CALENDARIUM ROMANUM FORMA ORDINARIA

The heart’s most effective medicine is patience. According to the words of Solomon: “The gentle man is the physician of the heart.” (Prv 14:30 LXX) So true is this that it uproots not only all the vices of anger, sadness, acedia, vainglory and pride, but also that of wantonness along with them. For, as Solomon says: “In long-suffering is the patience of kings.” (Prv 25:15 LXX) Whoever is always meek and tranquil is not inflamed by the disturbance of anger, nor consumed by the anguish of acedia and sadness, nor distracted by the emptiness of vainglory, nor lifted up by the swelling of pride. For, “there is much peace for those who love the name of the Lord and for them there is no stumbling block.” (Ps 118:165 Vg) Therefore it is declared with good reason: “Better is the one who is patient than the one who is strong, and the one who restrains his anger than the one who captures a city.” (Prv 16:32 LXX) Until we deserve to acquire this firm and perpetual peace we shall inevitable be assailed by numerous attacks and frequently repeat this verse with groaning and tears: “I have become wretched and I am afflicted beyond measure. All the day I went about mournfully for my loins are filled with illusions.” (Ps 37:7-8 Vg) (…) Until a person arrives at this state of purity, he has to be trained frequently by these discrepancies until, confirmed by the grace of God in the purity he is seeking, he is worthy to say in truth: “I have waited, I have waited for the Lord, and he turned to me, he heard my plea. He drew me out of the pit of wretchedness and from the miry bog. He set my feet upon a rock and guided my steps.” (Ps 39:2-3 Vg.)

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team

It often happens that when a man is spending all his efforts on something, and it does not come about in the way or to the end that he wants, his mind falls into weariness and sadness, as if he reflected and said: “It is better for you to give up this enterprise which you have begun and worked on so long, and it has not yet come to an end, and to seek peace and quiet in your mind.” Then the soul ought to reply boldly, hungering for the honor of God and the salvation of souls, and deny personal consolation and say: “I will not avoid or flee from labor for I am not worthy of peace and quiet of mind. No, I wish to remain in that state which I have chosen and courageously give honor to God with my labor and with my labor for my neighbor.” Yet sometimes the devil, to make our enterprises weary us, when we feel little peace of mind will make a suggestion to us, saying in our mind: “I am doing more harm in this thing than I am deserving of good. So I would gladly run away from it, not on account of the labor but because I do not want to do harm.” Oh, dearest father, do not yield either to yourself or the devil, nor believe him when he puts such thoughts into your heart and mind, but embrace your labor with gladness and ardent desire and without any servile fear. Do not be afraid to do wrong in this, for wrong is shown to us in a disordered and perverse will. For when the will is not settled in God, then one does wrong. The time of the soul is not lost because it may be deprived of consolations and of saying its office and many psalms and cannot say them at the right time or place or with that peace of mind which it would itself wish. It is occupied solely for God. So it ought not to feel pain in its mind especially when it is laboring and working for the Bride of Christ. For in whatever way or concerning whatever matter we are laboring for her, it is so deserving and gives such pleasure to God that our intellect does not suffice to see or imagine it.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team