MONTH OF THE
MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT
Meditations by St. Alphonsus Liguori
If she be a wall, let us build upon it bulwarks of
silver; if she be a door, let us join it together with boards of cedar. — Cant.
viii. 9
This is what Jesus does when He comes to a soul in the
holy Communion: He sees that she is a wall too weak to resist the attacks of
Hell, therefore by the strength of this great Sacrament, He fortifies her with
bulwarks of silver, that is, of His own Divine light. He sees that she is a
door which easily decays, and He renews her with planks of strength and
perseverance, signified by cedar, which is a strong and incorruptible wood;
that is, He strengthens her with the gifts of holy fear, of detachment from
creatures, of prayer, and affection for prayer, of holy desires, and above all
by the gift of Divine love, which are the support of holy perseverance.
Bread may
strengthen man's heart: Jesus teaches us that as earthly bread preserves the
life of the body, so the heavenly Bread of the holy Communion preserves the
life of the soul: he that eateth Me, the same also shall live by Me. He that
eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me, and I in him, Such are
the delightful assurances which Jesus makes to those who receive Him in the
blessed Sacrament.
My Jesus,
who is more weak and faithless than I am? Thou already knowest how many times I
have yielded to my enemies, and how often they have won the gate, that is my
will, by which they have come in to ruin me, by making me lose Thy friendship.
Fortify me, I beseech Thee, with Thy light and strength, that I may never again
lose Thee, and drive Thee from me. My dear Redeemer and Lord, if Thou seest
that I shall offend Thee again, I implore Thee to let me die now, when, as I
hope, I am in Thy grace, and united to Thee. My beloved Jesus, I do not wish to
exist any longer without Thee: while I live I am liable to change, and I may
again displease Thee, as I have formerly done; do Thou therefore help me. And
thou also, most holy Mary, help me, and pity me; thou, who art the Mother of
perseverance, obtain from thy Jesus, this gift for me: from thee I seek it,
through thee I wish and hope for it.
PRAYERS TO THE EVER-BLESSED MOTHER OF GOD
For every Day of the Week
Monday
Prayer to the
ever-blessed Mary to obtain holy perseverance
O Queen of Heaven, I, who was once a wretched slave of
Satan, now devote myself to thee, as thy servant for ever, offering myself to
honour and serve thee all my life; do not reject me as I deserve thou shouldst.
Mother, in thee I have placed all my hopes; from thee I expect all blessings: I
bless and thank God, Whose mercy has given me this confidence in thee, which I
regard as a great pledge of my salvation. Hitherto I have fallen miserably,
because I have not had recourse to thee; I hope I am now forgiven, through the
Merits of Jesus, and through thy prayers; but I may again lose God's grace, the
danger is not at an end, for my enemies never sleep, and many temptations I may
yet have to conquer: most beloved Lady, protect me, and let me never again
become their slave. Help me always, I know that thou wilt, and in thy help I
shall conquer, if I recommend myself to thee; but my fear is that, when I am in
danger of falling, I shall omit to call on thee, and shall thus be lost;
therefore I beseech thee to obtain for me that, in all the attacks of Hell, I
may always have recourse to thee, saying, Mary, help me: my beloved Mother, let
me not lose God. Amen.
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