16 September 2009

Preparation for Death

Preparation for Death

by Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori

(This undoubtedly one of the greatest books ever written in the history of mankind)

Part I
Part III
Part IV


Part II is missing.

15 September 2009

Pope Saint Pius V


This volume Dr. Ludwig Pastor's "History of the Popes". This entire volume is dedicated to analyzing the life and reign of Pope Saint Pius V. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in this saint for his tremendous political and religious influence, but mostly because he is a model of sanctity and courage.

History of the Popes Volume XVII

01 September 2009

The Maxims and Sayings of Saint Philip Neri

SEPTEMBER.

1. Persons who live in the world should persevere in coming to church to hear sermons, and remember to read spiritual books, especially the Lives of the Saints.

2. When temptation comes, a man should remember the sweetnesses he has had in prayer at other times, and he will thus easily master the temptation.

3. The fervour of spirituality is usually very great in the beginning, but afterwards, the Lord fingit se longius ire, makes as though He would go farther: in such a case we must stand firm and not be disturbed, because God is then withdrawing His most holy Hand of sweetnesses, to see if we are strong; and then, if we resist and overcome those tribulations and temptations, the sweetnesses and heavenly consolations return.

4. We ought to apply ourselves to the acquisition of virtue, because in the end the whole terminates in greater sweetnesses than before, and the Lord gives us back all our favours and consolations doubled.

5. It is easy to infuse a most fervent devotion into others, even in a short time; but the great matter is - to persevere.

6. He who continues in anger, strife, and a bitter spirit, has a taste of the air of hell.

7. To obtain the protection of our Blessed Lady in our most urgent wants, it is very useful to say sixty-three times, after the fashion of a Rosary, “Virgin Mary, Mother of God, pray to Jesus for me.”

8. When we make this prayer to our Blessed Lady, we give her every possible praise in the least possible compass, because we call her by her name of MARY, and give her those two great titles of Virgin, and Mother of God, and then name JESUS, the fruit of her most pure womb.

9. The things of this world do not remain constantly with us, for if we do not leave them before we actually die, in death at least we all infallibly depart as empty-handed as we came.

10. To pray well requires the whole man.

11. The discipline and other like things ought not to be practised without the leave of our confessor; he who does it of his own mind, will either hurt his constitution or become proud, fancying to himself that he has done some great thing.

12. God takes especial delight in the humility of a man who believes that he has not yet begun to do any good.

13. Before going to confession or taking counsel with our director, it will be very useful to pray for a sincere good will to become a really holy man.

14. He who runs away from one cross, will meet a bigger one on his road.

15. Christ died for sinners; we must take heart, therefore, and hope that Paradise will be ours, provided only we repent of our sins, and do good.

16. Never let a sick man set himself to reason with the devil, otherwise he will inevitably be taken in; let him appeal to his ghostly father, of whom the devil stands in mortal fear.

17. He who serves God must do the best he can not to receive the reward of his labours in this world.

18. In giving alms to the poor we must act as good ministers of the Providence of God.

19. He who feels that the vice of avarice has got hold of him, should not wish to observe fasts of supererogation, but to give alms.

20. Perfection cannot be attained without the greatest toil.

21. As soon as we are stripped of the sordid garb of avarice, we shall be clothed with the royal and imperial vest of the opposite virtue, liberality.

22. Even in the midst of the crowd we can be going on to perfection.

23. Not everything which is better in itself is better for each man in particular.

24. Be devout to the Madonna, keep yourself from sin, and God will deliver you from your evils.

25. If we wish to keep peace with our neighbours, we should never remind any one of his natural defects.

26. We must sometimes bear with little defects in others, as we have against our own will to bear with natural defects in ourselves.

27. Men of rank ought to dress like their equals, and be accompanied by servants, as their state requires, but modesty should go along with it all.

28. We should not be quick at correcting others, but rather to think of ourselves first.

29. Let us think, if we only got to heaven, what a sweet and easy thing it will be there to be always saying with the angels and the saints, Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus.

30. The best way to prepare for death is to spend every day of life as though it were the last.