Day: April 13, 2019

Posted in Blessed JOHN HENRY Cardinal NEWMAN, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, LENT 2019, LENTEN THOUGHTS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The STATIONS of the CROSS

The Stations of the Cross – 13 April – The Third Station

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The Stations of the Cross – 13 April – Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent, Year C

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Begin with an Act of Contrition, this one by St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787).

My Lord Jesus Christ,
You have made this journey
to die for me, with love unutterable
and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You
but now I love You with my whole heart
and because I love You,
I repent sincerely for having ever offended You.
Pardon me, my God
and permit me to accompany You on this journey.
You go to die for love of me,
I wish also, my beloved Redeemer,
to die for love of Thee.
My Jesus, I will live
and die always united to You.
Amenact of contrition - st alphonsus 13 april 2019.jpg

The Third Station
Jesus falls the first time beneath the Cross

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

JESUS, bowed down under the weight and the length of the unwieldy Cross, which trailed after Him, slowly sets forth on His way, amid the mockeries and insults of the crowd.   His agony in the Garden itself was sufficient to exhaust Him but it was only the first of a multitude of sufferings.   He sets off with His whole heart but His limbs fail Him and He falls.

Yes, it is as I feared.   Jesus, the strong and mighty Lord, has found for the moment our sins stronger than Himself.   He falls—yet He bore the load for a while, He tottered but He bore up and walked onwards.   What, then, made Him give way?   I say, I repeat, it is an intimation and a memory to thee, O my soul, of thy falling back into mortal sin.   I repented of the sins of my youth and went on well for a time but at length, a new temptation came, when I was off my guard and I suddenly fell away.   Then all my good habits seemed to go at once, they were like a garment which is stripped off, so quickly and utterly did grace depart from me.   And at that moment I looked at my Lord and lo! He had fallen down and I covered my face with my hands and remained in a state of great confusion.the third station jesus falls the first time - bl john henry newman 13 april 20195.jpg

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.

I love You,
Lord Jesus,
my love
above all things,
I repent
with my
whole heart
for having
offended You.
Never permit me
to separate myself
from You again
grant that I
may love always
and then do with me
what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

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Posted in LENT 2019, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The LAMB of GOD, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 13 April – Thy Book

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Quote/s of the Day – 13 April – Saturday of the Fifth week of Lent, Year C

“Study then, mortal, to know Christ, to learn your Saviour.
His body hanging on the cross, is a book, opened before your eyes.
The words of this book are Christ’s actions.
as well as His suffering and passion,
for everything that He did serves for our instruction.
His wounds are the letters or characters,
the five chief wounds being the five vowels
and the others the consonants of your book . . .
However much else you may know,
if you do not know this, I count all your learning for naught,
because without knowledge of this book,
both general and particular, it is impossible for you to be saved.

So eat this book which in your mouth and understanding
shall be sweet but which will make your belly bitter,
that is to say your memory,
because He that increases knowledge increases sorrow too.

May this book never depart from my hands, O Lord
but let the law of the Lord be ever in my mouth,
that I may know what is acceptable in Your sight.”

Dom John Whiterig OSB (c 1320–1371)
Hermit of Farne

Meditacio ad Crucifixum, Chapter 53, fols. 29v-30study therefore mortal 13 april 2019 - dom john whiterig - THY BOOK.jpg

“Thy body, sweet Jesus,
is like a book all written with red ink,
so is Thy body all written with red wounds . . .
grant me to read upon Thy book
and somewhat to understand,
the sweetness of that writing
and to have liking
in studious abiding of that reading.”

Richard Rolle (1290-1349)

Hermit, Mystic, Writer
Meditations on the Passionthy body sweet jesus - richard rolle - hermit - 13 april 2019.jpg

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2019, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The WORD

Lenten Reflection – 13 April – “What are we going to do? “

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Lenten Reflection – 13 April – Saturday of the Fifth week of Lent, Year C

The Readings:
Ezekiel 37:21-28; Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ABCD, 13; John 11:45-46

Daily Meditation:
Now we rejoice in Your great love.
Our journey has brought us here.
It is as though we, too, are gathering in Jerusalem
to celebrate our Passover week.
We are ready to enter into the Passion drama,
and to celebrate the Paschal Mystery,
with mind and heart renewed.

We are ready to rejoice that the death of Jesus is “for me”
and that it is the ultimate victory over sin and death –
my sin and my death.

Christ was sacrificed so that he could gather together
the scattered children of God.
John 11:52

“So the chief priests and the Pharisees
convened the Sanhedrin and said,
“What are we going to do?
This man is performing many signs.”…John 11:47John 11 47 so the chief priests and the sanhedrin - 13 april 2019.jpg

Origen of Alexandria (c 185-253) (part 2 of Pope Benedict’s reflections on Origen) comments on this verse from the Gospel proclaimed at Mass today:

“I think the phrase “this man” was used to diminish Jesus’ glory because they did not believe what was said about Him being God.   Notice both the audacity and the blindness of their evil.   It was audacious because they had already witnessed the fact that He had performed many signs and yet, they thought they could plot against Him — as if He could do nothing when they plotted against Him!
On the other hand, they were no less blind either, because it makes more sense to be on the side of someone who performs such miracles than to be a part of the plot, of those who do not want to allow Him to live.
Or perhaps they thought that He performed signs that were not the result of divine power and that this was why He could not do all things, or deliver Himself from their plot.
They resolved, therefore, not to let Him live, thinking that they would place an impediment in the way of those who believed in Him and also prevent the Romans from taking away, their place and nation.” (Commentary on the Gospel of John)john 11 47 - so the chief priests - i think the phrase this man - origen - satfifthweeklent 13april2019.jpg

Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
Your eternal watchfulness keeps me safe from harm.
I am filled with a great happiness
when I feel your endless love for me.
Thank you for your care for me, one of your children.
I ask you to protect from harm
those who will soon be your children,
joined in the joy of your church.
Please continue to pour out your blessings
on all of us who have been given
the lifegiving waters of baptism.

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2019, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 April – .Jesus should die … to gather into one the children of God..

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One Minute Reflection – 13 April – Saturday of the Fifth week of Lent, Year C – John 11:45–56

“…Jesus should die for the nation and not for the nation only
but to gather into one the children of God…”…John 11:51-52

REFLECTION – “Saint Paul states that “in these, the last days, God has spoken to us in his Son, whom He has established heir of all things.” (Heb 1:2)   Now, doesn’t this sentence mean that the Father considered every person to form a part of Christ’s inheritance?  It matches the prophecy of David:  “Ask and I shall give you the nations as your heritage, that you may have dominion to the ends of the earth.” (Ps 2:8)
Our Lord Himself declares:  “I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to myself.” (Jn 12:32)   Does it not appear that the salvation of every person is promised? Elsewhere we find a prophecy about the Church – “Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be laid low, the rugged places shall become a plain and the highland a broad valley.” (Is 40,4).   Does it seem as though anyone has been forgotten or has not been chosen here as one of Christ’s subjects?   And what should we think when we read:  “All flesh shall come and bow low before me; they will worship me in Jerusalem, says the Lord” (cf. Is 66:23)…
And so the term “people of God” is to be understood in all its fullness.   No matter if the majority of people refuse or neglect the Saviour’s grace, it is the whole that is indicated by the words “elect” and “predestined”…   The apostle Paul also says: “We proclaim a crucified Jesus Christ, a stumbling block to Jews and folly for pagans… but the power and wisdom of God.” (1Cor 1:23-24)   Would Christ be “the power and wisdom of God” in the eyes of the same people for whom he is “a stumbling block” and “folly”?   In fact, since certain people are saved because of their faith while others are hardened in their unbelief, the apostle included both faithful and unfaithful under the general term of “chosen”.   Thus he showed that those whom he counted as pagans had become strangers to God’s call even though they had heard the Gospel.”…St Prosper of Aquitaine (c 390-c 455)john 11 51-52 - jesus should die - and so the term poeple of god - st prosper of aquitaine 13 april 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord our God, at all times, You are working out the salvation of man but now, more especially, You enrich Your people with grace. Look kindly on this people, Lord our God and lead us to Yourself.   Listen to the prayers of your angels and saints, who intercede on our behalf and may our Immaculate Mother, accompany us on our journey home.   We make our prayer through our Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.immaculate mother pray for us 13 april 2019.jpg

Posted in LENT 2019, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for SEASONS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 13 April – Mother of Sorrows, of Love, of Mercy

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Our Morning Offering – 13 April – Saturday of the Fifth week of Lent, Year C “Marian Saturdays”

Mother of Sorrows, of Love, of Mercy
By Fr Lawrence Lovasik SVD (1913-1986)

Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs,
accept the sincere homage of my childlike love.
Into your heart, pierced by so many sorrows,
welcome my poor soul.
Receive it as the companion of your sorrows
at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus
died for the redemption of the world.
Sorrowful Virgin, with you,
I will gladly suffer all the trials,
misunderstandings and pains
which it shall please our Lord to send me.
I offer them all to you
in memory of your sorrows,
so that every thought of my mind
and every beat of my heart,
may be an act of compassion
and of love for you.
Loving Mother, have pity on me,
reconcile me to your Divine Son Jesus,
keep me in His grace and assist me
in my last agony,
so that I may be able to meet you in heaven
and sing your glories.
Mary, most sorrowful Mother of Christians,
pray for us.
Mother of love,
of sorrow
and of mercy, pray for us!
Amen. Amen.mother of sorrows of love of mercy by fr lawrence lovasik 13 april 2019 marian sats.jpg

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 13 April – Blessed Scubilion Rousseau FSC (1797-1867) the “Catechist of Slaves”

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Saint of the Day – 13 April – Blessed Scubilion Rousseau FSC (1797-1867) the “Catechist of Slaves” – a professed Religious Brother of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools or the De La Salle Brothers, Teacher, Catechist, social reformer, anti-slave activist, apostle of the poor.   He assumed the religious name of “Scubilion” upon his profession and was dubbed the “Catechist of Slaves” due to his extensive decades-spanning work on Réunion Island.   Patronage – Catechists, Teachers.11.-Bx.-Scubilion-Rousseau

Jean-Bernard Rousseau was born in Yonne on 22 March 1797 as the eldest of four children to Bernard Rousseau and Regina Pelletier.   His parents aided and hid priests during the French Revolution in which anti-religious sentiment was at an all-time high.  He was baptised hours after his birth at the home of his grandparents and would receive both his First Communion and Confirmation around the age of ten in 1807.

Two parish priests oversaw his education.   Blessed Scubilion decided to devote his life to serving others and so desired to become part of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools – or De La Salle Brothers – in an attempt to follow the example of Saint Jean-Baptiste de La Salle.   He arrived in Paris on 9 November 1822 and commenced his novitiate with the De La Salle Brothers on 24 December 1822.   He assumed the religious name of “Scubilion”.

de la salle paris - maxresdefault
De La Salle, Paris 

On 4 November 1823 he was sent to Alençon and was put in charge of the De La Salle house’s kitchen and garden.   His triennial vows were made on 15 September 1825.   He made his perpetual vows on 27 September 1827 after a period of teaching and of studies.   He obtained his teaching degree in 1826.

In April 1833 he accepted an invitation to go to Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean to teach and evangelise.   He and two other companions, left on 20 April 1833 and arrived in Saint-Denis on 15 July 1833.   In the period of 1833 to 1843 he began to teach the poor children and at this time became a vocal advocate of slaves.   He also fought against the mistreatment and abuse that female slaves suffered.   On 17 November 1843 he was sent to Saint-Leu and began teaching there while also preparing slaves for baptism and their First Communion.   He arrived in Sainte-Marie on 14 December 1856 to continue his work.   Rousseau made a brief visit to Madagascar in 1866 to open a school.   He modified all his lessons to suit the natives and also started night classes.   He collaborated in his initiatives with the local priests.img-Blessed-Scubilion-Rousseau

After the emancipation of the slaves in 1848, he continued to care for them and to help them adapt to their new life of freedom and responsibility.   In the last years of his life, despite failing health, he assisted the local pastor in visiting the sick, winning over sinners, encouraging vocations and even effecting what seemed to be miraculous cures.

He died on 13 April 1867 after a long illness in Sainte-Marie and his funeral was celebrated on 14 April in which hundreds of people attended to mourn him.  At his death he was venerated everywhere on the island as a saint.   He was buried in Sainte-Marie but his remains were transferred in 1939 to the house of the De La Salle Brothers in Saint-Denis.

St Pope John Paul II approved a miracle due to the intercession of Blessed Scubilion in 1987 and beatified Rousseau on the occasion of his visit to the island of Réunion on 2 May 1989.

Posted in DOMINICAN OP, MARTYRS, SAINT of the DAY, YouTube VIDEOS

Memorials of the Saints – 13 April

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St Pope Martin I (598-655) Martyr (Optional Memorial)
Biography:   https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/04/13/saint-of-the-day-13-april-st-pope-martin-i/

St Agathonica of Pergamus
St Agathodorus of Pergamus
St Caradoc of Wales
St Carpus of Pergamus
Bl Edward Catherick
Bl Francis Dickenson
St Guinoc
St Hermengild
St Ida of Boulogne
Bl Ida of Louvain
Bl Isabel Calduch Rovira
Bl James of Certaldo
Bl John Lockwood
Bl Margaret of Castello OP (1287-1320)
About Blessed Margaret:   https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/04/13/saint-of-the-day-13-april-blessed-margaret-of-castello-o-p-1287-1320/

St Martius of Auvergne
Bl Miles Gerard
St Papylus of Pergamus
St Proculus of Terni
St Sabas Reyes Salazar
Bl Scubilion Rousseau FSC (1797-1867)

St Ursus of Ravenna
—
Martyrs of Dorostorum – 3 saints: A lector and two students martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian – Dadas, Maximus and Quinctillianus. Beheaded c303 in Dorostorum, Lower Mysia (modern Sillistria, Bulgaria.