Category: CATHOLIC Quotes

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Thought for the Day – 12 February – SELF-LOVE

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Thought for the Day – 12 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

SELF-LOVE

“Self-love dies three days after ourselves,” St Francis de Sales was accustomed to remark.
What he meant was that it is very difficult to think and act only for God, without our own ego raising its head and stealing some of His glory.
It is difficult to be humble in the presence of God.
But, it is more difficult still,to be humble before men.

When anyone genuflects in front of the Altar and begins to pray in the presence of God, it is not too difficult for him to bow his head and recognise his own weakness and dependance.
But it is different among other men.
In the presence of men, we are easily tempted to display ourselves and our endowments.
We feel displeased when we are not noticed, not praised.

Let us steer clear of the esteem of men.
Humility is the foundation of every virtue.
If we are not humble, we can never become holy!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CARMELITES, CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, OUR Cross, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on TRUTH, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 12 February – You who have followed me

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Quote/s of the Day – 12 February – The Memorial of the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order (1233) – Ecclus 44:1-15, Matthew 19:27-29

“… You who have followed me …”

Matthew 19:28

“Let us listen to the Lord:
“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6).
If you are looking for the Truth,
follow the Way which is also the Truth.
This is where you are going and it is how you go.
It is not by another thing that you go to something;
it is not by anything else that you come to Christ;
it is through Christ, that you come to Christ.
How to Christ through Christ?
To Christ God through Christ Man;
through the Word made flesh,
to the Word Who was with God, from the beginning;
through what we have eaten, to what the angels eat daily.
In fact, it is what is written:
“He gave them bread from heaven;
man ate the bread of angels” (Ps 77[78]:24-25).
What is the bread of angels?
“In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was in God
and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1-3).
How has man eaten the bread of angels?
“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

Saint Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

“The love of Jesus is noble and generous,
it spurs us on to do great things
and excites us to desire always,
that which is most perfect.
Love will tend upwards
and is not to be detained by things beneath.
Love will be at liberty
and free from all worldly affections…
for love proceeds from God
and cannot rest but in God,
above all things created.
The lover flies, runs and rejoices,
he is free and not held.
He gives all for all and has all in all,
because he rests in One Sovereign Good above all,
from Whom all good flows and proceeds.”

Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)

(Book III, Chapter V, 3-4)

“He gives according to the love He bears us …,
according to the courage He sees in each
and the love each has for His Majesty.
He will see, that whoever loves Him much,
will be able to suffer much for Him;
whoever loves Him little,
will be capable of little.
I myself hold,
that the measure for being able to bear,
a large or small cross, is love …”

“Those who risk all for God,
will find. that they have
both lost all and gained all.”

St Teresa of Jesus of Ávila (1515-1582)
Doctor of Prayer of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 12 February – ‘ You who have followed me’ – Matthew 19:28

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One Minute Reflection – 12 February – The Memorial of the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order (1233) – Ecclus 44:1-15, Matthew 19:27-29

“… Jesus said to them, “Amen I say to you, that you who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ” … Matthew 19:28

REFLECTION – “In gift-giving it is not the gift itself, that God praises and approves but the will and sincerity of the giver.  He excuses and holds more acceptable, the one who gave less but gave it with more perfect sincerity, than the one who gave more, from a fuller store but with less pure affection.   Thus, from what is written about the gifts of the wealthy and from the two mites which the widow in the treasury sent for the poor, it is clear, that the same also happens to those who leave everything that they possess, for the love of God, so as to follow undistractedly the Christ of God.   They will do everything according to His word.

The one who leaves the greater wealth is not more acceptable than the one who leaves the lesser.   This is especially so if he leaves the lesser with his whole heart.   What Peter left, along with his brother Andrew, was small and of no value but when they both heard, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men, immediately they left their nets and followed him.”   Yet they were not valued lightly by God, who knew that they had done this with great love.   God knew that even if they had been endowed with much wealth they would still not have been distracted by it, nor would their desire to follow Jesus have been thwarted by it ….

Those who follow the Saviour, therefore, will sit on the twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and will receive this power in the resurrection of the dead.   For this is the regeneration, a new birth, when the new heaven and the new earth are established for those who renew themselves and a New Testament with it’s chalice is given.” … Origen (c 185-253) – Commentary on Matthew

PRAYER – O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, to keep alive the memory of Your most holy Mother’s sorrows, through the Seven holy Fathers enriched your Church with a new family of her Servants, graciously grant that we may be so united with them in their sorrows, as also to share their joys. Who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD is LOVE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Thought for the Day – 11 February – The Love of Our Neighbour

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Thought for the Day – 11 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Love of Our Neighbour

“But who really loves his neighbour as if he were himself?
Only the Saints.
Jesus loved us, not only as much as He loved Himself but much more than this because He gave His life and His own Precious Blood for salvation.
The Saints who lived the life of Christ and followed His example, saw Jesus in all their fellowmen.
Therefore, they loved them as themselves and even more than themselves.
One could cite thousands of instances of heroic charity in the lives of the Saints.
The example of St Paul will suffice, however.
He said that his life was so much the life of Christ, that it was not he himself, who was living any longer but Christ in him. (Rom 9:3).

Do we possess this sincere and active love of our neighbour?
Let us examine ourselves in this regard.
Let us remember that if we are lacking in this charity towards our brothers in Jesus, we are not genuine Christians!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/11/thought-for-the-day-11-february-the-love-of-our-neighbour/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Thought for the Day – 10 February – The Love of God

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Thought for the Day – 10 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Love of God

“We must love God, not only as our Creator and Lord but also, as our Redeemer and Saviour.
God’s goodness in having created us, is immense.
Being infinite, He had no need of us.
He created us, in order to give us a participation in His infinite power, wisdom and beauty.

The goodness of God in having become man and shedding His Blood for our salvation, however, is such a tremendous Mystery that only the infinite Love of God for us, could provide any kind of an explanation.
But this infinite Love demands equal love on our part.
Obviously, it cannot be equal, since we are poor, limited creatures.
So we should love God as the Gospel says, above all things and with the whole strength of our souls.
“We have come to know and have believed, the love that God has in our behalf .” (1 Jn 4:16), says St John.
We must believe firmly and completely, to the point of charity.
Charity works miracles.
It has worked miracles in the Saints.
It will do the same for us in our spiritual life and in our eternal apostolic work.

There is only one thing necessary and that one thing is for us to have this ardent charity, which is the bond of perfection (Col 3:14).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/10/thought-for-the-day-10-february-the-love-of-god/
PART TWO HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/09/thought-for-the-day-9-february-the-love-of-god/

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 10 February – “Our lamps are going out.” – Matthew 25:8

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 February – The Memorial of St Scholastica (c482-547) Virgin – 2 Cor 10:17-18; 11:1-2, Matthew 25:1-13

“Our lamps are going out.”

Matthew 25:8

“I have not become as wise
as those five wise Virgins.
… But I have become the most wretched of the foolish ones
by failing to keep some oil for my lamp,
namely, mercy together with virginity
or, still more, the anointing from Baptism’s Sacred fount…

Therefore, the doors of the wedding hall
are closed to me too, in my negligence.
But, O my Bridegroom,
while I am still in my body here below,
listen to my soul, Your Bride…
From now on, I will cry aloud piteously,
“Oh, open to me Your Heavenly Door,
bring me into Your Wedding Chamber on high,
make me worthy of Your Holy Kiss,
Your pure and spotless Embrace.
Oh let me not hear the Voice saying
it does not know me!
I am blind; set alight with Your own Light
my spirit’s extinguished flame!”

St Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173)
Armenian Bishop

“If we wish to make any progress
in the service of God,
we must begin everyday of our life,
with new eagerness.
We must keep ourselves,
in the presence of God,
as much as possible
and have no other view or end,
in all our actions
but the divine honour.”

St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)

“Come, O come, for without Thee,
there will be no happy day,
or hour because Thou art my happiness
and without Thee, my table is empty.
I am wretched, as it were, imprisoned
and weighted down with fetters,
until Thou fills me
with the Light of Thy Presence,
restore me to liberty
and show me a friendly Countenance.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

(Book 3 Ch 21:1,4-6)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY GHOST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 February – ‘The souls’ husband is the Holy Spirit, by His grace. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 10 February – The Memorial of St Scholastica (c482-547) Virgin – 2 Cor 10:17-18; 11:1-2,
Matthew 25:1-13

“But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” – Matthew 25:6

REFLECTION – “The souls’ husband is the Holy Spirit, by His grace. When His interior inspiration calls the soul to repentance, then every enticement of vice is in vain. The pride that wants command, the greed and lust that consumes everything: this was the master that used to control and ravage the soul. Their very names have been removed from the repentant sinner’s mouth… When grace is poured into the soul and gives it light, God makes a covenant with sinners. He is reconciled with them… Then is celebrated the wedding of the Bridegroom with His bride, in the peace of a pure conscience.” – St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – O God, Who, to show us the way of innocence, caused the soul of Your Virgin, blessed Scholastica, to fly up to Heaven in the likeness of a dove, grant us, through her merits and prayers, to live innocently, so that we may be found worthy to reach everlasting joys. 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 DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, Holy Name PRAYERS, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY NAME

Our Morning Offering – 10 February – The One Thing Necessary By St Alphonsus

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Our Morning Offering – 10 February

The One Thing Necessary
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

O my God,
help me to remember,
that time is short, eternity long.
What good is all the greatness of this world
at the hour of death?
To love You, my God
and save my soul is the one thing necessary.
Without You, there is no peace of mind or soul.
My God, I need fear only sin
and nothing else in this life,
for to lose You, my God, is to lose all.
O my God, help me to remember,
that I came into this world with nothing
and shall take nothing from it, when I die.
To gain You, I must leave all.
But in loving You,
I already have all good things,
the infinite riches of Christ and His Church in life,
Mary’s motherly protection and perpetual help
and the eternal dwelling place
Jesus has prepared for me.
Eternal Father, Jesus has promised
that whatever we ask
in His Name will be granted us.
In His Name, I pray,
give me a burning faith,
a joyful hope,
a holy love for You.
Grant me perseverance in doing Your will
and never let me be separated from You.
My God and my All,
make me a Saint!
Amen

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Thought for the Day – 9 February – The Use of Creatures

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Thought for the Day – 9 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Use of Creatures

“The Saints understood clearly what our attitudes to creatures should be.
Created things should be a reflection of eternal beauty whicb entices us to love God, the Source and Origen of all things.
They should form a ladder, which makes it easy for us to ascend towards God and to achieve unity with Him.
But is this what creatures really mean to us?
Or do they, more often than not, lead us away from God?
Perhaps we are held up too frequently by our love for creatures and tend to forget God.
The passing loveliness of this earth causes us to forget the everlasting beauty for which we are destined.
Worse still, the use of creatures may divert us from God altogether and cause us to disobey His law.

Let us examine ourselves thoroughly on this point.
Let us see if it is necessary to alter the direction of our thoughts and desires and to purify our hearts, in such a way, that we shall think, love and act for God Alone!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/09/thought-for-the-day-9-february-the-use-of-creatures/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the HIGH PRIEST, CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MOTHER of GOD, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, SAINT of the DAY, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The LAMB of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 9 February – St Cyril of Alexandria

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 February – The Memorial of St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Bishop, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church

“Christ has dominion
over all creatures,
a dominion not seized
by violence
nor usurped but His,
by essence and by nature.”

“For one Lamb died for all,
to restore the whole flock on earth
to God the Father;
“one died for all”
to make all subject to God;
“one died for all”
to gain all, so that
“all might live,
no longer for themselves
but for Him who died
and was raised to life for them”
(2 Cor 5:14-15).”

“The mark of Christ’s sheep
is their willingness to hear and obey,
just as disobedience
is the mark of those who are not His.
We take the word ‘hear’
to imply obedience
to what has been said.”

“If the poison of pride is swelling up in you,
turn to the Eucharist and that Bread,
Which is your God humbling and disguising Himself,
will teach you humility.

If the fever of selfish greed rages in you,
feed on this Bread and you will learn generosity.

If the cold wind of coveting withers you,
hasten to the Bread of Angels and charity
will come to blossom in your heart.

If you feel the itch of intemperance,
nourish yourself with the Flesh and Blood of Christ,
Who practiced heroic self-control during His earthly life
and you will become temperate.

If you are lazy and sluggish about spiritual things,
strengthen yourself with this heavenly Food
and you will grow fervent.

Lastly, if you feel scorched by the fever of impurity,
go to the banquet of the Angels
and the spotless Flesh of Christ,
will make you pure and chaste.”

“My sheep follow me,” says Christ.
By a certain God-given grace,
believers follow in the footsteps of Christ.
No longer subject to the shadows of the Law ,
they obey the commands of Christ,
and guided by His words,
rise through grace,
to His own dignity,
for they are called children of God.
When Christ ascends into heaven,
they also follow Him.”

“That anyone could doubt the right
of the holy Virgin
to be called the Mother of God,
fills me with astonishment.
Surely she must be the Mother of God,
if our Lord Jesus Christ is God
and she gave birth to him!”

Hail, O Mary, Mother of God
By St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Virgin and Mother!
Morning Star, perfect vessel.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Holy Temple in which God Himself was conceived.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Chaste and pure dove.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
who enclosed the One Who cannot be encompassed
in your sacred womb.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
From you flowed the true light, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Through you the Conqueror
and triumphant Vanquisher of hell, came to us.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Through you, the glory of the Resurrection blossoms.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
You have saved every faithful Christian.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death.
Amen

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)

Posted in CONTEMPLATIVE Prayer, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HERESY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR

Thought for the Day – 8 February – Doing Everything for the Love of God

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Thought for the Day – 8 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Doing Everything
for the Love of God

“In one of his letters, Luther wrote that he was so busy that he had no time to read his Breviary, nor to offer Holy Mass.
There is no doubt that it was this estrangement from prayer and from the love of God, which caused him to finish up as he did.
Our work must be based on charity and the interior life, so that we may be always united with God.
Otherwise, every action of ours, no matter how good it may appear, is sterile and valueless in the sight of God.

Today also, there are many people busily engaged in apostolic work but they have no interior life nourished by charity.
This is what is known as the heresy of action.

Everything we do is useless and even harmful, if our external activity is not accompanied by a flourishing interior life, enriched by divine grace.
St Gregory the Great paraphrases the words of the Gospel as follows: “Our Lord says: If anyone loves Me, let him keep my commandments. Love is proved by action. This is why St John (1 Jn 2:4) says, that the man who claims to love God and does not keep His commandments, is a liar. We love God sincerely if we keep His commandments and avoid the immoderate pleasures of our age.
Anyone who surrenders without reserve to the unlawful desires of this world, certainly does not love God because, he is acting contrary to His will.” (Homil 30 in Ev).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/08/thought-for-the-day-8-february-doing-everything-for-the-love-of-god/
PART TWO HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/05/thought-for-the-day-5-february-doing-everything-for-the-love-of-god/

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 8 February – I Am, the Door, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Light, the Track, the Staircase, the Vehicle, the Treasure, the Reward!

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 February – The Memorial of St John of Matha (1160-1213) Confessor – Sirach 31:8-11, Matthew 12:35-40

“Open the door to him, at once,
when he comes and knocks.”

Luke 12:36

“I am the Light of the world;
he who follows me will not walk in darkness
but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

“I am the door.
Whoever enters through me
will be saved….”

John 10:9

“I am the way
and the truth
and the life.
No-one comes to the Father
except through me.
If you know me,
then you will also know my Father.
From now on,
you do know him
and have seen him.”

John 14:6-7

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door,
[then] I will enter his house
and dine with him and he with me.”

Apocalypse 3:20

“Let your door stand open
to receive Him,
unlock your soul to Him,
offer Him a welcome in your mind
and then you will see
the riches of simplicity,
the treasures of peace,
the joy of grace.
Throw wide the gate of your heart,
stand before the Sun
of the everlasting Light.”

St Ambrose (c 340-397)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“May He,
Who is the Track of the runners
and the Reward of the winners,
lead and guide you along it –
He, Christ Jesus!”

Bl Guerric of Igny O.Cist (c 1080-1157)

“Christ is both the way and the door.
Christ is the staircase and the vehicle …”

St Bonaventure (1221-1274)
Seraphic Doctor

“ He who finds Jesus, finds a rare treasure,
indeed, a good above every good,
whereas he who loses Him,
loses more than the whole world.
The man who lives without Jesus,
is the poorest of the poor,
whereas no-one is so rich,
as the man who lives in His grace.
… Let all things be loved, for the sake of Jesus
but Jesus, for His own sake.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on WATCHING, QUOTES on WISDOM, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 February – ‘But, it depends on us, if He does not always enter or always remain.’ – St Ambrose

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One Minute Reflection – 8 February – The Memorial of St John of Matha (1160-1213) Confessor – Sirach 31:8-11, Matthew 12:35-40

“Let your loins be girt about and your lamps burning and you yourselves ,like men waiting for their master’s return from the wedding; so that when he comes and knocks, they may straightaway open to him. Blessed are those servants whom the master, on his return, shall find watching.” – Luke 12:35-37

REFLECTION – “God, the Word, stirs up the lazy and arouses the sleeper. For indeed, someone who comes knocking at the door is always wanting to come in. But, it depends on us, if He does not always enter or always remain. May your door be open to Him Who comes; open your soul, enlarge your spiritual capacities, that you may discover the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace and sweetness of grace. Expand your heart, run to meet the Sun of that Eternal Light that “enlightens everyone” (Jn 1,9). It is certain, that this true Light shines for all but, if anyone shuts their windows, then they themselves shut themselves off from this Eternal Light.

So even Christ remains outside, if you shut the door of your soul. It is true that He could enter but He does not want to use force, He does not put those who refuse under pressure. Descended from the Virgin, born from her womb, He shines throughout the universe to give light to all. Those who long to receive the Light, that shines with an everlasting brightness, open up to Him. No night comes to intervene. Indeed, the sun we see each day gives way to night’s darkness but the Sun of justice (Mal 3,20) knows no setting, for Wisdom is not overcome by evil.” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan and Father and Doctor of the Church – (12th Sermon on Psalm 118).

PRAYER – All-powerful, eternal God and Father, grant us the grace of Your Spirit and fill us with the light of understanding and love. May we learn to truly pray and by our prayers to entreat You to bless us in Your goodness and lead us to true faith in Your eternal light and Word sent to redeem us. May we always be waiting and prepared to open the door of our hearts to Jesus Christ our Lord, who comes in light, love and peace. Grant that by the prayers of blessed Saint John of Matha we may be strengthened. Holy Mother, be our protection and our guide. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE

Our Morning Offering – 8 February – Lord, Kindle our Lamps By St Columban

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Our Morning Offering – 8 February

Lord, Kindle our Lamps
By St Columban (543-615)

Lord, kindle our lamps,
Saviour most dear to us,
that we may always shine
in Your presence
and always receive Light
from You,
the Light Perpetual,
so that our own
personal darkness,
may be overcome
and the world’s darkness
driven from us.
Amen

(This is an excerpt from a much longer prayer and is taken from the wonderful Sermon XII by St Columban/us)

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 7 February – Religion and Action

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Thought for the Day – 7 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Religion and Action

“Anyone who fails to correspond with the grace of God, is not living the life of Jesus.
Without the life of Jesus, he is a dead limb, a withered branch cut away from the vine.
It is not enough to say “Lord, Lord!” in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven but, it is necessary to do the will of our Heavenly Father (Cf Mt 7:21).
The grace of God must produce an abundant harvest of good works, no matter what sacrifices this may cost us.
Otherwise, God’s gift would have been bestowed in vain and, before the Supreme Judge one day, would be a reason for a terrible retribution, instead of a reward.
Let us think seriously about this.
Has the spirit of religion become reduced to an empty form of belief and ritual action, or are we really living what we believe?
Meditate with attention to these words of St James: “What will it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but does not have works? Can the faith save him? And if a brother or a sister be naked and in want of daily food and, one of you say to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ yet you do not give them what is necessary for the body, what does it profit? So faith too, unless it has works, is dead in itself” (Js 2:14-17).

Even the devil believes but he is damned forever (Cf Js 2:18).
“Religion pure and undefiled before God the Father is this – to give aid to orphans and widows in their tribulation and to keep oneself unspotted from this world!” (Js 1:27).

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Part One Here:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/07/thought-for-the-day-7-february-religion-and-action/

Posted in QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day –7 February – St Romuald

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Quote/s of the Day –7 February – The Memorial of St Romuald, Abbot (c 951-1027) – Ecclus 45:1-6, Matthew 19:27-29.

“Better to pray one psalm
with devotion and compunction,
than a hundred. with distraction.”

“Sit in your cell as in paradise.
Put the whole world
behind you and forget it.
Watch your thoughts
like a good fisherman
watching for fish.”

“Realise above all,
that you are in God’s presence
and stand there
with the attitude
of one, who stands
before the Emperor.”

St Romuald (c 951-1027)

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The BEATITUDES, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection –7 February – ‘For my name’s sake’ – Matthew 19:29

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One Minute Reflection –7 February – The Memorial of St Romuald, Abbot (c 951-1027) – Ecclus 45:1-6, Matthew 19:27-29.

“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29

REFLECTION – “Seek for nothing, desiring to enter for love of Jesus, with detachment, emptiness and poverty in everything in this world. You will never have to do with necessities greater than those to which you made your heart yield itself – for the poor in spirit are most happy and joyful in a state of privation and he who has set his heart on nothing, finds satisfaction everywhere.

The poor in spirit (Mt 5:3) give generously all they have and their pleasure consists in being thus deprived of everything for God’s sake and out of love to their neighbour … Not only do temporal goods – the delights and tastes of the senses – hinder and thwart the way of God but spiritual delights and consolations also, if sought for or clung to eagerly, disturb the way of virtue.” – St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Carmelite, Doctor of the Church (Spiritual maxims, nos. 352, 355,356, 364; 1693 edition)

PRAYER – Father of might and power, every good and perfect gift comes to us from You. Implant in our hearts the love of Your Name and Your creatures. Increase our zeal for Your service by following behind Your Son with determination and joy. Nourish in us what good and tend it with watchful care. Grant that the prayers and caring love of the Blessed Virgin, our Mother, may help us to follow Jesus our Saviour unreservedly and thus attain eternal life. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Our Morning Offering – 7 February – Jesus, My Saviour, Help Me!

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Our Morning Offering – 7 February

Jesus, My Saviour, Help Me!
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

Jesus, my Saviour, help me!
I am resolved truly to love Thee
and to leave all, to please Thee.
Help me to free myself
from everything which hinders me
from belonging wholly to Thee,
Who has loved me so much.
By thy prayers, O Mother Mary,
which are so powerful with God,
obtain for me this grace,
to belong wholly to God.
Amen

Posted in DEVOTIO, DOCTORS of the Church, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on ZEAL, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 6 February – Religion and Devotion

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Thought for the Day – 6 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Religion and Devotion

“Religion, should not be a cold, mehcanical practice of obedience to the commandments of God and the precepts of the Church.
Deep spiritual devotion and supernatural charity are necessary, as well as religion.
In other words, religion should not be merely external but, should spring from the mind and heart, this is devotion, which is the spirit of religion.
“Devotion,” wites Aquinas, “seems to be the determination to give one’s self readily to the service of God” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q 82, a 2, ad 1).
But this determination should be loving and effective because, as St Thomas also observes, “charity generates devotion” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q 82, a 2, ad 2).

St Francis de Sales analysed and expanded these ideas.
“True and living devotion,” he writes, “presupposes the love of God – indeed, it really is a true love of God… but a love… which has reached that height of perfection at which it not only causes us to act but, to act zealously, frequently and promptly…” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Bk I, C 1).
He continues: “Since devotion consists in an unique degree of charity, it not only makes us prompt, active and zealous in the observance of all the divine commands but, incites us, furthermore, to perform readily and lovingly, as many good works as we can… even if they are only recommended or suggested” (Ibid).
From this solid and sincere devotion flows, that taste for divine things, that inner gentleness and peace of spirit which the Saints enjoyed, even in the midst of sorrow and disillusionment.
It is the spontaneous homage of the mind and heart, that God wants most of all.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Part One here:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/06/thought-for-the-day-6-february-religion-and-devotion/

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on VIRTUE, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 February – ‘ … It depends on your own wills …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 February – The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – Readings: Colossians 3:12-17, Matthew 13:24-30

“A sower went out to sow”

Matthew 13:30

“Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?
How then has it weeds?”

Matthew 13:27

“It is better to be cured
within the Church’s community
than to be cut off from its Body
as incurable members.
As long as a member still forms
part of the Body,
there is no reason to despair of its cure;
once it has been cut off,
it can be neither cured nor healed.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

“Brethren, the just man shall scarcely be saved.
What, then, will become of the sinner?”

St Arsenius s the Great (c 354-c 449)

“… [The Kingdom of God] … is within you.
That is, it depends on your own wills
and is in your own power,
whether or not you receive it.
Everyone, that has attained
to justification, by means of faith in Christ
and decorated by every virtue,
is counted worthy,
of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“And like the little grain of mustard seed …
we should set it in the garden of our soul,
all weeds being pulled out
for the better feeding of our faith.
Then shall it grow and …
through the true belief of God’s word …
we shall be well able to command
a great mountain of tribulation
to void from the place
where it stood in our hearts,
whereas with a very feeble faith
and faint, we shall scarcely
be able to remove a little hillock.”

St Thomas More (1478-1535)

“My child, it is indeed
the Voice of God you have heard.
He has given you a great grace
in thus calling you into His one true Church.
While you live,
never cease to thank Him
and bless Him for it.”

St John Francis Régis (1597-1640)

Posted in CONFESSION, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 February – “Until the harvest” – – Matthew 13:30

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One Minute Reflection – 6 February – The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – Readings: Colossians 3:12-17, Matthew 13:24-30

“Suffer both to grow until the harvest” – Matthew 13:30

REFLECTION – “Nor must one imagine that the Body of the Church, just because it bears the name of Christ, is made up during the days of its earthly pilgrimage, only of members conspicuous for their holiness, or, that it consists only of those whom God has predestined to eternal happiness. It is owing to the Saviour’s infinite mercy, that place is allowed in His Mystical Body here below, for those whom, of old, He did not exclude from the banquet (cf. Mt 9:11). For not every sin, however grave it may be, is such as of its own nature to sever a man from the Body of the Church, as does schism or heresy or apostasy. Men may lose charity and divine grace through sin, thus becoming incapable of supernatural merit and yet, not be deprived of all life, if they hold fast to faith and Christian hope and if, illumined from above, they are spurred on, by the interior promptings of the Holy Spirit to salutary fear and are moved to prayer and penance for their sins.

Let everyone then abhor sin, which defiles the mystical members of our Redeemer but,, if anyone unhappily falls and his obstinacy has not made him unworthy of communion with the faithful, let him be received with great love and let eager charity see in him a weak member of Jesus Christ. For, as the Bishop of Hippo remarks –
“it is better to be cured within the Church’s community than to be cut off from its Body as incurable members. As long as a member still forms part of the Body, there is no reason to despair of its cure; once it has been cut off, it can be neither cured nor healed.’”- Venerable Pius XII (1876-1958) – Pope from 1939 to 1958 – Encyclical – Mystici Corporis Christi, 1943.

PRAYER – All-powerful and ever-living God, splendour of true light and never-ending day, chase away the night of sin and fill our minds with the glory of Your coming. Take away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh, help us in our battle with sin and the devil. By our prayers, Your holy sacraments and the strength of the Holy Spirit, may we be ever vigilant of the evil one. Hear the prayers of our Queen and Mother, the Blessed Virgin of Mercy on our behalf dear Lord. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on POVERTY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 5 February – IDLENESS

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Thought for the Day – 5 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

IDLENESS

“Idleness is forbidden by God because work is His commandment.
He had already told Adam and his successors: “In the sweat of your brow, you shall eat bread” (Gen 3:19).

St Paul warns us: “If any man will not work, neither let him eat” (2 Thess 3L10).
This is a universal law which embraces people of all classes and circumstances.
God commands everyone to work.
Therefore, anybody who disobeys this law without reason, sins against God.
Those who lead leisurely inactive lives should meditate seriously on this law of God.
The fact that they possess large fortunes does not excuse them from this divine law.
They must engage in some work, either menial or manual.
It may be for themselves or it may be for their needy brothers who live in want or in illness and cannot fend for themselves.
We are all brothers in Jesus.
It is not right that one brother should live in poverty and wretchedness, while another idly enjoys a life of plenty and of pleasure.

Anyone who loves God is never idle, says St Jerome.
The love of God works wonderful things, if it does not, it cannot be called love.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/05/thought-for-the-day-5-february-idleness/

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The HEART, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 5 February – Chastity

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 February – St Agatha (c 231- c 251) Virgin and Martyr – 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Matthew 19:3-12

“Fasting cleanses the soul,
raises the mind,
subjects one’s flesh to the spirit,
renders the heart contrite and humble,
scatters the clouds of concupiscence,
quenches the fire of lust
and kindles the true light of chastity.
Enter again into yourself!”

St Augustine (354-430)
Bishop of Hippo
Father and Doctor of Grace

“If the poison of pride is swelling up in you,
turn to the Eucharist and that Bread,
Which is your God humbling and disguising Himself,
will teach you humility.

If the fever of selfish greed rages in you,
feed on this Bread and you will learn generosity.

If the cold wind of coveting withers you,
hasten to the Bread of Angels and charity
will come to blossom in your heart.

If you feel the itch of intemperance,
nourish yourself with the Flesh and Blood of Christ,
Who practiced heroic self-control during His earthly life
and you will become temperate.

If you are lazy and sluggish about spiritual things,
strengthen yourself with this heavenly Food
and you will grow fervent.

Lastly, if you feel scorched by the fever of impurity,
go to the banquet of the Angels
and the spotless Flesh of Christ,
will make you pure and chaste.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor

“Be HUMBLE in this life,
that God may raise you up in the next.
Be truly MODERATE
and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately.
Be GENTLE,
so that you may never oppose justice.
Be HONOURABLE,
so that you may never voluntarily
bring disgrace upon anyone.
Be CHASTE,
so that you may avoid all the foulness of lust
like the pangs of death.”

St Stephen of Hungary (c 975- 1038)

(King of Hungary, to his son, St Emeric.
Sadly St Emeric died aged 24 but had
taken a private vow of Celibacy.)

“Chastity depends on the heart,
as its source
but, it is concerned with the body,
as its matter
and, therefore, it maybe lost,
by all the external senses of the body
and by the thoughts and desires of the heart.
It is immodesty to behold,
to hear, to speak, to smell, to touch,
impure things,
when the heart occupies itself with them
and takes pleasure in them.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

(Introduction to the Devout Life
Part Three Chap 13).

“To defend his purity,
Saint Francis of Assisi rolled in the snow,
Saint Benedict threw himself into a thorn bush
and Saint Bernard plunged into an icy pond…
You – what have you done?”

Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CHASTITY, SAINT of the DAY, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 February – “Let him accept it who can..” – Matthew 19:12

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One Minute Reflection – 5 February – St Agatha (c 231- c 251) Virgin and Martyr – 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Matthew 19:3-12

“For there are eunuchs who were born so, from their mother’s womb and there are eunuchs who were made so, by men and there are eunuchs who have made themselves so, for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let him accept it who can..” – Matthew 19:12.

REFLECTION – “There are three kinds of eunuchs, two carnal and the third spiritual. One group are those who are born this way. Another are those who are made into eunuchs by captivity or for pleasuring older women. The third are those who “have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven” and who become eunuchs for Christ, although they could be whole men. The last group are promised the reward. The other two, for whom chastity is not a matter of willing but necessity, are due nothing at all. We can put it another way. There are eunuchs from birth, who are of a rather frigid nature and not inclined to lust. There are others, who are made eunuchs by men, those who are made so by philosophers, others who are made weak toward sex from their worship of idols and still others, who by heretical persuasion feign chastity, so as to falsely claim the truth of religion. None of the above is receptive to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Only the person, who for Christ, seeks chastity wholeheartedly and cuts off sexual impurity altogether, [is the genuine eunuch]. So he adds, “He who is able to receive this, let him receive it,” so that each of us should look to his own strength, as to whether he can carry out the commands of virginity and chastity. Chastity in itself is agreeable and alluring but one must look to one’s strength, so that “he who is able to receive this may receive it.” It is as if the Lord with His words, were urging on His soldiers to the reward of chastity, with these words – He who is able to receive this, let him receive it; he who is able to fight, let him fight and conquer.” – St Jerome (343-420) Translator of Sacred Scripture (the Vulgate), Father and one of the original four Doctors of the Latin Church (Commentary on Matthew 3).

PRAYER – O God, Who among other wonders of Your power have given the victory of martyrdom even to the gentler sex, graciously grant that we, who commemorate the anniversary of the death of blessed Agatha, Your Virgin and Martyr, may come to You by following her example. 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 GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 4 February – Ora et labora” – Work and Sanctity

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Thought for the Day – 4 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Ora et labora” – Work and Sanctity

“Everything we do, whether we are working with our hands or with our minds, can and should be made holy by offering it to God.
The peasant who toils in the heart of the sun or in the hardship of winter, to wring a living from the hard soil, the workman who strikes the anvil with his hammer, or who extracts coal from the bowels of the earth, or who controls some complicate piece of machinery in order to produce the press, electricity or other services for men – all these can and should raise their minds frequently in adoration and thanksgiving to God, the Creator and Giver of every good.

In the same way, those who are engaged in intellectual work, dedicated to the study of the different branches of knowledge, human and divine, should remember that light comes from Heaven, not from the earth.
They should, therefore, ask in their prayers for God’s help.
Science without God is cold and soulless.
It can do more harm than good.
It fills the soul with pride and dries up the heart.
It can lead, as experience has shown us, to the destruction, instead of the wellbeing, of the human race.
Students and scientists must be investigators of the mysteries of God, as well as those, of the universe.
Only in God will they find an answer to the problems of the spirit.

There are some who work with both their minds and hearts.
These include priests, teachers, doctors, good sisters sacrificing their lives in the hospitals, the mothers of families and many others.
Their work will be especially fruitful, if it is united in a spirit of faith and charity with their prayers.
Doing all for love of God, becomes love!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/04/thought-for-the-day-4-february-ora-et-labora-work-and-sanctity/

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, FRUITS of the SPIRIT, GOD ALONE!, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 4 February – Using our talents

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Quote/s of the Day – 4 February – The Memorial of St Andrew Corsini O.Carm (1302-1373) Bishop, Confessor r – Sirach 44:16-27; 45:3-20, Matthew 25:14-23

“And he who had received the five talents
went and traded with them,
and gained five more.”

Matthew 25:16

“I have chosen you
and have appointed you,
that you should go
and should bring forth fruit
and your fruit should remain,
says the Lord.”

John 15:16

“This is the glory of man –
to persevere and remain
in the service of God.
For this reason,
the Lord told His disciples:
‘You did not choose Me but I chose you.’
He meant that His disciples
did not glorify Him by following Him
but, in following the Son of God,
they were glorified by Him.
As He said:
‘I wish that where I am
they also may be,
that they may see My glory.’”

St Irenaeus (c 130 – c 202)
Bishop & Martyr, Father of the Church

“If we follow Christ closely
we shall be allowed,
even on this earth,
to stand, as it were,
on the threshold of the heavenly Jerusalem
and enjoy the contemplation,
of that everlasting feast,
like the blessed Apostles,
who, in following the Saviour as their leader,
showed and still show,
the way to obtain the same gift from God.
They said – See, we have left all things and followed You.
We too follow the Lord
and we keep His feast
by deeds rather than by words.”

St Athanasius (297-373)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“May Christ be heard in our language,
may Christ be seen in our life,
may He be perceived in our hearts”

St Peter Damian (1007-1072)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“There are two ways of keeping God’s word,
namely, one, whereby we store in our memory
what we hear and the other,
whereby we put into practice,
what we have heard
(and none will deny that the latter
is more commendable, inasmuch,
as it is better to sow grain,
than to store it in the barn).”

Blessed Jordan of Saxony OP (1190-1237)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 February – “A man going abroad, called his servants and handed over his goods to them.” – Matthew 25:14

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One Minute Reflection – 4 February – The Memorial of St Andrew Corsini O.Carm (1302-1373) Bishop, Confessor and St Gilbert of Sempringham (c 1083-1189) Priest, Founder – Sirach 44:16-27; 45:3-20, Matthew 25:14-23

“A man going abroad, called his servants and handed over his goods to them.” – Matthew 25:14

REFLECTION – “There is no question but that this Householder is Christ. After His Resurrection, when He was about to return triumphantly to the Father, He called His Apostles and entrusted them with the Gospel teaching, giving more to one, less to the other, never too much or too little but according to the abilities of those who received it. In the same way, the Apostle Paul said that he had fed with milk those unable to take solid food (1Co 3,2)…

Five, two, one talent: let us take these to be the different graces granted to each, whether the five senses for the first; understanding of faith and works for the second; the reasons for distinguishing us from other creatures for the third. “The one who received five talents went away and traded with them and made another five.” That is to say, besides the physical and material senses he had received, he added knowledge of heavenly things. His knowledge was raised from the creatures to the Creator, from the corporal to the incorporeal, from the visible to the invisible, from the transient to the eternal. “The one who received two made another two.” This one likewise, according to his ability, doubled in the school of the Gospel what he had learned in the school of the Law. Or perhaps we could say, that he understood that knowledge of faith and the works of this present life, lead to future happiness. “But the man who received one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.” In the grip of works here below and of worldly pleasures, the wicked servant neglected God’s commands. However, let us note that, according to another evangelist, he wrapped it in a linen cloth – by this we could understand that he took away the force of his Master’s teaching, by a life of softness and pleasure…

The Master welcomed the first two servants… with the same words of praise. “Come,” He said, “share in your master’s joy and receive what eye has not seen and ear has not heard and what has not entered the human heart” (1Cor 2,9). What greater reward could be bestowed on a faithful servant?” – St Jerome (343-420) Translator of Sacred Scripture (the Vulgate), Father and One of the Original Four Doctors of the Latin Church .

PRAYER – O God, Who establish ever new examples of virtue in Your Church, grant that Your people may follow the footsteps of blessed Andrew, Your Confessor and Bishop, so that they may also obtain his 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).

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Our Morning Offering – 4 February – Suscipe

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Our Morning Offering – 4 February

Suscipe
By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Take, Lord
and receive all my liberty,
my memory,
my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To You, Lord, I return it.
Everything is Yours,
do with it what You will.
Give me only Your love
and Your grace,
that is enough for me.
Amen

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR

Thought for the Day – 3 February – Work

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Thought for the Day – 3 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

WORK

“God created man master of the world.
He commanded him to populate it and to rule it (Cf Gen 1:28).
He placed him in an earthly paradise, “to till it and to keep it” (Gen 2:15).

As long as man remained in the state of innocence, however, work was a pleasure.
It gave him the joy of collaborating with God in the work of creation.
Today, work is still a pleasure.
By working, we co-operate with God because, it was His intention, tbat the resources of the earth should be explored by human industry and intelligence and should benefit both the individual and society.
Work is a noble occupation because it involves co-operation with God’s work of creation and conservation.
If anyone tries to deprive it of its lofty human character and to reduce it to the level of mere toil, regarding it as nothing more than an instrument of production or a handy system of exchange, he is debasing the worker and robbing him of all spiritual incentive.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 February – ‘ It is not a calm sky, beloved but the storm, which tests a pilot’s skill.’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 February – St Blaise Martyr (Died c 316) – Romans 13:8-10, Matthew 8:23-27

“And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves but He was asleep.”- Matthew 8:24

REFLECTION – “The sea offered its heaving back for Christ to walk upon. Now, it leveled its crests to a plain, checked its swelling and bound up its billows. It provided rocklike firmness, so He could walk across the waterway.

Why did the seas heave so and toss and pitch, even as if threatening its Creator? And why did Christ Himself, Who knows all the future, seem so unaware of the present, that He gave no thought to the onrushing storm, the moment of its height and the time of its peril?
While all the rest were awake, He alone was fast asleep, even with utter doom threatening both Himself and His dear ones.
Why? It is not a calm sky, beloved but the storm, which tests a pilot’s skill. When the breeze is mild, even the poorest sailor can manage the ship. But in the crosswinds of a tempest, we want the best Pilot with all His skil!.” – St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) Bishop of Ravenna, Father and Doctor of the Church “Doctor of Homilies” (Sermon 20).

PRAYER – O God, You Who know that our human frailty cannot stand fast against the great dangers that beset us, grant us health of mind and body, that with Your help we may overcome what we suffer on account of our sins. 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).