Posted in MAUNDY THURSDAY, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, St PETER!, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 17 April – Peter Denies Jesus

Thought for the Day – 17 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Peter Denies Jesus

“Peter was by nature impetuous and generous.
He loved Jesus sincerely.
Even after the other Apostles had run away when Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane (Cf Mt 26:56), he followed Him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the High Priest’s house.
Peter was following at a distance” (Lk 22:54).
In his generous enthusiasm, however, he depended too much on himself.
During the last supper, Jesus had foretold to His Apostles, His approaching passion and death and their desertion.
Immediately, Peter had solemnly declared that, even if all the others would scandalised on the night of the passion, he would never be scandalised.
He would, he said, be ready to go with Jesus to prison and to death (Cf Mt 24:33, Lk 22:33).
But Jesus, tried to put him on his guard against presumption. “I tell thee, Peter, a cock will not crow this day, until thou hast denied three times, that thou knowest me” (Cf Lk 22:34).
In spite of this prophecy, the impetuous Apostle went as far as the courtyard of the High Priest.
While the divine Redeemer was brought in chains before the judgement seat of the High Priest, where He was calumniated, struck and condemned to death, Peter was asked if he was a follower of the Galilean.
Three times, He denied his Master with oaths and protests.
Unfortunately, this is what happens to anyone who trusts presumptuously in his own strength.
This is what happens when we forget that we can do nothing, as St Paul points out, without the help and the grace of God.

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Cor 3:5).
Anyone is courting disaster if he foolishly places all his confidence in himself and neglects to seek the help of God, when he is danger.
He is certain to fall!

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

 

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Posted in ARMOUR of CHRIST, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on the CHURCH

Quote/s of the Day – 17 April – ‘Jesus is with me’

Quote/s of the Day – 17 April – Easter Friday, Readings: Acts 4:1-12, Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27, John 21:1-14

Just as day was breaking,
Jesus stood on the shore ..

John 21:4

john 21 4 jesus stood on the shore - 17 april 2020

“In her voyage across the ocean of this world,
the Church is like a great ship
being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses.
Our duty is not to abandon ship
but to keep her on her course.”

St Boniface (672-754)

in her voyage across the ocean of this world - st boniface 16 may 2019

“Jesus is with me.
I have nothing to fear.”

Bl Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925)

jesus is with me i have nothing to fear bl pier giorgio frassati 4 july 2019

“Enemy-occupied territory – that is what this world is.
Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed,
you might say landed in disguise
and is calling us all,
to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.”

C S Lewis (1898-1963)

enemy-occupied-territory-c-s-lewis-19-april-speaking-of-becoming-a-saint

Never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream.

Malcolm Muggeridge (1903-1990)

Thomas Malcolm Muggeridge (24 March 1903 – 14 November 1990)
was an English journalist and satirist.
His father was a prominent socialist politician
and one of the early Labour Party Members of Parliament.
In his twenties, Muggeridge was attracted to communism
but after living in the Soviet Union in the 1930s, he became a forceful anti-communist.
In 1982, aged 79, Muggeridge was received into the Catholic Church along with his wife, Kitty.    This was largely under the influence of Mother Teresa,
about whom he had written a book, ‘Something Beautiful for God,’
setting out and interpreting her life.

never forget that only dead fish swim with the stream 17 april 2020

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, EASTER, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 April – “It is the Lord!”

One Minute Reflection – 17 April – Easter Friday, Readings: Acts 4:1-12, Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-27, John 21:1-14

“It is the Lord!” … John 21:7

REFLECTION – “The Lord says to those tired and disappointed fishermen:  “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some” (v. 6).   The disciples trust in Jesus and the result is an incredibly abundant catch.   In that exclamation: “It is the Lord!” there is all the enthusiasm of the Paschal faith, full of joy and wonder, which sharply contrasts with the disappearance, the dejection, the sense of powerlessness that had accumulated in the disciples’ hearts.

The presence of the Risen Jesus transforms everything – darkness has become light, futile work has again become fruitful and promising, the sense of weariness and abandonment, give way to a new impetus and to the certainty that He is with us.   From that time, these same sentiments enliven the Church, the Community of the Risen One.  All of us are the community of the Risen One!” … Pope Francis – Regina Coeli, 10 April 2016john 21 7 it is the lord - the presence of the Risen Jesus transforms everything - pope francis - 17 april 2020 easter friday

PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, You offer the covenant of reconciliation to mankind in the mystery of Easter.   Cleanse our hearts by Your truth and guide our lives by Your holiness, may we do what is right and pleasing to You.   Open our eyes to see You and our ears to Hear You, that we may follow your commandments and Your Way.   Grant that what we celebrate in worship, we may carry out in our lives.   May our Holy Mother, ever keep us in her prayers and care.   Through Christ, our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour to You, forever, amenblessed virgin mother pray for us 17 april 2020

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 17 April – Bl James Alberione -To Jesus, Master, the Way

Our Morning Offering – 17 April – Easter Friday

To Jesus, the Way
By Bl James Alberione (1884-1971)

O Jesus,
You are the Way secure,
You guide us on life’s troubled ways,
amid the errors of each age,
while we gaze toward our fatherland.
taking to Yourself our nature,
You came to us in flesh and blood
and as our model and our mould,
You call us to tread the way You trod.
A stable You chose at birth,
long years You laboured tirelessly,
the bitter Cross You did embrace
and so You tell us,
“Learn of me.”
Jesus, our everlasting Way, Truth and Life,
by You we are led,
by You we live,
to Father, You and the Spirit,
may all peoples praise and glory give.
Amen.

Blessed Fr James Alberione (1884-1971)
the Founder of the Pauline Family,
composed various Prayers to Jesus Master,
The Way, the Truth and the Life,
specifically directed to honour Jesus, the Master –
to sanctify the whole person, mind, will and heart.
These prayers are prayed by his Orders everyday.

See Jesus, the Life
https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/09/our-morning-offering-9-april-to-jesus-master-the-life/

to jesus the way by bl james alberione 17 april 2020 easter friday

Posted in MARTYRS, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 17 April – Saint Donan of Eigg (Died 617) Priest and Martyr

Saint of the Day – 17 April – Saint Donan of Eigg (Died 617) Priest and Martyr, Monk, Missionary – Patronages – the Island of Eigg, an island in the Inner Hebrides where he was Martyred. He is also known as Dounan, Donnan and Donnanus.st donan sml

Saint Donan, also known as Saint Donnán of Eigg, lived from about 550 to 17 April 617. He was probably Irish in origin and probably of noble birth.  He is known for his efforts to introduce Christianity to the Picts of north west Scotland.   Very little remains of him in the written record but, he is remembered in the quite remarkable number of places named after him, across large parts of modern Scotland.   The only part of his life to have made it into the annals in any detail was his death, when he and 52 of his monks were murdered at their Monastery on the Isle of Eigg.

stdonan-450 eigg
The Isle of Eigg

Donan’s birth date of 550 is a supposition, deriving largely from a comment in a document that he was contemporary of but younger than, St Columba.   He seems to have crossed to south western Scotland early in his adult life, possibly in company with a number of followers.   His progress can then be traced by a series of places named “Kildonan”, “Kildonnan”, “Chapel Donan” and “Eilean Donan” stretching up the western seaboard of Scotland from Ayrshire and the Isle of Arran via the Western Isles to Sutherland.   Additionally, it is said, that at least eleven churches in Scotland are dedicated to St Donan.St-Donan1

It is said that Donan went to visit St Columbanus, asking him to be his anamchara or soul-friend, a spiritual director and that Columbanus refused.   This may have been because Donan was welcomed by the Picts while Columba may have had his difficulties with them.   But another story records that Columba said:   “I will not be anamchara to one, who will inherit red martyrdom along with your people.”st Donnan

It is interesting, that in the centuries during which Celtic missionaries were spreading the Christian faith across Scotland, there are very few examples of any of them coming to any harm, from those whose faiths they were trying to replace.   St Donan is the most notable exception.   He and his followers had established a Monastery on the east side of the Isle of Eigg, facing the Scottish mainland.   It is said that Donan got into a dispute with a local noblewoman over the grazing of sheep on the island.   It seems she chose to resolve the dispute by commissioning a raiding party to remove the Monks from the island in the most permanent and brutal way possible.   On 17 April 617 the raiding party arrived.   They allowed Donan to complete the liturgy before herding him and all his fifty two monks into the refectory and setting it on fire, or beheaded, depending on the source.

St Donan was Canonised on 11 July 1898 by Pope Leo XIII (cultus confirmed).

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Friday in the Easter Octave +2020 and Memorials of the Saints – 17 April

Friday in the Easter Octave +2020

Bl Andrés Hibernón Real OFM (1534-1602)
Biography:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/04/17/saint-of-the-day-17-april-blessed-andres-hibernon-real-o-f-m-1534-1602/

St Agia of Hainault
St Anthia of Illyria
St Athanasia of Aegina
St Bitheus
St Calocerus of Brescia
St Cogitosus
St Corebus
St Donan of Eigg (Died 617) Priest and Martyr
St Eleuterius of Illyria
St Elpidius of Melitene
St Eusebius of Fano
St Galdinus of Milan
St Gebuinus of Lyons
St Genocus
St Hermogenes of Melitene
Bl Idesbald of Dunes
Bl James Oldo
Bl Joseph Moreau
St Laserian of Leighlin
Bl Louis Leroy
Bl Luca Passi
St Perfecto of Córdoba
St Pusicio
St Robert de Turlande/Chaise-Dieu OSB (c 1000-1067)
His Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/04/17/saint-of-the-day-17-april-st-robert-de-chaise-dieu-osb-c-1000-1067/
Bl Roman Archutowski
Bl Savina Petrilli
St Stephen Harding O.Cist. (1050-1104) Co-Founder of the Cistercian Order
About St Stephen:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/04/17/saint-of-the-day-17-april-st-stephen-harding/
St Ursmar of Lobbes
St Wigbert of Augsburg