Day: December 5, 2024

Posted in GOD ALONE!, Meditations for ADVENT, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS

Thought for the Day – 5 December – Transient Gleams

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 5 December – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

Meditations for Advent
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

Transient Gleams

+1. “From time to time, there broke through the thick darkness of heathendom, a gleam of light which seemed to be a harbinger of the coming day. Some sage or poet sang of a golden age which soon would be at hand. But the flash of light soon disappeared and only left the darkness, even darker than before. So in the life of those who have hardened themselves against God, there are sometimes moments, when the devil seems to have forsaken his prey and, there seems a hope of better things. But if Jesus’ Coming is still far away the improvement soon passes and the evil seems to have even a more complete mastery than ever before.

+2. There is something very beautiful in the sentiments of the old Greek and Roman poets. Their minstrels ring sweetly in our ears. Their poems proclaim them men of the highest genius. But they have no power to effect a change of heart , such as is wrought by the inspired words of some great Saint or servant of God. God must speak through it – man’s voice, if is to avail to turn others to God.
Do I pray God thus to rule and direct my words that theymay do His work?

+3. So too, many of the deads of the heroes of antiquity, appear worthy of the holy ones of God. Some may have been done from a supernatural motive and may even, have merited eternal life. But no act, however noble in the natural order, is of any value in the sight of God, unless it be done with some sort of conscious desire to please and serve Him.
Do my ordinary actions possess this necessary characteristic?”

Posted in "Follow Me", ADVENT QUOTES, ADVENT REFLECTIONS, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on WATCHING, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 December – ‘ … Embrace Him, Whom you have sought. …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 December – The First Week of Advent – Ferial Day Romans 13:11-14; Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“But when these things begin to come to pass,
look up and lift up your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”

Luke 21:28

“Watch, therefore because you know not
the day, nor the hour.”
Matthew 25:13

“ In the hours of the night, think always on Christ
and hope for His Coming at every moment. …
Christ enters at the open door.
He will not fail to do so, for He has promised to enter.
Embrace Him, Whom you have sought.
Approach Him and be illumined.
Hold Him and ask Him not to go away quickly.
Beg Him not to depart.
For “His Word runs swiftly” (Ps 147:15)
and will not be held by the slothful
or negligent soul.
Let your soul run to His call and follow closely,
the sound of His heavenly Voice,
for His passing is swift. …”

St Ambrose (340-397)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“It is only right, my brothers,
to celebrate our Lord’s Coming
with all possible devotion,
so greatly does His comfort gladden us…
and His love burn within us.
But do not just think about His First Coming,
when He Came “to seek and save the lost” (Lk 19:10);
think, too, of that other Coming,
when He will come to take us with Him.
I should like to see you constantly
occupied in meditating on these two Comings…
for they are the two arms of the Bridegroom …”

St Bernard (1091-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor of the Church

Posted in ADVENT REFLECTIONS, CHRIST the LIGHT, In the PRESENCE of GOD, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 December – ‘ … In fact, according to the merit and fervour of each one, …’

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One Minute Reflection – 5 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The First Week of Advent – Ferial Day Romans 13:11-14; Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“But when these things begin to come to pass, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption is at hand.” – Luke 21:28

REFLECTION – “We are waiting to celebrate Christ’s Birthday and, according to the Lord’s Promise, we will soon see Him. The Scripture demands from us that we rejoice, to the point of raising our spirit above itself and … leaping for joy at the coming of the Lord…For, even before His advent, the Lord comes to you. Before appearing to the whole world, He comes to visit you personally, He Who said: “I will not leave you orphaned; I will come back to you” (Jn 14:18).

In fact, according to the merit and fervour of each one, there is a frequent and familiar advent of the Lord that, in this intermediary period, between his first and last coming, models us on one and prepares us for the other. The Lord comes to us now, so that His First Coming to us, may not be vain and that the last one, may not be that of wrath. Through His present coming, in fact, He works at reforming our pride, in the image of the humility of His first advent, to then remodel our humble body, in the image of the glorified body He will show us when He will return. This is why we should desire and fervently ask this personal coming – which gives us the grace of this first advent and promises us the glory of the last. …

The first was humble and hidden, the last will be resounding and magnificent; the one we are talking about is hidden but it is also magnificent. I say it is hidden, not because it is ignored by whom it concerns but because, it happens secretly in him. … He comes without being seen and He leaves without being noticed. His simple Presence is Light for the soul and for the spirit, by it you may see the invisible and get to know the unknown. This coming of the Lord puts the soul of whom, contemplates it, in a gentle and happy state of admiration. Then, from the inmost depths of man, the cry may burst out: “O Lord, who is like Thee!” (Ps 34:10). Those who have experienced it know, please God, that those who have not yet had this experience, may feel at least, the desire to !” – Blessed Guerric of Igny (c1080-1157) Cistercian Abbot (2nd sermon for Advent, 2-4: PL 185, 15-17).

PRAYER – O God, Who, by the message of an Angel, willed to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Thy suppliants, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee. 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 ADVENT, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, MARIAN HYMNS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MOTHER of GOD, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS to the DIVINE INFANT JESUS, QUEENSHIP of MARY, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Our Morning Offering – 5 December – I’ll Sing a Hymn to Mary

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Our Morning Offering – 5 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

I’ll Sing a Hymn to Mary
By Father John Wyse (1825-1898)
Irish Priest and Hymn writer

I’ll sing a hymn to Mary,
The Mother of my God,
The Virgin of all virgins,
Of David’s royal blood.
O teach me, Holy Mary,
A loving song to frame,
When wicked men blaspheme thee,
To love and bless thy name.

O Lily of the Valley,
O Mystic Rose, what tree,
Or flower, e’en the fairest,
Is half so fair as thee?
O let me, tho’ so lowly
Recite my Mother’s fame.
When wicked men blaspheme thee,
I’ll love and bless thy name.

O noble Tower of David,
Of gold and ivory.
The ark of God’s own promise,
The gate of Heav’n to me.
To live and not to love thee
Would fill my soul with shame.
When wicked men blaspheme thee,
I’ll love and bless thy name.

When troubles dark afflict me
In sorrow and in care,
Thy light doth ever guide me
O beauteous Morning Star.
Lo, I’ll be ever ready
Thy goodly help to claim,
When wicked men blaspheme thee,
To love and bless thy name.

The Saints are high in glory,
With golden crowns so bright;
But brighter far is Mary,
Upon her throne of light.
Oh that which God did give thee,
Let mortal ne’er disclaim;
When wicked men blaspheme thee,
I’ll love and bless thy name.

But in the crown of Mary,
There lies a wonderous gem,
As Queen of all the Angels,
Which Mary shares with them;
No sin hath e’er defiled thee,
So doth our faith proclaim;
When wicked men blaspheme thee,
I’ll love and bless thy name.

And now O Virgin Mary
My mother and my Queen,
I’ve sung thy praise so bless me,
And keep my heart from sin.
When others jeer and mock thee,
I’ll often think how I
To shield my Mother, Mary,
Would lay me down and die.

Verses 4, 5 and 6 omitted on image.

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 5 December – St Dalmatius of Pavia (Died c304) Bishop Martyr,

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Saint of the Day – 5 December – St Dalmatius of Pavia (Died c304) Bishop Martyr, Missionary and Evangeliser. Patronage of Pedone and Borgo San Dalmazzo in Italy/ Also known as – Dalmatius of Pedona, Dalmazio… Dalmazzo…

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Pavia, St Dalmatius, Bidshop and Martyr, who suffered in the persecutions of Maximian.”

The oldest Vita, derives, from an original written between 570 and 650, while, according to another historian, it was composed in the 8th Century. The author, perhaps a Lombard Monk from the Monastery of Pedona, who drew on oral traditions, says he was born in San Damiano Macra in the pre-Constantinian era and presents him as an Ecclesiastic and evangeliser of Pedona.

At the beginning of the 10th Century, when this locality was devastated by the Saracens, the body of the Saint was taken to Quargnento, where the inscription was placed on his Tomb: “ic requiescit corpus sancti Dalmatii repositum ab Audace episcopo Astensi – here rests the body of St Dalmatia, deposited by Audace, Bishop of Astens.”

Since the 9th Century, in France, Dalmatius has been considered a Martyr. More recent sources say he was originally from Germany, a Missionary and Evangeliser of many Cities in Piedmont, Emilia and Gaul, killed for the Faith in 254.

The Roman Martyrology, based on Episcopal records, wrongly remembers him on 5 December as the Bishop of Pavia, where, however, a Church was dedicated to him. What is certain is that in Pedona there was a Basilica erected in his honour and on 5December many pilgrims, even from distant countries, flocked to his Tomb.

Dalmatius was probably a local Evangeliser of Pedona, in an era which is not easily determined and was, therefore, venerated there as a Saint. 5 December would be the anniversary of his death, or of his elevation to the honour of the Altars.

This Statue of St Dalmatius resides in Pornassio, Liguria, Italia
Posted in MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

The Sodality of Our Lady / Our Lady of the Jesuit College, Rome (1584), The 7th Day of the Immaculate Conception Novena, St Sabbas of Mar Saba and Memorials of the Saints – 5 December

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The Sodality of Our Lady / Our Lady of the Jesuit College, Rome (1584) – 5 December:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/05/the-sodality-of-our-lady-our-lady-of-the-jesuit-college-rome-1584-and-memorials-of-the-saints-5-december/

Novena in Honour of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary: LINK to the 7th DAY – THE SEVENTH DAY – 5 December

St Sabbas of Mar Saba (439–532) Priest. a Cappadocian-Syrian Monk, Founder of several Monasteries, most notably the one known as Mar Saba.
The Life of St Sabbas:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/12/05/saint-of-the-day-5-december-st-sabbas-439-532/

St Abercius
St Anastasius
St Aper of Sens

Blessed Bartholomew Fanti of Mantua O.Carm. (c 1428-1495) Carmelite Priest, renowned Preacher. Humble and gentle, Bartholomew gave an example to everyone of a life of prayer, of loving kindness and generosity to all and of faithful service to the Lord. He was remembered and revered, even during his life, for his great love ot the Blessed Sacrament, which was the source and the summit of his apostolic life, together with his love and devotion to the Virgin Mother. His Beatification received the Papal approval of Pope Pius X on 18 March 1909.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/05/saint-of-the-day-5-december-blessed-bartholomew-fanti-o-carm-c-1443-1495/

St Basilissa of Øhren
St Bassus of Lucera
St Bassus of Nice
St Cawrdaf of Fferreg
St Christina of Markyate
St Consolata of Genoa
St Crispina
St Cyrinus of Salerno – Bishop. Martyr. No other information has surived.
St Dalmatius of Pavia (Died c304) Bishop Martyr
St Firminus of Verdun

St Gerald of Braga (Died 1109) Archbishop of Braga, Portugal, Abbot, Reformer. He renewed divine worship and restored Churches.
St Gerald’s Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/12/05/saint-of-the-day-5-december-saint-gerald-of-braga-died-1109-bishop/

St Gerbold (Died c691) Bishop of Bayeux in Normany, France, Hermit, Founder of the Monastery of Livry in Normandy. A
His Life of Service:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/12/05/saint-of-the-day-5-december-st-gerbold-died-c691-bishop/

St Gratus
Bl Giovanni Gradenigo
St Justinian
St Martiniano of Pecco
St Nicetius of Trier
St Pelinus of Confinium

Martyrs of Thagura – 12 Saints: A group of twelve African Christians who were Martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. The only details about them that have survived are five of their names – Crispin, Felix, Gratus, Juliua and Potamia. They died in 302 in Thagura, Numidia