Day: October 26, 2018

Posted in CONTEMPLATIVE Prayer, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 26 October – Prayer is the Light of the Soul

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 26 October

Prayer is the Light of the Soulst john chrysostom on prayer - 26 oct 2018

“There is nothing more worthwhile than to pray to God and to converse with Him, for prayer unites us with God as His companions.   As our bodily eyes are illuminated by seeing the light, so in contemplating God our soul is illuminated by Him.   Of course, the prayer I have in mind is no matter of routine, it is deliberate and earnest.   It is not tied down to a fixed timetable – rather it is a state which endures by night and day.

Our soul should be directed in God, not merely when we suddenly think of prayer but even when we are concerned with something else.   If we are looking after the poor, if we are busy in some other way, or if we are doing any type of good work, we should season our actions with the desire and the remembrance of God.   Through this salt of the love of God we can all become a sweet dish for the Lord.   If we are generous in giving time to prayer, we will experience its benefits throughout our life.

Prayer is the light of the soul, giving us true knowledge of God.   It is a link mediating between God and man.   By prayer the soul is borne up to heaven and in a marvellous way embraces the Lord.   This meeting is like that of an infant crying on its mother and seeking the best of milk.   The soul longs for its own needs and what it receives is better than anything to be seen in the world.

Prayer is a precious way of communicating with God, it gladdens the soul and gives repose to its affections.   You should not think of prayer as being a matter of words.   It is a desire for God, an indescribable devotion, not of human origin but the gift of God’s grace.   As Saint Paul says : we do not know how to pray as we ought but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.

Anyone who receives from the Lord the gift of this type of prayer possesses a richness that is not to be taken from Him, a heavenly food filling up the soul.   Once he has tasted this food, he is set alight by an eternal desire for the Lord, the fiercest of fires lighting up his soul.

To set about this prayer, paint the house of your soul with modesty and lowliness and make it splendid with the light of justice.   Adorn it with the beaten gold of good works and, for walls and stones, embellish it assiduously with faith and generosity.   Above all, place prayer on top of this house as its roof so that the complete building may be ready for the Lord.   Thus He will be received in a splendid royal house and by grace, His image will already be settled in your soul.”

A reading from the homilies of St John Chrysostom  (347-407) Father & Doctor, (Hom 6 on Prayer)

Prayer:  Give us the grace, Lord, to be in constant prayer so all of our lives, may be accomplished in sincerity of heart.

St John Chrysostom, Pray for Us!st john chrysostom pray for us - 13 sept 2018

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Posted in MARIAN DEVOTIONS, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, THOMAS a KEMPIS, TOTAL Consecration to JESUS through MARY

Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort’s Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary – Day Ten – 26 October

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Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort’s Total Consecration to Jesus Through Mary – Day Ten – 26 October

Readings and Prayers

12 Day Preparation

Day 10 of 33

Imitation of Christ, by Thomas á Kempis:  Book 3, Chapter 10

That it is sweet to despise the world and to serve God.

Now, will I speak again, O Lord and will not be silent, I will say in the hearing of my God and my King Who is on high:  Oh, how great is the abundance of Your sweetness, O Lord, which You have hidden for those that fear You!

But what are You, for those who love You?   What, to those who serve You with their whole heart?   Unspeakable indeed is the sweetness of Your contemplation, which You bestow on those who love You.   In this most of all, have You shown me the sweetness of Your love, that when I had no being, You did make me and when I was straying far from You, You brought me back again, that I might serve You and You have commanded me to serve You.

O Fountain of everlasting love, what shall I say of You?   How can I forget You, Who have vouchsafed to remember me even after I was corrupted and lost?

Beyond all hope, You show mercy to Your servant and beyond all desert, have You manifested Your grace and friendship.   What return shall I make to You for this favour? For it is granted to all who forsake these things, to renounce the world and to assume the monastic life.   Is it much that I should serve You, Whom the whole creation is bound to serve?   It ought not to seem much to me to serve You but this does rather appear great and wonderful to me, that You vouchsafe to receive one so wretched and unworthy as Your servant.   It is a great honour, a great glory, to serve You and to despise all things for You for they who willingly subject themselves to Your holy service, shall have great grace.   They shall experience the most sweet consolation of the Holy Spirit, Who for the love of You, have cast aside all carnal delight.

Recite: Veni Creator, Ave Maris Stella, Magnificat and Glory Be (See HERE: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/10/17/saint-louis-marie-de-montforts-total-consecration-to-jesus-through-mary-day-one-17-october/ )DAY TEN - TOTAL CONSECRATION - ST LOUIS DE MONTFORT 26 oct 2018

Posted in QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, SPEAKING of ....., The LAST THINGS

Quote/s of the Day – 26 October

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 October

Speaking of: The Four Last Things – Part One

“A priest goes to Heaven
or a priest goes to Hell
with a thousand people behind.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)a priest goes to heaven - st john vianney - 26 oct 2018

“The issue is now clear.
It is between light and darkness
and every one must choose his side.”

G K Chesterton (1874-1936)
(Chesterton’s last words)the issue is now clear - g k chesterton - 26 oct 2018

“The doors of Hell
are locked from the inside!”

C S Lewis (1898-1963)the doors of hell are locked from the inside - c s lewis - 26 oct 2018

“Each and everyone of us,
at the end of the
journey of life,
will come,
face to face
with either one
or the other
of two faces…
And one of them,
either, the
merciful face of Christ
or the
miserable face of Satan,
will say,
“Mine, mine.”

May we be Christ’s!”

Ven Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)each and everyone of us - ven fulton sheen - 26 oct 2018

“We’ve all got a terminal illness.
It’s called life.”

Servant of God Fr Benedict Groeschel (1933-2014)we've all got a terminal illness - sog benedict groeschel - 26 oct 2018

“The national anthem
of Hell is
“I Did It My Way”.”

Peter Kreeftthe national anthem of hell is i did it my way - peter kreeft - 26 oct 2018

“Many who plan
to seek God
at the eleventh hour
die at 10:30.”

Bumper Stickermany who plan to seek god at the 11th hour die at 10.30 - 26 oct 2018

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 26 October – Today’s Gospel: Luke 12:54-59

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One Minute Reflection – 26 October – Today’s Gospel: Luke 12:54-59 – Friday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time, Year B

“You hypocrites!   You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”...Luke 12:56

REFLECTION – “The gospel tells us that some people were rebuked by the Lord because, clever as they were at reading the face of the sky, they could not recognise the time for faith when the kingdom of heaven was at hand. It was the Jews who received this reprimand but it has also come down to us.   The Lord Jesus began His preaching of the gospel with the admonition:  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 4:17). His forerunner, John the Baptist, began his in the same way:  “Repent,” he said, “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 3:2).   Today, for those who will not repent at the approach of the kingdom of heaven, the reproof of the Lord Jesus is the same…you hypocritesd luke 12 56 - today, for those who will not repent - st augustine - 26 oct 2018

As for when the end of the world will be, that is God’s concern… Even so, the time is very near for each of us, for we are mortal.   There are hazards all around us.  We should be in less danger from them were we made of glass.   What more fragile than a vessel of glass? And yet it can be kept safe and last indefinitely.   Of course it is exposed to accidents but it is not liable to old age and the suffering it brings.   We, therefore, are the more frail and infirm.   In our weakness we are haunted by fears of all the calamities that regularly befall the human race and if no such calamity overtakes us, still, time marches on.   We may evade the blows of fortune but shall we evade death?   We may escape perils from without but shall we escape what comes from within us?   Now, suddenly, we may be attacked by any malady.   And if we are spared?   Even so, old age comes at last and nothing will delay it.”…St Augustine (354-430) – Father & Doctor of the Church – Sermon 109we may evade he blows of fortune - st augustine - 26 oct 2018

PRAYER – Lord God, You fill us with Your grace and teach us true faith.   Strengthen in our hearts that faith that no trials may quench the fire, that we may seek Your face in every moment and accept AND LIVE all of Your will.   Send us Your Spirit to keep the fire blazing.   May the humble love and intercession of Mary Mother of our faith, be our succour.   Through Jesus Your Son our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.mary mother of faith - pray for us - 19 may 2018

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, PAPAL PRAYERS, The HOLY FACE

Our Morning Offering – 26 October

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 26 October

Lord Jesus, May we Seek Your Face
By Pope Benedict XVI

Lord Jesus,
grant us restless hearts,
hearts which seek Your Face.
Keep us from the blindness of heart
which sees only the surface of things.
Give us the simplicity and purity
which allows us to recognise
Your Presence in the world.
When we are not able
to accomplish great things,
grant us the courage
which is born of humility and goodness.
Impress Your Face on our hearts.
May we encounter You along the way
and show forth Your image to the world.
Amenlord jesus may we seek your face - pope benedict - DA VINCI FACE OF CHRIST no 2 - 26 oct 2018

Posted in MARTYRS, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 26 October – St Pope Evaristus (c 44 – c 108)

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Saint of the Day – 26 October – St Pope Evaristus (c 44 – c 108) – Martyr, Bishop of Rome – Pope Evaristus accounted as the fifth Bishop of Rome, holding office from c 99 to his death c 108.    He was also known as Aristus. Pope_Evaristus

He succeeded Saint Anacletus on the throne of Saint Peter, elected during the second general persecution, under the reign of Domitian.   That emperor no doubt did not know that the Christian pontificate was being perpetuated in the shadows of the catacombs.  The text of the Liber Pontificalis, says of the new pope:

“Evaristus, born in Greece of a Jewish father named Juda, originally from the city of Bethlehem, reigned for thirteen years, six months and two days, under the reigns of Domitian, Nerva and Trajan, from the Consulate of Valens and Veter (96) until that of Gallus and Bradua (108).   This pontiff divided among the priests the titles of the city of Rome.   By a constitution he established seven deacons who were to assist the bishop and serve as authentic witnesses for him.   During the three ordinations which he conducted in the month of December, he promoted six priests, two deacons and five bishops, destined for various churches.   Evaristus received the crown of martyrdom.   He was buried near the body of Blessed Peter in the Vatican, on the sixth day of the Calends of November (25 October 108).   The episcopal throne remained vacant for nineteen days.”St. Evaristus, pope

It was at the same time as Saint Ignatius, the illustrious bishop of Antioch, that Pope Saint Evaristus gave his life by martyrdom.   The acts of his martyrdom are lost but we perceive that the same faith, heroism and devotion united the churches of the East and of the West.   He is often represented with a sword because he was decapitated, or with a crib, because it is believed that he was born in Bethlehem, from which his father migrated.

EvaristusI_7

Posted in SAINT of the DAY, Uncategorized

Memorials of the Saints – 26 October

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St Adalgott of Einsiedeln
St St Alanus of Quimper
Albinus of Buraburg
St Alfred the Great
St Alorus of Quimper
St Amandus of Strasburg
St Amandus of Worms
St Aneurin
St Aptonius of Angouleme
St Arnold of Queralt
St Bean of Mortlach
St Bernard de Figuerols
Bl Bonaventura of Potenza
St Cedd
Bl Celina Chludzinska
St Cuthbert of Canterbury
Bl Damian dei Fulcheri
St Eadfrid
St Eata of Hexham
St Pope Evaristus – (c 44 – c 107) Martyr
St Felicissimus of Carthage
St Fulk of Piacenza
St Gaudiosus of Salerno
St Gibitrudis
St Gwinoc
St Humbert
St Lucian
St Marcian
St Quadragesimus of Policastro
St Rogatian of Carthage
St Rusticus of Narbonne
St Sigibald of Metz
—
Martyrs of Nicomedia – 5 saints