Magnificat January 2023

The complete reproduction of any article published in this review is forbidden without previous authorization of the editors of MAGNIFICAT magazine. ©All rights reserved MONASTERY OF THE MAGNIFICAT OF THE MOTHER OF GOD 290 7 e Rang – PO Box 4478 – Mont-Tremblant – QC J8E 1A1 TEL. (819) 688-5225 magnificat.ca TABLE OF CONTENTS VOL. LVIII, No. 1 January 2023 Watchword 2023: Patience – Wish: Graciously, by Father Mathurin of the Mother of God, O.D.M. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 – Christian patience – Source of suffering – Identifying with Christ – The divine remedy – The royal Gift of Infinite Love – Mysterium fidei – Graciously – The canticle of Gratitude Patience, by Fr. Adolphe Tanquerey, P.S.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Story of the Holy Man Tobias . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 – A faithful servant of God – A great trial – Last recommendations – Journey of Tobias the Younger – Return of the son, healing of the father – “You were pleasing to God...” Two great Patrons of the Order of the Mother of God: Saint Therese of the Child Jesus (1873-1897) and Saint Louis Mary de Montfort (1673-1716) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 The Infant Jesus of Prague in the Sacred Host . . . . 25 – 125th anniversary of the Eucharistic Miracle that took place in Syracuse, New York OUR COVER: THE HOLY FAMILY How I love this beautiful sight: God clothed with the graces of childhood, God who has become the child of a poor family, the joy of a humble home. I see Him between Joseph and Mary, gentle, simple, affectionate, anticipating their desires, and very pleased to be their happiness. Oh, who can tell of the peace, the love, the heavenly bliss that the Infant God spread around Him? We have said everything when we have called a child an angel, but the Son of Mary was more than an angel, He was divine grace and goodness, smiling beneath the features of humanity. Holy and venerable family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, little Trinity on earth, we come to you with love and tender confidence. Make us feel the effects of your salutary assistance. Bless our families; may peace and unity of hearts flourish in our homes. Amen. The Order of the Magnificat of the Mother of God, requested by the Most Blessed Virgin Herself at La Salette, France, was founded in Canada in 1962. The Order includes priests and religious Brothers and Sisters, some of them coming from other Congregations for the purpose of preserving their respective identity and goals, but all following a common Rule: the one dictated by the Mother of God at La Salette in 1846 and approved by Leo XIII in 1879. The Order also includes disciples, that is, lay members, either single or married, who live in the community of goods with the religious and share their labors. It also includes tertiaries, lay members living in the world, but more deeply involved in the activities of the Order than the ordinary faithful. The Order of the Magnificat of the Mother of God exists and operates under its own Hierarchy. Its faith, doctrine, tradition and practices are Catholic Christian. Firmly wishing to return to the evangelical simplicity of the early days of Christianity, the Order wants to keep intact the doctrinal teachings conveyed with continuity, throughout the ages, by the Saints and Doctors of the Roman Catholic Church. The Order of the Magnificat of the Mother of God, also known by the name The Apostles of Infinite Love, is legally recognized in Canada by a federal charter as well as a provincial charter in Quebec. It likewise possesses charters in the United States, France, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and Ecuador. The Order is also established in Italy, South Africa and Argentina. Besides perpetual adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, prayer, study and work of all kinds, the Community lends itself to all the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. However, the particular goal of the Order is the preservation of the Deposit of the Faith by religious teaching in all its forms to adults and children. Another specific goal is the fight against all the abuses that have brought about the decadence of the clergy, the religious state and Christian society. The Order also labors in view of Christian unity, so desired by Jesus Christ: unity in truth.  Monthly publication of the Apostles of Infinite Love. Subscription cost for the Magnificat is a minimum yearly fee of $15.00 in Canada, $25.00 in the United States, and 30 Euros ($35 USD) in other foreign countries. Any additional donation to help us cover printing costs would be appreciated. Also available in digital format. This magazine is published ten times a year. (Translated from the French.) Dépôt légal – Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, 2023 Envoi de Poste-publications ISSN 0025-0007 2301-102-3053 Printed in Canada Fr. Huguet, S.M.

Magnificat Vol. LVIII, No. 1 3 N the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and of the Mother of God. Amen. At the dawn of this New Year, on this first day of the New Year dedicated to our Heavenly Father, on our behalf, on your behalf, my brothers and sisters, we want to present our best wishes to our Heavenly Father. We have been chosen to be the praise of His glory,1 says Saint Paul. With all the intensity and fervor of our heart, we will begin by saying to the Eternal Father that we want to be a praise of glory for Him, and that for His glory, we want to employ all that He has created within us: our heart, our soul, our will, our memory, all our faculties, our entire being. — CHRISTIAN PATIENCE 1The watchword for this year is PATIENCE. Father Adolphe Tanquerey gives us the definition of it in his Treatise on Theology: Patience is a Christian virtue that gives us the strength to withstand with equanimity of soul, for the love of God, and in union with Jesus Christ, all physical and moral sufferings.2 1. Cf. Ephesians 1:6,12. 2. Fr. Adolphe Tanquerey, P.S.S., The Spiritual Life: Treatise on Ascetical and Mystical Theology, pp. 511-512, no. 1088. See page 12 in this issue. I wish for you this Christian virtue of patience. However, there is also a worldly patience in which someone keeps his composure by a certain restraint, to create an image and impress his entourage, to arrive at human, earthly ends. This is not the kind I am referring to. The primary intention of the virtue of patience which we invite you to practice this year is first of all to give glory to God – but to give Him glory in a very special manner: by developing a conviction in our heart that if God sends us something to suffer, it is because He has an intention, a out of love for God and in union with Jesus Christ Wa t chwo rd f o r 2023: Wi sh : FatherMathurin of theMother of God

4 Vol. LVIII, No. 1 Magnificat plan for His child. It is by a design of His love that suffering, in all its forms, visits us. The practice of the virtue of patience is also to make reparation for sin and to enter into God’s design through the sufferings and tribulations that He sends us. Many authors put this motive of reparation first, but I wanted to begin with a more positive motive, which is to give glory to God. — SOURCE OF SUFFERING It is not God who made suffering. Suffering is the fruit of sin. Man was made for God, for the joy of union with Him. And ever since man, by his sin, broke this divine project, he suffers, he is disoriented, he gropes. Man’s intelligence is obscured, he can no longer see clearly. All his faculties are in darkness – all of them! – because of sin. But by a kind of sleight of hand, we might say, Infinite Love succeeded in turning suffering, which came from our sin, into the remedy for our sin. Man sins, bringing about suffering, and Infinite Love makes it the remedy for sin. It took God to think of this! I believe that this is one of the most beautiful manifestations of His Infinite Love. Our sin brings about suffering, we are condemned. And God, in order to manifest His Infinite Love, elevates the suffering caused by man’s sin to a sublime dignity, one could say an almost infinite dignity. — IDENTIFYING WITH CHRIST We meditate on this virtue of patience in adversity especially during the Christmas season. It is first manifested through Mary and Joseph: during the five-day journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem and the rejections in Bethlehem. Contemplate the details of their comportment, totally imbued with patience. When Jesus arrives, what meekness He has, what patience! And the world is already going to pursue the little Infant. The Holy Family must make haste to flee into Egypt. Contemplate how they acted during their journey; they left the grotto of Bethlehem in the middle of the night, without any preparation, to undertake a long passage through the desert in all sorts of difficult conditions. They took refuge in Egypt, a foreign land. We ought to contemplate their patience in order to imitate it, and thus enter into these dispositions of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Since the coming of Jesus, it seems that suffering is what has the capacity to identify us most with Jesus, the Christ, the Word of God incarnate. Go anywhere in the world, with any denomination – Catholic (it goes without saying) but also Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, pagan – go around the world and show a cross, just a cross made of two little pieces of wood or two pencil lines. Everyone will recognize the sign of Jesus before the word cross is spoken. The cross is synonymous with Jesus, so much did He appropriate it to Himself. I sincerely and deeply believe that the example of Jesus is what can motivate us the most to practice patience in the adversities and trials of life; and there are many! I do not think there is a word that has more synonyms than suffering: cross, adversity, tribulation, trials, aches and pains, infirmity, disease... In THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT In the most difficult circumstances, the Holy Family gives us the example of true Christian patience.

Magnificat Vol. LVIII, No. 1 5 each of these synonyms, God expects His child to receive it with patience as a gift. We must be very attentive to the way we receive suffering. I would like to take this opportunity to correct an oft-repeated statement: The cross, suffering, is salvation. This is true, but at the same time it is inaccurate. There were three crosses on Calvary. The cross of Jesus, Christ the Redeemer. He came to save us by means of the deified cross, precisely by this sleight of hand of His infinite Love. There is the cross of the good thief, who was revolted, who grumbled and complained, as the Gospel relates. But when he contemplated Jesus crucified next to him, he was converted, he was transformed, and suffering became redemptive and salutary for him. On the other hand, the bad thief, who underwent the same suffering, the same torment of the cross, became a reprobate, because he grumbled and complained till the end. He blasphemed, he cursed his sufferings. It is a great mystery which Jesus revealed to us, and which was also partially revealed in the Old Testament. Let us recall the story of the holy man Tobias, truly a saint in the Old Testament, who multiplied his good works in secret, in great discretion, under the eye of God alone, to glorify Him. Humanity was still several centuries before the coming of Christ. As Tobias was taking a nap under a tree, some bird droppings fell on his eyes and he became blind for years. Later, thanks to a cure indicated by the Archangel Raphael, who had accompanied his son to a distant land, Tobias was healed of his blindness upon their return. Then the Angel instructed him on the reason for this trial: “I will now reveal the truth to you, and I will not hide the secret from you. Because you were acceptable to God, it was necessary that you be tried.”3 Hearing the statement of this great truth which the Angel manifests to us in God’s name, we must be silent and endorse this truth, adhere to it. Because you 3. Cf. Holy Bible, Tobias 12:6-13. This story is narrated in this issue beginning on page 14. were acceptable to God, it was necessary that you be tried… We might retort that everyone on earth is tested! And then add that probably most of these people are not pleasing to God. Well, I would answer that the mercy of God is even greater now than it was for Tobias. It is true that we are not pleasing to God, but He sends us trials in order to make us pleasing to Him. This is the purpose of suffering. — THE DIVINE REMEDY We are all sinners. Humanity is more sinful than ever before. God wants to make humanity pleasing in His sight, humanity which outrages Him, these Christians who scorn Him and shamelessly despise His expectations in every way. In spite of this, God has decided that He will make humanity pleasing in His divine sight. That is why we invite you to Christian patience, so that we sinners may become pleasing to God, along with all our brothers of the earth. Not so long ago, concerning the anxiety that we may feel in these troubled times, I asked the question: Is God going to close the books? Closing the books means shutting down the company, it is all over. Will this be the end of the history of humanity? From a human point of view, is God not discouraged, fed up, tired of men? Is He For the gift of the cross, THANK YOU, O Master!

6 Vol. LVIII, No. 1 Magnificat not sick and tired of the universal evil which knows no bounds? Is He not weary of being mocked like this by humans, His creatures? Fortunately, the sufferings we have experienced in the last few years have given me hope. One might say that God had two remaining options: the first one was to close the books of human history, but it appears He did not choose this option. Instead, God chose to employ suffering – suffering which comes from men, from their sins. As I said before, it is not God who invented evil. It is important that we truly understand this: evil comes from the sins of men. Evil brings about this desolation, which is becoming increasingly widespread, which is becoming universal. It is this same desolation that will be the remedy for all evils if – hence the reason for the watchword – IF, my brothers and sisters, in patience, without complaining, without grumbling, without analyzing everything – if as sinners, as people who are guilty, we accept these evils in patience, patience. What a profound and sublime invention of Infinite Love: God makes suffering the remedy for evil. The prophet says of Jesus the Messiah, He was thought of as a man struck by God and afflicted.4 Jesus, Innocence itself, was regarded as the vilest of sinners, struck not by the hand of men but struck by God Himself. This is how our Redeemer became our remedy. He took our sins upon Himself. He atoned for them with all His sufferings and with His sorrowful Passion. Jesus is the greatest, finest example we can have of this virtue of patience – a Christian virtue, that is, a Christlike virtue. Our Saviour practiced patience in all the circumstances of His life, from the manger to Calvary. First, He remained hidden for thirty years in a life of labor and patience. Then, in His 4. Isaiah 53:4. public life, He was often badly received, confronted with all sorts of snares that were set for Him, enduring all sorts of remarks that mocked and ridiculed Him. What patience! Patience in the face of His enemies, patience with His friends. His Apostles, His friends, did not understand very quickly. Man does not understand the things of God very quickly. Patience all around, and in a sublime manner during His Passion. It is as if there was something about patience that charmed Jesus so deeply that He wanted to come and show us how to practice it. — THE ROYAL GIFT OF INFINITE LOVE My brothers and sisters, we must believe that trials, tribulations, woes and sorrows are the royal gift of Infinite Love. Believing it and adhering to it is perfection. The perfection of a Christian is to truly believe with his whole soul that suffering is a royal gift of Infinite Love, and therefore of God Himself. Whatever the suffering, tribulation, infirmity, illness, contradiction, setback – and I have not named all of them yet – we must silence our little reasoning and enter into the design of God by views of faith. Sin has distanced us from God; it has riveted us to the earth and set us on a path contrary to God. I insist on this point so that it From the manger to Calvary, Jesus suffered patiently. Let us imitate our divine Model.

Magnificat Vol. LVIII, No. 1 7 may be well remembered: by our sins, we have produced all evils and tribulations, and God has decided that these same sufferings produced by our sins would be the remedy for our sins. That is the divine remedy, but we must remember it and believe it when the occasions arise. Suffering sets all things in order, in their place. What a mystery! Not only does suffering purify our souls, but God has made it the condition for the fulfillment of His greatest designs. And the ultimate proof of this assertion is the cross. In our sufferings, may we not forget to unite ourselves to God’s intention. May we accept them as His will, for the purification of our soul in order to glorify Him, to enter into His design. Let us recall the story of Saint Teresa of Avila, who traveled by night to establish her Carmelite convents. She met with a great deal of opposition, not only from the part of worldly people but even from the clergy, although it was a time of fervor in the Church. One winter’s night, a bridge she was crossing with her sisters gave way under the weight of the horsedrawn covered cart. Cart and nuns all fell into the river. With great difficulty, they managed to climb out of the icy water. Jesus, smiling, was waiting for Teresa of Avila on the bank, and He said to her, “This is how I treat My friends.” And Teresa of Avila jokingly replied in all simplicity, “I can understand why You have so few!” We like to laughingly repeat these words in all kinds of unfortunate situations. But it is really the truth. We must believe that suffering and setbacks are the way of God’s friends. — MYSTERIUM FIDEI God sends sufferings to those He loves. This great truth is a component of the mysteries of God’s love. Here on earth, the love we have for God is not an emotion, something we can feel. It is a common error among Christians to want to feel the love of God – feel a kind of warmth, a palpitation, an emotion, beautiful tears – it feels so good. That is not bad, but even in religion, it remains a natural emotion. By views of faith, we must believe in the love of God in trials, in suffering. My brothers and sisters, this year I invite you to a practical faith of truly believing that by way of the evils that already visit us and those that will come later, it is God who wants to manifest His love to us and to humanity. Let me remind you of the Latin formula that the priest pronounces during the Consecration at Mass: Mysterium fidei. These words are employed for the Holy Eucharist, the mystery of faith. You can apply the same formula in suffering, hardship, infirmity and illness. Draw up the very long list of the trials you are experiencing now and all of those that are looming on the horizon. You see them coming. What we have gone through was the first chapter. What is coming will be a little more severe, a little more painful. Mysterium fidei. Believe that this is the manifestation of the love of God, who has decided to save us. He needs a little handful of souls motivated by this faith. Will we be among these souls? Yes, my brothers and sisters; yes, we will. I am willing to answer on your behalf because I truly believe that your heart says yes. The Eucharist is a mystery of faith. Does the truth, the reality of Jesus’ presence in the Host reside in the fact that you feel He is there, that you have an emotion which reveals to you that, Oh yes! Jesus is there? No, we believe in His presence because He revealed it to us and we have faith in His word. So it is with this other mystery that we are commenting on today. Suffering is a mystery of faith, which we must accept just like the mystery of the Real Presence. And we accept it not because we have a sweet emotion

8 Vol. LVIII, No. 1 Magnificat and we feel that “Yes, it is true, suffering is beneficial for me.” If we feel sweet emotions, it is because we are on the way out of the tribulation. When we are in our trial, there is no sweet emotion, only pain, sadness, incomprehension. The less we understand, the more painful it is. This is the mystery of our redemption, Mysterium fidei. It is salutary, it is our sanctification. Suffering that is accepted turns a sinner into a saint, by a divine decree. God has so decided. Our sin produced all the evils, and God decided that the evils would be our salvation. In this realm, more than anywhere else, we must be wary of our senses. All our faculties can deceive us: intelligence, memory, understanding. When everything is painful, when we can no longer see the horizon, let us apply ourselves to submit entirely to God interiorly, and to adhere. Then, with gratitude, we will praise God, we will bless Him, and we will glorify Him by the fervor of our faith. That is salvation. It is salvation for oneself, salvation for humanity. That is how the world will be saved. This kind of faith has always been indispensable, but now it is more indispensable than ever, because the world is going to enter a time of more intense suffering. Witnesses for God will be needed, people capable of praising and glorifying Him by the adherence of their heart. They will truly be Apostles of Infinite Love because their heart, in every suffering, every difficulty, every darkness, always and in all circumstances, will adore the designs of God. Our Lady of La Salette said in Her appeal to the Apostles of the Latter Times: I am with you and in you, provided that your faith be the light that enlightens you in these days of woe. More than anywhere else, it is in suffering that we must practice faith. And remember: faith is not about feeling, it is not even about understanding. Faith means to adhere to a mystery that is revealed to us, a mystery that is beyond reason. And the more we are overwhelmed, the more we are inundated by all kinds of sufferings, “Behold My Body... Behold My Blood...” Jesus is really present in the Holy Eucharist, MYSTERY OF FAITH! “I have explained to you how I provide for the needs of My creatures, both in general and in particular. What I have shown you is like the vapor of a dewdrop compared to the Ocean. For indeed, I have told you that it is through the mediation of My servants that I will have mercy on the world, and that it is because of their sufferings that I will reform My Bride [the Holy Church]. Truly, each one of them can be called another Christ crucified, since they accept to fulfill His office. My only begotten Son came as the Mediator, to put an end to the war between man and Me, and to reconcile us in peace. He did this by suffering with patience unto the ignominious death of the cross. This is also the work of these crucified ones.” The Eternal Father to St. Catherine of Siena

Magnificat Vol. LVIII, No. 1 9 the more our reason and all our senses are at a loss, then the more also our heart, our innermost being, adheres to God by faith. — GRACIOUSLY It is customary to add a wish to the watchword. For the year that just ended, the wish you received was “to follow Jesus, the Truth, and to do it graciously”. This year, we repeat the same wish of practicing the virtue of patience graciously, that is, in such a way that no one realizes that we are patient. When we show our neighbor that we are being patient, it means that we are not. We want to make him feel that he is making us suffer, that he is exercising us, that he is a cause of suffering for us. This year, apply yourself to practicing patience graciously. In the hymn on patience by Saint Louis Mary de Montfort, we sing: What glory for God, our good Father, To see His dear child laughing, Humbly kissing and revering The rod with which He strikes him; Who amid the blows exclaims: “Blessed be God! O my God, pardon! “Father, I give Thee thanks, “Oh, what a grace! What a great gift.” — THE CANTICLE OF GRATITUDE How glorious it is for God to see His child smiling and thanking Him for the suffering He sends Him! I am convinced that this is the summit of religion. Yes, there is nothing greater here on earth than to accept trials, to thank God in suffering, to praise and bless Him, not only with our lips but especially with our heart and from the depths of our soul, saying to Him, “My God, nothing better could happen to me, since it is You who has so decided.” It does not matter what the tribulation, suffering, trial or evil is. Now, this is easy to say sitting comfortably in an armchair, but when suffering visits us, when everything hurts, it can become heroic to say: “My God, yes! Nothing better could have happened to me. I glorify You, I bless You.” Jesus, Innocence itself, was regarded as a man struck by God, regarded as the guilty one. But we are not innocent. And faced with the suffering that comes our way, we ought to say: “Blessed be God! O my God, pardon. My God, You have not forsaken me! You have sent suffering to me, You have decided to save me. Father, I thank You. Oh, what a grace! What a great gift!” I believe that all of Heaven is in suspense upon seeing a Christian who blesses and thanks God when his whole being, his heart and soul, is in trials, in darkness, and is burdened with all sorts of sufferings. There is nothing rational, it is trials and nothing but trials, yet this Christian continues to praise God. When He sees this sentiment in His child, God puts all of Heaven on hold. He invites the Angels and the Saints, according to our way of speaking, and says to them: “Come and see My child. Come and look at this. Here is one who is oppressed, who is in darkness, who sees nothing, understands nothing, is suffering in every way. And look at how he praises Me, blesses and thanks Me!” What a spectacular sight for God, the Angels and the Saints! Wouldn’t we like to give this glory to God? I am sure that Heaven pauses to contemplate such a display, for it is so great, so glorifying to God. At that moment we might hear Jesus repeat: Amen I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!5 My brothers and sisters, we belong to the Order of the Magnificat of the Mother of God – the Magnificat is the Virgin Mary’s canticle of gratitude. More than anyone else, we must practice gratitude in trial and sorrow, so that tomorrow, by our contact, humanity will return to God. Instead of grumbling, complaining and finding the action of God deplorable, even 5. St. Luke 7:9.

10 Vol. LVIII, No. 1 Magnificat detrimental – which amounts to criticizing God Himself – may souls, by our contact, praise and bless God by means of their sufferings. That is the intention of this watchword and wish. Let us sing the first three verses of the hymn on Patience by Saint Louis Mary de Montfort: I admire a great princess Who laughs amid her torments, Who, without grief or sadness, Turns her woes into delightful pleasure. This is invincible Patience. It is the lesson of Jesus as He was dying, The foundation of all hope, The strength of the true conqueror. Is this not the great sacrifice Of man to the Divinity To pay back all His justice, To glorify His goodness, To rely on His Providence, To believe in His authority, To be subject to His power, To adore His majesty? What glory for God, our good Father, To see His dear child laughing, Humbly kissing and revering The rod with which He strikes him; Who amid the blows exclaims: “Blessed be God! O my God, pardon! “Father, I give Thee thanks, “Oh, what a grace! What a great gift.” Is this not the greatest and finest sacrifice of man to the Divinity? To pay back all His justice... It pays for everything, everything! His justice is satisfied. To glorify His goodness. It is truly a miracle of “A soul that patiently suffers the tribulations that come from creatures is greater than a penitent soul. My true disciple is the one who, always remaining the same, suffers interiorly and exteriorly without allowing himself the least complaint to anyone whatsoever. He who possesses patience enjoys all good things here on earth, while awaiting his crown.” Jesus to Blessed Anna-Maria Taigi (1769-1837) When we are visited by suffering, that is the best time to intone the hymn of gratitude of our Heavenly Mother: MAGNIFICAT!

His Infinite Love. Sin brought all evils upon us, and the evils repair sin. Is this not the great sacrifice Of man to the Divinity To pay back all His justice, To glorify His goodness, To rely on His Providence... It is absolutely certain that the plan, the great design of Divine Providence is being fulfilled in this manner. On this first day of the new year, we are going to offer this first Holy Sacrifice of the Mass along with Jesus, who is our great model, and who is going to immolate Himself to His Father on the altar. I ask our good Jesus, who is going to sacrifice Himself, to give you an efficacious grace to fulfill the watchword for this year – Patience out of love for God and in union with Jesus Christ – so that the designs of His Providence may be fulfilled by means of sufferings and trials. I offer this Mass in your name, including the intention, the desire of your heart to apply yourself to this. May His design of love be fulfilled through sufferings, trials, woes and tribulations because our soul, our heart will adhere. May we not complain and criticize, but in all patience, may we praise and glorify Him. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and of the Mother of God. Amen. Our Lady of all patience, pray for us. (three times) Oh, how it costs to give Jesus what He asks! What happiness we have because it costs! What an ineffable joy we have to carry our crosses feebly! Ah, my dear little sister, far from complaining to Jesus about the cross He sends us, I cannot understand the Infinite Love that has led Him to treat us this way. Oh, let us not waste the trial that Jesus is sending us: it is a gold mine that is to be worked; are we going to miss the opportunity? The grain of sand wants to get to work without joy, without courage, without strength, and all these titles will make its undertaking easier: it wants to work for love. St. Therese of the Child Jesus, Letter to Celine – February 28, 1889 h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h

12 Vol. LVIII, No. 1 Magnificat Patience is a Christian virtue that makes us withstand all physical and moral sufferings with equanimity of soul, for the love of God and in union with Jesus Christ. We all have an ample share of suffering sufficient to make us saints, if we would only suffer courageously and for supernatural motives. Many, however, suffer complainingly, in bitterness of heart, at times even in a spirit of rebellion against Divine Providence. Others withstand suffering out of pride or ambition, thus forfeiting the fruits of their endurance. The true motive that should inspire us is submission to the Will of God and hope of the eternal reward that will crown our patience. Still, the most potent stimulus is the thought of Christ suffering and dying for us. Jesus, Innocence itself, bore so heroically so many tortures, physical and moral, out of love for us, in order to redeem us and sanctify us. Is it therefore not fitting that we, who are guilty and who by our sins are the cause of His sufferings, should consent to suffer with Him and His intentions, in order to cooperate with Him in the work of our purification and sanctification, and to partake in His glory by having shared in His sufferings? Noble and generous souls add to these motives the motive of zeal. They suffer to fulfill what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ and thus work for the redemption of souls. Herein lies the secret source of the heroic patience of the Saints and their love of the Cross. The degrees of patience correspond to the three stages of the spiritual life. At the start, suffering is accepted as coming from God, without complaint, without resentment, in hope of the heavenly reward. It is accepted in order to atone for sins and purify the heart, and to master disordered tendencies, especially sadness and dejection. It is accepted in spite of our natural repugnance, and if a prayer is made that the cup might pass away, it is followed by an act of submission to the Holy Will of God. In its second degree, patience eagerly and unhesitatingly embraces suffering, in union with Jesus Christ and in order to make us more like the Divine Model. Thus the soul is fond of following Him along the sorrowful road that He took from the Crib to the Cross; it contemplates Him, praises Him, and pours forth its love upon Him in all His sorrowful mysteries: upon His entrance into this world when He “emptied Himself” in His resignation in the lowly manger that was His cradle, where He suffered even more from the insensitivity of men than from the cold and the elements; amid the sufferings of His exile, the obscure labors of His hidden life; the work, weariness and humiliations of His public life; but above all in the physical and moral tortures of His long, sorrowful Passion. Strengthened by the words of Saint Peter, “Christ, therefore, having suffered in the flesh, do you also arm yourself with the same intent,”1 a man takes new courage in the face of pain and sorrow; side by side with Jesus, he tenderly lays himself out upon the Cross, for love of Him: “With Christ I am nailed to the cross.”2 When suffering increases, a loving, compassionate glance upon the Crucified Christ brings this response from His lips: “Blessed are they who mourn..., blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice’s sake.”3 Then the hope of sharing in His glory in the Heavenly abode renders the crucifixion undergone in union with Him more bearable: “We suffer with Him that we may also be glorified with Him.”4 Sometimes the soul, like Saint Paul, even comes to the point where it rejoices in its miseries and tribulations, knowing well that to 1. I St. Peter 4:1. 2. St. Paul, Galatians 2:19. 3. St. Matthew 5:5 and 5:10. 4. St. Paul, Romans 8:17. - Patience - Fr. Adolphe Tanquerey, P.S.S.

Magnificat Vol. LVIII, No. 1 13 suffer with Christ means to comfort Him, means the completion of His Passion, a more perfect love for Him here on earth, and a preparation for the further enjoyment of His love throughout all eternity: “Gladly therefore I will glory in my infirmities, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me... I overflow with joy in all our troubles.”5 This leads to the third degree of patience: the desire and the love of suffering for the sake of God whom one wishes to glorify, and for the sake of souls, for whose sanctification one wants to labor. This is the degree proper to perfect souls and especially apostolic souls: religious, priests, and devout men and women. Such was the disposition that animated Our Blessed Lord when He offered Himself as a victim upon His entrance into this world, and which He expressed in proclaiming His desire to suffer the baptism of His Passion: “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!”6 Perfect souls enter into the same sentiments, out of love for Him and in order to become more like Him. In the words of Saint Ignatius, “Just as men of the world, who are attached to earthly things, very eagerly love and seek honors, a good reputation and prominence among men..., so do those who make progress in the ways of the spirit, and earnestly follow Jesus Christ, love and ardently desire whatever is opposed to the spirit of the world... So that if it were possible, with no offense to God and scandal to their neighbor, they would want to suffer affronts, slander and insults, and be reckoned as fools even if they had given no occasion for it, such is their intense desire to be likened in some way to Our Lord Jesus Christ... and that with the help of His grace we strive to imitate Him as far as we can, and to follow Him in all things, since He is the true way which leads men to life.”7 Evidently, it is only love 5. St. Paul, II Corinthians 12:9 and 7:4. 6. St. Luke 12:50. 7. St. Ignatius Loyola, Constitutions of the Society of Jesus, “General Examination”, ch. 4, no. 44. for God and for the Crucified Christ that can inspire such a love for the Cross and humiliations. Must a soul go further and offer itself to God as a victim, and formally ask God for extraordinary sufferings in order to offer reparation to God or obtain some noteworthy favor? No doubt some of the Saints have done so, and in our day there are still generous souls who are moved to do likewise. However, generally speaking, such requests cannot be prudently counseled. They may easily lead to illusions and are often the outcome of some ill-considered impulse of generosity which has its origin in presumption. Father de Smedt says: “Such requests are made in moments of emotional fervor, and once this is gone..., a person realizes his weakness to accomplish the heroic acts of submission and resignation so energetically made in his imagination. From this come violent temptations to discouragement and even complaints against Divine Providence... It is a source of great annoyance and perplexity to the spiritual directors of such souls.”8 Therefore, we must not take it upon ourselves to ask for extraordinary sufferings or trials. If someone feels himself drawn to them, he must take counsel with a judicious director of souls and do nothing without his approval. Source: Fr. Adolphe Tanquerey, p.s.s. (1854-1932), The Spiritual Life: A Treatise of Ascetical and Mystical Theology (Society of St. John the Evangelist, Desclée: Tournai, 1930), pp. 511-514, Nos 1088-1092. 8. Fr. Pierre-Jean de Smedt, S.J., in Notre vie surnaturelle (Our Supernatural Life), Vol. II, p. 260.

14 Vol. LVIII, No. 1 Magnificat A faithful servant of God Around seven centuries before Christ there lived a man named Tobias, a native of the tribe of Nephtali and of the city of the same name. Having lost his father from early childhood, he faithfully obeyed the recommendations of his pious mother Deborah. The men of his tribe and his relatives sacrificed to idols, whereas he was the only member of his family who went to Jerusalem to worship the God of his fathers. His childhood and youth were spent in the constant practice of all the virtues. When he reached manhood, he married a young girl of his tribe named Anna. He had a son; he named him Tobias after himself and brought him up in fear of the Lord and the horror of sin. The army of Salmanazar, king of Assyria, soon fell upon Israel and ravaged the Kingdom of Samaria. The holy man Tobias, caught up in the general misfortune of his nation, was taken captive to Nineveh with his wife and son. He was the same in Assyria as he had been in Israel. The examples of his own brothers had not perverted him; those of foreigners could not corrupt him. The other Israelites, long accustomed to violating the Law of God, partook of all the meats eaten by the Gentiles. The faithful Tobias never wanted to defile himself with such a crime. As charitable to his brothers as he was reverent in observing his religion, he distributed to his unfortunate compatriots the few goods he had been able to take with him. As a reward for his fidelity, the Lord had him find favor with Salmanazar. Touched by the charity of his captive, the prince gave him ten silver talents. In addition, he employed Tobias in the supplies of the palace, gave him complete freedom of action, and allowed him to go wherever he wanted. Tobias took advantage of the favors of the monarch to visit his exiled brothers and to distribute help and consolation to them. His charity led him as far as Rages, in Medea, where he performed a heroic act of generosity which was for him, if not the main source, at least the occasion for the wonders with which the Lord prepared to reward his virtue. He found in this city a great number of Israelites of his tribe, including a relative named Gabelus. This man, poor as well as virtuous, needed prompt assistance and did not know where to turn for help. Tobias generously lent him the ten talents he had received The holy man Tobias ensures a burial for his compatriots who were put to death. TOBIAS

Magnificat Vol. LVIII, No. 1 15 from the king and left with the bond by which Gabelus promised to return the money to him. In the meantime, Salmanazar died. His son, Sennacherib, heir to his crown, did not have his kindness towards the Hebrews; he detested them. In his hatred, he had a great number of them put to death, with orders to leave their bodies unburied. This disposition of the king was a new reason for Tobias to redouble his good works. Every day he visited the exiles, comforted them as best he could, gave bread to the hungry and clothing to the naked. He was not even afraid to steal the corpses of his tortured compatriots in order to give them a decent burial during the night. Tobias was acquainted with the orders of the bloodthirsty despot and knew the risk he was taking, but nothing could shake his pious courage, and he continued burying the bodies of those who had been slaughtered. Sennacherib was soon informed of this: Tobias was condemned to death and all his possessions were confiscated. Fortunately, the holyman managed to escape and hide with his wife and son. His cruel persecutor soon died, killed in a revolt. Tobias returned to Nineveh, and the new king gave him back his confiscated property and his original freedom. At once he resumed his liberalities. One would think that more than fifty years of a life of good works and virtue were deserving of rewards, but the Lord’s views upon His saints are very different from those of men. After a thousand trials generously sustained, instead of the favors one would expect, He destines new combats for them which enrich their crown by perfecting their virtue. Tobias had been stricken in his possessions and in his freedom, but not in his person; he needed this last trait of resemblance with the ancient patriarchs that he imitated. A great trial One night, the venerable old man had buried the corpse of a poor murdered Israelite. Exhausted by his charitable work, he lay down at the foot of a wall and fell asleep with his face uncovered. While he slept, droppings from a swallow’s nest fell onto his eyes. A white spot soon developed on his eye, and despite all the medical skill of physicians, Tobias completely lost his sight. God allowed this misfortune, just as He had allowed the trials of the holy man Job, in order to give future ages a great example of patience; for in this new affliction, Tobias did not become angrywith the Lord. On the contrary, unshaken in his reverent faith, he gave thanks to Him as in the days of his prosperity. Blind, impoverished by his excessive almsgiving, he often heard his relatives jeering at him, like Job’s friends of old: “You are well rewarded for your prodigality and zeal in burying the dead!” But he was content to answer them, “We are the children of saints, and we await that better life which God will give to those who have served Him with unwavering fidelity.” Even his wife made bitter reproaches against him. Following the example of Job, who was subjected to the same ordeal, Tobias cried out to the God of all consolation: “Thou art just, O Lord, and all Thy judgments are full of equity... Yes, just are Thy judgments, for we have violated Thy holy Law, and we suffer these chastisements. Therefore, do with me according to Thywill, and command my spirit to fly away quickly to the abode of peace, for it is better for me to die than to continue my sorrowful life here on earth.” Last recommendations Having asked the Lord to take him out of this world, Tobias thought only of putting his affairs in order. He called his son to give him his last recommendations. “My son,” he said to him, “listen to my words and engrave them in your heart. When God has received my soul, take care of my burial. Be a respectful son to your mother...

16 Vol. LVIII, No. 1 Magnificat “May the memory of Jehovah, our God, never fade from your heart. Above all, beware of committing a sin by disregarding His holy Law. In your possessions, always reserve a portion for alms, and do not turn your face away from the needy, if you want God to look down upon you. If you have much, give much; if you have little, give that little willingly. Thus you will gather great treasures for the day of distress, for almsgiving delivers the soul from sin and saves it from eternal darkness. Before the Most High God, great will be the confidence of all those who have loved the poor. “My son, beware of the vice of impurity. Fear even the beginning of an inclination that would lead to crime. “Do not let pride, the principle of all perdition, penetrate your soul or color your words. Do not do unto others whatever would displease you. Give the worker his wages, the hungry his food, the naked his clothing. Seek the counsel of wise men, and bless God at all times, praying to Him to direct your steps and favor your undertakings.” Thus the holy man put all the great duties as well as all the great interests of his son in the forefront. Only at the end did he say to him: “In your childhood, my son, I entrusted ten silver talents to Gabelus in Rages, a city of the Medes. The bond, signed by him, is in my hands. Consider how you may be able to make this journey, in order to regain possession of this sum. Moreover, have no fear: although we lead a poor life, we will have enough of good things if we live in fear of the Lord, the horror of sin and zeal for good works.” Young Tobias replied: “Father, I will do everything you have commanded me; but I do not knowhow to recover the money. Gabelus does not know me, nor do I know him. Moreover, I have no idea of the road that leads to Medea.” His father concluded, saying: “As for Gabelus, I have his bond; you will only have to show it to him, and I am sure he will give you the ten talents. As for the journey, look for a faithful guide among our brothers who will agree to accompany you. We will pay him for his trouble upon your return.” Young Tobias went at once to look for a guide. And behold, he saw a young gentleman with a noble, kindly demeanor coming to meet him. He was wearing traveling garb, apparently all ready to set out. Tobias, not knowing that he was an Angel of God, greeted him and said, “Who are you, my fine young man?” “I am a child of Israel.” “Do you know the way to Rages, a city of the Medes?” “I know it perfectly well because I have resided with our brother Gabelus, who lives in that city.” “Wait for me a moment,” exclaimed young Tobias, “I will go and tell this news to my father.” Amazed by this happy encounter, the elder Tobias wanted to see the stranger. With him it was agreed that he would accompany Tobias’ son, and that upon his return he would be given a reward. The venerable Patriarch gave his blessing to the two travelers, and after bidding them farewell, they set out on their journey. Tobias blesses his son as he is about to undertake the journey to Medea.

Magnificat Vol. LVIII, No. 1 17 Journey of Tobias the Younger Young Tobias, followed by his dog and led by the Angel, went further and further away. On the first day, the travelers reached the banks of the Tigris, where Tobias wanted to wash his feet. Suddenly, however, a monstrous fish rushed to devour him. The frightened young man cried out in distress, “Lord, it is going to swallow me up!” But the Angel reassured him, “Take hold of the fish by the gills and pull it into shore.” And so it was done. “Open the fish now,” said the Angel, “and set aside the heart, gall and liver. They will be useful to you one day to perform a cure.” Then, roasting part of the creature’s flesh over some coals, they took it with them and salted the rest. This was sufficient for their food until the end of the journey. After going a long way on foot, they came to a city of the Medes. Where do you want us to stay?” Tobias asked his companion. The Angel replied: “There is a close relative of yours here by the name of Raguel. He has an only daughter called Sarah, whom the Lord has destined for you, along with all her fortune. Ask her father for her hand, he will not refuse you.” This sudden proposal surprised young Tobias, all the more because strange happenings in that family had thrown the entire country into a state of agitation. “I heard that Sarah has been married seven times, and that all her husbands were killed by the devil. I am afraid the same thing will happen to me and that my parents, whose only support I am, will die of grief.” The Angel reassured him: “These husbands were killed by the devil because their intentions were not holy. As for you, fear nothing. Live in innocence and prayer, and the devil will have no domination over you.” The Angel finished speaking as they entered Raguel’s house. This man was an Israelite full of honor, frankness and religion, a close relative and friend of Tobias the father, whom he had known well in his youth. He welcomed his guests with joy. Having fixed his eyes on Tobias, he said softly to his wife, Anna, “How closely this young man resembles my cousin Tobias!” Then, turning to the travelers, he asked them, “Where are you from, brothers?” – “We are of the tribe of Nephtali, from among the captives.” – “Do you know Tobias, my cousin?” – “We know him.” And as Raguel poured forth praise on his cousin’s account, the Angel added, “The Tobias of whom you speak is this young man’s father.” Raguel embraced his young relative tenderly and showered him with tears, saying, “My son, may God bless you, for you are the son of the best and most virtuous of men.” As for Anna and Sarah, witnesses of Marriage of Sarah and Tobias “Open the fish; set aside the heart, the gall and the liver...” said the Angel Raphael to Tobias.

18 Vol. LVIII, No. 1 Magnificat this spectacle, they shed tears of tenderness. After these first outpourings, Raguel gave orders to prepare the feast. When everything was ready, he invited his guests to sit down at table. But taking the floor, Tobias said to him: “I will neither eat nor drink at your table before you grant my request and promise to give your daughter Sarah to me in marriage.” Raguel remained silent, as if struck with amazement. Remembering Sarah’s seven fiancés, he hesitated to answer. Could he expose his young relative to almost certain death? Fortunately, the Angel cut short his perplexities: “Do not be afraid to give your daughter to this young man, for he is a friend of God: she must belong to him, and this is why the others perished.” So they drew up the deed and the protocols of the marriage, and they all celebrated the wedding feast, wholeheartedly praising God. Raguel’s happiness was so great that he gave Tobias half of his possessions, assuring him of the other half after he and his wife had passed away. Such generous advances made it virtually impossible for young Tobias to resist the promptings of his father-in-law, who implored him to stay in his house for two more weeks. Nevertheless, while he owed Raguel a great deal, he owed even more to his father and his mother, whom the slightest delay would cast into mortal worry. To obey their orders, he would have to continue his journey to Rages in Medea in order to reclaim the ten talents lent to Gabelus. In this uncertainty, he asked his guide to go himself to give Gabelus his bond and ask him to come and take part in his wedding celebration. The Angel departed, received the money and returned with Gabelus. At the sight of his benefactor’s son, Gabelus was moved to tears, and he exclaimed: “May the God of Israel fill you with His favors, for you are the son of a great and good man. May you see your children and your children’s children to the third and fourth generation! May your race be blessed, favored by the God of Israel who reigns forever and ever!” All those present answered, “Amen!” Gabelus was honored, all the joy of the wedding feast was renewed, a joy always balanced by fear of the Lord, whom all the guests faithfully worshiped. Return of the son Healing of the father When the fifteen days were over, they still wanted to detain young Tobias, but he answered, “I know that my father and mother are counting the days, and that they are anxiously waiting for my return.” So Raguel gave him his daughter, and with her, half of all that he had in servants, flocks, and other possessions. Sarah’s father and mother then gave their daughter a farewell kiss and let her go, but not without telling her again to honor her parents-in-law, to love her husband, to administer her house well and to remain unblemished in the eyes of everyone. The caravan set off. The journey was long. They were driving many flocks and herds which they could only follow slowly. The Angel said to Tobias: “You know what condition you left your parents in. If you will, let us go on ahead. Your wife, servants, flocks, herds and baggage will follow us, and we will announce their arrival. Take what is left of Departure of Tobias and Sarah for Nineveh

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