Day: July 4, 2024

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on VANITY, SELF-DISTRUST

Thought for the Day – 4 July – The Presentation of Humility

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 4 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

The Presentation of Humility

When God gives us consolation and peace of soul, we are in danger of losing our sense of dependence and our humility, unless, we bear in mind that:
+ All this happiness is a gift of God which, at any moment, He might take from us and, if He does but turn His Face from us, our joy will be turned to sorrow and heaviness.
+ We live continually on the edge of a precipice and, without a humble reliance upon God, we shall be sure to plunge over it!
+ Prayer to God is necessary to keep us humble and to keep us from attributing to ourselves, His good gifts.

However great may be the graces given us and, however, high the degree of virtue we may attain, we are never safe, unless we remember that we have, in ourselves, an inextinguishable fount of sin and weakness, of concupiscence and rebellion against God, otherwise, our very graces, may prove our ruin. We must cry out to God each morning as Saint Philip did,
“Watch me, O Lord, this day –
for, abandoned to myself,
I shall surely betray Thee!”
‘Guard me against myself and the traitor within my heart which makes me so often unfaithful to Thee. Heal my soul, which abounds with that, which is displeasing to Thee.‘

Those who have great natural talents are in especial danger unless they cultivate constant dependence upon God. Their very ability, is a danger to them and makes them plume themselves, upon what they are able to effect. Nabuchodonosor did this and for a time God took from him his reason until he recognised his own nothingness. Beware of priding yourself on anything you do, lest God take away that talent which has been the cause of so great an evil!

Posted in DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FATHERS of the Church, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, MARIAN QUOTES, SAINT of the DAY, The ANNUNCIATION, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The NATIVITY of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Quote/s of the Day – 4 July – St Andrew of Crete

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Quote/s of the Day – 4 July – The Feast of St Andrew of Crete (c660-c740) Bishop, Father of the Church

“Thou art the Good Shepherd;
seek me, Thy lamb
and neglect me not,
who has gone astray.
[John 10:11-14]”

“Thou art my sweet Jesus,
Thou art my Creator;
in Thee, O Saviour,
I shall be justified.”

“Today, the Virgin is born,
tended and formed and prepared,
for her role as Mother of God,
Who is the universal King of the ages.
… Therefore, let all creation
sing and dance and unite
to make worthy contribution
to the celebration of this day.
… Let everything, mundane things
and those above, join in festive celebration.
Today, this created world is raised
to the dignity of a holy place
for Him, Who made all things.
The creature is newly prepared
to be a Divine dwelling place for the Creator!”

“Today humanity, in all the radiance
of her Immaculate nobility,
receives its ancient beauty.
The shame of sin
had darkened the splendour
and attraction of human nature
but when the Mother
of the Fair One par excellence,
is born, this nature again,
regains, in her person,
its ancient privileges
and is fashioned according to a perfect model,
truly worthy of God ….
The reform of our nature begins today
and the aged world,
subjected to a wholly divine transformation,
receives the first fruits of the second creation.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/07/04/quote-s-of-the-day-4-july-st-andrew-of-crete/

St Andrew of Crete (660-740)
Bishop, Father of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SELF-DISTRUST, St Francis de Sales, St PAUL!, St PETER!, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 July – ‘ … When we do abandon all, Our Lord takes care of all …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 4 July– “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Within the Octave of Sts Peter and Paul – Acts 5:12-16, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands,
for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29

REFLECTION – “WE MUST POSSESS a continual and imperturbable equanimity, amid the great variety of human occurrences and although, all things change around us, remain immovable, with our eyes fixed on God alone.
And, although, all things, I will not merely say around us but even within us, should turn topsy-turvy; whether our souls be joyful or sorrowful, in peace or in trouble, in light or in darkness, in temptation or in repose, in happiness or in disgust, although the sun scorch, or the dew refresh – we should always keep our will fixed on the good pleasure of God, as its sole and supreme object.

It is true that we require great confidence to abandon ourselves, without any reserve, to Divine Providence but, when we do abandon all, Our Lord takes care of all and disposes of all.
But, if we reserve anything which we are unwilling to confide to Him, He leaves us, as if He would say: “You think yourselves sufficiently wise to manage that affair without Me – you can do so and see what will come of it!” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis( Consoling Thoughts on God and Providence).

PRAYER – God, Who hast consecrated this day to the Martyrdom of Thy Apostles Peter and Paul, give Thy Church a precept to follow them in all things. 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 JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Our Morning Offering – 4 July – July Morning Offering

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 4 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus”

July Morning Offering

Eternal Father,
I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus,
in satisfaction for my sins
and for the wants of Holy Church.
Blessed be the Precious Blood of Jesus,
which renders bearable the thorns of earth,
redeems our souls,
purifies them from their iniquities
and prepares for them,
an eternal crown.
Amen.

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 4 July – Saint Bertha of Blangy (c644-c723) Widow, Abbess

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 4 July – Saint Bertha of Blangy (c644-c723) Widow, Abbess, Mother, Founder of a Monastery at Blangy, Artois and 3 Churches in the region. Born in c644 in France and died in c723 at her Convent in Blangy, France of natural causes. Patronage of Blangy. Also known as – Bertha of Artois, Berthe…

Bertha, born in France around the year 644, was the daughter of Count Rigobert, who served in the Court of King Clovis II and Princess Ursanna, the daughter of the King of Kent in England.

In the twentieth year of her age this beautiful and pious maiden was married to the cousin of the King, the noble Sigfried, who determined to advance with his spouse, along the paths of Christian perfection. They were blessed with five daughters, of whom two died in infancy; two others, Gertrude and Deotila, are Canonised Saints like their mother.

After several years of the most harmonious union, Sigfried died in 672 and Saint Bertha took the veil in a Monastery which by Divine instructions she built, at Blangy in the district of Artois. The Monastery was solemnly Consecrated in January of the year 682 and the holy widow endowed it with her terrains. Her daughters Gertrude and Deotila, greatly impressed by their mother’s act, soon followed her example.

Bertha was persecuted by Roger, or Rotgar, a young Lord of the Court of King Thierry III, who was furious over her refusal to give him her dauther, Gertrude’s hand in marriage, she already being a professed religious. He endeavoured to slander her mother as being opposed to the succession of Thierry and involved with the English Royalty in a conspiracy. The King sent for the Abbess to defend her cause, not sure that such conduct could be attributed to this holy woman. He was so impressed by Bertha’s demeanour and testimony that he took her under his protection and the persecution was immediately halted.

On her return to Blangy, Bertha had three Churches built, to honour Saint Omer, Saint Vaast and Saint Martin of Tours and completed the construction of her Convent. And then, after establishing the Rule of Saint Benedict and a regular observance in her community, she named Saint Deotila to replace her as the Abbess and retired to a solitary cell within the Convent, to spend the remainder of her days in prayer.

At the age of 79, having already buried her two daughters Deotila and Emma, she left Gertrude as Abbess in the Monastery of Blangy and died peacefully in the year 723 where she was buried and where her Relics (I believe) are still intact.

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Within the Octave of Sts Peter and Paul, Nuestra Señora del Refugio / Our Lady of Refuge, Mexico (1720) and the Saints for 4 July

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Within the Octave of Sts Peter and Paul

Nuestra Señora del Refugio / Our Lady of Refuge, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico (1720) – 4 July:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/04/solemnity-of-saints-peter-and-paul-nuestra-senora-del-refugio-our-lady-of-refuge-matamoros-tamaulipas-mexico-1720-and-memorials-of-the-saints-4-july/

All the Holy Roman Pontiffs

St Albert Quadrelli

St Andrew of Crete (c660-c740) Bishop of Gorvina, Constantinople, Father of the Church, Monk at Mar Sabas, Noted and eloquent Preacher, Poet.
This Wondrous Father:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/07/04/saint-of-the-day-4-july-saint-andrew-of-crete-c660-c740-bishop/

St Anthony Daniel
St Aurelian of Lyons
St Bertha of Blangy (c644-c723) Widow, Abbess
St Carileffo of Anille
Bl Catherine Jarrige
St Cesidio Giacomantonio
Bl Damiano Grassi of Rivoli
St Donatus of Libya
St Edward Fulthrop
St Elias of Jerusalem
St Finbar of Wexford
St Fiorenzo of Cahors
St Flavian of Antioch
St Giocondiano
Bl Giovanni of Vespignano
St Haggai the Prophet
Bl Hatto of Ottobeuren
Bl Henry Abbot
St Henry of Albano
St Hosea the Prophet
St Innocent of Sirmium
Bl John Carey

Blessed John Cornelius SJ (1557– 1594) Martyr, English Priest of the Society of Jesus, Missionary. Additional Memorials – 29 October as one of the Martyrs of Douai, 1 December as one of the Martyrs of Oxford University. Fr Cornelius and his three companions, the Martyrs of England, were Beatified by Pope Pius XI on 15 December 1929. All their bodies were retrieved and given proper burial by Lady Arundell.
His Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/04/saint-of-the-day-4-july-blessed-john-cornelius-sj-1557-1594-martyr/

St Jucundian
St Laurian of Seville
St Lauriano of Vistin
St Namphanion the Archmartyr
Bl Natalia of Toulouse
St Odo the Good
Bl Odolric of Lyon
Bl Patrick Salmon
St Sebastia of Sirmium
St Theodore of Cyrene
St Theodotus of Libya
Bl Thomas Bosgrave
Bl Thomas Warcop

St Ulric of Augsburg (c 890–973) Bishop of Augsburg, Germany, miracle-worker.
His Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/07/04/saint-of-the-day-4-july-saint-ulric-of-augsburg-c-890-973/

St Ulric of Ratzeburg
St Valentine of Langres
St Valentine of Paris
Bl William Andleby
Bl William of Hirsau