Thought for the Day – 8 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Uncharitableness
“It is no excuse to claim that we only speak of matters which are true and known to all. They maybe true but God alone can judge the human conscience. They maybe known to all but, by our maliciousness, we are spreading evil about our neighbour, whereas we ought to try and spread only what is good.
Besides being opposed to Christian charity, unkind conversation ruins whatever opportunities we may have of practising the apostolate in which everyone is obliged to play his part. If we are apostolic, we promote our neighbour’s spiritual welfare, whereas uncharitable criticism, spreads evil about him and gives bad example to others.”
Quote/s of the Day – 8 July – Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52
“Jesus said in parables: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field.”
Matthew 13:44
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Matthew 6:10
“I want to advise you and remind you, what His will is. Do not fear that it means He will give you riches, or delights, or honours, or all these earthly things. His love for you is not that small! and He esteems highly what you give Him. He wants to repay you well, for He gives you His Kingdom while you are still on earth … See … what He gave to the One He loved most. By that we understand what His will is. For these are His gifts in this world.”
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of Prayer of the Church
“This life is short and it is only given us to gain the other.”
“Whoever thinks well on eternity, troubles himself little about what happens in these three or four moments of mortal life.”
“By giving yourself to God, you not only receive Himself in exchange but, eternal life as well!”
One Minute Reflection – 8 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – St Elizabeth of Portugal TOSF (1271-1336) Widow, Queen –Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“So shall it be at the end of the world. The Angels shall go out and shall separate the wicked from among the just. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 13:49-50
REFLECTION – “Consider the choice you make in this life will last forever in the next! Consider too, that while both are open to receive you, according to your choice, yet God, Who is prepared to give the one by reason of His Justice, the other by reason of His Mercy, all the while desires, unspeakably that you should select Paradise. offering you countless graces on God’s part, countless assistance to attain to it. Consider that Jesus Christ, enthroned in Heaven, looks down upon you in loving invitation – ‘O beloved one, come unto Me and joy forever in the eternal blessedness of My Love!’ Behold His Mother yearning over you with maternal tenderness, ‘Courage, my child, do not despise the Goodness of my Son, or my earnest prayers for thy salvation.‘ …
O Hell, I abhor thee now and forever; I abhor thy griefs and torments, thine endless misery, the unceasing blasphemies and maledictions which thou pourest out upon my God and turning to thee, O blessed Paradise, eternal glory, unfading happiness, I choose thee forever as my abode, thy glorious mansions, thy precious and abiding tabernacles.
O my God, I bless Thy Mercy which gives me the power to choose, O Jesus, Saviour, I accept Thine Eternal Love and praise Thee for the promise Thou hast given me, of a place prepared for me, in that blessed New Jerusalem, where I shall love and bless Thee forever. ” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis (Excerpt – ‘Introduction to the Devout Life’ 9th Meditation).
PRAYER – Most merciful God, Who among other admirable gifts, endowed blessed Queen Elizabeth with the special grace of calming the tumult of war; grant by her intercession that, after the peace for which we humbly pray, we may attain everlasting happiness. 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 – 8 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” and Mother Mary’s Day
I’ll Sing a Hymn to Mary By Father John Wyse (1825-1898) Irish Priest and Hymn writer
I’ll sing a hymn to Mary, The Mother of my God, The Virgin of all virgins, Of David’s royal blood. O teach me, Holy Mary, A loving song to frame, When wicked men blaspheme thee, To love and bless thy name.
O Lily of the Valley, O Mystic Rose, what tree, Or flower, e’en the fairest, Is half so fair as thee? O let me, tho’ so lowly Recite my Mother’s fame. When wicked men blaspheme thee, I’ll love and bless thy name.
O noble Tower of David, Of gold and ivory. The ark of God’s own promise, The gate of Heav’n to me. To live and not to love thee Would fill my soul with shame. When wicked men blaspheme thee, I’ll love and bless thy name.
When troubles dark afflict me In sorrow and in care, Thy light doth ever guide me O beauteous Morning Star. Lo, I’ll be ever ready Thy goodly help to claim, When wicked men blaspheme thee, To love and bless thy name.
The saints are high in glory, With golden crowns so bright; But brighter far is Mary, Upon her throne of light. Oh that which God did give thee, Let mortal ne’er disclaim; When wicked men blaspheme thee, I’ll love and bless thy name.
But in the crown of Mary, There lies a wonderous gem, As Queen of all the Angels, Which Mary shares with them; No sin hath e’er defiled thee, So doth our faith proclaim; When wicked men blaspheme thee, I’ll love and bless thy name.
And now O Virgin Mary My mother and my Queen, I’ve sung thy praise so bless me, And keep my heart from sin. When others jeer and mock thee, I’ll often think how I To shield my Mother, Mary, Would lay me down and die.
Saint of the Day – 8 July – St Ampelius of Milan (Died c672) the thirty ninth Archbishop of Milan from 671 to 676, Miracle-worker. Also known as – Ampèle, Ampelio.
Almost nothing is known about the life and the Episcopate of Ampelius. He ruled the Diocese of Milan in a period marked by the troubles due to the Lombards. Ampelius is, however, remembered as a holy and devout Bishop endowed with the charism of manifesting miraculous results by his intercession but, unfortunately, we have no detail of these wondrous miracles.
Father Goffredo da Bussero, the Milanese Priest and Writer, in the 15th Century, informs us that Ampelius’ Feast day was the 8 February, possibly the date of his death. At some point his Feast day was moved to 8 July in Milan. He was buried in the Basilica of St. Simplician where his Relics, enshrined under the High Altar, are still venerated today.
St Elizabeth of Portugal TOSF (1271-1336) Widow, Queen Consort, Widow, Franciscan Tertiary, Apostle of Charity and Peace, Political Negotiator and Mediator. In the year 1694 Pope Innocent XII moved her Feast to 8 July, so that it would not conflict with the celebration of the Octave of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles. Biography: https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/04/saint-of-the-day-4-july-st-elizabeth-of-portugal-t-o-s-f-1271-1336/
St Abraham the Martyr Bl Adolf IV of Schauenburg St Pope Adrian III St Ampelius of Milan (Died c672) Bishop St Apollonius of Benevento
St Landrada Bl Mancius Araki Kyuzaburo St Morwenna – No details about her have survived. She is reported to have appeared in visions in Morwenstow, Cornwall, England, where her Relics are apparently buried under the Church floor. St Pancras of Taormina Bl Peter the Hermit St Procopius of Ceasarea St Sunniva of Bergen St Thibaud de Marly St Totnan of Thuringia
Abrahamite Monks/Martyrs of Constantinople: A group of Monks in a Monastery founded by Saint Abraham of Ephesus. Martyred in the iconoclast persecutions of Emperor Theophilus. In c 835 in Constantinople.
Martyrs of Shanxi – 7 Saints: In 1898 seven sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary were sent to the Shanxi Diocese in China to serve the poor in hospitals and care for the unwanted or other destitutes in orphanages. They were: Anne-Catherine Dierks Anne-Francoise Moreau Clelia Nanetti Irma Grivot Jeanne-Marie Kuergin Marianna Giuliani Pauline Jeuris There they all died in one of the periodic persecutions against foreign missionaries. They were beheaded on 9 July 1900 at Taiyuanfu, China- Canonisedon 24 November 1946 by Pope Pius XII.
Martyrs of Syrmium – 5 Saints: Five Christians Martyred together for their faith. We know nothing else about them but the names – Cecilia, Eperentius, Eraclius, Sostratus and Spirus. They were martyred in the 4th century in Syrmium, Pannonia (modern Serbia).
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