Feast of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

"I recommend to you a strong, constant devotion to Mary, our most holy and sorrowful virgin.  Think often of her and sympathize with her in her sufferings.  Then, this loving mother, who is never outdone in kindness, will in turn comfort you.

Pour out your heart to her.  Speak to her of your trials and your needs.  Commend your family to her, and the important concern of your soul. . . . We should have more confidence in this tender mother of ours . . . . She chose that her beloved Son should die bleeding on the cross rather than that we should be forever lost.

Therefore, let us love Mary, not merely by practicing some little devotion, but with genuine dedication.  Let us sacrifice ourselves, even greatly, to avoid displeasing her.  Let us be faithful to her and thus be assured of our eternal salvation." (From the letters of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows)

Solemn Commemoration of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Today, Passionists around the world celebrate the Titular Feast of the Passionist Congregation!

We are commemorating the infinite love of the Father Who gave us his only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  "He loved us to the end, even to death on a cross . . . [and] gave us his own Mother to be our Mother also . . . . He revealed to us [the Father's] infinite love for us and, in the power of his resurrection, gave us the gift of everlasting life" (From the Preface for the Mass during the day).

"I beg you, . . . , to profit by that divine knowledge which the sovereign teacher Jesus Christ teaches you in the school of his holy passion while you meditate on it with faith and charity. . . . You will be a good disciple if you put on the virtues of Jesus Christ.  He will surely clothe you with them if you will be very humble, detached from whatever is not God and so hidden from  creatures that no one can steal the treasure from you.  I recommend interior recollection.  Recall that you are a living temple of the Most High; remain within yourself; close the door to all creatures.  Remain in interior solitude, clothed with the most holy sufferings of Jesus, and rest in his divine side which is the furnace of holy love" (From a letter of St. Paul of the Cross).