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Understanding 9/11The Agonising Heart. Salvation of the dying, consolation of the afflicted. Part 2
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The Agonising Heart, Part 1 1869
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Preface pp. vii— xii.
I.-ON THE USE OF OUR AFFLICTIONS.
CHAPTER I.
ON THE USE OF OUR AFFLICTIONS FOR OURSELVES.
Jesus Christ saved us by His afflictions ; our afflictions united to His share their efficacy. If we are separated from Jesus Christ by mortal sin let us do penance, that we may be reunited to Him and may live by His life. If we are in a state of grace, let us rejoice at the happy results of our sufferings. Fruitless and guilty suffering. Apostolic use of suffering pp. 2 — 7.
CHAPTER II.
ON BEARING OUR AFFLICTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS.
Three Apostolates. Divine mission of suffering. Necessity of an intention. Exercise of union with Jesus Christ. The family is the special field for the Apostolate of suffering. The living crucifix pp. 7 — 12.
CHAPTER III.
ON THE APOSTOLIC USE OF OUR AFFLICTIONS JOINED TO ACTIVE CHARITY.
Union of the three Apostolates. In times of affliction we should give ourselves to works of charity. An hour of active charity often worth a month of prayer. Double action of life — official and invisible Priesthood. By action we attain the end of all the Confraternities in honour of Jesus in His Agony, ajid follow the inspirations of His Divine Heart pp. 13 — 19.
CHAPTER IV.
ON THE APOSTOLIC USE OF AFFLICTIONS JOINED WITH PRAYER.
Prayer, especially prayer of sentiment, not the whole ol spirituality. Nevertheless it is an efficacious Apostolate. The special grace of affliction is unselfishness, to which the spirit of intercession belongs. An agonising heart gives vent to its charity by prayer. Afflicted persons may offer themselves as victims and ask for suffering. Pious exercises for the time of affliction pp. 19 — 24.
NOVENA OR OCTAVE.
FIRST DAY.
LIFE BROUGHT LOW.
Spiritual Reading p. 25.
Meditation. — Consider how low the divine nature was brought when the Word was made Flesh. Consider how the condition of the Son of God was lowered. Consider the Saint of Saints descending to the position of a sinner pp. 23 — 27.
Practice p. 27, 28.
Example.— St. John of the Cross pp. 28 — 31.
SECOND DAY.
THE AGONY OF THE HEART.
'Spiritual Reading p. 31
Meditation. — The sufferings of the Agonising Heart were universal, violent, long pp. 33—34
Practice pp. 34-35
Example. — The good Armelle, and M. Olier, pp. 35 — 39.
THIRD DAY.
WHY SHOULD WE SUFFER?
Spiritual Reading p. 39
Meditation. — Why should we suffer? To develope our power of feeling;, and to complete the Work of redemption ; to diminish the sufferings of others, that hope may be sustained and strengthened ; to be more like our Divine Example, and to practise the virtue of humility pp. 39 — 43
Practice p. 43
Example.— St. Rose of Lima pp. 43 — 47.
FOURTH DAY.
HOW TO SUFFER.
Spiritual Reading pp. 47, 48.
Meditation. — The Agonising Heart of Jesus suffered innocently, meritoriously, freely pp. 48 — 50.
Practice
Example.— St. Mary-Frances of the Five Wounds and the Venerable Marie-Clotilde of France pp. 51 — 56.
FIFTH DAY.
TEMPTATIONS.
Spiritual Reading
Meditation. — Consider that the Son of God was not exempt from temptation. Consider that our Lord never gave temptation any hold on him. Consider that it was after the Last Supper, and the institution of the Adorable Sacrament of the Altar, that Jesus in His Agony was tempted by the Devil pp. 56 — 60.
Practice p. 60.
Example. — St. Francis of Sales pp. 61 — 63.
SIXTH DAY.
COMPASSION FOR OUR NEIGHBOURS.
Spiritual Reading p. 64.
Meditation. — The compassion Jesus felt for all humanity caused Him interior suffering. Jesus suffered from His compassion for His mystical Body. The special compassion of Jesus for the dying pp. 64 — 67.
Practice pp. 67, 68.
Example. — St. Hyacinth of Mariscotti pp. 68 — 71.
SEVENTH DAY.
OUTRAGES OFFERED TO GOD.
Spiritual Reading p. 71
Meditation. — Jesus in His Agony had a distinct knowledge of all the sins of the world. Jesus in His Agony felt the outrage offered by sin to His Heavenly Father in a way which we cannot understand or express. Jesus in His Agony also felt the injury which sin does to the images of God, that is, to souls pp. 71 — 74.
Practice pp. 74-5
Example. — The Blessed Victoria Fornari, St. Catharine of Ricci, and Rose Mary Serio. pp. 75 — 79.
EIGHTH DAY.
THE SORROWFUL PASSION.
Spiritual Reading pp. 79, 82
Meditation. — Jesus saw all His future sufferings, even down to their most minute details. The sufferings of His Body were a cause of affliction to Jesus. The foresight of his cruel and shameful death was another special cause of suffering to our Lord pp, 80— 83.
Practice PP 83, 84.
Example. — Blessed Victoria Fornari, St. Mary Magdalen of Pazzi, and St. Margaret of Cortona pp. 84 — 87.
NINTH DAY.
THE CRUCIFIXION.
Spiritual Reading pp. 87, 88.
Meditation. — Consider that Jesus on the Cross fulfilled all our obligations. Consider that He supplied all that we may be unable to do at our death. Consider that He ought to be the object of our tenderest devotion pp. 88 — 90.
Practice. — Alphabet of the Cross pp. 90 — 93.
Example.-— Blessed Andrew Bobola, Martyr pp. 93 — 97.
II.— MEDITATIONS FOR ONE DAY IN EACH MONTH.
JANUARY.
THE GARDEN OF OLIVES.
Spiritual Reading p. 98
Meditation. — Consider that we have come from Paradise, and that all creation is an immense garden. Consider that we are by our merits to gain the Heavenly Paradise. Consider that the Garden of Olives lies on the road between our starting-point and our goal pp. 99—103.
Practice p. 103.
Example.— Jesus, Mary, Joseph pp. 103—106.
FEBRUARY.
FEAR AND HEAVINESS.
Spiritual Reading p. 107
Meditation. — Consider that the law of love does not destroy, but perfects the law of fear. Consider that a desire for more suffering was the cause of the heaviness of Jesus in His Agony, and a long-continued prayer was its effect. Consider that death, being an expiation, God has been pleased to surround it with fears, so that our sacrifice may be at once more painful and more meritorious pp. 107 — 111.
Practice p. iii..
Example.— The holy Angels pp. 112 — 115.
MARCH.
MORTAL SADNESS.
Spiritual Reading pp. 115, 116.
Meditation. — Compare the causes of our Saviour sorrows with the causes of your sorrows. Compare the intensity of our Saviour's sorrows with the weakness of your own. Compare the duration of our Saviour's sorrows with the duration of yours pp. 116 — 120.
Practice p. 120.
Example. — St. Camillus of Lellis pp. 120 — 123.
APRIL.
THE CHALICE OF BITTERNESS.
Spiritual Reading p. 124.
Meditation. — Our sins were a chalice of bitterness to Jesus. The damnation of a multitude of souls was a chalice of bitterness to Him. Our Agonising Lord did not choose His own chalice, He drank the one His Father gave Him pp. 124 — 12S.
Practice p. 128.
Example. — St. Elizabeth of Hungary on the death of her husband pp. 129 — 132.
MAY.
RESIGNATION.
Spiritual Reading p. 133
Meditation. — We allege the sensibility of our feelings to exempt us from the practice of resignation. We excuse our want of resignation by our small amount of virtue, by the singular nature of our trials, or their incompatibility with the duties of our station pp. 133 — 138.
Practice p. 139.
Example. — St Frances of Chantal at the death of St. Francis of Sales and of her son pp. 139 — 144.
JUNE.
THE SLEEP OF THE DISCIPLES.
Spiritual Reading p. 144.
Meditation. — Consider God and man. Consider the soul and the body. Consider yourself and your neighbour pp. 144 — 149.
Practice pp. 149 — 150.
Example. — St. Elizabeth of Hungary in her widowhood sanctifies herself by the care of the sick pp. 150 — 153.
JULY.
THE ANGEL OF CONSOLATION.
Spiritual Reading 154
Meditation. — Let us compare the two gardens. Let us compare the two Angels. Let us compare the two chalices pp. 154 — 159.
Practice p. 159.
Example. — St. John Francis Rhis pp. 159 —162.
AUGUST.
CONFLICT.
Spiritual Reading pp. 162, 163.
Meditation. — The whole history of humanity and of the Church a history of agony or conflict. The mortal life of the Worn made Flesh was a conflict. His glorious life still a combat. The life of the Christian also an agony or struggle, for his own salvation and that of others pp. 163 — 167.
Practice p. 167.
Example. — St. Frances of Chantal sanctifies her widowhood by the care of the sick pp. 167 — 179
SEPTEMBER.
THE CRISIS.
Spiritual Reading pp. 171, 172.
Meditation. — Consider the struggle between fear and love in the Heart of Jesus ; between life and death ; between shame and glory pp. 172 — 175.
Practice pp. 175, 176.
Example. — Sudden change of 6. Victoria Fomari when left a widow, and her care for the sick pp. 176 — 179.
OCTOBER.
THE SWEAT OF BLOOD.
Spiritual Reading p. 180.
Meditation. — The causes of our Saviour's Sweat of Blood. Its moral ends. Its mystical signification pp. 180 —184.
Practice pp. 184, 185.
Example. — Blessed Mary of the Incarnation, while living with her husband and children, devotes herself to the care of the poor sick pp. 185 — 187.
NOVEMBER.
JUDAS.
Spiritual Reading p. 188.
Meditation. — The life of Judas is the life of a Christian in sin. The treachery of Judas is the sacrilege of a Christian. The death of Judas the death of an impenitent Christian pp. 188 — 192.
Practice pp. 192, 193.
Example. — St. Aloysius Gonzaga pp. 193 — 196.
DECEMBER.
MARY.
Spiritual Reading p. 196.
Meditation.— -Jesus is like a mother to me; am I like a mother to Him in His Agonies? Mary would be my mother, if I were like a child to her. Am I a mother to the Faithful in their agony? pp. 196 — 200.
Practice pp. 200, 201.
Example. — Blessed Joseph of Leonissa pp. 201 — 203.
FRIDAY AFTER SEPTUAGESIMA.
FEAST OF THE PRAYER OF OUR LORD ON MOUNT OLIVET.
Subjects of Meditation p. 203.
Mass in English pp. 204 — 206.
III.— EXERCISES AND PRAYERS FOR EVERY WEEK.
I. METHOD OF HEARING MASS IN UNION WITH THE AGONIES OF OUR LORD.
From the Introit to the Offertory: The Agony of Nazareth pp. 207 — 210.
From the Offertory to the Elevation : The Agony of the guest-chamber pp. 210 — 214.
From the Elevation to the Communion : The Agony of the Garden pp. 214 — 217. From the Communion to the end : The Agony of Calvary pp. 217 — 221.
II. METHOD OF PERFORMING THE DEVOTION OF THE HOLY HOUR FOR THE AFFLICTED AND DYING.
Preparation pp. 222 — 224.
I. — Jesus makes a choice amongst His Disciples. The preferences of Jesus. The privileges of suffering. Preparation for suffering pp. 224 — 230.
II. — Jesus in His Agony falls on His Face and prays. Do we pray? Do we pray like Jesus? For whom do we pray? pp. 230 —235.
III. — Jesus in His Agony visits the sleeping Apostles. Watch and pray. Visit the dying. Repeat your efforts pp. 236 — 241.
III. Daily prayer for those in their agony. 242
IV. Daily prayer for the afflicted 242
V. Prayer to Jesus the Consoler 243
VI. The fiat of the Agony 244
VII. Acceptance of the chalice (Surian) 245
VIII. Resignation to sadness (Antoine Anselme). 246
IX. Union of our sufferings with those of Jesus (Bossuet) 247
X. Desire for suffering (Pinamonti) 248
XII. Colloquy with Jesus in His Agony (Moretus) 250
XIII. Prayer to our Lady 252
XIV. Offering of the Agonising Heart to God the Father (Cajetan-Mary of Bergamo) 253
XV. To obtain the gift of prayer (Cajetan-Mary of Bergamo) 254
XVI. Prayer for contrition (Hubert) 255
XVII. For the same (St. Liguori) 255
XVIII. Prayer for the love of God (Cajetan-Mary of Bergamo) 256
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