit and most strengthens the soul. 

Above all, it is the most beautiful element of likeness to Jesus, the God-man and source of true greatness and glory...Jesus was humble and loved humiliation because He knew how much He thereby honored the Father.


Here is an excellent homily on Humility:

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

SATURDAY OF OUR LADY

Photo: R. Massaro(c)2013SpiritSinging
Rosary Basilica Lourdes, France

ZEAL FOR GOD'S GLORY AND 

THE SALVATION OF SOULS

My child, how pleased I am with your desires! For zeal for God's glory must always mark the true Christian.

It is as necessary for a Christian as the love from which it springs.

Many consider it a mark of apostolic men alone; in fact, however, it must characterize every state. All Christians are obliged to win hearts to God through good example and appropriate advice, through words of comfort to the afflicted, and above all, through prayer.

Frequently the conversion of a sinner is due to the sighs a zealous soul, unknown to the world, raises to God in solitude.

At certain moments of fervor you long to be among the pagans and to be toiling for their conversion. Holy desires, yes, but necessarily ineffective! You are looking far off for something quite near you.

Your duty is to glorify God by consoling the poor, instructing the ignorant, raising your children as pious Christians, fulfilling the obligations of your state, and leading others to fulfill theirs.

Think of your neighbor's salvation and bear always in mind that for his sake Jesus gave his life.

Many Christians will be punished for having neglected the good they could have done and for not having prevented the sins of others when they could have.

If you love the Lord, my child, you cannot better prove your love than by making others bless and love Him.

God has so few good servants! Give him the joy, not only of being glorified in you, but also seeing you use all the means your circumstances offer to glorify Him.
The Imitation of Mary, Bk. 3, Chap. 14, Pg. 244






Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, ocds

Saturday of Our Lady

Photo: R. Massaro Most Pure Heart of Mary Shelby, Ohio

My child, if you love the Lord, you will also love your neighbor for whose sake He came down from heaven, became a man, and offered His own life on the Cross.

Do not be satisfied with sentiments; let your love take concrete form. Many who are afflicted need the comfort of your words; many who are unhappy need the help of your generous gifts.

God has allowed many people to be unhappy in this world so that they might achieve holiness through their suffering and you through your charity.

Be ready to give all the help you can. Delay always means the loss of some of love's merit.

Let your love be generous and extend as far as possible.

To limit the service you offer your neighbor is to evade rather than carry out the duties of love.

When you yourself cannot help your neighbor, then try to bring others to help him, or at least invoke the Lord's providential care over him.

See in your neighbor not a mere man but God Himself. Then, no matter who asks your help, you will refuse him nothing, because you do not want to refuse it to the Lord...

Give the afflicted a consoling word, Then the God of all consolation (2 Cor 1,3) will sustain you in your own afflictions by His powerful grace.
The Imitation of Mary Book I, Chapter 21

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
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