Saint Anthony Mary Claret
Council Father at Vatican I
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- Lights and Graces
Council Father at Vatican I 1869-1870 1. [The Arms of our Warfare] MSS Claret XIII, 499-500. Haec sunt arma militia nostrae2334: occidi, non occidere (Tertullian).2335 Christianus occidi potest, vinci non potest (St. Cyprian).2336 On those words of Christ: ecce ego mitto vos sicut oves inter lupos,2337 St. John Chrysostom says: Quandiu oves sumus vincimus. Si lupi efficimus, vincimur.2338
An unbeliever once told a priest: “Ah priest, if only you knew how much I hate you!” The priest replied: “And you, my friend, if only you knew how much I love you!” The unbeliever was converted. This happened in Paris, says Dupanloup.2340 St. Augustine remarked: Numquid christianus factus es ut in saeculo isto floreres?2341 Think on Christ, whose name you bear. Domine, vim patior, responde por me.2342 I desire that God be known, loved and served. I desire that nobody should offend Him. I desire to suffer labors, mockeries, slanders, persecutions, sorrows and afflictions for love of Jesus Christ and the salvation of souls. To dress poorly, to eat little and badly, for the love of Jesus Christ and the salvation of souls. To take a stance counter to that of the day. Worldlings seek honors; I will spurn them and seek dishonors. They seek pleasures; I will seek fasting, and voluntary as well as naturally occurring mortifications. They seek riches as a means; I will seek poverty and privations. Like St. John [the Baptist] and all those who are striving to... 2. Love for One’s Enemies2343 MSS Claret II, 279-280 Diligite inimicos vestros.2344 1. Jesus, hanging on the Cross, said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.2345 2. We should love God, and our neighbor as ourselves, for the love of God.2346 3. Vivo ego, iam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus.2347 Anyone who has the Spirit of Christ understands this precept [love of enemies] well and fulfills it. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ neither understands nor practices it.2348 Anyone who has the Spirit of Christ loves God, and from this same branch sprouts the love of his neighbor, whom he regards as the son of God, the image of God, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and destined for heaven.2349 4. He looks upon a hostile neighbor as a mother looks upon a drunken son, sick with delirium, who insults and strikes her. For all this, she never grows angry with him. She feels compassion for him and says: He doesn’t know what he’s doing. Like Jesus.2350 5. Anyone who has the Spirit of Christ regards his enemy as a divine instrument whereby the Lord wishes to purify him..., like a leech the Lord is applying to him. He regards him as someone who gives him work whereby he can earn merits. 6. He prays and works harder for those who persecute him than he does for the poor, the sick, etc. For the former are in a worse state: Qui non diligit manet in morte.2351 They are headed for eternal torment. They are drowning in the sea of perdition . Let us hasten to their relief (Rodríguez). Read St. Teresa, the Fifth Mansions, ch. 3.2352 The Spiritual Exercises Explained, Meditation 27, p. 351.2353 3. Learning the Art of Dying Well2354 MSS Claret II, 145-148. Statutum est hominibus semel mori (Heb 9:27).2355
Practice
4. List of Ages at Which Some Saints Died MSS Claret II, 149-150. Jesus Christ was scourged, crowned and crucified at……………33 years of age. St. Anthony of Padua died at…………………………..…………36 years of age.2366 St. Joseph suffered much during his last 6 years, and died at……60 years of age. St. Bernard, at…………………………………………………… 63 years of age.2367 Mary Most Holy, at……………………………………………… 70 years of age. St. Leonard, after 44 years of missions, at ……………………… 74 years of age.2368 St. Paul of the Cross, Missionary, at ……………………………..81 years of age.2369 St. Vincent de Paul, at…………………………………………… 85 years of age.2370 St. Liguori suffered greatly in his last years, and died at…………90 years of age.2371 Every day I am losing more of my memory, eyesight and agility: it seems to me that I won’t live much longer.2372 The Ven. [John of] Avila suffered from kidney stones, and was falsely reported to the Inquisition by wicked men.2373 The Ven. [Louis of] Granada had a hernia, gave credit to a deluded visionary, and in doing so injured his reputation badly.2374 A Monsignor gave credit to a deluded woman and had to leave the directorship of a Conservatory. Rome, 1869. St. Francis Borgia, at……………………………………………. 62 years of age.2375 St. Ignatius, at …………………………………………………... 65 years of age.2376 Let your desire be to see God; your fear, to lose him (St. Teresa).2377 St. John Gualbert (July 12th), died at…………………………… 78 years of age.2378 St. Bonaventure (July 14th), died at…………………………….. 53 years of age.2379 St. Camillus de Lellis (July 18th), died at …………………….. 65 years of age.2380 St. Jerome Emiliani (July 20th), died at……………………….. 56 years of age.2381 5. The consolation that Jesus Christ gave his disciples and gives to those who patiently suffer works and persecution because of their love for Him. 2382 Publicado en Claret, Antonio María, Las dos banderas (Barcelona 1870) cap. Published in Claret, Anthony Mary, Las dos banderas [The two standards] (Barcelona 1870) chap. IX, pp. IX, pp. 45-49: Escritos Pastorales, pp. 673-676. 45-49: Escritos Pastorales, pp. 673-676. Jesus Christ our Lord on the night of the last supper, to encourage his beloved apostles and disciples, and in them all of us, presented for their consideration many reasons and promises of great consolation. Pondremos aquí algunas: We will present here some of them: First reason: The example of what Jesus Christ Himself suffered. Remember, he told them, the words that I have said: No servant is greater or most privileged, than his master: if they persecuted me, they will persecute you.2383 Oh, blessed works suffered for the sake of Christ, and for which we are like Christ! I do not want, my Lord, privilege of exemption from works, since I am your servant, it is for me a great satisfaction to suffer the same fate as my Lord. Second: Because being persecuted is a sign and proof that I am not on the side of this failed world, and therefore belong to the sacred side of Jesus Christ and among His elect. If the world, the Divine Master said to his disciples, hates you, know that it has hated before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own, but because you are not of the world … therefore the world hates you.2384 Oh good Jesus! I want to be on your side and not that of the world, and if the world hates me and pursues me this makes me happy, because you will return for me, as a disciple who is persecuted for your cause. Third: Because these same works that I now suffer will soon become joy and happiness, according to what Jesus Christ Himself has said in this comparison2385: just as the woman in labor has pain and suffering but then is happy, the pain lasts a short time, but her joy a long time; her joy is so great that she no longer remembers her anguish, so will you be sad at my passion and death, but I will rise; you will have sufferings and work in preaching my law, in doing all that I have commanded you, because there will arise great temptations and persecutions against you, but all this will be occasion for great joy, that you will forget all your pains and sorrows past. -- Oh my soul, do not covet the joy of this world, which quickly fades, and then becomes very bitter and eternal tears! Choose rather sadness and sorrow for Christ, as these will soon become great and eternal joy; love the tribulations and persecutions, that later you will begin to find joy in them. Fourth: Because in heaven there are eternal mansions where Christ will prepare a place for those who suffered for love of Him.2386 Let not your hearts be troubled, he says; believe in God, believe also in m. In my Father’s house there are many rooms and when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also2387 to enjoy my company and my glory. - Oh my soul, do not grieve or be troubled in your works, because the dwelling of this world is but transitory, and Christ will come for you at the hour of death to reward you for what you have suffered in life with great joy in his eternal abode. Fifth: Because in the midst of the works of this life Jesus Christ comes and helps us and says to us: I will not leave you orphans and abandoned, I will come to you.2388 Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful, because I have said to you that I go and I will come to you. A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, you will see me; and your hearts shall rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 2389 Oh loving Father, never leave your children orphans, even when apparently you are absent from them, because you never are, for their sake; I wish not to be troubled by my work, pains and persecutions, because soon you will come to visit me and console me. Give me, Lord, that inner joy that neither demon nor world, nor any creature can take away, nor having this joy, any will be pleasing to me. Sixth: Because, although we are troubled, we are beloved by the Eternal Father. Did I not tell you, that I will pray to the Father for you? He told the apostles, know that the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father. 2390 As if he said: Do not be troubled, nor fearful, nor lose confidence and courage in the midst of the works that you will do for my sake, because they are pledges that my Father loves you, for the love that you show in suffering for me, and if the Father loves you, he will protect and comfort you, since a father so loving and powerful can not be remiss in comforting his children. Oh loving Father, I do not want any other comfort in this world, but to know that you love me! Because if you love me, I can want for nothing, because you do not know love and to abandon. Seventh: For the great pledges of trust that we have to be victorious against all enemies who persecute us. In the world, he says, you have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.2391 That is, I triumphed over Lucifer, prince of this world, and prevailed over the fierceness of work and persecution, and overcame sin and death, and by virtue of my victory you can be sure that you will prevail, because I triumphed for you, and I am in you struggling to overcome. - I give you thanks, eternal Father, for the victory that you give us in your son Jesus Christ,2392 for it is your victory and glory, I do not want to doubt or disbelieve that I can reach the same. Glory be to the Father, glory be to the Son, glory be to the Holy Spirit. Glory be to Mary Most Holy conceived without sin and crowned with glory in the happiness of heaven. Amen, Amen, Amen. 6. [Into thy hands I commend my spirit]2393 MSS Claret II, 155. Jesus has given me all that he had, and has suffered all he could for me. His divinity helped him lengthen his life, in order to suffer more than he would naturally have been able to suffer. 1. The first act of the Heart of Jesus during his life, and his last act as well, was a total commitment to the will of the Father, to do or suffer whatever He willed...2394 2. During his lifetime, Jesus said: My duty is to be occupied with carrying out my Father’s plans: In iis quae Patris mei sunt oportet me esse.2395 3. At the end of his life, he said: Into thy hands I commend my spirit.2396 With the Lord’s help and grace, this beginning, middle and end will be imitated by me.
Lights and Graces Introduction Manuscripts of Lights and Graces Gathered under the heading of “Lights and Graces” are a number of brief notes by Saint Anthony Mary Claret on some of the extraordinary heavenly interventions he experienced in his spiritual life and in his apostolate. These notes, written in different years on papers of different sizes, were bound as a part of the notebook containing the Saint’s Retreat Resolutions and Spiritual Notes. Some of them were written prior to the Autobiography, and were used by the Saint in drafting of chapter 18 of the Third Part. Others were written later. Fr. Claret began writing these notes in 1855. On September 2, 1855, he had his first enlightenment concerning his mission under the mysterious symbol of the Angel of the Apocalypse.2397 His confessor, Fr. Palladio Currius, wishing to form an exact notion of the scope of this illumination, obliged the Saint to consign all his extraordinary phenomena to writing.2398 Obeying this order, and later Fr. Xifré’s order to write the Autobiography, the Saint began jotting down his Lights and Graces, and continued to do so until the year of his death. But when he writes them, he does so quite sparingly, without adding any psychological descriptions or details. He writes quickly, as if he grudged losing the time he needed for preaching, hearing confessions, praying, etc. An Overview The Lights and Graces were extraordinary heavenly favors granted to Claret in order to equip him for the mission God had entrusted to him. In the Retreat Resolutions and Spiritual Notes, we glimpse the efforts of a man striving to correspond to God’s grace. Here, in contrast, we see God at work, taking the initiative, giving the increase and bringing it to perfection. Claret recognized the workings of this wonderfully coordinating and harmonizing action of God on his soul even in his youth: “My God, how good and wonderful you have been to me! You surely used strange means to uproot me from the world!”2399 To make it easier to study and appreciate the work of God in this great soul, we had to impose some order on these Lights and Graces. We have presented them in chronological order, as they appear in the Notebook, but we have chosen to preface them with an overview by grouping them around one of Claret’s fundamental ideas: Christ, the Head and Model of Missionaries.2400 From Christ his Head, he received the impulse and effectiveness of his apostolic action. From Christ his Model, he drew the norm for his life and activities. Christ was his Model in two ways: as Master or Teacher, and as Redeemer.2401 As Teacher, Christ taught more by his example than by his word; as Redeemer, he even gave his life for the salvation of human- kind. Since Christ is the Head of the apostles, Claret the apostle had to be an instrument closely united and docile to Him.2402 Since Christ was his Model, Claret had to conform his life and apostolic action to the life and action of this divine original. Since Christ was his Teacher, Claret first had to teach by the example of his life, and then by the witness of his doctrine.2403 Since Christ was his Redeemer, Claret, too, had to submit to death and crucifixion for the glory of the Father and the salvation of his neighbor.2404 With this in mind, we can divide Lights and Graces under the following three headings: 1. Graces of union with Christ his Head. 2. Graces of docility. 3. Graces of conformity with Christ, his Teacher and Redeemer. 1. Graces of union with Christ his Head. Under this heading we may group: a) an extraordinary awareness of Christ’s sending him (March 21, 1859); b) a desire to be united with Christ by love (April 27, 1859); c) the grace of conserving the sacramental species within him (August 26, 1861); d) conformity with Christ, the loving Son of the Father (July 16, 1863); e) the promise that his union with Christ would be indissoluble (September 20, 1866); f) the awareness of the “Vivo autem, iam non ego” (October 12, 1869). 2. Graces of Docility to the Action of Christ, Head of Apostles. St. Anthony Mary Claret wanted to be a docile instrument of Christ. Since Claret was a human, rational and free instrument, Christ gave him graces that enlightened him on his apostolic ideal. Thus, the insight he received under the symbol of the Angel of the Apocalypse (September 23, 1859), illumined both his mission as “angel” of the Church in Spain and his role as the founder of religious Congregations. Also related to his role as founder was the grace he received on Ascension Thursday, 1870. Other Lights in this vein: on the way to act as an instrument (1859); on spreading devotion to the Rosary like St. Dominic (1858) and Bl. Alan of Rupe (1862); on his mission at Court (August 27, 1867); on the evils he had to confront (August 27, 1861); on prayer as a means of the apostolate (August 1870). In this group we might also include certain Graces directed mainly to his will in order to regulate his apostolic mission: some of them to spur him on, others to hold him back, others to specify the apostolic means or field he should stress, and still others to console him or to approve something he had done. Thus, in order to clarify the proper field for his apostolate, he was told: to withdraw from Cuba (1856), to remain in Madrid (December 21, 1858), to preach in Italy (April 7, 1861). In order to regulate and purify his action: “You’ll be working soon enough” (1857, 1861, 1862). In order to sustain or encourage him: in his undertaking at El Escorial (November 22, 1860, January 4, 1867). In order to indicate the means he should use: writing books (December 21, 1858, December 4, 1867), spiritual direction (December 21, 1858), to publish The Well-Instructed Seminarian (January 2, 1860), to promote the rosary (December 16, 1867, January 23 and 25, 1868), to use his savings to propagate good books (1864) to foster piety (September 6, 1869). In order to show approval for his work: his Pastoral Letter on the Immaculate Conception (1855), The Well-Instructed Seminarian (April 7, 1860, May 30, 1861), his leaflet on the Passion (March 2, 1861), his leaflet on fasting (1862). Interventions safeguarding his life (October 15, 1859, June 22, 1868). 3. Graces Conforming him with Christ, his Teacher and Redeemer. Conformity with Christ, his Teacher: call to repentance and vigilance (October 9, 1858); to more prayer (December 21, 1858); to humility, under the image of the trodden earth (January 6, 1859), with a sense of his own ingratitude (September 20, 1866) and with a fear of vanity, or, as he calls it, “spiritual lust” (October 15, 1869). Conformity with Christ, his Redeemer: love of persecutions (November 25, 1858), of great persecutions (April 25, 1859); mortification (September 4, 1859); a reproof (November 25, 1863); desires for martyrdom (April 25, 1860 and June 22, 1868); suffering in silence (1864); love for enemies (October 12, 1869); abandonment (August 11, 1870). This overview would be incomplete if we did not mention another fundamental idea. The idea of Christ the Head is closely linked with that of Mary, Mother of the Total Christ. This idea, which figured prominently in the Saint’s ordinary spiritual life, is also manifest in the extraordinary favors he received. Out of some 80 extraordinary favors, about 20 are from the Blessed Virgin. She – faithful to her mission as his Mother, Teacher, Directress and “Captain” – intervened in forming him and pointing him toward new fields of the apostolate and toward more effective means for fulfilling it. Other Graces. In the records of the various Processes for his Beatification and Canonization, other extraordinary graces not mentioned in Lights and Graces are testified to.2405 Since we have no written record of them from the Saint himself, it is likely that he did not mention them because they did not fall within the scope of the norms laid down by his spiritual directors. They are mainly paramystical phenomena and so-called gratiae gratis datae. Both were aimed at making his ministry more effective, either by raising people’s esteem for him as an apostle or by facilitating the work of his ministry. These graces, too, may be classified into the three groups mentioned in our overview above, namely, graces of union, docility and conformity. Among the graces of union, we may group various ecstasies and visions. It is not easy to arrive at any exact count of them.2406 “Many times he appeared to be rapt in ecstasy, to the wonderment of those present. At other times he was seen to be lifted up from the ground.”2407 Among the visions ascribed to him, we would have to include an apparition of the Blessed Virgin, who showed himself to him on Christmas Eve and handed the Baby Jesus to him.2408 Again, we do not have any handwritten evidence of this from the Saint himself. Among the graces of docility to movements of the Holy Spirit with reference to his apostolic action, the Processes for his Beatification mention a vision of St. Michael showing him a world-wide panorama of the apostolate.2409 There were many instances of prophecy concerning national events, problems of the Church, and even about particular persons.2410 More noteworthy are in-stances of discernment of spirits, not only while he was hearing confessions, but also while he was preaching from the pulpit.2411 In connection with the Saint’s preaching of the message of salvation, witnesses speak of the extraordinary unction of his sermons and writings,2412 of the persuasive power of his word, and of the physical resistance shown during his tireless preaching.2413 Graces of conformity. In the Autobiography and other documents, the Saint speaks of the wounds of Christ that he bore in his own body, and on how they conformed him to the suffering Christ.2414 We might also point out other graces of conformity with the glorified Christ: supernatural rays surrounding him,2415 agility beyond the natural,2416 heavenly fragrance,2417 ability to work tirelessly without eating or sleeping,2418 and the uninterrupted exercise of the ministry for long periods of time.2419 Objectivity In closing, we would like to add a few words on the objectivity of these extraordinary phenomena. This is not meant as an apology of any sort – none is needed – but simply by way of offering a few suggestions to those interested in this aspect of the Saint’s life. Saint Anthony Mary Claret was neither self-deceived nor deceived by the devil. Witness to this are the fruits of personal holiness and the enhancement of the apostolate that these extraordinary favors produced in him. These good effects are almost the only things he comments on regarding the Lights and Graces he received from the Lord: “Desires to aspire to perfection.” “I must pray and confront all the evils of Spain.”2420 Another witness to the objectivity of these favors is the Saint’s balanced temperament,2421 which the martyred priest-psychologist, Fr. Joseph Puigdessens considered to be ideal. He adds, moreover, that Claret’s three dominant qualities – balance, activism and optimism – were highly opposed to illusion.2422 He was also safeguarded from illusion by his humility and self-control. He knew when to distrust himself, and asked for advice from all of his directors and confessors. In moments of serious decision, even when he felt inspired to work in a certain direction, he never proceeded without first submitting them to the judgment of others. A beautiful example of this – all the more striking, given his intense devotion to Mary – occurred during his ministry as Archbishop of Cuba. The Blessed Virgin plainly told him: “Anthony, withdraw.” The Saint wrote to Pius IX, explaining the situation he was in, the persecution he was undergoing and the attempt that had been made on his life. The Pope con-soled him, but counseled him to remain in his See, and Claret obeyed the Pope, disregarding the locution of the Blessed Virgin. Later, however, Providence caused him to leave the island at the command of Isabella II, who summoned him to Madrid to be her confessor. He followed this procedure not only in great decisions, but also in the thousand and one problems that arose from the boldness and multiplicity of his apostolic enterprises. His Correspondence most clearly demonstrates his constant recourse to counsel and prayer for the adequate solution to all his problems. The phenomenon of the conservation of the Eucharistic species within him, of which he speaks in his Autobiography (n. 694) and in Lights and Graces (1861), merits a study apart, which goes beyond the limits of this brief Introduction. Suffice it to say that it is a fact of historically indubitable objectivity, concerning which the reader is referred to the studies of others.2423 Finally, we should note that in dealing with these phenomena, especially visions and locutions, it is important to distinguish between the inner experience and its outward formulation. The later can differ considerably, according to the distinctive psychology of the individual receiving the experience. Thus St. Ignatius, on receiving an interior knowledge of the Trinity, formulated it outwardly by an analogy with the three tones that make up a musical chord.2424 Saint Anthony Mary Claret, in keeping with his active and outgoing temperament, frequently objectifies his inner experiences in the form of words and dialogue. Frequent, too, are formulations made up of quotations from the Bible, much of which the Saint had committed to memory.2425 Yüklə 5,08 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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