Thought for the Day – 18 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Christmas Novena III The Cradle of the Divine Infant Jesus
“Perhaps I still preserve a strong attachment to sin and fall badly from time to time. What is the main motivating power in my life? Perhaps, I am motivated by self-interest and am attracted by pleasure, ease and worldly glory. How little I have learned from the example of Our Lord in the manger.
Let us remember, that the man who looks only for worldly success, cannot find Heaven! He will wind up bitter and disillusioned, whereas the man who seeks Jesus Christ, will eventually enjoy the peace and happiness which God alone can give.”
Quote/s of the Day – 18 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The Feast of Our Lady of Expectation
“The Lord is near. Have no anxiety …”
Philippians 4:5-6
“Let your door stand open to receive Him, unlock your soul to Him, offer Him a welcome in your mind and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the joy of grace. Throw wide the gate of your heart, stand before the Sun of the Everlasting Light!”
St Ambrose (340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church
“He became small because you were small – understand how great He is and you will become great along with Him. This is how houses are built, how the solid walls of a building are raised. The stones brought to construct the building increase, you too, increase, understanding how great Christ is and how He, Who appeared to be small, is great, very great indeed! …”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church
“In adoring our Saviour’s birth, it is our origin we celebrate. Christ’s temporal generation is the source of the Christian people, the birth of His Mystical Body. All of us encounter in this Mystery, a new birth in Christ.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father & Doctor of the Church
“If we would please this Divine Infant, we too must become children, simple and humble. We must carry to Him, flowers of virtue, of meekness, of mortification, of charity. We must clasp Him in the arms of our love.”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
One Minute Reflection – 18 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Ferial Day – Feast of Our Lady of Expectation – Ferial Day – Philippians 4:4-7 – John 1:19-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“[One is standing] in the midst of you, … Whom you do not know.” – John 1:26
REFLECTION – “The Lord is near.Have no anxiety [at all]” (Phil 4:5-6). This is what God the Father says in the Prophet Isaias: “I am bringing on My Justice,” – that is to say, His Son; “My Salvation shall not tarry. I shall put Salvation within Zion and give to Israel My Glory” (46:13). It is what today’s Gospel says: “One is standing in your midst, One Whom you do not know” Mediator between God and men, a Man (1 Tim 2:5), Christ Jesus, arises in the camp of this world, to fight the devil. As victor, He rescues man and reconciles him with God our Father. But you do not know Him!
“Sons have I raised and reared but they have disowned Me. An ox knows its owner and an ass, its master’s manger. But Israel does not know Me and My people have not understood” (Is 1:2-3). How close the Lord is to us! And we do not know Him! “I have fed My children with My blood,” He says to us, “as a mother feeds her children with her milk. I have raised the human nature I have taken, to which I am united, above the Choirs of Angels.” Could He show us greater honour? “And they have rejected Me. See whether there is any sorrow like Mine” (Lam 1:12) …
So, then, “have no anxiety at all,” for it is anxiety concerning material things which makes us forget the Lord!” – St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Franciscan, Doctor of the Church (Sermons for Sundays and Feast days, 3rd Sunday of Advent).
PRAYER – O God, Who, by the message of an Angel, willed to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Thy suppliants, who believe her to be truly, the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 17 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Christmas Novena II Preparation for the Nativity
“The better to celebrate this Mystery of the Word of God made Man for love of us, it is necesary to make some preparation. Then, we shall be able to derive real spiritual benefit from the Feast of the Nativity.
We can prepare our minds for the celebration of this great Mystery, by meditation on the Infinite Goodness of God, Who was so moved by compassion for our misery that He came down from Heaven and became an Infant, whimpering on a bed of straw in a manger. He offered His first sufferings for our sake, even as He later offered Himself on the Cross, as a Victim for our redemption. This meditation should elicit from us, an act of profound humility. If God so abased Himself, how can such sinful and ungrateful creatures, as we are, carry ourselves proudly and boastfully in the presence of God and of men?
This humble act of adoration on the part of our intellect, should be accompanied by an act of heartfelt love. If we do not love Jesus, whom else are we capable of loving? He alone is worthy of all ou affections; only He can satisfy the desires our our hearts!”
One Minute Reflection – 17 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Ember Wednesday – Ferial Day – Isaias 7:10-15 – Luke 1:26-38 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And Mary said: Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word.” – Luke 1:38
REFLECTION – “You have heard, O Virgin, that you are to conceive and bring forth a Son and that this will not be through the power of man but, by the virtue of the Holy Spirit. The Angel awaits your reply, for it is time that he should return to God Who sent him. We, too, are waiting, O Lady, for a word of mercy, we, who are groaning under the sentence of condemnation. See, the price of our salvation is offered to you; if you consent, we shall at once be delivered. By the Eternal Word of God were we all created and behold, we will all die. By your brief answer, we shall be refreshed and recalled to life! …
Hasten, then, O Lady, to give your answer; hasten to speak the word so longed for by all on earth, in limbo and in Heaven. Yes, the King and Lord of all things, Who has “greatly desired your beauty” (Ps 44:12), desires, as eagerly, your word of consent by which He has purposed to save the world. He, Whom you pleased by your silence, will be yet more pleased by your reply. Hark! He calls to you from Heaven – “O most beautiful among women, let me hear your voice” (Sg 1:8; 2:14) … Answer the Angel quickly, then; yes, through the Angel give your consent to your God. Answer one syllable, receive the Word ; utter your own word and conceive that which is Divine . Speak the word which is transitory and embrace the Word which is everlasting! …”
“Behold,” she says, “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done to me according to thy word.” – St Bernard (1091-1153) Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 4 on the “Missus est” [He was sent] #8-9).
PRAYER – Put forth Thy power, O Lord, we beseech Thee and delay not and with Thy great might, come to our aid, so that what is hindered by our sins, maybe hastened by Thy merciful goodness. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 16 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Christmas Novena The Cave of Bethlehem
“The main resolution which we should make, at the foot of the manger, is one of humility. We should be humble in mind because we should remember that we are nothing without God and that, everything which we have, comes from Him. In fact, we are less than nothing, for our physical and spiritual gifts have been given to us by God, whereas our sins belong entirely to ourselves!
We should also be humble of heart. We should be innocent and simple, like children, as the Gospel commands, trusting and loving, so that we may be worthy of God’s favours and consolations.
Unless we acquire the innocence and humility of spiritual children, we cannot be pleasing to God!”
Quote/s of the Day – 16 December – St Eusebius of Vercelli (c283-371) Bishop, Confessor – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – Matthew 16:24-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.”
Matthew 16:24
“For he who will save his life, will lose it and he who will lose his life for My sake, will find it. ”
Matthew 16:25
“For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also by Christ, doth our comfort abound.”
St Paul – 2 Corinthians 1:5
“The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great Light!”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
“My soul, live henceforward amid the scourges and the thorns of thy Saviour and there, as a nightingale in its bush, sing sweetly: Live Jesus, Who didst die that my soul might live! Ah, Eternal Father! What can the world return Thee for the gift Thou hast made it of Thy only Son? Alas! to redeem a thing so vile as I, the Saviour delivered Himself to death and, unhappy me! I hesitate to surrender my nothingness to Him, Who has given me everything!”
One Minute Reflection – 16 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – St Eusebius of Vercelli (c283-371) Bishop, Confessor – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – Matthew 16:24-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.” – Matthew 16:24
REFLECTION – “What does this mean, “take up a cross?” It means, he will bear with whatever is troublesome and in this very act, he will be following Me. When he has begun to follow me, according to My teaching and precepts, he will find many people contradicting him and standing in his way, many who not only deride but even persecute him. Moreover, this is true, not only of pagans who are outside the Church but also of those, who seem to be in it visibly but are outside of it because of the perversity of their deeds. Although these glory, in merely the title of Christian, they continually persecute faithful Christians. Such belong to the members of the Church in the same way, that bad blood is in the body. Therefore, if you wish to follow Christ, do not delay in carrying His Cross, tolerate sinners but do not yield to them. Do not let the false happiness of the wicked corrupt you. You do well to despise all things for the sake of Christ, in order that you may be fit for His companionship.”- St Caesarius of Arles (470-543) Bishop of Arles and Father of the Church – (Sermons, 159).
PRAYER – O God, Who gladden us with the annual festival of blessed Eusebius, Thy Martyr and Bishop, mercifully grant that, as we venerate the anniversary of his Martyrdom, we may also rejoice in his protection.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 16 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Resumed Mass of Sunday
Creator Alme Siderum Creator of the Starry Frame 7th Century Advent Hymn
Creator of the starry frame; Eternal Light of all who live; Jesu, Redeemer of mankind, An ear to Thy poor suppliants give.
When man was sunk in sin and death, Lost in the depth of Satan’s snare, Love brought Thee down to cure our ills, By taking of those ills a share.
Thou for the sake of guilty men, Causing Thine own pure blood to flow, Didst issue from Thy Virgin-shrine, And to the Cross a Victim go.
So great the glory of Thy might, If we but chance Thy Name to sound, At once all Heaven and Hell unite In bending low with awe profound.
Great Judge of all, in that last day, When friends shall fail and foes combine, Be present then with us, we pray, To guard us with Thy arm divine.
To God the Father and the Son, All praise and power and glory be, With Thee, O holy Comforter, Henceforth through all eternity.
Also known as Advent Hymn, this translation of the Latin Hymn Creator Alme Siderum (Pope Urban VIII’s 1632 revision of the 7th Century Hymn Conditor alme siderum) was first published in Fr Edward Caswall’s Lyra Catholica,
One Minute Reflection –15 December – Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God – Proverbs 8:22-35, Luke 1:26-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Hail, full of grace!” – Luke 1:28
REFLECTION – “So the Lord now manifestly came to His own. Born by His own created order that He Himself bears, He by His obedience on the tree, renewed and reversed what was done by disobedience, in connection with a tree.
The power of that seduction, by which the virgin Eve, already betrothed to a man, had been wickedly seduced, was broken when the Angel in truth brought good tidings to the Virgin Mary, who already, by her betrothal belonged to a man. For as Eve was seduced by the word of an Angel to flee from God, having rebelled against His Word, so Mary, by the word of an Angel, received the glad tidings that she would bear God, by obeying His Word.
The former was seduced to disobey God and so fell but the latter, was persuaded to obey God, so that the Virgin Mary might become the advocate of Eve.
As the human race was subjected to death through the act of a Virgin, so was it saved by a Virgin, was precisely balanced by the obedience of Another. Then indeed, the sin of the first formed man was amended by the chastisement of the First Begotten, the wisdom of the serpent was conquered by the simplicity of the Dove and the chains were broken, by which we were in bondage to death.” – St Irenaeus (130-202) Bishop of Lyons, Martyr, Father of the Church (Against Heresies, 5)
PRAYER – O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, prepared a worthy dwelling for Thy Son, and Who, by Thy Son’s death, foreseen by You, preserved her from all taint, grant, we beseech Thee through her intercession that we too may come to Thee unstained by sin. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 14 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Mary, the Source of Peace
“Mary, my most sweet Mother, in your Immaculate soul there reigned that true peace which is nourished by God’s grace and by complete obedience to His Will. Obtain for me from your Son, Jesus, victory over my evil inclinations and resignation to the sufferings of life and to death itself. Then, following your holy example, may I also be able to acquire the interior peace which will one day be perfect and everlasting in Heaven. Amen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 14 December – Advent III, Gaudete Sunday – “Rejoice!”
“Gaudéte in Dómino semper”
“Rejoice in the Lord always”
Philippians 4:4
“The very Son of God, Older than the ages, the Invisible, the Incomprehensible, the Incorporeal, the Beginning of beginning, the Light of light, the Fountain of Life and Immortality, the Image of the Archetype, the Immovable Seal, the Perfect Likeness, the Definition and Word of the Father: He it is, Who comes to His Own Image and takes our nature, for the Good of our nature and unites Himself to an intelligent soul for the good of the soul, to purify like by Like.”
St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Awake, you who lie in the dust, awake and give praise. Behold, the Lord comes with salvation. He comes with salvation! He comes with unction, He comes with glory. Jesus cannot come without salvation, Christ cannot come without unction, nor the Son of God without glory. For He Himself is Salvation, He is Unction, He is Glory, as it is written, ‘A wise Son is the Glory of His Father.‘”
St Bernard (1090-1153) Father & MellifluousDoctor of the Church
“Rejoice and be happy! Persevere to the end and prefer to die rather than abandon the post, to which God has called you!”
One Minute Reflection – 14 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Advent III, Gaudete – Within the Octave – Philippians l 4:4-7 – John 1:19-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“ I baptise with water but, in the midst of you, there has stood One Whom you do not know.” – John 1:26
REFLECTION – “I baptise with water but, in the midst of you, there has stood One Whom you do not know.” John did not baptise with the Spirit but, with water, since he was unable to take away the sins of those being baptised. He washed their bodies with water but not their hearts with pardon. Why did one whose baptism did not forgive sins baptise, except that he was observing his vocation as forerunner? He, whose birth foreshadowed a greater birth, by his baptising, foreshadowed the Lord, Who would truly baptise; he ,whose preaching made him the forerunner of Christ, by baptising, also became his forerunner, using a symbol of the future Sacrament.
With these other mysteries he makes known the Mystery of our Redeemer, declaring that He has stood among men and not been known. The Lord appeared in a human body – He came as God in flesh, visible in His Body, invisible in His Majesty. He goes onto say about Him: “He who comes after me, was made before me” (Jn 1:15) … he revealed the reason for this precedence when he said: “because He was before me. ” He means, “Even though He was born after me, He surpasses me, in that the time of His Birth does not limit Him. He, Who is born from His Mother in time, was begotten of His Father before time!”
John reveals the great humility and reverence he owes Christ by saying: “I am not worthy to undo the strap of His sandal.” It was the custom among the ancients, that if someone was unwilling to take the wife, he should be taking, he, who should have come to her as bridegroom, by right of relationship, would undo his sandal. How did Christ appear among men, if not as the Bridegroom of holy Church?… But since people considered John the Christ, a fact which he denied, he was right to declare his unworthiness to undo the strap of Christ’s sandal. It is as if he was saying … “I am not unjustly usurping, for myself, the name of Bridegroom” (Cf Jn 3:29).” – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermons on the Gospels 4).
PRAYER – Lend Thy ear to our prayers, O Lord, we beseech Thee and brighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy coming. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day –13 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Mary, Our Hope”
“In the beautiful prayer, known as the Salve Regina or Hail, Holy Queen, the Church salutes Mary as “our life, our sweetness and our hope.” Mary is our hope, because, she gave us our Saviour, Jesus and, because, she prays to Him continually for the graces which we need.
Following the example of Luther, modern protestants raise the objection that Mary cannot be regarded as a source of hope, because, all our trust should be placed in God. Anyone who places his trust in creatures, draws down God’s curse upon himself, they say and, they go on to quote from Jeremias: “Cursed be the man who trusteth in man” (Jer 17:5). But this is true only, when we trust in creatures independently of God, as if we can derive any good from them, without recourse to God. We invoke Mary, however, as the Mother of God and our mediatrix with Him. She is our hope, insofar as she obtains for us from God, the graces and favours which we require. St Bernard assures us, that God has placed in Mary’s hands, all the riches which He wishes to bestow on us (Serm de aquaed). “He will never experience eternal ruin,” says St Anselm, “for whom Mary has once prayed.”
St Bernard calls upon Mary as the foundation of all his hope (Ibid). Let us remember, that Mary is our loving Mother who wishes us to pray to her because, she knows that if she intercedes on our behalf, she will certainly be heard. It should be most consoling to us to have such a good and powerful Mother in whom, we can safely trust in every peril and in every necessity. Let us pray to her with love and faith, in the certainty that, we shall be answered in the way that is best for us. Let us say along with St John Damascene: “O Mother of God, if I place my trust in you, I shall be saved. If I am under your protection, I have nothing to fear because to be devoted to you, is to possess a weapon of salvation which God grants only to those, whom He desires to redeem!” (Serm de Nat, cap 4).”
Quote/s of the Day – 13 December – St Lucy, Virgin Martyr – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2 – Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Jesus said in parables: The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field. … Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a merchant seeking good pearls. ”
Matthew 13:44, 45
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where rust and moth consume and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves, treasures in Heaven …”
Matthew 6:19-20
“Listen, then, my son and give me your ear. Break off all ties which bind and entangle you in this world. Change your secular service into something better, start being a soldier for the eternal King!”
St Paulinus of Nola (c354-431)
“Watch, therefore and pray and labour diligently and do not delay to weave the web of your wedding-garment that you may be found ready and adorned to meet the Bridegroom! And remember daily that He, Who gives you the morning, does not promise you the evening and although He gives the evening, yet promises not the morrow. Spend, therefore, every moment of every hour according to God’s will, as if it were your last and so much the more carefully, as, for every moment, you will have to give the strictest account!
Finally, I warn you to account that day lost, in which you will neither have gained some victory over your evil inclinations and your self-will, although it may have been full of busy action, nor returned thanksgiving to your Lord for His mercies and especially for His bitter Passion endured for you and for His sweet and fatherly correction, when He has made you worthy to receive, at His Hand, the inestimable treasure of suffering.”
One Minute Reflection – 13 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Within the Octave – St Lucy, Virgin Martyr – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2 – Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; he who finds it, hides it and in his joy, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44
REFLECTION – “Brethren, carefully inspect the place where you dwell interiorly; open your eyes and consider the capital of your love; then increase whatever sum you discover within yourselves. Keep watch over this treasure so that you may become wealthy within. Goods of great price are called ‘dear’ and with good reason … But what could be more dear than love, my brothers? What is its cost, in your opinion? And how are you to pay it? The cost of land or wheat is your silver; the cost of a pearl is your gold but the cost of your love is you, yourself! If you want to buy a field, a jewel, an animal, you seek the necessary means, you look around you. But if you want to possess love, look no further than yourself – it is yourself you must find.
What are you afraid of in giving yourself? Of losing yourself? To the contrary, it is by refusing to give yourself that you lose yourself! Love itself speaks through the mouth of Wisdom and with one word, calms the confusion into which this saying threw you: “Give of your own self!” If someone had wanted to sell you a piece of land, he would say to you: “Give me your silver” or, for some other thing: “Give me your cash.” Now listen to what Love says to you through the Mouth of Wisdom: “My child, give me your heart” (Pr 3:26). Your heart was in a bad way when it was your own, when it was in your own hands. You were a prey to emptiness, not to speak of evil passions. Remove it from all such things! Where will you take it? Where offer it? “My son, give Me your heart!” says Wisdom. Let it only come to Me and you will not lose it…
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind,” (Mt 22:37) … He Who created you, desires the whole of you!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 34 on Ps 149).
PRAYER – Hear us, O God our Saviour, that, as we rejoice on the feast of blessed Lucy, YThy Virgin and Martyr, so we may grow in love and devotion. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 12 December – 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 splendours 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.”
Quote/s of the Day – 12 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” ––Within the Octave – Our Lady of Guadalupe
“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee …”
Luke 1:28
“You must know that when you ‘hail’ Mary, she immediately greets you! Do not think that she is one of those rude women of whom there are so many, on the contrary, she is utterly courteous and pleasant. If you greet her, she will answer you right away and converse with you!”
St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)
“May the Blessed Virgin, unique in her merits, stand in the presence of her Creator interceding always in our favour. She will be radiant in the fullness of glory, she who brought forth, from her virginal womb, the King of glory.”
St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159)
“And thou, Immaculate Virgin Mary, my only joy, be thou my protectress and my consoler! Be ever my advocate with God that I may put into practice, my good resolutions.”
St Gerard Majella (1726-1755)
O Mary, Mother of God By St Ephrem (306-373) Father and Doctor of the Church
O Virgin most pure, wholly unspotted, O Mary, Mother of God, Queen of the universe, thou art above all the saints, the hope of the elect and the joy of all the blessed. It is thou who hast reconciled us with God; thou art the only refuge of sinners and the safe harbour of those who are shipwrecked; thou art the consolation of the world, the ransom of captives, the health of the weak, the joy of the afflicted and the salvation of all. We have recourse to thee and we beseech thee to have pity on us. Amen.
One Minute Reflection – 12 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” –Within the Octave – Our Lady of Gaudulupe – Proverbs 8:22-35 – Luke 1:26-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Hail, full of grace …” – Luke 1:28
REFLECTION – “The Holy Spirit will come upon thee.” He will arise within thee, Mary. In some Saints He has come; in others He will come but in thou, He will arise… He will arise by means of the fertility, the abundance, the fullness of His outpouring in thy being. Even when He has filled thee, He will yet be upon thee; He will sweep over thy waters, to create in thee, a work greater and more admirable, than when, hovering over the waters at the beginning, He brought created substance into being in all its various forms (Gn 1:2). “And the power of the Most High will overshadow thee.” Christ, the Power and Wisdom of God, will overshadow thee. Then, He will take human nature from thee while keeping the fullness of God which thou art unable to bear, even as He assumes our flesh. He will take thee beneath His shadow because, the humanity to be taken by the Word, is to be a screen for the inaccessible Light of God. This Light, filtered by Its screen, will penetrate thine most chaste womb…
We, therefore, pray thee, Sovereign Lady, most worthy Mother of God, do not despise today those who ask, with fear, who seek, with devotion, who knock, with love. We pray thee, tell us what feelings moved thee, what love seized thee … when this was accomplished in thee, when the Word took Flesh from thee? In what state was thy soul, thy heart, thy spirit, thy senses, thy mind? Thou burst into flame like the bush which was shown to Moses long ago and thou did not burn, (Ex 3:2). Thou dissolved away in God but were not consumed. Burning, thou melted beneath the Fire from on high, yet regained strength from that Fire Divine, to burn again and dissolve once more in Him … Thou became more Virgin still – and more than Virgin because, both Virgin and Mother. Therefore, we greet thee, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Thou art blessed among women and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb.” – St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159) Cistercian Bishop of Lausanne (Marian Sermons).
PRAYER – O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, prepared a worthy dwelling for Thy Son and Who, by Thy Son’s death, foreseen by Thee, preserved her from all taint, grant, we beseech Thee, through her intercession that we too may come to Thee unstained by sin.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 11 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Mary, the Source of Holiness
“Since we are Mary’s children, we should try and reproduce her holiness in ourselves. Although, it is higher than that of the Angels, her sanctity is easy to imitate. There is no record that she ever had ecstasies or worked miracles. Her’s was a perfect internal sanctity, consisting of total conformity with the Will of God and an intense love for Him. We must aspire to this kind of holiness and model our lives upon it. There is no point in arguing that it is sufficient to be good Catholics and, that it is not necessary to be holy. A Catholic, to be truly such, MUST be holy!
St Paul referred to the early faithful as saints (Eph 1:1). “You are a chosen race,” said St Peter, “a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people,” (1 Peter 1:16, Lev 11:44) “You are to be perfect,” Jesus Himself had commanded, “even as your heavenly Father is perfect,” (Mt 5:48), This was the reason, He indicated why He had come into the world – “that they may have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10). This is the purpose of the Gospel and this must be the purpose of our lives. Some day, we shall either be holy in Heaven, or we shall be damned. We shall either be saints in Heaven or condemned forever in Hell. This truth merits careful though – everything else is passing but this is something which will never pass away. This command to sanctify ourselves is a reality which is present at every moment of our lives. Let us do our best to obey it, at any cost!”
Quote/s of the Day – 11 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Sirach 44:16-27; 45:3-20; Matthew 25:14-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“ Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”
Matthew 25:21
“Blessed are you poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours …”
Luke 6:20
“Let us keep our eyes unceasingly fixed upon the Divine Ideal; let us work to realise, within ourselves, the perfection to which God wishes us to reach, in order to imitate His Divine Son.”
Columba Marmion (1858-1923) Abbot
“Christ acts like a loving mother. To induce us to follow Him, He gives us Himself as an example and promises us a reward in His kingdom.”
St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Evangelical Doctor
“Do not fix your longings on anything which you do not possess; do not let your heart rest in that which you have; do not grieve overmuch, at the losses which may happen to you – and then, you may reasonably believe that although rich in fact, you are not so in affection but that you are poor in spirit and, therefore, blessed, for the Kingdom of Heaven is yours.”
One Minute Reflection – 11 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Within the Octave – St Pope Damasus I (c305-384) Confessor – Ecclesiasticus Sirach 4 – Matthew 25:14-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Well done, good and faithful servant … Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”- Matthew 25:21
REFLECTION – “The Word of the Father, Only-begotten Son of God, Sun of Justice (Mal 3:20), is the great Merchant Who has brought us the price of our redemption. It is a truly precious exchange which we can never value sufficiently, when a King, Son of the King Most High, has become the Coin, the Gold has paid our dues, the Just Man is given for the sinner. Truly unmerited mercy, perfectly disinterested love, astonishing goodness … it is a completely disproportionate purchase, in which the Son of God is delivered up for the servant, the Creator is put to death for the one He has created, the Lord is condemned for His slave.
O Christ, these are Thine Works, Thou Who descended from Heaven’s brightness into our hellish darkness, to bring Light to our gloomy prison. Thou came down from the Right Hand of the Divine Majesty, into our human misery, to redeem the human race, Thou Who descended from the Father’s glory, to death on the Cross, to triumph over death and its author. Thou art the only One and there is no other but Thee Who could have been drawn to redeem us through Thine Own Goodness…
Let all the merchants of Teman (Bar 3:23) withdraw from this place … it is not they but Israel [Thy] beloved whom [Thou hast] chosen, Thou Who hide these mysteries from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to those babes and humble servants of Thine (Lk 10:21) … O Lord, I willingly embrace this purchase since it concerns me! … I remember all the things Thou hast done, Thou Who desire that I should keep them alive … Therefore, I shall profit by this talent which Thou hast lent to me until Thy return and will stand before Thee with great joy. O God, grant that I may then hear these sweet words: “Well done, good and faithful servant! Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Mt 25:21).” – St Bernard O.Cist. (1091-1153) Cistercian Monk, known as the Last Father and the Mellifluous Doctor of the Church (Selected sermons, no 42: The Five Purchases).
PRAYER – Look forgivingly on Thy flock, Eternal Shepherd and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Damasus Thy Sovereign Pontiff, whom Thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 11 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Within the Octave
O Gloriosa Femina O Glorious Maid, Exalted Far By St Venantius Fortunatus (c530 – c609) Bishop, Father o the Church
O Glorious Maid, exalted far Beyond the light of burning star, From Him who made thee, thou hast won Grace to be Mother of His Son.
That which was lost in hapless Eve Thy holy Scion did retrieve: The tear-worn sons of Adam’s race Through thee have seen the heavenly place.
Thou wast the gate of Heaven’s high Lord, The door through which the Light hath poured. Christians rejoice, for through a Maid To all mankind is life conveyed!
All honour, laud and glory be, O Jesu, Virgin-born, to Thee; All glory, as is ever meet, To Father and to Paraclete. Amen.
This Hymn was used for Lauds in the Sarum Breviary for the Feasts of the Immaculate Conception, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Annunciation, the Assumption and the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The above is the original text of this Hymn as it appears in The English Hymnal (1906), where it is listed as a Morning Office Hymn for Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Chant Tone: “O Gloriosa Domina” Gregorian Chant, Mode II, traditional.
Thought for the Day – 10 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) – Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception
Holy Purity
“Since Mary excelled so much in this virtue and had so great a love for it, she will obtain for us from God, the grace necessary for us to preserve it, as long as we pray humbly to her, especially in times of temptation.
Let us remember, that at Baptism, we became members of the Mystical Body of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit (Cf 1 Cor 6:15-20). We are obliged to avoid defiling this temple and making the Mystical Body of Christ a dwelling-place for the devil! It is not true to say, that this is an impossible fight. We know, from our own experience, that we can win. We have often battled with, or fled from occasions of sin. We have prayed and made sacrifices, in order to avoid sin and, with the help of God and the protection of the Blessed Virgin, we have won! After our victory, we have felt elated and have experienced that peace, which only God’s grace can bestow. If we have succeeded so many times, why cannot we do the same always? There is no need to be afraid. If we do all that we can, God’s grace will do the rest. “I can do all things in Him, Who strengthens me,” Phil 4:12) says St Paul. “God is faithful,” he writes elsewhere “and will not permit you to be tempted beyond your strength but, with the temptation, will also give you a way out, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor 10:13).
If we remain pure, we shall see God. We shall see Him in the work of His creation in this world and we shall see and enjoy Him forever in Heaven. “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8).”
One Minute Reflection – December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Within the Octave – Proverbs 8:22-35 – Luke 1:26-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” – Luke 1:28
REFLECTION – “Son of God, grant me your own admirable Gift that I may celebrate the wondrous beauty of Thy beloved Mother! The Virgin gave birth to a Son while preserving her virginity; she suckled Him Who gives nourishment to the peoples; in her immaculate breast, she bore Him Who carries the whole world in His Hands. She is Virgin and Mother, what will she not be hereafter? Holy in body, all beautiful in soul, pure of mind, upright in intelligence, perfect in feeling, chaste and faithful, pure of heart and filled with virtue.
May the hearts of virgins rejoice in Mary, since of her was born the One Who set humankind free from dreadful slavery. May the old Adam, wounded by the serpent, rejoice in Mary; it is Mary who gives Adam a posterity which allows Him to crush the accursed serpent and Who cures him of his mortal wound (Gen 3:15). Let Priests rejoice in the blessed Virgin; she has brought the High Priest into the world, Who gave Himself as a Victim, putting an end to the sacrifices of the Old Covenant. … Let the Prophets rejoice in Mary, since in her were fulfilled their visions, in her were realised their prophecies, in her were confirmed their oracles. Let all the Patriarchs rejoice in Mary, since she received the blessing promised to them, she, who, in her Son, has brought them to completion. …
Mary is the new tree of life who, instead of the bitter fruit picked by Eve, gives to mankind that sweet fruit on which the whole world is fed!” – St Ephrem (306-373) Deacon in Syria, Father and Doctor of the Church (Marian Hymn).
PRAYER – Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Thy only-begotten Son, so that through His coming we may be able to serve Thee with purified minds. Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 9 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) – Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception
The Virginal Purity of Mary
“Purity is the most beautiful of virtues.
It is a virtue which is admired by God and by men, even by the most corrupt. It is often said, that it makes us like the Angels but in fact, looking at it in a particular way, it makes us superior to the Angels. Since they have no bodies, the angels cannot sin against purity, while we have to fight many battles and overcome many temptations, in order to preserve our chastity. Jesus had a very special love for this virtue. He chose to be born of a Virgin and, He showed a particular affection for St John, who was a dedicated celibate. On one occasion, He placed His Hands on the head of a little child and said: “Unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of Heaven “(Mt:18.3)
Unfortunately, the virtue of purity is as fragile as it is beautiful. It can be lost in a single moment of weakness. We must love this virtue as Mary loved it. We must be prepared to make any sacrifice, even the most heroic, rather than lose it. Worldly charm and beauty attract us and the devil works ferociously to control our imagination and our affections. On account of the disturbance of original sin, the flesh is like a terrible weight retarding our spiritual advancement. Sometimes it seems as if it is irresistibly drawing us towards the abyss of impurity. But we need not be dragged down, if we are prepared to fly from the occasions of sin and to pray to God and to our heavenly Mother for her intercession. We must always act at once, for there is no time to dally. It is fatal to remain inactive and to allow temptation to make its way into our soul. This kind of battle, said St Francis de Sales, is won only by soldiers who flee. We must fly from the occasions of sin, no matter what sacrifice this entails. Jesus has warned us, that it is better to enter Heaven without a hand or a foot, than to be cast into hell.
We know the remedies – instant flight, heroic sacrifice and constant prayer. We can leave the rest to the grace of God and to the maternal protection of Mary.”
One Minute Reflection – 9 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God – Proverbs 8:22-35 – Luke 1:26-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Hail, full of grace …” – Luke 1:28
REFLECTION – “How can I speak? What praises could I possibly make of the holy and glorious Virgin? She surpasses all other beings except for God Himself. She is by nature more beautiful than the Cherubim and Seraphim and the whole Angelic Host. No language, whether of Heaven or earth, or even of the Angels, is enough to praise her. Blessed Virgin, spotless dove, heavenly bride… temple and throne of the Godhead! Christ, the Sun Who shines resplendently in Heaven and on earth, belongs to thee. Thou art the luminous cloud which brought Christ down to earth, He Who is the bright streak of lightening, Who shines across the world.
Rejoice, full of grace, gate of Heaven! It was of thee, the author of the Song of Songs speaks… when he cries aloud: “A garden enclosed is my sister, my bride; an enclosed garden, a fountain sealed” (4:12)… Holy Mother of God, spotless ewe – thou gave birth to Christ, the Lamb, the Word made flesh in thee … How amazing a wonder in the heavens – a woman clothed with the sun (Apoc 12:1), carrying the Light in her arms! … How amazing a wonder in the heavens – the Lord of Angels becomes the Virgin’s Child. Angels judged Eve; now they fill Mary with glory, since it was she who raised Eve from her fall and brought Adam, expelled from Paradise, into Heaven.
Vast is the grace given to this Holy Virgin. Hence Gabriel, first addresses her with this greeting: “Hail, full of grace” resplendent as the Heaven. “Hail, full of grace” Virgin adorned with countless virtues… “Hail, full of grace” thou quench our thirst at the sweetness of the everlasting stream. Hail, holy and Immaculate Mother, thou conceived the Christ Who existed before thee. Hail, royal purple, thou clothed the King of Heaven and earth. Hail, O sealed book, thou enabled the world to read the Word, the Father’s Son!” – St Epiphanius of Salamis (c315-403) Bishop of Salamis, known as the Oracle of Palestine and Father of the Church (Sermon No 5)
PRAYER – Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to prepare the ways of Thy only-begotten Son, so that through His coming we may be able to serve Thee with purified minds. Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 9 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Within the Octave
Tota Pulchra Es, Maria You Are All Beautiful, Mary Unknown Author – 4th Century
You are all beautiful, Mary, and the original stain is not in you. You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you give honour to our people. You are an advocate of sinners. O Mary, O Mary, Virgin most intelligent, Mother most merciful. Pray for us, Plead for us, To the Lord Jesus Christ.
Tota pulchra es, Maria. Et macula originalis non est in Te. Tu gloria Ierusalem. Tu laetitia Israel. Tu honorificentia populi nostri. Tu advocata peccatorum. O Maria, O Maria, Virgo prudentissima. Mater clementissima. Ora pro nobis. Intercede pro nobis. Ad Dominum Iesum Christum.
This prayer used by the Church since the 4th Century for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Purity of the Blessed Virgin. It takes some text from the book of Judith and other text from Song of Songs, specifically 4:7. Many composers have set this prayer to music over the centuries.
Thought for the Day – 8 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
“Let us read the first chapter of St Luke’s Gospel in order to try and understand, as far as possible, the Immaculate Conception and the sublime holiness of Mary. “The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David and the virgin’s name was Mary. And when the angel had come to her, he said, ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women’” (Lk 1:26-28). The Blessed Virgin was troubled when she heard these words but the Angel reassured her. He told her that she had found favour with God and added, that she would become the Mother of God, for the Word would become flesh in her womb through the power of the Holy Ghost, in such a manner that in her nature, the privileges of virginity and of the divine motherhood, would be miraculously united. Mary then gave her assent to the Will of God and, her ‘Fiat’ placed her on a pedestal, high above all the generations of humanity and all the choirs of the angelic kingdom.
It is on this passage of the Gospel that the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady, chiefly depends. She was full of grace and the supremely beloved of God. How then could she have been subject to the rule of sin which we inherited from Adam? If her soul had been stained with sin at the first moment of her conception, she would not have enjoyed the special favour of God and the plenitude of grace. She was, moreover, predestined to become the Mother of God. Was it possible that the Divine Word, Who was to become her Son, could have permitted her soul to have been sullied, even for a single instant, by sin, which deprives us of grace and makes us enemies of God? It was on good grounds, therefore, that the Church defined, that from the first moment of her conception, Mary was free from all taint of sin, by a singular privilege conferred on her by God and through the merits of her Divine Son, Jesus Christ.”
Quote/s of the Day – 8 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The Feast of the Immaculate Conception
“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women”
Luke 1:28
On 8 December 1854, Pope Pius IX promulgated Ineffabilis Deus, the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. On 25 March 1858, at Lourdes, when asked by St Bernadette, who she was, Our Lady replied:
“I am the Immaculate Conception”
Our Lady to St Bernadette at Lourdes on 25 March 1858
“She saw herself raised to the highest dignity that ever was or will be, for although it should please God to create anew many worlds, He could never make a pure creature be greater than the Mother of God.
Our Lady humbled herself and acknowledged herself unworthy of being raised to the high dignity of Mother of God, therefore, she was made to be His Mother, for she had no sooner uttered the protestation of her littleness, than, having abandoned herself to Him, by an act of incomparable charity, she became the Mother of the Most High, Who is the Saviour of our souls!”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of Charity
“The Second Person of the Blessed Trinity had also been waiting for one, whose immaculate purity should make her fit, as far as any child of Adam could be fit, to be His Mother. There had been many holy women among the daughters of Abraham but none, without sin and, therefore, none in whose womb the Son of God could find repose. If Christ thus could not come to dwell with one who was stained with sin, what must be the purity He requires now, of those whose Guest He becomes in Holy Communion O Jesus, forgive me all my careless receptions of Thee, my want of careful preparation, my faults innumerable!”
Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900) The Fulfilment of the Decree
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