TRIDUUMB
1stPrelude.Imagine the scene of your first vows.
2ndPrelude.Ask light and grace to prepare for a fervent renovation.
POINTI.What did we do when we first took our vows?
We offered ourselves to God as a holocaust—with parents, home, possessions, prospects—body and soul—understanding and will,—to belong to God alone, to devote our entire life to His service and glory. If we had died then, what would have been our reward? Life everlasting (St.Matth.xix, 29). That reward is still due us; it cannot be forfeited or even diminished except by mortal sin. And if thus lost, it is regained by penance in its entirety. Thank the Lord warmly for such a treasure, ask grace to be ever faithful, and to profit by this triduum to increase your fervor.
POINTII.What has been our life ever since?The gradual consummation of the great sacrifice, the accomplishment of our spiritual martyrdom. Then we entered the prison, the exile; now we are leading the martyr’s life, dying the martyr’s death. If we do not find it hard, it is because grace supports us:“Facileequitat quem gratia Dei portat”, “He rides along with ease who is borne up by the grace of God,” says Thomas à Kempis. Still our life may be at times unsatisfactory; it is a martyr’s life, above the power of mere human nature, full of merit, doing honor to God, hated by the enemies of God, salutary to ourselves and to the neighbor. This life is never at a standstill, but ever moving onward and upward; therefore it is up-hill work. And because it is a combat against sensual inclinations, it has its alterations of successes and reverses; its progress heavenward is not represented by a straight but by a curved line. When it gets below a certain level, or tends downwards at all, we must beware.
Facilis descensus Averni, “The descent to Hell is easy.” This is the very reason for the need of such triduums as the present. Thank God, ask pardon, resolve.
POINTIII.Compare your former with your present dispositionsregarding your general spirit of fervor, your faithful observance of rules, even the most minute, your obedience, even of will and judgment, your earnestness in prayer, your self-distrust, your charity to the neighbor, your unworldliness, your zeal for souls, your patience. Above all avoid all wilful faults.
Colloquy.Ask earnestly for a thorough renovation of spirit, and offer your resolutions to the Lord.
MEDITATIONIIOn Renovation of the Vows
1stPrelude.Imagine God says to you: “My son, give me thy heart” (Prov.xxiii, 26).
2ndPrelude.Ask grace to do so most earnestly.
POINTI.Consider the origin of this renovation.
It was begun bySt.Ignatius and his first companions while they were students at Paris, where they met every year in the Church of Montmartre, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, the anniversary of their first vows, to quit all things and live for God alone. The practice was afterwards incorporated in the Constitution of our Society, and has been adopted by numerous religious Congregations. It has been found so productive of good results that it ought to encourage all to perform the same most fervently.
POINTII.What are the purposes of this renovation?
1. It confirms and reasserts the total dedication of ourselves to the service of God; as Holy Church invites her children, when they have attained the age of discretion, to renew by their own act the promises made in their name by their sponsors at Baptism. If any hindrance interfered with the validity of our first vows, the obstacle being now removed, the renovation of the vows gives them permanent force.
2. It may often be more meritorious than the first vows had been, since it is made after the hardships of the religious life have been experienced and are thereforemore fully realized than before. As the soldier who reenlists in an army shows more devotedness to its cause than he did by first joining the ranks of the army.
3. Since the vows act as a second Baptism, removing all sin and all punishment due to sin, and this precious effect is ascribed bySt.Thomas Aquinas to the perfect charity which the vows imply, the same results may naturally be expected whenever the vows are renewed with the same good will. And this same good will is most apt to be present at the semi-annual renovation of the vows.
4. As the religious vows entitle the soul to a rich supply of actual graces that it may be faithful to their observance, so the earnest renovation of the same secures a new supply of such Divine aid to advance steadily in the pursuit of sanctity.
5. Every act of virtue increases the measure of our eternal happiness, especially acts of heroic virtue; the loving renovation of the vows is sure to add each time a rich jewel to our heavenly crown. Taking the religious vows generously has always a touch of the heroic about it.
6. Each renovation of the vows strengthens our resolves, and clamps us more firmly to God. It often takes many a blow to drive in a nail and make it stick with firmness, so with our virtuous resolutions.
POINTIII.What are we expected to do during this triduum?
We must aim at a thorough renovation of the religious spirit; and for this purpose generous souls willdevise various means. But to a certain extent our Society undertakes to direct our efforts by describing certain definite practices, which must be faithfully used by all. They are clearly marked out in the Letter of Father Vincent Caraffa: 1. Avoiding all unnecessary intercourse with the outside world; 2. Observing a strict silence, even during the times of the ordinary recreations; 3. Half an hour’s reading daily of a practical spiritual book. 4. Making two earnest meditations daily, one of them before the Blessed Sacrament exposed; 5. Examining one’s spiritual progress for half an hour every day; 6. A general confession of the last six months; 7. A public self-accusation of faults in the refectory; 8. A clear account of conscience to the superior. If all this is observed and performed in the right spirit, much profit will result.
Colloquy.Offer good resolutions, and ask further light and grace to correct all faults.
1stPrelude.Imagine Christ says to you: “I have given you an example” (St.Johnxiii, 15).
2ndPrelude.Pray to understand this great truth and to imitate that glorious model.
POINTI.Consider that the men required by our vocation are to be like to Christ: “Whom God foreknew he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son” (Rom.viii,29). A parablewill explain this. A very rich man had an only son, a model of every virtue and adorned with every human accomplishment. He devoted a large portion of his fortune to educate a number of other boys that should be fit companions for that son as like to him as possible. Thus God is treating all His elect, and in particular the members of the Society of Jesus. That is the very purpose for whichSt.Ignatius was inspired to found our Society and to give us his Constitution. We are destined to be perfect images of Christ.
POINTII.Consider some special points of resemblance that the Lord requires of us.We must be: 1.Like Christ in our outward behavior, so that He may appear reflected or reproduced in each one of us. That is the purpose of our Rules of Modesty, to whichSt.Ignatius was taught by the Holy Ghost to attach more than usual importance. Do we observe them faithfully? If we do not, it is because we fail to realize fully the ideal of our founder, which was nothing less than the image of the Son of God.
2.Like Christ in our inner sentiments, in compliance with His own invitation: There is so much meaning in His words inviting us to this special manner of imitation: “Learn of me because I am meek and humble of heart” (St.Matth.xi, 29). These two virtues are so conspicuous in our Divine model.
Meeknessis emblemized by the gentlest of animals, the tender lamb; and Christ was figured in the Old Testament by the sacrifice of the lamb, and proclaimed in the New Testament bySt.John the Baptist with the words: “Behold the Lamb of God” (St.Johni, 29).This is not the characteristic virtue of a warrior, such asSt.Ignatius had been; but he had laid aside that garment of his youth and instead had put on Christ, asSt.Paul teaches us to do, saying:
“Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom.xiii, 14). We must do the same.Humilityis most conspicuous throughout the life of Christ; it must be the foundation of all our spiritual life: “He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant” (Phil.ii, 7).
3.Like Christ in our practical reason, taking God’s view of all things, in opposition to the views of the world. The whole outlook on life of a good religious is very different from the outlook of the worldling. Therefore the world hates us: “If you had been of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (St.Johnxv, 19). How can we acquire this unworldly spirit, which is the spirit of Christ? By meditation, spiritual reading, all manner of prayer, recollection, spiritual conversation, etc. Are we making earnest efforts on these lines? Do we avoid profane reading as far as our labors allow? Novels and newspapers are full of the spirit of the world, and so is unnecessary conversation with most seculars.
4.Like Christ in our wills, which should be ever intent on promoting the glory of God and ever zealous to procure the salvation of souls. Our zeal should cause us to labor hard, wherever an opportunity can be found to further the great purpose of our Society, the greater glory of God.
Colloquywith our dear Lord, asking for light and grace to make ourselves more like unto Himself.
1stPrelude.Realize the fact that Christ is present on the altar, and hear Him say: “Behold, I am with you all days” (St.Matth.xxviii, 20).
2ndPrelude.Ask for a lively faith in Christ’s presence in our midst, and a firm confidence in His loving assistance.
POINTI.In what sense is Christ present on the altar?
1st.Substantially, personally, body and soul, God and Man. Make a firm act of faith, adore Him, lovingly thank Him.
2nd.As our helper: “Come to me, all ye that labor and are burthened, and I will refresh you” (St.Matth.xi, 28). He will help us in attaining the purpose for which He has brought us to the Society, to perfect our souls and to save others; in particular to bless the work of this renovation of spirit. In Him we can do all things: “I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me” (Phil.iv, 13). Ask eagerly for a thorough renovation. Examine whether your visits are fervent enough.
POINTII.What treasure do we possess in the holy Mass?
No one but God could have conceived the blessinggranted to the faithful of being present in their successive generations at the mystical renovation of the sacrifice of the cross. There, before us, day after day, the same Redeemer of the world who made Himself the victim of expiation of our sins on Calvary, makes Himself a victim again in the same sacrifice, and offers Himself to His eternal Father, as truly as He did then, to obtain for those present in particular the graces they desire from His liberality. No prayer could be more powerful than the holy Mass. If only we duly enter into the spirit of it, a spirit of deep reverence, of eager supplication, of lively confidence, the daily Mass cannot fail to be for us a copious source of the choicest blessings. Whenever we find ourselves in some special need of God’s assistance, let us offer or hear Mass for that purpose. The result will not always be visible, but it will probably often be so, and it will always be very real.
How do we profit daily by this wondrous grace? It will be an important gain towards the renewing of spirit if we improve our manner of attendance at holy Mass.
POINTIII.What do we receive in Holy Communion?
We receive God Himself, no greater gift is possible. And we receive Him as our food; that is, coming to do for our soul what food does for the body, giving it strength and growth, and keeping it from corruption. Each worthy Communion increases in us sanctifying grace, gives us an additional supply of actual grace tolead holy lives, and, as the Council of Trent declares, it frees us from venial sins and preserves us from falling into mortal sins.
But the amount of grace received in Holy Communion depends in great part on our own dispositions. We can greatly increase it by making careful preparation for the reception of our Lord, by fervor at the moment of reception, reciting firm acts of faith in the Divine presence, humble acts of adoration, acts of ardent love and of eager desire and petitions for Divine graces. The time of thanksgiving after Holy Communion contains some of the most precious moments of the day. How do I profit by this golden opportunity to enrich my poor soul? Can I improve my ways in this respect? We read in the Life ofSt.Alphonsus Rodriguez written by a lay brother (pp.81, 82), that on All Saints’ Day, 1612, after he had received Holy Communion amid the Scholastics and Brothers of the community, Christ “showed him in a sensible manner His presence in the hearts of all those who had just received Him, so that he perceived the Saviour resplendent with glory whole and entire in each religious.” Thus Christ is really present in each of us during those precious moments. Can we not give Him a more loving and honorable reception than we often do?
Colloquywith our dear Lord, asking eagerly for light and grace, and laying before Him special resolutions and earnest supplications that we may improve.
MEDITATIONVThe Holy Ghost Sanctifies Us
1stPrelude.Listen to the words of Christ: “I will ask the Father and he shall give you another Paraclete” (St.Johnxiv, 16).
2ndPrelude.“Come, O Holy Ghost, replenish the hearts of Thy faithful.”
POINTI.It is a great consolation to us to remember that we are not expected to work out our perfection by our own power.
The Holy Ghost is to be the principal agent in this work of sanctification; forSt.Paul wrote: “The charity of God (and this is sanctity) is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us” (Rom.v, 5). See what He did in the Apostles, in the early Christians generally, what he has done in all the Saints, in the faithful throughout the ages, and in particular in religious, whom He has selected and separated from the world to make them masterpieces of holiness. Conceive eager desires of His gifts and a firm confidence in His assistance. Beg earnestly for His light and grace to advance in virtue.
POINTII.How does the Holy Ghost sanctify us?Not in a miraculous way, in which He sanctified the Apostles, but by a gradual process: 1. By the Sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance He has been working in our souls from our early infancy. Make earnest acts of thanksgiving, for these Divine graces already received. 2. By our spiritualexercises, our meditations, attendance at Mass, examinations of conscience, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, spiritual readings, vocal prayers of various kinds; during which the Spirit of God enlightens us, suggests holy resolutions, encourages and strengthens us to make generous sacrifices.
Thus we have gradually been formed, to some extent, into spiritual men. If we are not yet more spiritual, it is because we did not sufficiently comply with the inspirations of the Holy Ghost, but resisted His efforts to sanctify us further, like those to whomSt.Stephen said: “You always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so you do also” (Actsvii, 51). 3. The Spirit of God sanctifies us by assisting all our efforts to advance in virtue, aiding us to believe, to hope, to love God, to practise charity to the neighbor, humility, prudence, mortification, etc.
POINTIII.All this influence of the Holy Ghost requires our cooperation.The best teacher cannot make a scholar of a careless boy. Cardinal Manning in his Internal Mission of the Holy Ghost has a passage explaining this point very forcibly. He says: “No grace that God gives ever fails of its effect, except through our fault. The seed that falls upon the barren sand can bear no fruit; that which is cast upon the sea cannot cast a root; that which falls upon a mind which is like the troubled sea, or upon a heart which is like the barren sand, will bear no spiritual fruit. Nevertheless the grace of God in itself is always fruitful; it never fails of its effect unless we mar it. Are you then corresponding with the exuberant graceswhich God is always bestowing upon you?... Learn then to have a delicate conscience, to understand promptly, and to correspond, if you can, proportionately; not to receive great graces languidly, and squander one-half of them, and correspond faintly with the rest. Try with your whole soul and strength to rise up and to obey, when the grace of God calls you to any higher state or to any better action” (Pages 32 and 33). Yet, whatever our natural disposition may be, by the aid of the Holy Ghost we may become diligent and fervent in the pursuit of every virtue; for, asSt.Paul says: “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings” (Rom.viii,26). Let us carefully consider what we must improve on this occasion.
Colloquywith the Holy Ghost, the Sanctifier, begging for light and grace to advance rapidly in holiness.
1stPrelude.Imagine you behold the scene of the descent of the Holy Ghost on the Apostles, as narrated in Actsii, 1-4.
2ndPrelude.Ask for a liberal infusion of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost. We will consider the principal effects produced by the Holy Ghost in the soul as they are expressed in four verses of theVeni Creator.
POINTI.Accende lumen sensibus, “Enlighten our minds.” See what a change the Holy Ghostproduced in the minds of the Apostles. They had failed to understand the teaching of the Blessed Saviour. He had said to them: “Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be accomplished which were written by the prophets concerning the Son of man. For he shall be delivered to the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and scourged and spit upon. And after they have scourged him, they will put him to death, and the third day he shall rise again.” AndSt.Luke adds: “And they understood none of those things, and this word was hid from them, and they understood not the things that were said” (xviii, 31-34). And a little while before Christ’s ascension into Heaven the Apostles asked Him: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel?” (Actsi, 6). They were still so blinded that they only looked for earthly power. But the Holy Ghost came down upon them, and at once they understood all the meaning of Christ’s doctrine.
Ever since that day the same Divine Spirit has been teaching the Church, enlightening the minds of its members, enabling them, not only to give a mental assent to the doctrines proposed, but habitually to take God’s view of things. This is done by the faithful generally, even very simple souls, “Thou hast revealed them to little ones” (St.Lukex, 21). This should be done by us, religious, especially, and it should characterize our teaching and the tone of our conversations; while on the other hand, “The sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him and he cannot understand” (ICor.ii, 14).
POINTII.Infunde amorem cordibus, “Infuse Thy love into our hearts.” The Love of God is sanctity, and it is a gift of the Spirit of God. “The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given to us” (Rom.v, 5). It is the most precious of all gifts and, like every good gift, it is to be obtained by fervent and constant prayer. For “Every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights” (St.Jamesi, 17). We are especially encouraged to ask this gift from God, by the fact that Christ Himself assures us that the Lord loves to bestow this treasure on those who eagerly ask for it; for he says:
“How much more will your Father from heaven give the Good Spirit to them that ask him?” (St.Lukexi, 13). Pray for it fervently, on this occasion in particular.
POINTIII.Infirma nostri corporis virtute firmans perpeti, “Strengthen the weakness of our bodies with lasting power.” Give us the virtue of fortitude, an abiding willingness to do and to suffer whatever the service of God may require. This willingness is the test of our love for Him and the chief means of our sanctification. We exercise this willingness by patiently toiling along, suffering checks and contradictions, meeting with disappointments without being disheartened by them, enduring fatigue, pain, regret, shame, etc. We may meet all these trials in the sacred ministry, in the classroom, in humble labor, anywhere; and that not occasionally, but daily, hourly, yet without fretting or murmuring, but cheerfully, joyously, buoyantly,scarcely noticing them, but treating them as matters of course in a life of generous sacrifice.St.Augustine points out three degrees of patience. In the lowest degree are those who would rather endure their sufferings than commit sin to escape from them. Those are in the second degree who accept willingly what God sends, simply because God wills it. We ascend to the third degree when we desire to suffer that we may more closely resemble our suffering Lord. This is a special gift of the Holy Ghost, our third degree of humility.
Colloquy.Ask earnestly that the Divine Spirit may increase in you all these precious effects.