29 September is the Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, archangels.
“Since the early days of the Church, the archangel Michael has been venerated as the defender of God’s rights, helping Christians to be steadfast in their fidelity to God in times of trial. When living in the diocese of Troia, Paul of the Cross together with his brother John Baptist, visited the shrine of St. Michael the Archangel on Monte Gargano. His very special devotion to the archangel Michael increased during the building of the first retreat. A person under his spiritual direction told him how he saw “the glorious St. Michael, with sword unsheathed, surveying the walls of the retreat in an attitude of defending the Lord’s little flock”. In memory of this apparition an altar was erected in the first church to honour the archangel. The second retreat of the Passionist Congregation was dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, and his image was displayed in all the retreats.” (History of the Passionists, Volume 1, Fr. Fabiano Giorgini, C.P., p. 325)
God changes his appearance every second. Blessed is the one who can recognise him in all his disguises | Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek
Acquire inner peace, and thousands around you will find their salvation | St. Seraphim of Sarov
If I stay with the Church it is out of a disillusioned love, and with a realisation that I myself could not be happy outside, though I have no guarantee of being happy inside either. In effect my “happiness” does not depend on any institution or any establishment. As for you, you are part of my “Church” of friends who are in many ways more important to me than the institution |Thomas Merton, Striving Towards Being by Robert Faggen, (Ed)
In her little meditation room at home, Rosi Richardson has a statue of Mary holding her dead son Jesus. She says that for her it is the image of letting go. It represents the radical letting go of everything, the emptying that is essential in Zen practice. Mary has arms that hold, but do not cling. She is a nurturing presence that does not constrict. It is especially difficult to let go of your own child – Ellen Birx, Healing Zen.
Around 20th September Paul of the Cross started for Rome along the Aurelia Highway, and after almost two days of intense walking, entered the city by Porta Cavallegeri beside St. Peter’s Basilica. He found lodgings in the Holy Trinity Hospice near Ponte Sisto. The following day, possibly 25th or 26th September, he went to the Quirinal, then to the papal palace where he asked to speak to the master of the sacred palace, and, we presume, to present his bishop’s letters of recommendation of which none has come down to us. He was summarily sent away. Paul felt terribly desolate, with perhaps a passing doubt as to the validity of the efforts made. However he quickly recovered his calm and courage by contemplating the human failure of the Cross of Christ. Then, almost as an act of reaffirming his fidelity to what God has given him to understand by so many inspirations he went to St. Mary Major’s where before Our Lady he “vowed to promote devotion to the Passion in the hearts of the faithful and, to this end, to endeavour to gather companions”.
– History of the Passionists, Volume 1, Fr. Fabiano Giorgini, C.P., p. 100-101
Coming from the direction of the papal palace, Paul would have entered the Basilica from the door at the back of the building, between the main altar and the Chapel of the Madonna, known as the Borghese Chapel. The cool stillness of the chapel had a soothing effect on him, as did the painting above the altar: the icon of Mary known as Salus Populi Romani, said to have been painted by St. Luke. Kneeling there, allowing the turmoil to leave his heart, he prayed for understanding. Slowly he realised that it was not yet time for presenting the Rule to the pope; that day would come. In the meantime, he must be faithful to the inspiration God had given him. When all doors seemed closed, the only way forward was to commit himself more fully to the work he had been given to do. Before the icon of Mary, he made a vow to promote the memory of the Passion of Jesus and to work to gather companions for this purpose.
– As A Seal Upon Your Heart, Fr. Paul Francis Spencer, C.P., p. 61
Read about the Icon of Mary Salus Populi Romanihere
The Black Scapular of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ is distinguished from other Scapulars in this way: It is made of black cloth, having on the front the figure of a Heart surmounted by a White Cross. In the centre of the Heart are the letters: JESU .. XPI .. PASSIO .. meaning: “The Passion of Jesus Christ.” Beneath these letters are three nails. They represent the nails that pierced the Hands and Feet of Jesus.
On the second half of the Scapular is a picture of Jesus on the Cross. On the two halves of the Scapular, in each corner, appear a Chalice, a Veil with Christ’s Face imprinted on it, a Crown of Thorns, and a stone Column to which Christ was bound and beaten with whips. On the lower part of each half of the Scapular there appears this Latin sentence: “Sit Semper in Cordibus Nostris.” This means: “May it [Christ’s Passion] be always in our hearts.”
The Scapular represents, in a small size, the habit in which St. Paul of the Cross, Founder of the Passionists, saw himself clothed during a vision. This vision was bestowed upon him during the time he was cherishing the dream of founding a new Congregation, to be devoted in a special manner to the sufferings and death of Jesus.
OUR PASSIONIST CHARISM 