Quote/s of the Day – 8 August – The Memorial of the Fourteen Holy Helpers – On the Saints
“Let listening to worldly news be BITTER FOOD for you and let the words of Saintly men be as combs filled with honey.”
St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Instead of speaking saintly words, we must act them.”
St Jerome (343-420) “The Man of the Sacred Scripture” Father and Doctor of the Church
“Perfection consists in one thing alone, which is doing the will of God. For, according to Our Lord’s words, it suffices for perfection to deny self, to take up the cross and to follow Him. Now who denies himself and takes up his cross and follows Christ better, than he who seeks not to do his own will but always that of God? Behold, now, how little is needed to become as Saint? Nothing more than to acquire the habit of willing, on every occasion, what God wills.”
St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
“All a person’s holiness, perfection and profit lies in doing God’s will perfectly…. Happy are we, if we succeed in pouring out our heart into God’s, in uniting our desires and our will to His, to the point, that one heart and one will are formed, wanting, what God wants, wanting, in the way, in the time and in the circumstances, what He desires and willing it all, for no other reason, than that God wills it.”
Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – The Transfiguration of Our Lord
“And a cloud overshadowed them and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”
Mark 9:7
“By His loving foresight, He allowed them to taste for a short time, the contemplation of eternal joy, so that they might bear persecution bravely.”
The Venerable St Bede (673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church
“At His Transfiguration Christ showed His disciples, the splendour of His Beauty, to which He will shape and colour, those who are His : ‘He will reform our lowness configured to the Body of His Glory.’”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) Angelic Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 6 August – The Transfiguration of Our Lord – 2 Peter 1:16-19, Matthew 17:1-9..
“His face shone like the sunand His garments became white as snow.” – Matthew 17:2
REFLECTION – “The Lord displays His glory before chosen witnesses and makes illustrious that bodily shape which He shared with others, with such splendour that His countenance shone like the sun and His garments were as white as snow. In this Transfiguration, the chief object was to remove the scandal of the Cross from the hearts of the disciples and, to prevent their faith being disturbed, at the humiliation of His voluntary Passion, by revealing the excellence of His hidden dignity. But with no less foresight, the foundation was laid of the hope of holy Church that the whole Body of Christ, might realise, with what a change it was to be endowed and that the members, might promise themselves, a share in that honour which had shone forth in their Head.
But to confirm the Apostles and to lead them onto all knowledge, still further, instruction was conveyed by this miracle. For Moses and Elias, that is, the law and the prophets, appeared talking with the Lord, so that, in the presence of these five men, might most truly be fulfilled, what was said – In two or three witnesses every word stands. What more stable, what more steadfast, than the word, in the proclamation of which, the trumpet of the old and of the new TestamentS, sounds forth and the records of ancient witnesses, agree with the teaching of the Gospel? For the pages of both Covenants corroborate each other and He, Whom, under the veil of Mysteries, the types that went before, had promised, is displayed clearly and manifestly by the splendour of His present glory.
The Apostle Peter, therefore, being stirred by the revelation of these Mysteries, despising things worldly and scorning things earthly, was carried away by a certain excess of mind, to the desire of things eternal and, being filled with rapture at the whole vision, longed to make his abode with Jesus, in the place where he was gladdened by the sight of His glory. And so also he says: Lord, it is good for us to be here: if Thou wilt, let us set up here, three tents, one for Thee and one for Moses and one for Elias. But to this proposal the Lord made no reply, signifying that what he asked was not indeed wicked, but irregular, since the world could not be saved, except by Christ’s Death and by the Lord’s example in this, the faithful were called upon to believe that, although there ought not to be any doubt about the promises of happiness, yet, we should understand that, amid the trials of this life, we must ask for power to endure, rather than for glory.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor (Sermon on the Transfiguration – excerpt).
PRAYER – O God, Who in the glorious Transfiguration of Thy Only-begotten Son strengthened the Mysteries of faith, by the testimony of the fathers and, by the Voice coming down in a shining cloud, miraculously betokened the complete adoption of Thy children, mercifully grant that we, be made co-heirs with that King of glory and sharers in that same glory .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 – 2 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
How to Remain Aware of the Presence of God
“Another way of increasing our sense of the Presence of God, is to perceive Him in all His creatures. St Therese of the Child Jesus loved to contemplate the image of her Creator in the flowers of the fields and in the stars of the firmament.
God has created all things for our benefit and He is Present in all things. He sees what use we make of them and can judge whether we employ them to honour Him, Who is our beginning and our end. The ray of Divine Beauty,which shines in every created thing, should attract us towards its Creator and cause us to adore and serve Him. Whenever we meet a learned and holy person, moreover, the reflection of God’s Power and Goodness, is even more compelling. “Learn to love the Creator in the creature,” says St Augustine, “lest the thing which He has made should grip you and you shuld lose Him by Whom you also were created” (In Ps 19),
In other words, let us learn to see the Creator in all His creatures so that these may not enslave us but cause us to love Him, Who is our highest Good.”
Quote/s of the Day – 2 August – The Memorial of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church
St Alphonsus de Liguori’s “50 Maxims for Attaining Perfection in the Love of Jesus Christ”
To desire ardently to increase in the love of Jesus Christ
To make acts of love toward Jesus Christ. Immediately on waking and before going to sleep, make an act of love, seeking always to unite your own will to the will of Jesus Christ.
Often to meditate on His Passion.
Always to ask Jesus Christ for His love.
To communicate often and many times in the day to make spiritual communions.
Often to visit the Most Holy Sacrament.
Every morning to receive from the hands of Jesus Christ Himself your own cross.
To desire Paradise and Death in order to be able to love Jesus Christ perfectly and for all eternity.
Often to speak of the love of Jesus Christ.
To accept contradictions for the love of Jesus Christ.
To rejoice in the happiness of God.
To do that which is most pleasing to Jesus Christ, and not to refuse Him anything that is agreeable to Him.
To desire and to endeavour that all should love Jesus Christ.
To pray always for sinners and for the souls in Purgatory.
To drive from your heart every affection that does not belong to Jesus Christ.
Always to have recourse to the Most Holy Mary, that she may obtain for us the love of Jesus Christ.
To honour Mary in order to please Jesus Christ.
To seek to please Jesus Christ in all of your actions.
To offer yourself to Jesus Christ to suffer any pain for is love.
To be always determined to die rather than commit a wilful venial sin.
To suffer crosses patiently, saying, “Thus it pleases Jesus Christ.”
To renounce your own pleasures for the love of Jesus Christ.
To pray as much as possible.
To practice all the mortifications that obedience permits.
To do all your spiritual exercises as if it were for the last time.
To persevere in good works in the time of aridity.
Not to do, nor yet to leave undone, anything through human respect.
Not to complain in sickness.
To love solitude, to be able to converse alone with Jesus Christ.
To drive away melancholy.
Often to recommend yourself to those persons who love Jesus Christ.
In temptation, to have recourse to Jesus crucified, and to Mary in her sorrows.
To trust entirely in the Passion of Jesus Christ.
After committing a fault, not to be discouraged, but to repent and resolve to amend.
To do good to those who do evil.
To speak well of all, and to excuse the intention when you cannot defend the action.
To help your neighbour as much as you can.
Neither to say nor to do anything that might vex him. And if you have been wanting in charity, to ask his pardon and speak kindly to him.
Always to speak with mildness and in a low tone.
To offer to Jesus Christ all the contempt and persecution which you meet with.
To look upon [religious] Superiors as the representatives of Jesus Christ.
To obey without answering and without repugnance and not to seek your own satisfaction in anything.
To like the lowest employment.
To like the poorest things.
Not to speak either good or evil of yourself.
To humble yourself even towards inferiors.
Not to excuse yourself when you are reproved.
Not to defend yourself when found fault with.
To be silent when you are disquieted [i.e. upset].
Always to renew your determination of becoming a saint, saying, ‘My Jesus, I desire to be all Thine and Thy must be all mine.
Thought for the Day – 1 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Awareness of the Presence of God
“If we remind ourselves, constantly, of the Presence of God, we shall always be closely united to Him. Union with God should be the result of our love for Him, for it is an unfailing rule of love that it increases with the nearness of the beloved. If we live in the Presence of God and contemplate Him as the Perfection of Beauty, Truth and Goodness, we shall be moved to love Him more and more. Our love, moreover, will generate, in us, the ardent desire of an even closer intimacy with Him.
This sacred union will bring us great peace and tranquility in all the vicissitudes of life, a serenity which will be reflected in our personality and in our conduct, for the edification of our fellowmen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 29 July – St Martha, Sister of Saint Lazarus and Saint Mary of Bethany – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2, Luke 10:38-42
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things and yet, only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the best part and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42
“And as for that in the good ground they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bring forth fruit with patience.”
Luke 8:15
“… Scripture, as a whole, is God’s one perfect and complete instrument, giving forth, to those who wish to learn … It is one Saving Music…”
Origen (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Father of the Church
“Blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Luke 11:28
“But if you will, you can be healed. Hand yourself over to the Doctor, and He will open the eyes and ears of your mind and heart. Who is to be the Doctor? It is God, Who heals and gives life through His Word and Wisdom. … ”
St Theophilus of Antioch (Died c 185) Bishop of Antioch, Confessor, Apologist, Father
“The more you devote yourself, to study of the Sacred utterances, the richer will be your understanding of them, just as the more the soil is tilled,, the richer is the harvest.”
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
St Isidore of Seville (c 560-636) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Cultivate your vineyard together with Jesus. To you the task of removing stones and pulling up brambles. To Jesus, that of sowing, planting, cultivating and watering. But even in your work, it is still He who acts. Because, without Christ, you could do nothing at all.”
Our Morning Offering – 27 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Prayer for Five Graces By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
Eternal Father, Thy Son has promised that Thou would grant, all the graces we ask of Thee in His Name. Trusting in this promise and in the Name of and through the Merits of Jesus Christ, I ask of Thee five special graces: First, I ask pardon, for all the offenses I have committed, for which I am sorry with all my heart because I have offended Thine infinite goodness. Second, I ask for Thy Divine Light, which will enable me to see the vanity of all things of this earth and see also, Thy Infinite greatness and goodness. Third, I ask for a share in Thy love, so that I may detach myself from all creatures, especially from myself and love only Thy Holy Will. Fourth, grant me the grace to have confidence in the Merits of Jesus Christ and in the intercession of Mary. Fifth, I ask for the grace of perseverance, knowing that, whenever I call on Thee for assistance, Thou will answer my call and come to my aid. I fear only, that I will neglect to turn to Thee in time of need and thus bring myself to ruin. Grant me the grace to pray always, O Eternal Father, in the Name of Our Lord Jesus. Amen.
One Minute Reflection – 26 July – St Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Grandmother of Jesus.– Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again and out of joy, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44
REFLECTION – “It was Christ who was present to all those to whom, from the beginning, God communicated His Speech and Word. If anyone, therefore, reads the Scriptures with attention, he will find, in them, an expression of Christ and a foreshadowing of this new calling. For Christ is the treasure which was hidden in the field, that is, in this world (Mt 13:38) – a treasure hidden in the Scriptures, since it was alluded to by means of symbols and parables which, humanly speaking, could not be understood prior to the fulfilment of prophecy, that is to say, before the coming of the Lord. That is why it was said to Daniel the prophet: ” Keep secret the message and seal the book until the end of time ” (12:4) … And Jeremiah also says, “In the last days they shall understand these things.” (23:20) …
When read by Christians, the Law is a treasure, hidden beforehand in a field, but brought to light and interpreted by the Cross of Christ. It shows forth the Wisdom of God and makes known His intentions with regard to our salvation; it prefigures the Kingdom of Christ and preaches, by anticipation, the Good News of our inheritance of the holy Jerusalem. It proclaims beforehand, that those who love God shall advance even to hearing and seeing His Word and, that they will be glorified by this Word …
Thus it was, that the Lord explained the Scriptures to His disciples, after His Resurrection from the dead, proving to them, by their means, that “it was necessary the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory” (Lk 24:26). So if anyone should likewise read the Scriptures, that person will become a perfect disciple, “like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom things both new and old.” (Mt 13:52). – St Irenaeus of Lyons ((130-202) Bishop, Martyr, Theologian – Against the Heresies, IV, 26 ; SC 100
PRAYER – O God, Who in Thy kindness gave blessed Anne the grace to be the mother of her, who Mothered Thy Only-begotten Son, graciously grant that we who keep her feast, maybe helped by her intercession with Thee. 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).
Quote/s of the Day – 22 July – St Mary Magdalen (1st Century) Penitent – Song 3:2-5; 8:6-7, Luke 7:36-50.
“Wherefore I say to you, her sins, many as they are, shall be forgiven her because she has loved much. But he, to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
Luke 7:47
“A servant of the Lord stands bodily before men but mentally, he is knocking at the gates of Heaven. with prayer.”
St John Climacus (c 525-606) Father of the Church
“Place all your trust in God, let Him be your fear and your love. He will answer for you, He will do what is best for you. You have here no lasting home. You are a stranger and a pilgrim wherever you may be and you shall have no rest, until you are wholly united with Christ. Why do you look about here when this is not the place of your repose?”
Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)
“To magnify her Royal Lover still further, the soul must have eyes only for Him, in other words, with an ever-growing, anxiously eager attentiveness. the soul must study all the details of His beauty, His perfections, must keep on discovering motives for finding ever-increasing gratification in the ineffable Beauty with which it is in love.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“Love tends towards an intimate union with the person loved and does not rest, until this union is achieved. This is the unity of love. “It is now, no longer I that live,” exclaimed St Paul, “but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). If only we could succeed in achieving such a complete and lasting union with God, any sacrifice would seem easy and we should certainly grow in sanctity.”
Quote/s of the Day – 21 July – 1 Corinthians 7:25-3, Matthew 13:44-52
“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
“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”
Luke 12:34
“We have had Your treasure hidden within us, ever since we received baptismal grace, it grows ever richer at Your sacramental table.”
St Ephrem (306-373) Father and Doctor of the Church
“O man, send your treasure on, send it ahead into Heaven, or else your God-given soul will be buried in the earth! Gold comes from the depth of the earth — the soul, from the highest Heaven. Clearly it is better ,to carry the gold to where the soul resides, than to bury the soul, in the mine of the gold. That is why God orders those who will serve in His Army here below, to fight as men stripped of concern for riches and unencumbered by anything.”
St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Doctor of Homilies” Father and Doctor of the Church
“Where is the heart that loves? On the thing it loves. Therefore, where our love is, there our heart is held captive. It cannot leave it; it cannot be lifted higher, it cannot go either to the right or the left; see, it is fixed. Where the miser’s treasure is, there is his heart and where our heart is, there is our treasure.”
One Minute Reflection – 21 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – the Memorial of St Praxedes of Rome, Virgin Martyr (Died 164) – 1 Corinthians 7:25-3, Matthew 13:44-52
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds a single pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.” – Matthew13:45-46
REFLECTION – “For the man who loves God it is sufficient to please the One he loves; and, there is no greater recompense to be sought, than the loving itself. For love is from God, by the very fact, that God Himself is love. The good and chaste soul is so happy to be filled with Him that it desires to take delight in nothing else. For what the Lord says is very true: – ‘Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.’
What is a man’s treasure but the heaping up of profits and the fruit of his toil? For whatever a man sows, this too will he reap and each man’s gain, matches his toil and where delight and enjoyment are found, there the heart’s desire is attached. Now there are many kinds of wealth and a variety of grounds for rejoicing – every man’s treasure is that, which he desires. If it is based on earthly ambitions, its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched.
But those who enjoy the things that are above and eternal, rather than earthly and perishable, possess an incorruptible, hidden store, of which the prophet speaks: ‘Our treasure and salvation have come, wisdom and instruction and piety, from the Lord: these are the treasures of justice.’ Through these, with the help of God’s grace, even earthly possessions are transformed into heavenly blessings. It is a fact that many people use the wealth, which is either rightfully left to them or otherwise, acquired, as a tool of devotion. By distributing what might be superfluous to support the poor, they are amassing imperishable riches, so that what they have discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss. They have properly placed those riches, where their heart is, – it is a most blessed thing, to work to increase such riches, rather than to fear that they may pass away.” – St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Bishop of Rome and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermon 92).
PRAYER – Graciously hear us, O God our Saviour, that, as we rejoice in the festival of blessed Praxedes, Thy Virgin, so may we be nourished by the food of her heavenly teaching, as to be enlightened by the fervour of her dedicated holiness. 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 – 20 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Our Passions
“It is a difficult thing to control and to direct our natural inclinations. It requires perseverance, sacrifice and the grace of God, for which we should always pray.
Often, this struggle will last a lifetime and we can still fall, even after many years of combat. It is important, however, never to give up. If we accept defeat and quietly submit to the tyranny of sinful passions, we are lost forever. It is a poor outlook too, for a Catholic who ends up by being satisfied with a life of worthless mediocrity. We must fight hard, pray fervently and value nothing higher than the love of Christ. When we are finally victorious, our joy will be greater than any happiness which the world can give.”
Quote/s of the Day – 20 July – “The Memorial of St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537) Confessor – Isaias 58:7-11, Matthew 19:13-21
“God wishes to test you, like gold in the furnace. The dross is consumed by the fire but the pure gold remains and its value increases. It is in this manner that God acts with His good servant, who puts his hope in Him and remains unshaken in times of distress. God raises him up and, in return for the things he has left, out of love for God, He repays him a hundredfold in this life with eternal life hereafter.”
Thought for the Day – 19 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Voice of God – The Saints
“God speaks to us through His Saints.
The Saints are those in whom God dwells in such a special way that their entire personalities reflect Him. They live the Gospel perfectly. They have renounced themselves in order to belong completely to God. Not only have they overcome their evil inclinations but, they have conquered themselves in the process of that Christian annihilation which, sublimates human nature, rather than destroys it. They have enthroned God in the place of their own will and of their own ego, so that, like St Paul, they can claims: “It is no longer I that live but Christ lives in me.”
God still speaks to us through His Saints, for even in this troubled and [digital] age, there are pure and humble souls declared to God and the service of their fellowmen. Whenever we encounter one of these privileged beings, whether in the pages of a book [or online] or in our actual surrounding world, let us pay attention to them and do our best to imitate their virtues.”
Quote/s of the Day –19 July – The Memorial of St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) Confessor
“Every time, that some unexpected event befalls us, be it affliction, or be it spiritual or corporal consolation, we should endeavour to receive it. with equanimity of spirit, since all comes from the Hand of God.”
“He who submits himself to God, in all thing, is certain that whatever men say or do, against him, will always turn to his advantage.”
“After knowing the Will of God, in regard to a work which we undertake, we should continue courageously, however difficult it may be. We should follow it to the end with as much constancy as the obstacles, which we encounter, are great.”
“We ought to have a special devotion to those saints who excelled in humility, particularly to the Blessed Virgin, Mary, who declares that the Lord regarded her on account of her humility.”
Thought for the Day – 15 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Voice of God
“Be not silent Lord, be not far from me” (Ps 34:22).
It is never really God Who is silent. He is forever appealing to us to lead good lives. He is never really far from us but is always ready to bestow His gifts on us. Even when we have sinned, we hear His Voice prompting us to thoughts of remorse. Even when we stray away from Him, He follows and asks us to return to Him. It is we, who must ensure that the noise of the world, will not prevent us from hearing His Fatherly appeal and that sinful temptations will not destroy His influence over us.
Let us continually implore His graces because we are always in need of them. Let us use them well, so that they will enable us to gain everlasting life.”
Thought for the Day – 13 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Grace of God
“It is astonishing to consider how much St Paul accomplished when he had been transformed by the grace of God. Formerly, a persecutor of Christians, he became the Apostle of the Gentiles. Enlightened by faith and inspired by charity, he travelled the globe, spreading everywhere, the religion of Jesus Christ.
He feared neither the anger of the hostile Jews, nor the tribunals of the Roman judges, neither long and difficult journeys, nor scourging, shipwreck and imprisonment. “The love of Christ impels us,” (2 Cor 5:14) he said. It was the love of God which drove him on and on, until he met his martyrdom. But what about ourselves? We also have received grace from God. Often we hear His voice appealing to us to abandon our sinful ways, to practise virtue, to love Him more ardently and to prove our love, by deeds. If we co-operate, we shall be able to say with St Paul: “by the grace of God, I am what I am and his grace in me has not been fruitless,” (1 Cor 15:10) and “I have laboured … yet, not I but the grace of God with me” (ibid).
It is wise to recall, however, that Judas also received special graces from God. He did not correspond with them and was probably damned for eternity. If we fail to correspond with God’s graces, the result will be tragic for ourselves.”
Quote/s of the Day – 13 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – The Memorial of St Anacletus (c25-c89) 3rd Bishop of Rome and Martyr
“There are also some among the heretics who … flatter themselves with claims of martyrdom … But not all ,who submit their bodies to suffering, even to flames, are to be considered as having as having shed their blood for their sheep; rather, they may have shed it against the salvation of their sheep, for the Apostle says: “If I should deliver my body to be burned and have not charity, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). And how can he have the faintest charity in him who, although shown to be at fault, yet has no love for that unity which the Lord chose to recommend? Indeed, so long as you remain outside the Church and severed from the fabric of unity and bond of charity, you will be punished with everlasting chastisement, even if you were burned alive for the sake of Christ
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Without the Cup of the Lord preserving the holy bond of love, even if a man should deliver his body to be burned, he gains nothing!”
St Fulgentus of Ruspe (c 462 – 533)
The prayer below, was written by Saint Thomas More while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, awaiting execution by King Henry VIII.
Give Me Thy Grace, Good Lord! A Prayer of Hope By St Thomas More (1478-1535)
Give me Thy grace, good Lord. To set the world at naught. To set the mind firmly on Thee and not to hang upon the words of men’s mouths. To be content to be solitary. Not to long for worldly pleasures. Little by little, utterly to cast off the world and rid my mind of all its business. Not to long to hear of earthly things but that the hearing of worldly fancies, may be displeasing to me. Gladly to be thinking of God, piteously to call for His help. To lean into the comfort of God. Busily to labour to love Him. To know mine own vileness and wretchedness. To humble myself under the mighty Hand of God. To bewail my sins past, for the purging of them, patiently to suffer adversity. Gladly to bear my purgatory here. To be joyful in tribulations. To walk the narrow way that leads to life. To bear the Cross with Christ. To have the last thing in remembrance. To have ever before mine eyes, my death that is ever at hand. To make death no stranger to me. To foresee and consider, the everlasting fire of Hell. To pray for pardon before the Judge come. To have continually in mind, the Passion that Christ suffered for me. For His benefits, unceasingly to give Him thanks. To buy the time again, that I before have lost. To abstain from vain conversations. To shun foolish mirth and gladness. To cut off unnecessary recreations. Of worldly substance, friends, liberty, life and all, to set the loss at naught, for the winning of Christ. To think my worst enemies, my best friends, for the brethren of Joseph could never have done him so much good with their love and favour, as they did him, with their malice and hatred. These minds are more to be desired of every man, than all the treasures of all the princes and kings, Christian and heathen, were it gathered and laid together, all in one heap. Amen
Thought for the Day – 12 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Good Odour of Christ
“What quality of attraction do I possess? My behaviour is the mirror of my spiritual life. If I love God and am detached from the world, especially from sin and, if I practise mortification and strive to advance in the way of Christian perfection, my personality, will influence others to do good. My good example, rather than my words, will have a spiritual appeal for others, so that I shall be a living sermon.
Words are heard but example attracts. It is a great misfortune for me, if my sins tepidity, or vices, are the true reflection of my spiritual state and lead others into evil ways too!”
Thought for the Day – 10 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Ladder Ascending to God
“How often, nevertheless, is our mind led astray by the passing beauty of this world. How often is our heart engrossed in a search for a happiness, which is purely illusory. God has given us created things so that we may see in them, a reflection of His goodness and beauty and may use them as a ladder, which will lead us to Him. We shall be lost if we look back and fall beneath the false spell of this earthly fairyland. Our minds and hearts should look upwards towards Heaven.
God alone can satisfy the infinite desires of the soul. Let us never lose sight of Him. Everything else passes but God does not change. He will be our sure guide in this life and our everlasting happiness in the next.”
Quote/s of the Day – 8 July – The Memorial of St Elizabeth Queen of Portugal TOSF (1271-1336) – Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52.
“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
“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”
Luke 12:34
“We have had Your treasure hidden within us, ever since we received baptismal grace, it grows ever richer at Your sacramental table.”
St Ephrem (306-373) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Let your door stand open to receive Him, unlock your soul to Him, offer Him a welcome in your mind and then you will see the riches of simplicity, the treasures of peace, the joy of grace. Throw wide the gate of your heart, stand before the Sun of the everlasting Light.”
St Ambrose (c 340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church
“ He who finds Jesus, finds a rare treasure, indeed, a good above every good, whereas he who loses Him, loses more than the whole world. The man who lives without Jesus, is the poorest of the poor, whereas no-one is so rich, as the man who lives in His grace. … Let all things be loved, for the sake of Jesus but Jesus, for His own sake.”
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.”
St John Leonardi (1541-1609)
“You leave the land just as it is when you depart, you do not carry anything away. Our first aim is to go to God, we are not on earth for anything but this!”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – The Memorial of St Lawrence of Brindisi OFM Cap (1559-1619) Confessor, The “Franciscan Renaissance Man,” Priest
“For Him all things were created and to Him, all things must be subject and God loves all creature, in and because of Christ.”
“My dear souls, let us recognise, I pray you, Christ’s infinite charity towards us in the institution of this Sacrament of the Eucharist. In order that our love be a spiritual love, He wills a new heart, a new love, a new spirit for us. It is not with a carnal heart but with a spiritual one, that Christ has loved us with a gratuitous love, a supreme and most ardent love, by way of pure grace and charity. Ah! One needs to love Him back with one’s whole, whole, whole, living, living, living and true, true, true heart!”
Thought for the Day – 6 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) – Octave Day of Saints Peter and Paul
St Peter, Prince of the Apostles St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles
“It is good to admire the fidelity of St Peter and the designs of Divine Providence in making him the visible Head of the Church but, it is far better, to follow his example. His love for Jesus, led him to leave his family and his fisherman’s trade, in order to follow Our Lord. It led him to undertake long voyages, to endure imprisonment and to face martyrdom. What can we do for the love of Jesus? Remember that, if love is to be sincere, it must be generous and effective.
Secondly let us meditate on and imitate, the ardent and fearless faith of St Peter. He was not afraid to preach the teaching of Christ before the Sanhedrin. He was not afraid of Herod, who cast him into prison.
He was not afraid of the Roman Emperor, who caused him to be crucified. Our faith should be steadfast and lively, like his!
Finally, let us imitate Peter in his repentance. Although he loved Jesus very much and had such great faith in Him, in a moment of weakness and of imprudence, he denied Him three times. All his life, however, be wept bitterly for this sin. Whenever he heard a cock crowing, it was as if an arrow had pierced his heart. He was not satisfied, until he was hanging upon the cross like his Divine Master and could prove his love for Jesus by a Martyr’s death.”
St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles
We can learn many other virtues from St Paul, besides his zealous love for God and for his fellowmen. We can also learn from him, the virtues of humility and of apostolic fervour. The Apostle of the Gentiles reached such heights of sanctity, as to feel himself transformed into Christ Himself and to deserve to be taken up into the third Heaven, where he enjoyed a foretaste of eternal happiness. Nevertheless, he considered himself unworthy to be called an Apostle and he realised, that all his gifts came to him from God. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think anything as from ourselves but our sufficiency, is from God” (2 Cor 3:5). Whenever we succeed in any project, we should think on the same lines because, it is only when we are humble and depend on the grace of God, that the success of our actions will redound to the glory of our Creator. If the cancer of ambition or of self-love, should corrupt our purity of intention, our work would not be blessed by God and would not make us worthy of everlasting life. Let us repeat often: “All for You, with You and in You, my God.”
Thought for the Day – 25 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Belonging Entirely to God
“What more could He have done in order to merit our love? If He has loved us as much as to give Himself completely, why are we grudging in our relations with Him? Why do we share our hearts between Him and the world, or worse still, between Him and sin!
There is nothing to prevent us from loving creatures, as well as God but, they should be loved in God and for God. They should form a ladder, which enables us to climb towards God.
Every disproportionate affection, whether in regard to ourselves, or to others, is an injury to God. If we really belong entirely to God, we should be at peace. Since virtue is difficult, it is difficult to belong completely to God but, the effort gives us a foretaste of the happiness of Heaven.
If we really love God, nothing is difficult but everything seems simple and pleasant. Perfect union with God, will give us the pure joy, which the Saints experienced.”
Thought for the Day – 24 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Necessity of Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
“It is necessary to develop and meditate on these words of Pius XI, (see Part One) from which, it is clear, that the cult of the Sacred Heart, not only contains the synthesis of Christianity, the religion of love but, contains the most effective guide to the knowledge, love and imitation of Jesus Christ. From the first moment of His life, when He was an infant in the cold, damp cave of Bethlehem, to the final moment, when He breathed His last upon the Cross, the Heart of Jesus was overflowing with love for us. We can learn from this, to know our Divine Saviour better, so that appreciating more fully His infinite love for us, we shall feel an upsurge of gratitude and, of love. We shall feel determined to live entirely for Him, as He lived entirely for us, to obey His commandments with generosity and, to imitate His example with the assistance of His grace. This should be the result of our devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, especially during this month, which is consecrated to Him.”
One Minute Reflection – 23 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart” – The Octave Day of Corpus Christi –1 Corinthians 11:23-29, John 6:56-59.
“For as often as you shall eat this Bread and drink the Cup, you proclaim the Death of the Lord, until He comes.” – 1 Corinthians 11:26
REFLECTION – “In our offering of the Holy Sacrifice we fulfil the Command of our Saviour, as recorded by the Apostle Paul: The Lord Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed, took bread and after He had given thanks, broke it and said: This is My Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me. The same way, after the supper, He took the Cup saying: This Cup is the New Covenant in My Blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this Bread and drink this Cup, you shall proclaim the Death of the Lord until He comes.
This Sacrifice is offered, then, to proclaim the Lord’s Death; it is offered in remembrance of Him Who laid down His Life for our sake. As He says: Greater love than this no man has, that he lay down his life for his friends. Because Christ died for us out of love, we ask, when we make remembrance of His Death, at the time of Sacrifice, that we too may be granted love through the coming of the Holy Spirit. We pray, that by the Love which Christ had for us when He braved the Cross, we may receive the grace of the Spirit and be crucified to the world and the world to us. The Death Christ died, He died to sin, once for all but the Life He lives, He lives to God. Let us imitate our Lord’s Death and also live a new life. Strengthened with the gift of His Love, let us die to sin and live for God.
For God’s Love has been poured out in our hearts, through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us. Indeed our sharing in the Lord’s Body and Blood, when we eat His Bread and drink His Cup, teaches us, that we should die to the world and that we should keep our life hidden with Christ in God, crucifying our flesh with its vices and evil desires.
That is why all the faithful who love God and their neighbour, truly drink the Cup of the Lord’s Love even though, they may not drink the cup of His Bodily Suffering. And becoming inebriated from it, they put to death, whatever in their nature is rooted in earth. They clothe themselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not indulge fleshly desires. They do not fix their gaze on visible things but contemplate things, which the eye cannot see. Thus they drink the Lord’s Cup by preserving the holy bond of love; without it, even if a man should deliver his body to be burned, he gains nothing. But the gift of love enables us to become, in reality, what we celebrate as Mystery in the Sacrifice.” – St Fulgentius of Ruspe (c 462 – 533) Bishop, Father (An excerpt from Against Fabianus).
PRAYER – Grant, O Lord, that we may always fear and love Thy Holy Name, for Thou never fails to guide those whom Thou firmly establish in Thy love. 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). MAY the Heart of JESUS in the most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the Tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. – Indulgence 100 Days, Once a Day. Raccolta 161 Pius IX, 29 February 1868.
Quote/s of the Day – 22 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – The Memorial of St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431) Bishop, Confessor, Father.
“To my mind, the only art, is the Faith and Christ is my Poetry.”
“It is not surprising if, despite being far apart, we are present to each other and without being acquainted, know each other because, we are members of One Body, we have One Head, we are steeped in One Grace, we live on One Loaf, we walk on One Road and we dwell in the Same House!”
Our Morning Offering – 22 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus”
Be my Strength, O Sacred Heart! By St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) Visionary of the Sacred Heart
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I fly to You, I unite myself with You, I enclose myself in You! Receive my call for help, O my Saviour, as a sign of my horror of all within me, contrary to Your holy love. Let me die rather a thousand times, than consent to sin against You! Be my strength, O God – defend me, protect me. I am Yours and desire forever to be Yours! Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 15 June – The Memorial of St Vitus (c 290-c 303) and Companions, Martyrs – Wisdom 3:1-8, Luke 10:16-20
“But yet rejoice not in this, that spirits are subject unto you but rejoice in this, that your names are written in Heaven.”
Luke 10:20
“So also, you now indeed have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice. And your joy, no man shall take from you.”
John 16:22
“…We must all rejoice exceedingly, to be even the last, in the Kingdom of God!”
St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor “Father of the Fathers”
“From now on, then, if God has no need of your goods, neither does He have to give you this great thing, if you refuse to love Him, all He requires is love, without which nothing constrains His giving. Love, then and you will receive the Kingdom, love and you will possess it… Love God more than yourself and already, you begin to have what it is your desire to possess fully, in Heaven.”
St Anselm (1033-1109) Doctor magnificus Doctor Marianus
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