The Novena of Atonement

Title

Language

English

Year

1924

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

75 The Novena of Atonement Prayer accompanied by good work, an act of self-denial, a gift for a good work must be heard by the Lord. Why? Suppose somebody approaches you and makes you an agreeable present, asking you in return a fav. or which you can bestow upon him in the twinkle of an eye. Would you refuse the favor asked for? Suppose this samt person repeats that present and prayer on nine consecutive days, would you not give even more than was asked, seeing that after all you can so easily g~ant the gift and the petitioner tries to please you in all possible manner, even at the expense of generous offers ? Suppose now you make the novena in honor of Our Lady of Atonenrent, that is : suppose every day of the novena you make some act of self-denial, or at the beginning you make a generous offer to the Lord. could the Lord then, whom you try to please so much, and in fact have pleased, refuse you the favor you need, which He can give as easily as refu~e ? Give and it shall be given to you. Unhappily many promise to sacrifice something in honor of the Lord, but on condition that the Lord first grants the grace desired. Is that the right way to obtain what you want ? Can the Lord or will He ever be beaten in generosity? So when you are in need and make the novena, secure the result by <loing some penance, by helping some good work, in one word: by forcing the Lord thru your generosity to grant what you need. The novena of the month of August at the Church of the Atonement was made in the morning instead of in the afternoon, on account of the afternoon-rains. More than 300 children made the novena in St. Louis' school. More than 50 petitions had been sent in. Several let us know they had been cured, others that they had received material and spiritual favors. Some students had asked that their studies some day might profit them to spread the kingdom of God on earth. Was this not a most pleasing petition to the Sacre d 76 Heart of Jesus ? Dear Readers, do not nPgl<ct to send by letter your p:titions. Just write them on a slip of paper which you send to the undersigned at Baguio. Never will your name be made known, unless you suggest it for the greater glory of God and Our Blessed Lady of Atonement. Rev. Fl. Carlu. Pocket Money Miss Ceferina Witte, a pupil of St. Teresa's Academy, Manila, had received from home her monthly pennies. Who is the college girl who does not jump at the sight of a few blue bills in the well known envelope from home? They mean candies, a new dress, perhaps a bottle of perfume or a tin of powder and many other delicacies. Looking at the blue bills seen her noble deed, ·smiled and whispered in Ceferina's ear: "well done, my child, I put that sum on your account in God 's bank, where it shall pay you an eternal interest of one hundred 010. " f d P d M Jfi,.,. <.'ef-,ri rw Witte rom ear apa an a~On the other side of the playground of St. Teresa's A:::ademy was another girl. She too bad received her monthly allowance from home. She invested immediately five pesos in candies, stockings and ma, Ceferina 's heart beat gladly and happily. What would she buy? How would she spend the sum ? She had just read ''The Little Apostle of the Mountain Province" . "Poor pagans, she thought, they are my country people, they ignore God and heaven, they live miserably and die without baptism. If they were only instructed. If they bad only Missionaries. If the Missionaries were only more supported" and taking one of her red bills of five pesos, Ceferina gave it to ' 'The Little Apostle" for the support of a mission in the Mountain Province. And her guardian Angel who had a doll. A few days later nothing of the five pesos was left, except that the greedy girl got two slight attacks from eating too many candies and cried bitterly when her <loll broke and her stockings were spoiled. Say, dear reader, which example of the two mentioned girls of St. Tere!'a's Academy would you prefer to have followed, now, and when you stand before Go(i to receive )'our reward ? Well done, Ceferina, accept the hearty thanks and sincere congratulations of ''The Little Apostle" and of your guardian Angel. Heaven is for those who try to get there.

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