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Martyrology - 28th of March
On the morrow we keep the feast of the holy Confessor John of Capistrano, of the Order of Friars Minors, illustrious for the holiness of his life, and his zeal for the propagation of the Catholic faith, who by his prayers and miracles procured the defeat of a vast army of Turks, and delivered the fortress of Belgrade from beleaguerment. Of whom mention is made upon the 23rd day of October.
Upon the same 28th day of March, were born into the better life:
At Caesarea, in Palestine, [about the year 260,] the holy martyrs Priscus, Malchus, and Alexander. During the persecution under the Emperor Valerian they were dwelling on a little plot of ground in the suburbs of the said city, and when heavenly crowns of martyrdom were then being offered, their love of God and faith in Him enkindled them to go openly to the judge, and to rebuke him for that he so raged after the blood of the godly, whereupon he forthwith commanded them to be devoured by wild beasts for Christ's name's sake.
At Tarsus, in Cilicia, the holy martyrs Castor and Dorotheus.
In Africa, the holy martyrs Rogatus, Successus, and sixteen others.
At Rome, [in the year 440,] the holy Confessor Pope Sixtus III.
At Nursia, [in the year 517,] the holy Abbot Speus, a man of wondrous patience, and when he passed away out of this life all his brethren saw his soul wing its flight heavenward in a bodily shape like a dove.
At Chalons, in Gaul, the burial, [in the year 593,] of the holy Confessor Guntram, King of the Franks, who gave himself up so utterly to the things of the Spirit that he fled from the glory of the world, and gave all his goods for the churches, and the poor.
And elsewhere many other Holy Martyrs, Confessors and Holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God
Morning Prayer
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Place Yourself in the Presence of God, and adore His holy Name.
Most holy and adorable Trinity, one God in three Persons, I believe that Thou art here present: I adore Thee with the deepest humility, and render to Thee, with my whole heart, the homage which is due to Thy sovereign majesty.
An Act of Faith
O my God, I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
An Act of Hope
O my God, relying on Thy infinite goodness and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of Thy grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
An Act of Love
O my God, I love Thee above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because Thou art all-good and worthy of all my love. I love my neighbour as myself for the love of Thee. I forgive all who have injured me, and ask pardon of all whom I have injured.
Thank God for All Favours and Offer Yourself to Him.
O my God, I most humbly thank Thee for all the favours Thou hast bestowed upon me up to the present moment. I give Thee thanks from the bottom of my heart that Thou hast created me after Thine own image and likeness, that Thou hast redeemed me by the precious blood of Thy dear Son, and that Thou hast preserved me and brought me safe to the beginning of another day. I offer to Thee, O Lord, my whole being, and in particular all my thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings of this day. I consecrate them all to the glory of Thy name, beseeching Thee that through the infinite merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour they may all find acceptance in Thy sight. May Thy divine love animate them, and may they all tend to Thy greater glory.
Resolve to Avoid Sin and to Practice Virtue.
Adorable Jesus, my Saviour and Master, model of all perfection, I resolve and will endeavour this day to imitate Thy example, to be, like Thee, mild, humble, chaste, zealous, charitable, and resigned. I will redouble my efforts that I may not fall this day into any of those sins which I have heretofore committed (here name any besetting sin), and which I sincerely desire to forsake.
Ask God for the Necessary Graces.
O my God, Thou knowest my poverty and weakness, and that I am unable to do anything good without Thee; deny me not, O God, the help of Thy grace; proportion it to my necessities; give me strength to avoid anything evil which Thou forbiddest, and to practise the good which Thou hast commanded; and enable me to bear patiently all the trials which it may please Thee to send me.
The Lord’s Prayer...
The Hail Mary...
The Apostles’ Creed...
At this point, please go to the relevant text of Fr Hamon’s Meditation. Once I have read and meditated on the text, and its various points . I complete my meditation by saying:
Ask the Prayers of the Blessed Virgin, your Guardian Angel, and your Patron Saint.
Holy Virgin, Mother of God, my Mother and Patroness, I place myself under thy protection, I throw myself with confidence into the arms of thy compassion. Be to me, O Mother of mercy, my refuge in distress, my consolation under suffering, my advocate with thy adorable Son, now and at the hour of my death.
Angel of God, my guardian dear, To whom His love commits me here, Ever this day be at my side, To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
O great Saint whose name I bear, protect me, pray for me, that like thee I may serve God faithfully on earth, and glorify Him eternally with thee in heaven. Amen.
Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, hear us.
Jesus, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, ... Jesus, Son of the living God, ... Jesus, splendour of the Father, ... Jesus, brightness of eternal light, ... Jesus, king of glory, ... Jesus, sun of justice, ... Jesus, son of the Virgin Mary, ... Jesus, most amiable, ... Jesus, most admirable, ... Jesus, mighty God, ... Jesus, father of the world to come, ... Jesus, angel of great council, ... Jesus, most powerful, ... Jesus, most patient, ... Jesus, most obedient, ... Jesus, meek and humble of heart, ... Jesus, lover of chastity ... Jesus, lover of us, ... Jesus, God of peace, ... Jesus, author of life, ... Jesus, model of virtues, ... Jesus, zealous for souls, ... Jesus, our God, ... Jesus, our refuge, ... Jesus, father of the poor, ... Jesus, treasure of the faithful, ... Jesus, good shepherd, ... Jesus, true light, ... Jesus, eternal wisdom, ... Jesus, infinite goodness, ... Jesus, our way and our life, ... Jesus, joy of angels, ... Jesus, king of patriarchs, ... Jesus, master of apostles, ... Jesus, teacher of evangelists, ... Jesus, strength of martyrs, ... Jesus, light of confessors, ... Jesus, purity of virgins, ... Jesus, crown of all saints, ...
Be merciful, Spare us, O Jesus. Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Jesus.
From all evil, Jesus, deliver us. From all sin, Jesus, deliver us. From Thy wrath, ... From the snares of the devil, ... From the spirit of fornication, ... From everlasting death, ... From the neglect of Thy inspirations, ... Through the mystery of Thy holy incarnation, ... Through Thy nativity, ... Through Thine infancy, ... Through Thy most divine life, ... Through Thy labours, ... Through Thine agony and passion, ... Through Thy cross and dereliction, ...Through Thy faintness and weariness, ... Through Thy death and burial, ... Through Thy resurrection, ... Through Thine ascension, ... Through Thy joys, ... Through Thy glory, ...
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Jesus.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us, O Jesus.
Jesus, hear us. Jesus, graciously hear us.
Let us pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, who hast said: Ask, and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; grant, we beseech Thee, unto us who ask, the gift of Thy most divine love, that we may ever love Thee with all our hearts, and in all our words and actions, and never cease from showing forth Thy praise. Make us, O Lord, to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy holy Name; for Thou never failest to govern those whom Thou dost solidly establish in Thy love. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
The Angelus
℣ The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
℟ And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Hail, Mary...
℣ Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
℟ Be it done unto me according to thy word.
Hail, Mary...
℣ And the Word was made flesh.
℟ And dwelt among us.
Hail, Mary...
℣ Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
℟ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord! Thy grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may, by His passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Evening Prayer
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Come, O Holy Ghost, fill the hearts of Thy faithful, and kindle in them the fire of Thy love.
Place Yourself in the Presence of God and Humbly Adore Him.
O my God, I present myself before Thee at the end of an other day, to offer Thee anew the homage of my heart. I humbly adore Thee, my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Judge! I believe in Thee, because Thou art Truth itself; I hope in Thee, because Thou art faithful to Thy promises; I love Thee with my whole heart, because Thou art infinitely worthy of being loved; and for Thy sake I love my neighbour as myself.
Return Thanks to God for All His Mercies.
Enable me, O my God, to return Thee thanks as I ought for all Thine inestimable blessings and favours. Thou hast thought of me and loved me from all eternity; Thou hast formed me out of nothing; Thou hast delivered up Thy beloved Son to the ignominious death of the cross for my redemption; Thou hast made me a member of Thy holy Church; Thou hast preserved me from falling into the abyss of eternal misery, when my sins had provoked Thee to punish me; Thou hast graciously continued to spare me, even though I have not ceased to offend Thee. What return, O my God, can I make for Thy innumerable blessings, and particularly for the favours of this day? O all ye saints and angels, unite with me in praising the God of mercies, who is so bountiful to so unworthy a creature.
The Lord’s Prayer...The Hail Mary...The Apostles’ Creed...
Ask of God Light to Discover the Sins Committed this Day.
O my God, sovereign judge of men, who desirest not the death of a sinner, but that he should be converted and saved, enlighten my mind, that I may know the sins which I have this day committed in thought, word, or deed, and give me the grace of true contrition.
Here Examine your Conscience; then Say:
O my God, I heartily repent and am grieved that I have offended Thee, because Thou art infinitely good and sin is infinitely displeasing to Thee. I humbly ask of Thee mercy and pardon, through the infinite merits of Jesus Christ. I resolve, by the assistance of Thy grace, to do penance for my sins, and I will endeavour never more to offend Thee.
The Confiteor
I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary, ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, to the holy apostles Peter and Paul, and to all the saints, and to you, Father, that I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy apostles Peter and Paul, all the saints, and you, Father, to pray to the Lord our God for me. May Almighty God have mercy upon us, and forgive us our sins, and bring us unto life everlasting. Amen.
May the Almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon, absolution, and remission of our sins. Amen.
Pray for the Church of Christ.
O God, hear my prayers on behalf of our Holy. Father Pope N., our Bishops, our clergy, and for all that are in authority over us. Bless, I beseech Thee, the whole Catholic Church, and convert all heretics and unbelievers.
Pray for the Living and for the Faithful Departed.
Pour down Thy blessings, O Lord, upon all my friends, relations, and acquaintances, and upon my enemies, if I have any. Help the poor and sick, and those who are in their last agony. O God of mercy and goodness, have compassion on the souls of the faithful in purgatory; put an end to their sufferings, and grant to them eternal light, rest, and happiness. Amen.
Commend Yourself to God, to the Blessed Virgin, and the Saints.
Bless, O Lord, the repose I am about to take, that, my bodily strength being renewed, I may be the better enabled to serve Thee. O blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of mercy, pray for me that I may be preserved this night from all evil, whether of body or soul. Blessed St. Joseph, and all ye saints and angels of Paradise, especially my guardian angel and my chosen patron, watch over me. I commend myself to your protection now and always. Amen.
Preparation for Meditation
At this point I will read the paragraph in the daily meditation from Hamon’s meditation of the next day entitled “Summary of the Morrow’s Meditation” and, if applicable, “Summary of the Meditation for the Feast...”
This will allow me to be passively thinking about, during the coming night, the meditation, and the points of the meditation, I will be doing in the morning, during my morning prayer.
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us. God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us. God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us. Holy Mother of God, pray for us. Holy virgin of virgins, ...
Mother of Christ, ...
Mother of divine grace, ...
Mother most pure, ...
Mother most chaste, ...
Mother inviolate, ...
Mother undefiled, ...
Mother most amiable, ...
Mother most admirable, ...
Mother of our Creator, ...
Mother of our Saviour, ...
Virgin most prudent. ...
Virgin most venerable, ...
Virgin most renowned, ...
Virgin most powerful, ...
Virgin most merciful, ...
Virgin most faithful, ...
Mirror of justice, ... Seat of wisdom, ...
Cause of our joy, ...
Spiritual vessel, ...
Vessel of honour, ... Singular vessel of devotion, ...
Mystical rose, ... Tower of David, ... Tower of ivory, ... House of gold, ... Ark of the covenant, ... Gate of heaven, ... Morning star, ... Health of the sick, ... Refuge of sinners, ... Comforter of the afflicted, ... Help of Christians, ... Queen of angels, ... Queen of patriarchs, ... Queen of prophets, ... Queen of apostles, ... Queen of martyrs, ... Queen of confessors, ... Queen of virgins, ... Queen of all saints, ... Queen conceived without original sin. ... Queen of the most holy rosary, ... Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray.
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may, by His passion and cross, be brought to the glory of His resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Tuesday in Passion Week: The Cross the Salvation and Consolation of the Christian
Summary of the Morrow’s Meditation
We will meditate tomorrow upon how we ought to love the cross: first, because it is our salvation; second, because it is our consolation in the troubles of life. We will then make the resolution: first, to keep ourselves habitually in spirit at the foot of the cross during these holy days, and often to press our lips to it; second, to have recourse to the cross in all our trials. Our spiritual nosegay shall be the words of St Paul: “With Christ I am nailed to the cross” (Gal. ii:19).
Meditation for the Morning
Let us prostrate ourselves at the feet of Jesus on the cross; let us lovingly kiss His sacred feet. It is there that the Christian abundantly finds salvation for eternity and consolation in the present life; that is to say, happiness in heaven and happiness upon earth. To Jesus crucified be adoration, love, thanksgiving, and benediction.
We ought to love the cross because it is our salvation
There are two kinds of crosses the cross of Jesus Christ, upon which He died, and our personal crosses, which are our daily trials. Now, these two kinds of crosses merit all our love, because both the one and the other are the cause and the instrument of our salvation.
First, the cross of Jesus Christ, because without it, children as we were of wrath and slaves to the devil by our birth, we were lost everlastingly, and by it Jesus Christ cast down the infernal powers, tore away from their hands, says St Paul (Coloss. ii:14), the sentence which condemned us, effaced it with His blood, and nailed it to the cross, in order that no hand might take it away. He chained to His cross, as to a triumphal car, the inimical powers; He despoiled them and led them away captive, so that now everyone may be saved who desires to be saved. The cross makes to flow throughout the whole Church, by means of the sacraments, by the holy sacrifice of the Mass, by holy thoughts and pious emotions, all the graces of which it is the source and the inexhaustible ocean; it offers to all pardon for the past, courage for the present, confidence for the future. Is not this enough to merit all our love?
Second, we ought to love our personal crosses, because the cross of Jesus Christ has raised them to the distinguished honour of being the most efficacious means of perfection, and the warrant of our eternal hopes. Patience, which endures the cross, says St James, is perfection, and solid perfection, because it has been proved in the crucible (James i:4). It is, according to St Paul, the crown of faith (Philipp. i:29). It is the warrant and the joy of hope. For a moment of light suffering, an immense weight of glory (II Cor. iv:17); after trial, the crown of life (James i:12). It is one of the beatitudes proclaimed by Jesus Christ: “Blessed are they that suffer” (Matt. v:10). It is a special grace which God sends to His best friends; it places them on the royal road to heaven: It suffices to have only a little faith in the words of the Saviour to esteem a good cross more than all riches; a good affront borne in a Christian manner more than all honours; humiliations, even the most mortifying, more than all crowns; ignominy more than all applause; confusion more than all kinds of praise. Therefore the Gospel says: Receive crosses not only with patience, but with gladness (Matt. v:12). And St James adds: Receive them with every kind of joy, that is to say, with the joy of the poor who receive immense riches, with the joy of the man chosen amongst the people to receive a crown, with the joy of the labourer who gathers together a rich harvest, with the joy of the merchant who amasses a great gain, the joy of the general who obtains a great victory (James i:2). Thus, also, thought the saints; St Paul, when he said, I abound with joy in all my tribulations (II Cor. vii:4), and St Andrew, when at the sight of the cross he cried out lovingly, “Oh, welcome, good cross, welcome, and ever longingly desired!” Are these our sentiments?
We ought to love the cross because it is our consolation in the troubles of life
A heathen guessed this truth when he said that by accepting trials cheerfully they are softened (Horace). Before him the Holy Spirit had said: “Whatsoever shall befall the just man, it shall not make him sad” (Prov. xii:21). What is it then under the New Law, where Jesus Christ crucified presents Himself to the afflicted soul, to say to it, poor soul, be consoled, I pity thy trials; I know what suffering costs thy nature; I have passed like thee through trials; and if, to console thee, thou requirest a friend who understands suffering, I possess in a supreme degree the character of a true consoler. In past times a great monarch and his minister, taken in war, were stretched by a cruel conqueror upon burning braziers. The minister uttered loud cries, and I, said the monarch to him, am I on a bed of roses? I can hold the same language to thee, O afflicted soul! Behold My head, crowned with thorns, My whole body torn, My whole person a victim to ignominy; I have suffered all this from love for thee; wilt thou not be willing to suffer infinitely less from love for Me? When I drank the chalice down to the dregs, wilt thou refuse to taste at least only a few drops? Courage, have patience; thou shalt reign one day with me; come to the throne by the same path. Unite thyself with me who am thy God and suffer from love for Me (Sirach ii:3). Thanks, O my God, for this precious balm with which Thou anointest my wounds. Ah, Thou art indeed the Consoler of the afflicted soul. O holy crucifix! I take you in both my hands! I press you to my heart and to my lips, and I feel myself consoled!
Resolutions and spiritual nosegay as above.