FOR PRIESTS WHO ARE PERSECUTED

FOR PRIESTS WHO ARE PERSECUTED
BAR

PRAYERS AND COUNSEL, PAGE 1: JESUS

Prayer

O My Lord and my God, my all! I know that Thou alone canst make me contented in this and in the next life. But I will not love Thee for my own contentment, I will love Thee only to content Thy heart. I wish this to be my peace, my only satisfaction during my whole life, to unite my will to Thy holy will, even should I have to suffer every pain in order to do this. Thou art my God, I am Thy creature. And what can I hope for greater than to please Thee, my Lord, my God, Who hast been so partial in Thy love towards me? Thou, O my Jesus! Hast left Heaven to live for the love of me----a poor and mortified life. I leave all to live only for the love of Thee, my most blessed Redeemer. I love Thee with my whole heart; if only Thou wilt give me the grace to love Thee, treat me as Thou pleasest.

O Mary, Mother of my God! Protect me and render me like to thee, not in thy glory, which I do not deserve, as thou dost, but in pleasing God, and obeying His holy will, as thou didst.

Prayer

Behold me in Thy presence, O my Jesus! Hidden in the Sacrament, Thou art the self-same Jesus Who for me didst sacrifice Thyself on the Cross. Thou art He Who lovest me so much, and Who hast therefore confined Thyself in this prison of love. Amongst so many, who have offended Thee less than I, and who have loved Thee better than I, Thou hast chosen me, in Thy goodness, to keep Thee company, having drawn me from the midst of this world, Thou hast destined me always to live united with Thee, and afterwards to have me nigh Thee to praise and to love Thee in Thine eternal kingdom. O Lord! I thank Thee. How have I deserved this happy lot? "I have chosen to be an abject in the house of my God, rather than dwell in the tabernacles of sinners." Happy indeed am I, O my Jesus! to have left the world; and it is my great desire to perform the vilest office in Thy service rather than dwell in the proudest royal palaces of men. Receive me, then, O Lord! To stay with Thee all my life long; do not chase me away, as I deserve. Be pleased to allow that, among the many good priests who serve Thee, I, though but a miserable sinner, may serve Thee also. Many years already have I lived far from what I was ordained for. But now that Thou hast enlightened me to know Thy will, and my own foolishness, I will not despair, remaining at Thy feet on the Cross, O my Jesus! Thou hast permitted this trial; hast thou ordained it? It is enough that Thy presence shall animate me to fight when I am tempted. The beauty of Thy tabernacle shall remind me of the obligation I am under to love Thee, and always to have recourse I to Thee in my combats against Hell. I will always keep near to Thee, that I may unite myself to Thee, and attach myself closer to Thee. I love Thee, O my God in this Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Thou, for the love of sinners, remainest always somewhere on the altar. I, for the love of Thee, will always remain in Thy sanctuary as much as I shall be able, or are permitted, for sinners and for love of Thee. There , cometh down from Heaven, Thou always lovest me enclosed within the Host, and here enclosed I will always love Thee, whether near or far. Always, then, O my Jesus, my love, my all! Shall we remain together,----in time in this sanctuary, or the abode of my poor heart, and during eternity, in Paradise. This is my hope, so may it be. Most holy Mary, obtain for me a greater love for the Most Holy Sacrament.

Adapted from prayers by St. Alphonsus in his book, PRAYER, THE GREAT MEANS OF SALVATION AND OF PERFECTION.

CONSIDERATION

St. Anthony the Abbot, who, after having devoted the whole night to prayer, complained in the morning that the sun arose so soon and obliged him to finish. And how many young virgins, how many seculars, even mechanics, make four, five, and six hours of mental prayer! Is this not a subject of confusion for us who are priests? Will they not have to judge us on the last day? Ah, priests of the Lord! let us not allow ourselves to be surpassed by others in the love for God, while as priests we are under greater obligations than others to love Him. Let us not lose any more time; who knows how many days are still left us to live? Let us love God, at least on account of the great desire and the firm will that He has of being loved by us who are His priests.

Prayer

O my God! it is then true that Thou wishest to be loved by me. And of what use will life be if I do not employ it entirely to love Thee, Who art my Lord and my God, my supreme and only good? I am not worthy to love Thee; but Thou art infinitely worthy of being loved; Thou hast all the qualities that render Thee amiable: Thou art beautiful, loving, beneficent, faithful; what dost Thou need more to be loved? There remains only one thing to be done: It is, that I love Thee. But why should I not love Thee, O my God! Why? what should I love if I do not love Thee? Outside of Thee, to whatever side I turn, I find nothing amiable; I see only creatures, earthly objects; I see
only smoke and misery. "O fire that dost always burn," I will say with St. Augustine, "inflame me!"

O God, Who art all afire with love, thoroughly inflame me, consume me with love for Thee!

HOME-----------CHRIST THE KING------------ROMAN MASS-----------PRAYER INDEX

www.catholictradition.org/Priests/priests10-3.htm