The Third Station: Jesus falls the First time 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 way. His sight grows dim; His strength fails …
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March 30, 2022
The Second Station: Jesus takes up His cross 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 from the crowds that line the way; each …
March 29, 2022
Around the judgement seat are grouped a motley crowd. Men and women of every rank, the high-born Jewish maiden, the rough Samaritan woman; haughty Scribes and proud Pharisees mingle with the common loafer of the great city. Hatred has united them all for one common object; hatred of One Who ever loves them and to their wild fury has only opposed acts of gentle kindness. A mighty scream goes up, …
March 28, 2022
Today is the anniversary of Fr Doyle’s father’s death. Hugh Doyle died on this day in 1924, just three months short of his 92nd birthday. Hugh Doyle seems to have been a remarkable man. He was Chief Clerk of the Bankruptcy Court in Dublin, and retired at the age of 90, having served for 73 years! (Yes, those figures are correct; they are not typos…). He was a devout man …
March 28, 2022
We do not mind what God does with us so long as it more or less fits in with our own wishes; but when His will clashes with ours, we begin to see the difficulty of the prayer, “Not my will but Thine be done”. All the same I think we can never expect to really please God till we become like wax in His hands, so that He will …
March 26, 2022
Do you not think that Jesus must have done very much for Mary during the nine months she bore Him within her? COMMENT: Mary’s Yes was a pivotal moment in our salvation history and indeed in the history of the world. It had implications for her, and for all of humanity throughout all eternity. Yet she didn’t hesitate. She abandoned herself to God with utter faith. Her “Fiat”, her declaration …
March 25, 2022
It was a beautiful clear morning, such a morning as would tempt the laziest aviator to have a sail, so many eyes were on the watch out for visitors. We had not long to wait. Away in the distance a solitary German aeroplane was seen approaching, flying very fast towards where we are. With that love for fair play and a good even fight, for which the British navy is so …
March 24, 2022
The great defect in my character and chief reason why I make so little progress is my want of fidelity. Thus in the past eighteen months I have not marked the ejaculations and acts of self-denial over three hundred times. COMMENT: Fr Doyle refers here to his tendency of keeping meticulous records about numerous aspects of his spiritual life. Many saints kept detailed spiritual records in order to review their …
March 24, 2022
As the moth is attracted to the light, is drawn ever nearer to the warmth and brightness, until at length with irresistible longing it casts itself into the flame, so the Sacred Heart draws us to Itself by Its love. We are warm by the fervour of Its affection, dazzled by Its brilliancy. We come to realize the extent of that love, its foolish excesses; it bursts upon us that …
March 23, 2022
I seemed to have lost all strength and courage, and simply hated the thought of the life. Then I ran to You in the Tabernacle, threw myself before You and begged You to do all since I could do nothing. In a moment all was sweet and easy. COMMENT: Courage, more commonly referred to as fortitude, is one of the cardinal virtues. It is impossible to live a holy life …
March 22, 2022