Presentation

(From The Hours of the Passion.  Click here for book)

This book (The Twenty-Four Hours of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ) is a translation of the Italian book, L’Orologio della Passione di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo, written by Luisa Piccarreta, “The Little Daughter of the Divine Will,” about the year 1914, in obedience to the ecclesiastical authority at that time, the now Saint Annibale Maria di Francia.  This presentation was taken largely from the preface of the fourth edition, which Saint Annibale Maria di Francia had written for the original Italian.

Luisa was seventeen years old (she relates these facts in the first of thirty-six volumes which she wrote by order of holy obedience).  On the last day of a Christmas Novena which Jesus Himself prompted her to do, He surprised her with an unusually vivid experience of the marvelous Mysteries of His Love.  And He told her He wanted to lavish New and Greater Graces on her, manifesting to her other, even more lofty Excesses of His Immense Love, and inviting her to continue giving Him uninterrupted company during the twenty-four hours of His Sorrowful Passion and death.

Much later, after Luisa had already been Living these Hours of the Passion intensely in her interior for more than thirty years, the now Saint Annibale di Francia, who was the ecclesiastic delegate on matters concerning Luisa’s writings and who had come to know about this practice of hers, gave her the obedience to write these Hours down.  This, then, is how the book, The Hours of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ began.

It was then that Saint Annibale di Francia published it for the first time.  To this edition, there followed seven others:  five in Italian and two in German—always with the proper ecclesiastical permissions.  It was recently published in English and Spanish as well.

When Luisa had finished writing the Hours of the Passion, she wrote a letter which she gave to Saint Annibale together with the book, who included it in the book’s preface when he published it.  From this letter, we come to appreciate how pleased Jesus is, and how many benefits are lavished upon the soul, when it practices these Hours on a daily basis, as Bread without which one cannot live.  Here is the letter.

“I am finally sending you this hand-written copy of The Hours of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  May it all be for His greater Glory.  I have also enclosed a few sheets on which I have described the Effects and the beautiful Promises which Jesus makes to all those who meditate these Hours of the Passion.

“I believe that if whoever meditates on them is a sinner he will convert; if he is imperfect he will become perfect; if he is holy he will become holier; if he is tempted he will find victory; if suffering he will find strength, medicine and comfort in these Hours; if weak and poor he will find a spiritual food and a mirror in which to look at himself continually, and so become beautiful and similar to Jesus, our Model.

“Jesus’ Joy is so immense when someone meditates on the Hours of the Passion, that He would like to see at least one copy of these meditations being used in every city and town.  Because then it would be as if Jesus were hearing His own Voice and His own Prayers which He raised to His Father during the twenty-four hours of His painful Passion.  And if this is done at least by a few souls in each town and city, He Himself promises that the Divine Justice will be appeased in part, and punishments will be lessened.

“Reverend Father:  You make an appeal to everyone.  Bring this little work to completion, which my Loving Jesus has had me do.

“I would also like to add that the purpose of these Hours of the Passion is not so much that of recounting the story of the Passion, since there already are many books which deal with this pious subject, and it would not be necessary to write another one.  Instead, its purpose is to make reparation:  to unite ourselves to Jesus in each of the different moments of His Passion, and with His own Divine Will, make a worthy reparation for each of the various offenses He receives, and compensate Him for everything that all creatures owe Him.

“From this there derive the different ways of making reparation in these Hours.  In some instances, the soul blesses Him, in others it sympathizes with Him, in others it praises Him, it comforts suffering Jesus, it compensates Him, it begs, prays and asks Him, and so on.

“So, I entrust to you the task of making known the purpose of these Hours to those who will read them.”

Therefore, in every city, town and nation, let us form so many cenacles, in which these twenty-four Hours of the Passion of Our Lord are meditated and lived.  Like so many living clocks, let them faithfully mark the hours of each day, to keep Jesus company with our love, our reparation and our gratitude, for He is not loved as He deserves.  Indeed, His own children offend Him and crucify Him again in their hearts, by closing the doors to Grace, to the Divine Will.

It happened that on one occasion, Saint Annibale di Francia went to Luisa’s house and recounted what had taken place on one of his visits with the Pope (being an intimate friend of Pope Saint Pius X, he was frequently received by him).  While with him, he wanted to introduce him to the book, The Hours of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which he had been spreading.  So, St. Annibale read a few pages of it to the Pope, specifically, from the Hour of the Crucifixion.  At a certain point, the Pope interrupted him, saying:

“Father, this book should be read while kneeling:  It is Jesus Christ who is speaking!”

(Click here for website)

Presentation of Our Lord

On February 2, 1996 photocopies of the Thirty-Six Volumes of the Writings
of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta were made.
The Archbishop of Trani, Monsignor Cassati, had permission from
the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith to make the photocopies.

***

The Virgin Mary in the Kingdom of the Divine Will
Day Twenty-three

My dear daughter, do not move from My side; follow Me everywhere. Forty days from the Birth of Little King Jesus are about to sound when the Divine Fiat calls us (the Holy Family) to the Temple in order to fulfill the law of the Presentation of My Son (Jesus). So we went to the Temple. It was the first time that we went out together with My Sweet Baby. A vein of Sorrow opened in My Heart: I was going to offer Him as Victim for the Salvation of all. We (the Holy Family) entered the Temple, and first we Adored the Divine Majesty; then we called the priest, and having placed Him in his arms, I made the Offering of the Celestial Baby to the Eternal Father—Offering Him (Jesus) in Sacrifice for the Salvation of all. The priest was Simeon, and as I placed Him in his arms, he recognized that He was the Divine Word and exulted with immense joy; and after the offering, assuming the attitude of prophet, he prophesied all My Sorrows. O! How the Supreme Fiat sounded over My Maternal Heart—thoroughly, with vibrating sound, the Mournful Tragedy of all the Pains of My Baby Son. But what pierced Me the most were the words that the holy prophet spoke to Me: “This Dear Baby will be the Salvation and the ruin of many, and will be the Target of contradictions.”

If the Divine Will had not sustained Me, I would have died instantly of pure Pain. But It gave Me Life, and used it to form in Me the Kingdom of Sorrows, within the Kingdom of Its very Will. So, in addition to the Right of Mother that I had over all, I acquired the Right of Mother and Queen of all Sorrows. Ah! Yes, with My Sorrows I acquired the Little Coin to pay the debts of My children, and also of the ungrateful children.

Now, My daughter, you must know that in the Light of the Divine Will I already knew all the Sorrows I was to suffer—and even more than that which the holy prophet told Me. But in that Act, so Solemn, of Offering My Son, in hearing it being repeated to Me, I felt so pierced that My Heart bled, and deep gashes opened in My Soul.

Now, listen to your Mama: in your pains, in the sorrowful encounters which are not lacking for you, never lose heart; but with Heroic Love let the Divine Will take Its Royal Place in your pains, that It may convert them for you into Little Coins of Infinite Value, with which you will be able to pay the debts of your brothers, to ransom them from the slavery of the human will, so as to make them enter again, as free children, into the Kingdom of the Divine Fiat.

The soul:

Holy Mama, in Your Pierced Heart do I place all my pains; and You know how they pierce my heart. O please! Be my Mama, and pour into my heart the Balm of Your Sorrows, that I may share in Your same Destiny of using my pains as little coins in order to conquer the Kingdom of the Divine Will.

Little Sacrifice:

Today, to honor Me, you will come into My arms, that I may pour in you the First Blood that the Celestial Baby shed in order to heal the wounds that your human will did to you; and you will recite three acts of love in order to mitigate the Spasm of the Wound of Baby Jesus.

Ejaculatory Prayer:

My Mama, pour Your Sorrow into my soul, and convert all my pains into Will of God.

***

The Virgin Mary in the Kingdom of the Divine Will
Meditation 3

The soul to her Celestial Mother:

Holy Mama, here I am close to You, to accompany You to the Temple, where You go to make the Greatest of sacrifices—that is, to place the Life of the Celestial Infant at the mercy of each creature, that they may use it to reach safety and to be sanctified. But, ah! What Sorrow—many will use it to offend Him, and even to become lost. O please! My Mama, place Little Jesus in my heart, and I promise You, and I swear, to love Him always, and to keep Him as the Life of my poor heart.

Lesson of the Queen of Heaven:

Dearest daughter, how happy I am to have you close to Me. My Maternal Heart feels the need to pour out My Love and to confide to you My Secrets. Be attentive to My Lessons, and listen to Me. You must know that for forty days now, we have been in this grotto of Bethlehem, the first home of My Son down here; but, how many Wonders in this grotto! The Celestial Infant, in an Ardor of Love, descended from Heaven to earth; He was Conceived, and was Born, and felt the need to pour out this Love; so, each Tear, Wail, and Moan, was an Outpouring of Love that He made. Each Tear, Wail and Moan, was an Outpouring of Love. Even His feeling numb with cold, His tiny little lips, livid and shivering—were all Outpourings of Love that He made; and He looked for His Mama in whom to deposit this Love, which He could no longer contain; and I was Prey to His Love. So, I felt Myself being Wounded continuously, and I felt My Dear Little One Palpitating, Breathing, Moving within My Maternal Heart. I felt Him Crying, Moaning and Wailing, and I remained inundated by the Flames of His Love. The circumcision had already opened deep gashes in Me, into which He poured so much Love that I felt Queen and Mother of Love. I felt Enraptured in seeing that in each Pain, Tear and Motion that My Sweet Jesus made, He looked for and called upon His Mama, as Dear Refuge of His Acts and of His Life. Who can tell you, My daughter, what passed between Me and the Celestial Baby during these forty days? The repetition of His Acts together with Me, His Tears, His Pains, His Love, were as though Transfused together, and whatever He did, I did.

Now, after the completion of the forty days, the Dear Baby, drowned more than ever in His Love, wanted to Obey the law and present Himself to the Temple to offer Himself for the Salvation of each one. It was the Divine Will that called us to the Great Sacrifice, and we promptly Obeyed. My daughter, this Divine Fiat, when It finds promptness in doing what It wants, places at the creature’s disposal Its Divine Strength, Its Sanctity, Its Creative Power to Multiply that act, that sacrifice, for all and for each one. In that sacrifice It places the Little Coin of Infinite Value, with which one can pay and satisfy for all.

It was the first time that your Mama and Saint Joseph went out together with the Little Child Jesus. All Creation recognized Its Creator, and felt honored at having Him in their midst; and assuming the attitude of Feast, they accompanied us along the way. As we arrived at the Temple, we prostrated ourselves and Adored the Supreme Majesty; and then we placed Him in the arms of the priest, who was Simeon, who made of Him an Offering to the Eternal Father—offering Him for the Salvation of all. And while he offered Him, inspired by God, he recognized the Divine Word, and exulting with Immense Joy, he adored and thanked the dear Baby. After the offering, he assumed the attitude of prophet, and predicted all My

Sorrows. O! How the Supreme Fiat, painfully, made My Maternal Heart feel, with vibrating sound, the Mournful Tragedy of all the Pains which My Divine Son was to suffer. Each word was a sharp sword that Pierced Me. But what Pierced My Heart the most was to hear that this Celestial Infant would be not only the Salvation, but also the ruin of many, and the Target of contradictions. What Pain! What Sorrow! If the Divine Will had not sustained Me, I would have died instantly of Pure Pain. But It gave Me Life, to begin to form in Me the Kingdom of Sorrows within the Kingdom of Its very Divine Will. So, with the Right of Mother that I (Blessed Mother) had over all, I acquired also the Right of Mother and Queen of all Sorrows. O! Yes, with My Sorrows, I acquired the Little Coin with which to pay the debts of My children, and also those of the ungrateful children.

Now, My daughter, you must know that through the Light of the Divine Will that Reigned in Me, I already knew all the Sorrows I was to suffer—and even more than those which the holy prophet told me. Rather, I can say that he prophesied to Me the sorrows which were to come to Me from the outside, but he said not a word about My Interior Pains which would Pierce Me more, and the Interior Pains between Me and My Son. But in spite of this, in that Act, so Solemn, of the Offering of My Son, in hearing them being repeated to Me, I felt so Pierced that My Heart Bled, and New Veins of Sorrow and deep gashes opened in My Soul.

Now, listen to your Mama: in your pains, in the sorrowful encounters which are not lacking for you either, when you know that the Divine Will wants some sacrifice of you—be ready, do not lose heart, but rather, repeat quickly the Dear and Sweet Fiat—that is: “Whatever You (God) want, I (the soul) want.” And with Heroic Love, let the Divine Will take Its Royal Place in your pains, that It may convert them for you into the Little Coin of Infinite Value, with which you will be able to pay your debts, and also those of your brothers, to ransom them from the slavery of the human will, so as to make them enter, as free children, into the Kingdom of the Divine Fiat. In fact, you must know that the Divine Will is so pleased by the sacrifice wanted by It from the creature, that It gives her Its Divine Rights, and constitutes her queen of the Sacrifice and of the Good that will arise in the midst of creatures.

The soul to her Celestial Mother:

Holy Mama, in Your Pierced Heart I place all my pains; and You know how much they afflict me. O please! Be my Mama, and pour the Balm of Your Sorrows into my heart, that I may share Your same Destiny of using my pains as the cortege of Jesus, to keep Him defended and sheltered from all offenses, and as the sure means to conquer the Kingdom of the Divine Will, and make It come to Reign upon earth. 

Little Sacrifice:

Today, to honor Me, you will come into My arms, that I may offer you, together with My Son, to the Celestial Father, in order to obtain the Kingdom of the Divine Will. 

Ejaculatory Prayer:

Holy Mama, pour Your Sorrow into my soul, and convert all my Pains into Will of God.

MESSIS QUIDIM MULTA
The Harvest is Plentiful

Coat of Arms of Archbishop Leonardo D’Ascenzo

“The harvest is plentiful. This is the expression that I chose as my motto after the announcement of my appointment as archbishop of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie. It is the expression that more than any other recurs in pastoral work for vocations, the area that characterized in particular my priestly ministry. It is the expression that marked my whole story”. Those were the first words of thanksgiving that the newly ordained Archbishop Leonardo D’Ascenzo said in his greeting at the celebration.”

Above Quote from Archbishop D’Ascenzo’s Episcopal Ordination on January 14, 2018

***

The Rogationist Apostolate

Since the time of his youth, Saint Annibale felt himself singularly drawn to prayer in order to obtain priests for the Church. Particularly in his lengthy adorations before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, he would sorely lament the need for “other Christs.” When he read in the Gospel the words of Jesus: “Rogate ergo Dominum messis ut mittat operarios in messem suam (Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest),” Matt. 9, 38; Luke10, 2, a supernatural light illuminated his mind. He understood that the Lord was calling him to devote his life and every energy to propagating the divine command and beseeching others to obey this categorical order from the Divine Master. He would say over and over: “People pray for the rain, for good crops, for freedom from divine punishment, and they forget about praying to God so He’ll send good evangelical workers into the mystical harvest.” He accordingly wrote and promulgated a series of glowing prayers which are compiled in a booklet form and translated into different languages. “The salvation of the world,” he said, “depends on priests, and the means we have to obtain them is found surely and infallibly in the prayer commanded by Our Lord Jesus Christ; not to obey the command of Jesus means not to desire priests, not to desire the salvation of the world.” In an ardent invocation to the Sacred Heart, he fervently entreated: “How come all those who love You don’t address to this wholesome prayer? How come, when so many souls are perishing…the Catholic world doesn’t rise up in one body to implore from Your Divine Heart…numerous priests? Spread, O Lord, from the north to south and from east to west, this spirit of prayer. May the hearts of all Your cardinals, Your bishops, Your priests, and the entire Church burn and spill over with this spirit… May the hearts of all the virgins and nuns consecrated to You be inflammed with this spirit … We ask You, Lord Jesus, that the evangelical prayer of Your Heart will triumph throughout the Church and throughout the world. Let it become a universal prayer … May the eyes of all be penetrated by that ceaseless sound from Your longing Heart: ‘The harvest indeed is abundant, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest …’”

The excerpt above is from a Biography of St. Annibale Di Francia, who was both the confessor and ecclesial advisor of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta.