VERBUM SERAPHICUM
PAX ET BONUM MARCH -- 2003 A. D. AVE MARIA
"If thou wilt be perfect, go,
sell what thou hast, and give to the poor,
. . . and come follow Me." Matthew 19:21
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O Mary, Mediatrix of every Grace, pray for us! The Sacred Power of the CrossThe Medicinal Fruit of This Power The Sacred Power of the Cross is a supernaturalizing power of wonderful proportions and dimensions. St. Peter the Apostle, the first Pope, explains this saying, "Christ therefore having suffering the flesh, be you also armed with the same thought: having suffered in the flesh, one has ceased from sins: now to live the rest of his time in the flesh, not according to the lusts of men, but according to will of God" [1 Pt. 4:1-2] Here the sense of "ceased" [desiit], is what St. Peter had written: pepautai, that is "paused from, refrained from"; not that one can no longer sin; but rather that in the very act of accepting suffering for God's sake, one is free and freed from sin. It is to this end, therefore, that the Sacred Power of the Cross is active in us during meritorious suffering, to liberate us from sin and to conform our life to the will of God. And thus this Sacred Power is a liberating power and a redeeming power and a sanctifying power and a power of Divine Charity. It is a liberating power since by its advent we are taken up, out of our sinful habits of living, into a holy manner of living. It is a redeeming power, because it disposes our soul to break with sin and vice and all which holds us under the influence of the Devil. It is a sanctifying power, because it induces us to choose a life conformable to our salvation. It is a power of Divine Charity, because it orders our life to the will of God, who is Love and whose Will is the Eternal Act of Love. The fruits of the Sacred Power of the Cross then conforms a soul to God, stepping it one |
more step to the eternal vision of God in Heaven. And since this Sacred Power can be accessed by a living faith, choosing humbly and in reparation for our sins, and out of a love of God for His own sake, suffering, especially corporal suffering, it follows that this Sacred Power is active and fruitful in the meritorious acceptance of penances and mortifications and all those sacrifices which are necessary and/or conducive to the works of mercy and the fulfillment of the duties of our state in life. How holy and blessed and blessing is the meritorious acceptance of penances and mortifications! It is the Sacred Power of the Cross, active in them, that makes them such apt tools of the spiritual life, of the religious life, in preparation for the worthy reception of the Sacraments, and in a worthy response to their reception. Penances and mortifications are apt tools for the spiritual life, because to live according to God, it is necessary to make reparation for the temporal punishment we have merited by our sins. When one receives the Sacrament of Penance worthily, one's eternal punishments are remitted and one's sins are forgiven; but not all temporal punishment is de facto remitted. Temporal punishments are remitted in proportion to the charity active in us after absolution. Except for those who have walked faithfully and heroically on the path of sanctification, or who receive a miraculous restoration and increase of charity at the moment of absolution, most of the temporal punishment due our sins remains after even a good confession. For this reason penances are most necessary out of justice. How blessed we would be, if like St. Francis, after many years of generously and humbly seeking penances and St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle! |
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VERBUM SERAPHICUM
PAX ET BONUM MARCH -- 2003 A. D. AVE MARIA
"If thou wilt be perfect, go,
sell what thou hast, and give to the poor,
. . . and come follow Me." Matthew 19:21
|
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us! mortifications, we were to hear the words he heard from Heaven: All punishment due your sins is remitted! Penances and mortifications are apt tools also of the religious life, since by vows a religious has promised sub gravi the quest for the life of perfection. And since one with much temporal punishments un-remitted is not perfect, religious vows oblige under pain of mortal sin, that the religious undertake penances and mortifications to obtain forgiveness of all the temporal punishment he is due. Penances and mortifications are an apt tool, too, in preparation for the worthy reception of the Sacraments. Since it is manifest that God is Infinite Justice, and that He bestows grace upon the faithful in the reception of the Sacraments in proportion to the extent to which He is pleased with their state of soul; it is indisputable that the more one approaches the Sacraments, having made worthy penance and done generous mortification, that God's Mercy and grace will abound in receiving them worthily. Finally, penances and mortifications are an apt tool in responding to the gracious mercy of God's graces and virtues and gifts given in the worthy reception of the Sacraments. True, it is necessary that we make a thanksgiving after receiving the Sacraments, by prayer afterwards; but it is also necessary that we make our gratitude evident in a more Christian life in the hours, days, and weeks |
following their reception. And this is not only from a life lived far from sin, but also one in which we more eagerly and more generously do penance for our past transgressions, make mortifications of our fallen nature, and apply ourselves to the fulfillment of our duties and the works of mercy. The Sacred Power of the Cross can be truly said, then, to transform suffering, willingly and rightly accepted, into a most powerful sacramental. It is often that we hear of the value of a Scapular, a Medallion, blessed palm, candles, or icons and holy cards. And these have all great value and power to aid our sanctification and salvation. However, a far more powerful sacramental is penance and mortification; indeed, while these other sacramentals are truly good and desirable, they are exterior to the faith, inasmuch as the essence of the Christian life does not require them; but the essence of the Christian life does require a life of penance and mortification, since, let us never forget, our Messiah, our Redeemer is not just Christ, but Christ Crucified! And what better way, short of suffering persecution or martyrdom, to walk in His footsteps, be His disciple, show him suitable gratitude, or worthy love, if not to voluntarily and, as said in the last issue, worthily accept suffering in our daily life, as the penances which we ought to do, and as the mortifications that we should so? Let us, hence, as St. Francis exhorts us, "do penance with the blessing of God!" Published by The Franciscan Archive |