the Blessed Virgin._ Retrace in mind your practices of devotion to her
from your early childhood to the present day. Offer once more all you
have ever done in her honor. Think of the protection she has afforded
you with a mother’s love, her probable influence on your vocation to the
Society, on your novice fervor, on all your religious life up to the
present day. Is there any devotion which you ever practised in her honor
and which you have since discontinued? With what fervor do you daily
honor her? Could you do more to honor or to please her? either by your
own conduct or by your influence over others?
_Colloquy._ Speak to Mary confidently and lovingly, asking for light and
grace to improve further in your zeal for her glory.
TRIDUUM B
MEDITATION I
On the Vows
_1st Prelude._ Imagine the scene of your first vows.
_2nd Prelude._ Ask light and grace to prepare for a fervent renovation.
_POINT I._ What did we do when we first took our vows?
We offered ourselves to God as a holocaust—with parents, home,
possessions, prospects—body and soul—understanding and will,—to belong
to God alone, to devote our entire life to His service and glory. If we
had died then, what would have been our reward? Life everlasting (St.
Matth. xix, 29). That reward is still due us; it cannot be forfeited or
even diminished except by mortal sin. And if thus lost, it is regained
by penance in its entirety. Thank the Lord warmly for such a treasure,
ask grace to be ever faithful, and to profit by this triduum to increase
your fervor.
_POINT II._ _What has been our life ever since?_ The gradual
consummation of the great sacrifice, the accomplishment of our spiritual
martyrdom. Then we entered the prison, the exile; now we are leading the
martyr’s life, dying the martyr’s death. If we do not find it hard, it
is because grace supports us: “_Facile equitat quem gratia Dei portat_”,
“He rides along with ease who is borne up by the grace of God,” says
Thomas à Kempis. Still our life may be at times unsatisfactory; it is a
martyr’s life, above the power of mere human nature, full of merit,
doing honor to God, hated by the enemies of God, salutary to ourselves
and to the neighbor. This life is never at a standstill, but ever moving
onward and upward; therefore it is up-hill work. And because it is a
combat against sensual inclinations, it has its alterations of successes
and reverses; its progress heavenward is not represented by a straight
but by a curved line. When it gets below a certain level, or tends
downwards at all, we must beware.
_Facilis descensus Averni_, “The descent to Hell is easy.” This is the
very reason for the need of such triduums as the present. Thank God, ask
pardon, resolve.
_POINT III._ _Compare your former with your present dispositions_
regarding your general spirit of fervor, your faithful observance of
rules, even the most minute, your obedience, even of will and judgment,
your earnestness in prayer, your self-distrust, your charity to the
neighbor, your unworldliness, your zeal for souls, your patience. Above
all avoid all wilful faults.
_Colloquy._ Ask earnestly for a thorough renovation of spirit, and offer
your resolutions to the Lord.
MEDITATION II
On Renovation of the Vows
_1st Prelude._ Imagine God says to you: “My son, give me thy heart”
(Prov. xxiii, 26).
_2nd Prelude._ Ask grace to do so most earnestly.
_POINT I._ _Consider the origin of this renovation._
It was begun by St. Ignatius and his first companions while they were
students at Paris, where they met every year in the Church of
Montmartre, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, the
anniversary of their first vows, to quit all things and live for God
alone. The practice was afterwards incorporated in the Constitution of
our Society, and has been adopted by numerous religious Congregations.
It has been found so productive of good results that it ought to
encourage all to perform the same most fervently.
_POINT II._ _What are the purposes of this renovation?_
1. It confirms and reasserts the total dedication of ourselves to the
service of God; as Holy Church invites her children, when they have
attained the age of discretion, to renew by their own act the promises
made in their name by their sponsors at Baptism. If any hindrance
interfered with the validity of our first vows, the obstacle being now
removed, the renovation of the vows gives them permanent force.
2. It may often be more meritorious than the first vows had been, since
it is made after the hardships of the religious life have been
experienced and are therefore more fully realized than before. As the
soldier who reenlists in an army shows more devotedness to its cause
than he did by first joining the ranks of the army.
3. Since the vows act as a second Baptism, removing all sin and all
punishment due to sin, and this precious effect is ascribed by St.
Thomas Aquinas to the perfect charity which the vows imply, the same
results may naturally be expected whenever the vows are renewed with the
same good will. And this same good will is most apt to be present at the
semi-annual renovation of the vows.
4. As the religious vows entitle the soul to a rich supply of actual
graces that it may be faithful to their observance, so the earnest
renovation of the same secures a new supply of such Divine aid to
advance steadily in the pursuit of sanctity.
5. Every act of virtue increases the measure of our eternal happiness,
especially acts of heroic virtue; the loving renovation of the vows is
sure to add each time a rich jewel to our heavenly crown. Taking the
religious vows generously has always a touch of the heroic about it.
6. Each renovation of the vows strengthens our resolves, and clamps us
more firmly to God. It often takes many a blow to drive in a nail and
make it stick with firmness, so with our virtuous resolutions.
_POINT III._ _What are we expected to do during this triduum?_
We must aim at a thorough renovation of the religious spirit; and for
this purpose generous souls will devise various means. But to a certain
extent our Society undertakes to direct our efforts by describing
certain definite practices, which must be faithfully used by all. They
are clearly marked out in the Letter of Father Vincent Caraffa: 1.
Avoiding all unnecessary intercourse with the outside world; 2.
Observing a strict silence, even during the times of the ordinary
recreations; 3. Half an hour’s reading daily of a practical spiritual
book. 4. Making two earnest meditations daily, one of them before the
Blessed Sacrament exposed; 5. Examining one’s spiritual progress for
half an hour every day; 6. A general confession of the last six months;
7. A public self-accusation of faults in the refectory; 8. A clear
account of conscience to the superior. If all this is observed and
performed in the right spirit, much profit will result.
_Colloquy._ Offer good resolutions, and ask further light and grace to
correct all faults.
MEDITATION III
What Kind of Men Does Our Vocation Require?
_1st Prelude._ Imagine Christ says to you: “I have given you an example”
(St. John xiii, 15).
_2nd Prelude._ Pray to understand this great truth and to imitate that
glorious model.
_POINT I._ _Consider that the men required by our vocation are to be
like to Christ_: “Whom God foreknew he also predestinated to be made
conformable to the image of his Son” (Rom. viii, 29). A parable will
explain this. A very rich man had an only son, a model of every virtue
and adorned with every human accomplishment. He devoted a large portion
of his fortune to educate a number of other boys that should be fit
companions for that son as like to him as possible. Thus God is treating
all His elect, and in particular the members of the Society of Jesus.
That is the very purpose for which St. Ignatius was inspired to found
our Society and to give us his Constitution. We are destined to be
perfect images of Christ.
_POINT II._ _Consider some special points of resemblance that the Lord
requires of us._ We must be: 1. _Like Christ in our outward behavior_,
so that He may appear reflected or reproduced in each one of us. That is
the purpose of our Rules of Modesty, to which St. Ignatius was taught by
the Holy Ghost to attach more than usual importance. Do we observe them
faithfully? If we do not, it is because we fail to realize fully the
ideal of our founder, which was nothing less than the image of the Son
of God.
2. _Like Christ in our inner sentiments_, in compliance with His own
invitation: There is so much meaning in His words inviting us to this
special manner of imitation: “Learn of me because I am meek and humble
of heart” (St. Matth. xi, 29). These two virtues are so conspicuous in
our Divine model.
_Meekness_ is emblemized by the gentlest of animals, the tender lamb;
and Christ was figured in the Old Testament by the sacrifice of the
lamb, and proclaimed in the New Testament by St. John the Baptist with
the words: “Behold the Lamb of God” (St. John i, 29). This is not the
characteristic virtue of a warrior, such as St. Ignatius had been; but
he had laid aside that garment of his youth and instead had put on
Christ, as St. Paul teaches us to do, saying:
“Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. xiii, 14). We must do the same.
_Humility_ is most conspicuous throughout the life of Christ; it must be
the foundation of all our spiritual life: “He emptied himself, taking
the form of a servant” (Phil. ii, 7).
3. _Like Christ in our practical reason_, taking God’s view of all
things, in opposition to the views of the world. The whole outlook on
life of a good religious is very different from the outlook of the
worldling. Therefore the world hates us: “If you had been of the world,
the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but
I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (St.
John xv, 19). How can we acquire this unworldly spirit, which is the
spirit of Christ? By meditation, spiritual reading, all manner of
prayer, recollection, spiritual conversation, etc. Are we making earnest
efforts on these lines? Do we avoid profane reading as far as our labors
allow? Novels and newspapers are full of the spirit of the world, and so
is unnecessary conversation with most seculars.
4. _Like Christ in our wills_, which should be ever intent on promoting
the glory of God and ever zealous to procure the salvation of souls. Our
zeal should cause us to labor hard, wherever an opportunity can be found
to further the great purpose of our Society, the greater glory of God.
_Colloquy_ with our dear Lord, asking for light and grace to make
ourselves more like unto Himself.
MEDITATION IV
Christ Is Here to Help Us
_1st Prelude._ Realize the fact that Christ is present on the altar, and
hear Him say: “Behold, I am with you all days” (St. Matth. xxviii, 20).
_2nd Prelude._ Ask for a lively faith in Christ’s presence in our midst,
and a firm confidence in His loving assistance.
_POINT I._ _In what sense is Christ present on the altar?_
1st. _Substantially_, personally, body and soul, God and Man. Make a
firm act of faith, adore Him, lovingly thank Him.
2nd. _As our helper_: “Come to me, all ye that labor and are burthened,
and I will refresh you” (St. Matth. xi, 28). He will help us in
attaining the purpose for which He has brought us to the Society, to
perfect our souls and to save others; in particular to bless the work of
this renovation of spirit. In Him we can do all things: “I can do all
things in him who strengtheneth me” (Phil. iv, 13). Ask eagerly for a
thorough renovation. Examine whether your visits are fervent enough.
_POINT II._ _What treasure do we possess in the holy Mass?_
No one but God could have conceived the blessing granted to the faithful
of being present in their successive generations at the mystical
renovation of the sacrifice of the cross. There, before us, day after
day, the same Redeemer of the world who made Himself the victim of
expiation of our sins on Calvary, makes Himself a victim again in the
same sacrifice, and offers Himself to His eternal Father, as truly as He
did then, to obtain for those present in particular the graces they
desire from His liberality. No prayer could be more powerful than the
holy Mass. If only we duly enter into the spirit of it, a spirit of deep
reverence, of eager supplication, of lively confidence, the daily Mass
cannot fail to be for us a copious source of the choicest blessings.
Whenever we find ourselves in some special need of God’s assistance, let
us offer or hear Mass for that purpose. The result will not always be
visible, but it will probably often be so, and it will always be very
real.
How do we profit daily by this wondrous grace? It will be an important
gain towards the renewing of spirit if we improve our manner of
attendance at holy Mass.
_POINT III._ _What do we receive in Holy Communion?_
We receive God Himself, no greater gift is possible. And we receive Him
as our food; that is, coming to do for our soul what food does for the
body, giving it strength and growth, and keeping it from corruption.
Each worthy Communion increases in us sanctifying grace, gives us an
additional supply of actual grace to lead holy lives, and, as the
Council of Trent declares, it frees us from venial sins and preserves us
from falling into mortal sins.
But the amount of grace received in Holy Communion depends in great part
on our own dispositions. We can greatly increase it by making careful
preparation for the reception of our Lord, by fervor at the moment of
reception, reciting firm acts of faith in the Divine presence, humble
acts of adoration, acts of ardent love and of eager desire and petitions
for Divine graces. The time of thanksgiving after Holy Communion
contains some of the most precious moments of the day. How do I profit
by this golden opportunity to enrich my poor soul? Can I improve my ways
in this respect? We read in the Life of St. Alphonsus Rodriguez written
by a lay brother (pp. 81, 82), that on All Saints’ Day, 1612, after he
had received Holy Communion amid the Scholastics and Brothers of the
community, Christ “showed him in a sensible manner His presence in the
hearts of all those who had just received Him, so that he perceived the
Saviour resplendent with glory whole and entire in each religious.” Thus
Christ is really present in each of us during those precious moments.
Can we not give Him a more loving and honorable reception than we often
do?
_Colloquy_ with our dear Lord, asking eagerly for light and grace, and
laying before Him special resolutions and earnest supplications that we
may improve.
MEDITATION V
The Holy Ghost Sanctifies Us
_1st Prelude._ Listen to the words of Christ: “I will ask the Father and
he shall give you another Paraclete” (St. John xiv, 16).
_2nd Prelude._ “Come, O Holy Ghost, replenish the hearts of Thy
faithful.”
_POINT I._ It is a great consolation to us to remember that we are not
expected to work out our perfection by our own power.
_The Holy Ghost is to be the principal agent in this work of
sanctification_; for St. Paul wrote: “The charity of God (and this is
sanctity) is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given
to us” (Rom. v, 5). See what He did in the Apostles, in the early
Christians generally, what he has done in all the Saints, in the
faithful throughout the ages, and in particular in religious, whom He
has selected and separated from the world to make them masterpieces of
holiness. Conceive eager desires of His gifts and a firm confidence in
His assistance. Beg earnestly for His light and grace to advance in
virtue.
_POINT II._ _How does the Holy Ghost sanctify us?_ Not in a miraculous
way, in which He sanctified the Apostles, but by a gradual process: 1.
By the Sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance He has
been working in our souls from our early infancy. Make earnest acts of
thanksgiving, for these Divine graces already received. 2. By our
spiritual exercises, our meditations, attendance at Mass, examinations
of conscience, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, spiritual readings,
vocal prayers of various kinds; during which the Spirit of God
enlightens us, suggests holy resolutions, encourages and strengthens us
to make generous sacrifices.
Thus we have gradually been formed, to some extent, into spiritual men.
If we are not yet more spiritual, it is because we did not sufficiently
comply with the inspirations of the Holy Ghost, but resisted His efforts
to sanctify us further, like those to whom St. Stephen said: “You always
resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so you do also” (Acts vii,
51). 3. The Spirit of God sanctifies us by assisting all our efforts to
advance in virtue, aiding us to believe, to hope, to love God, to
practise charity to the neighbor, humility, prudence, mortification,
etc.
_POINT III._ _All this influence of the Holy Ghost requires our
cooperation._ The best teacher cannot make a scholar of a careless boy.
Cardinal Manning in his Internal Mission of the Holy Ghost has a passage
explaining this point very forcibly. He says: “No grace that God gives
ever fails of its effect, except through our fault. The seed that falls
upon the barren sand can bear no fruit; that which is cast upon the sea
cannot cast a root; that which falls upon a mind which is like the
troubled sea, or upon a heart which is like the barren sand, will bear
no spiritual fruit. Nevertheless the grace of God in itself is always
fruitful; it never fails of its effect unless we mar it. Are you then
corresponding with the exuberant graces which God is always bestowing
upon you?... Learn then to have a delicate conscience, to understand
promptly, and to correspond, if you can, proportionately; not to receive
great graces languidly, and squander one-half of them, and correspond
faintly with the rest. Try with your whole soul and strength to rise up
and to obey, when the grace of God calls you to any higher state or to
any better action” (Pages 32 and 33). Yet, whatever our natural
disposition may be, by the aid of the Holy Ghost we may become diligent
and fervent in the pursuit of every virtue; for, as St. Paul says: “The
Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray
for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable
groanings” (Rom. viii, 26). Let us carefully consider what we must
improve on this occasion.
_Colloquy_ with the Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, begging for light and
grace to advance rapidly in holiness.
MEDITATION VI
Effects Produced by the Holy Ghost
_1st Prelude._ Imagine you behold the scene of the descent of the Holy
Ghost on the Apostles, as narrated in Acts ii, 1-4.
_2nd Prelude._ Ask for a liberal infusion of the Gifts of the Holy
Ghost. We will consider the principal effects produced by the Holy Ghost
in the soul as they are expressed in four verses of the _Veni Creator_.
_POINT I._ _Accende lumen sensibus_, “Enlighten our minds.” See what a
change the Holy Ghost produced in the minds of the Apostles. They had
failed to understand the teaching of the Blessed Saviour. He had said to
them: “Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be
accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of
man. For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and
scourged and spit upon. And after they have scourged him, they will put
him to death, and the third day he shall rise again.” And St. Luke adds:
“And they understood none of those things, and this word was hid from
them, and they understood not the things that were said” (xviii, 31-34).
And a little while before Christ’s ascension into Heaven the Apostles
asked Him: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to
Israel?” (Acts i, 6). They were still so blinded that they only looked
for earthly power. But the Holy Ghost came down upon them, and at once
they understood all the meaning of Christ’s doctrine.
Ever since that day the same Divine Spirit has been teaching the Church,
enlightening the minds of its members, enabling them, not only to give a
mental assent to the doctrines proposed, but habitually to take God’s
view of things. This is done by the faithful generally, even very simple
souls, “Thou hast revealed them to little ones” (St. Luke x, 21). This
should be done by us, religious, especially, and it should characterize
our teaching and the tone of our conversations; while on the other hand,
“The sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of
God; for it is foolishness to him and he cannot understand” (I Cor. ii,
14).
_POINT II._ _Infunde amorem cordibus_, “Infuse Thy love into our
hearts.” The Love of God is sanctity, and it is a gift of the Spirit of
God. “The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
who is given to us” (Rom. v, 5). It is the most precious of all gifts
and, like every good gift, it is to be obtained by fervent and constant
prayer. For “Every best gift and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights” (St. James i, 17). We are
especially encouraged to ask this gift from God, by the fact that Christ
Himself assures us that the Lord loves to bestow this treasure on those
who eagerly ask for it; for he says:
“How much more will your Father from heaven give the Good Spirit to them
that ask him?” (St. Luke xi, 13). Pray for it fervently, on this
occasion in particular.
_POINT III._ _Infirma nostri corporis virtute firmans perpeti_,
“Strengthen the weakness of our bodies with lasting power.” Give us the
virtue of fortitude, an abiding willingness to do and to suffer whatever
the service of God may require. This willingness is the test of our love
for Him and the chief means of our sanctification. We exercise this
willingness by patiently toiling along, suffering checks and
contradictions, meeting with disappointments without being disheartened
by them, enduring fatigue, pain, regret, shame, etc. We may meet all
these trials in the sacred ministry, in the classroom, in humble labor,
anywhere; and that not occasionally, but daily, hourly, yet without
fretting or murmuring, but cheerfully, joyously, buoyantly, scarcely
noticing them, but treating them as matters of course in a life of
generous sacrifice. St. Augustine points out three degrees of patience.
In the lowest degree are those who would rather endure their sufferings
than commit sin to escape from them. Those are in the second degree who
accept willingly what God sends, simply because God wills it. We ascend
to the third degree when we desire to suffer that we may more closely
resemble our suffering Lord. This is a special gift of the Holy Ghost,
our third degree of humility.
_Colloquy._ Ask earnestly that the Divine Spirit may increase in you all
these precious effects.
TRIDUUM C
MEDITATION I
On the Need of Frequent Renovations of Spirit
_1st Prelude._ St. Paul writes to the Ephesians: “Be renewed in the
spirit of your mind” (iv, 23).
_2nd Prelude._ Ask grace to increase greatly your spirit of fervor.
_POINT I._ It is one of the infirmities of our fallen nature that we are
constantly drawn down to sensual and other selfish gratifications; and,
to rise heavenward in our desires, we need the exertion of ever renewed
efforts. As truly as the clock needs repeated winding up, so the soul
needs frequent remindings of the vital truths which cause our lives to
be supernatural. For this purpose, St. Ignatius has wisely provided
these semi-annual renovations of spirit. If we did not care to renew our
spirit of fervor at the proper time, the Lord might do it for us by
means far more painful than we imagine. Bitter afflictions brought on
individual persons or upon entire bodies of men, even such as are
favorites of God, are often intended by Him to purify them from moral
stains. Thus, some years before the suppression of our Society, Father
Paradiso was instructed by the Lord to inform Father Ricci, then our
Father General, that the calamities which were going to overwhelm us
were intended to renew the spirit of humility, of faith and piety in the
whole Church. (See B. N.’s “The Jesuits and Their History,” Vol. II,
Page 179.)