mons. Guido Marini : a Missa é a renovação do sacrifício do Senhor e, ao mesmo tempo, é também o momento, o lugar no qual este sacrifício se comunica a nós através do sinal da convicção.

  Por isso, eu creio que haja dois elementos, ambos fundamentais para a compreensão da celebração eucarística. Creio também que a dimensão sacrifical é uma dimensão de fundação. Porque se não houvesse o sacrifício redentor, não existiria nem mesmo a possibilidade de comunicar este sacrifício e assim entrar em comunhão com a salvação que nos foi dada pelo Senhor Jesus. Eu creio que isto seja a visão que a Igreja nos transmite através de seu ensinamento e que nos leva ao coração autêntico da liturgia.

“É da liturgia que nós obtemos a graça que nos salva”, afirma monsenhor Guido Marini

 

Cidade do Vaticano (Quarta-feira, 06-10-2010, Gaudium Press) Para o mestre das Cerimônias Pontifícias do Santo Padre, a liturgia está intrinsicamente ligada à espiritualidade - e isso se reflete nas postulações e considerações do Papa Bento XVI sobre o tema. Nesta entrevista exclusiva a Gaudium Press, em Roma, mons. Guido Marini fala sobre reforma, justificação e fidelidade litúrgica.

Gaudium Press - Como a Igreja católica entende a liturgia depois do Concílio Vaticano II? Qual é o sentido, o coração da liturgia? O Santo Padre durante sua recente viagem à Inglaterra, na Catedral de Westminster falou sobre a dimensão do sacrifício.

Creio que haja dois aspectos da celebração eucarística onde um deve estar junto ao outro. Porque como se diz também nos documentos do magistério, a Missa é a renovação do sacrifício do Senhor e, ao mesmo tempo, é também o momento, o lugar no qual este sacrifício se comunica a nós através do sinal da convicção. Por isso, eu creio que haja dois elementos, ambos fundamentais para a compreensão da celebração eucarística. Creio também que a dimensão sacrifical é uma dimensão de fundação. Porque se não houvesse o sacrifício redentor, não existiria nem mesmo a possibilidade de comunicar este sacrifício e assim entrar em comunhão com a salvação que nos foi dada pelo Senhor Jesus. Eu creio que isto seja a visão que a Igreja nos transmite através de seu ensinamento e que nos leva ao coração autêntico da liturgia.

Monsenhor Guido Marini auxiliando o Santo Padre em cerimônia

GP - O Santo Padre se refere também brevemente à questão da justificação. Sempre falando sobre liturgia, como a Igreja Católica apresenta o tema da justificação em Cristo?

No âmbito da liturgia, justamente porque repropõe, apresenta, atualiza o mistério da salvação, isto é, do Senhor que morreu e ressuscitou por nós, se apresenta também como o momento da justificação da humanidade e do homem. Porque nós sabemos que o homem é salvo justamente em virtude deste mistério de morte e ressurreição. É claro que depois cada um deve se apropriar pessoalmente, subjetivamente, dessa justificação que foi dada. E então me parece que sejam os dois aspectos de novo importantes, ambos fundamentais da participação na liturgia. De uma parte vem um dom, que é o dom da salvação e portanto o mistério que se renova. Por outro lado este dom deve ser porém acolhido na vida de cada um e deve tornar-se vida da vida. Então, há sempre esta relação entre dom e responsabilidade, justificação dada e justificação acolhida na própria vida pessoal.

GP - O então professor Ratzinger nos seus escritos fala na reforma da reforma da liturgia. Como o senhor vê esta exigência das reformas, das mudanças na liturgia? De fato, algumas mudanças já foram introduzidas pelo Santo Padre Bento XVI.

Quando às vezes se fala e se usa este termo "reforma da reforma", se arrisca a ser "mal entendido". Porque nem todos o entendem da mesma maneira e nem todos o captam do mesmo modo. Eu creio que, além das frases feitas, aquilo que é importante é que a reforma que o Concílio Vaticano II iniciou seja efetivamente realizada em modo completo segundo os ensinamentos do Concílio, que colocam a liturgia em uma continuidade com toda a sua tradição no mesmo tempo com o critério de desenvolvimento orgânico. Como deve ser sempre na vida da Igreja. A atuação prática da reforma depois do Vaticano II não está sempre feliz. Exatamente por isto que talvez seja necessário fazer alguma correção, alguma mudança, alguma melhoria justamente para atuar em modo completo as indicações do Concílio e fazê-las de forma que pareça cada vez mais claro com o desenvolvimento da liturgia da Igreja e se coloque em orgânica continuidade com a que a precedeu.

GP - Uma das indicações do Concílio Vaticano II não realizada na prática foi o desejo de um movimento litúrgico dentro da Igreja, principalmente na Alemanha e na França. Agora como se vê esta exigência na pastoral litúrgica?

O próprio Papa ainda cardeal havia desejado um renovado movimento litúrgico que pudesse criar as condições, as bases para o desenvolvimento interior, aprofundamento da vida litúrgica da Igreja. Assim como foi antes do Concílio Vaticano II. Aqui também há diversos modos de ver, de estender as relações entre o movimento litúrgico antes do Concílio com este movimento litúrgico que continua ainda agora que se gostaria que fosse ainda mais significativo, talvez renovado. Eu creio que a vida litúrgica da Igreja conhece um florescimento sempre que há um terreno que seja capaz de fazer florescer. Então creio que seja importante o amor à liturgia e também o viver a liturgia com fidelidade a indicações da Igreja, a fim de se tornar de algum modo aquele grande movimento litúrgico que depois pode trazer frutos para a vida litúrgica da Igreja.

GP - O Santo Padre durante sua audiência geral de 29 de setembro disse que "A Liturgia é uma grande escola da espiritualidade". O que queria dizer o Santo Padre?

Creio que ele queria dizer que a espiritualidade cristã nasce da liturgia e cresce com a liturgia. Acredito que não seja imaginável a espiritualidade fora do contexto litúrgico. Justamente porque é da liturgia que nós obtemos a graça que nos salva e é na liturgia que nós crescemos dentro desta graça que nos salva. Nós encontramos o Senhor vivo, presente na Igreja operante na sua Igreja em modo mais alto justamente na liturgia. Então, se isto faltasse, então de verdade faltaria a fonte, a força para qualquer espiritualidade. Uma verdadeira vida espiritual, um crescimento da vida espiritual, um caminho intimamente espiritual só é possível em relação com a liturgia.

Anna Artymiak

PIO XII : Es cierto que los sacramentos y el sacrificio del altar tienen una virtud intrínseca en cuanto son acciones del 'mismo Cristo, que comunica y difunde la gracia de la Cabeza divina en los miembros del Cuerpo místico

Venérable Pape PIE XII : Il est vrai que les sacrements et le sacrifice de la messe ont une valeur intrinsèque en tant qu’ils sont les actions du Christ lui-même ; c’est lui qui communique la grâce divine de Chef et la diffuse dans les membres du Corps mystique ; mais pour avoir l’efficacité requise, il est absolument nécessaire que les âmes soient bien disposées. Il faut donc affirmer que l’œuvre rédemptrice, indépendante en soi de notre volonté, requiert notre effort intérieur pour pouvoir nous conduire au salut éternel. Si la piété privée et intérieure des individus négligeait le saint sacrifice de la messe et les sacrements et se soustrayait à l’influx salvifique qui émane du Chef dans les membres, ce serait évidemment chose blâmable et stérile.

Encyclique MEDIATOR DEI

de Sa Sainteté le Pape PIE XII

SUR LA SAINTE LITURGIE

Nécessité de la piété subjective

Il est vrai que les sacrements et le sacrifice de la messe ont une valeur intrinsèque en tant qu’ils sont les actions du Christ lui-même ; c’est lui qui communique la grâce divine de Chef et la diffuse dans les membres du Corps mystique ; mais pour avoir l’efficacité requise, il est absolument nécessaire que les âmes soient bien disposées. Ainsi, à propos de l’Eucharistie, l’apôtre Paul nous dit : " Que chacun s’éprouve soi-même, et qu’ainsi il mange de ce pain et boive de ce calice " (I Co XI, 28). C’est pourquoi l’Église, en termes expressifs et concis, nomme-t-elle " défense de la milice chrétienne " (Missale Rom., Feria IV Cinerum : orat post imposit. cinerum.) tous les exercices de purification de l’âme, surtout durant le jeûne du carême ; ils représentent, en effet, les efforts actifs des membres qui veulent, avec l’aide de la grâce, adhérer à leur Chef, afin que, dit saint Augustin " la source même de la grâce apparaisse dans notre Chef " (De praedestinatione sanctorum, 31). Mais il faut remarquer que ce sont des membres vivants, doués de raison et de volonté personnelles ; en approchant leurs lèvres de la source, ils doivent donc nécessairement s’emparer vitalement de l’aliment, se l’assimiler et écarter tout ce qui pourrait en empêcher l’efficacité. Il faut donc affirmer que l’œuvre rédemptrice, indépendante en soi de notre volonté, requiert notre effort intérieur pour pouvoir nous conduire au salut éternel.

Nécessité de la méditation et des pratiques de piété

Si la piété privée et intérieure des individus négligeait le saint sacrifice de la messe et les sacrements et se soustrayait à l’influx salvifique qui émane du Chef dans les membres, ce serait évidemment chose blâmable et stérile. Mais lorsque tous les exercices de piété non strictement liturgiques ne visent l’activité humaine que pour la diriger vers le Père des cieux, pour exciter efficacement les hommes à la pénitence et à la crainte de Dieu, pour les arracher à l’attrait du monde et des plaisirs, et réussir à les conduire par un dur chemin au sommet de la sainteté, alors ils ne méritent pas seulement Nos plus grands éloges, mais ils s’imposent par une absolue nécessité, car ils démasquent les écueils de la vie spirituelle, ils nous poussent à l’acquisition des vertus et ils augmentent l’ardeur avec laquelle nous devons nous consacrer entièrement au service de Jésus-Christ. La piété authentique, que le docteur angélique appelle " dévotion " et qui est l’acte principal de la vertu de religion - acte qui met les hommes dans l’ordre, les oriente vers Dieu et les fait s’adonner librement à tous les exercices du culte divin (Cf. s. Thomas. Summa Theol., IIa IIae. q. 82, a. 1.) cette piété authentique a besoin de la méditation des réalités surnaturelles et des pratiques de piété pour s’alimenter, s’enflammer, s’épanouir et nous pousser à la perfection. Car une juste conception de la religion chrétienne réclame qu’avant tout la volonté soit consacrée à Dieu et qu’elle exerce son influence sur les autres facultés de l’âme. Mais tout acte de volonté présuppose l’exercice de l’intelligence, et avant même que naissent le désir et le projet de se consacrer à Dieu dans le sacrifice de soi-même, il est nécessaire de connaître les raisons et les motifs qui commandent la religion, comme la fin dernière de l’homme et la grandeur de la majesté divine, le devoir de se soumettre au Créateur, les inépuisables trésors de l’amour dont Dieu a voulu nous enrichir, la nécessité de la grâce pour atteindre le but assigné, et la voie spéciale que la divine Providence a voulue pour nous, en nous unissant tous à Jésus-Christ notre Chef, comme les membres d’un corps. Et parce que les motifs de l’amour n’ont pas toujours de prise sur notre âme agitée par les mauvaises passions, il est fort opportun que la considération de la justice divine nous impressionne salutairement pour nous amener à l’humilité chrétienne, à la pénitence et à l’amendement.

PIO XII : Es cierto que los sacramentos y el sacrificio del altar tienen una virtud intrínseca en cuanto son acciones del 'mismo Cristo, que comunica y difunde la gracia de la Cabeza divina en los miembros del Cuerpo místico; pero para tener la debida eficacia exigen una buena disposición de nuestra alma.Hay pues, que afirmar, que la obra de la Redención, independiente en sí de nuestra voluntad requiere el último esfuerzo de nuestra alma para que podamos conseguir la eterna salvación.Si la piedad privada e interna de los individuos descuidase el augusto sacrificio del altar, y se sustrajese al influjo salvador que emana de la Cabeza a los miembros, esto sería, sin duda, reprochable y estéril

"Mediator Dei"
Sobre la Sagrada Liturgia
20 de noviembre de 1947

5) Doctrina verdadera.

44. Es cierto que los sacramentos y el sacrificio del altar tienen una virtud intrínseca en cuanto son acciones del 'mismo Cristo, que comunica y difunde la gracia de la Cabeza divina en los miembros del Cuerpo místico; pero para tener la debida eficacia exigen una buena disposición de nuestra alma. Por esto advierte San Pablo, a propósito de la Eucaristía: «Examínese cada uno a sí mismo y después coma de este pan y beba de este cáliz». Por esto la Iglesia define breve y claramente todos los ejercicios con que nuestra alma se purifica, especialmente durante la Cuaresma, como «el entrenamiento de la milicia cristiana» (7). Son, pues, acciones de los miembros que con la ayuda de la gracia quieren adherirse a su Cabeza, a fin de que repitiendo las palabras de San Agustín «se nos manifieste en nuestra Cabeza la fuente misma de la gracia» (8). Pero hay que advertir que estos miembros están vivos, dotados de razón; y de voluntad propia, y por esto es necesario que acercando los, labios a la fuente, tomen y asimilen el alimento vital y eliminen todo lo que pueda impedir su eficacia. Hay pues, que afirmar, que la obra de la Redención, independiente en sí de nuestra voluntad requiere el último esfuerzo de nuestra alma para que podamos conseguir la eterna salvación.

45. Si la piedad privada e interna de los individuos descuidase el augusto sacrificio del altar, y se sustrajese al influjo salvador que emana de la Cabeza a los miembros, esto sería, sin duda, reprochable y estéril; pero cuándo todos los consejos y actos de piedad que no son estrictamente litúrgicos fijan la mirada del alma en los actos humanos, únicamente para dirigirlos a nuestro Padre, que está en los cielos; para estimular, saludablemente a los hombres á la penitencia y al temor de Dios y para; una vez arrancados de los atractivos del mundo y, de los vicios, conducirlas felizmente por el arduo camino a la cima de la santidad, entonces son no solamente loables, sino necesarios, porque descubren los peligros de la vida espiritual, nos mueven a la adquisición de la virtud y aumentan el fervor con que todos debemos, dedicarnos al servicio de Jesucristo.

6) Necesidad de meditación y prácticas espirituales.

46. La genuina y verdadera piedad, aquella que el Doctor Angélico llamo, «devoción» y que es el acto principal de la virtud de la religión, por la que los hombres se orientan debidamente, se dirigen conveniente a Dios y se dedican al culto divino, tiene necesidad de la meditación de las verdades sobrenaturales y de las prácticas espirituales, para alimentarse, estimularse y vigorizarse, y para animarnos a la perfección. Porque la religión Cristiana, debidamente practicada, requiere ante todo que la voluntad se consagre a Dios e influya sobre las demás facultades del alma. Pero todo acto de voluntad. supone el ejercicio de la inteligencia y antes de que se conciba el deseo y el propósito de darse a Dios por medio del sacrificio, es absolutamente necesario el conocimiento de los argumentos, y de los motivos que imponen la religión, como por ejemplo, el fin último del hombre y la grandeza de la divina Majestad, el deber de sujeción al Creador, los tesoros inagotables del. Amor con que El nos quiere enriquecer, la necesidad de la gracia para llegar a la meta señalada y el camino particular que la divina Providencia nos ha preparado, ya qué todos, como miembros de un cuerpo, hemos sido unidos con Jesucristo nuestra Cabeza. Y pues que no siempre los motivos del amor hacen mella en el alma agitada por las pasiones, es muy oportuno que nos impresione también la saludable consideración de la divina Justicia, para reducirnos a la humildad cristiana, a la penitencia y a la enmienda de las costumbres.

Venerable PIUs XII : the work of redemption, which in itself is independent of our will, requires a serious interior effort on our part if we are to achieve eternal salvation. If the private and interior devotion of individuals were to neglect the august sacrifice of the altar and the sacraments, and to withdraw them from the stream of vital energy that flows from Head to members, it would indeed be sterile, and deserve to be condemned.

  MEDIATOR DEI

ENCYCLICAL OF POPE PIUS XII
ON THE SACRED LITURGY
TO THE VENERABLE BRETHREN, THE PATRIARCHS, PRIMATES,
ARCHBISHOPS, BISHIOPS, AND OTHER ORDINARIES
IN PEACE AND COMMUNION WITH THE APOSTOLIC SEE
31. Very truly, the sacraments and the sacrifice of the altar, being Christ's own actions, must be held to be capable in themselves of conveying and dispensing grace from the divine Head to the members of the Mystical Body. But if they are to produce their proper effect, it is absolutely necessary that our hearts be properly disposed to receive them. Hence the warning of Paul the Apostle with reference to holy communion, "But let a man first prove himself; and then let him eat of this bread and drink of the chalice."[30] This explains why the Church in a brief and significant phrase calls the various acts of mortification, especially those practiced during the season of Lent, "the Christian army's defenses."[31] They represent, in fact, the personal effort and activity of members who desire, as grace urges and aids them, to join forces with their Captain - "that we may discover . . . in our Captain," to borrow St. Augustine's words, "the fountain of grace itself."[32] But observe that these members are alive, endowed and equipped with an intelligence and will of their own. It follows that they are strictly required to put their own lips to the fountain, imbibe and absorb for themselves the life-giving water, and rid themselves personally of anything that might hinder its nutritive effect in their souls. Emphatically, therefore, the work of redemption, which in itself is independent of our will, requires a serious interior effort on our part if we are to achieve eternal salvation.

32. If the private and interior devotion of individuals were to neglect the august sacrifice of the altar and the sacraments, and to withdraw them from the stream of vital energy that flows from Head to members, it would indeed be sterile, and deserve to be condemned. But when devotional exercises, and pious practices in general, not strictly connected with the sacred liturgy, confine themselves to merely human acts, with the express purpose of directing these latter to the Father in heaven, of rousing people to repentance and holy fear of God, of weaning them from the seductions of the world and its vice, and leading them back to the difficult path of perfection, then certainly such practices are not only highly praiseworthy but absolutely indispensable, because they expose the dangers threatening the spiritual life; because they promote the acquisition of virtue; and because they increase the fervor and generosity with which we are bound to dedicate all that we are and all that we have to the service of Jesus Christ. Genuine and real piety, which the Angelic Doctor calls "devotion," and which is the principal act of the virtue of religion - that act which correctly relates and fitly directs men to God; and by which they freely and spontaneously give themselves to the worship of God in its fullest sense[33] - piety of this authentic sort needs meditation on the supernatural realities and spiritual exercises, if it is to be nurtured, stimulated and sustained, and if it is to prompt us to lead a more perfect life. For the Christian religion, practiced as it should be, demands that the will especially be consecrated to God and exert its influence on all the other spiritual faculties. But every act of the will presupposes an act of the intelligence, and before one can express the desire and the intention of offering oneself in sacrifice to the eternal Godhead, a knowledge of the facts and truths which make religion a duty is altogether necessary. One must first know, for instance, man's last end and the supremacy of the Divine Majesty; after that, our common duty of submission to our Creator; and, finally, the inexhaustible treasures of love with which God yearns to enrich us, as well as the necessity of supernatural grace for the achievement of our destiny, and that special path marked out for us by divine Providence in virtue of the fact that we have been united, one and all, like members of a body, to Jesus Christ the Head. But further, since our hearts, disturbed as they are at Times New Roman by the lower appetites, do not always respond to motives of love, it is also extremely helpful to let consideration and contemplation of the justice of God provoke us on occasion to salutary fear, and guide us thence to Christian humility, repentance and amendment.

07 de Outubro - Nossa Senhora do Rosário

 

Quando você reza o Rosário, os Anjos regozijam-se, a SANTÍSSIMA TRINDADE deleita-Se, meu Filho alegra-Se e eu estou mais feliz do que se pode imaginar. Depois do Santo Sacrifício da Missa, não há nada na Igreja que eu amo mais que o Rosário. 

A Virgem Santíssima em Fátima e o pedido ao Santo Rosário.

Quando Lúcia perguntou à Santíssima Virgem, na aparição de 13 de outubro de 1917, em Fátima, o que desejava, Ela respondeu:

“Quero dizer-te que façam aqui uma capela em minha honra; que sou a Senhora do Rosário; que continuem sempre a rezar o Terço todos os dias”.

           

“Rezar o Terço todos os dias” — Que conselho mais excelente que este? Que criatura mais elevada que a Virgem Santíssima poderia transmiti-lo? Sendo que a própria Mãe de Deus – e também nossa Mãe – nos faz esse pedido, como poderemos recusá-lo? Impossível seria! Atendendo-A, seremos atendidos e alcançaremos todas as graças que suplicarmos com fé e confiança.

Em várias outras aparições Nossa Senhora recomendou a devoção ao Rosário, mas especialmente em Fátima Ela insistiu nessa prática marial como meio para se obter a conversão do mundo. 

 

Apresentando-se como a Senhora do Rosário, Ela veio alertar o mundo para os terríveis castigos que ocorreriam caso não se desse uma conversão geral; caso os homens não deixassem de ofender a Deus com seus pecados e não houvesse uma reparação por esses pecados.

Isto se passou no início do século XX. Neste início do século XXI, quem se atreveria a dizer que tais pedidos foram atendidos? Claro que ninguém! Basta olhar um pouco em torno de nós, para ver justamente o contrário: a decadência moral acentua-se dia a dia; os Mandamentos de Deus são abandonados; os pecados aumentam; as ofensas a Nosso Senhor tornam-se ainda mais agressivas. Basta abrir os jornais, para constatar a alarmante dissolução da família, as modas imorais, o nudismo, o aborto, a prostituição, as drogas, o homossexualismo etc.

Em vista disso, a Senhora de Fátima pede-nos “oração, penitência e reparação”. Insiste na recitação diária do Rosário, para a conversão das almas pecadoras e do mundo.

 

http://osegredodorosario.blogspot.com/2011/10/07-de-outubro-nossa-senhora-do-rosario.html

S.LEONARDO DE PORTO-MAURÍCIO da Ordem dos Frades Menores AS EXCELÊNCIAS DA SANTA MISSA

As Excelências da Santa Missa - Dedicatória | Prefácio

LEONARDO DE PORTO-MAURÍCIO
da Ordem dos Frades Menores

AS EXCELÊNCIAS
DA
SANTA MISSA

Conforme a edição romana de 1737
dedicada a S.S. o Papa Clemente XII

DEDICATÓRIA

Santíssimo Padre,
O mínimo dos Frades Menores, humildemente prostrado aos pés de Vª Santidade, ousa oferecer-vos este livrinho. Vai publicado sob o título de “TESOURO OCULTO”, mas para vossa grande alma, é um tesouro há longo tempo conhecido, pois trata da excelência e utilidade da Santa Missa, que constitui toda a vossa consolação e é o esplendor da Igreja de Deus. 

 

A conveniência e a justiça combinadas levam-me a apresentar-vos esta humilde homenagem. 

 

Nada mais conveniente; pois já que trará do mais augusto de todos os sacrifícios, a quem poderia ser melhor dedicado este livro do que ao primeiro de todos os Padres? E onde poderia eu buscar apoio mais precioso, senão no patrocínio do Pastor supremo, que longe de guardar em si sua grande piedade, deseja tão ardentemente espalhá-la em proveito dos povos tão necessitados de luz? Igualmente, nada mais justo. Numerosos e poderosíssimos são os motivos que, de longa data, me impelem a manifestar em atos, meu vivo reconhecimento a vossa Santidade. Oh! Quantos benefícios que concedeu vossa clemência durante o pouco tempo que passei na Cidade Eterna! 

 

Atestam-no a faculdade de pregar missões em Roma, o desenvolvimento do santo Exercício da Via Sacra, e a elevação da “Adoração Perpétua do Santíssimo Sacramento”. Em uma palavra, não há favor, que eu vos tenha pedido para o bem comum de nosso Instituto, que não tenhais benevolamente concedido. 

 

Estes motivos e muitos outros excitam em meu coração sentimentos do mais humilde respeito, obrigam-me a manifestar o meu devotamento e encorajam-me a mandar imprimir no frontispício destas páginas o vosso nome augusto, conferindolhes assim uma recomendação que lhe aumentará o valor.

 

O preito que vos rendo com este livro é, portanto conveniente e justo.

 

Mas será sempre de vossa parte, santíssimo Padre, pura benevolência se vos dignardes aceita-la. È o que espero, vendo-vos tão inclinado a promover tudo que de qualquer modo, possa facilitar o grande negócio da salvação das almas.

Este zelo admirável é que atrai sobre vós a proteção visível do Altíssimo.

É Deus, certamente, que a uma idade tão avançada ajunta santidade tão florescente: DEUS, vosso conselheiro em tão difíceis conjunturas, DEUS, vossa Força nas provações tão grandes da Igreja, DEUS mesmo, que será finalmente vossa recompensa por tão gloriosos empreendimentos, dirigidos todos para o bem do universo católico. 

 

Digne-se vossa Santidade permitir que eu me prostre, com profunda submissão, beijando vossos pés sagrados, e oferecendo-vos minhas obras, minhas palavras e meu coração, e que me confesse, 

 

de vossa Santidade,
o mais humilde, respeitoso e obediente filho e servo,

Frei Leonardo de Porto-Maurício
Convento de São Boaventura,
Roma, 15 de Outubro de 1737. 

 

PREFÁCIO

Os tesouros, por grandes e preciosos que sejam, não podem ser estimados se não forem conhecidos. Eis porque, caro leitor, muitos não têm pelo santo Sacrifício da Missa o amor que deveriam ter, porque este tesouro, A MAIOR MARAVILHA e a MAIOR RIQUEZA da IGREJA DE DEUS é um TESOURO OCULTO um tesouro muito pouco conhecido. Ah! se todos conhecessem esta preciosidade celeste, tudo
sacrificariam para adquiri-lo. A exemplo do mercador do Evangelho, cada um, de boa vontade, daria tudo que possuísse para obter tão precioso tesouro.(Mt 13, 46)

Para estabelecer, portanto, àqueles que não estimam suficientemente tão grande mistério, publicamos este opúsculo.

Talvez a primeira vista, você não dê muito valor a ele, pois tantos outros livros foram já impressos, que ensinam admiravelmente o método para participar com fruto da Santa Missa, que outros novos não se podem desejar, como temerário, pois seria preciso mais talentos, a fim de pôr, em evidência, todo o valor de um Mistério tão venerável, além da inteligência dos próprios Serafins.

Responder-vos-ei, ingenuamente, que dizeis a verdade. E confesso que nada tenho a objetar, e mais ainda, que por muito tempo estas duas considerações me detiveram. Tolhia-me viva repugnância de empreender uma obra que havia de ser julgada pelo público, como supérflua e além de minhas forças.

Dois motivos, porém, impeliram-me a vencer todas as resistências de meu coração. Em primeiro lugar um conselho, para mim sagrado como uma ordem, pois que vinha dum Personagem a quem, por muitos títulos, devo obediência. Em segundo lugar a esperança de este escrito prestará algum serviço às populações que tenho evangelizado nas Missões.

 

Com efeito, um dos maiores benefícios que se obtém das Missões é o incremento do culto e do amor ao Santíssimo Sacramento. A finalidade delas é excitar em todos os cristãos um santo fervor que os impila a nutrirem-se mais freqüentemente do Pão dos Anjos, a acompanhar o santo Viático, cada vez que ele é levado aos doentes, a fim de que se forme um grande cortejo de pessoas e luzes, numa palavra, se lhes prestem as honras e pompa adequadas. Muito esforço também é feito no sentido de levar, todos os fiéis católicos, a assistir diariamente à Santa Missa; e não podeis imaginar como é vantajoso, para atingir um fim tão santo, colocar, entre as mãos dos fiéis, livros compostos em estilo simples e a seu alcance. Esses livros aplanam toda dificuldade para excitar a devoção, aclarando a inteligência e aquecendo os corações; e muitas vezes tira-se deles mais proveito que mesmo das pregações, pois nestas a palavra se dissipa enquanto que a
verdade escrita permanece sempre sob os nossos olhos.

Ainda que este opúsculo, não fizesse bem senão a uma única alma, não se poderia dizer que ficasse sem fruto. 

 

A fim de colocá-lo ao alcance de todos, ele só conterá três capítulos. 

 

No primeiro encontrar-se-á uma curta introdução sobre a excelência, a necessidade, e as vantagens da Santa Missa; no segundo vai exposto um método piedoso e prático para dela participar com fruto; no terceiro, registram-se alguns exemplos próprios para excitar as pessoas, de boa condição, a assistir à Santa Missa todos os dias. 

 

Em suma, é um TESOUTO OCULTO que eu vos desvendo, e, se souberdes dele aproveitar, enriquecereis de todos os bens para a vida e para a morte, para o tempo e para a eternidade.

 

http://santamaeddeus.blogspot.com/2011/10/as-excelencias-da-santa-missa.html

The Our Father: A Devout Interpetation by St. Nikolai Velimirovic

OUR FATHER

When the clouds are thundering and the oceans roaring, they call to Thee: “Our Lord!”

When the meteors fall, and fire springs up from the earth, they speak to Thee: “Our Creator!”

When the flowers are opening their buds in the spring, and the swallows are picking up pieces of dry hay with which to make their nests for their young, they sing to Thee: “Our Master!”

And when I life my eyes up to Thy throne I am whispering to Thee: “Our Father!”

There was a time, a long and fearful time, when man too spake to Thee and called Thee: Lord, or Creator, or Master! Yea, when man felt himself to be only a thing among things. But now by merit of Thy First-born and Best Son, we learned Thy right name. Therefore, I too, with Christ, dare to call Thee: “Father!”

If I address Thee as “Lord,” I bow in fear before Thee as a slave amongst an army of slaves. If I call Thee “Creator,” I separate myself from Thee, as night is apart from day, or as a leaf from its tree.

If I look to Thee and say “Master,” I am as a stone among stones, and as a camel among camels.

But if I open my mouth and whisper “Father,” love takes the place of fear, earth seems lifted nearer to Heaven, and I walk with Thee, as with my companions in the garden of this world, and share Thy glory, and sorrows, and strength.

Our Father! Thou art the Father of us all, and I would lessen both Thee and me if I call Thee: My Father!

Our Father! Thou dost not care so much about me, a single individual, as about the whole world. Thy Kingdom is Thy aim, and not a single man. Selfishness cries to Thee: My Father! But Love cries: Our Father!

In the name of all men, my brothers, I pray: Our Father!

In the name of things which surround me and with which Thou hast woven me, I pray to Thee, Our Father!

I pray to Thee, Father of the universe, for one thing only I pray to Thee: let soon dawn the great day when all men, the living and the dead, in harmony with the Angels and stars, and the animals and things, call to Thee by Thy true name: Our Father!

 WHICH ART IN HEAVEN

We always lift up our eyes to Heaven when calling to Thee and cast them down to the earth when remembering our sins. We are always in the depths on account of our weakness and our sins. Thou abidest always in the heights, as befits Thy magnitude and Thy holiness.

Thou art always in Heaven when we are unworthy to receive Thee; but gladly Thou descendest to us, to our earthly housing, when we are longing and opening the door for Thee.

Yet even when Thou descendest to us, still Thou abidest in Heaven; in Heaven Thou livest, over the Heavens Thou walkest, and with the Heavens dost Thou bow down to our valley.

Haven is far, too far, for the man whose mind and heart are turned from Thee, or who laughs when Thy name is spoken. But Heaven is near, so near, for the man who always keeps open the door of his soul and waits for Thy coming, our dearest Guest.

If the most just man is compared with Thee, Thou towerest over him as the firmament of Heaven over the valley of earth; as everlasting life over the realm of death.

We are of destructible and perishable material; how could we stand on the same height with Thee, Immortal Youth and Strength!

Our Father which art always above us, bow down to us and life us up to Thee. What are we but tongues constructed from the dust for the sake of Thy glory? The dust would be silent for ever and could not proclaim Thy name without us, O Lord. How could the dust know Thee but through us? How could Thou do miracles with the dead dust, but through us?

O our Father!

HALLOWED BE THY NAME

Thou wouldest not be holier by our hallowing Thee, but in hallowing Thy Name we make ourselves holy. Thy Name is wondrous. The people quarrel on this earth about names: whose name is great? It is good that sometimes Thy Name is mentioned in these quarrels, because all the loquacious tongues become at once slow and hesitating, and all the great human names melted together cannot compare with Thy Name, Holy, All-Holy!

When men want to hallow Thy Name they ask nature for help. They take stone and wood to make the temples; they adorn the altars with pearls and flowers, and make fire of plants, their sisters; and take scent of the cedars, their brothers; and strengthen their voices by the voice of the bells; and call the animals for help, to hallow Thy Name. Nature is as pure as Thy stars, and as innocent as Thine Angels, O Lord. Be merciful with us for the sake of the pure and innocent nature which hallows Thy Name, together with us, Holy, All-Holy!

In what way should we hallow Thy name?

Is it by innocent joy? – then be merciful with us for the sake of our innocent children.

Is it by suffering? – then look at our cemetaries.

Or is it by self-sacrifice? – then remember our mothers, O Lord!|

Thy name is stronger then steel and clearer then light. Blessed be the man who depends upon and enlightens himself by Thy Name!

The fools says: “We are armed with steel; who can resist us?” And Thou destroyest kingdoms with invisible insects!

Terrible is Thy Name, O Lord! It illuminates and it consumes like a great fire-cloud. Nothing is holy and nothing terrible that is not bound with Thy Name. Give me, O Holy, give me as friends those in whose hearts Thy Name is engraved, and as enemies those who do not wish to know anything about Thee. For such friends will be my friends to the death, and such enemies will kneel and surrender to me as soon as their steel is broken.

Holy and terrible is Thy Name, Holy, All-Holy! Let us remember Thy Name in every moment of our joy and of our abasement in life, as we remember it in the hour of our death, yea, our heavenly Father, our Holy Father!

 THY KINGDOM COME

Thy Kingdom come, O great King!

We are tired of the kings who are seemingly greater then older men, but who lie in our cemeteries together with beggars and slaves.

We are tired of the kings who yesterday declared their power over lands and nations and today complain of a toothache!

We are tired of them as of the clouds which bring quails instead of rain.

“Behold! this is the wise man. Given him the crown!” the crowds cried. To the crown, it is all the same upon whichever head it sits. But Thou knowest, O Lord, the wisdom of the wise and the government of the mortal. Shall I repeat what is known to Thee? Shall I tell Thee how the wisest among us ruled over us with folly as a prop?

“Behold! this is a strong man. Give him the crown!” the crowds cried again, in other times, and other generations. And so the crown travelled silently from head to head. But Thou, the Almighty, Thou knowest the price of the fortitude of the exalted ones, and the government of the strong ones. Thou knowest with how much weakness the strong supported their kingdom.

Now we have learned through suffering that there is no real king but Thee. Our soul is thirsty for Thy Kingdom and Thy government. Wandering here and there, are we not hurt and wounded enough, we, the living survivors, upon the tombs of many kings and kingdoms? We pray now to Thee for help.

Let Thy Kingdom come in sight! Thy Kingdom of Wisdom, Fatherhood, and Power! Let this earth, the battlefield of thousands of years, be a Home, where Thou art the Host, and we the guests! Come, King, the empty throne is waiting for Thee! With Thee harmony will come; with harmony, beauty. We are tired of all other kingdoms, therefore we are now expecting Thee, the great King, Thee, and Thy Kingdom!

 THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

Heaven and earth are Thy fields, O Father. Upon one field Thou sowest stars and angels, upon the other, thorns and man. The stars are moving according to Thy Will. The angels sing on the stars as on the harp, according to Thy Will. The thorns grow up and sting men, according to Thy Will. But man meets man and asks: what is God’s Will?

How long will man be ignorant about what is Thy Will, O Father? How long will he abase himself before the thorns under his feet? Thou didst create him for equality with the angels and stars, and lo! He is beaten even by thorns!

But behold, if a man will, he can speak Thy name better than the thorns, and as well as the stars and angels do. O Thou, the Spirit-giver, and Will-giver, give man Thy Will.

Thy Will is wise, and fresh, and holy. This Will moves the Heavens: why should not the same Will move the earth, which compared with Heaven, is as a drop of water compared with the ocean?

Thy Will is wise. I listen to the tale of bygone generations, and I look up to the sky and know that the stars are moving as they have done for thousands of years, always in the same way, and are bringing in due time summer and winter.

Thou art never wearied in acting with wisdom, our Father. No foolish thing ever finds a place in Thy plan. Thou art as fresh in wisdom and goodness today as on the first day of the creation, and tomorrow Thou wilt be as today.

Thy Will is holy as it is wise and fresh. Holiness is inseparable from Thee as we from the air.

Whatever is unholy may climb up towards Heaven, but no unholy thing ever descends from Heaven, from Thy throne, O Father.

We pray to Thee, our holy Father, that thou mayest soon bring the dawning of the day when the will of all men will be as wise, fresh, and holy as Thy Will; and when all Thine earthly creatures will move in harmony with the stars in Heaven; and when our planet will sing in chorus with all Thy wondrous stars:

O Lord, teach us!

O God, lead us!

O Father, save us! 

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

He that gives the body, gives the soul too; and He that gives the air, gives bread as well. Thy children, O merciful Giver of gifts, expect every needful thing from Thee.

Who would brighten their faces in the morning if not Thee through Thy light?

Who would watch nightly over their breathing when they sleep if not Thee, the most indefatigable of all watchers?

Where could they sow their daily bread if not upon Thy field? With what could they refresh it if not with Thy dew of the dawn? With what could they vivify it if not with Thy light and Thy air? With what could they test it if not with the mouth Thou formest on them?

By what means should they rejoice and give thanks to Thee when fed, if not by the spirit through which Thou hast inspired the lifeless clay and made of it a miracle, O Thou, most miraculous Artist?

I do not pray to Thee for my bread, but for our bread. Why should I alone have bread if my brothers around me are suffering hunger? It would be better and more just if Thou takest from me such bitter, selfish bread; hunger is sweeter shared with brothers dear. It cannot be Thy wish to have the thanks of one man, and the cursing of hundreds.

Our Father, give us our bread! In order that we may glorify Thee in harmonious chorus, and in order that we may joyfully remember our Heavenly Father.

This day we are praying for this day. This day is a great one; it is the birth of many thousands of living creatures. Thousands of new creatures, which yesterday were not, and which tomorrow will not be, today are rejoicing together under the same sunshine; together with us they crawl upon one of Thy stars, and together with us they call to Thee: our bread!

O great Host! We are Thy guests from morning till evening; we are sitting at Thy table and waiting for Thy bread. No one but Thee has the right to say: my bread. It is Thine.

No one but Thee has any right to tomorrow’s day and tomorrow’s bread but Thee alone, and those of today’s earthly inhabitants whom Thou invitest.

If it is in accordance with Thy will that the end of this day be the dividing line of my life and death, I will bow before Thy holy Will.

If it is Thy Will that tomorrow I may once more be the companion of the great sun, and a guest at Thy table, I will repeat my thanksgiving, as I repeat it steadily day after day.

And I will bow before Thy Will, again and again, as the angels in Heaven do, O Giver of all gifts, material and spiritual!

FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US

It is easier for a man to trespass against Thy laws then to understand them, O Father. But it is not easy for Thee to forgive us all our trespasses if we are not forgiving towards those who trespass against us. For Thou didst establish the universe upon measure and order. How could this balance be retained in the universe if Thou observes one measure towards us, and we observe another measure towards our neighbors? Or if Thou givest bread to us while we give a stone to our neighbors? Or if Thou forgives us our sins while we are hanging our neighbors for theirs? How then could the measure and order in the universe be preserved, O lawful Father?

Yet behold, Thou forgives us more then we can forgive our brothers. We defile the earth every day and night with our crimes, while Thou greetest us every day through the undimmed eye of Thy sun, and every night sendest Thy merciful forgiveness through the stars, those shining sentinels at the gate of Thy court, our Kingly Father!

Thou makest us ashamed every day, O most Merciful. For when we are expecting punishment Thou sendest to us Thy mercy; when we are expecting Thy thunders Thou sendest to us a quiet evening; and when we are expecting darkness Thou sendest to us the sunshine. Thou art always sublime above our sins, and always magnificent in Thy silent patience.

Woe to the fool who hopes to trouble Thee with a sacrilegious word! He is like the boy who angrily cast a grain of sand into the sea in order to drive the whole sea from its place. But the sea only silently folds over the skin of its surface, revealing thereby the meagerness of angry weakness in the face of the ocean’s immense power.

Behold, all our sins are common, and we all are responsible for the sins of all. Therefore, there are not on earth pure righteous men. For all the righteous must take upon themselves some of the sins of the sinners. It is difficult to be an immaculately righteous man, because there is no righteous one who does not bear upon his back at least one sinner. But how is it, O Father – give me to understand how it is that the more a righteous man bears the sinners’ sins, the more righteous he is?

Our Heavenly Father, who art sending bread from morning to evening to all Thy children and art receiving their sins in payment, make less heavy the burden of the righteous ones, and illumine the darkness of sinners.

The earth is full of sins, but full of prayers, too; it is full of the prayers of the righteous and of the despair of sinners. Is not despair the beginning of prayer?

Thou must be the Victor after all. Thy Kingdom will be founded upon the prayers of the righteous. Thy Will will become the law for men as it is the law for the angels.

Well then, why should our Father hesitate to forgive trespasses to mortals, thereby giving them and example of forgiveness and mercy?

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTAION

O how little is necessary for a man to turn his face from Thee towards idols!

He is surrounded by temptation as by storms, and he is as powerless as the foam upon a rough mountain brook.

If he is prosperous, he fancies at once that he is Thy colleague, or he puts Thee in his own shadow, or even adorns his home with Thy images as a luxury.

If evil knocks at his door, he encounters the temptation of making a bargain with Thee, or even of casting Thee away altogether.

If Thou callest him to sacrifices, he revolts. If Thou sendest him to death, he trembles.

If Thou offerest to him all the pleasures of earth, he will be tempted to poison and kill his own soul.

If Thou discloses to his eyes the laws of Thy creation, he murmurs, “The universe is wonderful and lawful in itself, without a Creator.”

We are confused by Thy light, O our shading Father, like the night butterflies. When Thou callest us to the light, we are flying into the darkness, when we are set in darkness we are crying for light.

There is a network of many paths before us, but we dare not go to the end of any of them, for at each end there is a temptation waiting for us and luring us on.

And the path leading to Thee is crossed by many temptations as well as by many precipices. Before temptation assails us Thou seemest to accompany us as by an illuminated cloud. But when temptation comes Thou disappearest. We turn around in confusion and we put to ourselves the painful question: What was our illusions – Thy presence or Thine absence?

In all temptations we ask ourselves: Art Thou our Father? All our temptations put in our minds the same question that all the circumstances around us are putting into our minds from day to day and from night to night, which is: What do you think about the Lord? Where is He and Who is He? Are you with Him, or without Him?

Give to me the power, my Fatherly Creator, that I may in every hour of my life, whether bright or dark, give the same answer to every possible temptation and to everything: The Lord is the Lord. He is there where I am and where I am not.

I stretch always my passionate heart towards Him and my hands towards His bright garments, as a child towards his beloved Father.

How could I live without Him? It would mean to be without myself at the same time. How could I be against Him? It would mean to be against myself at the same time.

A righteous son follows his father with respect, quietness, and joy.

Breathe Thine inspiration into our souls, O Father, to be Thy righteous sons!

BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL

Who will deliver us from evil, if not Thee, our Father?

Who will stretch out hands to the drowning children, if not their father?

Who concerns himself more about the cleanliness and beauty of the house than its master?

Thou didst call us from nothing to be something, but we bind ourselves down with evil, and so we are transforming ourselves again into nothing.

We fold around our hearts the very serpant that we most fear.

With all our might we are crying against the darkness, but the darkness abides in our souls, the microbes of darkness and the microbes of death.

We are fighting with one voice against evil, while evil silently penetrates our home; while we are crying, evil is forcing one position after the other, and comes nearer to our heart.

Stand Thou, Almighty Father, stand Thou between us and evil; we will lift up our hearts, and evil will evaporate like a wayside pool under the burning sun.

Thou art high above us, and Thou dost not feel the swell of evil; but we are suffocating under it. Behold, evil grows in us from day to day before our eyes and spreads its abundant fruits all around.

The sun salutes us every day with “Good morning!” and with the question: What have we to exhibit before our great King? And we exhibit only our old corrupt fruits of evil. O God, is not the dust, unmoved and unvivified, purer than man in the service of evil?

Look, we have built our houses and our mansions in the clefts and crevices of the earth. It would not be difficult for Thee to order Thy brooks to overflow all these clefts and crevices, and to wash the earth of men and of their evil doings.

But Thou art above our anger and our counsels. If Thou hadst listened to man’s counsels Thou wouldst by now have destroyed the universe to its foundations and been buried Thyself in the ruins.

O, Wisest among fathers! Thou smilest always in Thy divine beauty and immortality, and behold, from Thy smiles new stars are growing! Always with a smile Thou turnest our evil into good, and graftest the good upon the tree of evil, and so patiently curest our uncultivated and lost Garden of Eden. Patiently Thou curest, and patiently Thou buildest. Thou buildest patiently Thy Kingdoom of good, our King and Father. We pray to Thee: make us free from evil and full of good, Thou, the perfect emptiness of evil, and fullness of good!

FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM

The stars and suns are the citizens of Thy Kingdom, O Father. Do Thou array us, too, in this splendid army of Thine.

Our planet I small and dark, but it is Thy work, Thine architecture, and Thine inspiration. How could anything but something great be formed by Thy masterly hands. Yet by our own smallness and darkness we make our abiding place small and dark. Yes, the earth is ever small and dark when we call it our kingdom, and when we foolishly pretend to be its kings.

Behold, there are many among us who were kings on earth and who now, standing on the ruins of their thrones, are wondering and asking: “Where are our kingdoms?” And many kingdoms there are that do not know what happened to their vain and glorious kings. Blessed and happy is the man who looks through the clouds and whispers the words that Thou hearest: Thine is the Kingdom!

What we call our earthly kingdom is full of worms and as perishable as bubbles on a deep river. A heap of dust on the wings of the wind! Thou only hast a true Kingdom, and only Thy Kingdom has a King. Take us from the wings of the wind, O merciful King, save us from the wings of the wind! And make us citizens of Thy Kingdom. O yes, make of us the citizens of Thy eternal Kingdom, near Thy stars and suns, near Thine angels and archangels, yea, near Thee, our Father!

AND THE POWER

Thine is the power, because Thine is the Kingdom. Quasi-kings are powerless. Their only kingly power is in their royal title, which in truth is Thy title only. They wander in the dust, and the dust goes where the wind wants it to go. We are the wandering shadows and moving dust. But even when we wander and move it is by Thy power.

By Thy power we are and by Thy power we are going to be. Earth would be a corpse without Thy power. Thou art the breathing power in every grain of dust, and if the dust dances it dances by Thy power, or if the dancing dust is called man it is by Thy power.

Thou has lent a small grain of Thy power of man. If a man does good he does it by Thy power through Thee; and if a man does evil he does it by Thy power but through himself. Everything which is done, is done by Thy power, either used or misused, either understood or misunderstood. If a man, O Father, uses Thy power according to Thy Will, then Thy power is Thine, and it is good; if a man comes, however, and uses Thy power according to his own will, then Thy power is called his own, and it is evil.

I say, O Lord, when Thou disposest with Thy power it is good, but when the beggers, who borrowed the power from Thee, proudly dispose with it as with their own, it is evil. So there is one keeper, but many disposers of Thy power; and also there is no evil power in the world, but there are evil disposers and practicers of Thy power. Yea, of the particles of Thy power Thou mercifully lendest to them, from Thy plentiful table, to those poor mortals on earth.

Look down upon us, O powerful Father, look down upon us and be slow in sending Thy power to the earthly dust until it prepares two rooms to take it in: good will and humility – good will to us the borrowed divine gift for good, and humility to be steadily remindid that all the power in the universe belongs to Thee, great Power-giver!

Thy power is holy and wise. But when in our hands Thy power is in danger of being defiled and becoming unholy and foolish.

O Father, which art in Heaven, help us to know and to do every day one thing; that is, to know that all power is Thine, and to us Thy power according to Thy will. Behold, we are unhappy because we separated what is inseparable in Thee; we separated power from holiness, and also power from love, and power from faith, and, finally – which is the first cause of our fall – power from humility. Unite, O Father, what Thy children have foolishly separated, we pray.

Bring again to honor Thine own power which has been disregarded and dishonored, we pray. For behold, whatever we are, we are Thy children.

AND THE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER

Thy glory is co-eternal with Thee, our Kingly Father. It is substantial in Thee and independent from us. It is not glory of words like the glory of mortals, but it consists of the same imperishable essence as Thou art. Yea, it is inseperable from Thee like the light is inseparable from the burning sun. Whoever has seen the center and the periphery of Thy glory? Whoever has become glorious without the touch of Thy glory?

Thy dazzling glory is enveloping us all around and looking silently at us half-smilling and half-wondering about our human pains and murmurings. When we become silent we hear a secret whispering: Ye are children of a glorious Father!

O, how sweet is this glorious whispering!

What could we want more than to be the children of Thy glory? Is it not enough? Surely it is enough for a normal life. But behold, men want to be the fathers of the glory. And that is the beginning and the culmination of their misery. They are not satisfied with being children and sharers of Thy glory; they want to be fathers and bearers of Thy glory. Yet Thou art the only Father and the only Bearer of all glory. There are many misusers of Thy glory and many self-deceivers. Nothing is so dangerous in the hands of mortals as glory.

Thou showest Thy glory, and men argue about theirs. Thy glory is a fact, men’s glory is a word.

Thy glory nourishes the poor and leadest the meekones; men’s glory, when separated from Thee, is the best of Satan.

How ridiculous people are who try to make a glory of their own, outside and apart from Thee! There was a fool who hated the sun and tried to secure a place out of the light of the sun and to have it as his own. He constructed a shady hut and made no windows, entered it, and stood in quite darkness, rejoicing that he had gotten rid of the great source of light. Such a fool and such and inhabitant of darkness is one who makes an effort to build a glory of his own, outside and apart from Thee, O immortal source of glory!

There is no glory of man’s, as there is no power of man’s. Thine is the power and the glory, our Father. If we do not borrow from Thee, we lack both qualities and fade away like dry leaves when separated from the tree and scattered, at the mercy of the wind.

 AMEN 

Let us be satisfied to be called Thy children. There is no greater honor on earth or in Heaven than this.

Take from us our kingdoms, our power, and our glory. All that we ever called our own lies in ruins. Take from us what from the beginning belonged to Thee. Our whole history has been a foolish attempt to make our own kingdom, our own power, and our own glory. Close soon our old history, during which time we have been fighting to make ourselves servants in the house which is Thine. Behold, it is better and more glorious to be the humblest servant in Thy Kingdom than the greatest king is ours.

Therefore make us, O Father, servants of Thy Kingdom, power, and glory, through generations and generations, forever and ever. Amen.

http://orthodoxiakairomiosini.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/the-our-father-a-devout-interpetation-by-st-nikolai-velimirovic/