Excerpts From Prayer Books

[Nihil Obstat]

My great-aunt died a couple years ago, and I inherited her collection of prayer books and missals. I really enjoy flipping through them and seeing what sorts of prayers she might have been reading throughout her life. Some of the prayer books are quite old, and in some ways I feel more connected with the past when I read them.

Some of the prayers and passages really strike me for one reason or another. I am going to post a couple here, and if anyone enjoys that I will try to continue doing so for a while.

 

Please feel welcome to post your own too.

 

 

From: Women Before God:

 

Go and settle your argument with your brother.

 

It doesn't have to be open enmity. There are so many kinds of ill-feeling. In many cases the roots of the tension lie not so much in ill-will as in a mere difference of opinion. Differences of character are manifest in the most ordinary of trivialities. This we all know. But how seldom we ask ourselves what another might think of the matter in question!

We are slow to learn that the other likes her opinion too. Sometimes we are large-hearted, but most of the time there's a thorn in our thumb, Our pride keeps boring and we await the next opportunity to even the score. When both stick to their "rights" and each feels she is right, then we freeze against our better knowledge. An ice-cold atmosphere spreads very quickly, even among friends.

Perhaps we regret the whole thing. But who makes the first step toward reconciliation? Our pride revolts: "I haven't done anything wrong! Why should I take the first step?"

And the other thinks the same way. Yet every Sunday we attend the Sacrifice of the Mass; we both go to the same eucharistic table of the Lord; both of us desire to be renourished as members of the Mystical Body. Each of us believes we are reconciled with and united to HIm. And yet neither of us utters a word of reconciliation!

"Suppose, then, you are about to offer your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother holds something against you; leave your gift there before the altar and first go and settle your argument with your brother; and then come back to offer your gift."

...go first - break your pride. Don't think that you are too good to be humble. Do you think you are doing more with your word of reconciliation than your Lord who humbled Himself even to the death of the cross?

Go, then, and setting your argument and then come and share in Christ's repast of reconciliation.

 

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Lord,

if you came some Sunday into the church to send away from Mass all who refused to be reconciled, there would be many empty places in the church. You know your own, Lord, and see into the heart of each. You know what kind of lukewarm Christians we are when we make not your word, but our own word the standard of our lives. We are so slow to see this!

Lord, it is so difficult for me to grasp this truth. What all I would rather do than take the first step toward reconciliation! Give me courage to try. If I fail in the effort, do not let my heart grow bitter. GIve me your grace that I always seek the peaceful way, even when my pride revolts within me. Amen.

 

Edited January 6, 2014 by Nihil Obstat

[Nihil Obstat]

New Mission Book of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer


Considerations On Holy Communion

1. The Holy Eucharist is a most precious Gift.

It is, according to St. Augustine, a gift so excellent, that Jesus Christ, though He is all-powerful, cannot bestow on us a more precious gift. What greater treasure can we receive or desire than the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ? If our divine Redeemer had not bestowed this gift on us, who would dare think of such a gift? Who would venture to say to Jesus: Lord, if Thou wishest to convince us of Thy love, remain with us under the species of bread, and permit us to receive Thee as our food! The very thought of such a favor looks like madness. "Does it not look like foolishness," says St. Augustine, "for a God to say to His creatures- Eat My flesh and drink My blood?"
When our loving Redeemer first spoke of giving us His flesh to eat and His blood to drink, many of His hearers left Him, saying: "How can this man give us His flesh to eat? - This saying is hard, and who can hear it?" (John 6. 53, 61.) But what man could not imagine, the great love of Jesus Christ has invented and executed.
St. Bernardine says that our divine Savior has left us this Sacrament as a memorial of the love He has shown us in His passion. This is in accordance with the saying of Jesus Christ Himself: "Do this for a commemoration of Me." (Luke 22. 19.) Our Redeemer's love for us not only prompted Him to sacrifice His life for our salvation, but even constrained Him to bequeath to us the greatest gift in His power - His own divine self. In the Eucharist, according to the declaration of the council of Trent, Jesus Christ "has poured out all the riches of His love for man." In that Sacrament of love the Son of God gives us not only His body and blood, but also His soul and divinity. "He bestowed on us" says St. Thomas, "all that He has and all that He is." Now since the Lord gives Himself entirely to us in the Blessed Eucharist, how can we fear that He will refuse us the graces we ask of Him. "How hath He not also with Him given us all things?" (Rom. 8. 32.)
Prayer

O my Jesus, what has induced Thee to give Thyself entirely to me? After this gift, what more remains for Thee to give me? Ah, Lord! enlighten me and make me understand the excess of Thy love. Since Thou givest Thyself entirely to me, it is but just that I should give my whole being to Thee. O my loving Redeemer, how could I offend Thee, who lovest me so tenderly, who hast done so much to win my love? For my sake Thou didst become man and suffer death; Thou has even become my food. What more couldst Thou do for me? I love Thee, O infinite Goodness! I love Thee, O infinite Love! Lord, come often into my soul. Inflame my heart with Thy love. Grant that I may forget all things, and think only of Thee. O most holy Mary, pray for me. By the intercession, make me worthy to receive thy divine Son frequently in holy Communion. Amen.