The Catholic Prayer Book and Manual of Meditations/Devotion of the Six Sundays
Devotion of the Six Sundays.
IN HONOUR OF ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA.
Which commences on the sixth Sunday preceding the 21st June, generally the second Sunday of May.
Prayer.
GLORIOUS Saint! my powerful protector at the throne of God, who so long and so bitterly bewailed the slightest faults, you see before you a criminal soul, which, though guilty of numberless and grievous sins, can with difficulty be brought to conceive the least sorrow for them. Obtain for me, I beseech you, some degree of that lively and profound contrition with which you were penetrated, and which alone can soften my hard and insensible heart. If I do not merit this singular favour, my divine Saviour has merited it for me, and he demands this compunction of me in satisfaction for my sins. Intercede with him for me, that the enormity of my crimes may be ever present to my mind, and my heart always penetrated with a sincere sorrow for them, to the end that I may live in the pleasing hope of having obtained that pardon which is granted only to repentance and compunction. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, says the Prophet, thou wilt never despise. ( Ps . 1.) Amen.
Prayer.
MOST mortified and most innocent Aloysius! I feel humbled, and stand confounded at the sight of the contrast between the innocence of your life and the guilt of mine. You treated your innocent body with the utmost rigour and severity; and I, though guilty of so many sins, seek every means to gratify the inordinate cravings of my rebellious flesh. Obtain for me, I beseech you, a holy hatred of myself, that I may courageously enter upon the narrow path of penance which leads to life. Suffer me not, most loving Patron, by pampering my flesh, and treating it with a shameful delicacy, to engage in the broad road that inevitably leads to perdition. May the Almighty, through your intercession, dart upon me one ray of heavenly light, by which I may be convinced that I have not a more dangerous enemy than myself, and that I must consider and treat myself as such, by labouring without ceasing to subdue my sinful inclinations, and to restrain my self-love. This, assisted by your protection, and animated by your example, I resolve to do. Amen.
Prayer.
GREAT Saint, whose angelical purity was never sullied with the slightest stain, and who during the whole course of your life were, by a singular favour of heaven, exempted from even the faintest attacks of the unclean spirit! I behold with admiration and respect this perfect innocence, whose lustre, out of the reach of the infectious breath of the devil, surpasses the whiteness of lilies. But I feel greatly humbled and confounded in the presence of a soul so pure and holy, having nothing to offer to your chaste looks but a soul defiled with so many sins: I now am sincerely sorry for them. You can, by your intercession, obtain the pardon of them. Be my protector and advocate with the Sovereign Judge; offer to Jesus Christ and to his holy Mother, my sighs and tears. Obtain for me from God a sincere chastity, that may not leave even the shadow of crime in my thoughts, my sentiments, and desires. Impress my heart with a decided horror for every kind of impurity, that I may not only detest it, but may also carefully shut up all the avenues by which it might seek to insinuate itself into my soul. This I am resolved to do, with the assistance of your protection, and of the patronage of the most holy Mother of God. May my heart become undefiled, that I may never be confounded. Amen.
Prayer.
O FAITHFUL servant of God, Aloysius, who have deigned to take me under your protection! how greatly must you be shocked at the pointed difference which you cannot but perceive between your dispositions and mine! Your soul was ever so pure, and so disengaged from the things of the earth, and mine is a slave to earthly sentiments, and longs only for the false goods of this world. You were always closely united with God; and, to my shame, I seek only to estrange myself from him. Alas! when I consider the frivolous goods which engross all the affections of my heart, I feel that I ought to be ashamed of my misery and weakness. You will doubtless tell me that I am so miserable and weak, only because I do not think of God. You will say to me what the Prophet Isaias said to the unfaithful Jews: “You have forgotten your Saviour, and you have not called to mind the God who is your strength and your support.” I must own that I justly merit this reproach; but I address myself with confidence to you, and beseech you to obtain for me some part of that divine grace which united you so closely with God. May the eternal truths ever force themselves, in a manner, upon my mind, and may my mind always remain fixed and absorbed in the contemplation of these great truths; and, instead of following the false lights of the spirit of the world, as I hitherto have done, may I allow myself to be guided only by the sincere light of the spirit of God, that thus the "word of God, may be a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths” Amen.
Prayer.
O GREAT and glorious Saint, who loved your neighbour even more than yourself! if it be true, as it most certainly is, that charity never fails, and though commenced in this world, receives its increase and perfection in heaven, may I not hope, that being now raised to that seat of glory, you will make me feel the effects of that tender and generous charity which you exercised during your mortal life, and that you will not refuse me a place in your heart. I have recourse to you with an humble confidence: be pleased to obtain for me from God, who is charity itself, some sparks of that divine fire with which your heart always glowed. I am a Christian, and to my shame I must own, that I do not love my neighbour as I ought. I do not love him in the manner that God wishes me to love him. I do not love him as much as God orders me to love him. I do not love him purely for God’s sake, but too often I allow my passions to regulate my conduct towards him. Employ your powerful mediation in assisting me to reform this habitual disorder which reigns in my affections. Teach me to sanctify all the actions of my life by a purity of intention, to the end that, like you, I may die the death of the just; and obtain for me those graces which may calm and comfort my sold at that awful moment of death, which will decide my doom, either for eternal happiness or eternal misery. Amen.
Prayer.
O HOLY youth! why have not I a heart as pure, as tender, and inflamed with the love of God as yours was? During your mortal life upon earth, you imitated that lively and ardent charity which animates the blessed spirits in heaven. This encourages me to apply to you, to obtain for me from the Almighty a thorough change of my heart. Yes; I make bold to present to you this frozen and insensible heart. Obtain for me some sparks of that divine fire which inflamed and consumed your soul. Teach me at length to know and to love my God, my sovereign, my only good. Alas! I see, and to my shame I own it, that I am deficient in my most essential duty, whilst I refuse to my God the love which I owe to him. I foolishly give my heart to vile and perishable creatures, and I do not love my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Father. I therefore conjure you, through that ardent love which you ever had for this divine Master, and which you wished you had the power to enkindle in every heart, to inspire me with sentiments far different from those which I have hitherto entertained. Exert your influence with our common Lord, to obtain for me the grace to live and to die in the love of my God: this is the greatest favour that I can expect from your powerful protection. Amen.
FEAST OF ST. ALOYSIUS.
Prayer .
ALLOW me, great Saint, to prostrate myself at the feet of the throne of glory to which the Lord has raised you in heaven. Allow me to congratulate with you on that unspeakable happiness which you now enjoy, and will enjoy for all eternity. Blessed be the most Holy Trinity, who has elevated you to so exalted a stationed has rewarded your innocence, your penance, and your charity with so magnificent a crown. You are now become the object of the eternal complacency of your bountiful Master. Be pleased to cast a favourable look upon your client. Under your protection I hope to obtain from the God of Mercies all those blessings of which I stand in need. Stretch forth your fostering hand upon a poor wretch who implores your assistance, that you may deal charitably with him, and may, shower down your blessings upon him. Let the first fruit of your protection be to obtain for me the grace to begin at length to lead a truly Christian life, and to surmount with courage every obstacle that the enemies of my salvation may throw in my way. May I conceive a firm resolution to walk in your footsteps, and like you to desire nothing but God and his holy grace. By these means I shall infallibly attain to the happiness of one day reigning with you in heaven. With what sentiments of gratitude shall I not then be impressed towards my beloved patron, for having assisted me by his example and prayers, to merit this never-ending felicity! This favour I expect from your powerful intercession. Amen.