Tuesday in Whitsun Week
Plus Day 11 of the Tredicina to St Anthony of Padua
The Gift of Knowledge
Detached from evil by the fear of the Lord, and ennobled with holy love by the gift of Godliness—the soul feels the want ot knowing how she is to avoid what she is to fear, an dhow to find what she must love. The Holy Ghost comes to her assistance and brings her what she needs, by infusing into her the Gift of Knowledge. By means of this precious gift, truth is made evident to her; she knows what God asks of her and what he condemns, she knows what to seek and what to shun. Without this holy Knowledge, we are in danger of going astray, because of the frequent darkness which, more or less, clouds our understanding. This darkness arises, in the first place, from our own nature, that bears upon itself the but too visible proofs of the Fall. It is added to by the false maxims and judgments of the World, which so often warp even those whose upright minds seemed to make them safe. And lastly, the action of Satan, who is the Prince of darkness, has this for one of its chief aims—to obscure our mind, or to mislead it by false lights.
The Light of our soul is Faith, which was infused into us at our Baptism. By the Gift of Knowledge, the Holy Ghost empowers our Faith to elicit rays of light, strong enough to dispel all darkness. Doubts are then cleared up, error is exposed and put to flight, truth became upon us in all its beauty. Everything is viewed in its true light—the light of Faith. We see how false are the principles which sway the world, which ruin so many souls, and of which we ourselves were once perhaps victims.
The gift of Knowledge reveals to us the end which God had in creation, and out of which creatures can never find either happiness or rest. It teaches us what use we are to make of creatures, for they were not given us to be a hindrance, but a help whereby to reach our God. The secret of life thus possessed, we walk on in safety, we halt not, and we are resolved to shun every path which would not lead us to our end.
The Apostle had this Gift in view when speaking to the converts of Ephesus, he said: Ye were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord: walk then as Children of the Light. Hence comes that unhesitatingness, that confidence, of the Christian Life. There may be a want of experience now and then; so much so, indeed, that the little world around talks feelingly about the indiscretions and scandals which are almost sure to arise; but they forget that there is the Gift of Knowledge, of which the Sacred Scripture thus speaks: She conducted the just through the right ways, and gave them the Knowledge of holy things, or as some render it, the Science of the Saints. We have daily proofs of this truth: a Christian, by means of supernatural light, is found to escape every danger; he has no experience of his own, but he has the experience of God.
We give thee thanks, O Holy Paraclete! for this thy gift of light, which thou so lovingly maintainest within us! Oh! never permit us to seek any other. It alone is sufficient; without it, there is nought but darkness. Preserve us from those sad inconsistencies, of which so many are guilty, who follow thy guidance today, and the maxims of the world tomorrow;—wretched double dealing, which displeases thee, and does not please the world! Make us love that Knowledge which thou gavest us in order to our Salvation. The enemy of our souls is jealous of our having such a Gift, and is ever studying to make us exchange it for his lying principles. O Divine Spirit! suffer not his treachery to triumph. Be thou ever within us, aiding us to distinguish truth from falsity, and right from wrong. May our Eye be single and simple, as our Jesus bids it be; that so our Body, that is, the Body of our actions, desires and thoughts, may be lightsome; and preserve us from that evil Eye, which makes the whole Body to be Darkness.
— 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.
Eleventh Day
O glorious Saint! By thy prayers, thy zeal, and thy heavenly wisdom thou didst convert thousands of heretics and hardened sinners; we beseech thee, obtain for us the grace of true conversion, that we may give ourselves entirely to God.
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.