Monday in Whitsun Week
Plus Day 10 of the Tredicina to St Anthony of Padua
The Gift of Godliness
The gift of the Fear of God is intended as a cure for our pride; the gift of Godliness is infused into our souls by the Holy Ghost, in order that we may resist self-love, which is one of the passions of our fallen nature, and the second hindrance to our union with God. The heart of a christian is not made to be either cold or indifferent; it must be affectionate and devoted; otherwise, it never can attain the perfection for which God, who is Love, has graciously created it.
The Holy Ghost, therefore, puts the Gift of Godliness into the soul by inspiring it with a filial affection for her Creator. You have received, says the Apostle, the Spirit of adoption of Sons, whereby we cry to our God, Abba! Father! This disposition makes the soul alive to whatsoever regards God’s honor. It enables man to nourish within him a sorrow for his sins, in consideration of the divine mercy which has borne with and forgiven him, and of the Sufferings and Death of his Redeemer. It makes him thirst for God’s glory to be ever spreading; he would, if he could, bring all his fellow creatures to adore this God; he feels most keenly every insult that is offered to so dear a King. His greatest joy is to see others growing in their love and devotedness in the service of the sovereign Good. He is filled with filial submission to his Heavenly Father, whose every will he is most ready to do, cheerfully resigned to whatsoever he may appoint.
His Faith is unhesitating and fervent. Affectionately docile to the Church, he is always in the disposition of mind to abandon his most cherished ideas the moment he discovers them to be, in any way, out of harmony with her teaching or practice, for he has an instinctive horror of novelties and insubordination.
This devotedness to God, which results from the gift of Godliness and unites the soul to her Creator by filial love, makes her love all God’s creatures, inasmuch as they are the work of his hands and belong to him.
The Blessed in heaven hold the first place in the fraternal affection of such a Christian. He has a most tender love for the holy Mother of God, and is zealous for her honor; he venerates the Saints; he is a warm admirer of the courage of the Martyrs, and of the heroic actions of the servants of God; he delights in reading of their miracles, and has a devotion to their sacred Relics.
But his love is not limited to the citizens of heaven; it is extended also to his fellow creatures here on earth, for the gift of Godliness makes him find Jesus in them. He is kind to everyone without exception. He forgives injuries, bears with the imperfections of others, and where an excuse is possible for his neighbor, he makes it. He has compassion on the poor, and it attentive to the sick. His whole conduct is the index of a sterling warmheartedness that weeps with them that weep, and rejoices with them that rejoice.
All this is found in those who use thy gift of Godliness, O Holy Spirit! By infusing it into our souls, thou enablest us to withstand the workings of our self-love, which would corrupt the heart; thou preservest us from that odious indifference to everyone around us, which dries up all feeling; thou drivest from us the sentiments of jealousy and hatred. Yes, Godliness inspired us with a filial love for our Creator, that softened the heart; and every creature of God became dear to us. O Blessed Paraclete! grant that this Gift may produce its rich fruits in us! Never permit us to stifle it by the love of self. Our Jesus has told us that his heavenly Father maketh his sun to rise upon the good and bad: he would have us take this divine generosity as our model: do thou, therefore, foster within us that germ of devotedness, kindness and sympathy, which we received from thee on the day of our Baptism, when thou first tookest possession of our souls!
— Dom Prosper Gueranger, The Liturgical Year
June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
O dearest Jesus, Whose Most Amiable Heart excludes not even the greatest sinners if they turn to Thee, grant, we beseech Thee, to me and all penitent sinners a heart like unto Thine; That is, a humble heart that even in the midst of temporal honors loves a hidden life, a life little esteemed by men; A meek heart that bears with all and seeks to be revenged on no one; A patient heart that is resigned in adversity and happy even in the midst of most trying circumstances; A peaceful heart that is ever at peace with others and with itself; A disinterested heart that is always content with what it has; A heart that loves prayer and prays often and cheerfully; A heart that only desires that God be known, honored and loved by all His creatures; That grieves for nothing except when God is offended, Despises nothing but sin, Wishes for nothing but the Glory of God and its neighbor's salvation; A pure heart that in all things seeks God alone and desires to please Him; A grateful heart that does not forget but duly values the benefits of God; A strong heart that is daunted by no evil but bears all adversity for the love of God; A heart liberal to the poor and compassionate to the suffering souls in Purgatory; A well-ordered heart, whose joys and sorrows, desires and aversions, Nay, whose every motion is regulated according to the Will of God.
~Prayer of St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, C.S.S.R.
Tredicina or 13 days of St Anthony of Padua.
These prayers may be prayed on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays, most especially on the Tuesdays that precede the Feast of St. Anthony (June 13). This devotion may also be prayed on the thirteen days preceding the Feast of St. Anthony from May 31 to June 12.
Tenth Day
O glorious Saint! Thy ardent love of God merited for thee the happy privilege of receiving and caressing in thy arms the Divine Infant Jesus; we beseech thee, obtain for us the grace of receiving Him in the Blessed Eucharist with love and fervent devotion.
Pray one Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and St. Bonaventure’s Miraculous Responsory of St. Anthony
St. Bonaventure’s “Miraculous Responsory of St. Anthony”
If then you ask for miracles,
Death, error, all calamities,
The leprosy and demons fly,
And health succeeds infirmities.
The sea obeys, and fetters break,
And lifeless limbs thou dost restore,
Whilst treasures lost are found again,
When young and old thine aid implore.
All dangers vanish at thy prayer,
And direst need doth quickly flee;
Let those who know thy power proclaim,
Let Paduans say: “These are of thee.”
The sea obeys, and fetters break,
And lifeless limbs thou dost restore,
Whilst treasures lost are found again,
When young and old thine aid implore.
To Father, Son, may glory be,
And Holy Spirit eternally.
The sea obeys, and fetters break,
And lifeless limbs thou dost restore,
Whilst treasures lost are found again,
When young and old thine aid implore.
Pray for us, St. Anthony, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: O God! May the votive commemoration of St. Anthony, Thy Confessor and Doctor, be a source of joy to Thy Church, that she may always be fortified with spiritual assistance and may deserve to possess eternal joy. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.