Thought for the Day – 23 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Commandments and the Desires of Jesus Christ
“One who loves is not content, merely, to do the will of the loved one, he tries to satisfy his every wish. If we really love Jesus, therefore, not only should we do His will perfectly but, we should also fulfil every desire of His heart. But what are the desires of Jesus? His first desire is the glory of His Father which we must promote by every means in collaboration with Divine Grace. His second is our sanctification, “For this is the Will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thess 4:3). “You, therefore, are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt 5:48).
In the third place, we should take part, as far as we can, in works of the Apostolate, for the triumph of the Church and of the Kingdom of God on earth. Are we doing all this? Perhaps, on the day of our death, we shall have to say: How much good I could have done and I neglected to do it! How much more I should have loved my God, yet I loved Him so little!”
Quote/s of the Day – 23 September – St Pope Linus (c10 – c76) Successor to St Peter – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11 – Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God!”
Matthew 16:16
“Truly blessed is he who cleaves, with his thought, to the Prayer of Jesus, constantly calling to Him in his heart, just as air cleaves to our bodies, or the flame to the candle.”
St Hesychius of Jerusalem (Died c450) Priest, Exegete, Father
“Day by day follow God’s path, keeping Him closely attached to you by His promise. In fact, He Himself said, through the mediation of His Apostles, to all those who seek His Will and His testimonies that He would be with them until the end of the world (Mt 28:20) where paths and footsteps will be unknown (cf Ps 76:20), as the divine David said in his songs. Yet, in an invisible way, He is present to the eyes of the mind, making Himself seen by those who have a pure heart and conversing with them. So pursue your path …. ”
St Theodore the Studite (759-826) Abbot, Confessor, Father of the Church
“Let us go to Jesus when we are worn out by conflict and have no strength left. Let us go to Him when we feel that we can walk no further along the stony path to perfection. He will help us and restore our courage; He will grant us an increase of grace which is the source of the spiritual life. It is essential, however, that we should have a spirit of recollection. If we are dissipated, we shall be unable to hear the Voice of God. We must speak with God and open our hearts to Him; we must tell Him that we love Him and wish to learn to love Him more and to conform more completely to His designs for us.”
One Minute Reflection – 23 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – St Pope Linus (c10 – c76) Successor to St Peter – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11 – Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Upon this rock I will build My Church” – Matthew 16:18
REFLECTION – “Let us leave the instances from the past and come to some of the heroes of more recent times. Take the noble figures of out own generation. Even the greatest and most virtuous Pillars of our Church, were assailed by envy and jealousy and had to keep up the struggle until death ended their days. Look at the holy Apostles. It was by sinful jealousy that Peter was subjected to tribulation, not once or twice but many times; it was in that way, he bore his witness before leaving us for his well-earned place in glory. And Paul because of jealousy and contention, has become the very type of endurance rewarded! He was in bonds seven times, he was exiled, he was stoned. He preached in the East and in the West, winning a noble reputation for his faith. He taught righteousness to all the world and, after reaching the furthest limits of the West and bearing his testimony before kings and rulers, he passed out of this world and was received into the holy places. In him, we have one of the greatest of all examples, of endurance. Besides these men of saintly life, there are many more of the elect, who have undergone hardships and torments instigated by jealousy and provide admirable object lessons, for ourselves …
Now, all this is not being written as a warning to you alone, my dear friends but, for a reminder to ourselves too because, we also, are in the same arena and have the same conflict before ourselves. So let us be done with these barren and empty fancies and turn instead, to the honourable, holy rule of our tradition, so that we may find out what is good and pleasing and acceptable, in the Sight of Him Who made us. Let us fix our thoughts on the Blood of Christ and reflect how precious that Blood is in God’s Eyes, inasmuch as Its outpouring for our salvation, has opened the grace of repentance to all mankind.” – St Pope Clement I (c35-c101) – Pope from c88 to 101, Father (Letter to the Corinthians 5-7).
PRAYER – Look forgivingly on Thy flock, Eternal Shepherd, and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Linus Thy Sovereign Pontiff, whom Thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church. 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).
Our Morning Offering – 23 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross”
Suscipe “Receive” By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
Receive, O Lord, all my liberty. Take my memory, understanding and entire will. Whatsoever I have or hold, Thou hast given it – I give all back to Thee and commit it wholly to be governed by Thy Will. Thy Love and Thy Grace give unto me and I am rich enough and ask for nothing more! Amen
Saint of the Day – 23 September – St Constantius (5th Century) Sacristan of Ancona, in the Marches, Italy, Miracle-worker. A gentle and humble man filled with supernatural gifts and graces and by his prayers, rendering grat miracles for those who beseeched his aid and for his Church when in need.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Ancona, St Constantius, Sacristan of the Church, renowned for the gift of miracles.”
St Gregory the Great provides some information regarding our Saint Constantius in his Dialogues, highlighting his profound humility, a faith which “could move mountains” and miraculous power.
Unknown Spanish Sacristan
According to the illustrious Pontiff’s account, based on the testimony of his own Bishop (likely the City’s Bishop himself) and other locals, Constantius, dressed in monastic attire, served as a Sacristan in the Church of St Stephen, Ancona’s first Cathedral and a famous sanctuary, where, according to St Augustine, a Relic of the 1st Martyr was venerated.
St Gregory emphasises in particular, how the humble and almost threadbare appearance of the simple Sacristan corresponded to a great spirit of perfection which shone through the gift of miracles.
Among the prodigious events, it is recorded that, due to the miraculous power of the lowly Sacristan, the Church’s lamps burned, even though they were filled with water instead of oil. As the fame of the young Sacritan’s sanctity and extraordinary works spread, many flocked to see him and beg for spiritual favours. One day, a rough peasant came to the Church and, seeing the frail Sacristan on a ladder busy triming the lamps, refused to believe in his sanctity and began to mock him with insulting words, calling him a liar and presumptuous. Constantius, who had heard the insults, ran to embrace and kiss him, thanking him for his treatment and thus proving, as St Gregory concludes, that if he was great in miracles, he was even greater in humility of heart.
Nothing else is known of this gentle and holy Saint. His body was later translated to Venice and placed first in the Church of St.Basil, then in that of Saints Gervasius and Protasius, where he is currently venerated celebrated today 23 September as it is in the Diocese of Ancona. The reasons and exact date of this translation of St Constantius’ Relics is unknown, although some local sources believe the body was stolen in the 12th Century during a siege and following a robbery by Venetian merchants.
Today, the Cathedral in Ancona, possesses the only memento of St Costantius, a bone fragment donated in 1760, with authentication by the Patriarch of Venice.
St Pope Linus (c 10 – c 76) Successor to St Peter. Papacy lasted from c 67 to his death as a Martyr. Among those to have held the position of Pope, Peter, Linus and Clement are specifically mentioned in the New Testament. Linus is mentioned in the closing greeting of the Second Epistle to Timothy as being with Paul in Rome near the end of Paul’s life. The Life and Death of St Linus: https://anastpaul.com/2018/09/23/saint-of-the-day-23-september-st-pope-linus-c-10-c-76-successor-to-st-peter/
St Sosius (275-305) Confessor, Deacon and Martyr. His holiness and wisdom drew many Prelates to his feet, seeking spiritual assistance. St Sosius was a Deacon of Misenum, an important naval base of the Roman Empire in the Bay of Naples. The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Capo Miseno in Campania, St Sosius, Deacon and Martyr, who, as Pope St Symmachus reports, wishing to save his Bishop from death, instead found death together with him, obtaining equal glory at the same price.” His Life and Death: https://anastpaul.com/2022/09/23/saint-of-the-day-23-september-saint-sosius-275-305-confessor-deacon-and-martyr/
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