Our Morning Offering – 27 September – “The Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Cross
Faithful Cross! Above All Other By St Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 – c 609)
Faithful Cross! above all other, one and only noble tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peer may be; sweetest wood and sweetest iron, sweetest weight is hung on thee.
Bend thy boughs, O tree of glory! Thy relaxing sinews bend; for awhile the ancient rigour that thy birth bestowed, suspend and the King of heavenly beauty gently on thine arms extend.
Praise and honour to the Father, praise and honour to the Son, praise and honour to the Spirit, ever Three and ever One: One in might and One in glory while eternal ages run.
Thought for the Day – 26 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Faith and Hope
“We should also have great confidence in the continual assistance which God offers us in the temptations, troubles and trials of life. When we are strongly tempted, we should remember that God will not permit us to be tempted beyond our strength (Cf 1 Cor 10:13), and we should pray to Him for help.
When pain torments us, when humiliations are difficult to bear, when all is dark. we fear each moment and we feel abandoned, let us trust in Him, Who is the Way, the Truth and Life. He says to us, as He said to Peter floundering in the waves: “O O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?” (Mt 14:31).
He is always ready to console and comfort. He is always there waiting for our call. We are not alone!”
Quote/s of the Day – 26 September – St Isaac Jogues SJ (1607-1646) Priest, Martyr, Missionary and Companions
“My confidence is placed in God, Who does not need our help to accomplishing His designs. Our single endeavour, should be, to give ourselves to the work and to be faithful to Him.”
St Isaac Jogues (1607-1646) Martyr
“God is the witness of our sufferings and will soon be our exceedingly great reward. Let us die in this faith… Sustain with courage, the few remaining torments. They will end our lives. The glory which follows them, will never have an end...”
One Minute Reflection – 26 September – “The Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Cross” – St Isaac Jogues SJ (1607-1646) Priest, Martyr, Missionary and Companions – Hebrews 10:32-38, Luke 12:1-8 Sacred Scripture seach here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Yes, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid, you are of more value than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7
REFLECTION – “Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life in fear – rather look to them with full hope that, as they arise, God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them. He is your keeper. He has kept you hitherto. Do you but hold fast to His dear hand and He will lead you safely through all things and, when you cannot stand, He will bear you in His arms. Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. Our Father will either shield you from suffering, or He will give you strength to bear it.” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church.
PRAYER – May the continual protection of the blessed Martyrs comfort us, O Lord, for Thou do not cease to behold with favour those whom You have granted the grace of such assistance. 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).
Our Morning Offering – 26 September – St Isaac Jogues SJ (1607-1646), St Isaac Jogues SJ (1607-1646) Priest, Martyr, Missionary and Companions
Jesus, What Can I Give Thee in Return? The Prayer of St Jean de Brébeuf SJ (1593-1649)
Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, what can I give Thee in return for all the favours Thou hast first conferred upon me? I will take from Thy Hand, the Cup of Thine Sufferings and call on Thy Name. I vow before Thee, eternal Father and the Holy Ghost, before Thy most holy Mother and her most chaste Spouse, before the Angels, Apostles and Martyrs, before my blessed fathers, Saint Ignatius and Saint Francis Xavier, in truth, I vow to Thee, Jesus my Saviour, that, as far as I have the strength, I will never fail to accept the grace of Martyrdom, if someday Thou, in Thine Infinite Mercy, should offer it to me, Thy most unworthy servant … My beloved Jesus, here and now, I offer my body and blood and life. May I die only for Thee, if Thou will grant me this grace, since Thou willingly died for me. Let me so live that Thou may grant me the gift of such a happy death. In this way, my God and Saviour, I will take from Thy Hand, the Cup of Thine Sufferings and call upon Thy Name, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Amen
Thought for the Day – 25 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Sacrifices of Life
“When we say that we must be prepared to make any sacrifice, even to die, rather than offend God and risk eternal damnation, we mean exactly what we say. “If thy right eye is an occasion of sin to thee,” Jesus says in the Gospel, “pluck it out and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee that one of thy members should perish than that thy whole body should be thrown into hell. And if thy right hand is an occasion of sin to thee, cut it off and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee that one of thy members should be lost, than thy whole body should go into hell” (Mt 5:29-30).
We are prepared to do all this when there is a question of preserving mortal life; we are prepared to undergo an amputation in order to avoid death. Are we prepared to do as much for eternal salvation?
Sometimes, when we wish to set ourselves free from the danger of sin, we must deprive ourselves of things that are dear to us; we must suppress our natural instincts and affections and we must impose on ourselves severe penances and bodily mortifications. All this is demanded from us by Jesus in these words which seem hard and almost cruel but are none other than a just and necessary commandment. In certain grave cases, heroism is necessary for all – now is the time of heroes! Are we courageous for Christ and for eternal life with Him?”
Quote/s of the Day – 25 September – “The Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Cross” and the Memnorial of St Vincent Strambi CP (1745-1824) Bishop
“… How can anyone put on Jesus Christ and imitate His example, if he does not study this Jesus, who must inspire and perfect our faith? He must run the race to which he is challenged, the glorious race in which, he overcomes the enemy of the human family and follows the Way of the Cross. Under the lordly banner of that Cross, he will attain eternal life.”
(From his first Pastoral Letter as Bishop)
“The poor are my supervisors and I am their treasurer.”
One Minute Reflection – 25 September – “The Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Cross” – Ephesians 3:13-21, Luke 14:1-11 – Seardh Scripture here: https://www.drbo.org/
“For everyone who exalts himself, shall be humbled and he who humbles himself, shall be exalted.” – Luke 14:11
REFLECTION – “The Scripture asserts that “everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” If we want to attain to true humility and come quickly to the top of that heavenly ascent, to which we can only mount, by lowliness in this present life, we must ascend by good works.
We must erect the mystical ladder of Jacob, where Angels, ascending and descending, appeared to him. Ascent and descent means, that we go downward when we exalt ourselves and rise, when we are humbled. The ladder represents our life in this world, which our Lord erects to Heaven, when our heart is humbled. The sides of the ladder represent our soul and body, sides between which, God has placed several rungs of humility and, discipline, whereby we are to ascend if we would answer His call.”– St Benedict (480-547) Father of the Church (Rule of Benedict #7)
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness, both of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, our sorrowful Mother, may be delivered from present sadnes, and enter into the joy of thine eternal gladness.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).
Our Morning Offering – 25 September – The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost +
An Act of Consecration to the Holy Trinity By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of Charity
I vow and consecrate to God all that is in me: my memory and my actions to God the Father; my understanding and my words to God the Son; my will and my thoughts to God the Holy Ghost; my heart, my body, my tongue, my senses and all my sorrows to the Sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ, “who was content to be betrayed into the hands of wicked men and to suffer the torment of the Cross..” Amen
Thought for the Day – 24 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Fundamental Facts
“Eternity lies ahead. Where the tree falls, there it will remain. So it will be with us. If we have to our credit works of virtue and of apostolic labour, death will be for us, as it was for St Francis, the good sister, who will release us from the bonds which tie us to this earth, so that the soul can soar to its longed-for haven of everlasting joy, in the company of God. But, if we are so unfortunate, at this last moment, as to find ourselves in mortal sin, we shall be deprived forever of the sight of God and, as a result, of everlasting happiness. We shall be hurled into the eternal abyss, where there is no light, nor hope and where torments will have no end!
While there is still time, let us meditate on these truths. Remember – this hour, might be our last!”
Thought for the Day – 23 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Carelessness
“Some people think that they are good Christians because they avoid committing grave sin and more or less, fulfil their duties. They do not entirely omit their prayers but, they are content to recite them listlessly.
They go to Mass on days of obligation but, they are afraid of arriving too early and so, they are usually a little late. Once Mass is over, they leave the Church, as if they had been set on fire. During Mass, they are cold and distracted. They are like candlesticks without candles – their minds are absent, their hearts are mute.
In regard to their work or other obligations, any excuse suffices to escape or to leave a job half-done. It is useless to expect from them, anything like fervour in prayer, attention to duty, or a spirit of sacrifice in the performance of good works.
Such people are only half-Christians. They do not wish to serve Satan but, they lack the generosity ad the strength of will to become true sons of God. Do you belong to this category? If your carelessness derives from a lack of appreciation of divine things and of your duty in life, you can hardly avoid grave fault. If it comes from laziness, tepidity or lack of mortification, there is no doubt but that you are close to mortal sin! Anyone who is negligent, not only disgusts men but he is an object of loathing to God too and is running the risk of being abandoned by Him! We should examine ourselves seriously and, if we discover this indifference in ourselves, we should shake off our lethargy and make good resolutions to love God more and to serve Him with greater fidelity and diligence. We should be ready, no matter how great the sacrifice, to avoid every imperfection and sin. Any offence against God can lead us nearer to eternal damnation!”
Quote/s of the Day – 23 September – Osee 14:2-10, Luke 7:36-50
“Wherefore I say to you, her sins, many as they are, shall be forgiven her because she has loved much. But he, to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
Luke 7:47
“You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
Luke 12:40
“Be vigilant at all times and pray, that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man…”
Luke 21:36
“Watch” over your life. … Sheep will turn into wolves and love into hatred. With the increase of iniquity, people will hate, persecute and betray each other. Then the world deceiver will appear in the disguise of God’s Son. He will work “signs and wonders” and the earth will fall into his hands. He will commit outrages such as have never occurred before. Then humankind will come to the “fiery trial“ and many will fall away” and perish.”
Unknown 1st Century Author of this early Treatise (Didache, 16)
“We should consider how much good our Lord did us, by His first coming and how much more He will do for us, by His second. This thought will help us, to have a great love for that first coming of His and a great longing for His return.”
One Minute Reflection – 23 September – “The Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Cross” and the Mermorial of St Pope Linus (c 10 – c 76) Successor to St Peter – Osee 14:2-10, Luke 7:36-50
“She began to bathe His feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed is feet and anointed them with ointment.” – Luke 7:38
REFLECTION – “With her hands of good works, she holds the feet of those who preach His Kingdom. She washes them with tears of charity, kisses them with praising lips and pours out the whole ointment of mercy, until He will turn her. This means that He will come back to her and say to Simon, to the Pharisees, to those who deny, to the nation of the Jews, “I came into your house. You gave me no water for my feet.”
When will He speak these words? He will speak them when He will come in the Majesty of His Father and separate the righteous from the unrighteous, like a shepherd who separates the sheep from the goats. He will say, “I was hungry and you did not give me to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. I was a stranger and you did not take me in.” This is equivalent to saying, “But this woman, while she was bathing my feet, anointing them and kissing them, did to the servants, what you did not do for the Master.” She did for the feet, what you refused to the Head. She expended upon the lowliest members, what you refused to your Creator. Then He will say to the Church, “Your sins, many as they are, are forgiven you because you have loved much.”– St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) Bishop of Ravenna, Father and “Doctor of Homilies” (Sermon 95).
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, Who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 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”
Prayer for a Holy Death By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
My beloved Jesus, I will not refuse the cross, as the Cyrenian did; I accept it, I embrace it. I accept, in particular, the death Thou hast destined for me, with all the pains which may accompany it; I unite it to Thy Death, I offer it to Thee Thou hast died for love of me; I will die for love of Thee and to please Thee. Help me by Thy grace. I love Thee, Jesus, my love; I repent of ever having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again. Grant that I may love Thee always and then do with me what Thou will. Amen
Thought for the Day – 22 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Following Jesus, the Divine Model
“Jesus is the Divine Model, Whom we ought to follow and imitate. In Him, the virtues possess both the infinite splendour of the Divinity and the gentle appeal of glorified Humanity. Jesus does not dazzle us with His brightness but kindly invites us to love and follow Him. “Learn from me” He says, “for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29). After He has indicated humility, meekness and interior peace, as the foundations of the spiritual life, He invites us to take up the yoke of His law and assures us, that we shall find it light (Mt 11).
If we follow Jesus, even though we are bowed with Him, beneath the weight of the Cross, we shall experience, even in this life, a reflection of the peace and joy which will be our reward in Heaven.”
Quote/s of the Day – 22 September – The Memorial of St Thomas of Villanova OSA (1488-1555) Archbishop, Confessor
“Humility is the mother of many virtues because from it, obedience, fear, reverence, patience, modesty, meekness and peace are born. He who is humble easily obeys everyone, fears to offend anyone, is at peace with everyone, is kind with all.”
“What great profit you gain from God when you are generous! You give a coin and receive a kingdom; you give bread from wheat and receive the Bread of Life; you give a transitory good and receive an everlasting one. You will receive it back, a hundred times more than you offered.”
“If you want God to hear your prayers, hear the voice of the poor. If you wish God to anticipate your wants, provide for those of the need, without waiting for them to ask you. Especially, anticipate the needs of those, who are ashamed to beg. To make them ask for alms, is to make them buy it!”
“I am, notwithstanding, inexcusable, if I do not love Thee for Thou grant Thy love to all who desire or ask it. I cannot see without light – yet, if I shut my eyes in the midst of the noon-day light, the fault is in me, not in the sun.”
“Dismiss all anger and look into yourself a little. Remember that he, of whom, you are speaking, is your brother and as he is, in the way of salvation, God can make him a Saint, in spite of his present weakness.”
One Minute Reflection – 22 September – The Memorial of St Thomas of Villanueva OSA (1488-1555) Archbishop, Confessor – Sirach 44:16-27; 45:3-20, Matthew 25:14-23
“To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately …” – Matthew 25:15
REFLECTION – “The man who is the landowner is actually the Creator and Lord of all. The Word compares the time the landowner spends away from home, in the parable, to either the Ascension of Christ into Heaven, or, at any rate, to the unseen and invisible character of the Divine Nature. Now, one must conceive of the property of God, as those in each country and city who believe in Him. He calls His servants, those who according to the times, Christ crowns with the glory of the Priesthood. For the holy Paul writes, “No-one takes this honoUr upon himself; he must be called by God.”
He hands over [His property] to those who are under Him, to each giving a spiritual gift, so that he might have character and aptitude. We think that this distribution of the talents, is not supplied to the household servants in equal measure because, each is quite different from the other, in their understanding. Immediately they head out for their labours, He says, directly, indicating to us here, that apart from the procrastination of one, they are fit to carry out the work of God.
Surely those who are bound by fear and laziness will evolve into the worst evils. For he buried, Jesus says, the talent given to him in the earth. He kept the gift hidden, making it unprofitable for others and useless for himself. For that very reason, the talent is taken away from him and will be given to the one who is already rich. The Spirit has departed from such as these and the gift of the divine gifts. But to those who are industrious, an even more lavish gift will be presented.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor of the Church (Fragment 283)
PRAYER – O God, Who endowed blessed Bishop Thomas with the virtue of special pity for the poor, we beseech Thee, through his intercession, generously to pour forth the riches of Thy mercy upon all those who pray to Thee. 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).
Thought for the Day – 21 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) – The Feast of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Martyr
Gospel Reading
“Finally, we should practice what we learn in the Gospel. If this were not the result of our reading, our efforts would be worth very little. When reading, we should apply to our lives the spirit and the precepts of Jesus. This was the practice of the Saints, whose lives were a continual implementation of the Gospel message. So, St Aloysius and others, understood and applied to their own lives, the maxim: “Blessed are pure of heart.” St Francis and his followers, applied another maxim: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” St Francis de Sales applied to himself, in a special way, the words: “Blessed are the meek.” As a result, he was noted for his gentleness of character, this man, known as “The Gentleman Saint” and “The Gentle Christ of Geneva!”
We should read the Gospel everyday. It should be for us, a school of practical spirituality, esspecially adapted to the needs of our own soul, which will finally lead us to sanctity.”
One Minute Reflection – 21 September – “The Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Holy Cross” – The Feast of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Martyr – Ezekiel 1:10-14, Matthew 9:9-13
“It is not the healthy who need a physician but they who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call sinners, not the just.”- Matthew 9:12-13
REFLECTION – “The Apostles, those who all as one and each in particular, possessed the Good News of God, went to the ends of the earth proclaiming the news of all the blessings God sends us and announcing Heaven’s peace towards men (Lk 2:14). Specifically, Matthew produced a written form of the gospel for the Hebrews in their own language, while Peter and Paul evangelised Rome and founded the Church there. After their deaths, Mark, who was Peter’s disciple and interpreter (1 Pt 5:13), also handed down Peter’s preaching to us in writing. Likewise, Luke, Paul’s companion, set down in a book, the Gospel preached by the latter. And then John, the disciple of the Lord, the one who leaned back on his breast (Jn 13:25), also published the Gospel during his stay at Ephesus.
In his Gospel,Matthew relates the genealogy of Christ as man: “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: now this is how the birth of Christ came about” (Mt 1:1, 18). Thus, this Gospel, presents Christ in human form, which is why it always represents Christ as being moved by sentiments of humility and remaining a man of gentleness …The Apostle Matthew knows none but One and the same God, Who promised Abraham that He would multiply his descendants like the stars in the sky (Gen 15:5) and, Who, through His Son, Jesus Christ, has called us from the worship of stones to knowledge of Him, (Mt 3:9) in such a way, that “those who were no people have become His people and she who was unloved has become beloved” (cf. Hos 2:25; Rom 9:25).” – St Irenaeus (130-202) Father of the Church, Bishop of Lyons, Theologian, Martyr (Against the heresies, III, 11,8 ; 9,1 – One of the first historical testimonies to the Evangelists).
PRAYER – We thank You, heavenly Father, for the witness of Your Apostle and Evangelist, Matthew, to the Gospel of Your Son, our Saviour and we pray, that, after his example, we may with ready wills and hearts, obey the calling of our Lord, to follow Him; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. (Collect).
Saint of the Day – 21 September – The Feast of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Martyr. Patronages – accountant, bookkeepers, bankers, customs officers, financial officers, money managers, guards, security forces, security guards, stock brokers, tax collectors, Diocese of Trier, Germany, Archdiocese of Washington, 5 cities.
St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist By Fr Leonard Goffiné O.Praem (1648-1719) (Excerpt from The Church’s Year)
Matthew, before his conversion called Levi, was a Galilean, a son of Alpheus (Mark 2:14) consequently a brother of St James the Less, another of the Apostles. (Mark 3:18). Matthew was a collector of the toll which the Jews were obliged to pay to the Roman Emperors and was called from his custom-house by our Lord to be an Apostle.
In his Gospel, which he wrote later, he calls himself from humility always by his early designation, Matthew the Publican. He followed Jesus faithfully and after the descent of the Holy Ghost remained, as the historical writers Eusebius and Epiphanus inform us, in Judea and its neighbourhood, until just before the destruction of Jerusalem, when the Apostles dispersed and went into foreign lands to preach the doctrine of Christ. When obliged to separate from the recent converts in Jerusalem, Matthew wrote his Gospel to leave with them in place of his presence among them and was the first to write concerning our Lord’s life upon earth.
The Calling of Matthew – van Hemessen
He led a rigorous life, prayed much, never touched meat and lived on herbs, roots and wild fruits. He was at last stabbed by the Ethiopian King Hirtakus, as the generality of writers inform us, while standing at the Altar and offering the Sacrifice of Mass because the Saint had refused consent to the King’s marriage with the virgin Eugenia, who was dedicated to God. His sacred remains were, in the tenth Century, brought to Salerno, Naples, where they are still highly venerated.
Matthew was the first to write a Gospel. How proper it is, that he, who after many sins, becomes converted, should be the first to announce the Infinite Mercy of the Redeemer, Who came into this world, not to call the just but sinners.
“Christ, the Saviour, looked with His mild eyes at St Matthew in his custom-house and called him. Matthew obeyed, instantly arose and followed Christ, becoming thus, from a publican, an Apostle of the Lord, a great Saint. How comforting an example of Divine Mercy, even towards the greatest sinner! How wholesome a lesson! The same kind, merciful Saviour, Who gazed so mildly upon Matthew and called him, turns His loving eyes on you also, even if you live in mortal sin. He calls you to repentance – He calls you to follow Him. Obey Him as St. Matthew did, without putting it off. Let neither the greatness, nor the number of your sins detain you. Your Saviour is ready to forgive them, to receive you into His favour and to make you a Saint. “If you are a publican or a sinner,” says St Chrysostom, “you may still become an Evangelist. If you are a blasphemer, you may still become an Apostle.” This means that you may obtain pardon and gain salvation, as St Matthew and St Paul did, the former of whom was a publican, a sinner;and the other, according to his own testimony, a blasphemer. St Augustine says the same in the following words: “Perhaps some may think that the sin they have committed, is so great that it cannot obtain pardon from God. Oh! may such thoughts be far from us. Why, O man, regard only the number of thy sins and not the Omnipotence of the Heavenly Physician? As God is merciful because He is gracious and, as He can be merciful because He is Omnipotent, he who believes that God will not or cannot forforgive him, closes the door of the Divine Mercy on himself, by denying that God is gracious or Omnipotent. Hence, let no-one doubt the Mercy of God, even if he has committed a hundred, nay a thousand crimes. But this belief should incite him, to reconcile himself immediately with the Almighty.” – Fr Francis Xavier Weninger SJ (1805-1888)
Prayer to St Matthew as your Patron Saint
Saint Matthew, whom I have chosen as my Special Patron, pray for me, that I, too, may one day glorify the Blessed Trinity in Heaven. Obtain for me your lively faith, that I may consider all persons, things and events, in the light of Almighty God. Pray, that I may be generous in making sacrifices of temporal things, to promote my eternal interests, as you, so wisely did. Set me on fire with a love for Jesus, that I may thirst for His sacraments and burn with zeal, for the spread of His kingdom. By your powerful intercession, help me in the performance of my duties to God, to myself and to all the world. Win for me the virtue of purity and a great confidence in the Blessed Virgin. Protect me this day and everyday of my life. Keep me from mortal sin. Obtain for me the grace of a happy death. Amen
Thought for the Day – 29 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
More About Almsgiving
“The description of the Last Judgement in the twenty fifth chapter of St Matthew’s Gospel would shock many people, if they were to read it. The principles, in accordance with which, Christ will pronounce sentence are inescapably clear. Did you feed and clothe the poor for My sake, He will ask because you recognised Me in them? If, you have done so, you will certainly be saved. If, you have neglected to do so, you will be condemned for all eternity. Christ does not ask about anything else because, everything else is subordinate to the precept of charity. Where there is charity, everything else follows. Where charity is lacking, there is nothing else because, Christianity is synonymouse with charity. Charity, says St Paul, “is the bond of perfection” (Col 3:14).
“If I should speak with the tongue of men and of Angels,” St Paul says elsewhere, “but have not charity, I have become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal … and if I have all faith so as to move mountains, yet have not charity, I am nothing. And if I distribute all my goods to feed the poor … yet do not have charity, it profits me nothing” (Cf 1 Cor 13:1-3).
So, our eternal salvation depends on our charity. But it must be charity in action, not merely in words. “He who has the goods of this world,” says St John “and sees his brother in need and closes his heart to him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (1 Jn 3:17). Charity must be expressed in almsgiving and good works, for otherwise, it would be a matter of idle talk which would be powerless to save us.
Our almsgiving should not be dictated simply by natural feelings of compassion, however, nor by mere philanthropy. It should be pre-eminently a religious act, springing from supernatural motives. Because we see the person of Christ in the poor man, we should love and help him as we should our Diving Redeemer. This is real Christian charity.
A proud man may also be liberal in giving away money in order to draw attention to himself. But this is not Christian almsgiving which is never the product of self-love but of the love of God.
Let us be more generous in giving, therefore but, let us always give from the supernatural motive of Christian charity.”
Quote/s of the Day – 29 August – The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist
“Amen I say to you, there hath not risen among them that are born of women, a greater than John the Baptist.”
Matthew 11:11
“The Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb He pronounced my name.”
Isaias 49:1
“I, for my part, think that the mystery of John is being fulfilled in the world until the present. The spirit and the power of John, must first fill the soul of whoever is destined to believe in Christ Jesus, “to prepare for the Lord a people well-disposed” (Lk 1:17) and to “make ready the way of the Lord, [to] clear Him a straight path” (Lk 3:5) in the roughness of their hearts. Not only at that time were “the winding paths … made straight and the rough ways smooth;” rather, the spirit and the power of John still go before the Lord and Saviour’s coming today. Oh greatness of the Lord’s Mystery and of His plan for the world! ”
Origen Adamantius (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Exegist, Writer, Apologist, Father
“Why was John allowed to die?” For what occurred was not a death but a crown, not an end but the beginning of a greater life. Learn to think and live like a Christian. You will not only remain unharmed by these events but will reap the greatest benefits.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection –29 August – The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist – Jeremias 1:17-19, Mark 6:17-29
“He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother.” – Mark 6:28
REFLECTION – “In what way, then, was this just man harmed by this demise, this violent death, these chains, this imprisonment? Who are those he did not set back on their feet — provided they had a penitent disposition — because of what he spoke because of what he suffered,because of what he still proclaims in our own day — the same message he preached, while he was living. Therefore, do not say: “Why was John allowed to die?” For what occurred was not a death, but a crown, not an end, but the beginning of a greater life. Learn to think and live like a Christian. You will not only remain unharmed by these events, but will reap the greatest benefits.” St John Chrysostom (347-407) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor of the Church (On the Providence of God 22).
PRAYER – May the great festival of St John the Baptist, ThyPrecursor and Martyr, we beseech Thee, O Lord, assure for us the results of Thy saving help. Who lives and reign with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 28 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Lord, That I May See!
“The restlessness and intensity of living, make us see things as differently from what they really are. But one day, the veil of the temple will be rent asunder before our frightened eyes and eternal Light will break upon us. Then, we shall be blind no longer but, we shall see everything in the Light of eternity.
Let us place ourselves now, in the state in which we should like to find ourselves at that moment. Let us consider ourselves and everything else, in the Light of eternity. Then our blindness will disappear. Since we shall see everything in God’s way, we shall direct all our thoughts and actions toward Him.alone!”
Quote/s of the Day – 28 August – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of Grace and Father–
St Jerome wrote to Augustine in 418: “You are known throughout the world; Catholics honour and esteem you as the one who has established anew the ancient Faith.”
“The sky and the earth and the waters and the things that are in them, the fishes and the birds and the trees are not evil. All these are good; it is evil men who make this evil world.”
“What is reprehensible, is that while leading good lives themselves and abhorring those of wicked men, some, fearing to offend, shut their eyes to evil deeds instead of condemning them and pointing out their malice.”
“People who associate the name of Christian with a dishonest life, injure Christ! … If God’s Name, is blasphemed by bad Christians, it is praised and honoured, on the other hand, by the good: “For in every place, we are the aroma of Christ” (2 Cor,14-15). And it is said in the Song of Songs: “Your name is oil poured out” (1,3).”
“You do not know when your last day may come. You are an ingrate! Why not use the day, today, that God has given you to repent?”
“If you believe what you like in the Gospels and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospel you believe but yourself.”
“Now is the time in this life of suffering, when we journey apart from Him. … So let us fast and pray now because, we are in the days of childbirth!”
“Give of your earthly goods and receive eternal ones; give earth and receive heaven!”
Breathe in Me, O Holy Spirit By St Augustine (354-420)
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy. Amen
Hear us, O Heavenly Father, For the Sake of Your Only Son By St Augustine (354-430)
Almighty Father, come into our hearts and so fill us with Your love that forsaking all evil desires, we may embrace You, our only good. Show us, O Lord our God, what You are to us. Say to our souls, I am your salvation, speak so, that we may hear. Our hearts are before You, open our ears, let us hasten after Your Voice. Hide not Your Face from us, we beseech You, O Lord. Open our hearts, so that You may enter in. Repair the ruined mansions, that You may dwell therein. Hear us, O Heavenly Father, for the sake of Your only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 28 August – St Augustine (354-430) – Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of Grace and Father – 2 Corinthians 3:4-9, Luke 10:23-37
“The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’” – Luke 10:35
REFLECTION – “Who is my neighbour?” In answer the Word explained, in the form of a story, God’s entire economy of salvation.He told of man’s descent from heaven, the robbers’ ambush, the stripping of the garment of immortality, the wounds of sin, the progress of death over half of man’s nature while his soul remained immortal. Then came the passage of the Law that brought no help—neither the priest nor the Levite tended the wounds of the man who fell among robbers—for “it was impossible for the blood of goats and oxen to remove man’s sin” (Heb 10:4). And then He came, clothed in our human nature as the first-fruits of the mass in which there was a portion of every race, Jewish, Samaritan, Greek — all mankind. With His body (that is, the beast of the story) He proceeded to the place of man’s disaster, healed his wounds and set him upon His own beast. He created for him the inn of His loving providence, in which all those who labour and are burdened can find rest (Mt 11,28) (…)
“Whoever abides in me and I in him” (Jn 6:56) … Whoever finds shelter in Christ’s mercy accepts two denarii from Him, one of which signifies the love of God with one’s whole heart and the other the love of one’s neighbour as oneself, according to the lawyer’s reply (Mk 12:30f). But “not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified” (Rm 2:13). Hence we must not merely accept these two coins … but we must, by our own good deeds, co-operate in the fulfilment of these two commandments. And so, the Lord says to the innkeeper, that whatever he does in caring for the wounded man will be made up to him at the Lord’s second coming according to the measure of his devotion.” … St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395) Father of the Church, Monk, Bishop – Sermons on the Song of Songs, no14 – [Brother of St Basil the Great (Father & Doctor)]
PRAYER – Give heed to our humble prayers, Almighty God and through the intercession of blessed Augustine, Thy Confessor and Bishop, kindly grant Thy oft-given mercy to those upon whom Thou bestows great hope in Thy forgiveness. 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).
Thought for the Day – 27 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Evening Prayer
“A page in the story of our lives is closed. For all we know, it may be our last. Sleep is a symbol of death. How can we be certain that this night will not be our last?
A large number of people die during their sleep. For this reason, our night prayers should include an Act of sincere and perfect Contrition for our sins, an Act of Love for God, our supreme benefactor and an Act of complete resignation to His Will.
When we are in bed, we should repeat the words of Jesus on the Cross, “Father, into Thy Hands, I commit my spirit” (Lk 23:46). If this prayer is on our lips and in our heart, we can sleep in peace.”
Quote/s of the Day – 27 August – St Joseph Calasanz/Calasantius (1557-1648) Spanish Confessor
“Like the saplings of plants, the young are easily influenced, as long as someone works to teach their souls. But if they are allowed to grow hard, we know well that the possibility of one day bending them, diminishes a great deal and is sometimes utterly lost.”
“Keep, O Lord, my heart at peace, always close to Thee. Thou Who calms the wild waves of the sea.”
One Minute Reflection – 27 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” and the celebration of St Joseph Calasantius (1557-1648) Spanish Confessor – Wisdom 10:10-14, Matthew 18:1-5
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”… Matthew 18:3
REFLECTION – “We must seek for reasons for individual sayings and actions of the Lord. After the coin was found, after the tribute paid, what do the Apostles’ sudden questions mean? Why precisely “at that time” did the disciples come to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Because they had seen that the same tax had been paid for both Peter and the Lord. From the equal price they inferred, that Peter may have been set over all the other Apostles, since Peter had been compared with the Lord in the paying of the tax. So they ask, who is greater in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus, seeing their thoughts and understanding the causes of their error, wants to heal their desire for glory, with a struggle for humility.”
He called a child to Him, to ask its age or to show the image of innocence. Or perhaps He actually set a child in their midst — He Himself, Who had not come to be served but to serve — to show them an example of humility.
Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Just as this child, whose example I show you, does not persist in anger, does not long remember injury suffered, is not enamoured inordinately by the sight of a beautiful woman, does not think one thing and say another, so you too, unless you have similar innocence and purity of mind, will not be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven! Or, it might be taken in another way: “Whosoever, therefore, humiliates himself like this child, is greater in the kingdom of heaven,” so as to imply that anyone, who imitates Me and humiliates himself following My example, so that he abases himself as much as I abased Myself in accepting the form of a servant, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” – St Jerome (343-420) Translator of Sacred Scripture into Latin (The Vulgate) One of the original four Doctors of the Latin Church, Father (Commentary on Matthew 3).
PRAYER – O God, Who through St Joseph, Thy Confessor, did graciously will to provide Thy Church with a new method for the training of youth, in the spirit of understanding and holiness grant, we beseech Thee, that, following his example and through his intercession, we may live and teach so as to acquire an everlasting reward. 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).
Thought for the Day – 26 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Visits to the Blessed Sacrament
“Let us consider the Infinite Goodness of Jesus. He became man for us and spent thirty three years on earth, “doing good and healing all” (Acts 10:38). More than this, He chose to remain with us until the end of time, hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, to be our Friend and Comforter and the Food of our souls. In His Infinite Power and Goodness, is there anything more He could have done for us? All day, He waits there, anxious to heal our ills, to console us in our troubles and, to give us the strength to persevere in our journey towards perfection and towards Heaven.
Let us listen to that loving Voice! Do not be ungrateful for this miracle of Infinite Goodness. Let us go to Jesus, as often as we can, especially in the evening, when our day is nearly over. We shall find Him a True Friend, Who is always ready to listen – better still, He is a Friend Who is able and willing, to help us.”
AnaStpaul 
You must be logged in to post a comment.