THIRTEENTH
DAY
GIVING SUFFRAGE TO THE SOULS IS HIGHLY
ACCEPTABLE TO OUR SAVIOUR JESUS.
Jesus Christ is the Only-begotten of the Father,
and, from His exceeding love, was sent by Him to the earth for the salvation of
all men. He is that Saviour who employed every instant of His precious life for
the salvation of souls. He is that good Shepherd who, to give immortal life to
His beloved sheep, sacrificed His own life upon the cross. He is that High
Priest who ascended up to heaven, and sat on the right hand of His Divine
Father, to open to the souls who had been, or shall be, saved by Him, the holy
gate of that celestial Sion, with its perpetual jubilee. Who, then, can doubt
but that He takes especial favour in finding devout Christians who employ
themselves entirely in setting free from the prison of purgatory those souls
whom, with so many toils and the shedding of so much blood. He has redeemed
from the slavery of hell? O that these were recognized by Him, and by the whole
world, as His true sons, and as such copiously rewarded! And shall we, who
aspire to these goods, pass over the means of obtaining them that are so easy?
Ejaculation
Jesus, if thou wert pleased to shed Thy blood for
all men's sake, On those who writhe among the flames Some pity deign to take.
De profundis
Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord:
Lord, hear my voice. Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it. For with thee
there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for
thee, O Lord. My soul hath relied on his word: My soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. Because
with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption. And he shall
redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Via Crucis (Way of the Cross)
The blessed Leonard of Port Maurice, Apostolic Missionary of the Reformed Minors, will be the protector of this day; of whom we read what marvellous fruits he produced in men's souls by his unwearied propagation of the pious exercise of the Via Crucis, (i. e. the Stations,) which also affords very great assistance to the souls of the departed. Example. The pious exercise of the Via Crucis, prescribed by us above, is a continued meditation on the Passion of Jesus Christ. To this innumerable indulgences have been annexed by the Sovereign Pontiffs, even the same as those of the Via Crucis in Jerusalem or other places of the Holy Land, whence it appears how profitable this exercise is to the holy souls. Take for an example of this the following: We read in the life of the venerable Mary of Antigua, that a nun of her convent, having died, appeared to her, and said, “Why is it that you do not recite for me and for the other souls, the Stations of the Via Crucis? The servant of God stood in suspense at these words, when she heard Jesus repeat to her, “The Stations of the Via Crucis are so profitable to the souls in purgatory, for whom you are wont to practice them, that this soul has come to demand them from you in the name of them all. It is a suffrage of great importance for the souls in purgatory, and hence comes the communion which the souls have always had with you, and that you will have them for your part as so many protectors who stand and pray for you and defend your cause before My justice. Tell your sisters to rejoice in the treasures, and the precious capital they have in them, that they may grow rich upon it." Let us be also willing to enrich ourselves with this precious treasure, and likewise the souls in purgatory. Let us practise the holy exercise of the Via Crucis both devoutly and frequently.
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