Cephas Zone

The Twelve Months Sanctified by Prayer: November, Month of the Souls in Purgatory by M. L'ABBE A. RICARD, D.S.G. Translated from the French. 1877 November 10 REPARATION. . Prelude. . The blessed offer up their prayers and merits around the Throne of the Lamb, in expiation for sinners who offend the sovereign majesty of God. . Meditation. . Never at any other time has the need of reparation been greater than in the century in which we live. Monasteries are filled with voluntary victims, devotion to the Sacred Heart has developed fresh vigour, and every­where in the cloister, as in the world, holy souls feel that God asks them, above all, for expiation. Let us obey this inspiration of the Holy Spirit to His Church all the more willingly that we recognize bow much we ourselves stand in need of reparation. We have committed countless sins, and we have often offended, despised, and outraged a God of infinite majesty, goodness, and generosity; so that it is just that we should do all in our power to return what we have taken from Him, to repair the injury we have done Him, and to efface the stains of such shameful ingratitude. Now, the best method of acquitting ourselves of this duty towards God is to obtain the deliverance of several souls who will praise Him in eternal glory; and in fact, by so doing, we shall expiate all our offences, since in opening the gate of heaven to these souls, we give to God, through them, the same honour which the heavenly spirits pay Him. We bless, glorify, and thank Him with them, or rather, we put them in our place to bless, glorify, and thank Him. What a fortunate exchange ! Who would not profit by it? . Resolution. . Add some prayer or work of piety for the souls in purgatory, to our sacra­mental penance. . Aspiration. . " Make to yourselves friends in heaven." . EXAMPLE: THE TREASURE. . Blessed Mary of Quito, saw in spirit a table covered with gold, silver, diamonds, pearls, and all kinds of precious stones, standing in an open space, and she heard a voice at the same time saying, "This treasure is at the disposal of the whole world; let those who wish take some to help them." It was a figure of the immense treasure of indulgences always open by the Church for the benefit of the faithful If we wish then to profit by it, either for ourselves or for others, let us strive to gain indulgences, not forgetting to apply them to the souls in Purgatory, to whom they are so useful, and who eagerly expect them of our charity. (In. Vita: B. Maria de Quito.)