Prayer to St. Peter Damian

 

Thy soul was inflamed by the zeal of God's House, O Peter! God gave thee to his Church in those sad times when the wickedness of the world had robbed her of well nigh all her beauty. Thou hadst the spirit of an Elias within thee, and it gave thee courage to waken the servants of the Lord: they had slept, and while they were asleep, the enemy came, and the field was oversown with tares. Then did better days dawn for the Spouse of Christ; the promises made her by our Lord were fulfilled; but who was the Friend of the Bridegroom? who was the chief instrument used by God to bring back to his House its ancient beauty? A Saint who bore the glorious name of Peter Damian!--In those days, the Sanctuary was degraded by secular interference. The Princes of the earth said: Let us possess the Sanctuary of God for an inheritance.(Ps. lxxxii. 13.) The Church, which God intended to be Free, was but a slave, in the power of the rulers of this world; and the vices, which are inherent to human weakness, defiled the Temple. 

But God had pity on the Spouse of Christ, and for her deliverance he would use human agency: he chose thee, Peter, as his principal cooperator in restoring order. Thy example and thy labours prepared the way for Gregory, the faithful and dauntless Hildebrand, into whose hands the Keys once placed, and the work of regeneration was completed. Thou hast fought the good fight; thou art now in thy rest; but thy love of the Church, and thy power to help, are greater than ever. Watch, then, over her interests. Obtain for her Pastors that Apostolic energy and courage, which alone can cope with enemies so determined as hers are. Obtain for her Priests the holiness which God demands from them that are the salt of the earth.(St. Matth. v. 13) Obtain for the Faithful the respect and obedience they owe to those who direct them in the path of salvation. Thou wast not only the Apostle, thou wast moreover the model, of penance in the midst of a corrupt age; pray for us, that we may be eager to atone for our sins by works of mortification. Excite within our souls the remembrance of the sufferings of our Redeemer, that so his Passion may urge us to repentance and hope. Increase our confidence in Mary, the Refuge of Sinners, and make us, like thyself, full of filial affection towards her, and of zeal that she may be honoured and loved by those who are around us.