DAILY WORD of BLESSED JAMES ALBERIONE 2024
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of our founder, Blessed James Alberione, we will reflect on his words and use them as our daily guide.
PRAYER INTENTION for DECEMBER
Yes, there are many books, but one is the main one: the Bible; it is God himself who tells us to read it and assimilate its teachings (LS 275).
The effectiveness of the Press Apostolate is similar to that of the Holy Bible: it contains an inner strength, which is truly divine. By reading the divine Scriptures, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church obtained enlightenment and promptings to become saints and to be zealous for the salvation of souls (LS 290).
Advent means “coming,” and who is coming? Jesus in the crib. And so, the Church makes us prepare for this great advent with a preparation of various Sundays, of various weeks, so that we receive the Child in a holy way and witness the whole mystery of the Redemption (Pastorelle, 1957, 548).
All Saints, all men, from reading the Bible, draw virtues of fortitude, justice, prudence, love of neighbour... And a similar virtue is also inherent in the Press Apostolate (LS 290-291).
Turn one’s gaze to Mary. Contemplate her beauty in the Immaculate Conception. Her beauty that shines in a particular way on the day of the Annunciation and on the day of the birth of the Son of God in Bethlehem (APD56, 80).
To read or hear the Gospel is to read or hear the very voice of the Son of God. The Gospel must therefore be listened to with as much reverence as one would listen to Jesus Christ himself: as indeed we read that St Anthony, St Basil, St Francis and many saints did (LS 311).
The Sacred Scripture represents to us the Most Holy Trinity, better than a painting or a sculpture; the Holy Gospel represents to us the adorable Person of Jesus Christ, better than a painting or a crucifix of some tangible material (LS 306).
The diffusion of the Holy Gospel in particular and of the Bible in general must remain the essential work of the Press Apostolate. The Apostle of the Press, who did this part well, would already fulfil the essential part of this ministry; all the rest, on its own, without the Bible, would not be sufficient (LS 292).
The entire Press Apostolate, periodicals and books, is effective by virtue of the Bible, of the preaching of Jesus, of the Gospel; and it has greater effectiveness the more it draws from, approaches, defends, responds, gets zealous, applies the Gospel itself (LS 291).
The sacred writers do not count on themselves, but on God; hence the spirit of prayer. Furthermore, they aim at the Lord, that is, at the divine glory and at the peace of men; hence rectitude of intention. These two elements are essential for effectiveness: for the apostle to sanctify himself and for him to save men (LS 291).
There are two nourishments that the Church gives to souls: the Eucharist and the Bible; let us feed on both, the soul will be satisfied in all its faculties: intelligence, sentiment and will (LS 301-302).
Oh, if the grace that the Apostle desires for souls, he possesses it himself... Do not think that to carry out the Press Apostolate it is enough to enlighten and instruct souls; it is still necessary to move their wills, excite their hearts and enamour them with the practice of virtue (LS 318).
Christmas is a historic event: Jesus is born in the crib, he is adored by the Magi and especially by Mary and Joseph. Now let us recall the historical event. But Christmas must be a spiritual event, that is, the birth of Jesus in us is the growth of Jesus Christ in us: onecformetur Christus in vobis (APD64, 391).
The profession is renunciation and conquest. Renunciation of our ego, of our will... it is all a renunciation, but it is all a great conquest. Renounce the little to acquire the much, the infinite (APD56, 404).
The Priest and the people, in the Holy Mass, at the beginning of the reading of the Gospel, make three signs of the Cross: on the forehead, on the mouth, on the chest. Indicating that by the virtue of the cross we ask to honour the Gospel with the mind, with the heart, with the mouth (LS 312).
A person called to the Press Apostolate, who does not read, does not assimilate the divine truths of the Bible, puts himself outside his vocation. He will be able to do some works of the apostolate, but they will not be the life of souls. It will be a simple parade, something external and nothing more (LS 317).
Let us now imagine the beautiful spectacle of the Most Holy Virgin who, recollected and devoted, reads the Sacred Scriptures with infinite love: every word is for her a bolt of love and a push towards God (LS 319).
One who does not love the Bible, in the Press Apostolate, looks for other books, vaporous titles, but do not go to the centre... May these souls find their way: it is the Church; let them find the truth: it is in the Bible; may they find their life: it is in the Holy Gospel! (LS 317-318).
O Jesus, true light that illuminates every man who comes into this world, I know that you have come from God to be our Master and that you teach his ways in truth. Life and spirit are the words you have spoken to us (LS 320).
O Jesus, allow me to be able to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God and your incomprehensible riches. Show me all the treasures of God’s wisdom and knowledge which are hidden in you. Let your word penetrate my soul; guide my steps as a light, and light up my path (LS 320).
And what to ask the Child?To put us in his school. And we will ask Our Lady to accompany us to school as your mother accompanied you when you went to kindergarten or to the first elementary classes (APD56, 673).
Bring our hearts, our wills, our health, our intelligence, eyes, hearing, tongue and our whole being, to Jesus... Think of having the Child Jesus in front of you and speaking directly with this Child or even go further and imagine that Mary places the Child in your arms (APD56, 639).
Who, then, is that Child? He is our God. He is the only begotten of the Father, he is the very wisdom of the Father. He is the one who has loved us from all eternity. The crib is a whole scene of love... Enter, therefore, with faith and love into that cave and let us prostrate before the Child (APD56, 668).
We must recognize the great need we have of the Divine Master… Above all, ask that the Son of God be born in our hearts, in our minds; transform us, because this is where everyone’s redemption lies: to become similar to Jesus Christ (Prediche, 1952-1953, 9).
Preparing for Christmas is like preparing for Communion, therefore the dispositions we want to have in order to take Communion in a holy way are still the dispositions to carry in our hearts for holy Christmas (APD56, 662).
Consider the goodness of the Son of God who became incarnate and took the form of a Child ... And consider the goodness of the heavenly Father who sent us his Son to save us. And consider the Holy Spirit who entered in the incarnation (APD56, 666).
Three conditions to approach the crib: first, great innocence, beautiful soul; second, great faith, united with love. Faith: who is that baby Jesus? And love him. And thirdly: approach with trust, that is, with hope for ourselves and for humanity (APD56, 676).
What to ask the Child? Here is the Child, considering him as the Child Teacher who was born, we will ask this grace: to put ourselves at his school. And we will ask Our Lady to accompany us to school… Oh, then, tell Jesus to accept us in his school of holiness (APD56, 673).
Religious life, the religious family, has to be modelled on the life of the Holy Family. What was the life of the Holy Family like? It was a life of recollection; it was a life of piety; it was a life of work; it was a life of charity, of goodness (APD56, 148).
Thank the Lord for the vocation and responding with loving gratitude to the Lord; loving and productive gratitude altogether. Behold, the Lord anticipates us with his graces... How many times does one receive graces more than he or she asks for and many graces without having asked for them. Trust in the Lord! (APD56, 641)
St Joseph had this grace of being united to Mary in her mission and it was the heavenly Father’s plan that he, a virgin, guard the Virgin and provide the Virgin with the necessary and live with her and have very holy conversations with her and between him and the Virgin was like a contest of virtues, of holiness (APD56, 230).
Our foundress
Venerable Thecla Merlo
night of 31 December 1900 and felt obliged “to do something for God and for the people of the new century.”
Our founder Blessed James Alberione
Fr James Alberione encountered the Lord in the
Eucharistic adoration on the
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