Thought for the Day – 3 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Tabernacle Lamp
“The Tabernacle Lamp keeps Jesus company by night and by day. We should keep Him company too. We could not remain on our knees forever in front of the Tabernacle, neither could most of us spend as long as the Saints did in intimate conversation with Jesus.
But, our hearts can remain with Jesus and can burn with love for Him like the flame of the Lamp. It is easy to remain in union with Jesus by doing everything, even the most unimportant actions, from the motive of love for Him. We can offer Him all our sufferings and joys and, whatever sacrifices we make in order to remain good. As the magnetic needle of the mariner’s compass is fixed in the direction of the north, so our thoughts and affections should be always turned towards Jesus.”
Quote/s of the Day – 3 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – St Leo II (611–683) Pope, Confessor – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11, Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:16
“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.”
St Macarius of Egypt (c300-390)
“He who abides in Me and I in Him, the same bears much fruit”
John 5:5
“We are preserved in being, if we grow onto Him and cling fast to the holy commandment, which has been handed down to us and, if we are eager to keep the blessing of nobility, that is to say, if we never consent, in any way, to “grieve the Holy Spirit” (Eph 4:30), Who has come to dwell in us and, through Whom, we believe, God has made His home in us. … For just as the vine-stock supplies and distributes, the virtue of its own inherent natural quality to the shoots, so, too, the Only-Begotten Word of God, implants, in His people, a sort of affinity with His own nature and that of the Father. By the gift of the Spirit, they are united with Him by every kind of holiness. He nourishes them, so that they become devout and He moves them to knowledge of all virtue and good works.”
St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Christ said that the shepherd enters through the gate and that He is Himself the Gate, as well as the Shepherd. Then, it is necessary, that He enter through Himself. By so doing, He reveals Himself and through Himself, He knows the Father. But we enter through Him because through Him. we find happiness.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus Doctor Communis
“Those with pride are not Christ’s sheep but the devil’s goats!”
One Minute Reflection – 3 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – St Leo II (611–683) Pope, Confessor – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11, Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:16
REFLECTION – “Peter did not say “Thou are a Christ” or “a son of God” but “the Christ,the Son of God.” For there are many christs by grace, who have attained the rank of adoption [as sons] but [there is] only One Who is by nature the Son of God. Thus, using the definite article, he said, THE Christ, THE Son of God. And in calling Him, Son of the LIVING God, Peter indicates that Christ Himself is Life and that death has no authority over Him. And even if the flesh, for a short while, was weak and died, nevertheless, it rose again, since the Word, Who dwelled in it, could not be held under the bonds of death.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Known as “The Pillar of Faith” Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor Incarnationis (Doctor of the Incarnation) (Fragment 190).
PRAYER – Look forgivingly on Thy flock, Eternal Shepherd and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Leo Thy Sovereign Pontiff, whom Thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church. 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 – 3 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus”
July Morning Offering
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus, in satisfaction for my sins and for the wants of Holy Church. Blessed be the Precious Blood of Jesus, which renders bearable the thorns of earth, redeems our souls, purifies them from their iniquities and prepares for them, an eternal crown. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 3 July – Saint Raymond of Toulouse (Died 1118) Archdeacon, Canon of the Lateran Canons Regular at St Sernin Basilica in Toulouse, France. Born at Toulouse, France as Raymond Gayrard and Died on 3 July 1118 of natural causes. Also known as – Raymond Gayrard, Raimund, Raimundus. Additional Memorial – 8 July when Raymond is commemorate in the Order of the Lateran Canons.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “In Toulouse on the Garonne in France, Saint Raymond Gayrard, who, as a teacher, remained a widower, passionately devoted himself to works of charity, founded a hospice and was finally admitted among the Canons of the Basilica of San Saturnin.”
What we know of Raymond has come down to us as narrated in a ‘Vita’ written in the 13th Century, based on older documents, therefore, relatively close to the years of his existence.
Following a custom of the time, Raymond, of noble birth, was placed at the service of the Church of St Sernin dedicated to the first Bishop of Toulouse, becoming its Cantor while remaining a layman.
He married but his wife died shortly after the wedding; Raymond in his grief, renounced ever to remarry and decided to devote himself entirely to the service of others.
He distributed generous alms to the poor of the area and founded a Hospice. True rescuer of his fellow citizens, he had two bridges built over the Hers river, whose frequent floods were an obstacle to the passage of people and trading.
But his most important work remains his participation in the re-construction of the Church of St Sernin; the ancient complex had been under restoration since the beginning of the 11th Century, under the Bishop Ruggero. The Choir had been consecrated by Pope Urban II on 24 May 1096 but the transept, a large part of the nave and the aisles, still had to be built. Thanks to Raymond’s skills in architecture, he took over the management of the construction site, giving great impetus to the works; the long construction, to which he devoted all his activities, had great repercussions on his spiritual life, who, to bind himself even more to this Church, asked to be accepted among the Canons of St Sermin, who later elected him as Provost of the Chapter.
The Crypt at St Sernin
Unfortunately, he could not see the long and laborious work completed, in fact Raymond died on 3 July 1118 and it is recorded that by that date, he had “brought the walls all the way around up to the completion of the windows…”
Raymond was buried at the Hospice which he had founded.
Numerous miracles soon took place at his grave, for which he became the object of a local cult. In 1652, on the occasion of an epidemic which had brought a large number of sick people to his tomb, Pope Innocent III officially confirmed his cult.
(Not to be confused with Raymond, Count of Toulouse).
Below is a Welcome Note from the Curé of St Sernin.
Dear pilgrims and visitors, welcome!
Going through the doors of the Basilica of Saint-Sernin is to touch the millennial history of the Christian faith of the City of Toulouse, to be amazed by the majesty of Romanesque art, to be edified by the testimony of the Martyr Saint Saturnin, to venerate an impressive number of Relics of Saints. Stopping on the way to Santiago de Compostela, feeling the prayers rising to Heaven, being in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever the reason that brings you to Saint-Sernin, this Church will not leave you indifferent. Take the time to soak up its atmosphere, ask the volunteers to give you a spiritual visit, light a candle as a sign of prayer, come and attend the Masses and the Offices. You will then contemplate the true beauty of this Basilica, a jewel of Romanesque art in the heart of Toulouse, and will understand why people from Toulouse are said to have always had two Parishes – theirs and Saint-Sernin
Bl Andreas Ebersbach Bl Barbara Jeong Sun-mae St Bladus St Byblig St Cillene St Dathus of Ravenna St Eusebius of Laodicea St Firminus St Firmus Bl Gelduin St Giuse Nguyen Ðình Uyen St Gunthiern St Guthagon St Heliodorus of Altinum St Hyacinth of Caesarea Bl Ioannes Baptista Zhao Mingxi St Irenaeus of Chiusi St Maelmuire O’Gorman St Mark of Mesia St Mennone the Centurian St Mucian of Mesia St Paul of Mesia Bl Petrus Zhao Mingzhen Bl Philiphê Phan Van Minh St Raymond of Toulouse (Died 1118) Layman
Martyrs of Alexandria – 13 Saints: Thirteen Christian companions Marytred together. No details about them have survived but the names – Apricus, Cyrion (2 of), Eulogius, Hemerion, Julian, Julius, Justus, Menelaus, Orestes, Porfyrios and Tryphon (2 of). They martyred in Alexandria, Egypt, date unknown.
Martyrs of Constantinople – 24 Saints: A group of 24 Christians Martyred in the persecutions of Arian Emperor Valens. We know little more than their names – Acacios, Amedinos, Ammonius, Ammus, Cerealis, Cionia, Cionius, Cyrianus, Demetrius, Eulogius (2), Euphemia, Heliodoros, Heraclios, Horestes, Jocundus, Julian, Martyrios, Menelaeus, Sestratus, Strategos, Thomas, Timotheos and Tryphon. They were martyred in c367 in Constantintinople.
Theodotus and Companions – 6 Saints: Six Christians who were imprisoned, tortured and Martyred together in the persecutions of Trajan. Saint Hyacinth ministered to them in prison. We know nothing else about them but their names – Asclepiodotus, Diomedes, Eulampius, Golinduchus, Theodota and Theodotus. They were beheaded in c110, location unknown.
AnaStpaul 
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