Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Thou has destroyed the power of death and given the hope of eternal life, for body and soul. Thou granted Thy Mother a special place in Thy glory and did not allow decay to touch her body. As we rejoice in the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant us renewed confidence in the victory of life over death. Amen
Day 7: Mary, Queen of every heart, accept all that we are and bind us to Jesus and to thyself, with the bonds of love, so that we may be thine forever and may be able to say in all truth: “I belong to Jesus through Mary.” Our Mother, Assumed into Heaven and Queen of the Universe, ever-Virgin Mother of God, obtain for us our petitions, if it be for the glory of God and the good of our souls. ……………………………….. (Mention your request) Our Mother, assumed into Heaven, we love thee. Give us a greater love for Jesus and for thee. O Queen Assumed into Heaven, pray for us. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 12 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Memorial of St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253) and St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641
“Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for He who created you has made you holy, has always protected you and loves you as a mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me.”
“Love[ing] one another with the charity of Christ, let the love you have in your hearts, be shown outwardly in your deeds …”
Thought for the Day – 12 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Blessedness of the Merciful
“Let us meditate now on the mercy of God, which is infinite, even as His justice is infinite. “His mercy,” says St Thomas Aquinas, “does not subtract from His justice but, is the fullness and the perfection of that justice” (Summa Theologica 1,q 21, a 3 ad 2). All the merits which we can acquire in the sight of God derive from His gratuitous gift of grace. God’s mercy and justice, therefore, are fused together in a wonderful harmony which claims our gratitude and fidelity.
References to the mercy of God are numerous in Sacred Scripture. “You, Lord, are good and forgiving,” says the Psalmist, “abounding in kindness to all who call upon you” (Ps 85:5). “Blessed be the Lord,” we read elsewhere, “my rock, … my refuge and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer …” (Ps 143:2). “Goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come” (Ps 22:6).
When we leave the Old Testament and open the Gospel, we discover tht it is a record of the goodness and mercy of God. We have only to recall Christ’s forgiveness of the Magdalene when she wept at His feet for her faults; the merciful judgement which He passed on the poor adulteress; His loving glance in the direction of St Peter, who had denied Him; the grace so miraculously granted to St Paul on the road to Damascus and, the parables of the good Samaritan, the prodigal son and the good shepherd who went in search of the lost sheep. Finally, there are the consoling words to the repentant thief: “This day thou shalt be with me in paradise.” When we read this chronicle of infinite goodness and mercy, we should experience a boundless hope and confidence. Even our great sins and gross ingratitude, should not stop us from repenting with true and heartfelt sorrow and with deeds of penance and reparation. God is ready then to forgive us and to receive us with open arms.”
One Minute Reflection – 12 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Joshua 3: 7-10a, 11, 13-17; Psalms114: 1-6; Matthew 18: 21 – 19: 1 – Memorial of St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253) and St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641
“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times but seventy times seven.” – Matthew 18:21-22
REFLECTION – “He is our peace, for He has made both one. Since we think of Christ as our peace, we may call ourselves true Christians, only if our lives express Christ by our own peace. As the Apostle says: He has put enmity to death. We must never allow it to be rekindled in us in any way but, must declare, that it is absolutely dead. Gloriously has God slain enmity, in order to save us, may we never risk the life of our souls by being resentful or by bearing grudges. …
No, since we possess Christ who is peace, we must put an end to this enmity and live as we believe He lived. He broke down the separating wall, uniting what was divided, bringing about peace by reconciling in His single person, those who disagreed. In the same way, we must be reconciled not only with those who attack us from outside but also with those who stir up dissension within; flesh then will no longer be opposed to the spirit, nor the spirit to the flesh. Once we subject the wisdom of the flesh to God’s law, we shall be re-created as one single man, at peace. Then, having become one instead of two, we shall have peace within ourselves.
Now peace is defined as harmony among those who are divided. When, therefore, we end that civil war within our nature and cultivate peace within ourselves, we become peace. By this peace we demonstrate that the name of Christ, which we bear, is authentic and appropriate.
When we consider that Christ is the true light, having nothing in common with deceit, we learn that our own life also must shine with the rays of that true light. Now these rays of the Sun of Justice are the virtues which pour out to enlighten us so that we may put away the works of darkness and walk honourably as in broad daylight. When we reject the deeds of darkness and do everything in the light of day, we become light and, as light should, we give light to others by our actions. If we truly think of Christ as our source of holiness, we shall refrain from anything wicked or impure in thought or act and thus show ourselves to be worthy bearers of His Name. For the quality of holiness is shown, not by what we say but by what we do in life.” – St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395) – Bishop and Father of the Church – Excerpt from his treatise, On Christian Perfection
PRAYER – Holy God, grant we pray, Your Holy Spirit of love and divine grace to grow ever more in faith and love. . By our prayers and love for You and our neighbour, may we merit Your divine assistance. Lord Jesus, help us to dwell often on the manner in which we are following You. Let us strive each day to become more and more like You in all things and, to become beacons of Your Light, to all the world. St Clare of Assisi, and St Jane Frances de Chantal, you who were lights to all, pray for us,amen.
Our Morning Offering – 12 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” Memorial of St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
I Come, O Lord By St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
I come, O Lord, unto Thy sanctuary to see the life and food of my soul. As I hope in Thee, O Lord, inspire me with that confidence which brings me to Thy holy mountain. Permit me, Divine Jesus, to come closer to Thee, that my whole soul may do homage to the greatness of Thy majesty, that my heart, with its tenderest affections, may acknowledge Thy infinite love, that my memory may dwell on the admirable mysteries, here renewed everyday and that the sacrifice, of my whole being, may accompany Thine. Amen
Saint of the Day – 12 August – Saint Euplus of Catania (Died 304) Deacon Martyr. Died by being flogged to death on 12 August 304 in Catania, Sicily, Italy. Patronages – co-patron of Catania, Sicily, Italy, Francavilla di Sicilia, Italy, Trevico, Italy. Also known as – Euplio, Euplius, Euplous.
The Roman Martyrology states: “In Catania, Saint Euplous, Martyr – according to tradition, during the persecution of the Emperor Diocletian, he was thrown into prison by the governor Calvisiano because he was found with the book of the Gospels in his hands; – questioned several times, he was beaten to death for replying that he would keep the Gospel in his heart with pride.”
Euplus Deacon, who suffered Martyrdom “under the ninth consulate of Diocletian and the eighth of Maximian, on the eve of ides of August, in Catania” that is, 12 August 304. This data comes to us from an ancient document, historically reliable, the Passion of St. Euplus, exemplary for conciseness and drama. “The Deacon Euplous, finding himself in the court, shouted aloud – “I am a Christian; I wish to die for the name of Christ “ The governor of the City, Calviniano, summoned him to stand before him and after a brief preliminary, ordered him to read a passage from the books he brought with him.
Euplus read: “Happy are those who suffer persecution for justice” Calviniano ordered that Euplus be tortured, and during the torture, the second interrogation took place and the invitation to retract the previous confession: “Euplus crossed his forehead with his free hand and replied:” “What I have confessed, I confess again – I am Christian and I read the Divine Scriptures.”
The executioners continued to rage and tortue him and he prayed: “I thank you, O Christ, save me, because I suffer for you.” The governor ordered a break and made the last attempt to persuade Euplus to sacrifice to the gods: “Wretch, worship the gods. honour Mars, Apollo and Aesculapius.” Euplus replied: “I adore the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. I adore the Holy Trinity. Except this, there is no other God … I sacrifice but I offer myself as a sacrifice to Christ God, I have nothing more to sacrifice; your efforts are in vain, I am a Christian.”
Euplus was sentenced to be beheaded: “The Gospel he wore at the moment of his arrest was placed around his neck, in front of him a herald shouted:” Euplus, Christian, enemy of the gods and emperors!”. Euplus replied: “Thanks be to Christ God.” He hurried up as if he were going to the coronation. Arriving at the place of execution he knelt down and prayed for a long time. Then he presented his head to the executioner and was beheaded. Later, some Christians came to take away the body. Before burying it, they embalmed it.”
Madonna del Bosco / Our Lady of the Woods, Montemilone, Potenza, Basilicata, Italy(13th Century) – 12 August:
The Shrine of the Glorious Virgin was built on the slopes of a hill , about 400 meters above sea level , at the behest of the Basilian Monks, who preferred to raise their Convents and Shrines on the banks of rivers or on the mountain ranges , with the intention to raise, more and more, the spirit to Heaven. The site is located about 3 kilometers from the Town centre. the Church was built on the design of the brothers Luigi and Ruggiero Sarolo , sculptors of Muro Lucano , which began construction in 1187 and finished in 1189 . The Sanctuary , to see it from a distance, has something magical with its stand on the slope of the hill.
The Statue, which was recently restored, is roughly made but expressive and full of solemn majesty . The Virgin seated on a throne in the chest holds the Divine Child. The peculiar characteristics of the Statue and , particularly , the crowns of the Virgin and Child, recall those of the French art of the post- Carolingian period but the clothes and painted decorations are purely Byzantine and Byzantine unmistakably is the posture of the blessing hand of the Child – the two fingers , the index and middle fingers open and the other closed.
St Jeanne de Chantal/Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641) Mother, Widow, Foundress of the Congregation of the Visitation with the assistance and guidance of St Francis de Sales, whose great friend and collaborator she was. St Vincent de Paul served as her spiritual director after St Francis de Sales’ death. Her favourite devotions were the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. St Jane was buried in the Annecy Convent next to St Francis de Saless. Canonised on 16 July 1767 by Pope Clement XIII .(Optional Memorial) Details of St Jane here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/08/12/saint-of-the-day-12-august-st-jane-frances-de-chantal/
St Anicetus of Marmora St Discolio of Vercelli St Euplus of Catania (Died 304) Deacon Martyr St Eusebius of Milan St Felicissima the Blind St Gracilian St Herculanus of Brescia
St Porcarius of Lerins St Simplicio of Vercelli St Ust — Martyrs of Augsburg – 4 saints: The mother, Hilaria, and three friends of of Saint Afra of Augsburg. While visiting the tomb of Saint Afra who were seized by the authorities and martyred when they visited Afra’s tomb – Digna, Eunomia, Euprepia and Hilaria. They were burned alive c 304.
Martyrs of Rome – 5 saints: A group of Christians martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. We know little more than their names – Crescentian, Juliana, Largio, Nimmia and Quiriacus. • c.304 in Rome, Italy • buried on the Ostian Way outside Rome.
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