Day: December 4, 2017

Posted in ADVENT, DEVOTIO, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, The HOLY EUCHARIST

Thought for the Day – 4 December – Monday of the First Week of Advent

Posted on by AnaStpaul

From “The Liturgical Year” by Dom Gueranger O.S.B. (1805-1875)
Volume 1 Advent – Chapter The Fifth
On Hearing Mass During The Time Of Advent

There is no exercise which is more pleasing to God, or more
meritorious, or which has greater influence in infusing solid piety into
the soul, than the assisting at the holy sacrifice of the Mass.    If this be
true at all the various seasons of the Christian year, it is so, in a very
special manner, during the holy time of Advent.   The faithful, therefore,
should make every effort in order to enjoy this precious blessing, even on
those days when they are not obliged to it by the precept of the Church.

With what gratitude ought they to assist at that divine sacrifice, for
which the world had been longing for four thousand years!   God has granted
them to be born after the fulfilment of that stupendous and merciful
oblation and would not put them in the generations of men who died before
they could partake of its reality and its riches!   This notwithstanding,
they must earnestly unite with the Church in praying for the coming of the
Redeemer, so to pay their share of that great debt which God had put upon
all, whether living before or after the fulfilment of the mystery of the
Incarnation.   Let them think of this in assisting at the holy sacrifice.

Let them also remember that this great sacrifice, which perpetuates on
this earth even to the end of time, though in an unbloody manner, the real
oblation of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, has this for its express
aim:  to prepare the souls of the faithful for the mysterious coming of God,
who redeemed our souls only that He might take possession of them.   It not
only prepares, it even effects this glorious advent.

Let them, in the third place, lovingly profit by the presence of and
intimacy with, Jesus, to which this hidden yet saving mystery admits them;
that so, when He comes in that other way, whereby He will judge the world
in terrible majesty, He may recognise them as His friends and even then,
when mercy shall give place to justice, again save them!  Amen.

“Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus.”there is no exercise - dom gueranger - 4 dec 2017

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Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, DEVOTIO, DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST, The LISTS of the CHURCH, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Quote/s of the Day – 4 December – The Memorial of St John Damascene (676-749) – Father and Doctor of the Church

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Quote/s of the Day – 4 December – The Memorial of St John Damascene (676-749) – Father and Doctor of the Church

“Think of the Father as a spring of life begetting the Son,
like a river and the Holy Ghost like a sea,
for the spring and the river and sea are all one nature.
Think of the Father as a root and of the Son as a branch
and the Spirit as a fruit, for the substance in these three is one.
The Father is a sun with the Son as rays and the Holy Ghost as heat.”ST JOHN DAMASCENE ON THE HOLY TRINITY

“‘How can this come about?’ Mary asked.
‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you,’ the angel answered’
and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow.’
And now you are the one who puts the question:
‘How can bread become Christ and wine His Blood?’
I answer:
‘The power of the Holy Spirit will be at work
to give us a marvel which surpasses understanding.'”how can this come about - st john damascene - 4 dec 2017

“If the Word of God is living and powerful
and if the Lord does all things whatsoever he wills;
if he said, “Let there be light” and it happened;
if he said, “let there be a firmament” and it happened;
…if finally the Word of God Himself willingly became man
and made flesh for Himself out of the most pure
and undefiled blood of the holy and ever Virgin,
why should He not be capable of making bread
His Body and wine and water His Blood?…
God said “This is my Body” and “This is my Blood.”if the word of god - st john damascene - 4 dec 2017

“”GLUTTONY should be destroyed by self-control;

UNCHASTITY by desire for God and longing for the blessings held in store;

AVARICE by compassion for the poor;

ANGER by goodwill and love for all men;

WORLDLY dejection by spiritual joy;

LISTLESSNESS by patience, perseverance and offering thanks to God;

SELF-ESTEEM by doing good in secret and, by praying constantly,with a contrite heart;

and PRIDE by not judging or despising anyone, in the manner of the boastful Pharisee
and by considering oneself the least of all men.”GLUTTONY - ST JOHN DAMASCENE - 4 DEC 2017 - no 2.

“The saints must be honoured as friends of Christ
and children and heirs of God. Let us carefully
observe the manner of life of all the apostles,
martyrs, ascetics and just men who announced
the coming of the Lord. And let us emulate their
faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering
and perseverance unto death so that we may also
share their crowns of glory.”the saints must be honoured-st john damascene doctor of the church (675-749)

“Angels are intelligent reflections of light,
that original light which has no beginning.
They can illuminate.
They do not need tongues or ears,
for they can communicate without speech, in thought.”angels are intelligent reflections of light - st john damascene - 4 dec 2016

St John Damascene (676-749) – Father and Doctor of the Church

Posted in ADVENT, MORNING Prayers, The WORD

Monday of the First Week of Advent – 4 December 2017

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Monday of the First Week of Advent – 4 December 2017

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Daily Meditation:
That He may instruct us in His ways.
Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!

We want to begin this journey by rallying ourselves
to turn to the Lord with great hope.
In the midst of many discouraging challenges in our lives
and the violence in the world around us,
we desire to spend this day in anticipation of the graces
our God desires to give us.

They shall beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks;
one nation shall not raise the sword against another,
nor shall they train for war again. Isaiah 2

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you;
but say only the word and my soul will be healed.

Today’s Daily Reflection – Intercessions:
Christ the Lord, Son of the living God, light from light,
leads us into the light and reveals His holiness.
With confidence, let us make our prayer:
Come, Lord Jesus!

Light that never fades, dispel the mists about us,
– awaken our faith from sleep.

Guard us from all harm today,
– may Your glory fill us with joy.

Give us unfailing gentleness at all times,
– toward everyone we meet.

Come to create a new earth for us,
– where there will be justice and peace.

Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
I know that all is Your creation
and everything and all of us,
are being drawn back toward Your loving heart.
Help me to be a person of peace,
to speak about it in an uneasy world,
and to live it among the people
You have put into my life every day.
Light in me a desire to prepare for Your coming
to stand in the darkness, waiting, eager and filled with joy.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen. (Creighton Online Ministries)

“Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus.”monday of the first week of advent - 4 dec 2017

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 December – The Memorial of St John Damascene (676-749) Doctor of the Church

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One Minute Reflection – 4 December – (676-749) Doctor of the Church

I have much more to tell you but you cannot bear it now…John 16:12john 16 12

REFLECTION – God knows all things and provides what is profitable for each one.
He revealed what it is to our benefit to know.   But He kept secret what we are
unable to bear now……….St John Damascenegod knows all things - st john damascene - 2016 image

PRAYER – Lord Jesus, help me to meditate on Your Revelations every day.   Grant that by learning fully what You have revealed, I may one day in heaven attain the knowledge of all that You did not reveal.   St John Damascene Pray for us!st john damascene pray for us 2016

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 4 December – The Memorial of St John Damascene – Father and Doctor of the Church

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Our Morning Offering – 4 December – The Memorial of St John Damascene – Father and Doctor of the Church

O Mary, my Hope!
St John Damascene 

I salute you, O Mary!
you are the hope of Christians:
receive the prayer of a sinner,
who loves you tenderly,
honours you in a special manner
and places in you the whole hope
of his salvation.
From you I have my life.
You reinstate me in the grace of your Son:
you are the sure pledge of my salvation.
I beseech of you, therefore, to deliver me
from the burden of my sins:
dispel the darkness of my mind,
banish from my heart the love of the world,
repress the temptations of my enemies
and so rule my whole life, that by your means
and under your guidance,
I may obtain everlasting happiness in heaven.
Amen (modernised)

o Mary my Hope - st john damascene - 4 dec 2017 - I salute you, O Mary

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 4 December – St John Damascene (676-749) Last of the Greek Fathers and Doctor of the Church

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Saint of the Day – 4 December – St John Damascene (676-749) Last of the Greek Fathers and Doctor of the Church.  Also known as • Doctor of Christian Art • Jean Damascene • Johannes Damascenus • John Chrysorrhoas (literally “streaming with gold”—i.e., “the golden speaker”) • John of Damascus.   (c 676 – 4 December 749) was a Syrian monk and priest. Born and raised in Damascus, he died at his monastery, Mar Saba, near Jerusalem.   Patronages: • pharmacists • icon painting • theology students.

John grew up in the rich, luxurious court of the Muslim ruler of Damascus, where his father was a wealthy Christian court official.   In order to make sure John had a solid Christian foundation, his father employed a brilliant Sicilian monk named Cosmos, who was a war captive, to teach John.   Cosmos schooled the boy in science and theology, in the Greek and Arabic languages and in the culture of Islam.   Then John was ready to assume a high place in the government, which he did.   But the spirit of the Muslim rulers was turning against Christians, so John left his position in the government and became a monk in Jerusalem.

He is famous in three areas:

First, he is known for his writings against the iconoclasts, who opposed the veneration of images.   Paradoxically, it was the Eastern Christian emperor Leo who forbade the practice and it was because John lived in Muslim territory that his enemies could not silence him.

Second, he is famous for his treatise, Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, a summary of the Greek Fathers, of which he became the last.   It is said that this book is for Eastern schools what the Summaof Aquinas became for the West.

Third, he is known as a poet, one of the two greatest of the Eastern Church, the other being Romanus the Melodist.   His devotion to the Blessed Mother and his sermons on her feasts are well known.

For all of his efforts to defend the faith, John of Damascene was named a Doctor of the Church in 1890.

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 4 December

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Memorials of the Saints – 4 December

St John Damascene (Optional Memorial) (676-749) Last of the Greek Fathers and Doctor of the Church
—
St Ada of Le Mans
St Adelmann of Beauvais
Bl Adolph Kolping
St Anno II
St Apro
St Barbara
St Bernardo degli Uberti
St Bertoara of Bourges
St Christianus
St Clement of Alexandria
St Cyran of Brenne
St Eraclius
St Eulogio Álvarez López
St Ezequiel Álvaro de La Fuente
St Felix of Bologna
Bl Francis Galvez
St Francisco de la Vega González
St Giovanni Calabria
St Heraclas of Alexandria
St Jacinto García Chicote
Bl Jerome de Angelis
St John the Wonder Worker
St Maruthas
St Melitus of Pontus
Bl Mór of Pécs
St Osmund of Salisbury
Bl Pietro Tecelano
St Prudens
St Robustiano Mata Ubierna
St Sigiranus
Bl Simon Yempo
St Sola
St Theophanes

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Eulogio Álvarez López
• Blessed Ezequiel Álvaro de La Fuente
• Blessed Francisco de la Vega González
• Blessed Jacinto García Chicote
• Blessed Robustiano Mata Ubierna