Day: March 18, 2024

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on VICE, QUOTES on VIRTUE, SELF-DISTRUST, The HEART, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 18 March –Instructions for Mortifying Passions,to Attain the Necessary Virtues (Part Two)

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Thought for the Day – 18 March – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

XXXIII: … Instructions for Mortifying Passions,
to Attain the Necessary Virtues (Part Two)

“And a last 3 points of advice:

+++ 4. Let your whole heart desire nothing, think of nothing, crave nothing, long for nothing but to conquer that passion with which you are struggling and to attain its contrary virtue.
Be this your world, your Heaven, your earth, your whole treasure and all with
the sole view of pleasing God.
Whether eating or fasting, labouring, or resting, watching or sleeping, at home or abroad, whether engaged in devotion or in manual labour, let all be directed to the conquest and extinction of this passion and, to the attainment of the contrary virtue.

+++ 5. Wage unceasing war against earthly pleasures and comforts, so will no vice have much power to assail you.
For all vices spring from this one root of pleasure – when this, therefore, is cut away by hatred of self, they lose their strength and power.
For, if with one hand you will try to fight against some particular sin, or pleasure and, with the other dally, with other earthly enjoyments, although their guilt be not mortal but only venial, your battles will be difficult and bloody, your victories infrequent and uncertain.
Keep, therefore, constantly in mind these Divine words:
“He that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth
his life in this world keepeth it unto life eternal.” John 12:25.

“Brethren, we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. ”

+++ 6. Lastly, it would be well, it maybe even necessary, for you to make, in the first place, a general Confession, with all the necessary conditions that you may be the better assured of your Lord’s favour, to Whom Alone you must look for all grace and victory!”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/03/17/thought-for-the-day-17-march-instructions-for-mortifying-passionsto-attain-the-necessary-virtues-part-one/

Posted in CHRIST the SUN of JUSTICE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, The HOLY CROSS, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING, The SIGN of the CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 18 March – St Cyril of Jerusalem

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 18 March – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father & Doctor of the Church

Let us not then be ashamed
to confess the Crucified!

“BE THE CROSS OUR SEAL,
made with boldness by our fingers,
on our brow and in everything,
over the bread we eat and the cups we drink,
in our comings in and goings out,
before our sleep,
when we lie down
and when we awake,
when we are in the way
and when we are still.

Great is that preservative,
it is without price,
for the poor’s sake,
without toil,
for the sick,
since also its’ grace is from God.

It is the Sign of the faithful
and the dread of evils –
for He has triumphed over them in it,
having made a shew of them openly –
for when they see the Cross,
they are reminded of the Crucified;
they are afraid of Him,
Who hath bruised the head of the dragon.

Despise not the Seal
because of the freeness of the Gift
but for this,
rather honour thy Benefactor!”

“Now then, we do not just rest only on His first advent
but look forward to His second too,
when, meeting our Master with the Angels,
we may worship Him and say:
“Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord” (Mt 21:9).
The Saviour will come, not to be judged again
but to judge those who judged Him …
He came the first time because of a Divine dispensation,
teaching people with persuasion but on that day,
they will of necessity have Him for their King.”

“And Jesus, seeing their faith,
said to the paralytic,
Take courage, son,
your sins are forgiven you.”
Matthew 9:2

“Perhaps, your own faith is feeble.
Nevertheless, the Lord, who is love
will stoop down to you,
provided only that you are penitent
and can say sincerely,
from the depths of your soul:
“Lord, I believe.
Help thou mine unbelief,”
(Mark 9:23)……”

“Before all this happens, however,
they will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues
and to prisons and they will have you led,
before kings and governors because of my name …”
Luke 21:12

“Jesus gives them clear and evident signs
of the time when the consummation
of the world draws near.
He says that there will be wars, turmoil,
famines and epidemics everywhere.
There will be terrors from heaven and great signs.
… Christ promises, however,
that He will deliver them certainly and completely.
He says that a hair of your head will not perish!”

“Let us then, my brethren, endure in hope.
Let us devote ourselves, side-by-side with our hoping,
so that the God of all the universe,
as He beholds our intention,
may cleanse us from all sins,
fill us with high hopes from what we have in hand
and grant us the change of heart which saves.
God has called you and you have your calling!”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/03/18/quote-s-of-the-day-18-march-st-cyril-of-jerusalem-2/

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2024, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on the POOR, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The KINGDOM of GOD, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 18 March – Use Your Money for Good!

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 18 March – The Feast of St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father & Doctor of the Church

“Blessed is the man who feareth the Lord,
he shall delight exceedingly in His commandments.”
Psalm 111:1

“Go, sell what you possess
and give to the poor
and you will have
treasure in Heaven.”
Matthew 19:21

Use Your Money for Good!

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Riches, gold and silver do not belong to the devil, as some think. For the whole world of riches belongs to the faithful man but not a penny to the faithless.

Now, nothing is more faithless than the devil,and God says plainly, by the Prophet, “The gold is mine and the silver is mine” (Haggai 2:8) and He gives it to whoever He wills. Simply use it well and there is nothing wrong with money. But whenever you have made bad use of it, you are unwilling to blame your own management, so you impiously throw the blame back at the Creator.

A man may even be justified by money.
“I was hungry and you gave Me to eat” that certainly was from money.
“I was naked and you clothed Me” that too was certainly from money.

Do you want to learn how money can become a door to the Kingdom of Heaven? “Go,” Jesus says, “sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in Heaven” (Matthew 19:21).

Now, I have made these remarks because of those heretics who say that our possessions and our money and our bodies, are cursed. I do not want you to be a slave to money but neither do I want you to treat, as your enemies do, the good things, to be used for good which God has given you.”

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 March – ‘It is not I who undertook this work …’

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One Minute Reflection – 18 March – Monday in Passion Week – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father & Doctor of the Church – Ecclesiasticus Ecclus 39:6-14, Matthew 10:23-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“What you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” … Matthew 10:27

REFLECTION – “It is not I who undertook this work but, it is Christ the Lord Who commanded me to come to be with these Irish pagans for the rest of my life, if the Lord shall Will it and shield me from every evil … But I do not trust myself “as long as I am in this mortal body” (2 Pt 1:13; Rm 7:24) … I did not lead a perfect life like other believers but I confess to my Lord and do not blush in His sight because I am not lying, from the time when I came to know Him in my youth, the love of God and fear of Him increased in me and right up until now, by God’s favour, “I have kept the faith” (2 Tm 4:7).

What is more, let anyone laugh and taunt, if he so wishes.   I am not keeping silent, nor am I hiding “the signs and wonders” (Dn 6:27) which were shown to me by the Lord many years before they happened, He Who knew everything, even before the beginning of time.   Thus, I should give thanks unceasingly to God, who has frequently forgiven my folly and my negligence, in more than one instance and has never been angry with me, who am placed as His helper, though I did not easily assent to what had been revealed to me, as the Spirit was urging. The Lord “took pity” on me “thousands upon thousands” of times, (Ex 20:6) because He saw within me, that I was prepared to serve Him. … Many were trying to prevent this mission, they were talking among themselves behind my back and saying, “Why is this fellow throwing himself into danger among enemies who do not know God?”   Not from malice did they say this, as I myself can testify, they perceived my rusticity.   And I was not quick to recognise the grace that was then in me, I now know, that I should have done so earlier.

Now I have put it frankly to my brothers and co-workers, who have believed me because of what “I have proclaimed and still proclaim” (2 Co 13:2) to strengthen and reinforce your faith.   I wish only, that you too, would make greater and better efforts.   This will be my pride, for “a wise son makes a proud father.” (Pr 10:1)” … St Patrick (c 385-461) (The Confessions,# 43-47)

PRAYER – Grant us, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, through the intercession of the blessed Bishop Cyril, so to acknowledge Thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ Whom Thou have sent, that we may be found worthy to be forever numbered among the sheep who hear His Voice.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).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PRAYERS on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION, The SIGN of the CROSS

Our Morning Offering – 18 March – Hail, Most Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord!

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Our Morning Offering – 18 March – Monday in Passion Week

This Prayer is part of a very long
and most beautiful Night Prayer
by St John which I will post shortly.

Hail, Most Precious
and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord!
By St John Damascene (675-749)
Confessor, Father
and Doctor of the Church

Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered
and let those, who hate Him,
flee from His Presence.
As smoke vanishes, let them vanish
and as wax melts by the presence of fire,
so let the demons perish by the presence
of those who love God
and who sign themselves
with the Sign of the Cross
and say in gladness:
Hail, Most Precious
and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord,
for Thou drives away the demons
by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ
Crucified on thee, Who went down to hell
and trampled on the power of the devil
and gave us thee, His venerable Cross,
for driving away all enemies.
O Most Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord,
help me with our holy Lady,
the Virgin Mother of God
and with all the Saints throughout the ages.
Amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 18 March – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor

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Saint of the Day – 18 March – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father and Doctor of the Church, Theologian, Writer.
Born in c315 possibly near Caesar in Palestine and died at the age of around 73 in c387 in Jerusalem. Also known as – Cirillo, Kyrillos.

The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Jerusalem, St Cyril, the Bishop and Doctor, who suffered many inhuries from the Arians for the Faith. Often exiled from his Church, he at length rested in peace, with a great reputation for sanctity. A magnificent testamony of the purity of his faith is given by a general Council, in a letter to the Pope Damasus.”

Cyril of Jerusalem, Ordained Presbyter around 345, was a man particularly attentive to the preparation of Catechumens aspiring to the Sacrament of Baptism celebrated on Easter night.

It is in these years of his Priesthood that he composed the work which is still rightly known today, the ‘Catecheses‘ contain sermons which illustrate Christian doctrine (the first 19 sermons held in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre built in Jerusalem by Constantine are addressed to the Catechumens) and they explain the Sacraments (discourses 20-24 were addressed to the already Baptised and admitted to the Church and aimed at teaching the understanding of the meaning of Liturgical practices).

St Cyril’s Catechesis

As a young man of around 33 in c348, Cyril was appointed as the Bishop of Jerusalem. Cyril was severely involved in the Christological controversy following the affirmation of the Nicene Creed. The term “of the same substance” constituted the Christological affirmation against the Arian heresy.
In fact, once the Council ended, a long and very painful period began which saw the Church divide on the Christological question. Not all professed Nicenes (like the illustrious Bishop and Doctor of the Church, Saint Athanasius of Alexandria in Egypt), nor did the Arian party constitute a monolithic group. Most oscillated between the two positions.

Cyril of Jerusalem, like St Acacius, Bishop of Caesarea (340-366) and many others, held an intermediate and personal position. Due to issues related to the relationship between Churches, Acacius, definitively espousing a markedly Arian doctrine and thus guaranteeing imperial support, managed to repeatedly remove Cyril from his Episcopal Seat. He was thus first deposed and exiled by the Emperor Constantius in 357 and 360, then by the Emperor Valens from 367 to 378. This Acacius, Bishop from 340 to 366, is certainly no small figure. Having succeeded the great Bishop St Eusebius, he continued to enrich the library of Caesarea. Saint Jerome, in fact, who died in 420, spoke of his great works of commentary and interpretation of Sacred Scripture which were then sadly lost).

The Emperor Theodosius (379-395) put an end to his exile which lasted a total of 16 years. Now, no-one will chase him away again. In 381 Cyril took part in the Council of Constantinople (the 2nd Ecumenical Council) and in the following one in 382, ​​in which the validity of his consecration as the Bishop of Jerusalem was again reiterated,, where he finally remained undisturbed until his death.

Cyril’s whole life was involved in the troubles of the Church during the first Centuries. That is, in the theological debates, even very harsh ones, mixed with human weaknesses and then intertwined with politics, with external wars to defend the Empire and internal ones to seize the throne. Fifteen Centuries laster, in 1882, Cyril was declared Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII.

More Detail of our Saint Cyril:
https://anastpaul.com/2017/03/18/saint-of-the-day-18-march-st-cyril-of-jerusalem/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN TITLES, MARTYRS, SAINT of the DAY

Monday in Passion Week, Nostra Signora della Misericordia / Our Lady of Mercy, Italy (1536), St Cyril of Jerusalem and the Saints for 18 March

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Monday in Passion Week – FAST

Nostra Signora della Misericordia / Our Lady of Mercy, Patron of Savona, Italy (1536) – 18 March:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/18/nostra-signora-della-misericordia-our-lady-of-mercy-patron-of-savona-italy-1536-and-memorials-of-the-saints-19-march/

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father & Doctor of the Church, Theologian, Writer.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2017/03/18/saint-of-the-day-18-march-st-cyril-of-jerusalem/

NOVENA for the INTERCESSION of ST JOSEPJ
DAY NINE: Click Link HERE: DAY NINE

St Alexander of Jerusalem (Died 251) Bishop and Martyr
His Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/18/saint-of-the-day-18-march-saint-alexander-of-jerusalem-died-251-bishop-and-martyr/

St Anselm of Lucca the Younger (1036-1086) Italian Bishop and Confessor.
About this St Anselm:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/18/saint-of-the-day-18-march-saint-anselm-of-lucca-the-younger-1036-1086/

St Braulio of Zaragoza (c590-c651) Bishop
Bl Christian O’Conarchy

St Edward the Martyr (962-978) Child King of England.
The Roman Martyrology states today: “In England, the holy King Edward, who was assasinated by order of his treacherous stepmother and became celebrated for many miracles.”
His Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/18/saint-of-the-day-18-march-saint-edward-the-martyr-c-962-978/

St Egbert of Ripon
St Eucarpius of Nicomedia
St Felix of Gerona
St Finan of Aberdeen
St Leobard of Tours
St Narcissus of Gerona

St Salvator of Horta OFM (1520-1567) Lay Brother of Friars Minor, Cook, Porter and Quester of alms, Miracle-worker. Canonised on 17 April 1938 by Pope Pius XI. His body is incorrupt.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/03/18/saint-of-the-day-18-march-saint-salvator-of-horta-ofm-1520-1567-lay-brother/

St Trophimus of Nicomedia

Martyrs of Nicomedia – Commemorates the Christians who were Martyred anonymously, either singly and in small groups, by local pagans in the area of Nicomedia prior to the year 300 and who may have been over-looked in the waves of Diocletian persecutions that resulted in the deaths of thousands.