Thought for the Day – 2 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Recollection
“We may imagine that all this applies only to Monks but that is not so. We all need interior recollection and we can find it even during our work and in the midst of turmoil and confusion. If we fail to find it, moreover, it is too bad for us, as The Imitation of Christ warns us. “Peace is not in the heart of the carnal man, nor in the man who is devoted to outward things but, in the fervent and spiritual man” (Bk 1 Ch 6:2).
Let us make sure, therefore, that we shall not be distracted by worldly affairs. In the midst of all our occupations, let us preserve a spirit of detachment and live in the presence of God. May God be our first thought and our first desire and may He be the true goal of all our actions!”
Quote/s of the Day – 2 December – Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Jesus said in parables: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field. … Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant seeking good pearls. ”
Matthew 13:44, 45
“The two parables of the treasure and the pearl, both teach us the same thing – we should prefer the Gospel before all earthly treasures. … However, there is something even more praiseworthy than this – we should delight to give it preference, joyfully, unhesitatingly. Let us never forget this, to abandon all else, so as to follow God, is to gain more, than one loses. The preaching of the Gospel is hidden in this world like a hidden treasure, a treasure without price!”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Whoever thinks well on eternity, troubles himself little about what happens in these three or four moments of mortal life.”
“The love of God is the end, the perfection and the excellence, of the universe. ”
(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 10, Chapter 1)
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 2 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – St Bibiana (Died c 361) Virgin Martyr – Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field.” – Matthew 13:44
REFLECTION – “Some of the brethren think that they are excluded from the Holy Ghost’s gifts of grace. Because they neglect to practise the commandments, they do not know that he who has an unadulterated faith in Christ, has within himself, the sum total of all the Divine gifts. Since, through our laziness, we are far from having an active love for Him — a love which shows us the Divine Treasures within us — we naturally think that we are excluded from these gifts.
If, as St Paul says: “Christ dwells in our hearts through faith” (Eph 3:17) and, “all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in Him” (Col 2:3), then, all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in our hearts! They are revealed to the heart, in proportion to our purification by means of the commandments. This is the treasure, hidden in the field of your heart which you have not yet found because of your laziness! Had you found it, you would have sold everything and bought that field. But now, you have abandoned that field and give all your attention to the land nearby, where there is nothing but thorns and thistles! It is for this reason that the Saviour says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8) for He is hidden in the hearts of those who believe in Him.They shall see Him and the riches in Him, when they have purified themselves, through love and self-control. And, the greater their purity, the more they will see!” – St Maximus the Confessor (c580-662) Abbot and Theologian (Centuries of love 4:69).
PRAYER – O God, giver of all good gifts, Thou Who in Thy servant, Bibiana, joined the flower of virginity with the palm of Martyrdom, by her intercession unite our hearts to Thee in charity, so that, saved from all dangers, we may obtain the rewards of eternal life. 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 – 2 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – First Saturday of the Month
O Mary, Mother of God (O Virgin Most Pure, Wholly Unspotted) By St Ephrem of Syria (306-373) Father and Doctor of the Church
O Virgin most pure, wholly unspotted, O Mary, Mother of God, Queen of the universe, thou art above all the saints, the hope of the elect and the joy of all the blessed. It is thou who hast reconciled us with God; thou art the only refuge of sinners and the safe harbour of those who are shipwrecked; thou art the consolation of the world, the ransom of captives, the health of the weak, the joy of the afflicted and the salvation of all. We have recourse to thee and we beseech thee to have pity on us. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 2 December – Saint Robert (Died 1185) O.Cist. Abbot of the Cistercian Monastery at Matallana, in Valladolid, Spain. Possibly born in Champagne, France and died at his Monastery in Spain. Patronages – against locusts, against vermin, of Champagne, France.
The Cistercian Order celebrates St Robert on 2 December but historians of the Order have handed down very little information about him.
It is not known when he was born but in 1175 he was already a Cistercian Monk at the Monastery of La Creste in Burgundy; a historic region of France, which was the seat of the monastic reforms of the Cluniacs and the Cistercians.
St Bernard
In 1175 he left his Monastery with some Monks and went to found a new one in Matallana, about 25 km from present-day Valladolid in Spain, placing it under the protection of King Alfonso VIII of Castile (1155-1214), known as the Noble.
We do not know the precise date of his death but he died ten years after arriving in Matallana, in 1185 and his remains were placed in the High Altar of the Monastery Church, built with great munificence by Queen Beatrice, wife of King St Ferdinand III of Castile (1199-1252) and the Abbess of the Monastery of Las Huelgas (Burgos), Doña Berenguela. This deposition is certainly a testament to the life of a founder which, in those times, was already a title of sanctity, as well as a man of God and a worthy Abbot and leader of his Cistercian Monks.
His Relics are currently venerated in the Parish Church of Matallana where, it is said many miracles have occurred at his Shrine. He has been invoked as a protector against rural disasters, particularly against locusts.
St Robert O.Cist. (Died 1185) Abbot atMatallana, Spain St Silvanus (Died c450) Bishop of Troas, Phrygia.
Greek Martyrs of Rome – 9 Saints: Several Greek Christians Martyred in the persecutions of Valerian – Adria, Aurelia, Eusebius, Hippolytus, Marcellus, Mary Martana, Maximus, Neon and Paulina. They were martyred by various means between 254 and 259 in Rome, Italy and are buried in the Callistus catacombs, Rome.
Martyrs of Africa – 4 Saints: Four Christians Martyred in Africa in the persecutions of Arian Vandals – Januarius, Securus, Severus and Victorinus.
AnaStpaul 
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