Posted in NOVENAS, St JOSEPH

NOVENA FOR THE INTERCESSION OF SAINT JOSEPH – Day One, Foster Father of Jesus -11 March

NOVENA FOR THE INTERCESSION OF SAINT JOSEPH

DAY ONE

Foster Father of Jesus

Saint Joseph, you are the faithful protector and intercessor
of all who love and venerate you.
You know that I have confidence in you
and that, after Jesus and Mary,
I come to you as an example of holiness,
for you are especially close to God.
Therefore, I humbly commend myself,
with all who are dear to me
and all for whom I pray,
to your intercession.
I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary,
not to abandon me during life
and to assist me at the hour of my death.
Glorious Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Immaculate Virgin,
pray for me to have a pure, humble, charitable heart
and perfect resignation to the divine Will.
Be my guide, my father
and my model throughout life,
that I may die as you did,
in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ,
I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession
in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus, all the graces
necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare,
particularly the grace of a happy death,
and the special grace I now implore:
…………….. (Mention your request)
Guardian of the Word Incarnate,
I feel confident that your prayers on my behalf
will be graciously heard before the throne of God
St Joseph Most Just, Pray for us!
Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father …

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS

Thought for the Day – 11 March – The Growth of Jesus

Thought for the Day – 11 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Growth of Jesus

Like Jesus, we must advance in goodness before men, as well as before God.
Our external behaviour should be the candid mirror of our inner sanctity.
The external appearance of courtesy, good manners and holiness, should not be mere ostentation.

It should be a vital expression of interior goodness which, naturally, tends to show itself outwardly, so that all “may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven” (Mt 5:16).
If it is no more than a display, Jesus will say that “they have received their reward” (Cf Mt 6:1,5).
If it is pure hyprocrisy, Jesus will drive away the culprits from Himself because, they are “like whited sepulchres” (Cf Mt 23:27).

Let us make Jesus our constant model, therefore.
Let our outward demeanour always reflect our interior goodness and holiness
.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/11/thought-for-the-day-11-march-the-growth-of-jesus/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/11/thought-for-the-day-11-march-the-growth-of-jesus-2/

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CARMELITES, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT, LENT 2023, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on VANITY

Quote/s of the Day – 11 March – Lent

Quote/s of the Day – 11 March – Saturday of the Second Week in Lent

Do you wish your prayer
to fly toward God?
Make for it two wings –
fasting and almsgiving!

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

It is a matter of real sorrow
when God has given us strength
to break stronger fetters,
those of vanity and sin
that we neglect our own progress
and the attainment of such great blessings
because we will not detach ourselves from trifles.
Not only do we not advance, we fall back.
For it is well known, that on the spiritual road,
not to go on overcoming self, is to go backwards
and not to increase our gain, is to lose!

St John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, LENT 2023, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, Quotes on SALVATION, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, SACRED HEART REFLECTIONS, The PASSION, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 11 March – THE LOVING HEART OF GOD

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 11 March – Saturday of the Second Week in Lent – Genesis 27:6-40, Luke 15:11-32 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

Lord, before I existed Thou
beheld me and called me by name …

Jeremias 1:5

I shall arise and shall go to my Father
Luke 15:18

THE LOVING HEART OF GOD
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

REMEMBER the Heart of Our Lord saw your heart and loved you surely, from the Tree of the Cross. By this love, He obtained for you all the good things that you will ever have, including your resolutions.
Yes, we can say with Jeremias: “Lord, before I existed Thou
beheld me and called me by name
” (cf. 1:5).

This is indeed so – His Divine Goodness has prepared, in His love and mercy, all the means, general and particular, for our salvation and consequently, our resolutions. Yes, without doubt. A woman with child prepares the cradle, the linen and swaddling clothes and even arranges a nurse for the child whom she hopes to bring forth, although it is not yet in the world.
So Our Lord, in His Goodness, is, as it were, pregnant with you,
wishing to bring you forth to salvation and make you His child, prepared upon the Tree of the Cross, everything you would need. He got ready your spiritual cradle, linen and swaddling clothes, your nurse and everything suitable for your happiness.

These are all the means, all the attractions and all the graces by which He guides you and wants to lead you to perfection.
My God, how deeply this truth should be fixed in our memory.
Is it possible that I have been loved and loved so tenderly, by my Saviour?
That He thought of me personally in all these little events by which He has drawn me to Himself?
How much then should we love, cherish and make good use of all this for our benefit!This is extremely kind. this loving Heart of my God thought of me, loved me and obtained for me a thousand means of salvation. This He did as though there was no other soul in the world He could think of!

The sun shines on one part of the earth, shining on it no less than if it shone nowhere else and, as if it shone upon it alone. In the
same way, Our Lord thought of and cared for all His loving children, in such a way, that He thought of each one of us. as though He had not thought of all the rest.
He loved me, says St Paul and gave Himself for me, (Galatians 2:20) as if He said: for myself alone, as though He had done nothing for the others.
Imprint this in your spirit, in order to cherish and nourish, with care, your firm resolution, so precious to the Heart of the Saviour.
”– (Introduction to the Devout Life)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, Holy Name PRAYERS, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 11 March – “I shall arise and shall go to my Father” – Luke 15:18

One Minute Reflection – 11 March – Saturday of the Second Week in Lent – Genesis 27:6-40, Luke 15:11-32 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

I shall arise and shall go to my Father” – Luke 15:18

REFLECTION – “As the prodigal son, I will return to my Father’s house and I will be welcomed back home. I shall do the same, as he did – will the Father not grant my prayer too? O forgiving Father, here I am at Thy door and I knock, open to me, let me enter, so that I may not ruin myself, go away and die! Thou made me Thy heir and I neglected my inheritance and squandered my goods – from now on, may I be as a mercenary and as a servant to Thee.

As of the tax collector, have mercy on me and I shall live by Thy grace! O Son of God, forgive my sins as Thou did with the adulteress. Save me from the waves, as Thou did with Peter. Have mercy on my lowness, as Thou did for the good criminal and remember me! O Lord, come search for me, like the lost sheep and Thou will find me; carry me on Thy shoulders, Lord, to the house of Thy Father.

As Thou didst with the blind man, open my eyes that I may see Thy Light! As for the deaf, open my ears, that I may hear Thy Voice! As for the paralytic, heal my disability so that I may praise Thy Name. As for the leper, cleanse me of my sin with Thy hyssop (cf Ps 50,9). As the young girl, the daughter of Jairus, make me live, our Lord. As Peter’s mother-in-law, heal me, for I am sick. As the young boy, the widow’s son, raise me up, that I may stand up again. As Thou did with Lazarus, cry out to me with Thy Own Voice and undo my bandages. For I am dead because of sin, like as for a sickness, raise me up from my ruin that I may praise Thy Name!

I beg Thee, Lord of Heaven and earth, come save me and show me Thy Way, so that I may come towards Thee. Bring me back to Thee, Son of the Good Lord and fill me with Thy Mercy. I will come to Thee and then will I be filled with joy!” – St Jacob of Sarug (c451-521) Bishop, Theologian, Poet, Writer, Father (A poem).

PRAYER – Grant that our fasting may be beneficial to us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, so that by chastising our flesh, we may obtain strength for our souls. Through tJesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, LENT 2023, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 11 March – Most Holy Virgin, My Consolation By St Germanus of Paris

Our Morning Offering – 11 March – Saturday in the Second Week of Lent and a day for our Mother Mary

Most Holy Virgin, My Consolation
By St Germanus of Paris (c 490-576)

Most Holy Virgin!
Who are the greatest consolation
that I receive from God,
you, who art the heavenly dew
which assuages all my pains,
you, who are the light of my soul
when it is enveloped in darkness,
you, who are my guide in unknown paths,
the support of my weakness,
my treasure, in poverty,
my remedy, in sickness,
my consolation, in trouble,
my refuge, in misery,
and the hope of my salvation,
hear my supplications,
have pity on me,
as becomes the Mother of so good a God
and obtain for me
a favourable reception
of all my petitions at the throne of mercy.
Amen

St Germanus of Paris (c 490-576) “Father of the Poor” (Remember him from yesterday – the spiritual father of St Droctoveus?)
HIS LIFE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/05/28/saint-of-the-day-28-may-st-germanus-of-paris-c-496-576-father-of-the-poor/

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 11 March – St Aurea of San Millán (1043-1070) Spanish Nun and Anchorite

Saint of the Day – 11 March – St Aurea of San Millán (1043-1070) Spanish Nun and Anchorite, Ascetic, Visionary, Miracle-worker. Born in c1042 at Villavelayo, Spain and died in 1069 at San Millán de la Cogolla, La Rioja, Spanish Navarre of natural causes. Also known as – Oria (from the Latin: golden). Patronage – Villavelayo.

Aurea was born in 1043 in the village of Villavelayo, then part of Zaragoza, a region controlled by the Moors. Her mother was St Amunia who died in 1069 and her memory is also celebrated today.

As a child, Aurea studied the Scriptures and the lives of the early martyrs of the Church, under the guidance of a Monk named Munio, who would later write her Vita. Her favourite Saints to meditate upon and to try to imitate, were Saint Agatha, Saint Eulalia and Saint Cecilia.

When she was aged nine years old, Aurea decided to leave the world and to embrace a life of asceticism. Her mother took her to the Benedictine Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla, where they appealed to the Prior, St Dominic de Silos (1000-1073) (later founder and namesake of the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos) for help in this. After some consideration as to how to proceed, Prior Dominic had a narrow cell built for her in the wall of the Monastery Church, with a small window through which she could see the Altar and another to the outside. He became her spiritual guide and she took the vows of a Benedictine Nun..

Aurea completely applied herself to the contemplative life. By the age of 20, she was living in a cave, where she received a vision of her three favourite Saints and was encouraged to follow her chosen lifestyle with more zeal. St. Eulalia gave her a pigeon, which image became connected to her, instructing her to follow it as an example of how she was to seek God.

Aurea performed many miracles and many people began to seek her advice and prayers. She supported herself by embroidering vestments for the Monastery and hosts for the Mass.

She did not live long after her visions. During the winter of 1070 she contracted a painful disease. At the time of her death, Aurea was twenty-seven years old.

Her body was initially buried in her cave which served as her shrine until 1609, when the bulk of her remains were enshrined at the Monastery, with some being given to the Parish Church of her home town of Villavelayo, where a special Chapel was built to house them and to honour her as the Patron Saint of the Town.

The Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla

A Confraternity established to honour her, cares for the Shrine and organises an annual pilgrimage to the Shrine at the Monastery.

Posted in INCORRUPTIBLES, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Saturday of the Second Week in Lent, Nossa Senhora das Florestas,/ Our Lady of the Forests, Portugal (12th Century) and Memorials of the Saints – 11 March

Saturday of the Second Week in Lent – FAST

Nossa Senhora das Florestas,/ Our Lady of the Forests, Porto, Portugal (12th Century) – 11 March:
HERE:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/11/our-lady-of-the-forests-porto-portugal-12th-century-and-memorials-of-the-saints-11-march/

St Aengus the Culdee
St Alberta of Agen
St Amunia
St Aurea of San Millán (1043-1070) Spanish Nun and Anchorite

St Benedict Crispus of Milan (Died 725) Archbishop of Milan from c 685 until his death. A poem written about ten years after his death, De laudibus Mediolani- In Praise of Milan, praises him and remembers his veneration by the entire land and informs us that he was buried in the Basilica of Saint Ambrose.
His Life:

https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/11/saint-of-the-day-11-march-saint-benedict-crispus-of-milan-died-725/

St Candidus the Martyr
St Constantine II
St Constantine of Carthage

St Eulogius of Córdoba (Died 857) Priest and Martyr, Writer, Poet, Theologian, Teacher.
Biography:

https://anastpaul.com/2019/03/11/saint-of-the-day-11-march-st-eulogius-died-857-priest-and-martyr/

St Firmian the Abbot
St Firmus the Martyr
St Gorgonius the Martyr
St Heraclius of Carthage

Blessed John Baptist Righi of Fabriano OFM (1469–1539) Priest, Confessor, Friar of the Friars Minor, Ascetic, Ecstatic, renowned Preacher, Peace-maker, Hermit. Blessed John was Beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1903. His body is incorrupt.
About Blessed John:

https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/11/saint-of-the-day-11-march-blessed-john-baptist-righi-of-fabriano-ofm-1469-1539/

St Peter the Spaniard
St Pionius
St Piperion the Martyr
St Rosina of Wenglingen
St Sophronius of Jerusalem
St Thalus the Martyr
St Trophimus the Martyr
St Vigilius of Auxerre
St Vincent of Leon

St Vindician of Cambrai (c 632-c 712) Bishop of Arras-Cambrai, Belgium. He was a spiritual follower of Saint Eligius (588- 660) (Saint Eloi).
His Life:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/11/saint-of-the-day-11-march-saint-vindician-of-cambrai-c-632-c-712-bishop/

St Zosimus of Carthage

Martyrs of Antioch: A group of Christians Martyred together by Emperor Maximian Galerius. Martyred in c 300 in Antioch, Syria.