#jacques nouet

[akacatholicism]

“Where is your penitence?”

Jesus conceives a profound sorrow for our offences against his Father. 

1st Point. "He began to grow sorrowful." Ask the Son of God why he is sorrowful, why he weeps, why he sheds tears of blood. He will tell you it is your sins. He receives all things from the hand of God, and he is content with whatever Providence ordains. Jesus is the Holy of Holies, but he has charged himself with our crimes. He is now a penitent, because we are sinners. The offences by which we outrage the majesty of his Father, cast him into a sadness so profound that no creature can conceive it. All that we can say is, that his sorrow is commensurate with his knowledge. The beatific vision unfolds the grandeur and goodness of God, at the same time it reveals to him the enormity of sin; and instead of that joy it produces in his heart a piercing sorrow. 

2nd Point. Would you understand more clearly the depth of that sorrow which overwhelms the heart of Jesus? It is equal to his love, and as his love is unbounded, so his sorrow is without measure. There have been saints whose sorrow for even a venial offence has caused their death. Did you love more, your contrition would be more intense! Is your heart not touched when you consider that your sins have outraged the goodness of God, so deserving of your love ? Have you no regret for afflicting so sensibly the heart of Jesus? 

3rd Point. Jesus Christ suffers in proportion to all the crimes that have been, or ever will be committed, even to the end of ages. The heart of Jesus overflows with sweetness; yet one sin is capable of changing all the sweetness into bitterness. Consider the number of his wounds; above all, those which you have inflicted. Where is your penitence? What use do you make of that of Jesus Christ?

Jacques Nouet, Meditations on the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: for every day of the year, Sexagesima Friday

[akacatholicism]

“Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice”

2nd Point. " Then Jesus came with them into a country place . . . called Gethsemani, and he said to his disciples: Sit you here till I go yonder and pray." (Matt., xxvi. 36.) 

Whilst his heart is overwhelmed with sadness, he provides for the repose of his disciples; he commands them to sit, whilst he goes forth to the death struggle. He is careful of us even in such little things as would seem unworthy of him. Learn to obey your superior, not only in the penances that subdue the body, but also in the counsels which tend to preserve your health. Obedience is better than sacrifice. 

O most sweet Jesus! how greatly deceived are they who think you a severe master. You only require our reasonable service. My soul, let us seek the kingdom of God, and leave to him the care of ourselves: he will bless all our designs; and add to spiritual graces the temporal blessings conducive to our salvation.

- Jacques Nouet, Meditations on the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: for every day of the year, Sexagesima Wednesday.

[akacatholicism]

“Distrust your own dispositions; fear is your security”

1st Point, "Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat." (Luke, xxii. 31.) 

[...] How true that those who are most courageous when peril is remote, are often the weakest when it presents itself! Distrust yourself; fear is your security.

If the pillars of heaven are shaken, what may I not fear who am as dust before the wind? Open, O Lord, my eyes, that I may see my danger; that I may know my own weakness, and the strength of the enemy who unceasingly persecutes me; lest I sleep in death, and Satan, triumphing in my misfortune, say: He is mine, I have vanquished him. [...]

3rd Point. "Lord, I am ready to go with thee both into prison and to death." (Luke, xxii. 33.)

St. Peter considers not his weakness, but follows the movement of his heart. Distrust your own dispositions, however good they may seem: self-love glides so imperceptibly even into the best actions, that the greatest saints have been deceived by it. How many in fervour say to our Lord: I am ready to die for thee. But the Son of God knows the weakness and perversity of their will. 

O Lord, I am not surprised at my weakness, without thee I am nothing. Being so weak, I should depend not on my own strength, forgetful of thee who art my support.

Jacques Nouet, Meditations on the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: for every day of the year, Septuagesima Saturday.

[akacatholicism]

“The innocent tremble, while the criminal stands unabashed”

"One of you is about to betray me." {Matt., xxvi. 21.) 

How dangerous to approach Jesus Christ unworthily! How true, that the greatest benefits of God, if abused, deserve the most grievous punishments.

2nd Point. "The disciples therefore looked one upon another, doubting of whom he spoke." {John, xiii. 22.) 

The words of Jesus enter the hearts of the faithful disciples as a sword of fire, piercing them with a most sensible sorrow, yet that of Judas remains impenetrable. The innocent tremble, while the criminal stands unabashed. Pure souls tremble at the shadow of sin; they fear to lose Jesus. The fear of the Lord is a fruit of the Holy Communion, Grant that thy holy fear may so occupy my heart, that sin may no longer find place therein.

- Jacques Nouet, Meditations on the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: for Every Day of the Year: Septuagesima Wednesday.

1 Cor 11:26-30 (DR): “For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come. Therefore whoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilt of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. Therefore there are many infirm and weak among you, and many sleep.”

[akacatholicism]

The Price of Jesus

Septuagesima Sunday: Jesus is sold to the Jews.

3rd Point: "What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver." (Matt., xxvi. 15.) 

Judas sells that which he has lost; the Jews purchase at the value of a slave the priceless life of Jesus. 

God of infinite greatness, how low art thou in the estimation of man! and how precious is man in thine! 

Blind of heart! you offer thirty pieces of silver to purchase Jesus. What will you give me, and I will deliver him to you? I ask not thirty pieces of silver: I will be content with two—the love of God and of your neighbour. Is this too much? I will ask but one— your heart will suffice. Do you desire to have him without cost? He will give you himself for nothing. Come to the tribunal of penance, he will give you his blood. Approach his altar, he will give you his body. Humble yourself in his presence, he will give you his heart. The lowliness of humility is the price of his love. 

- Jacques Nouet, Meditations on the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: for every day of the year, Septuagesima Sunday.

[akacatholicism]

“Behold your model in prayer”

Jesus has recourse to Prayer in his Sadness. 

1st Point. "And he was withdrawn away from them, a stone's cast: and kneeling down he prayed." (Luke, xxii.) 

Jesus penetrated with sorrow has recourse to prayer. He chooses the time of night, because it is in silence that the soul can better listen to the voice of God. He separates himself from his beloved disciples, because prayer is a secret conversation between God and the soul, without witness, without noise, in the profound solitude of the heart. He knows that his sadness will increase in this holy exercise; he goes, however, not to seek consolation, but to honour his Father, and submit himself to his will. 

Is it thus you go to prayer? Do you seek the glory of God, and the death of self-love? O my Saviour! if I possess not the qualities necessary for prayer, inspire me with the prayer that is necessary to obtain them. 

2nd Point. "He fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matt., xxvi. 39.) 

Behold your model in prayer. He is in the presence of his Father with a profound respect. His confidence is equal to his humility. My Father, he says, I am sorrowful unto death; have pity on thy Son. 

O sweet Jesus, whose every action is my instruction, what a reproach that I should be so distracted in prayer, where thou art so attentive; cold, where thou art so fervent; without respect, where thou art prostrate on the earth! O beautiful countenance, that art imprinted on the dust, mayest thou be engraven on my heart, sordid and earthly though it be. 

3rd Point. " If this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, thy will be done." (Matt., xxvi. 42.) 

Jesus prays, and is not heard; his Father rejects his prayer, and he complains not; and I murmur when I am disregarded. Learn thence, the true ecstasy of the most sublime prayer is to lose yourself in the will of God. God willingly listens to the prayer that is conformable to his eternal law; but that which has its source in the inordinate desires of the heart, he rejects; and this refusal is not so much a chastisement as a benefit.

- Jacques Nouet, Meditations on the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: for every day of the year, Quinuagesima Tuesday (Fat Tuesday)

[akacatholicism]

“I have sinned, and Thou hast borne the penalty!”

Jesus is bound at the pillar, and cruelly scourged. 

1st Point. "Then therefore Pilate took Jesus and scourged him." (John, xix.)

Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted." {Isaiah, liii.) He hath voluntarily exposed himself to the fury of his enemies that by the excess of his sufierings he may manifest the infinitude of his love. 

O my soul! adore these wounds of love. Consider how valuable thy soul must be in the esteem of Jesus. The Holy of Holies is scourged for the impious; the just for the guilty; innocence itself for crime. 

2nd Point. Consider—"O all ye that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow." (Lam.) 

Approach the pillar, ungrateful and insensible soul, and behold how this innocent Lamb is mangled, who hath committed no crime, but hath taken upon him the chastisement due to thy offences, that thou mayest be pardoned. They tear his skin, they open all his veins, they pluck his hair, they break his nerves, they penetrate his very bowels, the ground is strewn with his sacred flesh, and saturated with his blood. Jesus silently weeps, whilst his sacred body is lacerated by the cruel scourge. He says not, it is enough: he would suffer still more were it necessary, to obtain your salvation, and touch your heart. If Jesus has so many enemies who persecute and outrage him, shall he find no one to console him? 

3rd Point. "He was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his bruises we are healed." (Isaiah, liii. 5.) 

It is our sins that rend his flesh, and make his body a universal wound, because of our unbounded malice and corruption. O Christian! behold this bleeding body, sustained by miracle amid the excess of violence; in his wounds as in so many mirrors, contemplate the multitude and deformity of thy sins. 

O infinitely merciful Redeemer, I have sinned, and thou hast borne the penalty! If thou complainest not of thy executioners, thou mayest complain of me—my evil thoughts, uncharitable words, and unworthy actions. My God, my offences pierce thee to the heart, the chastisements thy mercy imparts to me carry balm to the wound which they inflict.

Jacques Nouet, Meditations on the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: for every day of the year, reflection for Monday after the Third Sunday in Lent.

[akacatholicism]

“Is your heart submissive to the orders of God?”

1st Point. "Then, therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him." (John, xix.)

Pilate, who has not courage to sustain justice, would at least preserve its form. He ascends his tribunal to pronounce sentence. Jesus receives it standing, with profound humility, and, by his silence, acquiesces in what he regards as proceeding from the lips of his eternal Father. The dignity of the divine person shines forth through all the obloquy that overwhelms him. With reverence he says: O my Father! I am ready to receive the scourge from whatever hand thou art pleased to ordain. 

Is your heart like that of Jesus, submissive to the orders of God? Are you ready to receive from the hand of this good Father whatever he pleases?

- Jacques Nouet, Meditations on the life and passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: for every day of the year, Third Sunday of Lent