Category: CATHOLIC Quotes

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, HOLY COMMUNION, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN QUOTES, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 August –St Cajetan

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 7 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – The Memorial of St Cajetan (1480-1547)

“My desire is not my way
but Your way.”

“May all praise and thanks
be continually given
to the Most Holy
and Most August Sacrament.”

“We may seek graces
but shall never find them
without the intercession of Mary.”

Look Down, O Lord
By St Cajetan (1480-1547)

Look down, O Lord, from Thy sanctuary
and from the high habitation of Heaven
and behold this Sacred Oblation
which our great High Priest,
Thy Holy Servant, the Lord Jesus,
immolates unto Thee, for the sins of His brethren
and be propitious to the multitude of our iniquities.
Behold, the Voice
of the Blood of Jesus, our Brother,
cries to Thee from the Cross.
Graciously hear, O Lord,
be appeased, O Lord, hearken and do.
Delay not for Thy own sake, my God
because Thy Name is invoked upon this city
and upon Thy people
and do with us,
according to Thy mercy.
Amen

MORE HERE;
https://anastpaul.com/2018/08/07/quote-s-of-the-day-7-august-the-memorial-of-st-cajetan-1480-1547/

St Cajetan (1480-1547)

Posted in I BELIEVE!, QUOTES on FAITH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 August – “Lord, increase our faith”

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One Minute Reflection – 7 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: : Deuteronomy 6: 4-13; Psalm 18: 2-3a, 3c-4, 47 and 51; Matthew 17: 14-20 and The Memorial of St Cajetan (1480-1547)

He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.” – Matthew 17:20

REFLECTION – “Lord, increase our faith” (Lk 17:5). Let us consider, by Christ’s saying to them, that if we would not suffer the strength and fervour of our faith to wax lukewarm – or rather, key-cold – and lose its vigour by scattering our minds abroad about so many trifling things that we very seldom think of the matters of our faith, we should withdraw our thought from the respect and regard of all worldly fantasies and so gather our faith together into a little narrow room.

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. And, therefore, as for the first conclusion, since we must of necessity, before any spiritual comfort, presuppose the foundation of faith and since, no man can give us faith but only God, let us never cease to call upon God for it.” – St Thomas More (1478-1535) Martyr – Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation

PRAYER – Holy God, grant we pray, Your Holy Spirit of love and divine grace to grow ever more in faith. By our prayers and love for You and our neighbour, may we merit Your divine assistance. Lord Jesus, help us to dwell often on the manner in which we are following You. Let us strive each day to become more and more like You in all things and, to become beacons of Your Light, to all the world. St Cajetan, you who were and are a light to all, pray for us, We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, SAINT of the DAY, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST

Thought for the Day – 6 August – Courage – Put on Christ!

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Thought for the Day – 6 August – The Memorial of St Sixtus II (Died 258) Pope and Marty

St Sixtus II was Consecrated Bishop of the Church of Rome in 257. The following year, while celebrating the sacred liturgy over the tomb of a Martyr in the cemetery or Catacombs of Saint Callistus,
he was arrested by soldiers carrying out the edict of the Emperor Valerian.
On the same day, 6 August, he was put to death along with his Deacons and buried in the same cemetary.
This excerpt from a letter by Saint Cyprian, the North African Bishop of Carthage who was later Martyred in the same persecution, appears in the Roman Catholic Office of Readings for the liturgical Memorial of St Sixtus.
May these words of St Cyprian give us the strength we need in our times, when all is darkness!

St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200 – c 258) Bishop and Martyr, Father of the Church

Courage – Put on Christ!

“Dear brother, the reason why I could not write to you immediately was, that all the clergy were embroiled in the heat of the conflict. They could not possibly leave, all of them having prepared themselves for divine and heavenly glory.
But now, the messengers have come back, those whom I sent to the City to find out and report the truth of whatever decrees had been made about us – for people have been imagining all sorts of different possibilities. Here, then, is the truth:

Valerian sent a rescript to the Senate, saying that Bishops, Presbyters and Deacons should all receive immediate punishment; that Senators, Knights, and other men of importance, should lose their rank and their property and if they still persisted in being Christians, they should lose their heads and that Matrons should be deprived of their property and be sent into exile. Members of Caesar’s own household, whether they had confessed their faith before or were only confessing it now, should be deprived of their property, bound in chains and sent as slaves to his estates.

To this command, Valerian attached a copy of the letters which he had sent to the Governors of the various Provinces about us and we daily await the arrival of these letters, bracing ourselves, each according to the strength of his faith, for the suffering that is to be endured, and looking forward to the help and mercy of the Lord and the crown of eternal life.

You should know, however, that Sixtus was Martyred in the cemetery on the sixth of August and four deacons with him. Moreover, the prefects in the City are daily pushing forward this persecution and anyone who is presented to them is martyred and all his property confiscated by the state.

I beg you to make these things known to the rest of our colleagues, so that through their encouragement, the whole brotherhood may be strengthened and made ready for the spiritual conflict – so that, each one of us, may think less of death and more of immortality – so that, everyone, dedicated to the Lord, with full faith and total courage, may rejoice in this confession and not fear it, for they know, that the soldiers of God and Christ ,are not destroyed, but crowned.
Dearest brother, always fare well in the Lord!”

St Cyprian

(Epist 80 – CSEL 3, 839-840)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The TRANSFIGURATION

Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – ‘Those who go UP’

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord – Readings: Daniel 7: 9-10, 13-14; Psalm 97: 1-2, 5-6, 9; Peter 1: 16-19; Mark 9: 2-10

“This is my beloved Son.
Listen to him..”

Mark 9:7

“It is before those who go UP
that Jesus is transfigured
and not to those BELOW.
When He is transfigured,
His Face shines as the sun,
that He may be manifested to the children of light,
who have put off the works of darkness
and put on the armour of light..”

Origen (c 185-253)
Father of the Church

“At His Transfiguration
Christ showed His disciples,
the splendour of His beauty,
to which He will shape and colour
those who are His:
‘He will reform our lowness
configured to the body of His glory.’”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on NATURE - GOD'S CREATION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 5 August – Mary, a Light in the Darkness

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

Mary, a Light in the Darkness

“Let us imagine for a moment, that we have grown blind and are forever plunged in darkness.
It is an unhappy thought.
Never again to see those who are dear to us, never to see the light of the sun nor any of the splendour of the universe.
We should feel as if were alone, for we should have to depend only on sounds and on the voices of others for communication with the external world.
As St Augustine points out, however, in his commentary on the miracle of the man who had been blind from birth, we are all more or less blind in the supernatural order.
The world is the image of God but, do we see His Presence in everything which surrounds us?
Is it not more often the case that created things distract us and lead us to forget their Creator because, we regard them as a means of satisfying our own comfort and our own ego?
We should look on creatures as go-betweens which help us to ascend to God, the beginning and end of all creation.

Unfortunately, instead of climbing this mystical ladder which leads us to God, we often descend it.
We forget God and become excessively wrapped up in worldly affairs.
Sometimes matters may be even worse, not only do we forget God through our love of creatures but, we use them, to offend Him.
God has given us eyes to admire His works and, as a result, to lead us to praise, thank and love Him.
Instead, we often use this wonderful gift in order to commit sin.
He has given us the gift of speech, the gift of hearing and other senses.
But how do we employ them?
The tongue is a marvellous invention but, as St James writes, “if anyone does not offend in the word, he is a perfect man, able also to lead round by the bridle, the whole body … With it we bless God the Father and, with it, we curse men, who have been made after the likeness of God.   Out of the same mouth, proceed blessing and cursing.   These things, my brethren ought not to be so” (Js 3:2-10).
What can be said of vision and of speech can be said of all the senses and faculties of body and soul.
They are all God’s gifts and should, therefore, be used as means of bringing ourselves closer to Him.
If creatures lead us away from God and cause us to forget Him, or if, worse still, they cause us to offend Him, then we are spiritually blind and far more unfortunate than those who have lost their natural vision.

Most Holy Mary, during your earthly pilgrimage, you never once lost sight of God.
Grant that I may not be lost in the darkness of this world.
Grant that I may not be ensnared by the passing charm and false beauty of these created things which surround me.
Grant that I may see, in all things, the Presence and Beauty of God, so that I may always continue to advance, nearer and nearer to Him.   Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, ON the SAINTS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 4 August– Doing Everything for the Love of God

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

Doing Everything for the Love of God

“The beginning of perfection consists in doing the Will of God, even in our smallest actions.
But, to do everything for the love of God, is the summit of Christian perfection.
If we aimed always at doing God’s Will and acting from the motive of love for Him, we should be contented and at peace because we should be holy.
The Saints are the only people who remain calm and undisturbed in the midst of worldly adversity.
They are always content, because they live in God.
Their lives are in full conformity with His Will, guided by His Love and dedicated to His Service.
As a result, they live in a kind of spiritual stratosphere far above the storms of this world.
There, they are above the clouds of pride, ambition, avarice and all the other major vices.
There they see and contemplate everything in the Light of God.
Let us become saints.
Then we shall have solved all the problems of life!.” Amen

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DOMINICAN OP, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 4 August – St Dominic de Guzman

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Quote/s of the Day – 4 August – The Memorial of St Dominic de Guzman OP(1170-1221)

“Arm yourself with prayer,
instead of a sword;
be clothed with humility,
instead of fine raiment.”

“You are my companion
and must walk with me.
For if we hold together,
no earthly power can withstand us.”

— Upon meeting St Francis of Assisi.

“I am not capable of doing big things
but I want to do everything,
even the smallest things,
for the greater glory of God.”

St Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221)

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/08/08/quote-s-of-the-day-8-august-the-memorials-of-st-dominic-1170-1221-and-st-mary-of-the-cross-mackillop-1842-1909/

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 August – ‘The daughter of the Canaanite woman …’

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One Minute Reflection – 4 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 13:1-2.25-33.14,1.26-29.34-35.; Psalms 106: 6-7ab, 13-14, 21-23; Matthew 15: 21-28 and the Memorial of St Dominic de Guzman OP(1170-1221)

“ My daughter is tormented by a demon” – Matthew 15:22

REFLECTION – “This Gentile Canaanite woman no longer needs healing herself, since she confesses Christ as Lord and Son of David. But, she begs for help for her daughter, that is to say, for the crowd of Gentiles held captive under the domination of unclean spirits. Our Lord is silent, preserving for Israel with His silence, the honour of salvation. … Bearing in Himself the mystery of the Father’s Will, He answers that He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel so that it might be clearly seen, that the daughter of the Canaanite woman, is a symbol of the Church. … This does not mean that salvation was not to be given to the gentiles but that our Lord had come “to His own and His own people” (Jn 1:11) and was waiting for the first fruits of faith from the people from whom he had come forth; the rest would be saved later through the preaching of the Apostles. …

And so that we might understand that the Lord’s silence was due to consideration of the times and not to any obstacle placed by His own will, He added: “Woman, your faith is great!” What He meant was, that this woman, who was already sure of her salvation, had – what is better still – faith in the gathering together of the Gentiles at the approaching time, when, through their faith, they would be set free like this young girl from all domination by unclean spirits. Indeed, confirmation of this came about: following the prefiguration of the Gentiles in the Canaanite woman’s daughter, people who were prisoner to all kinds of different illnesses, were brought to the Lord by the crowds on the mountain (Mt 15:30). These were unbelievers, that is to say sick, who were led by believers to adoration and worship and to whom, salvation was given, that they might comprehend, study, praise and follow God.” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Doctor of the Divinity of Christ – Commentary on Saint Matthew’s Gospel, 15 ; SC 258

PRAYER – Lord God, You gave St Dominic to the Church as a great preacher of the Truth. We pray that he will help us in these times, our times of lies, ruled by the evil one, by his merits, his teachings and his unfailing prayer. Through Jesus the Christ, Our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God now and for all eternity, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Thought for the Day – 3 August – Depending Always on Jesus

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

Depending Always on Jesus

“When we abandon ourselves to Jesus, we must do so cheerfully, as well as trustingly.
St Basil calls the devil, the angel of sadness.
The evil spirit is, in fact, sad, for this is the lot of one who has lost God forever.
He wishes, moreover, to communicate that sadness to us also when he has drawn us into sin.

We should be happy in the Lord, as St Paul exhorts.
Joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
He who possesses Jesus and His grace, is touched by that holy joy which radiates from Him.
The Saints were joyful in persecution and in martyrdom, as the Apostles were before the Sanhedrin because, “they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus” (Acts 5:41).
It is related of St Romuald that in spite of great austerities, he was always smiling, so that he communicated happiness to those who saw him.

Let us, therefore, rely always on Jesus; let us remain close to Him and the path to Heaven will seem smooth, in spite of the many obstacles which we are sure to encounter.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/06/27/thought-for-the-day-27-june-depending-always-on-
jesus/
PART TWO HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/30/thought-for-the-day-30-january-depending-always-on-jesus/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, JESUIT SJ, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The HOLY NAME, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 3 August – Trust

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 12: 1-13; Psalm 51: 3-7, 12-13; 14: 22-36

Trust

“Lord, save me.”

Matthew 14:30

“Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.”

John 14:27

May We Confess Your Name to the End
By St Cyprian of Carthage (200-258)
Bishop and Martyr
Father of the Church

Good God,
may we confess Your Name to the end.
May we emerge unmarked
and glorious from the traps
and darkness of this world.
As You have bound us together
by charity and peace
and as together
we have persevered under persecution,
so may we also rejoice together
in Your heavenly kingdom.
Amen

St Cyprian of Carthage (200-258)

“We implore You,
O All-Holy, Long-Suffering
Life and Restoration,
Source of goodness,
look down from heaven
and visit all those
who ever trust in You;
rescue our life, Lord,
from all constraint and affliction,
and, in the faith of truth, guide us all.
At the prayers of the
Immaculate Mother of God and Virgin,
Save your world
and those in the world
and spare us all,
You who, for us,
became man without change,
only Lover of mankind.”

St Romanos the Melodios (c 490-c 556)

“Place all your trust in God,
let Him be your fear and your love.
He will answer for you,
He will do what is best for you.
You have here no lasting home.
You are a stranger and a pilgrim
wherever you may be
and you shall have no rest,
until you are wholly united with Christ.
Why do you look about here
when this is not the place of your repose?”

Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)

“Act as if everything depended on you;
trust as if everything depended on God.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“Throw yourself
into God’s arms.
He will carry you
when the road is rough.”

St John Baptiste de La Salle (1651-1719)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 August – Lord, save me!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 93August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 12: 1-13; Psalm 51: 3-7, 12-13; 14: 22-36

“But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me.” – Matthew 14:30

REFLECTION – “When Peter courageously moves across the sea, his feet are unsteady but his love grows strong …; his feet sink down but he clings to Christ’s hand. Faith upholds him, so long as he feels the waves making way. Troubled by the storm, he takes heart in his love for the Saviour. Peter walks across the sea borne up, more by love, than by his feet. …
He pays no attention to what his feet are treading on; all he sees are the footprints of Him whom he loves. He saw his Lord from his position of safety in the boat and, led by love, climbed down into the sea. He no longer sees the sea but Jesus alone.
But no sooner is he troubled by the strength of the wind and overcome by the storm, than fear begins to overshadow his faith … the water vanishes from beneath his feet. Faith weakens and the water with it. Then he cries out: “Lord, save me!” And ,at once, Jesus, stretching out His hand, saves him and says: “O man of little faith, why did you doubt? Is your faith so small that you were unable to press on towards me? Why didn’t you have sufficient faith to reach your end by relying on it? From now on keep this in mind- that it was only this faith that was holding you up above the waves.”

And so, my brethren, Peter doubts for an instant; he is about to drown but he is saved by calling on the Lord. …) Now, this world is a sea, whose waves are stirred up by the devil and where temptations increase the number of shipwrecks. We can only be saved by calling on the Lord, Who reaches out His hand to catch us. So let us continually cry out to Him!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace – Appendix no. 192 , attributed sermon; PL 39, 2100

PRAYER – Lord our God, the Light and Creator of Light, grant that faithfully pondering on all that is holy, we may ever live in the splendour of Your presence. May we live in Your Presence, withstand the winds of the world and grow daily in faith. By the help and intercession of athe loving and Immaculate Heart of Mary You may never permit us to separate ourselves from You and thus we may come, to completion in You, Through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Thought for the Day – 2 August – The Awareness of the Presence of God

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Thought for the Day – 2 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Awareness of the Presence of God

“The presence of God, moreover, encourages us to do our best to acquire all the virtues.
When He is always before our eyes, we have no difficulty in recognising, that He is the supreme Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

Let us seek to please God, therefore, by obeying His commandments and inspirations.
If we wish to be worthy of His presence, let us seek to adorn our souls with His grace, which is ours for the asking.
Our awareness of God’s presence, should not be a passive state.
It should enliven our faith and increase our love for Him.

Do we realise how poor and sinful we are in the sight of God?
Let us ask Him to make us holy.
If we are troubled by temptations, let us ask Him for the strength to conquer them.
If we are worn out by suffering, let us ask Him to help and console us.
As St Alphonsus said: “He who does not acquire the love of God will scarcely persevere in the grace of God, for it is very difficult to renounce sin, merely through fear of chastisement.”

If we live in the presence of God and contemplate Him, we shall be moved to love Him more and more.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/08/thought-for-the-day-8-august-the-awareness-of-the-presence-of-god/

Posted in Act of SPIRITUAL COMMUNION, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on BLASPHEMY, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FRIENDSHIP, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The HOLY NAME

Quote/s of the Day – 2 August – St Alphonsus

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 August – The Memorial of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“If you wish to charm the loving Heart of your God,
set yourself to talk to Him,
as often as you can
and, after a fashion,
continually, together with the fullest
and most confident liberty.
He will not hold aloof from answering you
and participating in the conversation on His part.”

“On the journey of this life to eternity,
let me carry You in my heart,
following Mary’s example,
who bore You in her arms,
during the flight to Egypt.”

“… It is Him you should love and no other.
Of Him you could and should say
“My Beloved is mine and I am his” (Sg 2:16);
my God has given Himself without reserve
and, without reserve, I give myself to Him;
He has chosen me as the object of His tenderness
and He, among thousands,
He, the radiant and ruddy one (Sg 5:10),
so loveable and so loving,
He is the chosen of my heart,
the only one I wish to love.”

“Were you to ask,
‘what are the means of overcoming temptations’,
I would answer:
the first means is prayer,
the second is prayer,
the third is prayer
and should you ask me a thousand times,
I would repeat the same.”

“Sacrilegious tongues blaspheme the God
who preserves their existence!
… you should be damned forever
and, instead of thanking Him for His goodness,
you, at the very time
that He bestows His favours upon you,
YOU blaspheme His Holy Name!”

“Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament
is the greatest, after the sacraments,
the one dearest to God
and the one most helpful to us.”

Act of Spiritual Communion
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

I desire, good Jesus,
to receive Thee in Holy Communion
and since I cannot now receive Thee
in the Blessed Sacrament,
I beseech Thee to come to me spiritually
and to refresh my soul with Thy sweetness.
Come, my Lord, my God and my All!
Come to me
and never let me ever again
be separated from Thee by sin.
Teach me Thy blessed ways,
help me with Thy grace to imitate Thy example,
to practise meekness, humility,
charity and all the virtues of Thy Sacred Heart.
My divine Master, my one desire is to do Thy will
and to love Thee, more and more.
Help me, that I may be faithful to the end, in Thy service.
Bless me in life and in death,
that I may praise Thee, forever in heaven,
Amen

St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 August – ‘ … How pleased He is, by believers’ devotion to Him.’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 2 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 11: 4b-15; Psalm 81: 12-17; Matthew 14: 13-21- and the Memorial of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Churc

“He … saw a great multitude and had compassion on them and healed their sick.” – Matthew 14:14

REFLECTION – “Matthew relates more fully [than Mark] how he took pity on them. He says: “And he had compassion on them and cured their sick.” This is what it means really to take pity on the poor and on those who have no-one to guide them – to open the way of truth to them by teaching, to heal their physical infirmities , . and to make them want to praise the divine generosity by feeding them, when they are hungry, as Jesus did. …

But Jesus tested the crowd’s faith and having done so he gave it a fitting reward. He sought out a lonely place to see if they would take the trouble to follow Him. For their part, they showed how concerned they were for their salvation by the effort they made in going along the deserted road, not on donkeys or in carts of various kinds but on foot.

In return, Jesus welcomed those weary, ignorant, sick and hungry people, instructing, healing and feeding them as a kindly Saviour and physician and so, letting them know how pleased He is, by believers’ devotion to Him.” – St Bede the Venerable (673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church – Commentary on Saint Mark’s Gospel, 2 ;

PRAYER – Forgive the sins of Your people Lord and since of ourselves, we are unable to do what pleases You, lead us on the way of salvation in Your divine Son who lives in us and gives us life. May the prayers of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and most zealous Saint Alphonsus Liguori, help us to constantly meditate on Your eternal sustenance. Through, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in Against ICONOCLASM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 2 August – Saint Serenus of Marseilles (Died c 606)

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Saint of the Day – 2 August – Saint Serenus of Marseilles (Died c 606) the 10th Bishop of Marseilles. Died in c 606 near Biandrate, Piedmont, Italy of natural causes. Also known as – Sereno, Clear (translation of his name). Patronages – for good weather, for good harvests, of Biandrate, Italy.

Serenus is known through an exchange of letters with Pope Gregory the Great (540-604). The correspondence between the Pope and the Bishop of Marseilles concerned the position of the Church in regard to the images in the Churches and the journey undertaken by Saint Augustine, the future Archbishop of Canterbury and the Monks who accompanied him to the England.

He would have died near Biandrate in the Diocese of Vercelli on his return from Rome where he had been to discuss his iconoclastic positions regarding the veneration of images. We know little else but this Saint except that he was a zealous and holy Bishop sincerely aiming to foster the faith of his flock and adherence to Holy Mother Church.

He was buried in a field near the Benedictine Abbey of San Nazzaro. His body,was found in the Middle Ages, by a farmer working the field, and his relics were then reenshrined in the St Columba of Biandrate.

The Bishop had destroyed the holy images by strictly applying the commandment given by God to Moses.
In 599, the Pope sent Father Cyriaque to Gaul. Having to go through Marseilles, he had given Cyriaque a letter he had written to the Bishop :

“I learned a long time ago that seeing a few people worshiping the pictures of the Church you broke them and threw them out. I praise your zeal to prevent man-made things from being worshiped but I believe you should not shatter these images. Because we put paintings in Churches so that those who cannot read can see, on the walls, what they cannot learn from books. So you had to keep them and divert the people from sinning by worshiping paintings .
Serenus replied to the Pope, doubting that this letter was from him. The Pope replied to him the following year:

You must have had no suspicion of Father Cyriaque, who was the bearer of my letters .
Then talking about pictures:

Tell me, my brother, what Bishop have you ever heard of who did the same? Should not this consideration only hold you back so as not to appear alone pious and wise, in contempt of your brothers? … It is said that by shattering these images you scandalised your people so much, that most of them broke away from your community. We must remind them of them and show them, that through the Holy Scriptures, that it is not allowed to worship what is made by hand. Then add, that seeing the legitimate use of the images, turned into worship, you were outraged and made them break. You will add – if you want to have images in the Church, for your instruction, for which they were made in the past, I will gladly allow you. So you will soften them and bring them back to union. If someone wants to make images, do not prevent him: only forbid worshiping them. The sight of the stories must excite in them compunction but they must prostrate themselves only to adore the Holy Trinity. I tell you all this only out of my love for the Church, not to weaken your zeal but to encourage you in your duty.“
Saint Gregory the Great, after Basil the Great (329-379), Gregory of Nazianze (330-390), Gregory of Nyssa (335-394) and PaulinE of Nola (353-431), resumes in his letters that the images are useful for those who cannot read books.
Gregory the Great sets three roles for images in his two letters to Serenus

1. educate the illiterate,
2. to fix the memory of holy history,
3. arouse a feeling of compunction among the faithful.“
But the Bishop must teach, that pictures cannot be worshiped.

Posted in AUGUST - The Immaculate Heart of Mary, IMMACULATE HEART PRAYERS, IMMACULATE HEART Quotes, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS

Thought for the Day – 1 August – The Virginal Purity of Mary

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Thought for the Day – 1 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” -Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Virginal Purity of Mary

O Mary, my Heavenly Mother,
I am so weak, yet the danger in which I find myself, is so great.
Turn your eyes of mercy upon me and come to my assistance.
Most of all, do not allow the demon of impurity to seduce my soul.
Grant that I may never yield to the temptations of the flesh.
Protect for me, the flower of my chastity, until I can deliver it, unsullied, into the hands of Jesus in Heaven.
Amen.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PARTS ONE and TWO HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/05/06/thought-for-the-day-6-may-the-virginal-purity-of-mary-2/

Posted in AUGUST - The Immaculate Heart of Mary, IMMACULATE HEART Quotes, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

August – The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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August – The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

The Physical Heart, Symbol of the Spiritual Heart

The Fathers of the Church consider that when, from the Cross, Our Lord Jesus made the Blessed Lady, the mother of St John and thus He appointed her the mother of all men.

Thus, Mary’s heart is the physical symbol of her boundless love for God and humankind. But Our Lady’s physical heart is also the symbol of her spiritual heart. Thus, in the Immaculate Heart of Mary we also honour her inner life, her virtues, her perfect purity, her boundless humility, her affections and her sorrow.

Poignant in Catholic tradition is the representation of Mary’s heart pierced by a sword, symbol of her immense sorrow at witnessing and willing her Son’s passion and death for the salvation of our souls.

“…Let us continue
Immaculate Mary’s mission.
All is included in it.
May [we].. follow her example
and be the handmaid of the Lord
in everything,
everywhere
and always.”

Blessed Mary of the Passion (1839-1904)

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PURGATORY, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 31 July – Little Things

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Thought for the Day – 31 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Little Things

“Just as there are ordinary acts of virtue, so there are very ordinary sins.
But it would be rash to regard acts of deception, vanity and impatience, as insignificant.
Every deliberate sin is an offence against God our highest good and our Redeemer.

How can God be indifferent to these ungrateful violations of His law?
After all, even as He has assured us, that a cup of cold water given in His Name to a thirsty man, will have its reward (Cf Mt 10:42), so He has assured us, that not even the slightest trace of sin can enter into eternal glory!
We shall not be condemned to Hell for venial sins alone but, we shall suffer a decline in grace and shall be obliged to expiate our sins, either in this life, or in Purgatory.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/14/thought-for-the-day-14-august-little-things/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on ZEAL, SAINT of the DAY, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 31 July – St Ignatius Loyola

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Quote/s of the Day – 31 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” and the Memorial of St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) –

“Go Forth, Set the World on Fire!”

“He who carries God in his heart
bears heaven with him,
wherever he goes.”

“Act as if everything depended on you;
trust as if everything depended on God.”

“True, I am in love with suffering
but I do not know,
if I deserve the honour!”

“There is no better wood
for feeding the fire of God’s love
than the wood of the Cross.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SANCTITY

Thought for the Day – 30 July – Daily Progress

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Thought for the Day – 30 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Daily Progress

“There are two ways in which we should make constant daily progress.
The first is in the removal of our defects and imperfections.
As the Imitation of Christ insists, we should soon become holy if we were to conquer, at least one sin, every year.
It is opportune, at this stage, to ask ourselves how many years we have already spent on earth.
During these years, how many personal defects can we claim to have remedied?
Perhaps there was a time when we were better than we are now?
If we have wasted time and have abused our Creator’s gifts and favours, we should humble ourselves and do penance before God.

Finally, we should resolve to do our best to remedy, at least, one Defect everyday.
We should select first of all, whatever imperfection we know to be the most dangerous.
This will be difficult and even heroic work but, it is very necessary.
We must work on our own character as a sculptor works on a block of marble, hammering, cutting and chiselling patiently and perseveringly.
With the help of God, we shall be successful.
Even as the Saints succeeded, so we shall succeed if we depend on God’s grace and make the necessary sacrifices.”

Antonio Cardinal BaccI

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/12/05/thought-for-the-day-5-december-daily-progress/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, SAINT of the DAY, THE EPIPHANY of the LORD, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 30 July – “Golden Words,” St Peter Chrysologus

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Quote/s of the Day – 30 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”– The Memorial of St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Golden Words,” Father & Doctor of the Church

“The Magi are filled with awe by what they see –
heaven on earth and earth in heaven;
man in God and God in man;
they see enclosed in a tiny body
the One Whom the entire world cannot contain.”

“He is The Bread sown in the virgin,
leavened in the Flesh,
moulded in His Passion,
baked in the furnace of the Sepulchre,
placed in the Churches
and set upon the Altars,
which daily supplies Heavenly Food to the faithful.”

“For he who touches
the Body of Christ unworthily,
receives his damnation.”

“The poor stretch out the hand
but God receives what is offered.”

St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450)
“Golden Words”
Father & Doctor of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD the FATHER, QUOTES for CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 July – “Is not this the carpenter’s son? ”– Matthew 13:55

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One Minute Reflection – 30 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”– Readings: Leviticus 23: 1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37; Psalms 81: 3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab; Matthew 13: 54-58 and the Memorial of St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) Father & Doctor of the Church

“Is not this the carpenter’s son? ”– Matthew 13:55

REFLECTION – “For if I do not understand the nature placed at my service, I discern Your goodness from the mere fact that it is there to serve me. I perceive that I do not even understand myself but I wonder at You all the more… You have given me intellect, life and human feeling, the source of so many joys, yet I do not begin to understand how I began to be…
So it is through failing to understand what surrounds me, that I grasp what You are and, it is through perceiving what You are, that I come to adore You. That is why, in what concerns Your mysteries, my incomprehension lessens not a bit my faith in Your omnipotence… Your eternal Son’s birth exceeds even the idea of eternity – it is prior to the times everlasting. Before any other thing that exists, He was Son proceeding from You, O God and Father. He is true God… You have never existed without Him… Before ever time was, You are the eternal Father of Your Sole Begotten One.”… St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ of the Church

PRAYER – “So long as I enjoy that breath of life granted to me by You, Holy Father, Almighty God, I will proclaim You as God eternal but also as Father eternal.
Never will I set myself up as judge of Your almighty power and mysteries;
never will I set my limited understanding before the true appreciation of Your infinity; never will I claim You to have existed beforehand without Your Wisdom, Power and Word, God the Only-Begotten, my Lord Jesus Christ.
For even though human language is weak and imperfect when it speaks of You,
this will not inhibit my mind to the point of reducing my faith to silence,
for lack of words able to express the mystery of Your being…” (St Hilary)
Lord God, You hold out the light of Your Word to those who do not know You. Strengthen in our hearts the faith You have given us, so that no trials may quench the fire Your Spirit kindled within us. Grant that the prayers of Your faithful St Peter Chrysologus, may assist us to grow in love. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TIME, STATIONS of the CROSS, The HOLY CROSS, The STATIONS of the CROSS

Our Morning Offering – 30 July – A Prayer to Seek the Consolation of the Cross

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Our Morning Offering – 30 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”

A Prayer to Seek the Consolation of the Cross
By St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

Jesus, love of my soul,
centre of my heart!
Why am I not more eager to endure pains
and tribulations for love of You,
when You, my God,
have suffered so many for me?
Come, then, every sort of trial in the world,
for this is my delight, to suffer for Jesus.
This is my joy, to follow my Saviour
and to find my consolation
with my Consoler on the Cross.
This is my happiness,
this my pleasure:
to live with Jesus,
to walk with Jesus,
to converse with Jesus,
to suffer with and for Him,
this is my treasure.
Amen

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

Thought for the Day – 29 July – The Love of Our Neighbour

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Thought for the Day – 29 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Love of Our Neighbour

“The Gospel not only commands us to love God above all things but also, to love our neighbour as ourselves (Cf Mt 13:35-40).
The Christian love of our neighbour, flows necessarily from the love of God.
Our Creator loves all men as His own sons.
Therefore, we ought to love one another as brothers, even as Our Lord loves us.
We should see, in our neighbour, especially if he is in need, the person of Christ Himself, our elder brother, “the first-born among many brethren” (Rom 8:29).

If men sincerely loved one another, not merely as brothers but as much as they love themselves, what problems would be solved!
Who can say how many evils would be abated and how many sorrows would be assuaged?
To transform the world, it would be enough to put into practice the first great commandment of the Gospel, which is the commandment of charity.
Admittedly, the world would not become an earthly paradise, for any such Utopia is an impossibility.
But, it would become a dignified dwelling place of brothers, loving and helping one another.
“Love is the fulfilment of the law,” St Paul very truly says (Rom 13:10).
“Have charity, which is the bond of perfection” (Col 3:14).

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on FRIENDSHIP, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Quote/s of the Day – 29 July – Friendship

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Quote/s of the Day – 29 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Memorial of St Martha

“We followed the guidance of God’s law
and spurred each other on to virtue.
If it is not too boastful to say,
we found in each other a standard
and rule for discerning right from wrong.”

St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390)
on his friendship with
St Basil the Great (329-379)
Both Fathers and Doctors of the Church

“A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds.
A good deed is never lost;
he who sows courtesy, reaps friendship
and he who plants kindness, gathers love.”

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor

“Friendships begun in this world
will be taken up again,
never to be broken off. ”

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

“There is nothing on this earth,
more to be prized,
than true friendship.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FRIENDSHIP, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 July – “… I speak not here of that simple love of charity …”

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One Minute Reflection – 29 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Memorial of St Martha – Readings: Exodus 40: 16-21, 34-38; Psalms 84: 3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11; John 11: 19-27

“Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” – John 11:5

REFLECTION – “Love everyone with a great, charitable love but have no friendship except for those that communicate with you in the things of virtue. … If this communication be in the sciences, the friendship is certainly very commendable but still more so, if it be in virtues, in prudence, discretion, fortitude and justice. Should your mutual and reciprocal communications relate to charity, devotion and Christian perfection, O God, how precious will this friendship be! It will be excellent because it comes from God; excellent, because it tends to God; excellent because its very bond is God; excellent, because it shall last eternally in God. Oh, how good it is to love on earth as they love in heaven;and to learn to cherish one another in this world, as we shall do eternally in the next!

I speak not here of that simple love of charity which we must have for all but, of that spiritual friendship, by which two, three or more souls communicate one to another their devotion and spiritual affections and make themselves have but one spirit. (Cf. Acts 4:32) Such happy souls may justly sing: “Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps 132[133]:1). … I consider all other friendships as but so many shadows in comparison with this one … For Christians who live in the world and desire to embrace true virtue, it is necessary to unite themselves together by a holy and sacred friendship. By this means, they encourage, assist and conduct one another to good deeds … Surely no-one can deny, that our Lord loved Saint John, Lazarus, Martha and Magdalen with a more sweet and most special friendship, for Scripture tells us so.” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of Charity the Church – Introduction to the Devout Life, III, 19 (trans. John Ryan)

PRAYER – Almighty ever-living God, Your Son graciously came as a guest to the home of St Martha and was the friend of her family. Martha in her sorrow was moved to declare her total faith in Him, grant we pray, that in our trials and sorrows, we too may prove our love for You. By her prayers give us grace to serve Christ faithfully in our brethren and bring us to Your home in heaven. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, amen.

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HEART, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Our Morning Offering – 29 July – Now that the Daylight Fills the Sky, We Lift our Hearts to God on High

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Our Morning Offering – 29 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”

Now that the Daylight Fills the Sky,
We Lift our Hearts to God on High
By St Ambrose (340-397)
Great Latin Father and Doctor of the Church
Trans J M Neale (1818-1866)

Now that the daylight fills the sky,
We lift our hearts to God on high
That He, in all we do or say,
Would keep us free from harm today,

Would guard our hearts and tongues from strife,
From angry words, would shield our life,
From evil sights, would turn our eyes
And close our ears to vanities.

So we, when this new day is gone
And night in turn is drawing on,
With conscience by the world unstained,
Shall praise His name for vict’ry gained.

“All praise to You, Creator Lord!
All praise to You, eternal Word!
All praise to You, O Spirit wise!”
We sing as daylight fills the skies.
Amen

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES

Thought for the Day – 28 July – The Rich

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Thought for the Day – 28 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Rich

“Sacred Scripture has some very severe and terrible things to say to the rich.
“Woe to you rich! for you are now having your comfort” (Lk 6:24).
“Amen, I say to you, with difficulty will a rich man enter the kingdom of heaven. And further, I say to you, it is easier for a camel top pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19:23-24, CF Mk 10:24-25, Lk 18:24-25).
St James adds: “Come now, you rich, weep and howl over your miseries which will come upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are rusted and their rust will be a witness against you and will devour your flesh as fire does. You have laid up treasure in the last days. Behold, the wages of the labourers who reaped your fields, which have been kept back by you unjustly, cry out and their cry has entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts. You have feasted upon earth and you have nourished your hearts on dissipation in the days of slaughter” (Js 5:1-5).

These passages are not concerned with the rich as such, for men like Abraham, Job and St Louis, the King of France, were wealthy. They are directed against those who have become absorbed in their wealth (Mk 10:24) and have grown deaf to the rightful promptings of justice and charity.

Nevertheless, it is not only the wealthy and unjust who should reflect seriously on these stern words but also, those who have more than they need in life and are never moved by compassion for their less fortunate fellowmen.
Can we be counted amongst these?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 28 July – ‘There also will your heart be. …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 28 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 34: 29-35; Psalms 99: 5, 6, 7, 9; Matthew 13: 44-46

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again and out of joy, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Matthew 13:44

“For where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.”

Matthew 6:21

“But God said to him,
‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you
and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
So is he, who lays up treasure for himself
and is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:20-21

“Lay not up for yourselves, treasures on earth …
but lay up for yourselves, treasures in heaven”

Matthew 6:19,20

“You are a jailor of your wealth, not its owner,
you who bury your gold in the ground (cf Mt 25,25);
you are its slave and not its master.
Christ said: “Where your treasure is, there also your heart will be”
so it is your heart you have buried.
Rather, sell your gold and buy salvation;
sell what is metal and acquire God’s Kingdom;
sell the field and purchase for yourself, eternal life.
In saying this I am speaking the truth
because I am relying on the words of Him who is Truth:
“If you wish to be perfect, sell what you have
and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven” (Mt 19,21).
Do not be cast down by these words lest the same thing be said to you,
as to the rich young man:
“It will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (v.23).
Still more, when you read this sentence,
consider that death can snatch these possessions away from you,
that the aggression of someone powerful can carry them away.”

St Ambrose (340-397)
Bishop of Milan,
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Where is the heart that loves?
On the thing it loves.
Therefore, where our love is,
there our heart is held captive.
It cannot leave it;
it cannot be lifted higher,
it cannot go either to the right or the left;
see, it is fixed.
Where the miser’s treasure is,
there is his heart
and where our heart is,
there is our treasure.”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 July – “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field ….” – Matthew 13:44

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One Minute Reflection – 28 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 34: 29-35; Psalms 99: 5, 6, 7, 9; Matthew 13: 44-46

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again and out of joy, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44

REFLECTION – “It was Christ who was present to all those to whom, from the beginning, God communicated His Speech and Word. If anyone, therefore, reads the Scriptures with attention, he will find, in them, an expression of Christ and a foreshadowing of this new calling. For Christ is the treasure which was hidden in the field, that is, in this world (Mt 13:38) – a treasure hidden in the Scriptures, since it was alluded to by means of symbols and parables which, humanly speaking, could not be understood prior to the fulfilment of prophecy, that is to say, before the coming of the Lord. That is why it was said to Daniel the prophet: ” Keep secret the message and seal the book until the end of time ” (12:4) … And Jeremiah also says, “In the last days they shall understand these things.” (23:20) …

When read by Christians, the Law is a treasure, hidden beforehand in a field, but brought to light and interpreted by the Cross of Christ. It shows forth the Wisdom of God and makes known His intentions with regard to our salvation; it prefigures the Kingdom of Christ and preaches, by anticipation, the Good News of our inheritance of the holy Jerusalem. It proclaims beforehand, that those who love God shall advance even to hearing and seeing His Word and, that they will be glorified by this Word …

Thus it was, that the Lord explained the Scriptures to His disciples, after his Resurrection from the dead, proving to them, by their means, that “it was necessary the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory” (Lk 24:26). So if anyone should likewise read the Scriptures, that person will become a perfect disciple, “like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom things both new and old.” (Mt 13:52). – St Irenaeus of Lyons ((130-202) Bishop, Martyr, Theologian – Against the Heresies, IV, 26 ; SC 100

PRAYER – Remember Lord, Your solemn Covenant, renewed and consecrated by the Blood of the Lamb, so that Your people may obtain forgiveness for their sins and continued growth by grace. May the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of Christ, our Treasure, intercede for our salvation. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ Your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God with You Father, now and forever, amen.