Thought for the Day – 10 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Hidden Life of Jesus
“There are many who complain that their work is degrading or heavy or unsatisfying. This is an indication that they are working for themselves, rather than for God.
We should sanctify our work by prayer. We should meditate on the example of Jesus and remeber that there are many sins for which we must make reparation. If we offer our work to God, it will not only become meritorious but, much easier to bear.
To work purely for profit is avarice, to work for the good opinion and praise of others, is vanity and to work in order to pass the time – is a waste of time! The perfect Christian approach, is to work in order to do our duty, to please God, to atone for our sins and to gain Heaven.”
Quote/s of the Day – 10 March – Friday of the Second Week in Lent – Hebrews 11:33-39, Luke 6:17-23. – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Wisely indeed He puts first… what every man seeks… For who does not want to be happy? Why do men universally quarrel and fight, bargain, resort to flattery and inflict injuries on one another? Is it not simply in order to obtain, by fair means or foul… something that promises to make them happy?… So, the Teacher of all men… begins by redirecting those who have lost the way…; He Who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life”… (Jn 14,16; 6,32;4,6) begins with the words: “Happy are the poor in spirit.”
Bl Isaac of Stella O.Cist. (c 1100–c 1170) Cistercian Monk, Abbot, Theologian, Philosopher
“Seek for nothing, desiring to enter for love of Jesus, with detachment, emptiness and poverty in everything in this world. You will never have to do with necessities greater than those to which you made your heart yield itself – for the poor in spirit are most happy and joyful in a state of privation and he who has set his heart on nothing, finds satisfaction everywhere!”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 10 March – Friday of the Second Week in Lent – Hebrews 11:33-39, Luke 6:17-23. – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The just cried and the Lord heard them and delivered them out of all their troubles.” Psalm 33:18
“And He, lifting up His eyes on His disciples, said: Blessed are you poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.” Luke 6:20
POVERTY AMID RICHES St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God” and if so, woe be to the rich in spirit, for theirs must be the bitterness of hell! By rich in spirit, I mean him, whose riches engross his mind, or whose mind is buried in his riches. He is poor in spirit, whose heart is not filled with the love of riches, whose mind is not set upon them. …
Whatever riches and all other transitory things you may possess, you must keep your heart free from the slightest affection for them. Your heart may be surrounded by riches; however, riches must never master your heart! … And this, my child, is what your heart should be – open only to Heaven, impenetrable to riches and earthly treasures. If you have them, keep your heart from attaching itself to them; let it maintain a higher level and amidst riches be as though you had none, superior to them. Do not let that mind which is the likeness of God, cleave to mere earthly goods; let it always be raised above them, not sunk in them.
… Do not fix your longings on anything which you do not possess; do not let your heart rest in that which you have; do not grieve overmuch , at the losses which may happen to you – and then, you may reasonably believe, that although rich in fact, you are not so in affection but that you are poor in spirit and, therefore, blessed, for the Kingdom of Heaven is yours.” (Introduction to the Devout Life – PART III Containing counsels concerning the practice of virtue).
One Minute Reflection – 10 March – Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, Armenia (Died 320) – Friday of the Second Week in Lent – Hebrews 11:33-39, Luke 6:17-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And He, lifting up His eyes on His disciples, said: Blessed are you …” – Luke 6:20
REFLECTION – “Lord Jesus Christ, to teach us the summit of virtue, You ascended the mountain with Your disciples and taught them the Beatitudes and highest virtues, promising them the rewards applicable to each. Grant that my weakness may hear Your Voice, that I may apply myself, through their practice, to acquire the merit of the virtues, so that by Your Mercy, I may receive the promised reward. As I consider the payment, do not let me refuse the effort of the labour. Make my hope of eternal salvation, sweeten the bitterness of the cure, inflaming my soul with the splendour of Your work. Out of the wretched person I am, create one of the blessed; from the blessedness here below, lead me, by Your Grace, to the blessedness of the homeland.
Come, Lord Jesus Christ, in search of Your servant, seeking Your erring and exhausted sheep. Come, Spouse of the Church, in search of Your lost coin. Come, Father of mercies, welcome the prodigal son returning to You. Come, then, Lord, for You are the only One, able to call back the sheep that has strayed, to find the lost drachma, to reconcile the runaway son. Cone, that there may be salvation on earth and joy in Heaven! Turn me towards You and grant that I may carry out a true and perfect repentance, so that I may become an occasion for joy, among the Angels. Sweetest Jesus, I pray You, by the immensity of Your Love for me, a sinner, grant that I may love You alone, above all things, that I may be consoled by none but You, my sweetest God!” – Ludolph of Saxony (c1300-1378) Monk, Theologian, Writer, Dominican then a Carthusian (Prayers to Jesus Christ).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who know how courageously Thy holy Martyrs have confessed the faith, may experience their goodness as they intercede for us with Thee. Through 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 – 10 March – Friday of the Second Week of Lent
Hail, Sweet Jesus! Prayer to Christ in His Passion and Death By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Hail, sweet Jesus! Praise, honour and glory be to Thee, O Christ, Who, of Thou own accord, embraced death, and recommending Thyself to Thy heavenly Father, bowing down Thy venerable Head, did yield up Thy Spirit. Truly thus giving up Thy life for Thy sheep, Thou hast shown Thyself, to be the Good Shepherd. Thou died, O Only-begotten Son of God. Thou died, O my beloved Saviour, that I might live forever. O how great hope, how great confidence have I reposed in Thy Death and Thy Blood! I glorify and praise Thy Holy Name, acknowledging my infinite obligations to Thee. O good Jesus, by Thy bitter Death and Passion, give me grace and pardon. Give unto the faithful departed, rest and life everlasting. Amen
Saint of the Day – 10 March – St Droctoveus (c530-c580) Abbot , disciple of St Germanus He was the first Abbot of the Benedictine Monastery which became the Church of Saint Germain-des-Pres in Paris. Born in c530 in Auxerre, France and died in c580 of natural causes. Also known as – Droctoveus of Paris, Droctoveus of Autun, Droctonius, Droctovée, Droctovius, Drote, Drottoveo, Drotté.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Paris, the decease of the Abbot, St Droctoveus, who was a disciple of the blessed Bishop, Germanus.”
The oldest account of Droctoveus’ life was written by his contemporary, the renowned Bishop and Poet, St Venantius Fortunatus in Chapter XI of his Carmina (Songs), who praised his holiness and virtues. A complete Vita was written of him but was unfortunately lost during the Norman raids. In the 9th Century, Gislemar, a Benedictine Monk of this house, collected from tradition and scattered memoirs the history of our Saint and this information was used by the Bollandists in their Lives of the Saints.
Droctoveus became a Monk and studied under St Germanicus (c 490-576 at St Symphorien Abbey at Autun. There a Rule was followed modelled upon that of the Solitaries of Egypt.
When St Germanus had become the Bishop of Paris and King Childebert had founded the Monastery of St Vincent (since called Saint Germain-des -pres) St Germanus being eminent for his learning and extraordinary spirit of mortification and prayer, was appointed the first Abbot of this house.
He ruled the Monastery until his death at the age of around forty-five “the embodiment (so the chroniclers describe him) of Christian and monastic perfection.”
His body is kept in that Abbey and he is honoured by the Church on the 10th of March.
Friday of the Second Week in Lent – FAST and ABSTINENCE
Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, Armenia (Died 320) – Forty Christian soldiers of the Thunderstruck Legion of the Imperial Roman army who were tortured and murdered for their faith during the persecutions of Emperor Licinius. They were exposed naked on a frozen pond to freeze to death at Sebaste, Armenia in 320 and their bodies afterward were burned. THE FULL STORY HERE: https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/10/saints-of-the-day-10-march-the-forty-martyrs-of-sebaste-armenia-died-320/
The Feast of the Holy Shroud: Since 1831, the Holy Shroud of Turin is celebrated on the Friday after the Second Sunday in Lent. Before 1831 it was rarely found on Diocesan calendars. The office is taken from the Proprium of Turin.
St Alexander of Apema St Anastasia the Patrician St Andrew of Strumi St Attalas of Bobbio St Blanchard of Nesle-la-Réposte St Caius of Apema St Cordratus of Nicomedië St Droctoveus (c530-c580) Abbot St Emilian of Lagny St Failbhe the Little St Gustav the Hermit St Himelin Bl John of Vallombrosa St Kessog
St Macarius of Jerusalem (Died c 335) Bishop of Jerusalem for over twenty years. Defender of the Faith against Arianism, founder of the True Cross with St Helena, organiser and manager of the building of the Sacred Basilicas, including the Church of the Holy Sepuchre in Jerusalem, paid for by St Constantine the Great, St Helena’s son. Also of great import is the fact that Bishop Macarius was one of the two main authors of the Nicene Creed, that is, of the Creed that we still pronounce in Mass today The Life os St Macarius: https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/10/saint-of-the-day-10-march-saint-macarius-died-c-335/
St Peter of Veroli St Rufinus of Nicomedië St Sannudius of Bagensena St Saturninus of Nicomedië St Sedna of Ossory St Silvester of Ireland
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