examination of the heart 452 Oh, if by her prayers she would obtain for you today that the unceasing light may rise in [f.145r] you; that the darkness of injustice may never overwhelm you after the Son of Justice has been given access to your heart; and that your good works may shine before men forever, so that they may glorify your Father, who is in Heaven (cf. Mt 5:16). 3. “as a cloud I covered all the earth” (Sir 24:6) [DRB]. O saving cloud, through which the most desired Dew came down on earth. This cloud protects and wonderfully irrigates the entire world, since not only does it turn the darts of divine anger away from it, but also provides many good things for it. To her Son she shows her maternal breast, and the Son shows His wounds to the Father; thus the Father forgives those who sin; thus He heaps His gifts onto the ungrateful; thus, expecting our improvement on account of the merits of the Son and the entreaties of His Mother, He transforms punishment into forgiveness. Oh, how many of the condemned would burn at the stake if this most propitious mist did not shield them! As for you, therefore, having received the Son, pray to the Mother, since she protects the whole earth, that she be willing to shield you too under the shadow of her wings and preserve you from the eternal fire. FOR THE FEAST OF ST. THOMAS, APOSTLE Before Holy Communion 1. “Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came” (Jn 20:24). You can imagine that St. Thomas was somehow unhappy, because He was not together with the other apostles at the time when the Lord appeared. Perhaps, this absence, due to which He did not participate in the gathering of His companions, was the cause of His hesitation, doubting, and incredulity. Look how many spiritual benefits you lose by withdrawing sometimes, out of negligence or out of imprudence, from the
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