22 MARCH - OUR MOTHER OF CITEAUX (FRANCE)

 A certain young man entered the Cistercian Monastery at Citeaux. He found the religious life very hard, especially the coarse fare that was served in the refectory. 

      He almost died of hunger, for he could not force himself to eat the food. He prayed to Our Mother with great fervor to help him overcome this weakness of the flesh. 

      Our Mother, full of tenderness for the young souls who seek to follow her Son in the narrow way of religion, had compassion on him. He rose up full of joy at these words; 

      and she took him by the hand, and led him to the place where the great crucifix was hung, where on our Lord and Savior shows His Five Sacred Wounds. When with great awe and 

      reverence he dipped his crust in the Wound of Our Savior’s Side. Kneeling down, he gave thanks to Our Lord and His Blessed Mother, filled with love to endure the hardships 

      of holy poverty; for he now knew that Our Lord can give that which makes sweet the bread of tribulation through the virtue of His Most Sacred Passion.




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