Day: May 12, 2026

Posted in MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The IMITATION of MARY, Thomas a Kempis, To JESUS through MARY

Thought for the Day – 12 May – The Active Life

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Thought for the Day – 12 May – The Imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary By Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

Extracts from The Imitation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
By Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)
Imprimatur 17 February 1947

SERMON
The Virtues a Good Servant of Mary
Ought to Practice
and the Offices He Ought to Fulfil

I. The Latins have two words to designate the good actions
to be accomplished in life. The word “virtus” in order to designate an action made with effort and goodwill and, the word “officium” in order to characterise an action accomplished as a duty but, without attachment of the heart.
That which is required here of a good servant of Mary, are virtues, which is to say, meritorious acts, élan of the heart and not only works which, domestics themselves can fulfil. There are firstly, the interior virtues – humility, patience and purity.

II. Afterwards there are the exterior virtues or virtues of action – effort in work, elevation of the mind, union in mental prayer, zeal in vocal prayer.

III. These united virtues ought to animate all practices of
devotion, if we wish these practices become spiritual acts of meritorious virtue and not only material offices of remunerated work.
Thus Mary acted; thus we ourselves should act.

IV. The servant, therefore, asks of Mary, who is a mother and a model, to aid him in this work and to console him amid the difficulties of the work.

MEDITATION
The Active Life

Life is like fire – it only preserves itself, while communicating itself.
The ancients used to represent it by a flame and that is, indeed, the truth.
To live it is necessary to act. The active life supposes –will and effort.
Mary has known and practiced this life, as all the Saints have practiced it.
Life which passes selfishly by, disillusions and engenders boredom; “taedium vitae.”
Unfortunate is the soul who permits himself to live, without rising! He will have lived most, who will have acted most, through his heart, through his soul and through his body, through love, through the mind and through works.
Is there a more beautiful model than Mary, in the Temple, at Nazareth, on Calvary, with St. John?
Such a one has lived long, who has lived little, said a wise man. Let us live like Mary and with Mary.

Practice: Do not allow a single day to pass without having
made an effort in at least one small thing.

Thought: A lukewarm life is a dull one; live as Mary did.
“Look at Mary, contemplate and marvel!
Aspice Mariam, contemplare et mirare!”

Fr and Dr Célestin Albin de Cigala (1865-1928)
Faculty of Paris (1947)
Doctor of Theology and Philosophy

Posted in "Follow Me", CATECHESIS, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD the FATHER, JESUIT SJ, Quote on SELF-ABANDONMENT, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, Quotes Self-Oblation, St Francis de Sales, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 12 May – ‘ With all my heart I pray …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 12 May – James 5:16-20 – Luke 11:5-13

“Ask and it shall be given you:
seek and you shall find:
knock and it shall be opened to you. ”

Luke 11:9

“With all my heart I pray,
for the hope of Heaven
because hope and faith,
are of much more value,
than all the riches of this world.”

St Paulinus of Nola (c354-431)

“Our part is to pray
that we may be worthy
of becoming His instruments.”

St Aloysius de Gonzaga (1568-1591)

“ It is necessary, therefore, to obey
the Eternal Father by following Our Lord
in order to hear His Word.
And behold, how we are taught that all
persons, whatever their condition may be,
must pray and meditate,
for it is there, principally,
where this Divine Master speaks to us.
… But, it will not do us any good to listen,
if we do not DO what He says to us,
observing His commandments
and His wishes faithfully,”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

“ Sometimes God delays His answer
in order to test our faith and perseverance.
It is important that we should pray
with a right intention,
with faith and perseverance
and, with resignation to God’s Will.
We must realise clearly,
God will grant us whatever is best for us,
at the most suitable moment!
Amen.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 12 May – He has given us Life; He has also taught us how to pray

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One Minute Reflection – 12 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Ferial Day – James 5:16-20 – Luke 11:5-13 – The Feast of Sts Nereus, Achilleus, Domitilla (virgin) and Pancras, Martyrs – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. ” – Luke 11:9

REFLECTION – “Dear brothers, the commands of the Gospel are nothing else than God’s lessons, the foundations on which to build hope, the supports for strengthening faith, the food which nourishes the heart. They are the rudder for keeping us on the right course, the protection which keeps our salvation secure. As they instruct the receptive minds of believers on earth, they lead safely to the Kingdom of Heaven.

God Willed that many things should be said by the Prophets, His servants and listened to by His people. How much greater are the Words spoken by the Son. These are now witnessed to by the very Word of God Who spoke through the Prophets. The Word of God does not now command us to prepare the way for His Coming; He Comes in Person and opens the way for us and directs us toward it. Before, we wandered in the darkness of death, aimlessly and blindly. Now we are enlightened by the Light of Grace and are to keep to the highway of life, with the Lord to precede and direct us.

The Lord has given us many Counsels and Commandments to assist us toward salvation. He has even given us a pattern of prayer, instructing us on how we are to pray. He has given us Life and with His accustomed generosity, He has also taught us how to pray. He has made it easy for us to be heard as we pray to the Father in the Words taught us by the Son.

He has already foretold that the hour was coming when true worshipers would worship the Father in spirit and in truth. He fulfilled what He had promised before, so that we who have received the Spirit and the Truth through the holiness He has given us, may worship in Truth and in the Spirit through the prayer He has taught.

What prayer could be more a prayer in the Spirit than the one given us by Christ, by Whom the Holy Ghost was sent upon us? What prayer could be more a prayer in the Truth than the one spoken by the Lips of the Son, Who is Truth Himself? It follows that to pray in any other way than the Son has taught us, is not only the result of ignorance but, of sin. He Himself has commanded it and has said: You reject the command of God, to set up your own tradition.

So, my brothers, let us pray as God our Master has taught us. To ask the Father in words His Son has given us, to let Him hear the prayer of Christ ringing in His ears, is to make our prayer one of friendship, a family prayer. Let the Father recognise the Words of His Son. Let the Son Who lives in our hearts be also on our lips. We have Him as an Advocate for sinners before the Father; when we ask for forgiveness for ours sins, let us use the Words given by our Advocate. He tells us: Whatever you ask the Father in My Name, He will give you. What more effective prayer could we then make in the Name of Christ than in the Words of His Own prayer?” – St Cyprian of Carthage (200-258) – Bisho, Father of the Church and Martyr (An excerpt from his On the Lord’s Prayer).

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Almighty God, that we, who in our tribulation are yet of good cheer because of Thy loving-kindness, may find Thee mighty to save from all dangers. 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 DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on MERCY

Our Morning Offering – 12 May – O Mary, Twic Mother of Mercy By St Jerome Emiliani

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Our Morning Offering – 12 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

O Mary, Twice Mother of Mercy
By St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537)

O Mary,
thou art twice Mother of Mercy
because thou hast been made
Mother of our most merciful Saviour,
and, furthermore because,
thou hast given to us
so many signs
of thy maternal care and love.
Turn upon us, we beseech thee,
thy glance of compassion
and grant, that we may always
live free from sin,
which is the only impediment
to receiving the fruits
of the Divine Mercies.
Amen

Posted in Uncategorized

Saint of the Day – 12 May – Saint Cyril and 6 Companions (3rd Century) Martyrs of Rumania.

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Saint of the Day – 12 May – Saint Cyril and 6 Companions (3rd Century) Martyrs of Rumania. Little is known of these Saints besides their staunch and holy sanctity never ceasing to declare Christ under immense torture and finally beheading. Grant us too the Grace we beseech Thee, Beloved Lord, never to cease defending Thee!

Information regarding Saint Cyril and his 6 companions, Martyred in Moesia (modern-day Rumania), is unfortunately fragmentary. Their liturgical feast is set today but the date of their Martyrdom remains uncertain, presumably in the 3rd Century.

The main sources mentioning these Saints are:

  • The Roman Martyrology: it places their commemoration on May 12th with the following entry: “At Galatz in Moesia, in modern Rumania, Saint Cyril, who was Martyred together with six companions.”
  • Apocryphal Acts
  • Ancient local traditions: passed down orally and then collected in manuscripts.

From the available sources, it is clear that Cyril was a fervent Christian who lived in Moesia. During a period of persecution, he and 6 companions were arrested and brought before the Roman Governor. They refused to renounce their faith and were subjected to various tortures. Finally, they were condemned to death and beheaded.

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, ROGATION DAYS, SAINT of the DAY

Rogation Day, Notre-Dame-des-Vertus / Our Lady of Power, France (1336), St Nereus & Companions, Martyrs and the Saints for 12 May

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ROGATION DAY: Rogations, or Lesser Litanies, may be recited on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before Ascension day.
About Rogation Days HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/05/23/virgen-de-gracia-virgin-of-grace-aes-puente-viesgo-pas-miera-cantabria-spain-1575-and-memorials-of-the-saints-23-may/

Notre-Dame-des-Vertus / Our Lady of Power, Aubervilliers, France (1336) – 12 May:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/05/12/notre-dame-des-vertus-our-lady-of-power-aubervilliers-france-1336-and-memorials-of-the-saints-12-may/

Sts Nereus, Achilleus, Domitilla (virgin) and Pancras, Martyrs
St Achilleus of Terracina Martyr
AND;
St Nereus of Terracina Martyr
About:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/05/12/saints-of-the-day-12-may-sts-nereus-and-achilleus/
Together with St Flavia Domitilla, their mistress and fellow hermit, were Martyred for Christ:
St Flavia here:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/05/07/saint-of-the-day-7-may-saint-flavia-domitilla-of-terracina-1st-century-virgin-and-martyr/
AND:
St Pancras of Rome (c 289 – c 303) Martyr Child of 14, Roman Convert
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2017/05/12/saint-of-the-day-st-pancras/

St Crispoldus
St Cyril and 6 Companions (3rd Century) Martyrs of Rumania
St Dedë Malaj
St Diomma of Kildimo
St Dionysius of Asia

St Domingo de la Calzada / Dominic of the Causeway ((1019 – 1109) Priest, Hermit, Bridge Builder, a road, a Hospital/Hostel, a Church, in effect a town, Miracle-worker.
Another Patron against Eye Diseases:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/05/12/saint-of-the-day-12-may-st-domingo-de-la-calzada-dominic-of-the-causeway-1019-1109/

St Ejëll Deda
St Ephrem of Jerusalem

St Epiphanius (c315 – 403) Bishop of Salamis (Cyprus) known as the Oracle of Palestine, Church Father, Theologian, Confessor, Writer, Defender of the Faith, Monk and Ascetic.
His Devout Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/05/12/saint-of-the-day-saint-epiphanius-c-315-403-the-oracle-of-palestine/

St Erc Nasca of Tullylish
St Ethelhard of Canterbury
St Euphrosyna of Terracina
Bl Francis Patrizzi of Siena
Bl Gemma of Goriano

St Germanus of Constantinople (c640-733) Bishop of Constantinople from 715 to 730, Defender of the Doctrine of the Church both against Monothelitism and Iconoclasm, Poet, Hymnist, Spiritual writer, some of his works being used and quoted very often today. 
St Germanus’ Life of Grace
https://anastpaul.com/2021/05/12/saint-of-the-day-12-may-saint-germanus-of-constantinople-c-640-733/

Blessed Joanna of Portugal OP (1452-1490) Religious of the Second Order of St Dominic, Virgin, Princess of Portugal of the House of Aviz, daughter of King Afonso V of Portugal and his first wife Isabella of Coimbra, Penitent.
Blessed Joanna whom the Portuguese called “Saint Princess Joanna”:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/12/saint-of-the-day-12-may-blessed-joanna-of-portugal-1452-1490/

Bl Juan de Segalars
St Lucien Gala

St Modoaldus (Died c640) Bishop of Trier, Germany. Brother of Saint Severa of Saint Gemma. Uncle of Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, Saint Begga of Ardenne and Saint Modesta of Trier. Counselor to King Dagobert I of the Franks.
His Zealous Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2025/05/12/saint-of-the-day-12-may-st-modoaldus-died-c640-bishop/

St Palladius of Rome
St Philip of Agira
St Richrudis of Marchiennes
St Theodora of Terracina
St Thomas Khampheuane Inthirath