Thought for the Day – 3 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
PATIENCE Meditations for a Month
First Degree of Patience
When we are studying to acquire a virtue, it is generally the better plan to begin with external actions and thence, to proceed to the interior dispositions whence those actions proceed. In accordance with this rule, we must begin by repressing all signs of resentment and anger, when we are offended, or when someone crosses our path, or hinders some work in which we are engaged. If under all this, we can keep an unmoved and tranquil countenance and avoid all expression of personal feeling and annoyance, this is a great point gained. Am I able to do this?
Why is it important to begin with exterior patience? Firstly because, this helps enormously to calm the feelings within us, just as we can work ourselves up into a fury by raging externally. Peace will soon return if we keep a serene face and quiet demeanour. Secondly because, exterior calmness, under ill-usage, edifies others and honours Christ our Lord, just as impatience and irritability disedify and dishonour the Name of Christian. I must remember this when I am tempted to yield to my injured pride and to retaliate on those who have offended me.
Our Lord Himself points out exterior patience as the very first thing in which we should imitate Him, for He says: ‘Learn of Me, for I am meek and humble of heart.’ Meekness is but patience in its exterior manifestation. If I am sincere in my wish to follow in the footsteps of Christ my Lord, here is the best point with which to begin. I must, for His sake and for love of Him, be more gentle to those who give me pain, more tranquil under words and actions which wound or hurt me.
Quote/s of the Day – 3 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” –
“The Eucharist is the Sacrament of Love. It signifies Love, It produces love. The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor angelicus/Doctor communis
“The Holy Eucharist is the perfect Communion of Saints, for it is the food common to Angels and sainted souls in Paradise and ourselves – it is the true Bread of which all Christians participate. The forgiveness of sins, the Author of forgiveness being there, is confirmed; the seed of our resurrection sown, life everlasting bestowed. … This very belief in the Most Holy Sacrament, which, in truth, reality and substance, contains the true and natural Body of Our Lord, is actually the abridgment of our Faith, according to that of the Psalmist: “He had made a memory of His wonderful works.”
One Minute Reflection – 3 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Within the Octave of Corpus Christi – 1 Corinthians 23-29; John 6:56-59– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“This is the Bread that has come down from Heaven; not as your fathers ate the manna and died. He who eats this Bread shall live forever.” – John 6:59
REFLECTION – Christ is “the bread of life” for those who believe in Him: to believe in Christ is to eat the Bread of Life, to possess Christ within one, is to possess eternal life… “I am the Bread of Life,” He says; “your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and they are dead” (Jn 6:48f). By this is to be understood ,spiritual death. Why are they dead? Because they believed in what they saw and did not understand what they could not see… Moses ate manna, Aaron ate it and many others, too, who pleased God and are not dead. Why are they not dead? Because they understood, in a spiritual fashion, they were spiritually hungry, they tasted the manna spiritually, so that they might be spiritually satisfied. “This is the Bread that came down from Heaven: whoever eats It will never die” (v.50). This manna – that is to say, Christ, who Himself spoke like this … was prefigured by the manna but was able to do more than manna could. For manna could not, of itself, prevent dying spiritually… But the righteous saw Christ in the manna, they believed in His coming and Christ, of Whom manna was the symbol, grants to all who believe in Him that they should not spiritually die. Hence He says: “This is the Bread come down from Heaven; whoever eats it will never see death.” Here on earth, here now, before your eyes, your eyes of flesh: here is to be found the “Bread from Heaven” (v.51). The “Bread of Life” we spoke of a moment ago is now called “Living Bread.” Living Bread because it contains, within Itself, the life which abides and can deliver from spiritual death and bestow life. First He said: “Whoever eats It will never die” now He speaks clearly, concerning the life He gives: “Whoever eats this bread will live for ever” (v.58). Archbishop Baldwin of Canterbury (c 1125-1190) Cistercian – The Sacrament of the Altar II
PRAYER – Grant, O Lord, that we may always fear and love Thy holy Name, for Thou never fail to guide those whom Thou firmly establishes in Thine Love. 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).
SACRED Heart of JESUS, Thy Kingdom come! Indulgence 300 Days. Everytime Raccolta 178 St Pius X, 4 May 1906.
Our Morning Offering – 3 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus”
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS Pope Leo XIII Indulgence 100 Days, Once a day Raccolta 167 13 March 1901.
O DIVINE Heart of JESUS, grant, we beseech Thee, eternal rest to the souls in purgatory, the final grace to those who shall die today, true repentance to sinners, the light of the faith to pagans and Thy Blessing to me and mine. To Thee, O most compassionate Heart of JESUS! I commend all these souls and I offer to Thee, on their behalf, all Thy merits, together with the merits of Thy most Holy Mother and of all the Saints, Angels and all the Sacrifices of the Holy Mass, Communions, prayers and good works, which shall be accomplished today, throughout the Christian world. Amen
Saint of the Day – 3 June – Saint Albert of Como (Died c1092) Bishop, the 15th Bishop of Como. Also known as – Aribert, Ariberto, Adalbert, Adelbert.
Various Saints on the facade of Como Cathedral
The scant historical information describes Albert as a zealous Bishop, dedicated to the care of his people, while legend exalts his heroic virtues and miraculous powers.
Legend has it that, accused by the Pope of incontinence, Albert managed to triumph over such slander with the evidence of his holy life, his apostolic zeal and his thaumaturgical powers. On this occasion, he actually went personally to Rome, where he performed various miracles in the presence of the Pope, announcing among other things, that his death would follow the recovery of full visual faculties of the same Pontiff, who had a monocle. The Pontiff, then, when he recovered, went to Como, where he assisted the holy Bishop on his deathbed and participated in his funeral.
The actual date of Albert’s death cannot be determined. He was buried in the Church of the Apostles which, from 818 was called St Abbondius. His Relics were later placed together with those of St Rubiano,his predeccessor, under an Altar dedicated to them. In 1580 there was a further transfer of the Relics of the two holy Bishops, placed partly in the Cathedral under the Altar of the Crucifix, partly in the Dominican Church of St John. St Albert’s Feast was celebrated on 7 July and on that date he was also remembered in the Breviary of 1519-1523. His Feast was later moved to 3 June.
St Albert of Como (Died c 1092) Bishop St Athanasius of Traiannos St Auditus of Braga Bl Beatrice Bicchieri St Caecilius of Carthage
St Clotilde of France (c475-545) Widow, Mother, Queen, Apostle of the poor and the sick. Patronages – against death of children, adopted children, brides, exiles, parenthood, parents of large families, people in exile, queens, widows. The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Paris, St Clotilde, Queen, by whose prayers her husband, King Clovis, was converted to the Faith of Christ.” Her Holy Life: https://anastpaul.com/2023/06/03/saint-of-the-day-3-june-st-clotilde-of-france-c475-545-widow/
St Conus of Lucania St Cronan the Tanner St Davinus of Lucca Bl Diego Oddi St Gausmarus of Savigny St Genesius of Clermont St Glunshallaich St Hilary of Carcassone St Isaac of Córdoba
St Laurentinus of Arezzo St Liphardus of Orléans St Morand of Cluny St Moses of Arabia St Oliva of Anagni St Paula of Nicomedia St Pergentinus of Arezzo Bl Phaolô Vu Van Duong St Urbicius
Martyrs of Africa – 156 Saints: 156 Christians Martyred together in Africa, date unknown; the only other information to survive are some of their names – Abidianus• Demetria• Donatus• Gagus• Januaria• Juliana• Nepor• Papocinicus• Quirinus• Quirus.
Martyrs of Byzantium – 5 Saints: A group of Christians, possibly related by marriage, who were Martyred together. They were – Claudius, Dionysiu, Hypatius, Lucillian, Paul. They were Martyred in 273 in Byzantium.
Martyrs of Rome – 8 Saints: A group of Christians Martyred together. We know nothing else about them but the names – Amasius, Emerita, Erasmus, Lucianus, Orasus, Satuaucnus, Septiminus• Servulus. They were Martyred in Rome, Italy, date unknown.
Martyrs of Rome – 85+ Christians Martyred together in Rome, Italy, date unknown. The only details that have survived are some of their names – Apinus • Apronus • Aurelius • Avidus • Cassianus • Criscens • Cyprus • Domitius • Donata • Donatus • Emeritus • Extricatus • Exuperia • Faustina • Felicitas • Felix • Flavia • Florus • Fortunata • Fortunatus • Fructus • Gagia • Gagus • Gallicia • Gorgonia • Honorata • Januaria • Januarius • Justa • Justus • Libosus • Luca • Lucia • Matrona • Matura • Mesomus • Metuana • Nabor • Neptunalis • Obercus • Paula • Peter • Pompanus • Possemus • Prisca • Procula • Publius • Quintus • Rogatian • Romanus • Rufina • Saturnin • Saturnus • Secundus • Severa • Severus • Sextus • Silvana • Silvanus • Sinereus • Tertula • Titonia • Toga • Urban • Valeria • Veneria • Veranus • Victor • Victoria • Victorinus • Victuria • Victurina • Virianus • Weneria • Zetula. They were Martyred in Rome date unknown.
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