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Home , Alphonsus Liguori, Francis de Sales

MA 2020 MEN'S EENING OF REFLECION

Thy Kingdom Come!

Men’s Monthly Evening of Reflection

The theme this year is: The Spiritual Struggle of Following Christ

This month's title is: Anger & Meekness

Dates: May 6, 2020

SCHEDULE:

7:00 Directed Meditation 7:30 Questionnaire & private reflection 7:50 Conference 8:30 End

Meditation: Fr Peter Hopkins passage: (Luke 9: 51-56)

When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they journeyed to another village. (Lk 9: 51-56)

Practical Talk: Fr. Peter Hopkins LC

Title: Meekness

Saint of the Month: St.

The city of and large sections of Switzerland were controlled by Protestants, the bishopric of Geneva had been moved to France. The bishop of Geneva asked the dioceses of France for missionaries for his disintegrating diocese. Francis was among the very few to volunteer. For four years he and his companions risked their lives preaching in the staunchly Protestant areas of Switzerland. Two attempts were made on his life. Instead of demanding their incarceration, St. Francis obtained their pardon and subsequent conversion. He was often insulted but never returned an unkind word. He simply exercised the virtue that was to be his trade mark meekness. It wasn’t that this virtue came naturally. He had a quick and passionate temper but in an effort to imitate our Lord who was “meek and humble of heart” he learned to convert his predominate passion into his characteristic virtue.

As an example, St. Francis had a public debate with a famous Calvinist minister by the name of La Faye. The minister was so embarrassed and outclassed by the he went into a tirade, hurling insults and slander at the gentle saint. Francis bore it all with great meekness and did not return the least sharp answer. But through hard work, kindness, and a gift of persuasion, St. Francis and his companions won back to the Church most of the people of the province. The bishop then chose Francis as his coadjutor and successor. When he took over the diocese he became an untiring pastor for his priests and faithful. St. Francis' left the Church two spiritual classics that still have enriched the spiritual life for generations: Introduction to the Devout Life (1609) and Treatise on the Love of (1616).

Recommended Resources:

Prayer of the Month:

“O Lord, with Your help, I desire especially to practice meekness and resignation to Your will, not so much in extraordinary matters as in the events and vexations of everyday life… As soon as I notice anger rising within me, I will gather my strength, not impetuously but gently, not violently but sweetly, and I will endeavor to restore peace to my heart. But knowing well that I can do nothing by myself, I will take care to call upon Your aid as the Apostles did when they were harassed by the tempest and buffeted by the angry waters. O Lord, would You allow me to invoke You in vain? Deign to hasten to help me at such times; command my passions to subside, raise Your hand in blessing, and a great calm will follow. Teach me to be meek toward all, with those who offend or oppose me, and even with myself, not becoming angry with myself because of my frequent relapses and defects. When I find that I have fallen, in spite of my efforts, I will meekly rise again and say, ‘Come, my poor heart. Behold, we have fallen again into the ditch which we have so often resolved to avoid. Let us rise now, and leave it forever. Let us have recourse to God’s mercy; let us place our hopes in it, and it will help us.’ Trusting in You, O Lord, I will begin again, and keep to the path of humility and meekness” (St. Francis de Sales).

Quotes for the month:

“When we have to reply to anyone who has insulted us, we should be careful to do it always with meekness. A soft answer extinguishes the fire of wrath. If we feel ourselves angry, it is better for us to be silent, because we should speak amiss; when we become tranquil, we shall see that all our words were culpable.” -Saint ,

”We should also use meekness toward ourselves when we have committed a fault. To be in a passion with ourselves after a fault, is not humility but pride; it is depressing to acknowledge that we are weak and miserable creatures. Saint Teresa said, that all humility which disturbs the soul does not proceed from God, but the devil. To be angry with ourselves, after the commission of sin, is a greater fault than the former; a fault which brings many others in its train; such as the omission of our usual devotions, of prayer, of Communion, or the imperfect performance of them. Saint Aloysius Gonzaga said that the devil fishes in troubled waters. When the soul is in trouble, it has but a weak knowledge of God and its duty. When we have committed a fault, let us address God with humility and confidence and ask His pardon; saying to Him, with Saint : "O Lord, these are the fruits of my garden. I love Thee with my whole heart. I have offended Thee; I am sorry for it, and will never do so again. Grant me Thy holy grace.". -Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Doctor of the Church

”Mildness is a virtue, in which principally consists nobility of soul. And for this reason it is that lovers of the world often fail in mildness, because they are not possessed of that nobility, or only in a very scanty and imperfect degree. If they are not the first to use insulting and uncourteous terms, at least when they are attacked by others they resent it with the utmost indignation, giving in return language doubly abusive, and thus showing by their vengeance that they have an ignoble disposition. The servants of God, on the other hand, whether provoked by word or work, by keeping themselves tranquil and peaceful, evince a perfect nobleness of soul.” -Saint , Doctor of the Church

”Many appear full of mildness and sweetness as long as everything goes their own way; but the moment any contradiction or adversity arises, they are in a flame, and begin to rage like a burning mountain. Such people as these are like red-hot coals hidden under ashes. This is not the mildness which Our Lord undertook to teach us in order to make us like unto Himself.” -Saint , Father and Doctor of the Church

”It is better to err by excess of mercy than by excess of severity. . .Wilt thou become a Saint? Be severe to thyself but kind to others.” -Saint , Father and Doctor of the Church

CCC 1765 There are many passions. The most fundamental passion is love, aroused by the attraction of the good. Love causes a desire for the absent good and the hope of obtaining it; this movement finds completion in the pleasure and joy of the good possessed. The apprehension of evil causes hatred, aversion, and fear of the impending evil; this movement ends in sadness at some present evil, or in the anger that resists it.

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth” ( 53:7)

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5)

Questions for Reflection:

1. Read Mark 3: 1-5, John 2: 13-17 and CCC 1765. Is anger always a sin? When is anger justified and when is it a sin? (Word on Fire Ministries)

2. Read Matthew 26: 50-54 and Luke 22: 50-51. How does Jesus confront evil? How does Peter confront evil? (Word on Fire Ministries)

Questions for understanding:

1. In this evening’s Gospel reflection Jesus doesn’t consent to John and James’ suggestion to call down fire from heaven to devour the Samaritans who prohibit them from passing through their district. How did our Lord deal with this setback? Is there a time in your life you met unreasonable opposition which resulted in you being forced to change your plans and later discovering that it actually worked out for the better?

2. Can you remember an incident in your relationship with your spouse or family member where putting up with an injustice required meekness on your part? How did you react? If you didn’t exercise meekness in that instance, how would the outcome have been different if you had been forgiving, patient and understanding?