Thought for the Day – 15 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Beggars of God
“Do not think, however, that it is sufficient to ask for God’s help in order to do good. There is no doubt that His assistance is absolutely essential but, our co-operation with Divine Grace is, equally necessary. The branch on the vine is not inactive. It derives its vitality from the vine and in its turn, bears fruit. In the same way, we must nurture the supernatural life which God infuses into our souls, so that it will mature in good works.
The essence of a holy apostolate is co-operation with the grace of God. This spirit of generous co-operation, must transform us personally, so that we maybe able to change others. This is how the Apostles and Saints acted, this is how we must all act. “By the grace of God, I am what I am” St Paul tells us, “and His grace in me, has not been fruitless – in fact, I have laboured more than any of them, yet, not I but the grace of God, with me” (1 Cor 15:10).
Implore God’s help with humble perseverance. Be faithful to it in an ardent spirit of sacrifice. This is what it means to be a Christian!”
Quote/s of the Day – 15 January – The Memorial of St Macarius of Egypt (c 300-390) Priest, Abbot, Hermit, Father
“The heart itself is only a small vessel, yet dragons are there and lions, there are poisonous beasts and all the treasures of evil, there are rough and uneven roads, there are precipices but there too is God and the Angels, life is there and the Kingdom, there too is light and there, the Apostles and heavenly cities and treasures of grace. All things lie within that little space!”
Prayer for Mercy and Forgiveness By St Macarius of Egypt (c 300-390)
Lord, be merciful now that my life is approaching its end and the evening awaits me. There is not enough time for me to cleanse myself of my sins, for they are so many. Heal me while I am still on earth and I shall be truly healthy. In Thy mercy, move me to repent, so that I shall not be ashamed, when I meet Thee in Heaven. Amen
“Then go and learn, neither to be moved with injuries nor flatteries. If you die to the world and to yourself, you will begin to live to Christ.”
“The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Luke 6:5
“ … The Lord calls on us to rest, telling us: “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28) And He gives rest to all souls who trust Him and come to Him, by delivering them from painful, oppressive and impure thoughts. Then they completely stop indulging in evil, celebrating a true, a delightful and holy Sabbath, a feast of the Spirit in inexpressible joy and rejoicing. They offer a pure and acceptable worship to God, coming from a pure heart. That is the true and holy Sabbath.”
“And as soon as He sees you seek Him fervently, He will make Himself known to you. He will appear to you, grant you His help, bestow the victory on you and save you from your enemies. In fact, when He sees how you are looking for Him, how you continually place all your hope in Him, then He will instruct you, teach you true prayer, give you that authentic charity that is Himself. Then, He will become everything to you: your Paradise, Life-giving Tree, Precious Pearl, Crown, Architect, Farmer, One subject to suffering but not afflicted with suffering, Man, God, Wine, Living Water, Lamb, Bridegroom, Soldier, Armour, Christ Who is “All in All” (1Cor 1B,28).
One Minute Reflection – 15 January – Second Sunday after the Epiphany – Romans 12:6-16, John 2:1-11 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“This, the first of His Signs, Jesus worked at Cana in Galilee and manifested His Glory and His disciples believed in Him…” – John 2:11
REFLECTION – “Why did our Lord change water into wine as His first Sign? It was to show how God, Who transforms nature into something else, also works His transformation in the womb of the Virgin. In the same way, as the crown of His miraculous deeds, Jesus opened a tomb to make known His freedom, with regard to the death, which is hungry to swallow up everything.
To both authenticate and confirm, the twofold reversal of nature, brought by His Birth and His Resurrection, Jesus changed water into wine, without in any way altering the stone water-jars. This was the symbol of His own Body, miraculously conceived and wonderfully created in a virgin, without the working of a man… Contrary to their normal use, the jars… brought new wine into the world, without ever repeating the same miracle again. In the same way the Virgin conceived and brought Emmanuel into the world, (Is 7,14) without afterwards conceiving again. The miracle of the stone water-jars was that what was small, became great, sparseness was changed into superabundance, plain water into sweet wine… In Mary, on the other hand, the greatness and glory of the Godhead changed its appearance to take on the aspect of weakness and humiliation.
Those jars were used for the Jewish purifications; into them our Lord poured His teaching: He demonstrated that He came according to the Law and the prophets but with the purpose of changing them all, through His teaching, as the water became wine… «The Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ» (Jn 1,17). The bridegroom who lived in Cana, invited the Bridegroom from Heaven and the Lord, Who was ready for that wedding, answered His invitation. Those seated at table invited Him, Who sets worlds in His Kingdom, and He sent them a wedding gift, able to delight them… They had no wine, even of an ordinary sort; He poured a little from His own abundance for them. In return for their invitation, He Himself, invited them to His own wedding!” – St Ephrem (306-373) Deacon in Syria, Father and Doctor of the Church (Commentary on the Diatessaron, 5, 6f).
PRAYER – Almighty, everlasting God, Thou Who govern both the heavens and the earth, graciously hear the humble prayers of Thy people and grant us Thy peace, all the days of our lives. 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 – 15 January – Second Sunday after the Epiphany
In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit By St Hilary (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
Father, keep us from vain strife of words. Grant to us constant profession of the Truth! Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith so that we may hold fast to that which we professed when we were Baptised in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that we may have You for our Father, that we may abide in Your Son and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen
Saint of the Day – 15 January – St Macarius of Egypt (c 300-390) Priest, Abbot, Hermit, Desert Father of the Church, Spiritual student of Saint Anthony Abbot, Ascetic, Miracle-worker , known as “The Glowing Lantern.” Macarius was one of the famed Desert Fathers, who fled society in the fourth century to live a life of austerity and prayer in the desert.Born in c 300 at Upper Egypt and died in 390 of natural causes. Also known as – Macarius the Elder, Macarius the Great, “The Glowing Lantern.”
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In Egypt. St Macarius, Abbot, disciple of St Anthony, very celebrated for his life, wisdom and miracles.”
Macarius was born in Lower Egypt around the year 300. At the wish of his parents Macarius entered into marriage but was soon widowed. Shortly after, his parents died. Macarius distributed all his money among the poor and needy. He found a teacher in an experienced Hermit, who lived in the desert not far from the village. The Hermit accepted the youth, guided him in the spiritual science of solitude and silence, fasting and prayer and taught him the handicraft of weaving baskets.
A while later, a pregnant woman accused him of having defiled her. Macarius did not attempt to defend himself and accepted the accusation in silence. However, when the woman’s delivery drew near, her labour became exceedingly difficult. She did not manage to give birth until she confessed Macarius’s innocence. A multitude of people then came asking for his forgiveness but he fled to the Nitrian Desert to escape all mundane glory.
As a Hermit, Macarius spent seven years living on only pulse and raw herbs. He spent the following three years consuming four or five ounces of bread a day and only one vessel of oil a year. While in the desert, he visited St Anthony Abbot and learned from him the laws and rules of monasticism. When he returned to the Scetic Desert at the age of forty, he bwas Ordained a Priest. The fame of his sanctity drew many followers. The community, which took up its residence in the desert, was of the semi-eremitical type. The Monks were not bound by any fixed rule; their cells were close together and they met for the celebratiion of the Holy Mass only on Sundays. He presided, as Abbot, over this monastic community for the rest of his life.
A young man applying to Macarius for spiritual advice, he directed him to go to a burying-place, and upbraid the dead; and after, to go and flatter them. When he came back, the saint asked him what answer the dead had made: “None at all,” said the other, “either to reproaches or praises.” “Then,” replied Macarius, “go and learn, neither to be moved with injuries nor flatteries. If you die to the world and to yourself, you will begin to live to Christ.” He said to another: “Receive, from the hand of God, poverty as cheerfully as riches, hunger and want as plenty and you will conquer the devil and subdue all your passions.” A certain Monk complained to him, that in solitude he was always tempted to break his fast, whereas in the Monastery, he could fast the whole week cheerfully. “Vain-glory is the reason,” replied the Saint; “fasting pleases, when men see you but seems intolerable, when that passion is not gratified.”
For a brief period of time, Macarius was banished to an island in the Nile by the Emperor Valens, along with St Macarius of Alexandria (Died 395), during a dispute over the doctrine of the Nicene Creed. Both men were victims of religious persecution by the followers of then Bishop Lucius of Alexandria. During their time on the island, the daughter of a pagan priest had become ill. The people of the island believed that she was possessed by an evil spirit. Both Saints prayed over the daughter and by their intercession she was cured. saved her. The pagan people of the island were so impressed and grateful that they were converted and built a Church. When word of this got back to the Emperor Valens and Bishop Lucius of Alexandria, they quickly allowed both men to return home. At their return they were met by a multitude of Monks in joyous celebration.
Macarius’ face used to be enlightened with grace in an amazing way, to the extent that many fathers testified that his face used to glow in the dark and thus, he was called “The Glowing Lantern.” This description was transferred to his Monastery, and thus it was called “the glowing lantern of the wilderness” or “the glowing Monastery,” which meant the place of high wisdom and constant prayer. Today it belongs to the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Macarius died peacefully around the age of 90, in the year 390. After his death, the natives of his village appropriated his body and built a great Church for him in their village. Today, the body of Macarius is found in his Monastery, the Monastery of Saint Macarius in Scetes, Egypt.
The entirety of the Nitrian Desert is sometimes called the Desert of Macarius, for he was the pioneer Monk in the region. The ruins of numerous Cells in this region, support the local tradition that the cloisters of Macarius, were equal in number to the days of the year.
We have 50 of his sermons to savour his wisdom. Below is a link to a video series of the sermons as well as a Pdf, which also contains great details of his life.
St Maurus OSB (c 512-584) Benedictine Monk, Abbot and Deacon, Miracle-worker. Maurus was the first disciple of Saint Benedict of Nursia (512–584). He is mentioned in Saint Gregory the Great’s biography of the latter as the first oblate, offered to the Monastery by his noble Roman parents as a young boy, to be brought up in the monastic life. The formula and blessing of St Maurus were universally adopted and approved for use in the Blessing of the Sick. His Life and Miracles: https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/15/saint-of-the-day-15-january-saint-maurus-osb-c-512-584/
St Blaithmaic of Iona St Bonitus of Clermont St Britta St Ceolwulf of Northumbria St Emebert of Cambrai St Ephysius of Sardinia St Eugyppius Bl Geoffrey of Peronne Bl Giacomo Villa St Gwrnerth St Habakkuk the Prophet St Isidore of Scété St Isidore the Egyptian St Ita of Killeedy St John Calabytes St Liewellyn St Lleudadd of Bardsey St Macarius of Egypt (c 300-390) Priest, Hermit, Spiritual student of Saint Anthony Abbot.
St Malard of Chartres St Maximus of Nola Bl Peter of Castelnau St Placidus
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