Search This Blog

Friday, August 20, 2010

"The Secret of Sanctity and Happiness" - Cardinal Mercier

My sister sent me the email below several weeks ago and I've been meaning to post it. I love the idea of going down into the tabernacle of my soul to worship the Lord God who comes to me whenever I receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. Think of it. Everyone who attends daily Mass and receives Jesus worthily carries Him out into the world -- literally for the short time He is physically present in our bodies. We are a literal tabernacle and even a monstrance, showing Christ to the world. Let us listen to Him often so we will conform our wills more and more to His.

From my sister (Thanks, Carol):

Came across this prayer in an old Wanderer by Cardinal Mercier who was archbishop of Malines, Belgium from 1906 til 1926.Here in his own words is the daily spiritual exercise of Cardinal Mercier:

"I am going to reveal to you the secret of sanctity and happiness. Every day for five minutes control your imagination and close your eyes to the things of sense and your ears to all the noises of the world, in order to enter into yourself. Then, in the sanctity of your baptized soul(which is the Temple of the Holy Spirit), speak to that Divine Spirit, saying to Him: 'O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore you. Enlighten me,guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do. Give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that you desire of me and accept all that you permit to happen to me. Let me only know your WILL.'

"If you do this, your life will flow along happily,serenely, and full of consolation, even in the midst of trials. Grace will be proportioned to the trial, giving you strength to carry it, and you will arrive at the Gate of Paradise laden with merit. This submission to the Holy Spirit is the secret of sanctity."

Désiré-Joseph Cardinal Mercier

No comments:

Post a Comment