Posted in Act of SPIRITUAL COMMUNION, HOLY COMMUNION, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 24 April – Concerning the Most Holy Sacramentof the Eucharist

Thought for the Day – 24 April – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

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

LIII: … Concerning the Most Holy Sacrament
of the Eucharist

Thus far, I have tried, as perhaps you have observed, to furnish you with four kinds of spiritual weapons and the methods by which they may profitably be employed.
It remains to present to you the invaluable aids to be derived from the Holy Eucharist in subduing the enemies of perfection and salvation.

As this sublime Sacrament towers above the others in dignity and efficacy, it is the most terrible of all weapons to the infernal powers.
The methods previously treated have no force but through the merits of Jesus Christ and by the grace He has purchased for us by His Precious Blood but the Eucharist is Jesus Christ Himself, His Body, His Blood, His Soul and Divinity.

The former methods are bestowed upon us by God that we may use them in subduing the enemy through Jesus Christ but, the Eucharist is given that we may fight against the enemy with Him!
For by eating the Body of Jesus and drinking His Blood we dwell in Him and He in us.

We may eat His Body and drink His Blood in reality every day and spiritually every hour, both of which are highly profitable and holy.
The latter should be practiced as often as possible, the former as often as shall be judged expedient.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

Posted in 7 GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST: Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence, Strength, Knowledge, Piety, Fear, CARMELITES, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, MARCH the month of ST JOSEPH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PURITY, St JOSEPH, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 24 April – St Joseph

Quote/s of the Day – 24 April – The Octave Day of the Patronage of St Joseph

Saint Joseph was the just man:
by his constant fidelity -an effect of justice;
by his perfect discretion – a sister to prudence;
by his upright conduct – a mark of strength
and by his inviolable chastity – a flower of temperance.

St Albert the Great (1200-1280)
Doctor of the Church

I cannot call to mind
that I have ever asked him,
at any time for anything,
which he has not granted
and I am filled with amazement
when I consider the great favours
which God has given me,
through this blessed Saint;
the dangers from which he has delivered me,
both of body and of soul!

St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of the Church

“It is impossible, that he could be denied
the favours for which he asks
and which we should request him
to obtain for us.
Let us go to him trustingly
but, let us remember,
that the surest way of being heard by him,
is to imitate his wonderful virtues,
especially his humility,
his spirit of prayer,
his purity and his calm desire always,
to do God’s will.

This holy Patriarch was as resigned
to the poverty of the manger
and the discomforts of exile,
as he was grateful to God for the wonderful gifts
and joys which he had been granted.
He knew that God could have solved,
by a single act of His Divine Will,
all the problems which he encountered throughout life.
But he never asked for such a favour.
His only desire was to do God’s Will perfectly.
Let this be our desire too and let us never cease
to ask God for this grace.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, MARCH the month of ST JOSEPH, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on POVERTY, QUOTES on WISDOM, St Francis de Sales, St JOSEPH, The HOLY FAMILY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 April – ‘ … There is no doubt at all, that Saint Joseph was braver than David and wiser that Solomon …’

One Minute Reflection – 24 April – The Octave Day of the Patronage of St Joseph – St Fidelis of Sigmaringen OFM Cap (1577-1622) Martyr – Genesis 49:22-26; Luke 3:21-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

And Jesus, Himself, was beginning about the age of thirty years, being – (as it was supposed) – the son of Joseph … ” – Luke 3:23

REFLECTION – “How faithful in humility was the great Saint we are celebrating! That cannot be said in all its perfection for, in spite of what he was, in what poverty and lowliness he lived all the days of his life, a poverty and lowliness beneath which he kept hidden and concealed his great virtues and dignity!… Truly, I have no doubt at all, that the angels came, beside themselves with admiration, rank upon rank, to behold and wonder at his humility, while he sheltered that dearest Child, in the poor workshop where he worked at his employment, so as to feed the little Boy and the mother entrusted to him.

There is no doubt at all, that Saint Joseph was braver than David and wiser that Solomon, [who were his ancestors]. Nevertheless, seeing him reduced to the exercise of carpentry, who could have discerned this, unless they were enlightened by a heavenly light, so hidden did he keep the remarkable gifts, with which God had favoured him?

And what wisdom did he not have? For God gave him, His most glorious Son to care for… the universal Prince of heaven and earth… Nevertheless, you can see how low and humbled he was brought, more than can be said or imagined… he went to his own country and town of Bethlehem and none but he, was turned away from all those inns…

Notice how the Angel turns him about with both hands. He tells him he has to go to Egypt and he goes, he orders him to return and he returns. God wants him to be always poor… and he submits to it with love and not only for a while, for he was poor his whole life long.”- St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the Church – Conferences, no. 19

PRAYER – God, Who didst vouchsafe to enkindle in blessed Fidelis, the fire of Thy Seraphim and to glorify his toil, to give men a true knowledge of Thee, didst by the Palm-branch of Martyrdom and by great signs and wonders, be entreated, we beseech Thee, for his sake and by his prayers and so, establish us in the knowledge and love of thee, that we also, like him, may be found faithful even unto death, in serving of Thee.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).

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS & NOVENA to St Joseph, PRAYERS TO St Joseph, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, St JOSEPH

Our Morning Offering – 24 April – Caelitum, Ioseph, decus

Our Morning Offering – 24 April – The Octave Day of the Patronage of St Joseph

Caelitum, Ioseph, decus
Joseph, the Praise and Glory of the Heavens

By Fr Juan Escollar (Died 1700)

Joseph, the praise and glory of the heavens,
Sure pledge of life and safety of the wide world,
as in our joy we sing to thee, in kindness
listen to our praises.

Thou by the world’s Creator wert appointed
Spouse of the Virgin, thee He willed to honour.
Naming thee father of the Word and guardian
of our salvation.

Thou, thy Redeemer, lying in a stable,
whom long ago foretold the choir of Prophets,
sawest rejoicing and thy God adorest
Humble in childhood.

God, King of Kings and Governor of the ages,
He at Whose word the powers of hell do tremble,
He Whom the adoring heavens ever worship,
called thee protector.

Praise to the Triune Godhead everlasting,
Who with such honour mightily hath blest thee.
O may He grant us at thy blest petition
Joys everlasting.
Amen

This Hymn was formerly used at Matins for the Feast of St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary (19 March). It is still used for this Feast but for Lauds. It is also the Hymn for Lauds for the Feast of St Joseph the Worker on 1 May.
Translation by Alan G McDougall (1895-1964).

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 23 April – St Ives of Huntingdonshire (6th-7th Century) Bishop

Saint of the Day – 23 April – St Ives of Huntingdonshire (6th-7th Century) Bishop, Missionary. Born in the 6th Century in Persia and died in Huntingdonshire (now Cambridgeshire) England of natural causes. Also known as – Ivo of Ramsey, Ive… Ives… Ivia… Yves. Additional Memorial – 10 June in St Ives.

Ives was born in the 6th Century, in Persia, of a noble family and became a Missionary and then the Bishop of Huntingdon in England.

He dedicated himself to itinerant preaching, on the model of St Paul the Apostle, first in Asia Minor and in Illyria (historical region of the Balkan Peninsula which became a Roman Province in 228).

On his travels, he passed through Rome and from there he arrived in France where he had great success, honoured by the King, the nobles and the people; perhaps from him the name Ives (Yves) began to establish itself more in France.

But Ives, wanting to refuse all the honours paid to him for his evident sanctity, went with three companions to England, where he worked fruitfully for several years in Mercia (one of the seven Kingdoms, founded by the Anglo-Saxons in the second half of 5th Century) finally establishing his residence in the City of Sleve, now St Ives, three miles from Huntingdon. It seems he was appointed as the Bishop although it is uncertain when. After several years of his pastoral apostolate among those populations, he died at the beginning of the 7th Century.

His Relics were miraculously discovered in 1001 and transferred to the Benedictine Abbey of Ramsey, the new name of Huntingdon his ‘Life’ from which subsequent biographies arose, was written by the Monk Goscelin of Westminster in 1091 on behalf of Abbot Erebert.
His celebration is on 24 April and 10 June.

St Ives Cathedral dedicated to All Saints
Posted in MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

The Octave Day of the Patronage of St Joseph, Nostra Signora di Bonaria / Our Lady of Bonaria, Island of Sardinia (1370), , Nuestra Señora de Luján / Our Lady of Luján in Buenos Aires, St Fidelis of Sigmaringen and all the Saints for 24 April

The Octave Day of the Patronage of St Joseph

St Alexander of Lyon
St Anthimos of Nicomedia
St Authairius of La Ferté
St Bova of Rheims
St Deodatus of Blois
St Diarmaid of Armagh
St Doda of Rheims
St Dyfnan of Anglesey

St Eusebius of Lydda
St Gregory of Elvira Bishop and Confessor
St Honorius of Brescia Bishop
St Ives of Huntingdonshire (6th-7th Century) Bishop
St Leontius of Lydda
St Longinus of Lydda