Meditations for Advent, Christmas, and Easter

[Shin]

I just want to remind folks that we have a fine book on Saints' Books called 'Meditations for Advent and Easter' that has day by day meditations.

The beginning series is on Saints' Prayers in easy to read format, so one can try them out, along with some fine instructions on how to meditate.

The meditations are short and simple and deep. If you're thinking of taking up some special devotion for the season this may be it.

For a sample here is a first meditation:

Meditation I - Especially for Advent Sunday

The Heart of the Infant Jesus, Our Coming Light

"Behold, the Lord cometh, and all His saints with Him; and in that day there shall be a great light." All. Ant. at Lauds.

"And the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the Lord shall bind up the wound of His people, and shall heal the stroke of their wound." (Is. xxx. 26.)

1st Prelude. - Represent to yourself the Heart of the Infant Jesus in the womb of Mary as a flame of clear and beautiful light coming to enlighten all nations. Represent also to yourself the terrible light of the second coming, which will be open and manifest to all.

2nd Prelude. - Pray that you may be so enlightened by the light of the first coming, that you may not be terrified by the light of the second coming.

1st Point. - Look at the Heart of the Infant Jesus. It lies hidden in the womb of Mary, even as his blessed Humanity will be hidden hereafter in the tabernacle. Oh, what a holy, beautiful, peaceful light is the light of the Infant Heart of Jesus! How it longs to come forth and manifest itself to all, to console, to instruct, to illuminate! Are we, also, longing to receive this light? Are we praying with our whole hearts that it may come to us, and that we may be prepared to receive it? However great our spiritual enlightenment may be, we are still, in some measure, "sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death." But the light is coming; already we can see the dawn upon the mountain. When Mary was born, the first ray of light tinged the eastern sky; when Jesus was born, the light of this mystic moon was as the light of the true sun, because of her perfect union with Him; and the light of the sun was sevenfold, as the light of seven days. The light was sevenfold; that is, the light was perfect, for it was the light of God.

2nd Point. - Let us beseech the Infant Jesus to enlighten us in that particular way in which we most need light. We are all "born blind" through the sin of our parents; and, unhappily, though we have obtained light in the waters of baptism, we too often, by our own fault, relapse into blindness more or less intense. Sometimes we do not wish to see the sin we should forsake, or the virtue we should practise, because it would cost us something to act upon this light; sometimes we profit so little by the light, that it is withdrawn from us, or it is not imparted in the fullness and brightness with which more faithful souls are favoured. There are souls in whom the light of God shines so brightly, that they cannot commit the shadow of an imperfection without perceiving it immediately; there are souls in whom that light shines so resplendently, that they see even the shadow of an imperfect motive in the best action they perform. Why should we not be thus favoured? It is not because the light is unwilling to come, but because we are unwilling to receive it.

3rd Point. - What shall we do to obtain this great grace? Let us go to Mary. Let us devote our Advent to Mary. Let us consecrate every thought, word, and action to Mary during this holy season; and then, on the blessed Christmas morning, she will herself place her Infant in our arms; nay, rather, she will lay Him down to rest in our hearts; and He is so obedient to His sweet mother, that He will never stir from the heart wherein she places Him, unless she comes to take Him away. Surely we will not oblige her to do so? Advent should be a time of special devotion to Mary. Jesus again lies mystically in her womb. Again she pleads unweariedly for her people, as she pleaded in that blessed Advent when He took flesh of her flesh, and bone of her bone. Oh, let us kneel before her now as we would have knelt before her then, and implore her to intercede for us with Jesus, to obtain for us that He may indeed be our light, and that we may never be of the number of those who prefer darkness. Then, indeed, may we hope that the light of His second coming will be a light of glory to us, and not a light of condemnation.

Aspiration. - Come and enlighten us, O sweet Infant Jesus.

Form your resolution, and place it in the Heart of the Infant Jesus. Examen of Meditation.

[Shin]

'Oh, how I wish that everybody would apply himself to meditation and prayer!'

St. Paul of the Cross

'Half an hour's meditation is essential except when you are very busy. Then a full hour is needed.'

St. Francis de Sales

'Fix the time, the length of your meditation, and do not rise from your place until you have finished it even at the cost of being crucified.'

St. Padre Pio

'Do not pass one day without devoting a half hour, or at least a quarter of an hour, to meditation on the sorrowful Passion of your Saviour. Have a continual remembrance of the agonies of your crucified Love, and know that the greatest saints, who now, in heaven, triumph in holy love, arrived at perfection in this way.'

St. Paul of the Cross

[Shin]

I find it a great help to have a book or some piece of writing or written words to inspire meditation. All on my own it is difficult -- but with some truly valuable pious writings, then there's hope.

If you do not think you can meditate, with a book or a piece of writing, think again, there is help! 

[martin]

'Oh, how I wish that everybody would apply himself to meditation and prayer!'

St. Paul of the Cross

'Half an hour's meditation is essential except when you are very busy. Then a full hour is needed.'

St. Francis de Sales

'Fix the time, the length of your meditation, and do not rise from your place until you have finished it even at the cost of being crucified.'

St. Padre Pio

'Do not pass one day without devoting a half hour, or at least a quarter of an hour, to meditation on the sorrowful Passion of your Saviour. Have a continual remembrance of the agonies of your crucified Love, and know that the greatest saints, who now, in heaven, triumph in holy love, arrived at perfection in this way.'

St. Paul of the Cross

Excellent quotes. 

Reminds me of another St. Padre Pio quote:
"The Lord will never ask you to account for time spent in prayer."

[Shin]

A splendid thought. 

[Shin]

From today's meditation:

'Consider the angelic salutation, "Hail full of grace." If Mary was full of grace before Jesus was conceived in her womb, how she must have overflowed with grace when the Fountain of grace abode within her! O immaculate Mother, may some of the overflowings of thy grace descend into our poor hearts! O most pitiful Mother, the fountain is at thy disposal. Thou hast the key; open, oh, open its treasures to us, for we are parched and thirsty. Consider the words, "full of grace." Mary was so full of grace, that there was no room for self, and no room for creatures. Self and creatures are the two great obstacles which prevent us from receiving the measure of fulness of grace which God desires to give us. Let us ask our immaculate Mother to teach us the secret of emptying ourselves, that we may be filled with. God. Let us begin this blessed work now. Jesus is coming very quickly; shall we not do all we can to make room for Him in our hearts?'

[Shin]

From today's meditation:

'When Jesus comes forth from the Tabernacle, from the Holy of Holies, where He reposes, He will raise His standard, that all nations may assemble beneath it. He invites us with smiles and tears. He assures us that in the war to which He summons us, He will bear the hardest share; and that, however many our defeats, if we only rise up after each and invoke His help, we shall be counted as having won the day. He promises to bear the brunt of the battle, and assures us that He will endure all, and more than all, which the meanest soldier in His camp may suffer; nay, more; He promises that our wounds shall shine resplendent as suns, and prove no small part of the magnificent adornment He is preparing for us. Who would not desire to enlist under such a leader! Alas! that any should be led astray by the deceitful promises, the false protestations of His enemies.'

[James - a humble servant]

In the fullness of time, chosen in the unfathomable depths of God's wisdom, the Son of God took for himself our common humanity in order to reconcile it with its Creator.  And so at the birth of our Lord the angels sing in joy: Glory to God in the highest, and they proclaim peace to men of good will. When the angels on high are so exultant at this marvelous work of God's goodness, what joy should it not bring to the lowly hearts of men?

~ Pope Saint Leo the Great (d. 461)

[CyrilSebastian]

Feast of the Holy Family   
Before Holy Communion   
"Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" 
Here is a 12 year old Boy, already realizing at His young age the reason for which He came into the world.

[Shin]

Being God naturally He knew everything even as a child.