Prayers
- Veni Creator Spiritus
[To see a booklet (PDF) with translations of this hymn to the Holy Spirit, click here
- Veni Creator Spiritus
Set always before thee the remembrance of the Crucified.
De Imitatione Christi
From the Autobiography of Saint Thérèse
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 cœur 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, in it was in my muff. It had become a custom with my aunt to open it at any page and ask 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 Primus
Cap. 25. De fervénti emendatióne tótius vitæ nostrae
Chapter XXV - Of the zealous amendment of our whole life
Bona exémpla sequére, mala vero fúgere
Follow good examples, flee bad ones
5. (...) Si quid autem reprehensíbile consideráveris, cave ne idem fácias, aut si aliquándo fecísti, cítius emendáre te stúdeas. Sicut óculus tuus álios consíderat, sic íterum ab áliis notáris. Quam jucúndum et dulce est vidére férvidos et devótos fratres bene morigerátos et disciplinátos. Quam triste est et grave vidére inordináte ambulántes, qui ea ad quæ vocáti sunt non exércent. Quam nocívum est neglígere vocatiónis suæ propósitum, et ad non comíssa sensum inclináre.
5. (...) where thou seest anything which is blameworthy, take heed that thou do not the same; or if at any time thou hast done it, strive quickly to amend thyself. As thine eye observeth others, so again are the eyes of others upon thee. How sweet and pleasant is it to see zealous and godly brethren temperate and of good discipline; and how sad it is to see them walking disorderly, not practising the duties to which they are called. How hurtful a thing it is to neglect the purpose of their calling, and turn their inclinations to things which are none of their business.
Stude Jesu Crucifíxo te conformáre
Study in order to conform thyself unto Jesus Crucified
6. Memor esto arrépti propósiti, et imáginem crucifíxi tibi propóne. Bene verecundári potes inspécta vita Jesu Christi, quia necdum magis illi te conformáre studuísti, licet diu in via Dei fuísti. Religiósus qui se inténte et devóte in sanctíssima vita et passióne Dómini exércet, ómnia utília et necessária sibi abundánter ibi invéniet. Nec opus est ut extra Jesum áliquid mélius quærat. O, si Jesus crucifíxus in cor nostrum veníret, quam cito et sufficiénter docti essémus.
6. Be mindful of the duties which thou hast undertaken, and set always before thee the remembrance of the Crucified. Truly oughtest thou to be ashamed as thou lookest upon the life of Jesus Christ, because thou hast not yet endeavoured to conform thyself more unto Him, though thou hast been a long time in the way of God. A religious man who exercises himself seriously and devoutly in the most holy life and passion of our Lord shall find there abundantly all things that are profitable and necessary for him, neither is there need that he shall seek anything better beyond Jesus. Oh! if Jesus crucified would come into our hearts, how quickly, and completely should we have learned all that we need to know!
Perfectiónis axiomáta quædam
Certain principles of perfection
11. (...) Homo férvidus et díligens ad omnia est parátus. Major labor est resístere vítiis et passiónibus, quam corporálibus insudáre labóribus. Qui parvos non vitat deféctus, paulátim lábitur ad majóra. Gaudébis semper véspere, si diem expéndas fructuóse. Vígila semper te ipsum, éxcita teípsum, ádmone teípsum, et quidquid de áliis sit, non négligas te ipsum. Tantum profícies, quantum tibi ipsi vim intúleris. Amen
11. (...)A fervent and diligent man is ready for all things. It is greater work to resist vices and passions than to sweat in physical toil. He who does not overcome small faults, shall fall little by little into greater ones. If you have spent the day profitably, you will always be happy at eventide. Watch over yourself, arouse yourself, warn yourself, and regardless of what becomes of others, do not neglect yourself. The more violence you do to yourself, the more progress you will make.
Notes on Latin vocab
aliquandō: adv. (alius and quandō), at some time; formerly, at length
arrepti: gen sing neut adj from arripiō, uī, reptus, 3, a.: to seize for one’s self; seize, lay hold upon; surprise, (fig.), hasten to, gain
axiomata: nom plur neut, from axĭōma, ătis, n., = ἀξίωμα, principle, axiom,
cave: 2nd pers sing imper at act, from caveō, cāvī, cautus, 2, n. and a.: to be on one’s guard; to beware, w. subst.
exercet: 3rd pers sing pres indic act from ex-ercĕo, ŭi, itum, 2, v. a. arceo, to drive on, keep busy, keep at work; to oversee, superintend; with an inanimate object, to work, work at, employ one's self about a thing
inordinate: adv from ĭn-ordĭnātus, a, um, adj., not arranged, disordered, irregular:
insudare; pres infin act from in-sūdo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n., to sweat in, on, or at any thing
intuleris: 2nd pers sing fut perf indic act, from īnferō, intulī, inlātus, ferre, irreg. a. Se, to betake one's self to, repair to, go into, enter, esp. with the accessory notion of haste and rapidity.
jucundus: nom sing neut adj : pleasing, agreeable, delightful
labitur: 3rd pers sing indic active (dep) , from lābor, lapsus sum, 3, dep. n.: to slide, glide down, or slip, freq.; fall down,
licet : (conj., as a concessive), though, albeit, although
morigeratos: acc plur masc, from past partic of mōrĭgĕrō, (16) āre, Pl. Amph. 981 et surtout mōrĭgĕror, ātus sum, ārī (mos, gero), condescendre à, être complaisant pour essayer de plaire à [avec dat.
necdum : (adv.), nor yet; and not yet,
nocivum: acc sing neut adj from nŏcīvus, a, um, adj. noceo, hurtful, injurious, noxious
notaris: 2nd pers sing pres indic passive, from notō, āvī, ātus, 1, a.: to mark; to observe, note, mark
opus: Opus est, it is needful, wanting; there is need of, use for, from ŏpus, ĕris, n. Sanscr. ap-as, work.
stude: 1st pers sing imp from studeō uī, —, ēre,to give attention, be eager, be zealous, take pains, be diligent, be busy with, be devoted, strive after, apply oneself, pursue, desire
verecundari: pres infin from vĕrēcundor, āri, v. dep. n. [verecundus], to feel bashful or ashamed, to be shy or diffident
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