Subj : October 6th - St. Bruno To : All From : rich Date : Fri Oct 05 2018 08:40:16 From: rich October 6th - St. Bruno, Founder of the Carthusian Order (by Father Francis Xavier Weninger, 1876) Bruno, the celebrated founder of the Carthusian Order, was born at Cologne on the Rhine, of noble and virtuous parents, and was by them very piously educated. He was sent in his youth to Paris, where he progressed so much in all branches of learning, that he was made Doctor of Divinity, and was soon after raised to the dignity of canon at Rheims. A most horrible event took place at Paris before he left the city. A Doctor, who had always been considered very learned and at the same time very pious, died. His death seemed a very happy one, as it followed soon after his having received the holy Sacraments. But when the corpse was brought to the church, for the funeral ceremonies and the usual prayers, behold! the dead man arose during the Office of the Dead, to the great horror of all present, and cried, with a terrible voice: " The Justice of God has accused me! "On the second day, when the clergy had reached the same lesson in the Office, the body again moved, and cried in the same fearful tones: "The Justice of God has rejected me!" On the third day, the same happened : the dead sitting up, cried with a still more awful voice: "The Justice of God has condemned me!" The feelings of all present may easily be imagined. There was not one among them who did not turn pale, and all left the Church in fear and trembling. Bruno, with six of his friends, was present at this sad event, and his heart was deeply touched by divine grace. He was so much affected by this terrible judgment of the Almighty, that he resolved, from that hour, to retire from the world and work most earnestly at the salvation of his soul, that he might one day be able to justify himself before the throne of God.... See more at: http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com <><><><> Practical Considerations I. A great and celebrated Doctor, who, to all appearance, had lived piously, died after receiving the holy Sacraments; but was condemned. Truly a terrible event! He had either received the holy Sacraments unworthily, or had afterwards committed a mortal sin and died in it. Those who have received the sacraments do not always die happy. Not all who confess and partake of the blessed Eucharist before their end, save their souls. Many confess and receive holy Communion on their death-bed and yet are condemned. Among them are, first, those who, when in health have often received the holy Sacraments unworthily, either by wilfully concealing a mortal sin in confession, or by not repenting of their misdeeds, or by not having the firm purpose, not only of avoiding all sin but also all occasion of sin; and who, in this state, dare to partake of holy Communion. The shame which keeps them from rightly confessing their sins in health, is with many, much greater at the hour of death than it was before. The Evil One makes them believe that their sickness is not dangerous, and that they will be better able to confess this sin when they are well again; or that it is impossible to repent all their former unworthy confessions. Hence it happens, that as, in health, they made bad confessions and unworthy communions, so in sickness, they do the same. Secondly, those who have lived a long time in great hatred, not forgiving their enemies. Thirdly, those who were addicted to the vice of unchastity, and did not endeavor to reform while they had health. These have every reason to fear that, although they receive the holy Sacraments worthily on their death-bed, they may after wards fall again into the old sin, die in it, and thus go to eternal perdition; because the Evil One returns to the attack after they have received the Sacraments, and most vividly represents to them the wrong done them, and renews their hatred or the sensual delight in which they formerly indulged, and makes them sin by complacency and desire. As they have been accustomed to yield to the temptations of the devil, they will then very easily be again overcome; and should they die without another, confession, or if this is impossible, without perfect contrition, they will most surely be condemned. Oh! that the 3 classes of men above mentioned would rightly consider the terrible danger of their situation. If you would avoid it, confess and receive holy Communion as you ought. Do not harbor any hatred in your heart, and be not a slave to the sin of impurity, or, if unhappily it has taken hold of you, tear yourself away from it. Accustom yourself always to fight bravely against the temptations of Satan. II. St. Bruno was filled with a wholesome terror by the miserable end of the celebrated Doctor, and resolved to live in great austerity, in order to be able to justify himself before the judgment-seat of the Almighty and to escape hell. You hear and read so many awful examples of persons dying without time for repentance. Why then do you not determine to do penance and reform? I fear you do not consider as earnestly as St. Bruno did, what it is to appear before the judgment seat of a just and omniscient Judge, or what it is to be eternally lost. For your own salvation, I exhort and beseech you to think in future frequently on the judgment of God. Think often of hell. "Think of the divine judgment," says St. Cyril of Jerusalem, "and neither impurity nor any other vice will gain power over you. As soon as you forget God and His judgment, you will think of sin and you will commit it." "I Beseech you," says St. Chrysostom, "think of hell. The Evil One leaves nothing undone to make you forget hell. By thinking earnestly of hell, we prevent our falling into it." Saint Quote: Rejoice, my dearest brothers, because you are blessed and because of the bountiful hand of God's grace upon you. Rejoice, because you have escaped the various dangers and shipwrecks of the stormy world. Rejoice because you have reached the quiet and safe anchorage of a secret harbor. Many wish to come into this port, and many make great efforts to do so, yet do not achieve it. Indeed many, after reaching it, have been thrust out, since it was not granted them from above. --Saint Bruno from a letter to the Carthusians Bible Quote 7 But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.=C2 (Ephesians 4:7-8) <><><><> O good Jesus, hide me within Thy wounds. Behold, O good and sweetest Jesus, before Thy Face I humbly kneel, and with the greatest fervour of my soul I pray and beseech Thee to fix deep in my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, with true contrition for my sins and a most firm purpose of amendment, whilst I contemplate with great sorrow and affection Thy five wounds and ponder them over in my mind, having before my eyes the words which long ago David the prophet spoke in Thy own person concerning Thee, O good Jesus: "They have pierced My hands and My feet, they have numbered all My bones." Grant, O Lord Jesus Christ, that we who devoutly cherish Thy wounds, having them impressed on our hearts, may honour them by our actions and our life. Glory be to the Father, etc., five times. --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .