Day 14 of 33 for Jesus through Mary

DEUXIÈME PÉRIODE : Trois semaines consacrées à se remplir de Jésus-Christ par la Sainte Vierge

Second period: Three weeks consecrated to absorbing Jesus Christ through the Blessed Virgin

Première semaine (Jours 13 à 19): Connaissance de soi

First week (days 13-19): Self-knowledge



Démarche : Prières, examens/réflexions, actes de renoncement à sa propre volonté, de repentir de ses fautes, de mépris de soi-même… le tout aux pieds de Marie. Car c’est d’elle que nous espérons la lumière dont nous avons besoins pour se connaître soi-même. Et c’est près d’elle que nous serons capable de mesurer l’abîme de nos misères sans désespérer (Et donc, non pas d’abord de me regarder, de me triturer, mais de me laisser regarder, de me mettre sous le regard aimant de Jésus et de Marie.).
Programme: Prayers, examinations, reflection, acts of renunciation of our own will, of contrition for our sins, of contempt of self... all performed at the feet of Mary, for it is from her that we hope for the light we need to know ourselves. It is close to her, that we shall be able to measure the abyss of our miseries without despairing. (And so, do not at the outset focus on yourself and rack yourself but allow Jesus and Mary to look upon you, place yourself under their loving gaze)

« Pendant la première semaine, dit saint L.-M. de Montfort, ils emploieront toutes leurs oraisons et actions de piété à demander la connaissance d’eux-mêmes, et la contrition de leurs péchés : et ils feront tout en esprit d’humilité ».
''During the first week,'' says saint L.-M. de Montfort, ''they will direct all their prayers and pious works towards seeking self-knowledge and sorrow for their sins; they will do all this in a spirit of humility.''

Durant cette semaine, nous regarderons moins l’opposition entre l’esprit de Jésus et le nôtre, que l’état misérable où le péché nous a réduit. D’autre part, la « Vraie dévotion » étant une voie facile, courte, sûre et parfaite pour arriver à l’union avec Notre-Seigneur, but de la vie chrétienne, nous devons savoir que nous n’entrerions pas sérieusement dans cette magnifique voie d’amour surnaturel, si nous n’étions fortement convaincus de notre misère et de notre impuissance. Or, comment y arriver sans la connaissance de nous-mêmes ?
During this period, we shall consider not so much the opposition that exists between the spirit of Jesus and our own, as the miserable to which our sins have reduced us. Moreover, the ''True Devotion'' being an easy, short, sure and perfect way to arrive at union with Our Lord, the aim of Christian life,  we should realize that we won't be able to enter seriously upon this wondous path of supernatural love unless we are firmly persuaded of our own wretchedness and helplessness. But how can we attain this without a knowledge of ourselves?

De Imitatione Christi

Depuis longtemps je me nourrissais de «la pure farine» contenue dans l'Imitation, c'était le seul livre qui me fît du bien, car je n'avais pas encore trouvé les trésors cachés dans l'Evangile. Je savais par coeur presque tous les chapitres de ma chère Imitation, ce petit livre ne me quittait jamais ; en été, je le portais dans ma poche, en hiver, dans mon manchon, aussi était-il devenu traditionnel ; chez ma Tante on s'en amusait beaucoup et l'ouvrant au hasard, on me faisait réciter le chapitre qui se trouvait devant les yeux.

For  a  long  time  I  nourished  my  spiritual  life  with  the  "fine  flour" contained  in  the Imitation  of  Christ. It  was  the  only  book  which  did  me good,  for  I  had  not  yet  discovered the  treasures  hidden  in  the  Holy  Gospels.  I knew by heart nearly every chapter in my beloved 'Imitation'. The little volume never left my side. In summer, I kept it in my pocket; in winter, it was in my muff. My aunt used to love turning to a page at random and asking me to recite by heart the chapter she had chanced upon.

From Chapter V of the Autobiography of a Soul, by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. See here on our sister blog and here for copies of her manuscripts.

Liber Tertius: De intérna consolatióne

THE THIRD BOOK - ON INWARD CONSOLATION 

Cap. 13. De obediéntia húmili súbditi, ad exémplum Jesu Christi

Chapter XIII - Of the obedience of one in lowly subjection after the example of Jesus Christ

DOMINUS. Victor eris per solam obediéntiam
The LORD: Thou wilt gain victory only through obedience

1. Fili, qui se subtráhere nítitur ab obediéntia, ipse se subtráhit a grátia et qui quærit habére priváta, amíttit commúnia. Qui non libénter, et sponte suo superióri se subdit: signum est quod caro sua nondum perfécte sibi obédit, sed sæpe recálcitrat et remúrmurat. Disce ergo celériter superióri tuo te submíttere, si carnem própriam optas subjugáre. Cítius namque exterior víncitur inimícus, si intérior homo non fúerit devastátus. Non est moléstior et pejor ánimæ hostis, quam tu ipse tibi, non bene concórdans spirítui. Opórtet omníno verum te assúmere tui ipsíus contémptum, si vis prævalére advérsus carnem, et sanguinem. Quia adhuc nimis inordináte te díligis, ídeo plene te resignáre aliórum voluntáti trépidas.
1. "My Son, he who striveth to withdraw himself from obedience, withdraweth himself also from grace, and he who seeketh private advantages, loseth those which are common unto all. If a man submit not freely and willingly to one set over him, it is a sign that his flesh is not yet perfectly subject to himself, but often resisteth and murmureth. Learn therefore quickly to submit thyself to him who is over thee, if thou seekest to bring thine own flesh into subjection. For the outward enemy is very quickly overcome if the inner man have not been laid low. There is no more grievous and deadly enemy to the soul than thou art to thyself, if thou art not led by the Spirit. Thou must altogether conceive contempt for thyself, if thou wilt prevail against flesh and blood. Because as yet thou inordinately lovest thyself, therefore thou shrinkest from yielding thyself to the will of others.''

Christus factus est pro nobis obédiens
Christ made Himself obedient for our sake

2. Sed quid magnum tu, qui pulvis es, et nihil, propter Deum te subdis hómini, quando eo Omnípotens et Altíssimus, qui cuncta creávi ex níhilo, me hómini propter te subjéci humíliter. Factus sum ómnium humíllimus, et infímus, ut étiam supérbiam mea humilitáte vínceres. Disce obtemperáre, pulvis, disce te humiliáre, terra et limus, et sub ómnium pédibus incurváre. Disce voluntátes tuas frángere, et ad omnem subjectiónem te dare.
2. "But what great thing is it that thou, who art dust and nothingness, yieldest thyself to man for God's sake, when I, the Almighty and the Most High, who created all things out of nothing, subjected Myself to man for thy sake? I became the most humble and despised of men, that by My humility thou mightest overcome thy pride. Learn to obey, O dust! Learn to humble thyself, O earth and clay, and to bow thyself beneath the feet of all. Learn to crush thy passions and to yield thyself in all subjection.''

Notes on Latin vocab

devastatus: nom nasc sing (particip), from dē-vasto, no perf., ātum, 1, v. a., to lay waste, devastate 

frangere: pres inf active, from frangō, frēgī, frāctus, 3, a.: to break, 1.104; crush, grind, 1.179; dishearten, discourage, 2.13; baffle; weaken, impair, ruin, destroy
infímus: infimus (infumus), a, um, lowest, last (= imus; but where the lowest of several objects is referred to, infimus is used. From īnferus, a, um: (adj.), below, lower; comp., īnferior, ius, lower; less distinguished, inferior.
limus: līmus, i, m. root lib-; Gr. λείβω, to pour; cf. Lat. lino; Gr. λίμνη, λιμήν, slime, mud, mire.
nititur: 3rd pers sing pres inic active (dep), from nītor, nīsus or nīxus sum, 3, dep. n.: to lean or rest upon. To strive, to exert one's self, make an effort, labor, endeavor
obtemperáre: ob-tempĕro (opt-), āvi, ātum, 1, v. a., to comply with, attend to, conform to, submit to, obey
omníno: omnīno, adv. omnis. In gen., altogether, wholly, entirely, utterly, at all
subdis: 2nd pers sing pres indic act, from subdō, didī, ditus, 3, a.: to put under; place or fasten under

Prayers for the first week

Litany of the Holy Ghost (pre-published as pre-published as a post on 16 November).
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Litany of Loreto): (pre-published as a post on 16 November).
Ave Maris Stella

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam