Posted in ABOUT Antonio Bacci, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on MERIT, QUOTES on REASON/INTELLECT, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on VOCATIONS

Thought for the Day – 25 August – The Parable of the Talents

Thought for the Day – 25 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Parable of the Talents

As a general rule, God gives us three kinds of talents.
There are – (1) material, like health or riches; (2) intellectual and moral, such as intelligence, personality and ability and (3) supernatural, like Divine grace, a vocation, or extraordinary powers.
God lavishly distributes all these talens to whomsoever He pleases and in accordance with His own hidden dessigns.

We have no right, therefore, to envy the talents of others, nor, to be discontented with our own.
Rather, we should be grateful to God for whatever He has given us and remember that sufferings and deprivations may also be used as a means of self-sanctification.

If we cheerfully accept and offer to God, our lack of certain talents, we can gain great merit in His eyes.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST the SUN of JUSTICE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MODESTY, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on MERCY

Quote/s of the Day – 25 August – “Whatever He receives on earth, He returns in Heaven.”

Quote/s of the Day – 25 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Louis IX (1214-1270) King and Confessor – Wisdom 10:10-14 – Luke 19:12-26 –Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

And he who had received the five talents
went and traded with them,
and gained five more.

Matthew 25:16

And he said to him:
Well done, thou good servant
…”

Luke 19:17

God is Good but He is also Just…
So do not underestimate God –
His love for men
should not become a pretext,
for negligence on our part.

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

For the man who is kindly,
modest, merciful and just,
will not keep his good works to himself
but will see to it
that these admirable fountains,
send out their streams,
for the good of others.
Again, the man who is clean of heart,
a peacemaker and ardent for truth,
will order his life, so as to contribute
to the common good
.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Whatever He receives on earth,
He returns in Heaven
.”

St Caesarius of Arles (470-543)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on ZEAL, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 August– ‘There is no question but that this Householder is Christ. …’ St Jerome

One Minute Reflection – 25 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Louis IX (1214-1270) King and Confessor – Wisdom 10:10-14 –Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“I say to you that to everyone who has, more shall be given but from him, who does not have, even that which he has, shall be taken away.” – Luke 19;26

REFLECTION – “There is no question but that this Householder is Christ. After His Resurrection, when He was about to return triumphantly to the Father, He called His Apostles and entrusted them with the Gospel teaching, giving more to one, less to the other, never too much or too little but according to the abilities of those who received it.  In the same way, the Apostle Paul said that he had fed with milk those unable to take solid food (1 Cor 3:2)…

Five, two, one talent: let us take these to be the different graces granted to each, whether the five senses for the first; understanding of faith and works for the second; the reasons for distinguishing us from other creatures, for the third. “The one who received five talents went away and traded with them and made another five.” That is to say, besides the physical and material senses he had received, he added knowledge of heavenly things. His knowledge was raised from the creatures to the Creator, from the corporal to the incorporeal, from the visible to the invisible, from the transient to the eternal. “The one who received two made another two.” This one likewise, according to his ability, doubled in the school of the Gospel what he had learned in the school of the Law. Or perhaps we could say, that he understood that knowledge of faith and the works of this present life, lead to future happiness. But the man who received one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.” In the grip of works here below and of worldly pleasures, the wicked servant neglected God’s commands.  However, let us note that, according to another evangelist, he wrapped it in a linen cloth – by this we could understand that he took away the force of his Master’s teaching, by a life of softness and pleasure…

The Master welcomed the first two servants… with the same words of praise. “Come,” He said, “share in your Master’s joy and receive what eye has not seen and ear has not heard and what has not entered the human heart” (1 Cor 2:9). What greater reward could be bestowed upon a faithful servant!?” – St Jerome (343-420) Translator of Sacred Scripture (the Vulgate), Father and One of the Original Four Doctors of the Latin Church .

PRAYER – O God, Who transported Thy blessed Confessor Louis from an earthly throne to the glory of the heavenly Kingdom, by his merits and intercession we beseech Thee, to make us of the company of the King of kings, Jesus Christ Thy Son. Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The DIVINE INFANT

Our Morning Offering – 25 August – To Thee, O Master

Our Morning Offering – 25 August – “The Month of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary”

To Thee, O Master
Morning Offering
By St Macarius the Wonder-Worker (Died 850)

To Thee, O Master,
who loves all mankind
I hasten on rising from sleep.
By Thy mercy,
I go out to do Thy work
and I make my prayer to Thee.
Help me at all times and in all things.
Deliver me from every evil thing of this world
and from pursuit by the devil.
Save me and bring me to Thy eternal Kingdom,
For Thou art my Creator,
Thou inspire all good thoughts in me.
In Thee is all my hope
and to Thee I give glory,
now and forever.
Amen

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 25 August – Saint Menas (Died 552) Bishop

Saint of the Day – 25 August – Saint Menas (Died 552) Bishop of Constantinople , (modern Istanbul, Turkey). Born in Alexandria in Egypt on an unknown date and died on 24 August in 552 in Constantinople. Also known as Mennas, Mina, Minas.

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Constantinople, St Mennas, Bishop.”

Menas was the director of the hospice of Saint Samson in Constantinople. Following the deposition of Bishop Anthimus I of Constantinople, Pope St Agapetus I elected him on 3 March 536 to fulfil the high office as the Bishop of that City..

After the Pope’s death, Menas presided over the Council which excommunicated Anthimus. In 543 he headed the Council which ratified Justinian ‘s edict against the Origenists and in 547 he signed, together with the Eastern Bishops, the condemnation of the Three Chapters for which he was excommunicated by Pope Vigilius.

In 552 Mena presented a retraction of his ideas with a profession of faith to the Pope. After his reconciliation with the Church he dedicated to Divine Wisdom the great Church built by the Emperor Justinian.

Menas died on 24 August 552. He was venerated as a Saint and celebrated in the Byzantine Church on 24 August 24 or 25, the latter date on which he is still celebrated in the Roman Martyrology.

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

St Louis IX King and Confessor and the Saints celebrated on 25 August

St Louis IX (1214-1270) King of France, Confessor, Reformer, Apostle of Charity.
All about this wonderful Saint here:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/08/25/saint-of-the-day-25-august-st-louis-king-of-france/
AND:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/08/25/saint-of-the-day-25-august-st-louis-ix-1214-1270-confessor/

St Alessandro Dordi
St Andreas Gim Gwang-Ok
St Aredius of Limoges
St Ebbe the Elder
St Eusebius
St Genesius of Arles
St Genesius of Brescello
St Genesius
St Gennadius of Constantinople
St Geruntius of Italica
St Ginés de la Jara

St Gregory of Utrecht (c700-776) Bishop, Confessor, Prince, disciple of St Boniface, Abbot.
His Life of Zeal:

https://anastpaul.com/2023/08/25/saint-of-the-day-25-august-saint-gregory-of-utrecht-c700-776-bishop-confessor/

St Gurloes of Sainte Croix
St Hermes of Eretum
St Hunegund of Homblieres
St Julian of Syria
St Julius of Eretum
St Maginus (Died c304) Martyr, Hermit

St Maria Micaela of the Blessed Sacrament (1809-1865) “Mother Sacramento” was a Spanish professed Religious and the Founder of the Handmaids of the Blessed Sacrament, Apostle and martyr of charity. In 1922, Pope Pius XI, proclaimed Mother Sacramento’s heroic virtues. On 25 July 1925, he Beatified her and on 4 March 1934, he Canonised her.
Her Blessed Life:

https://anastpaul.com/2019/08/25/saint-of-the-day-25-august-saint-maria-micaela-of-the-blessed-sacrament-1809-1865/

St Menas (Died 552) Bishop of Constantinople
St Nemesius of Rome

St Patricia (7th Century) Virgin, Consecrated as a Religious Sister, Pilgrim. Patronage – of Naples, one of a long list of Patron Saints of Naples. St Patricia is less well known than St Januarius, also a Patron Saint of the City, who attracts crowds to Naples Cathedral three times a year to witness the miracle of a small sample of his blood turning to liquid but St Patricia’s blood liquifies every Tuesday, on her Feast Day and at many other times.
Wondrous St Patricia:

https://anastpaul.com/2024/08/25/saint-of-the-day-25-august-st-patricia-of-naples-7th-century-virgin-of-the-miraculous-liquifying-blood/

St Peregrinus of Rome
St Petrus Gim Jeong-Duk
St Pontian