Quote/s of the Day – 10 March – Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent and The Memorial of St Marie Eugénie de Jésus (1817-1898)
“Our pilgrimage on earth cannot be exempt from trial.
We progress by means of trial.
No-one knows himself except through trial,
or receives a crown,
except after victory,
or strives,
except against an enemy or temptations.”
“Love never says
‘I have done enough.’”
Lenten Reflection – 10 March – Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent, Readings: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20, Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23, Matthew 23:1-12
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Daily Meditation:
The eyes of the Lord look on the lowly to make them glad. But the face of the Lord turns away from the proud to humble them. The lowly always receive pity from God… Make yourself small before everyone and you will be raised up higher than this world’s princes. Make all creatures go before you, embrace them, humble yourself before them, and you will be honoured more than those who make an offering of gold. Descend lower than your own self and you will see God’s glory within you.
For where humility sprouts, God’s glory spreads… If you have humility in your heart, God will reveal His glory to you in it… St Isaac the Syrian of Nineveh (c 613-c 700) Bishop of Nineveh, Monk at Mosul
But to the wicked God says:
“What right have you to recite my statutes,
or take my covenant on your lips?
For you hate discipline
and you cast my words behind you.
Psalm 50:16-17
Intercessions:
God the Father has given us His only Son, the Word made man,
to be our food and our life. Let us thank him and pray:
May the word of Christ dwell among us in all its richness.
Help us in this Lenten season to listen more frequently to Your word,
-that we may celebrate the solemnity of Easter with greater love for Christ, our paschal teacher,
-that we may encourage those in doubt and error to follow what is true and good.
Enable us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Anointed One,
-that our lives may reveal Him more effectively.
Lift us out of the mire of pride and honour
-that we may seek only Christ’s Cross as our mantle of humility.
Purify and renew Your Church in this time of salvation,
-that it may give an even greater witness to You.
Closing Prayer:
God in heaven and in my life,
guide me and protect me.
I so often believe I can save myself
and I always end in failure.
Lead me with Your love away from pride
and guide me on the right path.
May Your Spirit inspire the Church
and make us an instrument of your love and guidance.
Thank You for Your care for me,
for Your example which teaches me the way of humility
and self-abnegation.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen
“God’s sign is His humility.
God’s sign is that He makes himself small.
He becomes a child.
He lets us touch him and He asks for our love.
How we would prefer a different sign,
an imposing, irresistible sign of God’s power and greatness!
But His sign summons us to faith and love
and thus it gives us hope – this is what God is like.
He has power, He is Goodness itself.
He invites us to become like Him.
Yes indeed, we become like God,
if we allow ourselves
to be shaped by this sign,
if we ourselves learn humility
and hence true greatness;
if we renounce violence
and use only the weapons
of truth and love.”
One Minute Reflection – 10 March – Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent, Readings: Isaiah 1:10, 16- 20, Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23, Matthew 23:1-12
“Whoever exalts himself will be humble
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” … Matthew 23:12
REFLECTION – “I don’t think there is anyone who needs God’s help and grace as much as I do. Sometimes I feel so helpless and weak. I think that is why God uses me. Because I cannot depend on my own strength, I rely on Him twenty-four hours a day. If the day had even more hours, then I would need His help and grace during those hours as well. All of us must cling to God through prayer. My secret is very simple – I pray. Through prayer I become one in love with Christ. I realise that praying to Him is loving Him. (…)
People are hungry for the Word of God that will give peace, that will give unity, that will give joy. But you cannot give what you don’t have. That’s why it is necessary to deepen your life of prayer. Be sincere in your prayers. Sincerity is humility and you acquire humility only by accepting humiliations.
All that has been said about humility, is not enough to teach you humility. All that you have read about humility, is not enough to teach you humility. You learn humility only by accepting humiliations. And you will meet humiliation all through your life. The greatest humiliation is to know that you are nothing. This you come to know, when you face God in prayer.
Often a deep and fervent look at Christ is the best prayer. I look at Him and He looks at me. When you come face to face with God, you cannot but know that you are nothing, that you have nothing.” … St Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) – No Greater Love
PRAYER – God our Father, help us to teach others about You by our example as well as our words. Teach us Lord to accept the humiliations we suffer, to take the lowest place, to offer our nothingness to You, that we may become like Your divine Son. May His Mother and ours, the Blessed Virgin Mary clothe us in her gentleness and humility. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 10 March – Tuesday of the Second Week of Lent
This Is Our Accepted Time
By Fr Michael Gannon (1927– 2017)
This is our accepted time,
This is our salvation.
Prayer and fasting are our hope,
Penance, our vocation.
God of pardon and of love,
Mercy past all measure,
You alone can grant us peace,
You, our holy treasure.
Lord, look down upon Your sons,
Look upon their yearning.
Man is dust and unto dust
He shall be returning,
Lift him up, O Lord of life,
Flesh has gained him sadness,
Hear his plea, bestow on him
Everlasting gladness.
This is Our Accepted Time was written in 1955 by Sulpician Priest, Fr Michael Gannon. It is set to the 1609 tune, Weimar (Vulpius) by composer, Melchior Vulpius (c.1560-1615). 
Saint of the Day – 10 March – Saint Pope Simplicius (?- 483) Papal Ascension 25 February 468 – 10 March 483. He was born in Tivoli, Italy, the son of a citizen named Castinus. Most of what is known of him personally is derived from the Liber Pontificalis. His remains are interred in Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Rome, Italy.
After a vacancy of 10 days following the death of Pope Hilarius, Simplicius was consecrated on 25 February 468.
The reign of Simplicius coincided with the official fall of the Western Empire, in 476. The Italian peninsula was overrun by barbarians and was in a constant state of war. Eventually, the Herulis, an East Germanic tribe who formed a kingdom around the middle Danube, joined forces with Odoacer and beat the Roman soldiers. The weak Western emperor, Romulus Augustus, was deposed. Odoacer became king of a new kingdom. Simplicius had been bishop of Rome for eight years at this point and surely was concerned over a heretic taking command of the empire, considering the ties that had developed between church and state. However, Odoacer was an organiser. He saw the way the government that had been in power had worked hand in hand with the Catholic Church and, for the most part left the Church to rule itself.
One of the early difficulties Simplicius had was the defense of the Council of Chalcedon. Simplicius probably was not even involved in this council, which was called in October, 451 by the emperor and, reluctantly, by Leo the Great. This council repudiated the Second Council of Ephesus and defined the dual nature of Christ, both divine and human. In addition, the Council of Chalcedon claimed that the Patriarchy of Constantinople was second in standing only to Rome.
Simplicius found himself on both sides of the support of the council. He supported the definition of Christ’s nature. But those against the definition, known as monophysites, had spread like wildfire throughout the Levant and Egypt, thus showing a large population arguing about the nature of the Lord. Simplicius was also opposed to the elevation of the patriarchy of Constantinople. Thus began a tearing away of the Eastern church from orthodoxy. The current Eastern emperor, Zeno, was more or
less orthodox. He was overthrown for a year in 475 by the monophysite, Bascilicus. A year later, Zeno was reinstated but this time chose to reconcile with monophysitism. This was not an easy situation for the pope. And he did not live to see the outcome.
The pope clashed with Patriarch Acacius in the jurisdictional dispute and the argument almost destroyed the legacy of Chalcedon.
Aside from this large problem, Simplicius showed himself to be an able, effective administrator. Concerned about his role as she[herd to the Western Church, Simplicius appointed Bishop Zeno of Seville as a papal vicar. He constructed several churches, at least one of which was originally a columned walkway in the city of Rome. One church is still extant, St Bibiana’s. A concern this pope had was what to do with the churches of the catacombs, which were not used the same way as they had the first few hundred years of Church history. He appointed priests to say Masses, baptise and offer the Sacrament of Penance routinely in the three primary catacomb churches – St Peter’s at the Vatican, St Paul’s and St Lawrence Outside the Walls.
A long illness led to Simplicius’ death on 10 March 483.
Pope St Simplicius is seen as one who championed orthodoxy and promoted papal supremacy.
St Alexander of Apema
St Anastasia the Patrician
St Andrew of Strumi
St Attalas of Bobbio
St Blanchard of Nesle-la-Réposte
St Caius of Apema
St Cordratus of Nicomedië
St Droctoveus of Paris
Bl Elias del Socorro Nieves
St Emilian of Lagny
St Failbhe the Little
St Gustav the Hermit
St Himelin
Bl Jean-Marie Joseph Lataste
St John Ogilvie SJ (1579-1615 died aged 36) MARTYR
Biography:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/03/10/saint-of-the-day-10-march-st-john-ogilvie/
St John Ogilvie, his Rosary and the Baron: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/03/10/st-john-
ogilvie-sj-10-march/
Bl John of Vallombrosa
St Kessog
St Macarius of Jerusalem
St Marie Eugénie de Jésus (1817-1898)
Her life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/03/10/saint-of-the-day-10-march-st-marie-eugenie-de-jesus-1817- 1898/
St Peter of Veroli
St Rufinus of Nicomedië
St Sannudius of Bagensena
St Saturninus of Nicomedië
St Sedna of Ossory
St Silvester of Ireland
St Pope Simplicius (?- 483)
St Victor of North Africa
Bl Wirnto of Formbach
—
Anonymous Martyrs of Persia – A group of 42 Christians martyred in Persia in the 4th century.
Forty Martyrs of Armenia – Forty Christian soldiers of the Thunderstruck Legion of the Imperial Roman army who were tortured and murdered for their faith during the persecutions of Emperor Licinius. They were exposed naked on a frozen pond to freeze to death at Sebaste, Armenia in 320 and their bodies afterward were burned.
Thought for the Day – 9 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Many people are anxious to be in a position to give orders but few wish to have to obey them.
This is because there are so few humble men and so many, who love to make a display.
The moral of the Gospel in this regard, is completely opposed to worldly standards.
The Gospel shows us how the Word of God came down from the glory of Heaven in order to become a man like us and to live for thirty years subject to Mary and Joseph.
He became, moreover, “obedient to death, even to death on a cross” (Phil 2:8).
“Therefore, God also has exalted him and has bestowed upon him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess, that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11).
If we wish to follow Jesus, we must not aim at seeming important but, at becoming humble.
We must not seek to command but to obey.
Then, we shall also be taken up into the glory of God the Father, where we shall be rewarded for our humility and obedience.
If we are placed by Divine Providence in a position of authority, let us accept it as a cross, as St Pius X did when he was elected Pope.
But let us remain essentially humble.
Let us give orders pleasantly and gently and act sternly, only when it is absolutely necessary.”
Quote of the Day – 9 March – The Memorial of St Pacian of Barcelona (c 310–391) Father of the Church.
“My name is Christian, my surname is Catholic.”
Lenten Reflection – 9 March – Monday of the Second Week of Lent, Readings: Daniel 9:4-10, Psalm 79:8 -9, 11, 13, Luke 6:36-38
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:36
Today’s lesson is about mercy –
God’s mercy for us first and our mercy toward others.
We renew our penance –
all the ways we are trying to change
the patterns of our life that need conversion.
Lord, do not deal with us as our sins deserve.
Remember not, against us, the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
Lord, do not deal with us as our sins deserve.
Help us, O God our Saviour,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
Lord, do not deal with us as our sins deserve.
— Psalm 79
Intercessions:
Blessed be God the Father for His gift of this sacrifice of praise.
In the spirit of this Lenten season, let us pray:
Instruct us, Lord, in the ways of your kingdom.
God of power and mercy, give us the spirit of prayer and repentance,
-with burning love for You and all mankind.
Help us to work with You in making all things new in Christ,
-and in spreading justice and peace throughout the world.
Teach us the meaning and value of creation,
-so that we may join its voice to ours as we sing Your praise.
Forgive us for failing to see Christ in the poor,
the distressed and the troublesome,
-and for our failure to reverence Your Son in their persons.
Closing Prayer:
Lord,
Your commandment of love is so simple
and so challenging.
Help me to let go of my pride,
to be humble in my penance.
I want only to live the way You ask me to love,
to love the way You ask me to live.
I ask this through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
who stands at my side
today and always.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
“Christ is the artist, tenderly wiping away
all the grime of sin that disfigures the human face
and restoring God’s image to its full beauty.”
One Minute Reflection – 9 March – Monday of the Second Week of Lent, Year A, Readings: Daniel 9:4- 10, Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13, Luke 6:36-38 and the Memorial of St Pacian of Barcelona (c 310–391) Father of the Church.
“Judge not and you will not be judged; condemn not and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give, will be the measure you get back.”...Luke 6:37-38
REFLECTION – “O envious one, you injure yourself more than he whom you would injure and the sword with which you wound will recoil and wound yourself. What harm did Cain do to Abel? Contrary to his intention he did him the greatest good, for he caused him to pass to a better and a blessed life and he himself was plunged into an abyss of woe. In what did Esau injure Jacob? Did not his envy prevent him from being enriched in the place in which he lived and, losing the inheritance and the blessing of his
father, did he not die a miserable death? What harm did the brothers of Joseph do to Joseph, whose envy went so far as to wish to shed his blood? Were they not driven to the last extremity and well-nigh perishing with hunger, whilst their brother reigned all through Egypt? It is ever thus, the more you envy your brother, the greater good you confer upon him. God, who sees all, takes the cause of the innocent in hand and, irritated by the injury you inflict, deigns to raise up him whom you wish to lower and will punish you to the full extent of your crime. If God usually punishes those who rejoice at the
misfortunes of their enemies, how much more will He punish those who, excited by envy, seek to do an injury to those who have never injured them?”… Saint John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – We beseech Your mercy Lord, let Your Spirit come upon us in power and fill us with His gifts, to render our minds and hearts pleasing to You and make us docile and merciful as Your Son has taught us. May our Lord Jesus, Your Son, guide us and may the prayers of St Pacian of Barcelona teach us Your precepts. Through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering -9 March – Monday of the Second Week of Lent, Year A
Lord Jesus, Think on Me
By St Synesius of Cyrene (375-430), Bishop of Ptolemais
Lord Jesus, think on me,
and purge away my sin,
from earth-born passions set me free,
and make me pure within.
Lord Jesus, think on me,
With care and woe oppressed,
let me Thy loving servant be,
and taste Thy promised rest.
Lord Jesus, think on me,
nor let me go astray,
through darkness and perplexity
point Thou the heav’nly way.
Lord Jesus, think on me,
that, when the flood is past,
I may eternal brightness see,
and share Thy joy at last.
St Synesius, a native of Cyrene, born circa 375. His descent was illustrious. His pedigree extended through seventeen centuries and in the words of Gibbon, “could not be equaled in the history of mankind.” He became distinguished for his eloquence and philosophy and as a statesman and patriot he took a noble stand. When the Goths were threatening his country he went to the court of Arcadius and for three years, tried to rouse it to the dangers that were coming on the empire. But Gibbon says, ”The court of Arcadius indulged the zeal, applauded the eloquence and neglected the advice of Synesius.” In 410 he was made Bishop of Ptolemaïs (modern Libya) but much against his will. He died in 430.
Saint of the Day – 9 March – Saint Pacian of Barcelona (c 310–391) Bishop and Father of the Church.
St Pacian was the Bishop of Barcelona during the fourth century. He was Bishop from about 365 to 391, succeeding Praetextatus, who had attended a church council at Sardica in 347 and who is the first recorded Bishop of Barcelona.
Considered a Father of the Church, Pacian is eulogised in St Jerome’s De viris illustribus – Catalogue of Illustrious Men, in which Jerome praises his eloquence, learning, chastity and holiness of life. St Pacian was married and had a son, Flavius Dexter, who served as high chamberlain to Theodosius I and as praetorian prefect to Honorius, the Western Roman Emperor. St Jerome did not know Pacian personally but knew Pacian’s son, to whom De Viris Illustribus is dedicated.
St Pacian gained fame when Barcelona became internationally recognised among the most important dioceses within the history of the universal Church. His writings – like the breviary or the divine office read by all Catholic priests – are still widely in use today.
Saint Pacian’s writings are extant only in part, in three letters and a short treatise, Paraenesis ad Poenitentiam. In his writings, he discussed ecclesiastical discipline, baptism, papal primacy and teachings on penance against Novatianism, which was then flourishing in Spain.
He is also remembered from a phrase from one of his letters – Christianus mihi nomen est, catholicus vero cognomen -“My name is Christian, my surname is Catholic.”
Inside the Barcelona Cathedral, his seat, is a baroque altarpiece by the sculptor Joan Roig from 1688, representing scenes from the lives of Saint Pacian and of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and St Francis Xavier. This splendid image of Saint Pacian presides above the altarpiece.
At the right is a depiction of the election of Saint Pacian as bishop of Barcelon, his visit to the Pope and his burial.
St Frances of Rome Obl.S.B. (1384-1440) (Optional Memorial)
Biography:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/03/09/saint-of-the-day-9-march-st-frances-of-rome/
St Antony of Froidemont
St Bosa of York
St Candidus
St Catherine of Bologna OSC (1413-1463)
St Catherine’s Life:
Saint of the Day – 9 March – St Catherine of Bologna OSC (1413-1463)
St Constantine of Cornwall
St Cyrion
St Mary of Seyne
St Pacian of Barcelona (c 310–391)
—
Martyrs of Korea: – Ioannes Baptista Chon Chang-un, Petrus Ch’oe Hyong
Your Inbox will shortly be burdened again with my posts.
The new PC is up (not quite organised yet) and I will be back next week.
In the meantime, I send you greetings and prayers for your Lenten journey and thanksgiving for your prayers and for the Donations some have graced me with. Your Donations have greatly assisted me in getting back online.
“Prayer is an aspiration of the heart.
It is a simple glance directed to Heaven.
It is a cry of gratitude and love
in the midst of trial as well as joy.”
“O God, grant that whatever good things I have,
I may share generously with those who have not
and whatever good things I do not have,
I may request humbly from those who do.”
AnaStpaul 
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