Thought for the Day – 27 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
HELL!
“In whatever you do, remember your last days and you will never sin.” (Eccl 7:36)
“The meditation considered, by the masters of the spiritual life, to be the most useful for rousing the soul from sin, or from a state of torpor, is that on the last things, in other words, on what will happen to us at the end of life. Amongst these last things, hell is the most terrifying. Yet, if the mercy of God did not sustain us, we could fall into hell at any moment. St John Chrysostom meditated on hell everyday. All the Saints have found in this meditation, the first steps on the way to perfection. Remember, that a single mortal sin, would merit hell for us! In that moment, the sinner could have been already hurled into the abyss of torments. Let us imagine, that we are there …. and, that the goodness and mercy of God has released us from those everlasting, all-devouring flames. If this should happen, all the sacrifices, which virtue demands, would seem so easy and pleasant. How ready we should be to do anything, sooner than return to that chasm of eternal sorrow!”
Quote/s of the Day – 27 September – Saints Cosmas and Damian (Died c 286 ) Martyrs – Wisdom 5:16-20 – Luke 6:17-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Be glad in that day and rejoice, for behold, your reward is great in Heaven,”
Luke 6:23
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven.”
Matthew 5:12
“The one who walks in the love of God seeks neither gain nor reward but seeks only, with the will, to lose self and all things, for God and this loss, the lover judges to be a gain! ”
St John of the Cross (1442-1591) Doctor of the Church
“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
“The patience of the Saints was more severely tried than is ours. Not only were they stoned, racked, torn asunder, not only did they suffer want, distress, afflictions (Hebrews 11 : 37) but, they had to endure what was still more difficult – ingratitude, failure, unkindness, false accusations, desolation, darkness. Yet they willingly endured all for Jesus’ sake, never ceasing to love Him through it all. I have my trials, yet none so dreadful as theirs, yet I complain even under my lighter cross!”
One Minute Reflection – 27 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – Saints Cosmas and Damian (Died c 286 ) Martyrs – Wisdpm 5:16-20 – Luke 6:17-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Be glad in that day and rejoice, for behold, your reward is great in Heaven,” – Luke 6:23
REFLECTION – “Only Christians have a true sense of values; their joys and sorrows are not the same as other people’s. The sight of a wounded combatant wearing a victory crown would make someone, ignorant of the games, think only of the fighter’s wounds and how painful they must be. Such a person would know nothing of the happiness the crown gives. And, it is the same when people see the things we suffer, without knowing why we do so. It naturally seems to them to be suffering pure and simple. They see us struggling and facing danger but, beyond their vision, are the rewards, the crowns of victory — all we hope to gain, through the contest! As Paul said: “We possess nothing and yet, we have everything!” (2 Cor 6:10)…
We too, then, when we suffer anything for Christ’s sake, should do so not simply with courage but even with joy. If we have to go hungry, let us be glad, as if we were at a banquet. If we are insulted, let us be elated, as though we had been showered with praises. If we lose all we possess, let us consider ourselves the gainers of all. If we provide for the poor, let us regard ourselves as the recipients! … Above all, remember that your struggles, are for the sake of the Lord Jesus. Then, you will easily rise above them and live out your lifetime in happiness; for nothing brings more happiness than a good conscience.” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Bishop of Constantinople, Father & Doctor of the Church (Sermon on Second Corinthians, 12: 4).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thou, almighty God, that we who celebrate the anniversary of the death of Thy holy Martyrs, Cosmas and Damian, may by their intercession, be delivered from all the evils that threaten us. Through 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 – 27 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross”
God Of Mercy! Let Us Run! Summæ Deus Clementiæ (Most High God of Mercy) Transl. By Fr Frederik William Faber CO (1814-1863)
God of Mercy! let us run Where Thon fount of sorrows flows; Pondering sweetly, one by one, Jesu’s Wounds and Mary’s woes.
Ah! those tears Our Lady shed, Enough to drown a world of sin; Tears which Jesu’s sorrows fed, Peace and pardon well may win!
His five Wounds a very home For our prayers and praises prove; And Our Lady’s Woes become Endless joys’in Heaven above.
Jesu, Who for us didst die, All on Thee, our love we pour; And in the Holy Trinity Worship Thee forever more.
This Hymn is used for Lauds on the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Breviary. This is the full, original text from an 1852 edition of Fr. Faber’s Hymnal Jesus and Mary. It is listed for The Dolours of Our Lady.
Words: Ascribed to Bishop Callisto Palumbella OSM (1687-1759) (1720) Translated by Fr Frederick William Faber CO (1814-1863) (1849) Note: Fr Faber died on 26 September 1814 Tune: “Nun Lasst Uns Geh’n” Dresden, 1694. Words: 7.7.7.7
Saint of the Day – 27 September – St Gaius (1st Century) the 1st Bishop of Milan, disciple of St Barnabas, Apostle and possibly Consecrated as Bishop by him and sent to Milan. Also know as – Gaio.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Milan, the holy Bishop Gaius, a disciple of the blessed Apostle, Barnabas, who passed calmly to rest after suffering severely in the persecution of Nero.”
Almost nothing is known regarding the life and the Episcopate of Caius, except that he was the Bishop of Milan in the 1st Century and that he died towards the end of September.
He was buried in a cemetery in the area of the Basilica Naboriana, now demolished. His Relics were later translated to the near Basilica of St Ambrose.
Some sources place our Saint in the 3rd Century and Medieval texts, such as the Historia Dataria dated 11th-Century, add some biographic details such as his presence in Rome at the Martyrdom of St Peter and St Paul and the his conversion of Saints Vitalis, Valeris and Gervasius and Protasius. None of this can be considered more than legendary.
Announcing a Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary Begins 28 or 29 September. The Feast of the Most Holy Rosary is celebrated on 7 October.
NOTE on Novenas: As we are well aware, the First Novena is that which the Apostles and disciples prayed in the Upper Room in preparation for and anticipation of, the arrival of the Holy Ghost. Tradition says that after the Ascention the Apostles gathered and prayed for 9 days and on the 10the day, being the day of Pentecost, the Holy Ghost descended upon them. This is the way I grew up, praying for 9 days before the relevant Feast and celebrating the actual Feast concerned on the 10th day. BUT there is no problem in praying the Novena and finishing the 9th day on the actual Feast and indeed, Novenas may also be prayed at any time needed by the faithful.
We can even pray a Rosary Novena, where we pray the Rosary for 9 days, simply by stating a Special Intention for those 9 days BEFRE we pray our Daily Rosary … there is really no hard and fast rule, i.e. no Correct or Incorrect way. The important thing is that we are praying with faith and fervent devotion for 9 consecutive days. https://anastpaul.com/2022/09/27/announcing-a-novena-to-our-lady-of-the-rosary-begins-28-september-2/
St Elzear TOSF (1285-1323) Layman, Member of the Third Order of St Francis, Mystic, miracle-worker, Baron of Ansouis, Count of Ariano, France, Ruler, Diplomat, Military Leader. Patron of Tertiaries. A Saintly and Talented Ruler: https://anastpaul.com/2021/09/27/saint-of-the-day-st-elzear-tosf-1285-1323/
St Epicharis St Fidentius of Todi St Florentinus the Hermit St Gaius (1st Century) Bishop of Milan St Hilary the Hermit
Martyrs of Aegea – (3 Saints): Three Christians Martyred with Saints Cosmas and Damian in the persecutions of Diocletian – Anthimus, Euprepius and Leontius. They were tortured and beheaded c.303 in Aegea, Cilicia (modern Ayas, Turkey).
AnaStpaul 
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