FRANCISCAN BLESSED of the DAY__July 27 Blessed Mary Magdaline Martinengo came from a prominent family of Bresica, Italy. Even as a child she took special delight in the austerities of religious life. Despite many difficulties that confronted her, she joined the daughters of St. Clare when she was only 17 years of age. The young nun soon distinguished herself by her modesty, patience, and cheerful obedience. The hours prescribed for prayer and meditation, as well as the visits to our Lord in the tabernacle, were the most delightful hours of her day. Her sympathy for our suffering Savior was so deep that she was often found kneeling like one devoid of life. As novice mistress, and later as abbess, she guided the sisters to great sanctity by her admirable example and loving gentleness. The fame of her sanctity caused many lay persons to appeal to her for consolation and advice. On such occasions she manifested the special gifts God had given her to encourage disheartened souls, to reconcile such as were at variance with each other, and to bring sinners back to the path of duty. Not seldom she read the innermost thoughts of others and foretold future events. Exhausted by her labor and austerity more than by age, she died on July 27, 1737, in the 50th year of her saintly life. Pope Leo XIII beatified her. ON THANKSGIVING AFTER HOLY COMMUNION 1. Consider that it is proper to make thanksgiving after Communion, for in holy Communion we have been favored by a distinguished Visitor. The words which were written by the Evangelist then apply to us: This day is salvation come to this house (Luke 19:9). For this reason Blessed Mary Magdalen found it a trying duty to leave the house of God after holy Communion. -- What can you say of your thanksgiving? Let it not be said of you as it was of Judas: He, therefore, having received the morsel, went out immediately (John 13:30). 2. At this thanksgiving we should offer ourselves wholly to our Savior. After every holy Communion we should say: What shall I render to the Lord for all the things that He has rendered to me? (Psalm 115:3). Since God has sacrificed Himself entirely for our salvation, we should be willing to make a complete sacrifice of ourselves for His sake. Let us, therefore, consecrate to Him our hands and feet, our eyes and ears, our mind and our whole heart to be spent only in His service. That will please Him and draw down on us great blessings. -- Never forget to offer this oblation to your God. 3. Moreover, let us use this time of thanksgiving to offer our petitions to the Lord. St. Theresa says: The moments after holy Communion are the most precious moments of our life. Let us use them in placing our needs before our dear Lord. Let us above all use them, according to the example of Blessed Mary Magdalen, to pray for the conversion of sinners. -- At every holy Communion remember that a great privilege has been accorded you. PRAYER OF THE CHURCH O God, who hast given us in the virgin Mary Magdalen an example of innocence and mortification, grant that we may renounce all worldly desires and come to Thee by the way of truth and justice. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. from: The Franciscan Book of Saints, ed. by Marion Habig, ofm., © 1959 Franciscan Herald Press
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 21:24:03 +0000
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