The Fifth Station of the Cross: Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross Image courtesy of St Raphael Parish, Surrey. www.straphael.org.uk When God lays a cross upon us, some misfortune, some unexpected burden, instead of thanking Him for this precious gift, too often we rebel against His will. We forget that our Saviour never sends a cross alone, but ever sweetens its bitterness, lightens its weight by His all-powerful …
Gospel
April 4, 2011
The Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother Image courtesy of St Raphael Parish, Surrey. www.straphael.org.uk To sensitive souls the pain they cause others is far worse than any sufferings they may endure themselves. They may have much to endure, but to see others in pain causes them deeper grief. Jesus and Mary meet. Alone He could have suffered with joy so that she, His dearest Mother, might have been …
April 3, 2011
The Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time Image courtesy of St Raphael's Parish, Surrey. www.straphael.org.uk Bravely has our Lord borne the galling weight of His cross; bravely has He struggled on, tottering and stumbling, longing for a moment’s rest, yearning for a respite however short. But rest He will not, that He may teach us how unfalteringly we must press on to our goal. But nature will have its …
April 2, 2011
The Second Station: Jesus Takes Up His Cross Image courtesy of St Raphael's Parish, Surrey. www.straphael.org.uk Away from the palace now a sad procession is winding. On the faces of the multitude a fiendish joy is written, they have had their wish and now issue forth to glut their eyes on the dying struggles of the suffering innocent One. Painfully He is toiling up the long narrow street, narrower still …
April 1, 2011
We are now about half way through Lent. At this stage it is easy for our dedication to wane somewhat; the enthusiasm of Ash Wednesday is behind us; the solemnity and beauty of Holy Week is still a few weeks away. This seems to be an appropriate time to introduce the Stations of the Cross based on the writings of Fr Doyle. For each of the next 14 days a …
March 31, 2011
Make your prayer simple, as simple as you can; reason little, love much, and you will pray well. COMMENT: There is perhaps a danger in presenting this quote from Fr Doyle today. I am not exactly sure who Fr Doyle was writing to when he wrote these lines, but almost certainly it was somebody in religious life, probably a nun. The spirituality of 100 years ago was somewhat different …
March 27, 2011
I wish I could write to you at length about grace. It is a fascinating subject. You are quite right in calling it “a participation of the divine nature,” since Scripture uses almost the same words to describe it. A comparison of the Fathers of the Church helps to explain things a little. A piece of iron, they say, placed in a fire does not in reality change its …
March 20, 2011
A fierce temptation during Mass and thanksgiving to break my resolution and indulge my appetite at breakfast…Jesus urged me to pray for strength though I could scarcely bring myself to do so. But the temptation left me in the refectory, and joy filled my heart with the victory. I see now that I need never yield if only I pray for strength. COMMENT: Fr Doyle wrote this reflection in …
March 13, 2011
Towards the end of the retreat a light came to me that, now that I have given Jesus all the sacrifices I possibly can in the matter of food, He is now going to ask retrenchment in the quantity. So far I have not felt that He asked this, but grace now seems to urge me to it. I dread what this means, but Jesus will give me strength to …
March 11, 2011
What I intended to imply was that I thought God had special designs on your soul and very great graces in store for you if only you will co-operate with Him in the work of your sanctification. With the record of much want of courage and generosity there is running through your life an undercurrent of earnest desire to be a saint. Not that desires alone will do the …
February 13, 2011