Month: December 2017

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, POETRY, The CHRIST CHILD

Our Morning Offering – 26 December – The Memorial of St Stephen the First Martyr and the Second Day in the Octave of Christmas

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 26 December – The Memorial of St Stephen the First Martyr and the Second Day in the Octave of Christmas

Blessed Throne
Poem/Prayer by Daryl Madden

In moment approaching
Through grace that is shone
A kneeling before
Your blessed throne

One of great honour
Our Creator, our King
An underserved sinner
With nothing to bring

In fear and trembling
A respect that is due
Our life in Your hands
All laid before You

See now a manger
Son hung on a tree
A passion of love
Is blessed with mercy

Poem/Prayer by Daryl Madden
From On a Bench of Wood
Find him here: https://darylmadden.wordpress.com/about/blessed throne - 26 dec 2017

Posted in ALTAR BOYS, DEACONS, SACRISTANS, CHRISTMASTIDE!, Of BUILDERS, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, PATRONAGE - HEADACHES, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – St Stephen, The First Martyr (c 05-c 34) – 26 December – The Second Day in the Octave of Christmas

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – St Stephen, The First Martyr (c 05-c 34) – 26 December – Deacon, Preacher.   the name “Stephen” – Stéphanos, meaning “wreath, crown” and by extension “reward, honour,” often given as a title rather than as a name.   Patronages – against headaches, of brick layers, casket makers, coffin makers, deacons, altar servers, horses,  masons, stone masons, Metz, France, Diocese of• Owensboro, Kentucky, Archdiocese of Toulouse, France, 92 cities.   Attributes – stones, dalmatic, censer, miniature church, Gospel Book, martyr’s palm frond.

Angelico,_niccolina_18
St Stephen – Fra Angelico
ststephen11

St Stephen was according to the Acts of the Apostles a deacon in the early church at Jerusalem who aroused the enmity of members of various synagogues by his teachings. Accused of blasphemy, at his trial he made a long speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgement against him and was then stoned to death.   His martyrdom was witnessed by Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee who would later himself become a follower of Jesus and known as Paul the Apostle.

The only primary source for information about Stephen is the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles.   Stephen is mentioned in Acts 6 as one of the Greek-speaking Hellenistic Jews selected to participate as a deacon in the early Church by the eleven – before the twelfth was elected.

447px-Luis_de_Morales_-_St_Stephen
Luis de Morales  (1509–1586)

“Good King Wenceslaus went out, on the Feast of Stephen”.   This is the Feast of St Stephen, the day after Christmas, when we commemorate the first disciple to die for Jesus.

Stephen
Carlo Crivelli

In the Acts of the Apostles, St Luke praises St Stephen as “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,” who “did great wonders and signs among the people” during the earliest days of the Church.   Luke’s history of the period also includes the moving scene of Stephen’s death – witnessed by St Paul before his conversion – at the hands of those who refused to accept Jesus as the Jewish Messiah.   Stephen himself was a Jew who most likely came to believe in Jesus during the Lord’s ministry on earth.   He may have been among the 70 disciples whom Christ sent out as missionaries, who preached the coming of God’s kingdom while travelling with almost no possessions.   This spirit of detachment from material things continued in the early Church, in which St Luke says believers “had all things in common” and “would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.”   But such radical charity ran up against the cultural conflict between Jews and Gentiles, when a group of Greek widows felt neglected in their needs as compared to those of a Jewish background.

Stephen’s reputation for holiness led the Apostles to choose him, along with six other men, to assist them in an official and unique way as this dispute arose.   Through the sacramental power given to them by Christ, the Apostles ordained the seven men as deacons and set them to work helping the widows.

img-saint-stephen-the-martyr
Jean Fouquet Etienne Chevalier with St Stephen (detail of Stephen)

As a deacon, Stephen also preached about Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and prophets.   Unable to refute his message, some members of local synagogues brought him before their religious authorities, charging him with seeking to destroy their traditions.   Stephen responded with a discourse recorded in the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.   He described Israel’s resistance to God’s grace in the past and accused the present religious authorities of “opposing the Holy Spirit” and rejecting the Messiah.

Before he was put to death, Stephen had a vision of Christ in glory. “Look,” he told the court, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”  

st-stephen-1
St Stephen – Domenico Ghirlandaio

The council, however, dragged the deacon away and stoned him to death.   “While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,’ records St. Luke in Acts 7.   “Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’   When he had said this, he fell asleep.”

1012px-Bernardo_Cavallino_-_Martyrdom_of_St_Stephen_-_WGA4602
Bernardo Cavillino
A - stoning
Stoning of Saint Stephen, altarpiece of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice, by Jacopo & Domenico Tintoretto
Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 26 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

St Stephen the ProtoMartyr (Feast)

St Abadiu of Antinoë
Bl Agata Phutta Bi
Bl Agnès Phila
St Amaethlu of Anglesey
St Archelaus of Mesopotamia
Bl Bibiana Khamphai
Bl Cecilia Butsi
Bl Daniel of Villiers
St Dionysius, Pope
St Euthymius of Sardis
St Evaristo of Constantinople
Bl Giovanni Orsini
Bl Jean of Hainaut
Bl Lucie Khambang
St Margaret of Hohenfels
Bl Maria Phon
Bl Marinus of Rome
Bl Paganus of Lecco
Bl Pierre Boffet
St Tathai of Wales
St Theodore the Sacristan
St Vincentia Lopez y Vicuña
St Zeno of Gaza
St Pope Zosimus

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, NOTES to Followers

Thought for the Day – 25 December  – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 25 December  – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

On this day, the Church focuses especially on the newborn Child, God become human, who embodies for us all the hope and peace we seek.  We need no other special saint today to lead us to Christ in the manger, although his mother Mary and Joseph, caring for his foster-son, help round out the scene.

But if we were to select a patron for today, perhaps it might be appropriate for us to imagine an anonymous shepherd, summoned to the birthplace by a wondrous and even disturbing vision in the night, a summons from an angelic choir, promising peace and goodwill.   A shepherd willing to seek out something that might just be too unbelievable to chase after and yet compelling enough to leave behind the flocks in the field and search for a mystery.

On the day of the Lord’s birth, let’s let an unnamed, “non-celebrity” at the edge of the crowd model for us the way to discover Christ in our own hearts—somewhere between skepticism and wonder, between mystery and faith.   And, like Mary and the shepherds, let us treasure that discovery in our hearts.

The precise dating in this passage sounds like a textbook on creationism.   If we focus on the time frame, however, we miss the point.   It lays out the story of a love affair: creation, the deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, the rise of Israel under David.   It climaxes with the birth of Jesus.   From the beginning, some scholars insist, God intended to enter the world as one of us, the beloved people.   Praise God! (Fr Don Miller OFM)

In a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this Child calls us to act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential.   In a world which all too often is merciless to the sinner and lenient to the sin, we need to cultivate a strong sense of justice, to discern and to do God’s will.   Amid a culture of indifference which not infrequently turns ruthless, our style of life should instead be devout, filled with empathy, compassion and mercy, drawn daily from the wellspring of prayer.

Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too, with eyes full of amazement and wonder, gaze upon the Child Jesus, the Son of God.   And in His presence may our hearts burst forth in prayer: “Show us, Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation” (Ps 85:8).in a society - pope holiness - 25 dec 2017

And a Holy and Happy Christmas to All!  May the Christ Child live in your hearts!my-christmas-wishes

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The CHRIST CHILD, The INCARNATION

Quote/s of the Day – 25 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 25 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

“The Lord entered her
and became a servant;
the Word entered her
and became silent within her;
thunder entered her
and His voice was still;
the Shepherd of all, entered her
He became a Lamb in her
and came forth bleating.”

St Ephrem the Syrian (306-373) Father & Doctor of the Churchthe lord entered her - st ephrem - 25 dec 2017

“The One who is seated
on the throne of heaven
is laid in a stable.
A God Who is beyond access
is touched by the hands
of human beings!”

St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Churchthe one who is seated - st john chrysostom - 2016

“The angel sent of God, Gabriel,
had said to blessed Mary:
“The Holy Ghost shall come upon you
and the power of the Most High
shall overshadow you.
And therefore also the Holy,
which shall be born of you,
shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).
But of this same Spirit,
of whom Christ was born
out of the womb
of the immaculate Mother,
is reborn the Christian,
out of the womb of holy Church.
True peace for him lies solely,
in not being separated from the will of God,
in loving those things only,
which are beloved of God.”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father & Doctor of the Churchthe angel sent of god - st pope leo the great - 25 dec 2017

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL SERMONS, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, SAINT of the DAY, The CHRIST CHILD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 25 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations;
and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God…Isaiah 52:10isaiah 52 10

REFLECTION – “Today, the Son of God is born and everything changes.   The Saviour of the world comes to partake of our human nature;  no longer are we alone and forsaken. The Virgin offers us her Son as the beginning of a new life.   The true light has come to illumine our lives so often beset by the darkness of sin.   Today we once more discover who we are!   Tonight we have been shown the way to reach the journey’s end.   Now must we put away all fear and dread, for the light shows us the path to Bethlehem.   We must not be laggards;  we are not permitted to stand idle.   We must set out to see our Saviour lying in a manger.   This is the reason for our joy and gladness:  this Child has been “born to us”;  he was “given to us”, as Isaiah proclaims (cf. 9:5).   The people who for for two thousand years has traversed all the pathways of the world in order to allow every man and woman to share in this joy is now given the mission of making known “the Prince of peace” and becoming His effective servant in the midst of the nations.”…HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS on the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, 2015today we once more discover who we are!-pope francis christmas 2015

PRAYER – Almighty God, Your incarnate Word fills us with the new light He brought to men.   Let the light of faith in our hearts shine through all the ages, to bring Your light to all nations.   Come, come, let us adore our Holy Babe of Bethlehem, through whom we pray, in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever amen.o come let us adore him - dec 2016

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 25 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 25 December – The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord

Christmas Prayer
By St Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

O sweet Child of Bethlehem,
grant that we may share with all our hearts
in this profound mystery of Christmas.
Put into the hearts of men and women this peace
for which they sometimes seek so desperately
and which You alone can give to them.
Help them to know one another better,
and to live as brothers and sisters,
children of the same Father.
Reveal to them also,
Your beauty, holiness and purity.
Awaken in their hearts
love and gratitude for Your infinite goodness.
Join them all together in Your love.
And give us Your heavenly peace, amen.christmas prayer of st pope john XXIII - 2017

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY

25 December – The Solemnity of the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Posted on by AnaStpaul

25 December – The Solemnity of the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Today the Church celebrates the Birth of Jesus Christ, the first day in the octave of Christmas.   Throughout Advent the Church longed ardently for the coming of our Saviour.   Today she celebrates His birth with unrestrained joy.   “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”   The Son of God became man to give us a share in that divine life which is eternally His in the Blessed Trinity.   Christmas time begins on 24 December with the first Vespers of the feast and ends on the feast of the Baptism of Christ.   White vestments reappear in our churches as a sign of joy.The Nativity of the Lordthe nativity of the lord.cropped

The Christmas feast is a festival full of joy.   The Eternal Word has become Man and dwells among us.   The longings of the patriarchs and prophets are fulfilled.   With the shepherds we hurry to the manger and adore the Incarnate Son of God, who for us and for our salvation descended upon earth.   The purpose of the Christmas feast is beautifully expressed in the Preface of the Nativity:   “For by the mystery of the Word made flesh the light of Thy glory hath shone anew upon the eyes of our mind;  so that while we acknowledge Him a God seen by men, we may be drawn by Him to the love of things unseen.”

Christmas says to us – alone we can’t profoundly change the world to remedy it.   Alone, we can make the world better or worse but we can’t save it.   Christ came therefore, because left to ourselves; we couldn’t escape the ‘mortal disease’ that has enveloped us from the first moment of conception in our mother’s womb.   This gives us hope, true hope and true Christian optimism:   I can’t do it but He is there!   This is the mystery of grace synthesised in the human figure of God incarnate.

Christmas Eve and Christmas day are moments of contemplation.   We consider, in many dimensions, the mystery of love that was incarnated for us.   First of all, we contemplate the light and joy, without forgetting Jesus and Mary’s sorrows and sufferings and the many difficulties that had surrounded them:  the cold, the uncomfortable place, the dangers….. It would be good to accompany these thoughts by reciting and meditating slowly on the Holy Rosary, preferably in front of a crib.  ‘Blessed grotto of Bethlehem that testified to the wonders!   Who, in this hour would not turn our hearts?   Who would not prefer the opulent palace of the King?’   (Abbot Guéranger, L’Anno Liturgico, Alba 1959 [orig. franc. 1841], I, p122).da vinci

Listen to the way that St Bonaventure, the seraphic doctor, invites us to contemplate this scene in his ‘Meditation on the life of Jesus Christ’:   ‘You have also lingered, bent your knee, adored the Lord God, venerated His Mother and greeted Joseph, the holy old man, with reverence.  Therefore, kiss the feet of the baby Jesus, who lies in the manger, and pray that the Holy Virgin will allow you to hold Him.   Take Him between your arms, hold Him and see His lovable face, kiss it with reverence and rejoice with Him.  You can do this because He has come to bring salvation to sinners and He has humbly conversed with them, finally giving Himself as food’. (cit. in Guéranger, pp 136-137)

Christmas also reminds us of the great mystery of God’s people, of the Church acquired through Christ’s blood, animated by the life giving Spirit, governed by the legitimate shepherds in communion with the successor of Peter.   On this day in which the Word came to earth, assuming human nature, body, and soul, how can we not think about His Mystical Body that is animated by the Holy Spirit?   ‘For this reason, by no weak analogy, [the Church] is compared to the mystery of the incarnate Word.   As the assumed nature inseparably united to Him, serves the divine Word as a living organ of salvation, so, in a similar way, does the visible social structure of the Church serve the Spirit of Christ, who vivifies it, in the building up of the body’ (Vatican II, Lumen Gentium, n.8).Jacob_de_Backer_-_The_Nativity_-_WGA1127

Holy Christmas also reminds us of the mystery of Mary as Mother of God, mother of the Incarnated Word and mother of His mystical body, the Church.   Christmas encourages us to contemplate Jesus together with Mary, reflecting on Jesus with ‘His mother’, as recounted many times in the Gospels.   If our faith must be fully evangelical, it can not neglect a sane and profound devotion to the Mother of God, as she shows us the easiest way to reach Jesus.madonna and child - christmas day post

Happy Birthday Jesus, our Lord and our God!

For a post on the Tradition  Bible Time From the Creation to The Birth of Jesus go here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2016/12/25/25-december-the-solemnity-of-the-birth-of-our-lord-jesus-christ/

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, SAINT of the DAY

The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord and Memorials of the Saints – 25 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Nativity of the Lord (Solemnity)
—
St Adalsindis of Hamay
St Alburga of Wilton
St Anastasia of Sirmium
Bl Artale
St Basilée of the Via Latina
Bl Bentivoglio de Bonis
Bl Diego de Aro
St Eugenia of Rome
St Fulk of Toulouse
Bl Jacopone da Todi
St Jovin of the Via Latina
Bl Maria Therese von Wüllenweber
Bl Matthew of Albano
Bl Michael Nakashima Saburoemon
Bl Nera
St Peter Nolasco
St Romulus of Berry
—
Martyrs of Nicomedia: 20,000 Christians martyred by order of Diocletian. They were reported to have all been in the single basilica to celebrate Christmas. While there unquestionably was an endless series of martyrs under Diocletian, it’s likely the ancient sources exaggerated the numbers of this incident. And as the Christmas holy day was not celebrated in the East in 303, they were probably gathered for another feast. They were burned alive in 303 in the basilica of Nicomedia.

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, NOVENAS

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Nine – 24 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Nine – 24 December

Day Nine

The Birth of Jesus in the Stable of Bethlehem

Reflection:
When the edict was issued by the emperor of Rome
that everyone should go to his own city to be enrolled,
Joseph and Mary went to be enrolled in Bethlehem.
How much the Holy Virgin must have suffered on this journey of four days,
over mountainous road and in the wintertime, with its cold rain and wind!
When they arrived in Bethlehem, the time of Mary’s delivery was near.
Joseph, therefore, sought some lodging where she might give birth to her Child.
But because they were so poor, they were driven away from the houses
and even from the public inn, where other poor people had found shelter.
So in that night they went a short way out of the town
and there found a cave that was used as a stable and here Mary entered.
But Joseph said to his virgin wife, “Mary, how can you spend the night in this cold, damp cave and here give birth to your Child?” Mary however replied, “Dear Joseph, this cave is the royal palace in which the King of kings, the Son of God, wishes to be born.”

When the hour of her delivery had arrived, the holy Virgin,
as she knelt in prayer, all at once saw the cave illumined with a dazzling light.
She lowered her eyes to the ground and there saw before her the Son of God now born on earth, a poor little Babe, crying and shivering in the cold.
Adoring Him as her God, she took Him to her breast and fondled Him.
Then she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and liad Him on the straw of the manger that stood in the cave.
Thus did the Son of God choose to be born among us to prove His infinite love for us.

Prayer:
O Adorable Infant Jesus!
I should not have the boldness to cast myself at Your feet,
if I did not know that You Yourself invite me to draw near You.
It is I who by my sins have made You shed so many tears in the stable of Bethlehem.
But since You have come on earth to pardon repentant sinners,
forgive me also, now that I am heartily sorry for having spurned You,
my Saviour and my God, who art so good and who have loved me so much.
In this night, in which You bestow great graces on so many souls,
grant Your heavenly consolation to this poor soul of mine also.
All that I ask of You is the grace to love You always, more and more,
from this day forward, with all my heart.
Set me all on fire with Your holy love.
I love You, O my God, who have become a Babe for love of me.
Never let me cease loving You evermore.
O Mary, Mother of Jesus and my Mother,
you can obtain everything from your Son by your prayers.
This is the only favour I ask of you, that I might love Him more and more.
Please pray to Jesus for me, I beg you. Amen.DAY NINE - CHRISTMAS NOVENA TO THE CHRIST CHILD - 24 DEC 2017- NO 2

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL MESSAGES, PAPAL SERMONS, The INCARNATION

Thought for the Day – 24 December – Christmas Eve!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 24 December – Christmas Eve!

Christmas is the feast of faith in the Son of God who became man in order to restore us to our filial dignity, lost through sin and disobedience.   Christmas is the feast of faith in hearts that become a manger to receive him and souls that allow God to make a shoot of hope, charity and faith sprout from the stump of their poverty.

Today is once again a moment for exchanging Christmas greetings and for wishing a holy and joyful Christmas and a happy New Year to you … and to all your dear ones. May this Christmas open our eyes so that we can abandon what is superfluous, false, malicious and sham and to see what is essential, true, good and authentic.   My best wishes indeed!

I began our meeting by speaking of Christmas as the Feast of Faith.
I would like to conclude, though, by pointing out that Christmas
reminds us that a faith that does not trouble us is a troubled faith.
A faith that does not make us grow is a faith that needs to grow.
A faith that does not raise questions is a faith that has to be questioned.
A faith that does not rouse us is a faith that needs to be roused.
A faith that does not shake us is a faith that needs to be shaken.
Indeed, a faith which is only intellectual or lukewarm is only a notion of faith.
It can become real once it touches our heart, our soul, our spirit and our whole being.
Once it allows God to be born and reborn in the manger of our heart.
Once we let the star of Bethlehem guide us to the place where the Son of God lies,
not among Kings and riches but among the poor and humble.
As Angelus Silesius wrote in The Cherubinic Wanderer:
“It depends solely on you.
Ah, if only your heart could become a manger,
then God would once again become a child on this earth”

Address of His Holiness, Pope Francis – 21 December 2017christmas message - pope francis 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The CHRIST CHILD

Quote/s of the Day – 24 December – Christmas Eve!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 24 December – Christmas Eve!

“He was created of a mother whom He created.
He was carried by hands that He formed.
He cried in the manger in wordless infancy.
He, the Word,
without whom all human eloquence is mute.”

St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Churchhe was created - st augustine - 24 dec 2017

“Christ is the Morning Star,
Who, when the night
of this world is past,
gives to His saints,
the promise of the light of life,
and opens everlasting day.”

St Bede the Venerable (673-735) Father & Doctor of the Churchchrist-is-the-morning-star-st-bede-24-dec-2017

“Once in our world,
a stable had something in it,
that was bigger,
than our whole world.”

C S Lewis (1898-1963) – “The Last Battle” (1956)once-in-our-world-c-s-lewis-24-dec-2017

“I will honour Christmas in my heart
and try to keep it all the year.”

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) – A Christmas Caroli will honour - charles dickens - 24 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL SERMONS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 24 December

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us……..John 1:14john 1 - 14

REFLECTION: Indeed, let us rejoice that we are unequal to the task
of giving due praise to so great a sacrament of mercy
(that is, the Nativity);
and if we are unable to express the sublimity
of the manner of our redemption,
let us know that it is good for us to be so helpless.
For none approaches more closely
to the knowledge of the truth than he who realises
that in matters divine there ever remains,
far more to attain,
no matter how far he progresses…St Pope Saint Leo the Great (400-461) Father & Doctor of the Churchindeed let us rejoice - st pope leo the great - 24 dec 2017

PRAYER – Come Lord Jesus, come soon.   In this time of Your coming, support and console us who trust in Your love.   We welcome Him with joy as our Redeemer; year by year renew our joy as we await the fulfilment of our redemption.   The time is now at hand for the Virgin Mary to give birth to her firstborn Son!   Through Jesus Christ our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.the time is now at hand - 24 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The CHRIST CHILD

Our Morning Offering – 24 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 24 December

Nativity Prayer
By St Bernard of Clarivaux (1090-1153) Doctor of the Church

Let Your goodness Lord appear to us,
that we made in Your image,
conform ourselves to it.
In our own strength
we cannot imitate Your majesty,
power, and wonder
nor is it fitting for us to try.
But Your mercy
reaches from the heavens
through the clouds
to the earth below.
You have come to us as a small child,
but you have brought us
the greatest of all gifts,
the gift of eternal love
Caress us with Your tiny hands,
embrace us with Your tiny arms
and pierce our hearts
with Your soft, sweet cries.
Amennativity prayer of st bernard - 24 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, MARIAN QUOTES, MORNING Prayers, The WORD

The Fourth Sunday of Advent – 24 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

The Fourth Sunday of Advent – 24 December

“Know today that the Lord will come:  in the morning you will see His glory.“

“Behold, you will conceive in your womb
and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called
Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him
the throne of David his father,
and he will rule
over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom
there will be no end.”
But Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?”
And the angel said to her in reply,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy,
the Son of God.   And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month
for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God.”
Mary said,
“Behold, I am the handmaid
of the Lord.
May it be done to me
according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:28-38the 4th sunday of advent - 24 dec 2017

Daily Meditation:
Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word.”
“temple of God’s Word”
because she was so ready to do God’s will.
As we approach this anniversary of our redemption,
let’s spend the day placing our life in God’s hands
embracing the ways He will come to us
and let us be His instruments for others.

Let the Lord enter; he is the king of glory.

Closing Prayer:
Oh, God-With-Us,
For so long You have promised
forgiveness, peace, salvation.
Now in my heart, I am filled with joy
because of Your coming.
Thank You for Your promises and for the way I can trust in You.

I feel a new freedom in my life
and a courage I have not known before.
I know You came to save me and bring new life
and I am so grateful to You.
Let me show my thankfulness
with my life.
You have brought me through the darkness
and into the light of Your saving grace.
Guide my feet on the way of peace.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, SAINT of the DAY

The Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord and Memorials of the Saints – 24 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

The Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord and Memorials of the Saints – 24 December

24 December – Vigil of the Nativity of the Lord

St Adam the Patriarch
St Adela of Pfalzel
Bl Alberic of Gladbach
Bl Brocard of Strasbourg
St Bruno of Ottobeuren
St Caran of Scotland
St Delphinus of Bordeaux
St Emiliana of Rome
St Euthymius of Nicomedia
St Eve the Matriarch
Bl Francesco dei Maleficii
St Gregory of Spoleto
St Hanno of Worms
Bl Ignacio Caselles García
St Irmina of Oehren
St Mochua of Timahoe
Bl Pablo Meléndez Gonzalo
St Paola Elisabetta Cerioli
Bl Peter de Solanes
St Trasilla
Bl Venerandus of Clermont
—
All the Holy Ancestors of Jesus: A commemoration of all the holy ancestors of Jeus Christ.

The New Testament has preserved two different genealogies of Our Lord, in Matthew 1 and Luke 3.
Saint Matthew’s list is divided artificially into three equal parts of 14 names each, with several intentional omissions: from Abraham the father of the chosen people to David the king, to whose family the promise was made (2 Kings 7);  David and the royal line after him to the Babylonian captivity; the descendants of the royal line from the captivity to Joseph, the legal father of Our Lord.

Saint Luke proceeds in reverse order; he starts from Joseph and goes, beyond Abraham, back to Adam the father of the human race, in accord with the character of his Gospel and he merely enumerates the names without grouping them according to a thesis or point, as is the case in Saint Matthew.

Few names are common to both lists: viz., those between Abraham and David, then Salathiel and Zorobabel after the captivity, and Joseph the foster-father of Christ; the others are absent from Matthew’s list, or the persons are different.   To account for these differences several explanations have been advanced but no decisive evidence is extant. Not a few authors hold that Saint Luke gives Mary’s genealogy but this view is more generally considered improbable, so that both lists are taken as giving Joseph’s ancestry. Only it must be supposed that at several points, instead of the actual descent, the one or the other of the lists gives the legal relationship based on adoption in some manner.  Our Lord was considered to belong to the family of David;  this seems to be taken for granted in the New Testament, where we find no difficulty raised against Him on the ground of His descent.   The genealogies show His relationship to the royal family of Juda through Joseph, as it was only through the father, legal or natural, that the rights could be transmitted and Joseph was the legal father of Jesus.   To trace Our Lord’s ancestry through His mother would not have served the purpose of the Evangelists.

Matthew 1:1-17 – The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab.   Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah.   Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.   Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah.   Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.   After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.   Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.

Luke 3:23-38:
When Jesus began his ministry he was about thirty years of age.   He was the son, as was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Blessed Mercedarian Brothers – (4 beati): Four Mercedarian friars who worked to free Christians enslaved by Muslims, and to preach Christ along the way to any who would hear.
• Blessed Dionysius Roneo
• Blessed Philip Claro
• Blessed Giulio Pons
• Blessed Peter of Valladolid

Blessed Mercedarian Sisters – (6 beati): Six cloistered Mercedarian nuns at the convent of Vera Cruz in Berriz, Spain. Noted for their devotion to the rules of the Order and for their deep prayer lives.
• Blessed Anna Maria Prieto
• Blessed Anna de Arrano
• Blessed Orsola de Larisgoizia
• Blessed Maguna Mary
• Blessed Margaret
• Blessed Mary of the Assumption Sarria

Martyred Maidens of Antioch – (40 saints): A group of forty virgins martyred in the persecutions of Decius. None of their names have come down to us. They were martyred in 250 in Antioch, Syria.

Martyrs of Tripoli – (6 saints): A group of Christians martyred together, date unknown. The only details that have surived are six of the names – Drusus, Lucian, Metrobius, Paul, Theotimus and Zenobius. They were martyred in Tripoli, Libya.

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, NOVENAS, The CHRIST CHILD

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Eight – 23 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child

Day Eight
The Life Of The Child Jesus In Egypt And In Nazareth.

Reflection:
Our Blessed Redeemer spent the first part of His childhood in Egypt,
leading there for several years, a life of poverty and humiliation.
In that land Joseph and Mary were foreigners and strangers,
having there neither relatives nor friends.
Only with difficulty could they earn their daily bread by the labour of their hands.
Their home was poor, their bed was poor, their food was poor.
Here Mary weaned Jesus; dipping a piece of bread in water, she would put it in the sacred mouth of her Son.
Here she made His first little garments and clothed Him with them.
Here the Child Jesus took His first steps, stumbling and falling as other children first do.
Here too He spoke His first words, but stammeringly. O wonder of wonders!
To what has not God lowered Himself for love of us!
A God stumbling and falling as He walks! A God stammering in His speech!

Not unlike this was the poor and humble life that Jesus led in Nazareth after His return from Egypt.
There, until He was thirty years old, He lived as a simple servant or workman in a carpenter shop, taking orders form Joseph and Mary. “And He was subject to them.”
Jesus went to fetch the water;
He opened and closed the shop;
He swept the house, gathered the fragments of wood for the fire
and toiled all day long, helping Joseph in his work.
Yet who is this? God Himself, serving as a apprentice!
The omnipotent God, who with less than a flick of His finger created the whole universe,
here sweating at the task of planing a piece of work!
Should not the mere thought of this move us to love Him?

Prayer:
O Jesus, my Saviour!
When I consider how, for love of me, You didst spend thirty years of Your life hidden
and unknown in a poor workshop, how can I desire the pleasures and honours and riches of the world?
Gladly do I renounce all these things, since I wish to be Your companion on this earth,
poor as you were, mortified and humble as You were,
so that I may hope to be able one day to enjoy Your companionship in heaven.
What are all the treasures and kingdoms of this world?
You, O Jesus, are my only treasure, my only Good!
I keenly regret the many times in the past when I spurned
Your friendship in order to satisfy my foolish whims.
I am sorry for them with all my heart.
For the future I would rather lose my life a thousand times
than lose Your grace by sin.
I wish never to offend You again but always to love You.
Help me to remain faithful to You until death.
O Mary, you are the refuge of sinners, you are my hope. AmenDAY EIGHT NOVENA TO THE CHRIST CHILD - 23 DEC 2017 - NO 2

Posted in ADVENT, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 23 December – The Memorial of St John of Kanty (1390-1473)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 23 December – The Memorial of St John of Kanty (1390-1473)

Sweetness of disposition wins more people than a sharp mind and roughness.
Every human being is worthy of respect, even if his opinions are false and his attitudes wrong.
We may be right in our opinions but we are wrong if we defend those opinions in an unkind and uncharitable way.
Nevertheless, there is one truth, not many – blue is blue and not black – where our kind disposition and words fail to convince another of the truth and we meet violent roughness, we do as we are taught “shake the dust from your feet” (Luke 9:5).
In Christ’s words is a warning:  the act of “shaking off the dust from one’s feet” is an act of “testimony against” those who reject the Gospel.   At the time of Judgment, we will stand before Christ and be judged by the testimony of how we lived our lives.   The testimony of our lives, how we loved or did not love, will either be a testimony in our favour, or a testimony against us.
St John of Kanty, pray for us!st john of kanty - pray for us 2 - 23 DEC 2017

Posted in ADVENT, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL SERMONS, QUOTES of the SAINTS

Quote of the Day – 23 December – The Memorial of St John of Kanty (1390-1473)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 23 December – The Memorial of St John of Kanty (1390-1473)

“Fight all error
but do it with good humour,
patience, kindness and love.
Harshness will damage your own soul
and spoil the best cause.”

St John of Kanty (1390-1473)fight all error - st john of kanty - 23 dec 2017

“Going hand-in-hand with that true brand of humility
one saw in him a great childlike humility.
There was nothing deceitful or ambiguous
in his actions and words.
Whatever was in his heart he unhesitantly
and honestly revealed.
If he thought that his words,
even when speaking the truth,
could accidentally offend someone,
he humbly asked for forgiveness
before approaching the altar.”

Pope Clement X (In the Bull of Canonisation of St John of Kanty on 16 July 1767)going hand in hand - st john of kanty - 23 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 December – Saturday of the Third Week of Advent and the Memorial of St John of Kanty (1390-1473)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 23 December – Saturday of the Third Week of Advent and the Memorial of St John of Kanty (1390-1473)

On coming into the world, Jesus said …..”For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38). By one offering He has forever perfected those who are being sanctified.john-6-38. 23 dec image

REFLECTION – “Jesus Christ, the God-Man, was born in a manger and is spiritually reborn on the altar.    He suffered on Calvary and continues to offer Himself on the altar. In His earthly life, He spread His teaching and worked miracles among the crowds.   In the Eucharist, He spans the centuries and communicates Himself to all.”…St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Churchjesus christ the god man - st john chrysostom - 23 dec 2017

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, in contemplating the birth of Your Son in time and in the Eucharist, may I ever attain a new birth.   May I through love of You, give my all to my neighbour in true charity.   Help me to learn from St John of Kanty to live in humility, true poverty of spirit and charity and of whom we ask for intercession.    St John of Kanty, pray for us! Amenst john of kanty pray for us - 23 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The WORD

Our Morning Offering – 23 December – Saturday of the Third Week of Advent 2017

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 23 December – Saturday of the Third Week of Advent 2017

As we draw to the end of this very short Advent-time, it is appropriate that we adopt the practice of praying this great prayer, EVERY DAY!

The Benedictus was the song of thanksgiving uttered by Zechariah on the occasion of the birth of his son, John the Baptist.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the Benedictus is part of Lauds because it is the song of thanksgiving for the coming of the Redeemer in the first part of the canticle.
It is believed to have been first introduced by Benedict of Nursia.   According to Durandus, the allusion to Christ’s coming under the figure of the rising sun had also some influence on its adoption.   It also features in various other liturgical offices, notably at a funeral, at the moment of interment, when words of thanksgiving for the Redemption are specially in place as an expression of Christian hope.

The Benedictus

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has come to His people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,
born of the house of His servant David.
Through His holy prophets He promised of old
that He would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember His holy covenant.
This was the oath He swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship Him without fear,
holy and righteous in His sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called
the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare His way,
to give His people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever, amenTHE BENEDICTUS - 22 DEC 2017 VERSION FOR 2017

Posted in ADVENT, MORNING Prayers, The WORD

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent – 23 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saturday of the Third Week of Advent – 23 December

“The Lord is at hand!   Come, let us adore him.”

Daily Meditation:

But who can endure the day of his coming
and who can stand when he appears?…Malachi 3:2

We now begin the final part of Advent.
We follow the Gospel story,
as it bring us to Christmas.
Today, we hear the story of God’s plan,
using a long line of less-than-perfect kings
and 5 very special women, to bring us to Jesus.
God saved us, by becoming one of us,
entering into our human and sometimes messy history.
Jesus will come to each of us this Advent
in and through our human journey.

Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for You are the God of my salvation;
for You I wait all the day long...Psalm 24:4-5

Today’s Daily Reflection – Intercessions:
To Christ our Redeemer who will come again
to free from the power of death
all those who return to him, let us humbly pray:
Come Lord Jesus!
As we proclaim Your coming Lord,
– cleanse our hearts of every vain desire,
Lord, may the Church which You founded,
– proclaim Your greatness to all peoples.
Your law is a light to my eyes,
– let it protect those who trust in You.
You allow the joys of Your coming
to be foretold to us by Your Church,
-may we receive You with eager devotion.

O Emmanuel,
King and Lawgiver
Desire of the nations,
Saviour of all people,
Come and set us free,
Lord, our God!emmanuel, king and lawgiver - 23 dec 2017.jpg

Closing Prayer:
Oh, God of wisdom,
I want to praise You and give You my life.
Like a loving parent,
You bless me.
You have watched over me,
knowing my history
and the path that led me to You.
Thank You for the peace
you promise peace in my life.
I ask that I be always aware
of the strength of Your great power.
May it never leave me.
So many people before me
in so many generations,
have served You so humbly,
answering Your call.
Please give me the wisdom and courage
to be Your humble servant.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

saturday of the third week - 23 dec 2017

 

Posted in ADVENT, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 23 December – St John of Kanty/Cantius (1390-1473)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 23 December – St John of Kanty/Cantius (1390 at Kanty, Silesia, Poland -1473 at Cracow, Poland, of natural causes ) Priest, Theologian, Scholastic Philosopher, Physicist, Teacher, Confessor, Philosopher, Apostle of Charity – Patron of Poland and Lithuania and various Universities.

St-John-Kanty

He was born in Kęty, a small town near Oświęcim, Poland, to Stanisław and Anna Kanty. He attended the Kraków Academy at which he attained bachelor and licentiate.   In 1418 he became a Doctor of Philosophy.   Upon graduation he spent the next three years conducting philosophy classes at the university, while preparing for the priesthood.   Upon his ordination, he became rector at the school of the Canons Regular of the Most Holy Sepulcher in Miechow.    While there, he was offered a professorship of Sacrae Scripturae (Sacred Scripture) back at his alma mater, the Kraków Academy, which would later be named the Jagiellonian University.   He attained a doctorate in theology and eventually became director of the theology department.   He held the professorship until his death in 1473.   John spent many hours copying manuscripts of the Holy Scriptures, theological tracts and other scholarly works.
In physics, he helped develop Jean Buridan’s theory of impetus, which anticipated the work of Galileo and Newton.
During his time in Kraków, John Kanty became well known in the city for his generosity and compassion toward the poor, especially needy students at the university.   He subsisted on what was strictly necessary to sustain his life, giving alms regularly to the poor.

He was a serious man and a good teacher.   He ate no meat, slept on the floor and rested little.   Though John was hard on himself, he was patient and kind to his students, who loved him in return.   Some jealous faculty members, however, had him removed.   John was sent to do parish work but he was not acquainted with such duties.   Although the people liked him for his generous and energetic spirit, John was not successful as a parish priest.

John returned to the university to teach Scripture.   The material he taught was not remembered as much as his holiness.   He was known everywhere for his humility and spontaneous generosity.   He gave everything to people who were poor and kept only the clothes he most needed.   Four times he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, carrying his luggage on his back.   When John died at age 83, people had already claimed him as a saint.

SOD-1223-SaintJohnKanty-790x480.jpg

John of Kanty/Cantius was beatified in Rome by Pope Clement X on 28 March 1676.   He was named patron of Poland and Lithuania by Pope Clement XII in the year 1737.  Ninety-one years after his beatification, Blessed John Cantius was canonised on 16 July 1767, by Pope Clement XIII.

The Roman Breviary distinguishes him with three hymns;  he is the only confessor not a bishop who has been given this honour in the Roman Catholic liturgy.

St John Cantius is a popular saint in Poland.   A number of churches and schools founded by Polish diaspora communities throughout North America are named in his honour.   “John Cantius” has been used as a first and middle name—see, for example, John Cantius Garand.   In 1998, a new religious institute was founded, based in Chicago, which took St. John Cantius as their patron saint.   Thus they are the Canons Regular of Saint John Cantius.

Tomb of Saint John Cantius Church of St Anne, Kraków, Poland

Posted in ADVENT, SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 23 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

St John of Kanty/Cantius (1390-1473) (Optional Memorial)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VOFzuNeVEM
__
St Antonio of Saint Anne
St Besa of Egypt
Bl Bincema
St Dagobert II of Austrasia
Bl Epifanio Gómez Alvaro
St Frithbert of Hexham
Bl Hartmann of Brixen
Bl Herman of Scheda
Bl James Aymerich
St John Cirita
St John Stone
St Joseph Cho Yun-ho
St Mardonius of Rome
St Mazota of Abernethy
St Migdonius of Rome
St Nicolás Factor-Estaña
St Servulus of Rome
St Thorlac Thorhallsson
St Victoria
St Vintila of Orensee
—
Martyred Dominicans of Santander – (9 beati) – Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Bernardino Irurzun Otermín
• Blessed Eleuterio Marne Mansilla
• Blessed Eliseo Miguel Lagro
• Blessed Enrique Cañal Gómez
• Blessed Enrique Izquierdo Palacios
• Blessed Epifanio Gómez Alvaro
• Blessed José María García Tabar
• Blessed Manuel Gutiérrez Ceballos
• Blessed Miguel Rodríguez González
• Blessed Pedro Luís y Luís

Martyrs of Crete – (10 saints): A group of ten Christians who died in the persecutions of Decius. They were –
• Agathopus
• Basilides
• Cleomenes
• Eunician
• Euporus
• Evaristus
• Gelasius
• Saturninus
• Theodulus
• Zeticus
They were martyred in 250 on the island of Crete.

Posted in ADVENT, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL SERMONS, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – – 22 December – The Memorial of St Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – – 22 December – The Memorial of St Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917)

“Inspired by the grace of god, we join the saints in honouring the holy virgin Frances Xavier Cabrini.
She was a humble woman who became outstanding not because she was famous or rich or powerful but because she lived a virtuous life.
From the tender years of her youth, she kept her innocence as white as a lily and preserved it carefully with the thorns of penitence;  as the years progressed, she was moved by a certain instinct and supernatural zeal to dedicate her whole life to the service and greater glory of God.
She welcomed delinquent youths into safe homes and taught them to live upright and holy lives.
She consoled those who were in prison and recalled to them the hope of eternal life.
She encouraged prisoners to reform themselves and to live honest lives.
She comforted the sick and the infirm in the hospitals and diligently cared for them.
She extended a friendly and helping hand especially to immigrants and offered them necessary shelter and relief, for having left their homeland behind, they were wandering about in a foreign land with no place to turn for help.
Because of their condition, she saw that they were in danger of deserting the practice of Christian virtues and their Catholic faith.
Undoubtedly she accomplished all this through the faith which was always so vibrant and alive in her heart;  through the divine love which burned within her and finally, through constant prayer by which she was so closely united with God from whom she humbly asked and obtained whatever her human weakness could not obtain.
Although her constitution was very frail, her spirit was endowed with such singular strength that, knowing the will of God in her regard, she permitted nothing to impede her from accomplishing what seemed beyond her strength.”

from a homily at the Canonization of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini by Pope Pius XII

Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini’s life was filled with disappointments… but she was never discouraged.   Despite setbacks, weak health and constant difficulty, the accomplishments of Mother Cabrini are remarkable.   Ever humble, she took no credit, instead directing those who might compliment her work back to the Lord—to Jesus Christ—though which all things were (and are) accomplished.   Throughout her life, Mother Cabrini found her strength in the Lord and used every ounce given to her to serve others.   We look to her today as a model of obedience, hope, service and strength. Mother Cabrini, pray for us!st frances xavier cabrini - pray for us no 2 - 22 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, NOVENAS

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Seven – 22 December

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Seven – 22 December

Day Seven

Flight Of The Child Jesus Into Egypt.

Reflection:
Although the Son of God came from heaven to save men,
scarcely was He born when men began to persecute Him to death.
Herod, fearing that this Child would deprive Him of his kingdom,
seeks to destroy His life.
But St Joseph is warned by an angel in a dream to take the Infant
and His Mother and flee into Egypt.
Joseph obeys at once and tells Mary about it.
He takes the few tools of his trade,
that he may use them to gain a livelihood in Egypt for himself and his poor family.
Mary wraps up a small bundle of clothes for the use of her little Son
and then, going to the crib, she says with tears in her eyes
to her sleeping Child, “O my Son and my God!
You have come from heaven to save men;
but hardly are You born when they seek to take Your life.”
Lifting Him meanwhile in her arms and continuing to weep,
she sets out that same night with Joseph on the road to Egypt.

Let us consider how much these holy wanderers
must have suffered in making so long a journey,
deprived of every comfort.
The divine Child was not yet able to walk
and so Mary and Joseph had to take turns in carrying Him in their arms.
During their journey through the desert towards Egypt
they had to spend several nights in the open air,
with the bare ground for their bed.
The cold makes the Infant cry and Mary and Joseph weep in pity for Him.
And who would not weep at thus seeing the Son of God poor
and persecuted, a fugitive on earth, that He might not be killed by His enemies!

Prayer:
Dear Infant Jesus, crying so bitterly!
Well have You reason to weep in seeing Yourself persecuted by men
whom You loved so much.
I, too, O God, have once persecuted You by my sins.
But You know that now I love You more than myself
and that nothing pains me more than the thought
that I have so often spurned You, my sovereign Good.
Forgive me, O Jesus and let me bear You with me in my heart
in all the rest of the journey that I have still to make through life,
so that together with You, I may enter into eternity.
So often have I driven You from my soul by my sins.
But now I love You above all things
and I regret above other misfortunes,
that I have offended You.
I wish to leave You no more, my beloved Lord.
But do You give me the strength to resist temptations.
Never permit me to be separated from You again.
Let me rather die than ever again lose Your good grace.
O Mary, my hope, make me always live in God’s love
and then die in loving Him. AmenDAY SEVEN NOVENA TO THE CHRIST CHILD - 22 DEC 2017

Posted in ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS

Quote of the Day – 22 December – Friday of the Third Week of Advent

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 22 December – Friday of the Third Week of Advent

“Jesus was born in a cave in Bethlehem
because, Sacred Scripture tells us,
“there was no room for them in the inn.”
I am not departing from theological truth
when I say that Jesus,
is still looking,
for shelter in your heart.”

St Josemaria Escrivä (1902-1975)jesus was born

 

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

One Minute Reflection – 22 December – Friday of the Third Week of Advent

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 December – Friday of the Third Week of Advent

A child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominian rests……Isaiah 9:5isaiah 9 - 5

REFLECTION – “In adoring our Saviour’s birth, it is our origin that we celebrate. Christ’s temporal generation is the source of the Christian people, the birth of His Mystical Body. All of us encounter in this Mystery a new birth in Christ.”…St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father & Doctor of the Churchin adoring our saviour's birth - 22 dec 2017

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, in celebrating the birth of Your Son on earth, let me also celebrate my birth in His Mystical Body. Grant that I may thus be brought closer to You in union with Your only Son. St Frances Xavier Cabrini, you who lived in union with our Lord and Saviour, striving always to be a light to all, pray for us! Amenst frances xavier cabrini - pray for us - 22 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 23 December – The Memorial of St Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 23 December – The Memorial of St Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917)

Fortify me O Lord
Prayer of St Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917)

Fortify me with the grace of Your Holy Spirit
and give Your peace to my soul
that I may be free from all needless anxiety,
solicitude and worry.
Help me to desire always that which is pleasing
and acceptable to You so that Your Will may be my will.
Grant that I may rid myself of all unholy desires
and that, for Your love, I may remain obscure
and unknown in this world, to be known only to You.
Do not permit me to attribute to myself the good
that You perform in me and through me
but rather, referring all honour to Your Majesty,
may I glory only in my infirmities,
so that renouncing sincerely all vainglory
which comes from the world,
I may aspire to that true and lasting glory
which comes from You. Amen.fortify me o Lord - st cabrini - 22 dec 2017

Posted in ADVENT, EMMIGRANTS / IMMIGRANTS, Of HOSPITALS, NURSES, NURSING ASSOCIATIONS, PATRONAGE - ORPHANS,ABANDONED CHILDREN, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 22 December – St Frances Xavier Cabrini M.S.C. (1850-1917)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 22 December – St Frances Xavier Cabrini M.S.C.   RELIGIOUS AND FOUNDRESS – Born Francesca Saverio Cabrini on 15 July 1850 – 22 December 1917), also called Mother Cabrini, was an Italian-American religious sister, who founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, that was a major support to the Italian immigrants to the United States. She was the first naturalised citizen of the United States to be canonised on 7 July 1946.   Additional Memorial – 13 November (in the United States).   Patronages – • against malaria • emigrants, immigrants (given on 8 September 1950 by Pope Pius XII) • hospital administrators • orphans.frances xavier cabrini

This saint, the first United States citizen to be canonised, was born in Italy of parents who were farmers.   She was the thirteenth child, born when her mother was fifty-two years old.   The missionary spirit was awakened in her as a little girl when her father read stories of the missions to his children.   She received a good education and at eighteen was awarded the normal school certificate.mothercabrini2a-2-1-web

For a while she helped the pastor teach catechism and visited the sick and the poor.   She also taught school in a nearby town and for six years supervised an orphanage assisted by a group of young women.   The bishop of Lodi heard of this group and asked Frances to establish a missionary institute to work in his diocese.   Frances did so, calling the community the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.   An academy for girls was opened and new houses quickly sprang up.

One day Bishop Scalabrini, founder of the Missionaries of Emigration, described to Mother Cabrini the wretched economical and spiritual conditions of the many Italian immigrants in the United States and she was deeply moved.   An audience with Pope Leo XIII changed her plans to go to the missions of the East. “Not to the East, but to the West,” the Pope said to her. “Go to the United States.”   Mother Cabrini no longer hesitated.   She landed in New York in 1889, established an orphanage and then set out on a lifework that comprised the alleviation of every human need.   For the children she erected schools, kindergartens, clinics, orphanages and foundling homes and numbers of hospitals for the needy sick.   At her death over five thousand children were receiving care in her charitable institutions and at the same time her community had grown to five hundred members in seventy houses in North and South America, France, Spain and England.

Color_Image_Saint_Francis_Xavier_Cabrini

St Frances, frail and diminutive of stature, showed such energy and enterprise that everyone marvelled.   She crossed the Atlantic twenty-five times to visit the various houses and institutions.   In 1909 she adopted the United States as her country and became a citizen.   After thirty-seven years of unflagging labour and heroic charity she died alone in a chair in Columbus Hospital at Chicago, Illinois, while making dolls for orphans in preparation for a Christmas party.   Cardinal Mundelein of Chicago officiated at her funeral and in 1938 also presided at her beatification by Pius XI.   She was canonised by Pius XII in 1946.   She lies buried under the altar of the chapel of Mother Cabrini High School in New York City.1113frances8