Category: CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month

Posted in JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SIN, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Thought for the Day – 5 December – The Blessedness of the Peracemakers

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

The Blessedness of the Peracemakers

“The spirit of peace pervades the Gospel.
When Jesus is born, choirs of angels sing above the stable in Bethlehem: “Glory to God in the highest ad on earth, peace among men of good will” (Lk 2:14).
When our Saviour has risen gloriously from the dead, He appears to His disciples and greets them with the words: “Peace be to you.”
Finally, when He is departing from this earth, He leaves his peace to His followers as their inheritance. “Peace I leave with you,” He says to them, “my peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled or be afraid” (Jn 14:27).

Exactly what is the peace of Jesus Christ?
It is much different from worldly peace, presuming that the world can give some kind of peace.
St Paul says of the Saviour that “he himself is our peace” (Eph 2:14).
How are we to understand what is meant by this?
The Apostle himself explains when he writes: “Having been justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1).
Jesus Christ, therefore, is our peacemaker.
He has shouldered our iniquities and has offered Himself to the Father as a victim of expiation and of reconciliation.
It is at the price of Christ’s precious blood, that we have regained peace with God and freedom from our sins.
This is the peace which our Lord has given us.
Let us remember, however, that if we return to the slavery of sin, we shall lose at once, the jewel of peace which Jesus Christ has bestowed on us.
“There is no peace to the wicked” (Isa 48:22).
We have experienced on many occasions how true this is.
Sin destroys peace of soul because it deprives us of Jesus, without Whom, peace cannot survive.
Let us resolve, therefore, to remain always close to our Lord and far from sin.
Then only shall we be able to preserve our peace of mind in the midst of temptations and of earthly sorrows.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, NOVENAS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Immaculate Conception Novena – Day Seven – 5 December

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Day Seven – Immaculate Conception Novena

Let us begin:
In the Name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

O most Holy Virgin,
who was pleasing to the Lord
and became His Mother,
Immaculate in body and spirit,
in faith and in love,
look kindly on us
as we implore your powerful intercession.

O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God
and our Mother,
from the sublime heights of your dignity,
turn your merciful eyes upon us while we,
full of confidence in your bounty
and fully conscious of your power,
beg of you, to come to our aid
and ask your Divine Son
to grant the favour we earnestly seek
in this novena…
if it be beneficial for our immortal souls
and the souls for whom we pray.
…………………………
(State your intention here… )
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Christ,
you had influence with your Divine Son,
while upon this earth,
you have the same influence now in Heaven.
Pray for us and obtain for us
from Him the granting of our petition
if it be the Divine Will.
Amen

Say the: Our Father…
the: Hail Mary…
the: Glory Be…

Posted in IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, NOVENAS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Immaculate Conception Novena – Day Six – 4 December

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Day Six – Immaculate Conception Novena

Let us begin:
In the Name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son,
we beseech You that,
as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son,
You did preserve Her from all stain,
so too You would permit us,
purified through Her intercession,
to come unto You.
Through the same Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Son, who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, world without end.
Amen

Glorious and immortal Queen of Heaven,
we profess our firm belief
in your Immaculate Conception,
preordained for you,
by the merits of your Divine Son.
We rejoice with you
in your Immaculate Conception.
To the One ever-reigning God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
three in Person, One in nature,
we offer thanks
for your blessed Immaculate Conception.
O Mother of the Word made Flesh,
listen to our petition
as we ask this special grace during this novena…
………………………………..
(State your intention here… )
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Christ,
you had influence with your Divine Son
while upon this earth;
you have the same influence now in Heaven.
Pray for us and obtain for us,
from Him, the granting of our petition,
if it be the Divine Will.
Amen

Say the: Our Father…
the: Hail Mary…
the: Glory Be…

Posted in IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, NOVENAS

Immaculate Conception Novena – Day Five – 3 December

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Day Five – Immaculate Conception Novena

Let us begin:
In the Name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

O Lord, who, by the Immaculate Conception
of the Virgin Mary,
did prepare a fitting dwelling
for Your Son,
we beseech You that,
as by the foreseen death of Your Son,
You did preserve her from all stain of sin,
grant that, through her intercession,
we may be favoured
with the granting of the grace
that we seek for at this time…
………………………………….
State your intention here… )
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Christ,
you had influence with your Divine Son
while upon this earth;
you have the same influence now in Heaven.
Pray for us and obtain for us
from Him, the granting of our petition
if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.

Say the: Our Father…
the: Hail Mary…
the: Glory Be…

Posted in IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, NOVENAS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Immaculate Conception Novena – Day Four – 2 December

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Day Four – Immaculate Conception Novena

Let us begin:
In the Name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son,
we beseech You that,
as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son,
You did preserve Her from all stain,
so too You would permit us,
purified through Her intercession,
to come unto You.
Through the same Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Son, who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, world without end.
Amen

O Mary, Mother of God,
endowed in your glorious
Immaculate Conception
with the fullness of grace;
unique among women,
in that you are both mother and virgin;
Mother of Christ and Virgin of Christ,
we ask you to look down
with a tender heart from your throne
and listen to our prayers
as we earnestly ask,
that you obtain for us the favour
for which we now plead…
…………………………………..
(State your intention here… )
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Christ,
you had influence with your Divine Son
while upon this earth;
you have the same influence now in Heaven.
Pray for us and obtain for us from him
the granting of our petition
if it be the Divine Will.
Amen

Say the: Our Father…
the: Hail Mary…
the: Glory Be…

Posted in DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Devotion for December – The Immaculate Conception

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December , Month of The Immaculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception was not, as many people mistakenly believe, a precondition for Christ’s act of redemption but the result of it. Standing outside of time, God knew that Mary would humbly submit herself to His will and in His love for this perfect servant, He applied to her, at the moment of her conception, the redemption, won by Christ, that all Christians receive at their Baptism.

It is appropriate, then, that the Church has long declared the month in which the Blessed Virgin not only was conceived but gave birth to the Saviour of the world, as the Month of the Immaculate Conception.

Holy Light on earth’s horizon,
Star of hope to those who fall,
Light amid a world of shadows,
Dawn of God’s design for all.

Mary, Virgin of Advent,
may we always walk with you
in the Light of the Lord Jesus,
the fruit of your womb!
Amen

Posted in IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, NOVENAS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Immaculate Conception Novena – Day Three – 1 December

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Day Three – Immaculate Conception Novena

Let us begin:
In the Name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

O most Holy Virgin,
who was pleasing to the Lord
and became His Mother,
Immaculate in body and spirit,
in faith and in love,
look kindly on me
as I implore your powerful intercession.

O Blessed Virgin Mary,
glory of the Christian Catholic people,
joy of the universal Church
and Mother of Our Lord,
speak for us to the Heart of Jesus,
Who is your Son and our Brother.
O Mary, who by your holy
Immaculate Conception
did enter the world free from stain,
in your mercy obtain for us
from Jesus, the special favour
which we now so earnestly seek…
…………………………………..
(State your intention here… )
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Christ,
you had influence with your Divine Son
while upon this eart,
you have the same influence now in Heaven.
Pray for us and obtain for us
from Him the granting of our petitions
if it be the Divine Will.
Amen

Say the: Our Father…
the: Hail Mary…
the: Glory Be…

Posted in IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, NOVENAS

Immaculate Conception Novena – Day Two – 30 November

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Day Two – Immaculate Conception Novena

Let us begin:
In the Name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son,
we beseech You that,
as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son,
You did preserve Her from all stain,
so too You would permit us,
purified through Her intercession,
to come unto You.
Through the same Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Son, who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, world without end.
Amen.

O Mary, ever blessed Virgin,
Mother of God, Queen of angels and of Saints,
we salute you
with the most profound veneration
and filial devotion
as we contemplate your holy Immaculate Conception,
We thank you for your maternal protection
and for the many blessings
that we have received through your wondrous mercy
and most powerful intercession.
In all our necessities
we have recourse to you with unbounded confidence.
O Mother of Mercy,
we beseech you now to hear our prayer
and to obtain for us, of your Divine Son
the favour that we so earnestly request in this Novena.
……………………………………
(Mention your request here…)
O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Christ,
you had influence with your Divine Son,
while upon this earth;
you have the same influence now in heaven.
Pray for us and obtain for us from him
the granting of my petition if it be the Divine Will.
Amen.

Say the: Our Father…
the: Hail Mary…
the: Glory Be…

Posted in IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Immaculate Conception Novena – Day One – 29 November

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Day One – Immaculate Conception Novena

Let us begin:
In the Name of the Father
and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen

O most Holy Virgin,
who was pleasing to the Lord
and became His Mother,
immaculate in body and spirit,
in faith and in love,
look kindly on me
as I implore your powerful intercession.

O most Holy Mother,
who by your blessed Immaculate Conception,
from the first moment of your conception
did crush the head of the enemy,
receive my prayer
as I implore you to present,
at the throne of God,
the favour I now request…
…………………….
(Mention your request here…)

O Mary of the Immaculate Conception,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of God,
you had influence with your Divine Son
while upon this earth;
you have the same influence now in Heaven.
Pray for me and obtain for me from Him,
the granting of my petitions.
if it be the Divine Will.
Amen

Say the: Our Father…
the: Hail Mary…
the: Glory Be…

Posted in DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DOGMA, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, NOVENAS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Announcing a Novena in honour of the Immaculate Conception

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Novena in honour of the Immaculate Conception
Begins 29 November
Feast 8 December

The Dogma was promulgated by Blessed Pius IX in 1854 in the Bull Ineffabilis Deus.
This Dogma is rejected by all Protestants including the Orthodox – another reason why we cannot interact with these the way some do and the Vatican II church endorses.

Let us Pray to our Mother, the Immaculate and Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin.

Posted in franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on VIRTUE, SAINT of the DAY, The HEART, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The HOLY NAME

Quote/s of the Day – 26 November – St Leonard of Port Maurice

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 November – The Memorial of St Leonard of Port Maurice OFM (1676-1751)

“I believe, that were it not for the Holy Mass,
at this moment, the world would be in the abyss,
unable to bear up,
under the mighty load of its iniquities.
Mass is the potent prop
that hold the world on its base.”

“What graces, gifts and virtues
the Holy Mass calls down!”

“Oh Most Sacred Name,
Name of peace,
Balsam of life,
which is the centre of all the sighs,
of the most fervent lovers of Jesus.
The Sign of those who truly love Jesus
is to bear Jesus imprinted in the heart
and to name often and with devotion,
the Most Holy Name of Jesus.”

St Leonard of Port Maurice (1676-1751)

Posted in JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on WATCHING, The HOLY NAME, The REDEMPTION, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 25 November – ‘… Your redemption is at hand.’

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Quote/s of the Day – 25 November – Readings: Daniel 6: 12-28; Psalm: Daniel 3: 68-74; Luke 21: 20-28

“Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”

Luke 21:28

“So everyone who acknowledges me
before men,
I also will acknowledge
before my Father,
who is in heaven…”

Matthew 10:32

“Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day
nor the hour.”

Matthew 24:13

“Sheltered under the name of
Jesus Christ,
I do not fear these pains ….”

St Lawrence (Died 258)
Martyr

“When insults have no effect on us,
when persecutions and penalties,
have no terror for us,
when prosperity or adversity,
has no influence on us,
when friend and foe,
are viewed in the same light…
do we not come close,
to sharing, the serenity of God?”

St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)
“St Bernard of the North”

“Be vigilant at all times and pray
that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:36

“Life is short,
Death is certain
and the world to come is everlasting.”

St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Posted in NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY SOULS

Our Morning Offering – 25 November – Prayer for the Faithful Departed, O Jesu, Lover of souls

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Our Morning Offering – 25 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”

Prayer for the Faithful Departed
By St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

O God of the Spirits of all flesh,
O Jesu, Lover of souls,
we recommend unto Thee,
the souls of all those Thy servants,
who have departed with the sign of faith
and sleep the sleep of peace.
We beseech Thee, O Lord and Saviour,
that, as in Thy mercy to them,
Thou became man,
so now, Thou would hasten the time
and admit them to Thy Presence above…
May the heavens be opened to them
and the Angels rejoice with them …
May all the Saints and elect of God,
who in this world suffered torments
for Thy Name, befriend them,
that, being freed from the prison beneath,
they may be admitted into the glories of that Kingdom,
where, with the Father and the Holy Ghost,
Thou lives and reigns,
one God, world without end …
Eternal rest give to them, O Lord.
And may perpetual light shine upon them.
Amen

Posted in CHRIST the HIGH PRIEST, CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JEALOUSY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, SAINT of the DAY, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, St PAUL!, St PETER!, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The HEART, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 23 November – St Pope Clement I

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 November – The Mmemorial of St Pope Clement I (Died c 101) Martyr, Apostolic Father

“Through Him, our gaze penetrates
he heights of heaven
and we see, as in a mirror,
the most holy Face of God.
Through Christ,
the eyes of our hearts are opened
and our weak and clouded understanding,
reaches up toward the light.”

“This, beloved, is the way
in which we found our salvation,
Jesus Christ, the High Priest
Who offers our gifts,
the Patron and Helper
in our weakness (Heb 10:20; 7:27; 4:15).
It is through Him,
that we look straight at the heavens above.
Through Him, we see mirrored,
God’s faultless and transcendent countenance.
Through Him, the eyes of our heart were opened.
Through Him, our unintelligent
and darkened mind
shoots up into the light.
Through Him, the Master was pleased
to let us taste the knowledge
that never fades …”

“Charity unites us to God.
There is nothing unkind in charity,
nothing arrogant.
Charity knows no schism,
does not rebel,
does all things in concord.
In charity all the elect of God
have been made perfect.”

“Look at the holy Apostles.
It was by sinful jealousy
that Peter was subjected to tribulation,
not once or twice but many times;
it was in that way, that he bore his witness
before leaving us for his well-earned place in glory.
And Paul, because of jealousy and contention,
has become the very type of endurance rewarded.
… In him we have one of the greatest
of all examples of endurance.
… [And] we too, are in the same arena
and have the same conflict before us.”

“Let us fix our thoughts
on the Blood of Christ
and reflect how Precious that Blood is,
in God’s eyes,
inasmuch, as its outpouring
for our salvation,
has opened the grace of repentance
to all mankind.”

St Pope Clement I (c 35 – c 99)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 23 November – Heart Of Jesus

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Our Morning Offering – 23 November – The Memorial of Blessed Miguel Pro – Martyr (1891-1927)

Heart Of Jesus
By Blessed Miguel Pro – Martyr (1891-1927)

I believe, O Lord
but strengthen my faith,
Heart of Jesus, I love Thee
but increase my love.
Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee
but give greater vigour to my confidence.
Heart of Jesus,
I give my heart to Thee
but so enclose it in Thee
that it may never be separated from Thee.
Heart of Jesus, I am all Thine
but take care of my promise
so that I may be able to put it into practice
even unto the complete sacrifice of my life.
Amen.

Posted in JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 16 November – Hail, Sacred Heart of Jesus!

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Our Morning Offering – 16 November – The Memorial of St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)

Hail, Sacred Heart of Jesus!
By St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)

Hail, Sacred Heart of Jesus!
Living and strengthening,
Source of eternal life,
Infinite Treasury of the Divinity,
Burning Furnace of Divine Love!
You are my Refuge and my Sanctuary.
My loving Saviour,
consume my heart in that burning fire
with which Your own is inflamed.
Pour into my soul those graces
which flow from Your Love.
Let my heart be so united with Yours,
that our wills may be one
and my will, in all things,
conformed with Yours.
May Your Will be the guide
and rule of my desires
and of my actions.
Amen

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PURGATORY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on ZEAL, The HOLY SOULS, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 12 November – Our fields …

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One Minute Reflection – 12 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Wisdom 13: 1-9; Psalm 19: 2-5; Luke 17: 26-37

“On that day, … a person in the field, must not return to what was left behind.” – Luke 17:31

REFLECTION – “He that will be in the field, do not let him turn back.” How may I understand what is the field unless Jesus Himself teaches me? He says, “No-one putting his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.” The lazy person sits in the farmhouse but the industrious person, plants in the field. The weak are at the fireplace but the strong are at the plough. The smell of a field is good because the smell of Jacob is the smell of a full field. A field is full of flowers. It is full of different fruits. Plough your field if you want to be sent to the Kingdom of God. Let your field flower, fruitful with good rewards. Let there be a fruitful vine on the sides of your house and young olive plants around your table. Already aware of its fertility, let your soul, sown with the Word of God and tilled by spiritual farming, say to Christ, “Come, my brother, let us go out into the field.” Let Him reply, “I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my vintage of myrrh.” What is better than the vintage of faith, by which the fruit of the resurrection is stored and the spring of eternal rejoicing is watered?” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan and one of the original four Fathers and Doctors of the Latin Church (Exposition on the Gospel of Luke, 8)

PRAYER – Lord God, grant to us that the power of Your protecting hand may keep us unshaken in the face of our ancient enemy and all his hidden snares. Lighten our way so that, through the prayers of intercession of the Angels and Saints, we may experience the joy of Your presence in our hearts, courage in times of suffering and the wisdom to obey Your instructions. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in CATHOLIC TIME, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, Our MORNING Offering, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, STATIONS of the CROSS, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY NAME, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 12 November – To Christ Crucified

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Our Morning Offering – 12 November -Friday, the day of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ

To Christ Crucified
Traditional Irish Prayer
Trans. Brendan Devlin

May the sweet Name of Jesus
Be written deeply
on my heart and mind.
Through the power of His Passion,
Through the force of His Prayer,
Through the shedding of His Blood,
Through the sweetness of His Sweetness,
Through His cruel Death on the Cross,
for the sake of us all.
O Lord Jesus Christ,
be the Saviour of our souls.
O Mary, Mother of Jesus
and Jesus, be with me,
the bond of love,
binding us together
and never be loosed.
Amen

Posted in ACT of PERFECT CONTRITION, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, I BELIEVE!, INDULGENCES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HERESY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 9 November – INDULGENCES

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

INDULGENCES

“Indulgences are among the means by which we can help to satisfy the Divine Justice for our own offences and for those of the faithful depared.

Unfortunately, very few Christians understand the true nature of indulgences.
As a result, they neglect to fulfil the conditions necessary to gain them.

Canon Law defines an indulgence as “the remission in the sight of God of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven, which, the proper ecclesiastical authority concedes from the treasury of the Church, for the living, by way of absolution and for the dead, by way of suffrage” (Canon 911).
The main requirement is to be in the state of grace, which sinners can attain by means of the Sacrament of Penance, or by an Act of PERFECT CONTRITION.
If properly made, Confession takes away sin and eternal punishment but, not temporal punishment.
This may be cancelled by means of penance, prayer and good works.
In the early days of the Church, the penitential system was most severe (I wish it were so again!)
According to the degree of gravity, different sins drew penances of days, weeks or months of fasting on bread and water.
As times changed, the Church reduced these penalties and granted indulgences instead.

What we may ask, is the theological basis for these indulgences?
It is the spiritual treasury which is at the disposal of the Church, made up of the infinite merits of our Redeemer and added to, by the merits of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints.
These merits are communicated to us by the Church by reason of the consoling Dogma of the Communion of Saints, according to which, the Church Militant, Suffering and Triumphant, constitutes one Mystical Body of which Jesus Christ is the Head.

The Church has power to dispose of this immense treasure by reason of the injunction given to her by her Founder, when He said to St Peter: “Whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19).
There are no reservations – the injunction applies, not only to sin but, also to its punishment.
It is clear that indulgences are not merely a dispensation from the penitential discipline in the eyes of the Church, as certain heretics held and still hold but also, in the sight of God.
Indulgences reflect, both the mercy and the justice of God.
They reflect His justice because complete satisfaction is rendered by the merits of Jesus Christ.
They reflect His mercy because these merits are applied to us poor sinners and also, by way of suffrage, to the souls of our departed friends.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 8 November – They Advantages of Devotion to the Souls in Purgatory

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

The Advantages of Devotion
to the Souls in Purgatory

“As Sacred Scripture says, it is a holy and wholesome thought, to pray for the dead (2 Mac 12:46).
Besides being profitable to them, however, it is profitable to ourselves too.
There are two reasons for this:
(a) Devotion to the Faithful Departed reminds us, that even venial sin, carelessness and tepidity, will one day be punished with terrible severity.
As a result, we are encouraged in our efforts to lead better lives;
(b) In the second place, we all know, that the souls in Purgatory are holy and are already in the antechamber of Paradise, which they yearn to reach but from which they are kept far apart, by the imperfections which they have still to purify.
If we can help them by our prayers to enter Heaven, even a little earlier than they had expected, they will certainly intercede for us with God at all times and, especially at the moment of death.
In their gratitude, they will implore for us,. all the graces of which we stand in need.
“Whatever we do for the departed souls,” says St Ambrose, “redounds to our own benefit; after death it will be restored to us with interest!”

While we are assisting our dear ones to ascend ,as soon as possible, into the everlasting happiness of Heaven, it is comforting to know, that one day, their patronage will enable us to join them there.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, ON the SAINTS, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, The HEART, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 8 November – May I Be United With You, Good Jesus

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Our Morning Offering – 8 November – Octave Day of All Saints

May I Be United With You, Good Jesus
St Peter Canisius (1521-1597)
Doctor of the Church

Let my eyes take their sleep
but may my heart always
keep watch for You.
May Your right hand bless Your servants
who love You.
May I be united with the praise
that flows from You, Lord Jesus,
to all Your saints;
united with the gratitude
drawn from Your heart, good Jesus,
that causes Your saints to thank You;
united with Your passion, good Jesus,
by which You took away our guilt;
united with the divine longing
which You had on earth, for our salvation;
united with every prayer
that welled from Your divine heart, good Jesus
and flowed into the hearts of Your saints.
Amen

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 7 November – How We Can Help the Faithful Departed

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

How We Can Help the Faithful Departed

“We have a natural obligation to help the faithful departed, for they are our fellow-men.
Are we capable of watching another human being in agony, without feeling pity for him?
If there is some way in which we can help him, moreover, ought we not to do so?
The Holy Souls are in agony, however, they are on fire with the love of God, yet cannot be united to Him.
We have a means of helping them through our prayers and good works.

There is a further obligation on us, arising from our religion.
They have been redeemed, like ourselves, by the Blood of Christ and God has told us that the same degree of mercy, will one day be shown to us, which we have shown to others.
The time will come when we also shall find ourselves in Purgatory and shall be in need of prayer.
If we remember the dead now, they will be in a position, one day, to do the same for us.
Blessed are the merciful, Jesus says, for they will obtain mercy.

When we appear before the judgement seat of God in order to account for the way in which we have spent our lives, He will count as done to Himself, whatever we have done to the poor, hungry and ill-clad.
Only if we have been merciful towards them, will He receive us into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Otherwise, He will send us away, accursed, for all eternity.
Now the Souls in Purgatory are more unfortunate than those who are poor, hungry and homeless in this world.
They hunger for God, they are full of regret for the sins which they have committed and they languish far from the eternal home, to which they belong.

Finally, we have a duty in justice, to help their souls.
Some of them are our parents, brothers, sisters, friends and benefactors.
Perhaps they are suffering now because they loved us too much because they wished to make money for us or because, they were led astray by our bad example!
It is not only charity, therefore but justice, which obliges us to pray for them.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DOCTRINE, DOGMA, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, ON the SAINTS, PURGATORY, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 6 November – The Communion of Saints and the Souls in Purgatory

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

The Communion of Saints
and the Souls in Purgatory

“The Communion of Saints is one of the most consoling Doctrines of our religion.
This Dogma assures us, that the Church Militant, Suffering and Triumphant, is one family, whose members are bound together by the bonds of divine charity.
As the Saints in Heaven love and pray for us and for the Souls in Purgatory, so the suffering souls love and intercede for us and so, we should love and pray for them too.
This is a triple harmony of love and prayer, a hymn which rises to the throne of God, from our place of pilgrimage, from the region of expiation, where the separated souls are aflame with the desire to be united with their Creator and from the joyful choirs of Heaven.
The result is the pouring of divine grace on ourselves and on the Souls in Purgatory.

The souls of the dead, therefore, whether they are among the blessed in Heaven, or are expiating their sins in Purgatory, are united to us in that they love us and pray for us.
Between them and us, there is a real but invisible link, an exchange of thought, of affections and of prayer.
There are all the elements of a true and lasting friendship.

This is a very consoling realisation.
We have not lost our dear ones, who have gone to God.
They are looking down on us, thinking of us and waiting for us.
We, in our turn, can think of them, love them still and pray for them, always.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 5 November – The Consolations of the Suffering Souls in Purgatory

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

The Consolations of the
Suffering Souls in Purgatory

“The following is an excerpt from a book by a spiritual writer named, Father Alberione:

“There is suffering in Purgatory and there is suffering in Hell but there are essential difference between one and the other.
Hell is eternal, while Purgatory is temporal.
In Hell, there is no hope of salvation, whereas in Purgatory, there is the certainty of future happiness in Heaven.
Hell is the lasting state of a soul rejected by God, while Purgatory is the temporary state of a soul loved and awaited by God in Heaven.
In Hell, suffering is without hope and altogether unprofitable but in Purgatory, the purpose of suffering, is to become worthy of entering Heaven.
Hell is a place forever cursed by God, whereas Purgatory is a place which He has blessed.
Hell is governed by the stern and exacting justice of God, whereas Purgatory is under the dominion of the divine justice, which seeks to be merciful.
Hell is the abode of the damned.
Purgatory is the abode of the saved and this earth is the abode of those who are still uncertain of salvation.”

The writer goes onto examine the three main reasons why there is joy in Purgatory, even in the midst of the most dreadful torments.
The first reason is that the suffering souls are sure of eternal salvation.
They are confirmed in grace and it is impossible for them to sin any more.
No Saint on earth had this wonderful certitude, which makes the sufferings of Purgatory seem desirable to those confined there.

In the second place, these souls recognise their own imperfection and need of purification, therefore, they are glad to suffer in order to become worthy, at last, of the happiness of God’s company.

The third source of consolation, is their ardent love of God.
Love does not measure or feel sacrifices; it even desires them because it knows that they are a necessary means of achieving an intimate union with the beloved.
It is the greatness of their love for the Supreme Good, which makes it a joy for the suffering souls, to suffer for His sake and for the purpose of being united with Him.

If only we could love God as they love Him, we should avoid and abhor the least imperfection.
We should accept ,with perfect resignation, the sorrows and trials of this life, as a means of making reparation for our sins and, we should pray often for these suffering souls, so that they might at last, fulfil their intense desire to be united with their Infinite Good.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, Gerard MANLEY HOPKINS SJ, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN POETRY, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MODESTY, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, SACRED HEART QUOTES, SAINT of the DAY, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – Jesuits

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – The Memorial of All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds

“Hate what the world seeks
and seek, what it avoids.”

“God’s love calls us to move beyond fear.
We ask God for the courage
to abandon ourselves unreservedly,
so that we might be moulded
by God’s grace,
even as we cannot see
where that path may lead us.”

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

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

I Beg of You, My Lord
By St Peter Faber (1506-1546)

I beg of You, my Lord,
to remove anything which separates
me from You
and You from me.
Remove anything that makes me unworthy
of Your sight,
Your control,
Your reprehension;
of Your speech and conversation,
of Your benevolence and love.
Cast from me every evil
that stands in the way of my seeing You,
hearing, tasting, savouring and touching You,
fearing and being mindful of You,
knowing, trusting, loving and possessing You;
being conscious of Your Presence
and, as far as may be, enjoying You.
This is what I ask for myself
and earnestly desire from You.
Amen

“What a tragedy,
how many souls
are being shut out of heaven
and falling into hell,
thanks to you!”

St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

“This death … has already levelled
his bow to strike me.
Is it not prudent to prevent its stroke,
by dying now to the world,
that at my death,
I may live to God?”

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)

“We ought to instruct with meekness
those whom heresy has made bitter and suspicious
and has estranged from orthodox Catholics,
… Thus, by whole-hearted charity and goodwill,
we may win them over to us in the Lord.”

St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1397)
Doctor of the Church

“We … are under an obligation
to be the light of the world
by the modesty of our behaviour,
the fervour of our charity,
the innocence of our lives
and the example of our virtues.
Thus shall we be able
to raise the lowered prestige
of the Catholic Church
and, to build up again,
the ruins that others by their vices have caused.
Others, by their wickedness,
have branded the Catholic Faith
with a mark of shame,
we must strive,
with all our strength, to cleanse it
from its ignominy
and to restore it
to its pristine glory!”

The Burning Babe,

As I in hoary winter’s night
stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat
which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view
what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright
did in the air appear;
Who, scorchëd with excessive heat,
such floods of tears did shed
As though His floods should quench His flames
which with His tears were fed.
Alas, quoth He but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts
or feel my fire but I!
My faultless breast the furnace is,
the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire and sighs the smoke,
the ashes shame and scorns;
The fuel justice layeth on
and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought
are men’s defiled souls,
For which, as now on fire I am
to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.
With this He vanished out of sight
and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I called unto mind
that it was Christmas day.

St Robert Southwell SJ (1561-1595)
Priest and Martyr

“When He takes away
what He once lent us,
His purpose is to
store our treasure elsewhere,
more safely and bestow on us,
those very blessings,
that we ourselves
would most choose to have.”
(From A Letter to His Mother)

St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591)

“The Catholic religion was the religion of your forefathers
and the only one Jesus Christ founded; –
the one which He promised would endure
till the end of time.
It is in the Catholic religion alone
that you can save your soul.”

“How long are you going to be deaf to His call?
Or are you going to lose your soul,
which Jesus Christ bought at the price
of His Precious Blood?”

St John Francis Régis SJ (1597-1640)

“… Make use of Our Lord
as an armour which covers [us] all about,
by means of which [we] shall resist
every device of [our] enemies.
You shall then be my Strength, O my God!
You shall be my Guide,
my Director,
my Counsellor,
my Patience,
my Knowledge,
my Peace,
my Justice
and my Prudence.”

“He promises to be [our] strength,
in proportion to the trust
which [we] place in Him.”

St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682)
“Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

The May Magnificat
By Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (1844-1889)

May is Mary’s month and I
Muse at that and wonder why:
Her feasts follow reason,
Dated due to season-

Candlemas, Lady Day:
But the Lady Month, May,
Why fasten that upon her,
With a feasting in her honour?
Ask of her, the mighty Mother:
Her reply puts this other
Question: What is Spring?
Growth in everything-
All things rising, all things sizing
Mary sees, sympathising
With that world of good,
Nature’s motherhood.

Well but there was more than this:
Spring’s universal bliss
Much, had much to say
To offering Mary May.

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 4 November – More About the Sufferings of Purgatory

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

More About the Sufferings of Purgatory

“Apart from the physical pain which we have considered in the preceding meditation, the souls in Purgatory suffer a much greater torment, which theologians call “the pain of loss.“
St John Chrysostom writes, that the pain of loss, which is the unsatisfied yearning to be united with the Supreme Good, is a far more agonising torment, than the flames of a hundred hells!
This is because, the souls in Purgatory, having been set free from the bodily confinement which prevented them from seeing the Eternal Truths in all their clarity, now experience an unceasing and irresistible need, to be united with God.
Being aware of their own imperfection, however, they undergo a terrible anguish at their inability to satisfy this burning desire.
They love God with an immense love and long to enjoy His intimate friendship but, they realise, that they will be rejected by His divine justice as long as they have not perfectly expiated their faults.

If we would have a faint idea of the cruel agony of this unsatisfied desire, let us recall the keen anguish experienced by the Saints, whenever they remembered the sins which they had committed before their conversion.
They shed tears of repentance before the Crucifix and inflicted terrifying penances upon themselves in reparation for their misdeeds.

What are we doing in order to avoid offending God and to wash away our past transgressions?
Let us remember, that the divine justice must be satisfied, either in this life, or in the next.
If we fail to make satisfaction now, we shall do so with much greater suffering in Purgatory, where we shall no longer have the benefit of the Sacraments and of Indulgences.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD is LOVE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on SIN, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 3 November – The Pain of Purgatory

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

The Pain of Purgatory

“The Tradition of the Fathers and the ordinary teaching of the Church, describe the pains of Purgatory in such a fashion, that they should prompt us to avoid even the smallest sin, not only because it is an offence against the most amiable God but also because, it will be severely punished by Him.
This teaching, moreover, should move us to pity for the poor suffering souls, who are enduring such torments.

St Cyril of Jerusalem states, that the sum total of the sufferings of this world, is nothing in comparison to the sufferings of Purgatory.
He adds, moreover, that the pain of Purgatory is equal to the severity of the torments of Hell; the only difference is that the latter are everlasting, whereas the former, will have an end.
St Athanasius assures us that the least pang of suffering in Purgatory, is sharper than all the torments which it is possible to undergo on earth.
Moreover he adds, in comparison with the fire which afflicts the suffering souls, earthly fire is hardly even real!
St Bede the Venerable tells us, that even if we could imagine all the tortures to which tyrants subjected the Martyrs, such as iron hooks, red-hot pincers, roasting gridirons and boiling pitch, we should still have failed to form any idea of the pains of Purgatory!

But what is the reason for such severe torments?
It is that God loves these souls and desires that they be purified of sins, as soon as possible and be made worthy of infinite happiness.

The fires of Purgatory are nourished by a twofold love – the love of God, Who desires the purification of souls and, the love of these souls, who desire to expiate their faults in order to become worthy of being united to Him forever.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 3 November – ‘… There is one Road ..’

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 November – Readings: Romans 13: 8-10; Psalm 112: 1b-2, 4-5, 9; Luke 14: 25-33

“… Anyone of you
who does not renounce
all his possessions,
cannot be my disciple.”

Luke 14:33

“Are you able to drink the cup
that I am to drink?”

Matthew 20:22

“Do not rejoice in the Cross only in times of peace,
preserve the same faith in times of persecution.
Do not be a friend to Jesus in times of peace alone,
only to become His enemy in times of war.
You are now receiving forgiveness for your sins
and the spiritual gifts lavishly bestowed by your King so,
when war breaks out, fight valiantly for your King.”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“… There is one Road
and one only,
well secured against all possibility
of going astray
and, this Road is provided
by One Who is Himself
both God and man.
As God, He is the Goal,
as man, He is the Way.”

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

“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)

“How good and pleasant it is
to dwell in the Heart of Jesus!
Who is there who does not love a heart so wounded?
Who can refuse a return of love
to a Heart so loving?
Amen.”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor

“Do not live any longer in yourself
but let Jesus Christ live in you in such a way
that the virtue of this Divine Saviour may be resplendent
in all your actions, in order that all may see in you
a true portrait of the Crucified and sense,
the sweetest fragrance of the holy virtues of the Lord,
in interior and exterior modesty,
in patience,
in gentleness,
suffering,
charity,
humility
and in all others that follow.”

St Paul of the Cross (1604-1775)

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on SIN, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 2 November – “Purgatory”

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

“Purgatory”

“Purgatory is the masterpiece of God’s justice and mercy.
St John tells us in the Apocalypse, that nothing defiled can enter into the Heavenly Jerusalem (Apoc 21:27).

There are very few, however, who are privileged to arrive at the supreme moment of death, still wearing their Baptismal robe of innocence.
Even the just man falls very often as the Holy Spirit warns us (Prov 24:16).
We all possess many failings and have been guilty of many sins, either mortal or venial.
It is true, that we can obtain forgiveness by penance and by receiving the Sacraments but, there still remains the temporal punishment due to our sins.
Neither the small penances imposed by the confessor, nor our own tiny acts of voluntary mortification, are sufficient to satisfy our debt.
We cannot be certain, moreover, that we shall be able, at the hour of our death, to cleanse ourselves of all our sins, by means of one good Confession.
Even if we appear before the judgement seat of God without any grave faults, there will still, unfortunately, be many debts to be paid and many imperfections to be purified.

What then will happen to us?
The justice of God cannot admit us, imperfect and defiled as we are, into the everlasting happiness of the Beatific Vision.
Will He reject us, therefore, even as He rejects those who die in mortal sin and are condemned to eternal punishment?
This is unthinkable, for the mercy of God is as infinite as His justice.
And so, there is Purgatory, where the souls of those who have died in the state of grace but, still scarred with imperfections and burdened with debts to be paid, can find a way of purifying themselves and, of making themselves worthy of an everlasting reward.

Let us thank God for this gift, the last link in the chain of His mercies, which enables us to prepare ourselves for our entry into the Beatific Vision.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOOD FRIDAY, HOLY WEEK, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The SECOND COMING

Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – ‘Death is then no cause for mourning … ‘

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – All Souls Day – Readings: Wisdom 3: 1-9; Romans 5: 5-11 or Romans 6: 3-9; Gospel: John 6: 37-40

“We should have a daily
familiarity with death,
a daily desire for death.
By this kind of detachment,
our soul must learn to free itself
from the desires of the body.
It must soar above earthly lusts,
to a place where they cannot come near,
to hold it fast.
It must take on the likeness of death,
to avoid the punishment of death!”

“Death is then no cause for mourning,
for it is the cause of mankind’s salvation.
Death is not something to be avoided,
for the Son of God
did not think it beneath His dignity,
nor did He seek to escape it.”

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

“We should consider how much good
our Lord did us,
by His first coming
and how much more He will do for us,
by His second.
This thought will help us,
to have a great love
for that first coming of His
and a great longing for His return.”

St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)

“Keep a clear eye toward life’s end.
Do not forget your purpose
and destiny as God’s creature.
What you are in His sight,
is what you are and nothing more.
Remember that when you leave this earth,
you can take nothing that you have received…
but only what you have given – a full heart
enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”

St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)

“Do now,
what you wish to have done,
when your moment
comes to die.”

St Angela Merici (1474-1540)

Sabbatum Sanctum
By St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

I look at You, my Lord Jesus
and think of Your most holy Body
and I keep it before me,
as a pledge of my own resurrection.
Though I die, as die I certainly shall,
nevertheless, I shall not forever die,
for I shall rise again.
O You, who are the Truth,
I know and believe with my whole heart,
that this very flesh of mine will rise again.
I know, base and odious as it is at present,
that it will one day, if I be worthy,
be raised incorruptible
and altogether beautiful and glorious.
This I know,
this by Your grace,
I will ever keep before me.
Amen