The Irish Catholic Hermit

  The Audacity of Mercy Let yourself be persecuted, but do not persecute others. Be crucified, but do not crucify others. Be slandered, but do not slander others. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep: such is the sign of purity. Suffer with the sick. Be afflicted with sinners. Exult with those who repent. Be the friend of all, but in your spirit remain alone. Be a partaker of the sufferings of all, but keep your body distant from all. Rebuke no one, revile no one, not even those who live very wickedly. Spread your cloak over those who fall into sin, each and every one, and shield them. And if you cannot take the fault on yourself and accept punishment in their place, do not destroy their character. What is a merciful heart? It is a heart on fire for the whole of creation, for humanity, for the birds, for the animals, for demons, and for all that exists. By the recollection of them the eyes of a merciful person pour forth tears in abundance. By the strong and veh

  On the Passion of the Saviour I am afraid to speak and touch with my tongue this fearful narrative concerning the Saviour. For truly it is fearful to narrate all this. Our Lord was given up today into the hands of sinners! For what reason then was one who is holy and without sin given up? For having done no sin He was given up today. C ome, let us examine closely why Christ our Saviour was given up. For us, the ungodly, the Master was given up. Who would not marvel? Who would not give glory? When the slaves had sinned the Master was given up. The sons of perdition and the children of darkness went out in the darkness to arrest the sun who had the power to consume them in an instant. B ut the Master, knowing their effrontery and the force of their anger, with gentleness, by His own authority, gave himself up into the hands of the ungodly. And lawless men, having bound the most pure Master, mocked the One who had bound the strong one with unbreakable bonds, and set us free from the bo

M y Lord and Master, God of heaven and earth, show forth Your grace and open for me the door of repentance. I entreat You with my troubled soul. Look upon me according to Your great mercy. A ttend to my prayer and forgive me, who has been guilty of committing many sins. F orgive all the vile things I did, for I have been overcome by means my own wicked desires. I look for peace and find it not. M y conscience is polluted and there is no peace in me because of the abundance of my sins. H ear Lord, a heart which beseeches You in turmoil. D o not take heed to my works, but rather to the misery of my soul, and come quickly to heal me of my grievous wounds. R estore me to a sound mind by means of Your grace and love for mankind. T ake away from me the weight of my sins and do not repay what my works merit, so that I not come to ruin in the end. A nd so that I will not lack thought and care for my renewal. I fall prostrate before Your loving-care. H ave compassion on me who am thrown into

Prayer of profound love for all of humanity. O ur Lord Jesus Christ: D o not abandon your servants who live far away from the Church.   M ay your love convict them and bring them back to you. L ord have mercy on your servants who are suffering from cancer. O n your servants who suffer either from small or serious ailments. O n your servants who suffer from physical infirmities. O n your servants who suffer from spiritual infirmities. L ord have mercy on our leaders and inspire them to govern with Christian love. L ord have mercy on children who come from troubled homes. O n troubled families and those who have been divorced. L ord have mercy on all the orphans of the world, on all those who are suffering pain and injustices since losing their spouses. L ord have mercy on all those in jail, on all anarchists, on all drug abusers, on all murderers, on all abusers of people, and on all thieves.  E nlighten these people and help them to straighten out their lives. L ord have mercy on all t

I n love did He bring the world into existence W hat profundity of richness, what mind and exalted wisdom is God’s. What compassionate kindness and abundant goodness belongs to the Creator!  W ith what purpose and with what love did He create this world and bring it into existence!  W hat a mystery does the coming into being of this creation look towards! To what a state is our common nature invited!  W hat love served to initiate the creation of the world!  T his same love which initiated the act of creation prepared beforehand by another dispensation the things appropriate to adorn the world’s majesty which sprung forth as a result of the might of His love. I n love did He bring the world into existence; in love does He guide it during this its temporal existence; in love is He going to bring it to that wondrous transformed state, and in love will the world be swallowed up in the great mystery of Him who has performed all things; in love will the whole course of the governance of cre

L ove Your Fellow Man L ove the poor, that through them you may also find mercy.  D o not keep company with the disputations, lest you be forced to take leave of your calm.  B ear the noisome smells of the sick without disgust, and especially of the poor, since you too are wrapped about with a body.  D o not rebuke those who are afflicted in heart, lest you be scourged with the selfsame rod as theirs: then you will seek consolation and will find none.  D o not disdain those who are deformed from birth, because all of us will go to the grave equally privileged.  L ove sinners, but hate their works; and do not despise them for their faults, lest you be tempted by the same.  R emember that you share the earthly nature of Adam and that you are clothed with his infirmity.  D o not reprove those who are in need of your prayer, and do not withhold tender words of comfort from them, lest they perish and their souls be required of you; but do as the physicians, who cure the diseases which are m

T he Paradoxical Justice of God. T he watchfulness of discernment is superior to every discipline of men accomplished in any way to any degree.  D o not hate the sinner. For we are all laden with guilt. If for the sake of God you are moved to oppose him, weep over him.  W hy do you hate him? Hate his sins and pray for him, that you may imitate Christ Who was not wroth with sinners, but interceded for them.  D o you not see how He wept over Jerusalem? We are mocked by the devil in many instances, so why should we hate the man who is mocked by him who mocks us also?  W hy, O man, do you hate the sinner? Could it be because he is not so righteous as you? But where is your righteousness when you have no love? Why do you not shed tears over him? But you persecute him.  I n ignorance some are moved with anger, presuming themselves to be discerners of the works of sinners. B e a herald of God’s goodness, for God rules over you, unworthy though you are; for although your debt to Him is so grea