Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine)

When Elisha of old knew that his master, Elijah, was about to die, he asked him for the grace of a double portion of his spirit. However, this would be possible only if he were to witness the moment when Elijah was taken up from him (2Kgs 2,9-10)… This account was written for us, too. We should be vigilant and attentive to the work of salvation that is being accomplished within us, for the Holy Spirit constantly carries out this work in the most interior part of our being with wonderful subtlety and the delicacy of a wholly divine art. May his anointing, which teaches us all things, never be withdrawn from us without our knowing and may his coming never catch us unawares if we would not be deprived of the double portion for which Elisha asked. To the contrary, we should always be on the lookout, with hearts wide open to receive this generous blessing from the Lord. What are the dispositions in which the Spirit would like to find us? “Be like servants who await their master’s return from the wedding.” He will never return empty-handed from the heavenly table and all the joys with which it is laden. So we should be on the alert and keep watch at all times since we never know at what hour the Spirit will come, nor at what hour he will depart again. The Spirit comes and goes (Jn 3,8); if it is thanks to him that we stand erect, when he goes away again we inevitably fall, yet without being broken since the Lord holds us in his hand. And the Spirit never ceases to give play to this alternating presence and absence in those who are spiritual or, rather, in those who intend to become spiritual. That is why he visits them at dawn and then suddenly puts them to the test.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team

John did not live for himself alone, nor did he die for himself alone. How many there were, burdened with sin, who were led to conversion by his hard and austere life. How many who were strengthened to bear their own trials by his undeserved death. And what about us? From where does the opportunity come to offer faithful thanks to God today if not from the the remembrance of Saint John, put to death for righteousness’ sake, that is to say, for Christ?… Yes indeed, John the Baptist sacrificed his life with all his heart here below for love of Christ. He chose to despise the commands of a tyrant rather than those of God. His example teaches us that nothing should be dearer to us than the will of God. Pleasing other people is of little value, indeed, it often causes great harm… Therefore let us die to our sins and anxieties with all God’s friends, tread underfoot our misguided self-will and be careful to allow fervent love for Christ to grow within us.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team

Filling the world with light, being the salt and light— that was how our Lord described the mission of his disciples. To bring to the ends of the earth the good news of God’s love. All of us Christians should devote our life to doing this, in one way or another. I’ll go further than that. We have to yearn not to be alone. We have to encourage others to help in this divine task of bringing joy and peace to men’s hearts. As St Gregory the Great says: “Insofar as you progress, attract others to go along with you, desire to have companions on the road to the Lord.” But bear in mind that, as our Lord tells us in a parable, the sower of weeds came “while men slept” (Mt 13,25). We so easily allow ourselves to be carried away by the torpor of selfishness and superficiality, getting wrapped up in thousands of passing experiences, that we avoid coming to grips with the real meaning of the world and life. A bad thing that lethargy, which smothers man’s dignity and makes him a slave of sadness!… So we have to awaken the people who have fallen into the dangerous sleep our Lord mentioned. We must remind them that life is not something to play with — it is a divine treasure which must grow. We must also show the way to those who have good will and good desires, but don’t know how to put them into practice. Christ urges us (cf. 2Cor 5,14). Each one of us has to be not only an apostle, but an apostle of apostles, bringing others along, so that they in turn will encourage others to make Jesus Christ known to everyone.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team

Could God not have made the human person perfect right from the beginning? For God, who has always been identical with himself and who is not created, everything is possible. But because the existence of the created beings began after God’s, they are necessarily inferior to God who made them… Thus, since they are created, they are not perfect. When they have just been born, they are small children, and as small children, they are neither accustomed to nor have they had practice in perfect conduct… Thus, God could give perfection to the human person right from the beginning, but the human person was incapable of receiving this perfection, for he / she was only a small child. And that is why, in the last times when our Lord gathered up all things in him (Eph 1:10), he came to us, not in his power, but in such a way that we were able to see him. For he could have come to us in his inexpressible glory, but we were not yet able to bear the greatness of his glory… Although the Word of God was perfect, with humankind he became a small child, not for himself, but because of the state of childhood in which was humankind.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team

Today I take up my pen in the name of God, so that my words, imprinting themselves on the white paper, may give service in perpetual praise of God, the blessed author of my life, my soul, my heart. I would like the whole Universe, with all the planets, stars, and the countless sidereal systems, to be a vast smooth surface on which could be written the name of God. I would like my voice to be stronger than a thousand thunders, more powerful than the surge of the sea, more fearful than the eruption of volcanoes, only to say the name of God. I would like my heart to be as great as Heaven, pure as that of the angels, guileless as that of the dove (Mt 10,16), so that it could possess God. But as none of these grandiose dreams can be realized, satisfy yourself, Brother Rafael, with little, and you who are nothing, that very nothing must suffice… Why keep silent about it? Why hide it? Why not cry out to the whole world, and proclaim to the four winds the wonders of God? Why not say to everyone what they would like to hear: “You see what I am? You see what I was? You see my wretchedness dragged through the mire? No matter – marvel at it – in spite of everything, I have God. God is my friend!” God loves me so deeply that if the whole world understood this everyone would go mad and shout in sheer amazement. Still more, all that is but a little. God loves me so much that the angels themselves don’t understand it! (cf. 1Pt 1,12) How great is the mercy of God! To love me, to be my friend, my brother, my father, my master. To be God! And I to be what I am! Oh Jesus! I don’t have paper or pen. What can I say? How am I not to go mad!

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team