Writings of St. Peter Julian Eymard
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For Lenten Readings.pdf One who aspires to union with God will use mortification as the mystical ladder of Jacob (cf.Gn. 28:12). This is the sign of true progress in the journey towards God. It can even be said that one can go to God only through the cross of Calvary. It is the sharp, two-edged sword (cf. Rev 1:16) mentioned in the Book of Revelations. The journey to life passes through death. To know the state of a soul, this is what must be examined. If its detachment is great, this soul is great; if not, then Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1863 |
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God Created Us for Heaven.pdf Since you are alive, God loves you. This is even true of a sinner, since God loves him in spite of his sins, constantly pursuing him with his love. We commit so many venial sins, but God acts as if he did not see them, treating us as his beloved children. God loved us from all eternity and, when the time came, he allowed us to be born under the best conditions for our salvation, in the best conditions for service, in the best era of the world, after the incarnation; in the best conditions for Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1866 |
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Good Will.Safe Guarding the Heart.pdf The desire itself is love, and love is a great suffering. This is how our Lord prepares us for heaven, so that we can be stripped of self and prepare ourselves in advance for eternal life. Desire is the means, or rather it is everything. You, my Sister, you have desired for a very long time to enjoy the grace of belonging to the Eucharist, of belonging to the family. What is your true destination? Not Nazareth or Bethlehem. Where then? The Cenacle, where our Lord abides forever. You wil Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1864 |
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Grace.pdf […] How will you recognize an abiding grace in yourself? First of all, it must be according to your vocation; otherwise, it is a false light. The Good Lord does not contradict himself. When you are following your given task, according to the rule of the moment, and you feel drawn elsewhere, you can say: This does not come from God. Set it aside – that’s how you can discern for an external grace. Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1860 |
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Gracious. Devoted and Supernatural Charity.pdf Your charity should have three qualities: it should be supernatural, gracious, and dedicated. Our Lord told his apostles: Love one another. Such as my love has been for you, so must your love be for each other (Jn 13:34). How did our Lord love his apostles? He loved them in a divine, altogether supernatural way. Your charity must then be entirely supernatural. You must love one another with a divine love. Jesus Christ should be its principle. You must love Jesus Christ in your sisters, a Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1858 |
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Happiness of the Eucharistic Life.pdf My lover belongs to me and I to him (cf. Sgs 2:16). My good Daughters, these words express the love of the spouse in the Song of Songs. She had searched for her beloved night and day, and no one could show him to her, except he himself; he had to appear to her. She takes a few more steps and cries out: I found him whom my heart loves. I took hold of him and would not let him go (cf. Sgs 3:4). Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1865 |
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Have a Genuine Love for Each Other.pdf Have a genuine love for each other in our Lord. You are sisters, even more than in your families. Charity in our Lord is a bond stronger than blood. Love one another sincerely, then. I hope this retreat helped you a little. Realize clearly that if you have fraternal charity, then you will love one another. Never commit any deliberate sins; people must be able to say of you what our Lord said of his apostles: Here, they love each other in God. And believe me, my poor children, be strict in Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1866 |
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Hidden Life in Piety.pdf Avoid extraordinary piety, because you would then leave aside the hidden life. Extraordinary piety consists in doing things that others don’t do, which make people say: See how pious that person is; she does what the saints do. It would be wrong for us, for all the more reason, to do unusual things that would draw attention to ourselves. Our piety must be such that it blends in with the common and ordinary actions of the community. The application will clarify this for you, better than all Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1860 |
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Hidden Life in the Virtues.pdf Nothing unites people more than simplicity. If you were united only by the virtues, one day everything would blow up – I would not have confidence in you. The bond among you must be a bond of affection and congeniality – the result of your love for our Lord and for our mission. St. Paul said, Your love must be heartfelt (cf. 1 Cor 13:4), that is the literal translation – what comes from the heart is done with joy. In that way, you will be a family: you must love each other because you Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1860 |
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Holy Communion. Life. Nourishment. Strenght and Perfection.pdf I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly (cf. Jn. 10:10). My Sisters, these are our Lord’s words, defining his entire mission. […] I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly, that is, a greater holiness and happiness. What then is this life? This does not refer to this passing temporal life with this suffering. This life is the true life of our Lord Jesus Christ. As he himself tells us, I am the life (cf. Jn. 14:6), since he has come to giv Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1865 |
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Holy Communion (Continued).pdf The Eucharist, my Sisters, is not given only to strengthen us against temptations and passions, it is the remedy, and only true remedy, to all evils. It is the salutary balm which heals the wounds of our soul made by mortal sin which, even though pardoned, leaves a deep scar on the soul that takes long to heal. The sacrament of penance, it is true, pardons us, purifies us, remits the pain of sin; but this wound remains always in our soul, and we must apply a balm which heals it completely. Th Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1858 |
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Holy Communion.pdf From where can we draw that strength, take the medicine for our infirmities? In Holy Communion, my Sisters, that is the remedy, I dare say, the only one, the sole remedy to all our pain. Humans are the weakest of creatures. When God created the world, he hurled the sun, a luminous star, into space and said: Go, give light, warmth and make the earth fruitful. The sun, renewing itself every day, always gives us the same light, the same warmth, without ever weakening, because God has put int Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1858 |
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How Poorly Jesus Christ Is Loved.pdf God wants to be the goal of human beings and loved absolutely by them. […] To draw them to his love he gives them goods in this world and paradise hereafter. God cannot have another goal. […] The Holy Spirit said: You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. (cf. Lk 10:27) This is what it means to be human. St. Augustine draws this conclusion: One who does not love God is not human. Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1860 |
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How to Acquire Virtues.pdf First of all, how can one acquire virtues? My Sisters, virtue can be divided into three things, or three states: first, its act, then its habit, and the spirit of a virtue. We must aim at acquiring the spirit of a virtue – this requires some work, and a certain knowledge. Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1862 |
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Humility_ The Characteristic Virtue of an Adorer.pdf My Sisters, as adorers, what must be your special virtue? It is the humility of love of our Lord. It is only by that virtue that you will please the Good Master. It is only in this way that you will be true adorers; and that alone will make you happy. Of course! It is only the virtue of humility that will make you true disciples of our Lord, and that will make you enter into the love of our Lord. Our Lord reveals himself only to those who are humble and simple. In order for our Lord to be Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1866 |
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Interior Recollection.pdf Anyone who does not live an interior life, who does not yet have a feeling for this interior life is not yet perfect. Such a one may be on the way, but has not yet reached perfection. That’s the main point. That’s how we can judge the perfection of a person in her interior life. If one is interior and recollected before God, that’s the essence. Other things are signs of strength, but the interior life is the criterion. A soul that does not pray is elusive. Such a one is impossible t Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1859 |
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Internal Silence.pdf We have spoken about external silence as the soul of religious life. Now, we will speak about internal silence as the soul of recollection, of union with God. Silence that is exterior would be useless without interior silence. Through our imagination we can recall objects as though they were present: the world, pleasures, sorrows – all can come back to us through our imagination. We must control it, so that we can be its master. Memory is similar: it recalls the past and brings it befor Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1860 |
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It Is Necessary for Us to Love Our Lord.pdf Let us place ourselves in the presence of our Lord by an act of faith, etc. […]. My Daughters, we are in the middle of the retreat. In the first part, we spent much time on what God has done for us. He showed us his graces – we had time to see what he has given us: he created us out of love; he placed us in the best situation for our salvation. God could not have done more to show us his love. Now what shall we do for him? That is the question. We must love him – that’s why Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1866 |
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Jesus Hostia (Jesus in the Sacred Host).pdf In his sacramental state, Jesus chose the role of victim, as that which corresponds best to his love for his Father and for us. Jesus Hostia: the model of a sister who adores. 1. Jesus, immolated Victim, is always in the state of victim before the throne of God, his Father. St. John says, I saw a Lamb standing on the throne, in a perpetual state of immolation (cf. Rev 5:6). In this state of victim, Jesus offers without end his sufferings on Calvary to his Father. He shows him his open woun Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
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Jesus. Our Strenght and Our Happiness.pdf So that you can live this life of sacrifice about which we have spoken, strength is needed. We cannot find it in ourselves who are but weakness and misery, but we will find it in the Eucharist. So that the Eucharist can be our strength, it must become the dominant attraction of our lives, the intention of all our actions; in a word, we do nothing but by it and for it. If a soul is courageous, for an attraction to become its dominant virtue, only one or two weeks are needed. Yes, my Sisters, Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1858 |
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Joy and Graciousness.pdf I would like to see you very happy, the happiest in the world. In religious life, your graces are so great that you certainly must be happy. The rich are happy when they receive news of some new inheritance; you should have the same happiness. What do you lack, what can you not find in the Eucharist? Other religious don’t have what you have. I would say to any sister who is not happy, You are mistaken; go elsewhere; the king does not need alms; he feeds his own. I would like to see you h Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1860 |
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Joy and Love(Continuation).pdf In your vocation you should live in joy, not always in a joy of feelings, but in a joy of good will. That joy is love; one who loves lives in joy. The joy of feelings is temporary, sometimes God gives it as a preparation for sacrifice, but there is a joy that should always be in our heart, the joy of a child for its mother. Nothing is hard for this child who wants to please its mother. I’m not saying that you should never feel sorrow and sadness in your heart; that doesn’t depend on you Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
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Joy and Love.pdf Live in joy because joy is the fruit of love and love is the grace of your vocation. In the beginning of the spiritual life, some people go to God out of fear of hell. That fear is not bad in itself, but it’s not sufficient. Sorrow for sin must include the beginning of love in order to be forgiven. Do not remain in fear; for that would be a loss of time, but rather apply yourself to know Jesus Christ, and you will love him. The knowledge of his kindness produces love, as knowledge of beau Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1858 |
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Joy in the Service of God.pdf The Holy Spirit says, sadness kills the soul (Prv 17:22). This does not mean that the soul actually dies, but that sadness kills the strength and courage of the soul, placing it in the state of death. It is commonly said that someone who is discouraged feels defeated. Sadness in the service of God is a most dangerous temptation, because under the weight of sadness one tends to look for consolations. If these are not found in the service of God – perceived as looking for chains and a state Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1860 |
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Joy the Gift of the Spirit.pdf My dear Daughters, here is the virtue that should distinguish you in the service of God, in the words you pray every morning in the second Psalm of Lauds: Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands. And what more? Servite Domino in lætitia – [Serve the Lord with gladness] (Ps 99:2). Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands, sing joyfully because the Lord is your God. The character of your life is joy; sing joyfully in his presence. Why? As the prophet David says, because the Lord is your Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1864 |
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Joy.pdf My Sisters, last time we talked about the first action of the day, the need to sanctify it and one’s rising. The interval from this point to the second action, which is the Divine Office, is dangerous, especially if the mind is not under control and is left open to all impressions. These first impressions can be bad because they make the soul feverish. After resting all night, the mind is very active, and can upset the whole day. Then it is difficult to return to normal. Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1862 |
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Let Us Live of the Love and Mercy of Our Lord.pdf The prophet composed a song, the most beautiful of all the songs inspired by his heart, the song of God’s mercy. More than fifty times in the psalm Benedictus he says: Sing the mercy of God. (cf. Ps 135)2. The prophet repeats God’s titles, his grace, ending every verse with the words: his love is everlasting. My Sisters, the prophet David was right to bless that mercy, that ocean of mercy, and to praise him, because he had sinned against the Good Lord. Yet, in spite of his penance, he w Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1866 |
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Liturgy. Union with God through Graces of Feeling and Light and through Mystery.pdf Remember that the value of your personal prayers lies in your fervor; personal prayers have a personal value. When you use the prayers of the Church, they have the value of the Church’s prayer. They were inspired by the Holy Spirit; they are the prayers of the entire Church. These are liturgical prayers. You can see why we are so strict in the choice of our prayers. It is not a question of personal prayer; but in choosing public prayers or those of the community, we accept only liturgical Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1860 |
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Love of the Cross.pdf In our last meeting, I spoke to you about Christian mortification; we will continue this topic and complete it. From the pulpit you hear, and from books you read that you must love the cross. It is already admirable to suffer with patience, but the truth is that we must love the cross. Whoever does not yet love the cross is not a true disciple, a follower of Jesus crucified. You ask: How can you love something that makes you suffer? Corporal penance makes us suffer, mortification of the hea Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1861 |
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Mary Mother of Adorer.pdf Notice the character of Mary’s adoration. She adored her divine Son as he was, and his state became the character of her adoration. Therefore, she never had the same adoration. She adores him in her womb, then in the poverty of Bethlehem, working in the poverty of Nazareth, preaching, converting sinners, and on Calvary. She followed all the sentiments of her divine Son, because she knew them, and her heart kept her always in touch with him. My Daughters, you are often told to have only on Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1864 |
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Mary. My Mother.pdf My vocation is beautiful, the most beautiful of all vocations since it attaches and binds me forever to the service of the adorable person of Jesus Christ in his divine Sacrament. It is a privileged vocation because it gives me the right to go directly to his divine person without mediator or intercessor. It is great and sublime, because I share the function of angels at the service of Jesus and the most Blessed Virgin, if I dare say so. However, such a divine vocation requires special quali Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
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Mary.pdf As you need a tutor, let it be the Blessed Virgin. Take this good mother as your model for service. Who served Jesus Christ better than the Blessed Virgin? She was a servant and a perfect adorer. Mary adored perfectly, even surpassing the angels with a purity so great that our Lord found his delight in her. At Bethlehem and during her entire life, Mary was with him, following him. Mary was the first adorer of the Blessed Sacrament, watching over him constantly. Now she is your teacher. J Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1859 |
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Means to Recollect the Imagination.pdf How can we recollect ourselves? When we are very distracted and preoccupied, when our senses are scattered, what must we do to recollect ourselves? We will examine this problem, which is an everyday occurrence. Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1861 |
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Method for Examination and Communion.pdf You must have method in your service of God. Method is very helpful and often necessary. It is to the Christian soul what military regulations are for an army. Strategic regulations certainly double the strength of soldiers; the weak ones are sustained by the strong; the ignorant guided by the wise. If an army in combat allowed each soldier to fight in his own way, it would become a combat of individuals that would come to nothing. However, when a ruling command gives an order, there is con Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1866 |
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Method of Adoration.pdf […] I promised you, my Sisters, to speak about the way to make adoration. You know that the method of prayer, of adoration, accepted by our Society is the method of the Church, that of the holy sacrifice of the Mass, namely, the four ends of the sacrifice. And since the sacrifice requires these four parts, we divide adoration in the same way. At the same time, we use this method for prayer, as preparation for examen, and also for thanksgiving – it is adaptable to all, because it is na Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1866 |
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Mistrust of Self_ Confidence and Rest in the God Alone.pdf Your heart should always be pleased with God, my Sisters, since he has been so good to you by granting you precious graces during this retreat. He has shown you not only the truth about holiness, but also the truth of his love for you. It’s a great thing to know God and his grace, and to know the love of the angels. To know his love for you is wonderful. You know that God loves you and you have said: I will love him greatly; his love will be my life: he will be my law; he will be my norm Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1866 |
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My Daughters. What Name Shall I Give You.pdf Shall we call you Ladies of the Blessed Sacrament? No. We don’t want anything that speaks of worldly nobility. Religious of the Blessed Sacrament? Again, no. There are, however, some who are called Sacramentine Religious in Rome, and others Reparatory. There are many houses where our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is adored; like the Benedictines, etc. But none of them have the adorable Eucharist as unique goal. The name that I have saved for you is great; it expresses your purpose â Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1858 |
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New Years Wishes. To Rejoice in Our Lord.pdf [...]You no longer have anything to fear from the world. The world belongs to the devil (cf. Jn 12:31). If our Lord is in command of the head, he will also be in command of the members. Our Lord is here to prevent evil. If our Lord should want a storm around you, what do you care, since he is with you. Even if you cannot defend yourselves, you will not need to, and you will need no other protectors; that would be an insult to the master. What must you do? Remain close to the master. Itâ Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
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Obedience To the Law.pdf Our Lord said: I accomplished the will of my Father (cf. Jn 17:4), and not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will be left unaccomplished by me (cf. Mt 5:18). And our Lord fulfilled all these words, and that consisted obedience: the service of his Father through the law. He obeyed all those who would take the place of his Father, authority is the guardian of the law. How did he do this? You already know, he served his Father by a complete and punctual obedience. With th Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1862 |
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Obedience.That.Is.Internal.External.Extraordinary.and.Joyful.pdf Jesus Christ humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. (cf. Phil 2:8). When St. Paul spoke about our Lord, he did not speak about his penances, his miracles, and all his virtues. Instead, he simply said he became obedient; with that he has said everything. In fact, our Lord never spoke one word or did any act of his own volition. He depended entirely on his heavenly Father. Listen also to what our Lord said: The Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he s Click below to view the whole content continue reading |
1859 |
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