Thought for the Day – 9 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
DEATH
“The greatest lesson in life springs from reflection on death. Whoever does not learn, how to live, from death, will never learn anything from anybody!
We MUST DIE and we DIE ONLY ONCE. This is a test which we shall never have a chance to repeat! This thought should inspire in us a healthy fear of sin and an ardent desire to be more closely united with God and more faithful in the observance of His law.
As a special fruit of this mediation, let us form the resolution of asking for the last Sacraments at the hour of death, instead of waiting until our relatives are obliged to exhort us to receive them. It is not a sentence but a gift, for which we ask. It is the greatest gift which God’s mercy could grant us in that final and decisive moment of our lives .
There is another resolution which we ought to make. We should live everyday as if it were our last but, we should work as tirelessly as if we never had to die!”
Quote/s of the Day – 9 January – The Holy Family – Within the Octave of Epiphany – Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:42-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Romans 13:14
“You are walking now by faith, still on pilgrimage in a mortal body away from the Lord but He, to Whom your steps are directed, is Himself the sure and certain Way for you – Jesus Christ, Who, for our sake became man. For all who fear Him, He has stored up abundant happiness which He will reveal to those who hope in Him, bringing it to completion, when we have attained the reality which, even now, we possess, in hope. Set your hearts on heavenly things, not the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your Life, appears, then you too will appear with Him in glory.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“And His Mother kept all these words in her heart.”
Luke 2:51
“Consider the most prudent woman Mary, Mother of true Wisdom, as the pupil of her Son. For she learned from Him, not as from a child or man but as from God. Yes, she dwelt in meditation on His words and actions. Nothing of what was said or done by Him, fell idly on her mind. … That which she now beholds in the present, she waits to have revealed with greater clarity, in the future.”
St Bede the Venerable (673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church
“And as for that in the good ground they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bring forth fruit with patience.”
Luke 8:15
“The more you devote yourself, to study of the Sacred utterances, the richer will be your understanding of them, just as the more the soil is tilled,, the richer is the harvest.”
St Isidore of Seville (c 560-636) Father & Doctor of the Church
Be Thou My Vision By St Dallan Forgaill (c 530- 598)
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my Light.
Be Thou my Wisdom and Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord. Thou my great Father, I Thy true son; Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my battle-shield, sword for my fight, Be Thou my dignity, Thou my delight. Thou my soul’s shelter, Thou my high tower. Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always. Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won, May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Son, Heart of my heart, whatever befall Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
One Minute Reflection – 9 January – The Holy Family – Within the Octave of Epiphany – Colossians 3:12-17, Luke 2:42-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And His Mother kept all these words in her heart.” – Luke 2:51
REFLECTION – “Often, it seems to us, Mary forgot to eat and to drink, keeping vigil in order to think about Christ, to see Christ in His flesh. She burned with love of Him and passionately loved to serve Him. She often did what the Song of Songs sings about: “I was sleeping but my heart kept vigil.” (Song 5:2) Even when she was resting, she continued to dream of Him Who filled her thoughts throughout the day. Whether she was keeping vigil or resting in peace, she always lived in Him, was always occupied with Him.
Where her treasure was, there also was her heart (Mt 6:21); where her glory was, there also was her mind. She loved her Lord and her Son with all her heart, with all her mind, with all her strength (Mt 22:37). She saw with her eyes, touched with her hands, the Word of Life (1 Jn 1:1). How blessed was Mary, to whom it was given to embrace Him who embraces and nourishes everything! How happy was she, who carried Him, Who carries the universe (Heb 1:3), she, who nursed a Son, Who gives her life, a Son Who nourishes her and all beings on earth (Ps 145:15).
The One Who is the Wisdom of the Father, put His arms around her neck, the One Who is the strength, that gives movement to everything, sat in her arms. He Who is the rest of souls, (Mt 11:29) rested on her motherly breast. How gently He held her in His hands, peacefully looked at her, He Whom the angels wish to contemplate (1 Pet 1:12) and He gently called her, He Whom every being calls upon when in need. Filled with the Holy Spirit, she held Him close to her heart … She never had enough of seeing Him or of hearing Him, Whom “many prophets and kings wished to see … but did not see.” (Lk 10:24) Thus Mary grew evermore in love and her mind was unceasingly attached to Divine contemplation.” – St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159) Bishop (Homily on the Motherhood of Mary, 4).
PRAYER – O Lord Jesus Christ, Thou Who while subject to Mary and Joseph, hallowed family life with virtues beyond description, grant us by their combined intercession, that, having been taught by the example of the Holy Family, we may attain unto their everlasting companionship. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 9 January – The Holy Family – Within the Octave of Epiphany
Adveniat Regnum Tuum! Thy Kingdom Come! By Katharine Tynan (1861-1931)
Thy Kingdom come ! Yea, bid it come! But when Thy Kingdom first began On earth, Thy Kingdom was a home, A Child, a woman and a man.
The Child was in the midst thereof, O, Blessed Jesus, holiest One! The Centre and the Fount of Love Mary and Joseph’s little Son.
Wherever on the earth shall be A child, a woman and a man, Imaging that sweet trinity Wherewith Thy Kingdom first began,
Establish there Thy kingdom! Yea, And o’er that trinity of love Send down, as in Thy appointed day, The brooding Spirit of Thy Dove!
Katharine Tynan (1861-1931) was an Irish born Poet and Writer and a friend of the Jesuit Poet, Fr Gerard Manley Hopkins. She contributed to many periodicals and magazines such as the Jesuit published Studies, the Dominican published Irish Rosary, Irish Monthly, Hibernia and Dublin University Review, besides her own private publications. After her marriage, the addition of her husband’s name, “Hinkson” is often appended to her publications.
Saint of the Day – 9 January – Saint Waningus of Fécamp (Died c 688) Monk, Abbot, Count and Royal Official , husband and father of Saint Desiderius of Fontenelle. widower. Born in Rouen, France and died in c 688 of natural causes. Also known as – Waningus of Ham, Vaneng, Waneng, Wanging, Waning, Wanning. Additional Memorials – 31 January (Normandy, France), 15 February (Rouen, France), 23 September (translation of relics).
Born in Rouen, Waningus was Governor of the Pays de Caux in Neustria., N ormandy, at which time he took great pleasure in hunting. Nevertheless, he was very pious and particularly devout to Saint Eulalia of Barcelona.
One night he dreamt that she reminded him of the difficulties the rich had in entering Heaven. He heard that holy Virgin and Martyr repeat to him those words of our blessed “it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to be saved.”
Soon after, around 648, Waningus withdrew from Court to assist St Wandrille in founding Fontenelle Abbey and in building the Churches of Saints Peter and Paul.
About ten years later, after recovering from a serious illness, Waningus founded the Church of the Holy Trinity and the adjoining Abbey of the Holy Trinity at Fécamp for nuns. under the direction of Saint Owen and Saint Waningus as Abbot. He sheltered Saint Leodegarius when he was being pursued by his enemies.
This Saint is titular Patron of several Churches in Aquitain and Normandy and has given his name to the village of Saint Vaneng. His body is possessed in a rich Shrine, in the abbatial Church of our Lady at Ham, in Picardy, belonging to the regular canons of Saint Augustine.
The Abbey of the Holy Trinity in Fécamp (see below) was honoured by the Dukes of Normandy above all their other Monasteries and is the richest and most magnificent Abbey in Normandy.
Waningus entrusted his son, St Desiderius (died c 700) to be educated by the Abbot of Fontenelle. Desiderius later became a Monk at the Abbey. His Feast Day is kept on 18 December; his Relics are at Ghent, Belgium.
St Marcellinus of Ancona St Marciana Bl Martinus In Eon-min St Maurontius St Nearchus St Paschasia of Dijon
St Peter of Sebaste (c 340-c 391) Bishop of Sebaste in Lesser Armenia. Member of the glorious family of Saints – He was the younger brother of Basil of the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, the famous Christian Hermit Naucratius and Macrina the Younger and a close friend of Gregory of Nazianzen, all Saints. Of course, Basil and Gregory of Nazianzen are both Doctors too. About St Peter: https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/09/saint-of-the-day-9-january-st-peter-of-sebaste-c-340-c-391-bishop/
St Philip Berruyer St Polyeucte St Waningus of Fécamp (Died c 688) Monk, Abbot
Martyrs of Africa – 21 Saints: A group of 21 Christians murdered together for their faith in the persecutions of Decius. The only details to survive are 14 of their names – Artaxes, Epictetus, Felicitas, Felix, Fortunatus, Jucundus, Pictus, Quietus, Quinctus, Rusticus, Secundus, Sillus, Vincent and Vitalis. They were Martyred in c 250.
Martyrs of Antioch – 6 Saints: A group of Christians Martyred together during the persecutions of Diocletian – Anastasius, Anthony, Basilissa, Celsus, Julian and Marcionilla.
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