Thought for the Day – 24 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Jesus Lost in the Temple
“Now, let us reflect on the anguish of Mary and Joseph over the loss of Jesus. They had no peace as long as they could not find Him. They set out immediately on the difficult return journey to Jerusalem and searched anxiously for three days. They did not rest until they had found Him at last.
Unfortunately, we too lose Jesus whenever we commit sin. Our Lord dwells in our souls by His grace but, if we sin seriously, the devil takes possession. We know well that the devil is a cunning tyrant. He entices us by every means in his power, to give free play to our passions and then leaves us in a state of bitterness and remorse. Sometimes he oppresses us to the point of desperation.
If ever we should fall and lose the grace of God, let us repent immediately with the words of the prodigal son “I will get up and go to my Father and will say to Him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven and before Thee” (Lk 15:18). Like the Blessed Virgin and St Joseph, let us go immediately in search of Jesus, Whom we have lost. We shall have no peace until we have found Him. We too shall find Him in the Temple, for we shall find Him in prayer, in the tribunal of Penance and in Holy Communion.”
Quote/s of the Day – 24 March – Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent and the Feast of St Gabriel the Archangel
“O holy Angel who didst strengthen Jesus Christ our Lord, come and strengthen us also, come and tarry not!”
An indulgence of 300 day
The Angel of the Agony John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Jesu! by that shuddering dread which fell on Thee; Jesu! by that cold dismay which sicken’d Thee; Jesu! by that pang of heart which thrill’d in Thee; Jesu! by that mount of sins which crippled Thee; Jesu! by that sense of guilt which stifled Thee; Jesu! by that innocence which girded Thee; Jesu! by that sanctity which reign’d in Thee; Jesu! by that Godhead which was one with Thee; Jesu! spare those souls which are so dear to Thee; Who in prison, calm and patient, wait for Thee; Hasten, Lord, their hour and bid them come to Thee; To that glorious Home, where they shall ever gaze on Thee. Amen
Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 24 March – Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent and the Feast of St Gabriel the Archangel – Daniel 9:21-26, Luke 1:26-38 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“He hath given His Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” Psalm 90:11
“At that time, the Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.” Luke 1:26-27
THE ANGELS St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“INASMUCH AS GOD continually sends us inspirations by means of His Angels, we may fittingly send back our aspirations, through the same channel. … Seek to be familiar with the Angels; learn to realise that they are continually present, although invisible. Especially love and revere the Guardian Angel of the Diocese in which you live, those of the friends who surround you and your own. Commune with them frequently, join in their songs of praise and seek their protection and help in all you do, spiritual or temporal.
That pious man Peter Faber, the first companion of Saint Ignatius and the first Priest, first preacher and first theological teacher of the Company of the Jesuits, who was a native of our Diocese, (the French region of Savoy) once, passing through this country on his way from Germany, (where he had been labouring for God’s Glory) told, how great comfort he had found, as he went among places infested with heresy, in communing with the Guardian Angels thereof, whose help had often preserved him from danger and softened hearts to receive the Faith. He spoke with such earnestness that a lady, who, when quite young, heard him, was so impressed that she repeated his words to me only four years ago, sixty years after their utterance! with the utmost feeling.” – (Introduction to the Devout Life – PART II. Containing sundry counsels).
One Minute Reflection – 24 March – “The Month of the St Joseph” – Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent and the Feast of St Gabriel the Archangel – Daniel 9:21-26, Luke 1:26-38 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Hail, full of grace!” – Luke 1:28
REFLECTION – “So the Lord now manifestly came to His own. Born by His own created order that He Himself bears, He by His obedience on the tree, renewed and reversed what was done by disobedience, in connection with a tree.
The power of that seduction, by which the virgin Eve, already betrothed to a man, had been wickedly seduced, was broken when the Angel in truth brought good tidings to the Virgin Mary, who already, by her betrothal belonged to a man. For as Eve was seduced by the word of an Angel to flee from God, having rebelled against His Word, so Mary by the word of an Angel, received the glad tidings that she would bear God, by obeying His Word.
The former was seduced to disobey God and so fell but the latter, was persuaded to obey God, so that the Virgin Mary might become the advocate of Eve.
As the human race was subjected to death through the act of a Virgin, so was it saved by a Virgin, was precisely balanced by the obedience of Another. Then indeed, the sin of the first formed man was amended by the chastisement of the First Begotten, the wisdom of the serpent was conquered by the simplicity of the Dove and the chains were broken, by which we were in bondage to death.” – St Irenaeus (130-202) Bishop of Lyons, Martyr, Father of the Church (Against Heresies, 5)
PRAYER – O God, Who, out of all the Angels, chose the Archangel Gabriel to announce the Mystery of Thy Incarnation, mercifully grant that we who keep his feast on earth, may have him as our patron in Heaven.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 – 24 March – Feast of the Most Precious Blood for the Friday after Laetare Sunday
By the Merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus By Servant of God Pope Pius VII (1742-1823) Papacy from 1800 to 1823 Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father! I offer Thee the merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus, Thy well-beloved Son, my Saviour and my God, for all my wants, spiritual and temporal, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and chiefly for those who most loved this Precious Blood, the price of our redemption and who were most devout to the sorrows and pains of most Holy Mary, our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus, now and forever and throughout all ages. Amen.
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered 22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month, under the usual conditions.
Note of Interest:On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner that drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among attendants, which included the French soldiers guarding him, who were awestruck at what had occurred and left records of it.
Saint of the Day – 24 March – St Aldemar the Wise OSB (985-c1080) Priest, Abbot, founder of many Monasteries, Miracle-worker. Born in 985 in Capua, Italy and died in c1080 in Bucchianico, Italy of natural causes. Patronage – of the Town of Bucchianico, Italy. Also known as – Aldemar of Capua, Aldemar of Bucchhianico, Aldemaro, Aldemario.
As a boy, Aldemar was sent to the famous Monastery founded by St Benedict, Monte Cassino. He grew in his studies and became known as “Aldemar the Wise.” As a youth he became a Monk at Monte Cassino and was Ordained Deacon.
Because of his learning and insight, a Princess, named Aloara of Capua (died 992), of a nearby region asked Aldemar to lead a new Monastery, that of the Capuan Monastery of San Lorenzo, which she had founded. He accepted and was given permission to take on the role. Here he was Ordained to the Priesthood and ruled as the Abbot.
In the course of his duties it became clear that he had been given the gift of working miracles. The wonders he worked attracted much attention, however, so his Abbot recalled him to Monte Cassino.
The Princess took offence at this and a dispute arose. Aldemar decided to escape to a different town to live with three religious brothers. One of the brothers came to dislike him and even tried to murder Aldemar.
The brother intended to shoot Aldemar with a crossbow but mishandled the weapon and wounded himself in the arm. The injury worsened until Aldemar prayed for the brother, and he was cured.
After this, Aldemar left the Convent and went first to San Liberatore and then to Farafiliorumpetri, where he built the Monastery of Santa Eufemia . Later he founded other monasteries in the region of Chieti and in Piceno. Aldemar directed all of these communities.
After his death his body was translated to Bucchianico, in the Church of Saint Urban, where it rests today and where he is venerated as the Patron Saint of the Town.
Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent – FAST AND ABSTINENCE
FEAST OF THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS is a Feast for the Fridays of Lent, which has been in the General Roman Calendar from 1849 to 1969 with the same Office as that of the Solemnity of the Precious Blood in July.. HERE: https://anastpaul.com/2022/07/10/the-solemnity-of-the-most-precious-blood-of-of-our-lord-jesus-christ-and-the-litany/ For many Diocese, there were two days to which the Office of the Precious Blood was assigned, the Office for both being the same. The reason was that the Office was at first granted only to the Fathers of the Most Precious Blood. Later, as one of the Offices of the Fridays of Lent, it was assigned to the Friday after the Fourth Sunday in Lent (Laetare Sunday) in some Diocese, including, by decision of the Fourth Provincial Council of Baltimore (1840), those in the United States.
The Solemnity in July is again the same Office and both Feasts (during Lent and in July) are kept in some Diocese. On 10 August of the same year, (1849) Pope Pius IX officially included the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the General Roman Calendar, for celebration on the first Sunday in July, that is the first Sunday after 30 June, which is the anniversary of the liberation of the City of Rome from the insurgents.
In reducing the number of Feasts fixed for Sundays, Pope Pius X assigned the date of 1 July to this Feast. In 1933, Pope Pius XI raised the Feast to the rank of Double of the 1st Class to mark the 1,900th anniversary of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Archangel Saint Gabriel The Feast of Saint Gabriel was included by Pope Benedict XV in the General Roman Calendar in 1921, for celebration on 24 March. The Archangel Saint Gabriel whose name means “the Power of God. ” He appeared to the prophet Daniel (Dan 8:16; 9:21), to the priest Zachary to announce the forthcoming birth of Saint John the Baptist (Luke 1:11, 19) and to the Blessed Virgin Mary to announce the birth of Our Saviour (Luke 1:26.). St Gabriel! https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/24/saint-of-the-day-24-march-the-archangel-saint-gabriel/
St Agapitus of Synnada St Aldemar the Wise OSB (985-c1080) Priest, Abbot St Bernulf of Mondov Bl Bertha de’Alberti of Cavriglia Bl Bertrada of Laon Bl Brian O’Carolan St Caimin of Lough Derg St Cairlon of Cashel
St Latinus of Brescia St Macartan of Clogher St Mark of Rome St Pigmenius of Rome St Romulus of North Africa St Secundus of North Africa St Seleucus of Syria St Severo of Catania St Timothy of Rome
Martyrs of Africa – 9 Saints: A group of Christians murdered for their faith in Africa, date unknown. The only details about their that survive are the names – Aprilis, Autus, Catula, Coliondola, Joseph, Rogatus, Salitor, Saturninus and Victorinus. .
Martyrs of Caesarea – 6 Saints: A group of Christians Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. We know little else but six of their names – Agapius, Alexander, Dionysius, Pausis, Romulus and Timolaus. They were martyred by beheading in 303 at Caesarea, Palestine.
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