St Robert Bellarmine
Image: Stained glass window from the sacristy of Baltimore Cathedral, photo by Fr Lawrence Lew
Doctor of the Church & Patron of Catechists
“The necessity of prayer is often underlined in the Scriptures that the duty cannot be more clearly commanded. Our Lord tells us in Saint Matthew that God knows what we need, but wishes us to ask for what we require and grasp it with our spiritual hands in prayer. Hear what He says in Saint Luke, ‘That we ought always to pray and not to faint,’ and ‘Watch therefore, praying at all times.’ Listen to Saint Paul, who advises, ‘Pray without ceasing,’ and Ecclesiasticus, ‘And they were always in the Temple, praising and blessing God.’ These precepts do not signify we should do nothing else, only that we should never forget so wholesome an exercise, and should frequently use it. Our Lord and His Apostles were not always praying so that they neglected preaching to the people, and confirming their words by signs and wonders. Yet it could be said that they were always praying, because they prayed very frequently. In this sense, we can understand the words, ‘My eyes are ever towards the Lord. His praise shall always be on my lips.’”
“When Our Lord died on the Cross, He was facing towards the west. We, therefore, pray facing east as if to look at the face of the crucified Redeemer. And, since He ascends above the Heaven of heavens to the east, we can accompany Him as He ascends with our prayers and petitions. Finally, it is believed that He will come from the east in judgement: ‘for as lightning cometh out of the east and appeared even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.”
The Most Holy Eucharist
“This Holy Sacrament is not only the Food of travellers and the medicine of the sick. It is also a skilful and loving Physician, and is therefore to be received with great joy and reverence. The house of our soul should be adorned with virtues, especially, faith, hope, charity, devotion, and the fruits of good works such as prayer, fasting and almsgiving deeds. These are the ornaments that our Sweet Guest requires even though He does not stand in need of them.
Remember also that the Physician who visits us is our King and our God, whose purity is infinite, and who therefore requires the purest dwelling.”