and with the words of Mother Anna Maddalena Benucci, VHM, Visitandine(1899-1993, Rome Visitation)
Source: “Image et paroles d’une Mere” (Monastery of the Visitation of Rome, private publication)
Week One: HUMILITY
Sunday December 3
In thought I come to you Jesus, who gave your …. portrait to Veronica; through her you gave it to all the Visitandines and to me. When we present to you our soul prepared to serve you with colorless, simple linen, linen, not precious fabric, a white canvas worthless in everything, when “we do all things with a spirit of deep, sincere and pure humility,” it is then that trait by trait, You give us the image of your holy Face as a treasure!
Monday December 4
O Visitandine, before such an immense love, be determined to be entirely for Jesus according to your vocation which is a vocation to humility, since you must do everything “in a spirit of deep, sincere and pure humility.”
Tuesday December 5
Our Holy Mother, St Jane de Chantal, with firey words, exhorted us to humility in practice and she began by recommending the interior conviction proper to humility:” I pray that you will be humble and low in your own eyes”, and immediately she passed to the second point: ” and be very content to be considered and treated as such”. Then she continued, ” Be very attentive not to lose the love of contempt because you would lose your spirit.”
Wednesday December 6
Humility is an attitude that, like the Virgin Mary, respects God, listens and puts the word into practice by collecting it in the heart as in a box.
Thursday December 7
The humble are the balanced and those who do more good in the Monastery. The humble are truthful so they can please God and everyone.
Friday December 8
Jesus, pardon! Forgive me by your humility, by the humility of the Blessed Virgin, of my Holy Founders, of all the holy Visitandines, in the name of the humility of Veronica to whom I appeal as my holy protector.
Saturday December 9
I propose to you and I will tell you more about how to live this virtue
don’t make excuses
welcome advice and criticism
fear nothing except sin