Day: December 18, 2021

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on HUMILITY, The DIVINE INFANT, The HEART, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Thought for the Day – 18 December – A Christmas Novena- The Cradle of the Divine Infant Jesus

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Thought for the Day – 18 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

A Christmas Novena III
The Cradle of the Divine Infant Jesus

“Enter once more with faith and love into the stable of Bethlehem.
As soon as her Son has been miraculously delivered without any damage to her virginity, Mary adores Him and, with such maternal love as we could never conceive of, she takes Him to her heart.
Joseph, kneeling in ecstasy at the sight, bows reverently and kisses the forehead of the Divine Infant.
In this moment of blis, he is well rewarded for his unshaken faith and for all the sacrifices which he has made from his youth until the time of his alliance with Mary.

Now Mary and Joseph look around and, since they can find no better cradle for the Baby Jesus, they place Him upon some straw in a manger and cover Him with a rough linen cloth.
They have nothing else to give the Son of God, King of Kings and Lord of the Universe, Who wishes, at this early stage, to present us with this wonderful example of humility and voluntary poverty.
But each of them has once treasure to offer, for they offer and dedicate their hearts to Jesus.
Mary’s heart is only less beautiful and pure than that of our Divine Redeemer and St Joseph’s is similar to hers.

Jesus did not come to look for human wealth or greatness but, He came in search of men’s hearts, so that He might make them holy.
Throughout the centuries there have been many generous-hearted people who joined with Mary and Joseph in loving Jesus and in dedicating themselves entirely to Him.
Does your heart belong completely to Jesus?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, The HOLY NAME of MARY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 18 December – “The Holy Name of Jesus”

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Quote/s of the Day – 18 December – O Adonai … O Lord – Saturday of the Third Week of Advent, Readings:
Jeremiah 23:5-8, Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19, Matthew 1:18-25

“She will bear a son
and you are to name him Jesus
because he will save his people
from their sins.”

Matthew 1:21

“Faith in Jesus and in the power of His Holy Name
is the greatest spiritual force in the world today.
It is a source of joy and inspiration in our youth;
of strength in our manhood,
when only His Holy Name and His grace,
can enable us to overcome temptation;
of hope, consolation
and confidence at the hour of our death,
when more than ever before,
we realise, that the meaning of Jesus is
‘Lord, the Saviour.’
We should bow in reverence to His Name
and submission to His Holy Will.”

Bl Henry Suso (1290-1365)

“The Holy Name of Jesus is,
first of all,
an all-powerful prayer.
Our Lord, Himself, solemnly promises,
that whatever we ask the Father in His Name,
we shall receive.
God never fails to keep His word.
Each time we say “Jesus,”
it is an act of perfect love,
for, we offer to God,
the infinite love of Jesus”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Doctor of the Church

Jesus, Name Full of Glory
By St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)

Jesus,
Name full of glory,
grace, love and strength!
You are the refuge of those who repent,
our banner of warfare in this life,
the medicine of souls,
the comfort of those who morn,
the delight of those who believe,
the light of those
who preach the true faith,
the wages of those who toil,
the healing of the sick.
To You our devotion aspires,
by You our prayers are received;
we delight in contemplating You.
O Name of Jesus,
You are the glory of all the saints for eternity.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, St JOSEPH, The HEART, The HOLY NAME, The O ANTIPHONS, The WORD, THOMAS a KEMPIS

One Minute Reflection – 18 December – O Adonai … O Lord

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One Minute Reflection – 18 December – O Adonai … O Lord – Saturday of the Third Week of Advent, Readings: Jeremiah 23:5-8, Psalm 72:1-2, 12-13, 18-19, Matthew 1:18-25

O LORD AND RULER
of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the flame
of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai,
Come and redeem us with outstretched arms.

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid” – Matthew 1:20

REFLECTION – “Joseph embraced
the Son of the heavenly Father
as he would a newborn babe
and served Him as his God.
He took pleasure in this
as in goodness itself
and he, who was complete righteousness (Mt 1:19),
worshiped Him.

Oh how great was his wonderment!
“How is it, Son of God Most High,
that I should have You as my Son?
I was angered against Your Mother
and thought to put her away.
I never knew that in her womb
so great a treasure lay,
Who straightway made me rich
in the midst of my poverty.

David the King, arose amongst my forebears
and wore the crown,
yet how great is the destitution
to which I have come!
No king, I am a carpenter,
yet a crown has come to me,
since on my heart there rests,
the Lord of all crowns.” – St Ephrem (306-373) Deacon in Syria, Father and Doctor of the Church (Hymn for the Nativity.)

PRAYER – Write Your Blessed Name, Upon My Heart
By Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

Write Your blessed name,
O Lord,
upon my heart,
there to remain so indelibly engraved,
that no prosperity,
no adversity shall ever move me
from Your love.
Be to me a strong tower of defence,
a comforter in tribulation,
a deliverer in distress,
a very present help in trouble
and a guide to Heaven
through the many temptations
and dangers of this life.
Amen.

Posted in DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, HYMNS, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN Saturdays, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Our Morning Offering – 18 December – O Purest of Creatures, Sweet Mother, Sweet Maid

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Our Morning Offering – 18 December – “Month of the Immaculate Conception”and also the Feast of Our Lady of Expectation

O Purest of Creatures, Sweet Mother, Sweet Maid
By Fr Frederick W Faber C.Orat. (1814-1863)

O Purest of creatures, sweet Mother, sweet maid,
The one spotless womb wherein Jesus was laid!
Dark night hath come down on us, Mother! and we
Look out for thy shining, sweet Star of the Sea!

Deep night hath come down on this rough-spoken world,
And the banners of darkness are boldly unfurled;
And the tempest-tossed Church,—
all her eyes are on thee;
They look to thy shining, sweet Star of the Sea!

He gazed on thy soul, it was spotless and fair,
For the empire of sin—it had never been there;
None ever had owned thee, dear Mother but He.
And He blest thy clear shining, sweet Star of the Sea!

Earth gave Him one lodging; t’was deep in thy breast,
And God found a home where the sinner finds rest;
His home and His hiding-place, both were in thee,
He was won by thy shining, sweet Star of the Sea!

Raised in the Church of England, Frederick W Faber (born at Calverley, Yorkshire, England, 1814 and died Kensington, London, England, 1863) came from a Huguenot and strict Calvinistic family background. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford and ordained in the Church of England in 1839. Influenced by the teaching of John Henry Newman, Faber followed Newman into the Roman Catholic Church in 1845 and served under Newman’s supervision in the Oratory of St Philip Neri. Fr Faber wrote 150 hymns for the use of the Catholic faithful. One of his best known is , “Faith of Our Fathers.”

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 18 December – Saint Flannán of Killaloe (7th Century)

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Saint of the Day – 18 December – Saint Flannán of Killaloe (7th Century) Bishop, Abbot, Missionary to the Hebrides Islands, renowned for his preaching. Born in Thomond, Ireland in the 7th Century and died in the 7th to 8th Century’s in Killaloe, Munster, Ireland. Patronages – Diocese of Killaloe and Country Clare,Ireland. Additional Memorial – 28 August on a local Irish Calendar.

St Flannan is honoured in a particular way in Killaloe, a small village on the border of Counties Clare and Tipperary. The Cathedral Church of Killaloe is named after St Flannan.

Born sometime in the seventh century, Flannan was the son of an Irish chieftain, Turlough of Thomond. He joined the Monastery in Killaloe, which the famous Irish Abbot St Molua founded.

A legend about how Flannan became the successor of Abbot Molua says that one day, Flannan was baking bread for the Monks and for the poor. He worked in the Monastery kitchen for thirty-six hours without rest!. In the middle of the night, light began to stream from his fingers into the darkness around him, enabling him to keep baking throughout the night. When Abbot Molua heard about this young Monk’s dedication to service, he appointed him as the next Abbot of Killaloe.

Unsurprisingly, Flannan, before and during his tenure as Abbot, gained a reputation for his unwavering charity, care of the needy and hospitality. The families surrounding the Abbey. whom he looked after, clamoured for Flannan to be appointed a Bishop.

Accordingly, Flannan travelled to Rome where Pope John IV Consecrated him the first Bishop of Killaloe. He was an immensely popular and beloved Bishop, including in the Hebrides Islands, where he was particularly renowned for his preaching.

The Feast of St Flannan is celebrated throughout Ireland on 18 December, the day in which it is in fact commemorated by the Martyrology of Tallaght, in the form Flannain meic Tairdelbaig, although it is also celebrated under the date of 28 August.

The Flannan Islands, off the west coast of the Scottish Isle of Lewis, certainly owe their name to this Irish Saint.

Saint Flannan’s cultus was confirmed and he was Canonised on 19 June 1902 by Pope Leo XIII.

Posted in ADVENT, EMBER DAYS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENAS, SAINT of the DAY, YouTube VIDEOS

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Three, Ember Saturday, Our Lady of Expectation and Memorials of the Saints – 18 December

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Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Three:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/12/18/christmas-novena-to-the-christ-child-day-three-18-december-3/

EMBER SATURDAY
Fast and Partial Abstinence

Our Lady of the Expectation – This Feast originated in Spain. When the Feast of the Annunciation (25 March) was transferred to 18 December because of the regulation forbidding Feasts in Lent, it remained on this date after the Annunciation was again celebrated on its original date. It impressed on the faithful, the sentiments of the Blessed Virgin as the time of her delivery approached.

More about the Feast here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/12/18/the-feast-of-our-lady-of-expectation-18-december/

St Auxentius of MopsueStia
St Basilian of Laodicea
St Bodagisil of Aquitaine
St Desiderius of Fontenelle
Bl Eugenio Cernuda Febrero
St Flannán of Killaloe (7the Century) Bishop, Abbot, Missionary.

St Gatian of Tours (c 251-301) The founding Bishop of the See of Tours, Missionary..
About St Gatian:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/12/18/saint-of-the-day-18-december-saint-gatian-of-tours-c-251-301/

Blessed Giulia Valle (1847-1916) Nun
About Blessed Giulia:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/12/18/saint-of-the-day-18-december-bl-giulia-nemesia-valle-1847-1916/

St Malachi the Prophet
St Mawnan of Cornwall
Bl Miguel San Román Fernández
St Phaolô Nguyen Van My
St Phêrô Truong Van Ðuong
St Phêrô Vu Van Truat
Bl Philip of Ratzeburg
St Rufus of Philippi
St Samthann of Clonbroney
St Theotimus of Laodicea

St Winebald OSB (c 701-761) Benedictine Priest, Abbot, Confessor, Missionary, Founder of many Monasteries, disciple of St Boniface.
St Winebald’s Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/12/18/saint-of-the-day-18-december-saint-winebald-osb-c-701-761/

St Zosimus of Philippi

Martyrs of Northwest Africa – 42 saints:
Mercedarian Redeemers – 6 beati – These are a group of Mercedarian friars who worked together, under the leadership of Saint Peter de Amer, to ransom (e.g., redeem) prisoners and minister to them after.