F. Maucourant - Pocket Retreat for Catholics

A Pocket Retreat
for Catholics

A Pocket Retreat for Catholics was formerly published in 1911 in New York, Cincinnati, and Chicago by Benziger Brothers, under the title The Life of Union with Our Divine Lord. In this 2000 edition by Sophia Institute Press some quotations from each chapter have been omitted and minor editorial revisions to the 1911 edition have been made.

Copyright 2000 Sophia Institute Press

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

Sophia Institute Press
Box 5284, Manchester, NH 03108
1-800-888-9344
www.sophiainstitute.com
Nihil obstat: Henry S. Bowden, Censor Deputatus
Imprimatur: Edm. Can. Surmont, Vicarius Generalis
Westmonasterii, February 23, 1911

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Maucourant, F.

[Life of union with our Divine Lord]
A pocket retreat for Catholics : thirty steps to holiness in just ten minutes a day / F. Maucourant.

p. cm.

Previously published: A life of union with our Divine Lord. New York : Benziger Brothers, 1911.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN: 1-928832-12-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. Spiritual life Catholic Church. 2. Meditations. I. Title.

Contents

Editors Notes

The biblical quotations in the following pages are based on the Douay-Rheims edition of the Old and New Testaments. Where applicable, quotations have been cross-referenced with the differing names and enumeration in the Revised Standard Version, using the following symbol: (RSV =).

The original edition of this work sometimes provided less than adequate documentation of the sources quoted. In those cases, we endeavored to discover complete information, and, where that was not possible, we have provided as much information about the source as we were able to find.

It is the chief aim of these meditations to lead simple and generous souls to a still greater and more generous love of God, and to a closer union with Him who already loves them with a tender love. As our Redeemer, He has already raised us from the rank of servants to be fellow citizens with the saints and friends of the Savior.

Many live in a state of fear or timid reverence that hinders them from drawing nearer to the Heart of their divine Master. Such persons must learn that the shortest and quickest way to go to Him is the way of love, a constant and tender love that leads them to imitate Him. They must live as Jesus lived, in the innermost depths of their souls, and manifest this inner life in every detail of their daily actions. Nothing can give them more encouragement in this than the words of the Holy Gospel: Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek ; i.e., in union with me.

His infinite majesty deserves our deepest respect and veneration, says St. Alphonsus, but He prefers to be treated with loving confidence, rather than with obedience dictated by fear, on the part of those souls who love Him.

Interior peace, spiritual joy, light, consolation, and strength are the real fruits, the sure recompense, of this union with our Lord and with His divine Heart, burning with love for us. These fruits will abound more and more, in proportion as our communion with Him becomes more frequent, more tender, and closer still. Our Lord Jesus takes pleasure in thus preparing His faithful friends for the perfect happiness reserved for them in Heaven by this sweet foretaste of heavenly consolation. How terribly deluded, then, are those timid souls who fear to approach our Lord, or to speak to Him, heart to heart, as one friend speaks to another! Of how many graces and spiritual favors are not they deprived by thus distrusting their good Master!

Such teaching as this seems well calculated to encourage and dilate our souls, to impress us with the truth that God is a kind Master, to strengthen our resolution to accept His love, and to lead us to follow our Savior in the way of sacrifice and perfection; for it is far easier to adore a God who is tender and full of loving-kindness. The joy inspired by such convictions will encourage us to give our Lord that proof of true love which consists in leading a holy life. And thus will be realized the desire of St. Ignatius, the holy author of the Spiritual Exercises: I will ask for an intimate knowledge of our Lord, who became man for me, in order that I may love Him more fervently and follow Him more closely.

Come, Holy Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, Creator, come
from Thy bright heavenly throne!
Come, take possession of our souls,
and make them all Thine own!
Thou who art called the Paraclete,
best gift of God above,
the living spring, the living fire,
sweet unction, and true love!
Thou who are sevenfold in Thy grace,
finger of Gods right hand,
His promise, teaching little ones
to speak and understand!
Oh, guide our minds with Thy blest light,
with love our hearts inflame,
and with Thy strength, which neer decays,
confirm our mortal frame.
Far from us drive our hellish foe,
true peace unto us bring,
and through all perils guide us safe
beneath Thy sacred wing.
Through Thee may we the Father know,
Through Thee, the eternal Son,
and Thee, the Spirit of Them both,
thrice-blessed Three in One.
All glory to the Father be,
and to the risen Son;
the same to Thee, O Paraclete,
while endless ages run. Amen.

On the day you begin these exercises, recite the Come, Holy Spirit,

After each meditation, make a very precise resolution, and not only observe it during the day, but be determined to make it the practice of your whole life. Take note of it in writing, so that you may refer to it at the end of the month and see what progress you have made in the spiritual life.

Make your special examination of conscience every day, so that it may help you to practice what you have learned during your meditation.

Ask our Lord, by frequent aspirations that is, brief, spontaneous prayers the grace to understand His loving call and to respond to it simply and courageously.

Mechtildis of Helfta (c. 1241-1298), novice-mistress of St. Gertrude the Great; St. Rose of Lima (1586-1617), Third Order Dominican and first canonized saint of the Americas; St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), Visitation nun and chief founder of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. ED.

A Pocket Retreat
for Catholics