Posted in GOD ALONE!, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, The GREAT TRUTHS, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 7 February – The Models for Imitation

Thought for the Day – 7 February – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

Meditations on “The Great Truths”
From “The Devout Year
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

7th Day – The Models for Imitation

They are before the throne of God
and they serve Him, day and night in His temple.

(Apoc vii:15)

Example is better than precept and, we shall often learn more from watching those, who perfectly achieve, that which we are attempting to acquire, than by any set of rules.
Let us watch the Saints in Heaven in order that we may learn from them.

+1. Their continual occupation is the praise of God, the tranquil delight of basking in the Light of God. This satisfies every longing of their hearts, this fills them with perfect and unfading joy. This is the highest praise they can render to God.
How can I imitate them? By a continual remembrance of God, by visiting the Blessed Sacrament, by a frequent raising of my heart to Heaven.

+2. The Saints find a constant joy too, in showing reverence to God, in falling down in prostrate homage before the throne, in recognising their dependence upon Him and their indebtedness to Him, for all their joy.
This , too, I can copy by great reverence, both of body and soul; reverence before the Altar, reverence in my prayers, reverence and resignation to the Will of God in my thoughts.

+3. The Saints and Angels serve God too, by doing His bidding, whether by their homage in Heaven, or by carrying His graces and messages to men. Their joy is to do the Will of God and finish His work.
I, too, in my feeble way, can serve God I can really be of service to Him by every act of love and especially, by every act of kindness to others.
Pray that your life may prepare you for the company of the Saints in Heaven .

Posted in GOD ALONE!, Quote on SELF-ABANDONMENT, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Quote/s of the Day – 7 February – St Romuald

Quote/s of the Day – 7 February – St Romuald (c951-1027) Abbot

In the Psalms there is one way.
Do not abandon it.
If you, who have come,
with the fervour of a novice,
cannot understand everything,
strive to recite, with understanding
of spirit and mind, now here, now there
and when you begin to wander while reading,
do not stop but hasten to correct yourself
by concentrating.

Destroy yourself completely
and sit, like a chick,
content with the grace of God,
for unless its mother gives it something,
it tastes nothing and has nothing to eat.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/02/07/quote-s-of-the-day-7-february-st-romuald-3/

St Romuald (c951-1027)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, Quote on SELF-ABANDONMENT, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on VICE, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 February – ‘… True faith knows no delay. …’

One Minute Reflection – 7 February – “The Month of the Blessed Trinity” – St Romuald (c951-1027) Abbot – Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6; – 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 – “Jesus said to them, ‘Come after Me; I will make you fishers of men.’” Happy transformation of fishing! Simon and Andrew are what Jesus caught fishing … These men are made similar to fish, caught by Christ, before going themselves to catch other people. “They immediately abandoned their nets and became His followers.” True faith knows no delay. As soon as they heard Him, they believed, they followed Him and they became fishers. “They immediately abandoned their nets.” I think that with those nets, they abandoned all the vices of the life of this world …

Proceeding a little farther along, He caught sight of James, Zebedee’s son and his brother, John … He summoned them on the spot. They abandoned their father Zebedee, who was in the boat with the hired men and went off in His company.” You will tell me — faith is daring. What indication did they have, what sublime characteristic had they noted which made them follow Him, as soon as He called them? We realise that evidently something Divine came forth from Jesus’ gaze, from the expression on His Face which incited those who looked at Jesus to turn towards Him … Why am I saying all this? It is to show you that the Lord’s Word was active and, that through the least of His Words, He was working on His task: “He commanded and they were made.” (Ps 148:5) With the same simplicity, He called and they followed … “Hear, O daughter and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father’s house. So shall the king desire your beauty.” (Ps 45:11-12)

Listen well, brother and follow the path of the Apostles; listen to the Saviour’s Voice, ignore your father according to the flesh and see the true Father of your soul and your mind … The Apostles left their father, left their boat, left all their riches of that time; they abandoned the world and its countless riches; they renounced all that they owned. However, God does not consider the mass of riches but rather, the soul of the person who renounces them. Those people who left only a few things would also have renounced a large fortune, if the need had arisen.” – St Jerome (347-420) Father and Doctor of the Church (Homilies on the Gospel of Mark).

RAYER – May the intercession of the Blessed Abbot Romuald, commend us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, so that what we do not deserve by any merits of our own, we may obtain by his patronage. 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 ACT of LOVE, ACT of REPARATION, CONSECRATION Prayers, Our MORNING Offering, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, PAPAL PRAYERS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS

Our Morning Offering – 7 February – Act of Consecration and Reparation to the Sacred Heart By Pope Leo XIII

Our Morning Offering – 7 February – First Friday

Act of Consecration and Reparation
to the Sacred Heart
By Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903)
Pope from 1878-1903
1903
(Excerpt on the image)

Most sweet Jesus,
Redeemer of the human race,
look down upon us
humbly prostrate before Thine Altar.
We are Thine and Thine we wish to be
but, to be more surely united with Thee,
behold each one of us,
freely consecrates himself today
to Thy Most Sacred Heart.
Many indeed have never known Thee,
many too, despising Thy precepts,
have rejected Thee.
Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus
and draw them to Thine Sacred Heart.
Be Thou King, O Lord,
not only of the faithful,
who have never forsaken Thee
but also of the prodigal children,
who have abandoned Thee,
grant that they, may quickly return
to Thy Father’s House
lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.
Be Thou King of those
who are deceived by erroneous opinions,
or whom discord keeps aloof
and call them back
to the harbour of truth
and unity of faith,
so that there may be
but one flock and one Shepherd.
Be Thou, King of all those.
who are still involved
in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism
and refuse not, to draw them
into the Light and Kingdom of God.
Turn Thine Eyes of Mercy
towards the children of the race,
once Thy chosen people –
of old they called down upon themselves
the Blood of the Saviour;
may it now descend upon them,
a laver of redemption and of life.
Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church,
assurance of freedom
and immunity from harm;
give peace and order to all nations
and make the earth resound
from pole to pole, with one cry:
“Praise be to the Divine Heart
which wrought our salvation;
to It be glory and honour forever!”
Amen

The above prayer, composed by Pope Leo XIII was included in the 1899 Encyclical, Annum Sacrum, issued by Leo XIII as he Consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The Consecration was influenced by two letters written to the Holy Father by Blessed Sister Mary of the Divine Heart, who stated that in visions of Jesus Christ, she had been told to request the Consecration.

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 7 February – St Moses the Hermit (Died c389) Bishop and Apostle of the Saracens

Saint of the Day – 7 February – St Moses the Hermit (Died c389) Bishop and Apostle of the Saracens, Hermit in the desert and then Bishop, Missionary, Peace-maker. Moses had no fixed See after his Consecration as Bishop, journeying instead with his nomadic flock, converting many and keeping peace between the different tribes and the Roman imperial authorities. Born in Arabia and died there in c389 of natural causes. Also known as – Moses of the Saracens, Venerable Moses the Bishop. (Not to be confused with Moses the Black (330-405), another Saint of the region who is celebrated on 28 August.)

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In Egypt, St Moses, a venerable Bishop, who first led a solitary life in the desert and being afterwards made Bishop, at the request of Mauvia, the Queen of the Saracens, converted the great part of that barbarous oeiokes to the Faith and rich in merits, passed peacefully to his reward.”

It is not known when or precisely where Moses was born but for some time in the 4th Century, Moses, like his ancient namesake, spent many years travelling and preaching in the wilderness in the border regions between Egypt and Syria.

His life of preaching attracted a large following. This reputation was noted by Socrates of Constantinople, the Christian Historian, who describes him as “a Saracen by birth, who led a monastic life in the desert” and, who had become “exceedingly eminent for his piety, faith and miracles.

Socrates’ description of Moses comes by way of his retelling of the exploits of Queen Mauvia, who promised to end her armed revolt against the Roman Empire, on the condition that Moses be “constituted Bishop over her nation.

Valens, the Roman Emperor, had no choice but to accept. Mauvia’s forces, originating in southern Syria, had defeated those of Rome’s on multiple occasions, marching through Palestine and Phoenicia, to reach the border with Egypt. Moses, however, refused to be Ordained by the Arian patriarchal See at Alexandria, choosing to be Consecrated by an orthodox Bishop living in exile instead.

Pope Gregory III (Papal reign 731-741) recalled the example of Moses as a Hermit Monk then Bishop, in a dialogue with the nephew of St Boniface, when trying to convince him to join his uncle in the German mission. It is quoted of the author, Irfan Shahid: “Thus an Arab Monk Bishop was presented as a model for the English Saint.

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

First Friday of the Month, Our Lady of Avesnières, Laval, France (11th Century), Our Lady of Grace, or Our Lady of the Bowed Head, Rome (1610), St Romuald (c 951-1027) Abbot and Memorials of the Saints – 7 February

FIRST FRIDAY of the Month:
Attend Holy Mass and Receive Holy Communion
on each First Friday;
The Nine Fridays must be consecutive;
They must be made in honour and in reparation
to His Sacred Heart.

Notre-Dame d’Avesniéres, Laval / Our Lady of Avesnières, Laval, France (11th Century) – 7 February:
HERE:

https://anastpaul.com/2022/02/07/notre-dame-davesnieres-laval-our-lady-of-avesnieres-laval-france-11th-century-nostra-signora-delle-grazie-our-lady-of-grace-or-our-lady-of-the-bowed-head-rome-1610-and-memorial/

Nostra Signora delle Grazie, Nostra Signora del Capo chino / Our Lady of Grace, or Our Lady of the Bowed Head, Rome (1610) – 7 February:
HERE:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/07/sexagesima-sunday-our-lady-of-grace-or-our-lady-of-the-bowed-head-rome-1610-and-memorials-of-the-saints-7-february/

St Romuald (c 951-1027) Monk, Abbot, Ascetic, Founder of the Camaldolese Order and a major figure in the Eleventh-Century “Renaissance of eremitical asceticism.”
His Feast Day is today and was thus from 1595. It was changed to 19 June in 1969 after Vatican II.
 St Romuald’s body is incorrupt.
St Romuald’s Life:

https://anastpaul.com/2018/06/19/saint-of-the-day-19-june-st-romuald-c-951-1027/

St Adaucus of Phrygia
St Amulwinus of Lobbes
St Anatolius of Cahors
Bl Anselmo Polanco
Bl Anthony of Stroncone

St Augulus
St Chrysolius of Armenia
St Fidelis of Merida

Blessed Jacques Salès SJ (1556-1593) Priest Martyr AND Blessed William Saultemouche SJ (1555-1593) + Martyr, Jesuit Lay Brother+ of the Society of Jesus. These two young Jesuits died on 6 February 1593, Fr Jacques aged 26 was shot in the back by the protestants and Brother William was stabbed repeatedly until he died, all the while holding the dead body of Fr Jacques. Pope Pius XI Beatified the two Martyrs of the Blessed Sacrament on 6 June 1926.
Their Lives and Deaths:

https://anastpaul.com/2024/02/07/saint-s-of-the-day-7-february-blessed-jacques-or-james-sales-sj-1556-1593-priest-martyr-and-blessed-william-saultemouche-sj-1555-1593-martyr-lay-brother/

St John of Triora
St Juliana of Bologna

St Lorenzo Maiorano (Died 545) Bishop of Siponto, Italy, Miracle-worker gifted with Prophecy and visions. Collaborator with St Michael in the Apparition at Gargano, known as “The Defender of the People.” St Lorenzo is also called the “Patron Saint of Foreigners” by the citizens of Siponto, having been a foreigner himself.
His Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/02/07/saint-of-the-day-7-february-saint-lorenzo-maiorano-died-545-bishop/

St Luke the Younger

Blessed Mary of Providence/Eugénie Smet HHS (1825-1871) Nun and Founder of the Society of the Helpers of the Holy Souls. Her apostolate has spread throughout the world – now in 24 countries and continues to minister to the Souls in the Body of Christ — both those on earth and those who have departed this world. Beatified in Rome on 26 May 1957 by Pope Pius XII.
Biography:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/07/saint-of-the-day-7-february-blessed-mary-of-providence-hhs-1825-1871/


St Meldon of Péronne
St Moses the Hermit (Died c389) Bishop
St Parthenius of Lampsacus

St Richard the King Pilgrim (Died c722) Layman, Prince, Pilgrim.
A Loving and Gentle Ruler and Father of Saints Willibald (Bishop of Eichstadt), Winnibald (Abbot of Heidesheim) and Walburga. (Virgin, Nun).

https://anastpaul.com/2022/02/07/saint-of-the-day-7-february-saint-richard-the-king-pilgrim-died-c-722/

Left to right – St Willibald, St Wuna, St Richard, St Walburga, St Winnibald

Bl Rizziero of Muccia
St Theodore (Died Early 4th Century) Martyr, Soldier

Bl essed Thomas Sherwood (1551–1578) Layman, Martyr of the English Persecution under Elizabeth I (c. 1552–1579). Beatified on 29 December 1886 by Pope Leo XIII.
His Life and Death:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/02/07/saint-of-the-day-7-february-bl-thomas-sherwood/

St Tressan of Mareuil

Blessed William Saultemouche SJ (1555-1593) + Martyr, Jesuit Lay Brother