They have dug my hands and feet.

They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me.

They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.

"Just as the thought of fire does not warm the body, so faith without love does not actualize the light of spiritual knowledge in the soul."

+St Maximos the Confessor

The Third Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit

The Third Glorious Mystery: The Descent of the Holy Spirit

Be at peace.

Do not look forward in fear to the changes in life;
Rather look to them with full hope that as they arise,
God, whose very own you are, will lead you safely through all things.

And when you cannot stand it, God will carry you in His arms.
Do not fear what may happen tomorrow;
The same everlasting Father who cares for you today
Will take care of you then and every day.

He will either shield you from suffering,
Or give you unfailing strength to bear it.
Be at peace,
And put aside all anxious thoughts and imagination.

— St. Francis De Sales

♡

At the Day of Judgement we shall not be asked what we have read, but what we have done.

— The Imitation of Christ, Book I, ch. 3

“Acquire the habit of speaking to God as if you were alone with Him, familiarly and with confidence and love, as to the dearest and most loving of friends. Speak to Him often of your business, your plans, your troubles, your fears—of everything that concerns you. Converse with Him confidently and frankly; for God is not wont to speak to a soul that does not speak to Him."

-St. Alphonsus de Liguori

"Indeed however many trials and persecutions we undergo, they all contribute to our greater gain, so long as we bear them without offending the Lord, but rejoice that we are suffering for His sake. I do not bear them, however, as they should be borne, but most imperfectly."

- St Theresa of Avila

The Finding of the Boy Jesus in the Temple

The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph, having gone to Jerusalem to visit the Temple, took with them the child Jesus; but at the return they lost Him. For three days, then, they sought after Him with many sighs and tears and found Him at last in the Temple.

The Blessed Virgin never lost the grace of her Divine Son; she was only deprived of His sensible presence; and, nevertheless, she sought after Him with tears. How much greater reason has the sinner to search with tears for Jesus Christ when he has lost His grace! Whoever seeks for Him in this way will surely find Him.

In no other action can the Savior be considered more tender or more loving than in the institution of the Holy Eucharist; in which He, as it were, annihilates Himself and becomes food in order to penetrate our souls and to unite Himself to the hearts of His faithful servants. Thus we are united with that Lord on Whom the angels dare not fix their eyes and are made one flesh. What shepherd has ever fed His sheep with His own blood? Jesus, in the sacrament, nourishes us with His own blood and unites us to Himself.

Why become our food? Because He loved us ardently, and by making Himself our food, wished to unite Himself entirely to us and to make Himself one thing with us. Jesus Christ wished to perform the greatest of His miracles in order to satisfy His desire of remaining with us and of uniting in one our heart and His own most holy heart.

Wonderful is Your love, O Lord Jesus! You wished to incorporate us in such a manner with Yourself, that we should have one heart and one soul inseparably united to You.

The Transfiguration of the Lord

(A holy disdain for the pleasures of this passing world.)

Ravished with joy and delight, St. Peter exclaimed “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” That is, “Lord, let us remain here; let us never more depart from this place for the sight of Your beauty consoles us more than all the delights of the earth.”

The Lord wished to give His disciples a glimpse of the glory of Paradise, in order to animate them to labor for the Divine Honor. And so, brethren, let us labor during the remainder of our lives to gain heaven.

The 2nd Glorious Mystery: The Ascension

"Before Jesus Christ died for us, Paradise was closed against us. In His Ascension we see that Jesus has opened it for all those that love Him. What a pity that, after our Savior has suffered so much to obtain Paradise; this happy kingdom, so many foolish sinners should renounce it and give themselves up to hell for worthless pleasures...for a mere nothing! Let us beseech Mary to obtain for us the light to see clearly how miserable are the goods of this world, and how great the delights that God offers in the world to come to those that love Him."

With God the prayers of the saints are the prayers of his friends but the prayers of Mary are the prayers of his mother.