Thought for the Day – 14 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Everlasting Salvation
“We should not be discouraged because our salvation requires so many sacrifices on our part. Jesus warned us that it would have to be so. “How narrow the gate and close the way that leads to life” (Mt 7:14). “The Kingdom of Heaven has been enduring violent assault and, the violent have been seizing it by force” (Mt 11:12). “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Lk 9:23).
All this is required for salvation and anyone who is not prepared to meet these demands, cannot gain everlasting happiness. Nevertheless, there is no need for despondency. What is difficult for man is easy for God. If we ask God for His grace and co-operate generously with it, we shall be saved.
Quote/s of the Day – 14 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
“He is the origin of all wisdom. The Word of God in the heights, is the source of wisdom. Christ is the source of all true knowledge, for He is “the way, the truth and the life.” (Jn 14:6). … As way, Christ is the teacher and origin of knowledge … Without this Light, which is Christ, no-one can penetrate the secrets of faith.”
“… One of the soldiers opened His side with a lance and immediately there came forth blood and water. ” John 19:34
“Let us draw near to the Heart of our most sweet Lord Jesus and we shall be glad and rejoice in it. How good and how sweet it is to dwell in this Heart! This is the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price which we discover, O Jesus, when we dig in the field of Thy Body (cf Mt 13:44). Who, then, would cast aside this Pearl? Far from it! For It, I will give away all my goods and offer in exchange, all my concerns and affections. I will lay down all my cares in the Heart of Jesus, it is He Who will suffice for me and Who will, without fail, supply all I need to live on!”
O Holy Lord By St Bonaventure (1217-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
O Holy Lord, Father Almighty, everlasting God, for the sake of Your bounty and that of Your Son, Who for me, endured suffering and death; for the sake of the most excellent holiness of His Mother and the merits of all His Saints, grant unto me, a sinner, unworthy of Your blessings, that I may love You only, may ever thirst for Your love, may have continually in my heart the benefits of Your Passion, may acknowledge my own wretchedness and, may desire to be trampled upon and to be despised by all men. Let nothing grieve me, save my guilt. Amen
Mother of Mercy By St Bonaventure (1217-1274) Seraphic Doctor
Virgin full of goodness, Mother of Mercy, I entrust to you my body and soul, my thoughts, my actions, my life and my death. O my Queen, help me, and deliver me from all the snares of the devil. Obtain for me the grace of loving my Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, with a true and perfect love, and after him, O Mary, to love you with all my heart and above all things. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 14 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“You are the light of the world.” – Matthew 5:14
REFLECTION – “I shall always love and reverence the Apostles sent by Christ and their successors, in sowing the seed of the Gospel, those zealous and tireless co-operators in propagating the Word, who may justly say of themselves: Let a man so account of us as the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. For Christ, like a most watchful and most faithful householder, wished that the Gospel lamp should be lighted by such ministers and delegates, with fire sent down from Heaven and once lighted, should not be put under a measure but set upon a candlestick, so that it may spread its brightness far and wide and put to flight, all darkness and error, rife among both Jews and Gentiles.
Now it is not enough for the Gospel teacher to be a brilliant speaker in the eyes of the people; he must also be as a voice crying in the desert and endeavour, by his eloquence, to help many to lead good lives, lest, if he omit his duty of speaking, he be called the dumb dog that is not able to bark, spoken of by the prophet. Yes, he should also burn, in such a way, that, equipped with good works and love, he may adorn his evangelical office and follow the leadership of Paul. He indeed, was not satisfied with bidding the Bishop of the Ephesians: Thus command and teach: conduct thyself in work as a good soldier of Christ Jesus but he unflaggingly preached the Gospel to friend and foe alike and, said with a good conscience to the Bishops gathered at Ephesus: You know how I have kept back nothing that was for your good but have declared it to you and taught you in public and from house to house, urging Jews and Gentiles to turn to God in repentance and to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Such should be the shepherd in the Church who, like Paul, becomes all things to all men, so that the sick may find healing in him; the sad, joy; the desperate, hope; the ignorant, instruction; those in doubt, advice; the penitent, forgiveness and comfort and finally, everyone, whatever is necessary for salvation. And so Christ, when He wished to appoint the chief teachers of the world and of the Church, did not limit Himself to saying to His disciples: You are the light of the world but also added these words: A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a measure but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all who are in the house. Those churchmen err, who imagine that it is by brilliant preaching, rather than by holiness of and all-embracing love, they fulfil their office.” – St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1597) Doctor of the Church (Sermon excerpt).
PRAYER – O God, Who gave to Thy people, blessed Bonaventure, as a minister of salvation, grant, we beseech Thee, that we who cherished him on earth as a teacher of life, may be found worthy to have him as an intercessor 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 – 14 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus,” The Friday Devotion of the Passion and Feast of St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
To Our Lady of Sorrows By St Bonaventure (1217-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
O most holy Virgin, Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the Martyrdom, the Crucifixion and the Death, of your Divine Son, look upon me, with eyes of compassion and awaken in my heart, a tender commiseration for those sufferings and a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem and that, henceforward, all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object, the honour, glory and love of our divine Lord Jesus, and to you, the Holy and Immaculate Mother of God. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 14 July – St Bonaventure (1221-1274) – Seraphic Doctor of the Church, Confessor, Friar of the Friars Minor Order of St Francis, Bishop, Cardinal, Theologian, Philosopher, Writer, Mystic, Preacher, Teacher. One of the eaqrly Biographers of St Francis.
St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Bishop and Cardinal, Doctor of the Church By Fr Francis Xavier Weninger SJ (1805-1888)
Practical Lessons on the life of this great Doctor
I. THE LOVE AND DEVOTION OF ST BONAVENTURE to the Passion and Death of our Lord, was great beyond description. He meditated upon them daily. The Crucifix was continually before his eyes and before it, he said his prayers, either prostrate on the ground or on bended knees.
I hope that you are not among those who are ashamed to keep an image of Christ in their room! – As in that case, I must remind you of the saying of our Lord, that, on the Judgement-day, He will be ashamed of those,, who on earth, are ashamed of Him. I will suppose, therefore, that you have a Crucifix in your room but why do you so seldom prostrate yourself before it? Why do you so seldom meditate on the Passion and Death of the Saviour? Is this a sign of love and gratitude towards Him? If any human being had suffered, for love of you, only half what Christ the Lord suffered, or, if he perhaps had died to save you from death, how would you feel towards him? And why have you not the same feelings towards your Redeemer?
Endeavour, at least, to show greater love for Him in future. Let no day pass without praying before the Crucifix, raise your eyes to it sometimes during the day and manifest, by short prayers and pious ejaculations, your love and devotion towards your suffering Saviour, for example: “With my whole heart I love Thee, O Jesus and, it is bitter grief to me that I have offended Thee, O merciful God!” Or “Cleanse my soul with Thy Precious Blood.” Or, “Jesus Christ, Who didst die for me upon the Cross, have mercy on me!”
II. ST BONAVENTURE VERY SELDOM received Holy Communion or said Mass, without shedding tears. Love to the Saviour in the most Holy Sacrament thus moved his heart.
How great is your devotion and love for the Blessed Sacrament, especially at the times when you receive it? How much time do you give to prayer before and after Holy Communion? Do you purify your soul from every stain by a sincere Confession? Do you adorn it with virtues that it may be a worthy dwelling for so great a Guest, as the only Son of the Almighty? Do you appear with due reverence at the table of the Lord? How much time do you give to thanksgiving after your dear Saviour has come to you and what is your devotion during the same? Examine yourself on these points and correct yourself where you have been negligent.
Before all things, however, take care that you never receive your Lord while in mortal sin, “For” says St James of Nisibis (Died 338) “this is a crime that cannot be excused,” a crime, the wickedness of which is so great, that it deserves no pardon, when committed voluntarily, as it offends Christ our Lord above all others. You know, you believe that He Whom you receive is not only your Saviour but also your Judge, Who has power to condemn you. Before Him you will soon appear to receive your sentence for all Eternity. How dare you, therefore, receive Him unworthily, when you know that you thus draw upon yourself, the wrath of your Judge and render yourself deserving of everlasting punishment?! Is there any crime, any blasphemy, which can be compared with this? And does there exist a punishment great enough to atone for so horrible an offence towards our dear Lord? “Woe to him, eternal woe, who dares to go unworthily to the table of the Lord,” says the Venerable Bede.
“Judas, the traitor, was the first to go to Holy Communion in mortal sin. What happened to him is known to you. At the moment he committed the Sacrilege, the devil took possession of him and incited him to betray his Lord. Guard yourself that you may not imitate his wickedness! otherwise, you will receive the same punishment. Let no one dare to approach the table of the Lord like Judas,” says St John. Chrysostom.
Blessed Gaspar de Bono OM (1530– 1604) Spanish Priest, Friar of the Order of Minims, Vicar Provincial of the Order. He was noted for his particular devotion to the Passion of Christ, carrying his Crucifix everywhere as a means of evangelisation and to be able to constantly immerse himself in his Saviour’s sufferings. His Loving Life: https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/14/saint-of-the-day-14-july-blessed-gaspar-de-bono-om-1530-1604/
Bl Giorgio of Lauria Bl Hroznata of Bohemia Bl Humberto of Romans St Idus of Ath Fadha St Just St Justus of Rome St Liebert St Marciano of Frigento St Marchelm Bl Michael Ghebre St Optatian of Brescia St Papias of Africa Bl Richard Langhorne Bl Toscana of Verona St Ulric of Zell St Vincent Madelgaire
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