A Couple More Rules of Life: Mary and Bl. Charles de Foucald

In reading, two more rules of life have appeared. One is of Mary in her life at Nazareth, upon the Holy Family's return from Egypt, and as cited in Raphael Brown's book (TAN) The Life of Mary as Seen by the Mystics.

"After they had settled in their home, Mary, who always observed perfect order in all her arrangements and habits, set up a rule of life for herself, so that she could she could again spend much time in prayer" (p. 149).

Bl. Charles de Foucald, in the rather scarce Meditations of a Hermit, wrote in notebooks found in his hermitage after his assassination. "Notes on the Spiritual LIfe" include an entry for Pentecost, June 6, 1897, in which Bl. Charles had asked Jesus what displeases Him most about Charles. Jesus responded, in part:

"In all you do, see only Me. In all you do, ask always, 'What would my Master do?' and do it yourself. Thus you will love only Me, thus I will live in you. You will lose yourself in Me and live in Me, you will have lost yourself, and My Kingdom will be begun in you.

"Your vocation. It is to preach the Gospel in silence as I did in my hidden life, and like Mary and Joseph.

"Your rule. To follow Me, to do what I should do. To ask yourself always 'What would Our Lord do?' and to do it. This is your only rule, but it is absolutely your rule. [emphasis added]

"Your spirit. Love of God and forgetfulness of self in joyful contemplation of My glory; compassion and grief for My sufferings; joy in My joy, grief for sins commited against Me, and a burning desire to see Me glorified by every soul. Love of your brother for My sake who love all men as a father loves His children. To wish for My sake for the spiritual and material good of all men. Freedom, liberty of speech, tranquility, peace. All for God's sake, nothing for your own sake or any other creature's.

"Your prayer. First Method. (1) What have you to say to me, my God? (2) This is what I have to say to you. (3) Keep silence with your eyes fixed on the Beloved. Second Method. Quis, quid, ubi, quibus auxilius, cur, quomodo, quando.
At Mass. Divide it into three parts:
1. As far as the consecration, offer Me to my Father and recommend your intentions to Him. Than Me for My cross and ask pardon for making it necessary.
2. From the consecration to the communion, adore Me upon the altar.
3. After communion, adore Me within you, thank Me, love Me, rejoice, be silent.

"Your thought of death. Think that you may die a martyr, despoiled of everything, stretched on the ground, covered with blood and wounds, violently and painfully killed. Wish this to happen to-day. If I am to give you this infinite grace, be faithful in watching and in carrying the Cross. Consider that such a death should be the object of your whole life; see in it how little other things matter. Think often of this death so as to be ready for it and to judge things at their true value in the light of it."

[Nineteen years later on December 1, 1916, Charles de Foucald was assassinated by the Senoussi at Tamanrasset, in the Sahara.]

This hermit here at Agnus Dei, rejected in my love and offering to the Church, must read this over during Mass and live it with Bl. Charles's help, and to create order in surroundings and habit so as to pray more, as the Blessed Mother did in her rule of life at Nazareth.

My place is through Him, with Him and in Him.