Day by Day with St. John Baptist de La Salle

June 1st

Take and Eat

It is hard to imagine that persons, who are born for heaven should neglect the best means given them by God to sanctify themselves, namely, communion with the body of Christ.

If, as Our Lord says, the body is more important than the clothing, what is the body compared with the soul?

If a king wanted to honour his people who were taken up with worldly concerns and proposed to visit them in their homes, would they offer him such frivolous excuses for not welcoming him?

Bestir yourself to receive Communion, and come with faith. You commit a great wrong if you excuse yourself from Communion, since you have so many opportunities to receive it with such great ease. Be convinced that
no matter what excuse you give to Jesus Christ
to dispense yourself from receiving him,
he is not disposed to accept it.

(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts
-2nd Sunday After Pentecost)

I am telling you the truth: if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in yourselves. (Jn 6:53)

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June 2nd

Solid Virtue

You must be particularly careful not to be lax with regard to your spiritual exercises. This is not the way to bring down God’s blessing. You will have no virtue unless you are hard on yourself, and it is not a question of merely appearing so, your virtue must be solid. It is not by
taking your ease and
seeking your comfort
that you acquire virtue.

As you are aware, we make progress in virtue only in so far as we do ourselves violence? For this reason you must be careful to do so.
(Letters)

For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. (Mt 5 : 20)

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June 3rd

Qualities which Punishment should Possess

Is It Beneficial?

Punishment, in order to be beneficial to the students should be accompanied by the following qualities.

First, it must be pure and disinterested. That is to say, punishment must be administered purely for the glory of God, without any desire for personal vengeance, teachers giving no thought to themselves.

Second, punishment must be just. For this reason, it is necessary to examine carefully beforehand whether the matter for which the teacher is considering punishing the student is effectively a fault and if this fault deserves punishment.

Third, punishment must be proper and suitable to the fault for which it is administered. That is to say, it must be proportionate to the fault both in nature and in degree. Just as there is a difference between faults committed through malice and obstinacy and those committed through weakness, there should also be a difference between the chastisements with which they are punished.

Fourth, punishment must be moderate. That is to say, it should be rather less rigorous than more rigorous. It should be of a just medium. Neither should punishment be administered precipitously.
(Conduct of Schools)

Do not lord it over those in your care, rather be an example to your flock.
(1 Pet 5:3)

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June 4th

The Real Presence

We can make an act of faith in the presence of Our Lord in the church in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

It is here, truly, that Jesus makes his dwelling place.

I must consider myself happy to be there often, to keep you company and to fulfill my obligations to you.

Although you may be veiled from my eyes, yet you are there

·as great,

·as powerful,

·as adorable,

·as lovable,
as you are in heaven. Because you are the same God and because you are equally present in both places.

But here, in this place, having sacrificed yourself for us through love, you are for us a loving God and you are there to pour out on us your heavenly blessings provided we do not make ourselves unworthy of them by our sins and scant gratitude for your kindnesses.
(Mental Prayer)

One day spent in your Temple is better than a thousand spent anywhere else.
(Ps 84:10)

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June 5th

Keeping Promises

You should make an effort to be so sincere in what you say that you will earn the reputation of being entirely truthful,

·a person whose word can be counted on,

·a person people can rely on.

Nothing is more honourable for you than the sincerity and fidelity you show in keeping your promises, just as nothing makes you more worthy of contempt than breaking your word.

As it is a matter of honour to be faithful to your words, so it is very imprudent to speak lightly without having seriously considered whether you will be able to keep your promises. For this reason, never make a promise without carefully weighing the consequences.

It is shameful for you to make use of fraud and deceit in your words, Those who do this will soon find that they have won for themselves an infamous reputation for dishonesty.
(Christian Politeness)

God is not like men, who lie. He is not a human who changes his mind. Whatever he promises, he does. (Num 23:19)

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June 6th

St. Norbert(ca 1080-1134)

Oppose Vice

The eminent virtues of St. Norbert led to his being chosen Bishop in spite of his reluctance. In this position he could not tolerate vice, and he denounced it boldly in all those who were scandalously abandoning themselves to its practice. On this account some persons were offended and looked for a chance to kill him. How true it is that the impious and the dissolute cannot tolerate anyone who opposes their disorderly lives.

St. Norbert escaped this danger, then tackled a heretic who denied the reality of the Body of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, and destroyed his error. Is not this the function of a Bishop
to oppose vice and
to maintain the faith in its vigour and strength?

This is also what you cannot dispense yourself from doing, if you wish to prevent your students from abandoning themselves to dissolute conduct and impress firmly on their minds the truths of our faith.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

I will look for those that are lost, bring back those who wander off, bandage those who are hurt, and heal those that are sick; but those who are fat and strong I will destroy, because I am a shepherd who does what is right. (Ezek 34:16)

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June 7th

In Good Company

One of the main things which most contributes to the corruption of young people is keeping bad company. Few go astray through malice of heart. The majority are corrupted

·by bad example and

·by the circumstances that they encounter.
This is why there is nothing that those who guide children should pay more attention to than to prevent them from being led astray by either of these two causes.

If human weakness is great because of our inclination to sin, that of children is much greater because they have little use of their reason, and because nature is consequently more lively in them and strongly inclined to enjoy the pleasures of the senses. As a result they can easily be led into sin.

Apply yourself therefore, with all possible care to keep your disciples away from bad companions and see to it that they associate with good ones, so that in this way having only good example, they will practise what is good with great ease.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts
-3rd Sunday After Pentecost)

If anyone should cause one of these little ones to lose faith in me, it would be better for that person to have a large millstone tied around his neck and be drowned in the deep sea. (Mt 18:6)

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June 8th

How We “See” Things

We may see things with the eyes of our reason, that is, as our reason leads us to perceive them. Thus, we might look upon eating as useful for the preservation of human life. In the same way we might look upon a table as useful because it is adapted for writing, for setting a meal, for placing things.

We may see things with the eyes of faith, that is, according to the teaching of faith. Thus, as St. Paul says in Philippians, Chapter 3, verse 19, we should regard those given to excessive eating as being similar to idolaters,

·who make a god of their belly and

·who glory in their shame.
Similarly, we are to regard poverty as a blessing, because our Lord said in the Gospel that the poor are blessed.
(Collection)

The wise can see where they are going, and fools cannot. (Eccl 2:14)

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June 9th

The Master’s Voice

The members of the flock of Christ are also obliged to hear their shepherd’s voice. It is then, your duty to teach the children entrusted to you. They must understand what you say, so you must give them instructions adapted to their capacity, otherwise what you say would be of little use. For this purpose, you must prepare and train yourself,

·so that your questions and your answers in the catechism lessons are understood well,

·so that you explain the text clearly and use words which will be easily understood.

Make known to your pupils the virtues they should practise and help them see how easy this is. You should inspire them with a great horror for sin and avoidance of bad companions. In a word, speak to them of everything that can lead them to piety. This is how your disciples should hear the voice of their teacher.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

They will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock and one shepherd.
(Jn 10:16)

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June 10th

Temptations

You must not be
upset or
anxious
over the temptations you experience. When they come, place yourself in God’s hands as you would with a good father. Beg him to help you, being convinced that you cannot help yourself.

Approach the sacraments eagerly; it is in them that you will find the strength to overcome your difficulties.

I cannot understand why you did not tell me earlier of the temptation you experienced. Don’t you know that an illness is already half cured when you tell the doctor about it?
(Letters)

Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One. (Mt 6:13)

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June 11th

St. Barnabas

A Good Man

St. Barnabas was one of the first to join the apostles after Our Lord’s Ascension and he showed a great detachment from the goods of this earth. It is difficult to realise how much good a detached person is able to do in the Church. The reason is that detachment shows a deep faith. When a person abandons himself to the Providence of God it is like a man who puts out on the high seas without sails or oars.

This detachment of St. Barnabas obtained for him such an abundance of faith and the spirit of religion that St. Luke, praising him in a few words, says that he was a man full of goodness and filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. It was this
goodness and
tenderness for others
that led the apostles to appoint him to distribute the alms sent from Antioch to Jerusalem during a great famine.

If, like St. Barnabas, you are filled with faith and the Spirit of God, you will ensure that those whom you instruct will be Christians not in name only, but they will also have the spirit and the conduct of Christians.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

When he arrived and saw how God had blessed the people, he was glad and urged them all to be faithful and true to the Lord with all their hearts. (Acts 11:23)

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June 12th

No Foul Language

You should entertain no less horror for indecent words than for swearing, since they are no less contrary to civility and often are more dangerous. It shows a lack of respect to use dirty language. In this matter even double-meaning words are not permitted for you would offend against politeness as well as propriety. The same should be said of words which suggest some indecent idea or image.

When you happen to be in a group where some of those present use language which is too free or wounds decency, you must be careful not to laugh. If you can, you should pretend not to have heard, and at the same time try to turn the conversation in some other direction.

It can be said that you make your real self known by the sort of language you use. Using language

·which is filthy and

·which shocks people’s sense of decency
is one way of letting them know how impure and corrupt you really are.
(Christian Politeness)

You snakes - how can you say good things when you are evil. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Mt 12:34)

June 13th

St. Anthony of Padua(1195-1231)

Fruitful Silence

When this saint was put to the work of preaching, it became apparent that God had placed his holy word in his mouth. For when he preached all his hearers were filled with admiration, and he brought about surprising conversions.

He succeeded so well in this ministry because he had prepared himself for it by seclusion and prayer.

You need to live in seclusion in order to learn the knowledge of salvation which you have to teach others. In that way you must learn how to speak about God, and be able to speak about him effectively.

Be convinced that it is
in seclusion and
in silence
that you learn how to speak well.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

A good person’s words are like pure silver; a wicked person’s ideas are worthless. (Prov 10:20)

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June 14th

St. Basil the Great(329-379)

The Hundredfold - With Persecution

Brought up in piety by his grandfather, the saint received instructions from this saintly old man that made such an impression on his mind that he renounced the world.

When he was a bishop, he had such great zeal to uphold and defend the Church that he was one of its most notable champions against the Arians. He strove with all possible care to unite
the minds of the people in one faith and
their hearts in the same spirit of charity and religion.

All his efforts for the peace of the Church caused him to be persecuted by the heretics and even by the Emperor, who, urged on by their demands, decided to send Basil into exile. But when this prince was about to sign the edict of condemnation, his hand was unable to write a single word.

Do not tolerate the dissolute among those whom you teach. Make piety their characteristic, as well as yours.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

If people persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too. (Jn 15:20)

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June 15th

The Work of the Lord

It frequently happens that what we attempt does not succeed as we had expected, because we undertook it on our own initiative, and because we follow no other rule and no other guide than what our own spirit is able to propose. St. Peter told Jesus Christ that he had laboured all night without catching a single fish;
the reason for this was
that he had acted entirely on his own.

So too, it may sometimes happen that you believe you are doing good, and yet do none at all for yourself or for others, because in what you undertake you have no other guide, no other leader, than your own spirit. When we act this way we really are labouring in the darkness of night, because often enough our spirit merely leads us astray, for the light that is in it is most of the time only darkness.

Follow a more reliable guide, then, if you do not want to go astray and render all your work useless. Say with St. Peter, “Lord, it is at your word I am going to let down the net.”
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts
-4th Sunday After Pentecost)

If the Lord does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless.
(Ps 127:1)

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June 16th

Dead to Sin

Consider that the purpose of the coming of the Son of God into this World was to destroy sin. This must also be the main purpose of the establishment of the Christian Schools and therefore the first object of your zeal. It must lead you to allow nothing in the children under your guidance which could displease God. If you observe in them something that offends God, you must immediately do all that you are able to remedy the problem.

Often urge your disciples to avoid sin with as much speed as they would flee the presence of a snake. Let your first attention be given especially to inspire them with a horror for impurity, lack of reverence in church and at prayer, stealing, lying, disobedience, lack of respect for their parents, and for other faults in regard to their companions. Help them understand that those who fall into these kinds of sins will not possess the kingdom of heaven.
(Meditations for Time of Retreat)

What shall we say then? Should we continue to live in sin so that God’s grace will increase? Certainly not! We have died to sin - how then can we go on living in it? (Rom 6: 1-2)

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June 17th

Qualities of Punishment

No Resentment

Punishment should be peaceable. Those who administer it should not be moved to anger and should be totally self-controlled. It is especially necessary that those who inflict a punishment should take great care that nothing appear in their demeanour that might indicate that they are angry.

It must be prudent on the part of the teacher. The teacher should pay great attention to what is done, so as to do nothing that is inappropriate or that could have evil consequences.

It must be willingly accepted by the students. The seriousness of their fault and the obligation under which the teacher is to remedy it must be made clear to them. They must be

helped to understand the great harm that they can do

to themselves

and, by their bad example,

to their companions.
(Conduct of Schools)

Correct someone and afterwards he will appreciate it more than flattery.
(Prov 28:23)

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June 18th

Due Respect

How shall I dare to be in the presence of God without respect and without reverence!

What! If the presence of a king restrains all the movements of the body and of the soul in such a way that one does not make a single one without circumspection, out of respect for the dignity and personality of the king, shall we forget the
worship and
reverence
due to God in whose presence we always are?

Give me the grace that the thought of your holy presence may occupy me always, so that, being always in your holy presence, I may not pass a single moment without thinking of you.
(Mental Prayer)

And so, in honour of the name of Jesus all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will fall on their knees. (Phil 2:10)

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June 19th

Keep the Faith

Always remember these words,
“The just live by faith.” (Rom 1:17)
Let your first care be to act by the spirit of faith and not by caprice, inclination, or whim. Do not let yourself be governed by human customs, or those of the world, or by mere reason, but solely by faith and the words of Jesus Christ, making these the rule of your conduct.

Hold fast in all things to what is of faith;

·shun novelties;

·follow the tradition of the Church;

·accept what she accepts,

·condemn what she condemns;

·approve what she approves,
whether by her Councils or by the sovereign Pontiff. Render her prompt and perfect obedience in all matters.
(Collection)

The just live by faith. (Rom 1:17)

June 20th

No Ill Will

Civility is so demanding in what refers to your neighbour that it does not permit you to scandalize anyone in any way and never allows you to speak ill of anyone. It is, then, very rude to be forever finding fault with what others do. If you do not wish to say anything good about them, you should say nothing.

When you hear someone spoken ill of, civility requires that you try to
excuse his defects and
say something good about him
by showing him in a favourable light and by speaking with appreciation of something he did.

Thus, according to the Wise Man’s counsel, if you have heard something unfavourable about your neighbour, you should, if you wish to act with decorum, let the story be buried in your own heart.
(Christian Politeness)

Have you heard something? Let it die with you, remain calm, you will not burst with it. (Eccl 19:10)

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June 21st

The Virtuous Life

Jesus Christ tells his apostles that unless their virtue surpasses that of the Pharisees they will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Apply these words to yourself and be convinced that Jesus is addressing them to you.

Worldly people think very little about God. Their sole occupation is usually with their temporal affairs and the needs of their bodies. If we

·speak to them about God,

·about what leads us to him,

·about the essential duties of a Christian,

·of the practice of what is right,

·about avoiding occasions of sin and dangerous company,

they then have ears and hear nothing, because all they can grasp is what strikes their senses.

You who have given yourself to God should do everything in a spirit of religion, without being content to do only what is exterior in the duties of your state. All your concern should be concentrated on purely spiritual matters.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts
-5th Sunday After Pentecost)

For though the virtuous man falls seven times, he stands up again. (Prov 24:16)

June 22nd

St. Paulinus of Nola(ca 353-431)

Risking All

This saint was not satisfied with charity towards the poor, rare as it was. He carried it much father, as we learn from an incident related by St. Gregory the Great.

A certain woman was in great affliction because the Vandals had captured her son, and the King’s son-in-law had made him his slave. In her distress the woman could think of nothing else to do except to have recourse to Paulinus. He had nothing to give her, so he made himself a volunteer slave and took the place of the woman’s son in order to obtain his release. God blessed this incomparable act of charity, for, soon afterwards, Paulinus was sent back to his bishopric with great honours, and all the captives of his diocese were released with him.

Are you as solicitous
about the salvation of your pupils as you are
about your own?
You should not only devote all your care to this task, but your life and your person.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

Your love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you. (Ps 63:3)

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June 23rd

Going Astray

As you are God’s ministers in the work that you have to do, you should cooperate with him and enter into his plan to procure the salvation of the children entrusted to you, especially the ones most inclined to lead wayward lives. You must watch over these more closely than over those who are more naturally given to the practice of virtue and piety. This Our Lord teaches us when he tells us the parable of the Good Shepherd, who, when one of his hundred sheep went astray, left the ninety-nine others alone to go searching for the one which was lost.

You should do all you can to help those come back to God who may be subject to some vice, because as Jesus Christ says,

“it is not the will of your Father in heaven that even a single one of these little ones should perish.”

Since, then, he is the one who employs you to guide them in the way of salvation, see to it
that none of them goes astray,
or, if some do,
that they come back without any delay.
Your duty is to make them follow the right path.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

Your Father in heaven does not want any of these little ones to be lost. (Mt 18:14)

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June 24th

The Birth of St. John the Baptist

A Special Birthday

St. John the Baptist enjoys this special privilege, that his birthday is honoured in the Church, as is that of Jesus Christ.

Living a penitential life in the desert until he was thirty years old, St. John prepared to preach in a holy manner. All the people came to him, even tax collectors and soldiers, and he told all of them what they needed to do in order to be saved. A great number of those who went to hear him followed his advice and were converted to God. It was the example of his secluded and austere life that enabled him to win peoples’ hearts and to convince them to do penance for their sins.

By your vocation you are obliged to announce the truths of the Gospel every day. Practise those that are required of all Christians before you undertake to teach them to others.
Though you do not have the grace of being the Precursor of Jesus Christ like St. John,
you do possess the grace of being a successor in his ministry.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

I assure you that John the Baptist is greater than anyone who has ever lived.
(Mt 11:11)

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June 25th

Storm Heaven

The children who come to you either have not had any instruction, or, if they have received some good lessons, bad companions or their own bad habits have prevented them from benefiting. God sends them to you so that you may give them the spirit of Christianity and educate them according to the maxims of the Gospel.

You have reason to be ashamed if you have to teach these children what you do not know yourself or exhort them to practise what you do not do yourself. Ask God, then, to give you what you need in full measure, namely, the Christian spirit and deep religious convictions.

Have recourse to God,

·knock on the door,

·pray,

·beg him insistently and even importunately.
In this way, thanks to your care, nothing will be lacking to your pupils for their salvation.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it. (Jn 14:14)

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June 26th

Cast Your Cares On the Lord

Do not have any anxiety about the future. Leave everything in God’s hands for he will take care of you.

As for myself, I do not like to make the first move in any endeavour. I leave it to Divine Providence to make the first move and then I am satisfied. When it is clear that I am acting only under the direction of Providence, I have nothing to reproach myself with.
When I make the first move,
it is only I myself who am active,
so I do not expect to see much good result;
neither does God usually give the action his special blessing.

See if God shows his approval of your work, and notice if Divine Providence is assisting you. Throw yourself into his arms; he is your Father and he will carry you when the road is rough, that is, in time of temptation.
(Letters)

Everyone knows how good you are, how securely you protect those who trust you. (Ps 31:19)

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June 27th

Few Words

When we become better able to make spiritual reflections, it is advisable to use few words and to pause for some time in interior silence.

For, the great number of interior words in our prayers serves rather to dissipate the mind and to disturb the depths of the soul.

This multitude of words from the mind and heart dries up a soul, is only superficial, and often leaves it empty of God and of spiritual things.

Some passages from Holy Scripture are often very useful for helping us make these kinds of reflections which use few words. Being words of God

·they lead us to God,

·they make us taste God, and

·they help us to have sight of God.

(Mental Prayer)

When you pray, do not use a lot of meaningless words.
Your Father already knows what you need before you ask him.
(Mt 6:7)

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June 28th

Leave It To Him

Over four thousand people had followed Jesus Christ out into the desert, drawn by the example of his holy life and by the zeal he showed for the conversion of souls. These people did not grow weary in Our Lord’s company, even though they were in a deserted place, had nothing to eat, and could not procure any food.

If they acted this way, it was because they were convinced as followers of Jesus that they should no longer be concerned about their bodies but only their souls

Jesus, seeing that these people took no care for their bodily nourishment, took care of it himself. It is right to let him act in such a circumstances, because

·the more fully we abandon ourselves to the care of Providence,

·the more attentive God is not to let us want for anything.

A marvellous thing indeed! For three days these people did not say a single word to complain or show their distress, because it was enough that Jesus Christ knew their needs.

Has he ever abandoned those whose only desire is to please him, and who think only of following him?
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts
-6th Sunday After Pentecost )

The Lord is good to all. And his compassion is over all that he has made.
(Ps 145:9)

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June 29th

St. Peter, Apostle

Faith Touches Hearts

It should not be surprising that St. Peter was so dearly loved by Jesus Christ and that he appointed him as head of his Church. It was his great faith that won for him this honour, a faith that led him to leave all things to follow Christ.

Since Jesus was then just a common man in the eyes of the world, nothing but a strong faith could have enabled anyone to leave everything in order to follow him, because to all appearances there was nothing to be hoped for from doing so.

It was also this great faith of St. Peter which enabled him to perform a great number of miracles,

·which made his words so effective, and

·which caused even his shadow to heal the sick.

Do you have a faith such that it is able to touch the hearts of your students and inspire them with the Christian spirit? This is the greatest miracle you can perform and the one God asks of you.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

Then Peter spoke up. “Look”, he said, “we have left everything and followed you. What will we have?” (Mt 19:27)

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June 30th

(Now June 29th)St. Paul

Zeal Abounding

Zeal cannot be more genuine and more firm then when it continues in the midst of the greatest sufferings and the most cruel persecutions. It was in this way that St. Paul’s zeal was put to the test. Several times he was thrown into prison; he was wounded many times; often he was almost at death’s door because of the beatings given him. Five times he was cruelly scourged, three times beaten with rods, once he was stoned. He was shipwrecked three times and spent a night and a day adrift on the sea. He endured afflictions and sorrow, lengthy nights of prayer, hunger, thirst, and cold; in the midst of all these ordeals his zeal never slackened.

Imitate the zeal of this holy apostle so that

·neither insults nor injuries,

·neither calumnies nor persecutions of whatever kind,

may be able to diminish your zeal in the slightest or force from you a single complaint, considering yourselves to be very happy to suffer for Jesus Christ.
(Meditations for Sundays and Feasts)

Zeal for your house devours me since my oppressors forget your word.
(Ps 119:139)