One Minute Reflection – 14 June – The Memorial of St Basil the Great (329-379) Bishop of Caesarea, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Luke 14:26-35
“If anyone comes to Me, without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:26
REFLECTION – “On another occasion, the Lord says, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, and wife and children and brothers and sisters and even his own soul, cannot be my disciple.” As a rule, this is more upsetting to the mind of new Christians, who are eager to begin at once, to live in accordance with the precepts of Christ. To those who do not fully grasp its meaning, it would seem contradictory…. He has condescended to call His disciples to the eternal Kingdom. He also called them brothers. In the Kingdom these relationships are transcended because, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither slave nor freeman but Christ, is all things and in all.” The Lord says, “For in the resurrection, they will neither be married nor marry but will be as the Angels of God in Heaven.”
Whoever wishes to prepare himself now, for the life of that Kingdom, must not hate people but those earthly relationships, through which the present life is sustained, the temporary life that begins at birth and ends with death. Whoever does not hate this necessity, does not yet love that other life, in which there will be no condition of birth and death, the condition that makes marriages natural on earth.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop, Father, Doctor of Grace (Sermon on the Mount,15).
PRAYER – We beseech Thee, O Lord, hear our prayers which we offer on the festival of blessed Basil, Thy Confessor and Bishop and through his intercessory merits, who had the grace to serve Thee worthily, absolve us from all our sins. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect). Sweet Heart of Jesus, be my love.300 days ONCE A DAY – (Unless otherwise stated, e.g., “once a day,” a partial Indulgence may be gained any number of times in succession.) Pope Leo XIII 21 May.
Our Morning Offering – 14 June – The Memorial of St Basil the Great (329-379) Bishop, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church
O Christ, Our Master and Our God By St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
O Christ, our Master and our God, King of the ages and Creator of all, I thank You for all the good things You have given to me and for the reception of your most pure and life-giving Mysteries. I pray You, therefore, O good Lover of humankind, keep me under Your protection, in the shadow of Your wings. Grant that with a pure conscience, until my last breath, I may worthily partake of Your Holy Things, for the forgiveness of sins and for life everlasting. For You are the Bread of Life, the Fountain of Holiness and the Bestower of Blessings and to You, we give glory together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever, Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 13 June – The Memorial of St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Evangelical Doctor of the Church
“When it is dark, we do not see how dusty and dirty our house is. Only when the place is flooded with sunlight, do we realise its awful condition. So, we need the light of God’s grace to show us the real state of our soul and to induce us to clean up our hearts!”
“Charity is the soul of faith and makes it alive; without love, faith dies!”
“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.”
Lord Jesus, Bind Me to Yourself
Lord Jesus, bind me to Yourself and to my neighbour, with love. May my heart not be turned away from You. May my soul not be deceived, nor my talent or mind, enticed by allurements of error, so that I may never distance myself from Your love. Thus may I love my neighbour as myself, with strength, wisdom and gentleness, with Your help, You who are blessed throughout all ages. Amen.
St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Evangelical Doctor of the Church
Our Morning Offering – 10 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart”
Everyday of My life Belongs to You Morning Offering to the Sacred Heart (Treasury of the Sacred Heart 1950)
Everyday of my life belongs to You, O my God and every action of my life should be performed with the pure intention of honouring You alone. From this moment, I offer them to Your Sacred Heart and by this offering, I consecrate them without reserve to Your glory. What a motive for performing all my actions with all possible perfection! Do not permit them, O my divine Saviour, to be sullied by any motives unworthy of Your Sacred Heart. I renounce all that could lessen the merit of my offering. I renounce all vanity, self-love and human respect. Grant, O my God, that I may commence, continue and end this day in Your grace and solely from the pure motive of pleasing and honouring You. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 9 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart” – Pentecost Thursday – Acts 8:5-8, Luke 9:1-6
“Take nothing for your journey, neither staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; neither have two tunics.”
Luke 9:3
“You are the salt of the earth.”
Matthew 5:13
“It is as a matter of absolute necessity that He commands all this. Why must you be salt? Jesus says in effect: “You are accountable, not only for your own life but also, for that of the entire world. I am sending you not to one or two cities, nor to ten or twenty, nor even to one nation, as I sent the Prophets. Rather, I am sending you to the entire earth, across the seas, to the whole world, to a world fallen into an evil state.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church
“What is reprehensible, is that while leading good lives themselves and abhorring those of wicked men, some, fearing to offend, shut their eyes to evil deeds instead of condemning them and pointing out their malice.”
St Augustine (354-407) Father and Doctor of Grace
“The love of Jesus is noble and generous, it spurs us on to do great things and excites us to desire always, that which is most perfect. Love will tend upwards and is not to be detained by things beneath. Love will be at liberty and free from all worldly affections… for love proceeds from God and cannot rest but in God, above all things created. The lover flies, runs and rejoices, he is free and not held. He gives all for all and has all in all, because he rests in One Sovereign Good above all, from Whom all good flows and proceeds.”
Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)
(Book III, Chapter V, 3-4)
“Entrust yourself entirely to God. He is a Father and a most loving Father at that, Who would rather let Heaven and earth collapse, than abandon anyone who trusted in Him.”
St Paul of the Cross (1604-1775)
“God alone!”
“Chosen soul, how will you bring this about? What steps will you take to reach the high level to which God is calling you? The means of holiness and salvation, are known to everybody, since they are found in the Gospel, the masters of the spiritual life have explained them, the Saints have practised them… These means are – sincere Humility, unceasing Prayer, complete Self-denial, abandonment to Divine Providence and obedience to the Will of God.”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 June – Pentecost Tuesday – Acts 8:14-17, John 10:1-10.
“… He goes before them and the sheep follow Him because they know His Voice.”
John 10:4
“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) Theologian, Father of the Church
“If you believe what you like in the Gospels and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospel you believe but yourself.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“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.”
St Isidore of Seville (c 560-636) Father & Doctor of the Church
“He is the origin of all wisdom. The Word of God in the heights, is the source of wisdom. Christ is the source of all true knowledge, for He is “the way, the truth and the life.” (Jn 14:6). … As way, Christ is the teacher and origin of knowledge … Without this Light, which is Christ, no-one can penetrate the secrets of faith.”
One Minute Reflection – 7 June – Pentecost Tuesday – Acts 8:14-17, John 10:1-10.
“I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” – John 10:10
REFLECTION – “Thus says the Lord: “I Myself will come’”… This is what He has undoubtedly done and what He will yet do: “I Myself am coming: I will seek out My sheep, I will tend them as a shepherd tends His flock.” The wicked shepherds took no care of them because they did not redeem their sheep, with their blood… “My sheep hear My Voice. I will seek out My sheep from the midst of the scattered sheep and will bring them out from all the places they were scattered, on the day of clouds and darkness. No matter how difficult it is to find them, I will find them… I will rescue My sheep from foreign lands, I will gather them and lead them back to their own homes; I will lead them to pasture on the mountains of Israel.”
These “mountains of Israel” are the writers of Sacred Scripture. They are the pastures where you are to feed, if you wish to do so safely. Savour everything you learn from them and reject everything outside. Do not go astray in the mists, listen to the Shepherd’s Voice. Gather on the mountains of Sacred Scripture. There, you will find true delight for your heart. There, is nothing poisonous there, nothing dangerous; they are rich pastures… “I will lead them beside rivers, in the best places.” From those mountains we were just talking about, rivers of Gospel preaching pour down since “the voice [of the Apostles] resounds to the ends of the earth” and all the ends of the earth provide pleasant and fertile pastures for the sheep.
“I will cause them to feed in good pasture… and their sheepfold will be there,” that is to say, there, they will rest, there, they will be able to say: “It is good to be here; true enough, it is perfectly clear, we have found the truth.” They will take their rest in the glory of God as in a sheepfold.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (Sermon 46, On the shepherds; CCL 41, 529).
PRAYER – Let the power of the Holy Spirit be present within us, O Lord, graciously to cleanse our hearts, as well as to guard us from all harm. 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).
SACRED Heart of JESUS, Thy Kingdom come! – Indulgence 300 Days – Every time – Raccolta 179 St Pius X, 6 November 1906.
Our Morning Offering – 7 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart”
Seal Your Image on My Heart By Archbishop Baldwin of Canterbury (c 1125-1190)
O Lord, take away my heart of stone, my hardened heart, my uncircumcised heart and grant to me a new heart, a heart of flesh, a clean heart. Come, You Who cleanse the heart and love the pure of heart, possess my heart and dwell in it, containing it and filling it, higher than my highest and more intimate than my most intimate thoughts. You are the Image of all Beauty and the Seal of all Holiness, seal Your Image on my heart and seal my heart in Your Mercy, O God, the Strength of my heart and my Portion forever, Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 29 May – Sunday within the Octave of Ascension
Stay With Me, O Lord By Padre Pio (1887-1968)
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my Life and without You, I am without fervour. Stay with me, Lord, for You are my Light and without You, I am in darkness. Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your Voice and follow You. Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much and always be in Your company. Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You. Stay with me, Lord, as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of Love. Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close and life passes, death, judgement and eternity approach. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You. It is getting late and death approaches, I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile! Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers, I need You. Let me recognise You as Your disciples did, at the breaking of the bread, so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart. Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You, if not by Communion, at least by grace and love. Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more. With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to love You perfectly, during all eternity. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 28 April – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Saturday within the Octave of the Ascension
“There are two ways of keeping God’s word, namely, one, whereby we store in our memory what we hear and the other, whereby we put into practice, what we have heard (and none will deny that the latter is more commendable, inasmuch, as it is better to sow grain, than to store it in the barn).”
Blessed Jordan of Saxony (1190-1237)
“Those who risk all for God, will find. that they have both lost all and gained all.”
St Teresa of Jesus of Ávila (1515-1582) Doctor of Prayer of the Church
“Our business is to love what we have. He wills our vocation as it is. Let us love that and not trifle away our time hankering after other people’s vocations.”
“By giving yourself to God, you not only receive Himself in exchange but, eternal life as well!”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“Teach Us Good Lord” By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
Teach us, good Lord, to serve You as You deserve; to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labour and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we are doing Your will. Amen
Thought for the Day – 27 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Lesson from Scripture God Alone
“O Mary, my most Holy Mother, free me from useless desires and from an excessive longing for worldly things. Help me to think always of Heaven. Grant that I may find my happiness in God alone, as you did by acting in perfect accordance with His Holy Will. By loving Him above everything in the world, may I one day enjoy, with you, the everlasting happiness of Heaven. Amen.”
Thought for the Day – 24 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Recollection of Mary
“We cannot all be Monks or Hermits. Most have to live in the world and look after their daily business., They have to deal with all kinds of people and are subject to the tremendous influences of the modern world. How can they be recollected? It is difficult but it is possible. Most of the Saints lived in the heart of the world, while still maintaining close contact with God. St Paul the Apostle and St John Bosco, are two examples which come to mind.
St Paul traversed the greater parts of the known world. He preached in the temple of Jerusalem and on the Areopagus of Athens, in the Synagogues, squares, court rooms and prsisons of countless cities. Throughout it all, his heart remained united to God, so that he could exclaim: “It is now no longer I who live but Christ lives in me” Gal 2:20). “For to me to live is Christ,” he said, “and to die is gain. But if to live in the flesh is my lot, this means for me, fruitful labour and I do not know which to choose. Indeed, I am hard-pressed from both sides – desiring to depart and to be with Christ – a lot by far the better; yet, to stay on in the flesh is necessary for your sake” |(Phil 1:21-23).
The superhuman industriousness of St John Bosco is well known. He never rested but, his extraordinary activity derived entirely from his close and loving union with God.
We also should try and preserve an oasis of silence in our heart, while we are making our way through the noisy uproar which prevails around us. We shall draw from this oasis of interior recollection, the power to conquer the temptations of the world and to accomplish all the good work which God wishes us to do.”
Quote/s of the Day – 24 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – James 1:22-27, John 16:23-30
“Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
John 16:24
“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
“This is the time for Confession. Confess the sins you have committed in word or deed, by day or by night. Confess during this “favourable time” and on “the day of salvation,” receive Heaven’s treasure… ”
St Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350), Father & Doctor of the Church
“Have faith and the One you cannot see, is with you.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Whoever has become a servant of the Lord, fears only his Master. But whoever is without the fear of God, is often afraid of his own shadow. Fearfulness is the daughter of unbelief. A proud soul is the slave of fear, hoping in itself, it comes to such a state, that it is startled by a small noise and is afraid of the dark.”
St John Climacus (579-649) Father of the Church
O Merciful God By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis
O merciful God, grant that I may ever perfectly do Your Will in all things. Let it be my ambition to work only for Your honour and glory. Let me rejoice in nothing but that leads to You, nor grieve for anything, that leads away from You. May all passing things be as nothing in my eyes and may all that is Yours, be dear to me and You, my God, dear above them all. May all joy be meaningless without You and may I desire nothing, apart from You. May all labour and toil delight me when it is for You. Make me, O Lord, obedient without complaint, poor without regret, patient without murmur, humble without pretence, joyous without frivolity, and truthful without disguise. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 24 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – James 1:22-27, John 16:23-30
“That your joy may be full.” – John 16:24
REFLECTION – “The entire life of a good Christian is, in fact, an exercise of holy desire. You do not yet see what you long for but the very act of desiring, prepares you, so that when He comes, you may see and be utterly satisfied.
Suppose you are going to fill some holder or container and you know you will be given a large amount. Then you set about stretching your sack or wineskin or whatever it is. Why? Because you know the quantity with which you will fill it and your eyes tell you, there is not enough room. By stretching it, therefore, you increase the capacity of the sack and this is how God deals with us. Simply by making us wait, He increases our desire, which in turn, enlarges the capacity of our soul, making it able to receive what is to be given to us.
So, my brethren, let us continue to desire, for we shall be filled. Take note of Saint Paul, stretching as it were, his ability to receive what is to come – ‘Not that I have already obtained this,’ he said, ‘or am made perfect.Brethren, I do not consider that I have already obtained it.’ We might ask him, ‘If you have not yet obtained it, what are you doing in this life?’ ‘This one thing I do,‘ answers Paul, ‘forgetting what lies behind, and stretching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the prize to which I am called in the life above.‘ Not only did Paul say he stretched forward but he also declared that he pressed on toward a chosen goal. He realised, in fact, that he was still short of receiving ‘what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived.‘
Such is our Christian life. By desiring Heaven, we exercise the powers of our soul. Now this exercise will be effective, only to the extent, that we free ourselves from desires leading to infatuation with this world. Let me return to the example I have already used, of filling an empty container. God means to fill each of you with what is good – so cast out what is bad! If he wishes to fill you with honey and you are full of sour wine, where is the honey to go? The vessel must be emptied of its contents and then be cleansed. Yes, it must be cleansed, even if you have to work hard and scour it. It must be made fit for the new thing, whatever it may be!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (An excerpt from his Tractates on «The First Letter of John»)
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness, both of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness and enter into the joy of thine eternal gladness. 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).
Quote/s of the Day – 23 May – James 5:16-20, Luke 11:5-13
“Ask and it shall be given you: s seek and you shall find: knock and it shall be opened to you. ”
Luke 11:9
“Ask with tears, seek with obedience, knock with patience.”
“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
“In prayer one must hold fast and never let go, because the one who gives up, loses all. If it seems that no-one is listening to you, then cry out even louder. If you are driven out of one door, go back in by the other.”
St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)
May We Love Only You By St Columban (543-615)
Loving Saviour, be pleased to show Yourself to us who knock, so that in knowing You, we may love only You, love You alone, desire You alone, contemplate only You, day and night and always think of You. Inspire in us the depth of love that is fitting for You to receive as God. So may Your love pervade our whole being, possess us completely and fill all our senses, that we may know no other love but love for You, Who are everlasting. May our love be so great, that the many waters of sky, land and sea cannot extinguish it in us – many waters could not extinguish love. May this saying be fulfilled in us also, at least in part, by Your gift, Jesus Christ, our Lord, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 21 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and Sanctae Mariae Sabbato, Mary’s Saturday
The Mater Christi Unknown Author
Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, What shall I ask of thee? I do not sigh for the wealth of earth For the joys that fade and flee, But, Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, This do I long to see — The bliss untold which thy arms enfold, The Treasure upon thy knee.
Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, He was All-in-All to thee, In the winter’s cave, in Nazareth’s home, In the hamlets of Galilee, So, Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, He will not say nay to thee, When He lifts His Face to thy sweet embrace, Speak to Him, Mother, of me.
Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, The world will bid Him flee, Too busy to heed His gentle voice, Too blind His charms to see, Then, Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, Come with thy Babe to me, Tho’ the world be cold, my heart shall hold A shelter for Him and thee.
Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, What shall I do for thee? I will love thy Son with the whole of my strength, My only King shall He be. Yes! Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, This will I do for thee, Of all that are dear or cherished here, None shall be dear as He.
Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, I toss on a stormy sea, O lift thy Child as a Beacon Light, To the Port where I fain would be! And, Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ, This do I ask of thee — When the voyage is o’er, oh! stand on the shore And show Him at last to me.
One Minute Reflection – 20 May – The Memorial of St Bernadine of Siena OFM (1380-1444) Confessor – Ecclesiasticus 31:8-11, Matthew 19:27-29.
“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29
REFLECTION – “Seek for nothing, desiring to enter for love of Jesus, with detachment, emptiness and poverty in everything in this world. You will never have to do with necessities greater than those to which you made your heart yield itself – for the poor in spirit are most happy and joyful in a state of privation and he who has set his heart on nothing, finds satisfaction everywhere.
The poor in spirit (Mt 5:3) give generously all they have and their pleasure consists in being thus deprived of everything for God’s sake and out of love to their neighbour … Not only do temporal goods – the delights and tastes of the senses – hinder and thwart the way of God but spiritual delights and consolations also, if sought for or clung to eagerly, disturb the way of virtue.” – St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Carmelite, Doctor of the Church (Spiritual maxims, nos. 352, 355,356, 364; 1693 edition).
PRAYER – O Lord Jesus, Who bestowed on blessed Bernardine, Your Confessor, an unusual love for Your Holy Name, we beseech You, by his merits and intercession, graciously pour upon us the spirit of Your love. Who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 19 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Mary, a Light in the Darkness
“Most Holy Mary, may I follow your example here on earth. Please lead us, together with your Divine Son, Jesus, here in our earthly pilgrimage, for you never once lost sight of God. May the darkness of this world not encompass me, for with you beside me and Christ around me, I will be safe. For the beauty of the created things can be a snare of immense power. May the Light of your Son, be my beacon and Light my path and intercede for me, that I may ever radiate His Light. Grant that I may see, in all things, the Presence and Beauty of God alone, so that I may always continue to advance, nearer and nearer to Him. Amen.”
Thought for the Day – 17 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Contemplation and Our Lady
“O Mary, my most Holy Mother, free me from useless desires and from an excessive longing for worldly things. Help me to think always of Heaven. Grant that I may find my happiness in God, as you did, by acting in perfect accordance with His Holy Will. By loving Him above everything in the world, may I, one day, enjoy with you, the everlasting happiness of Heaven. Amen. ”
Quote/s of the Day – 13 May – The Memorial of St Robert Bellarmine SJ (1542-1621) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church
“If you are wise, then know, that you have been created for the glory of God and your own eternal salvation. This is your goal; this is the centre of your life; this is the treasure of your heart. May you consider truly good, whatever leads you to your goal and truly evil, whatever makes you fall away from it.”
“A Pope who is a manifest heretic automatically (per se), ceases to be Pope and Head, just as he ceases, automatically, to be a Catholic and a Member of the Church. Wherefore, he can be judged and punished by the Church. This is too, the teaching of all the ancient Fathers.”
Thought for the Day – 11 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Search for God
“Holy Mary, help me to aim at pleasing God throughout my life. Help me to see Him in all things, to love Him in all my affections, to direct all my thoughts and desires towards Him. This is the only way in which I can become like you, my Mother. In this way, I shall find peace on earth, even in the midst of suffering and the happiness in Heaven, which will never pass away. Amen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 8 May – The Third Sunday after Easter – 1 Peter 2:11-19, John 16:16-22
“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
“Even in a world which is being shipwrecked, remain brave and strong.”
“Holy Spirit, the Life that gives life: You are the Cause of all movement. You are the Breath of all creatures. You are the Salve that purifies our souls. You are the Ointment that heals our wounds. You are the Fire that warms our hearts. You are the Light that guides our feet. Let all the world praise You!”
St Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) Doctor of the Church
“Turn to the Lord with your whole heart and leave behind this wretched world. Then your soul shall find rest. For the Kingdom of God is the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit. If you prepare, within your heart, a fitting dwelling place, Christ will come to you and console you.”
Thomas á Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)
O Holy Spirit of God By Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (1466-1536) (Fr Erasmus of Rotterdam)
O Holy Spirit of God with Your holy breath, You purify the hearts and minds of humankind, comforting them, when they are in sorrow, leading them, aright when they have gone astray, kindling them, when their hearts are cold, reconciling them, when they are at variance and enriching them, with Your many gifts. By Your working, all things live. We make our prayer to You, maintain and day by day, increase, the gifts which You have granted us, so that with Your Light before us and within us, we may pass through this world, without stumbling and without straying. Who with the Father and the Son, are One God, now and forever. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 7 May – Wisdom 5:1-5, John 15,1-7.
“Without Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
“Whoever does not gather with me, scatters.”
Luke 11:23
“We recognise a tree by its fruit and we ought to be able to recognise a Christian by his action. The fruit of faith should be evident in our lives, for being a Christian, is more than making sound professions of faith. It should reveal itself in practical and visible ways. Indeed, it is better to keep quiet about our beliefs and live them out, than to talk eloquently about what we believe but fail, to live by it.”
St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108) Father of the Church
“… Now is the time in this life of suffering, when we journey apart from Him. … So let us fast and pray now because, we are in the days of childbirth!”
St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo Father and Doctor of Grace
“Girded with faith and the performance of good works, let us follow in His paths by the guidance of the Gospel.”
“For at all times, we must so serve Him, with the good things He has given us, that he may not, as an angry Father, disinherit his children, nor as a dread Lord, provoked by our evil deeds, deliver us to everlasting punishment, as wicked servants, who refuse to follow Him to glory.”
St Benedict (c 480-547)
“Each one of us has a thirst for all that is infinite, eternal and perfect. God alone can satisfy this thirst. Just as we are created by God, so we are created for Him. Just as we came from God, so we are gradually travelling back towards Him, for He is the final goal of our earthly journey. We should meditate on this great truth which we were first taught in the Catechism, namely, that we were created to know, love and serve God on this earth and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven. God alone is the eternal beauty which will satisfy our hearts.”
Quote/s of the Day – 6 May – Tthe Feast of St John Before the Latin Gate – Wisdom 5:1-5, Matthew 20:20-23
“Can you Drink the Chalice which I Shall Drink?”
Matthew 20:22
“If anyone serves me, he must follow me and where I am, there will my servant be also.”
John 12:26
“He who is immortal, voluntarily shed His Blood. He who created the Host of Angels, was bound at the hands of soldiers and He who is to judge the living and the dead, was dragged to justice (cf. Acts 10:42; 2 Tm 4:1). Truth was exposed to false witnesses, was slandered, struck, covered with spittle, hung on the Wood of the Cross – the Lord of Glory (cf. 1 Cor 2:8) endured every outrage and suffering without Himself needing these trials. …
So there is nothing surprising about it, if we submit to even one of these trials, since such is our condition … Therefore, we too have to be offended and tempted, afflicted by the cutting off of our wills.”
St Theodore the Studite (759- 826) Monk at Constantinople, Father (Catecheses 1)
“Let us then learn from the Cross of Jesus our proper way of living. Should I say ‘living’ or, instead, ‘dying’? Rather, both living and dying. Dying to the world, living for God. Dying to vices and living by the virtues. Dying to the flesh, but living in the spirit. Thu,s in the Cross of Christ, there is death and in the Cross of Christ, there is life. The death of death is there and the life of life. The death of sins is there and the life of the virtues. The death of the flesh is there and the life of the spirit.”
St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)
“God’s love calls us to move beyond fear. We ask God for the courage to abandon ourselves unreservedly, so that we might be moulded by God’s grace, even as we cannot see where that path may lead us.”
Quote/s of the Day – 4 May – The Memorial of St Monica (322-387) Mother of St Augustine – 1 Timothy 5:3-10, Luke 7:11-16
“My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-9
“Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now for me to do or why I am still here, all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled.”
Saint Monica, on the conversion of St Augustine
“Our Lord and Saviour lifted up His Voice and said with incomparable majesty: “Let all men know, that grace comes after tribulation. Let them know, that without the burden of afflictions, it is impossible to reach the height of grace. Let them know, that the gifts of grace increase, as the struggles increase. Let men take care not to stray and be deceived. This is the only true stairway to paradise and without the cross, they can find no road to climb to Heaven.”
St Rose of Lima (1586-1617)
Late Have I Loved You By St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
Late have I loved You, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved You! Lo, you were within, but I outside, seeking there for You, and upon the shapely things You have made I rushed headlong – I, misshapen. You were with me but I was not with You. They held me back far from You, those things which would have no being, were they not in You. You called, shouted, broke through my deafness. You flared, blazed, banished my blindness. You lavished Your fragrance, I gasped and now I pant for You. I tasted You and now I hunger and thirst. You touched me and I burned for Your peace. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 3 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and the Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross – 1 Peter 2:21-25, John 10:11-16
“I am the good shepherd and I know mine and mine know me.”- John 10:14
REFLECTION – “Let us consider Christ, our shepherd …. He rejoices in those sheep of His that are around Him and goes in search of those, that stray. Mountains and forests cause Him no fear; He crosses ravines to reach the sheep that is lost. Even if He finds it in a piteous state, He is not angry but touched with pity; He takes it on His shoulders and, from His own weariness, heals the exhausted sheep (Lk 15:4 f.) …
With good reason Christ declares: “I am the Good Shepherd, I seek out the lost sheep, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal (Ez 34:16). I have seen the flock of mankind struck down by sickness; I have witnessed my lambs wander about where demons dwell; I have seen my flock ravaged by wolves. All this I have seen and have not witnessed it from on high. That is why I took hold of the withered hand, gripped by pain as if by a wolf; I have unbound those whom fever had bound; I taught him to see whose eyes had been shut from his mother’s womb; I brought Lazarus out from the tomb where he had lain for four days (Mk 3:5; 1:31; Jn 9; 11). For I am the Good Shepherd and the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” …
The prophet knew this shepherd when, long before His Passion, He declared what would take place: “Like a sheep led to the slaughter or a sheep, dumb before the shearers, he opened not his mouth” (Is 53:7). Like a sheep, the shepherd has offered His neck for His flock …. By His death, He heals from death; by His tomb, He empties the tomb …. The tombs are full and the prison shut until the shepherd, comes down from the cross, He has come to bring His captive sheep the joyful news of their liberation. We see Him in hell where He gives the order for their release (1 Pt 3:19); we see Him call His sheep once more, giving them the call to life from the dwellings of the dead. “The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” This is how He intends to win the affection of His sheep and those who know how to listen to His voice, love Christ.” – Basil of Seleucia (Died 448) Bishop of Seleucia, Writer – Oratio 26
PRAYER –O Good Shepherd, You Whom My Soul Loves. By St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395) Father of the Church
Where are You pasturing Your flock, O good Shepherd, Who carry the whole flock on Your shoulders? (For the whole of human nature is one sheep and You have lifted it onto Your shoulders). Show me the place of peace, lead me to the good grass that will nourish me, call me by name so that I, Your sheep, hear Your voice and by Your speech, give me eternal life. Answer me, You Whom my soul loves. … Show me then (my soul says), where You pasture Your flock, so that I can find that saving pasture too and fill myself with the food of Heaven, without which, no-one can come to eternal life and run to the spring and fill myself with the drink of God. You give it, as from a spring, to those who thirst – water pouring from Your side, cut open by the lance, water that, to whoever drinks it, is a spring of water, welling up to eternal life. Amen
This is a tiny excerpt from St Gregory of Nyssa’s commentary on the Song of Songs (Cap. 2: PG 44, 802), using the imagery of Psalm 23, appeals to the Lord Jesus Christ for the promised green pastures, restful waters and noonday rest that is the final, eternal destination of those who love God and walk in His ways.
One Minute Reflection – 2 May – The Memorial of St Athanasius (297-373) Bishop, Confessor, Father & Doctor of the Church – 2 Corinthians 4:5-14, Matthew 10:23-28
“What you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” … Matthew 10:27
REFLECTION – “It is not I who undertook this work but, it is Christ the Lord Who commanded me to come to be with these Irish pagans for the rest of my life, if the Lord shall Will it and shield me from every evil … But I do not trust myself “as long as I am in this mortal body” (2 Pt 1:13; Rm 7:24) … I did not lead a perfect life like other believers but I confess to my Lord and do not blush in His sight because I am not lying, from the time when I came to know Him in my youth, the love of God and fear of Him increased in me and right up until now, by God’s favour, “I have kept the faith” (2 Tm 4:7).
What is more, let anyone laugh and taunt if he so wishes. I am not keeping silent, nor am I hiding “the signs and wonders” (Dn 6:27) that were shown to me by the Lord many years before they happened, He who knew everything, even before the beginning of time. Thus, I should give thanks unceasingly to God, who has frequently forgiven my folly and my negligence, in more than one instance and has never been angry with me, who am placed as His helper, though I did not easily assent to what had been revealed to me, as the Spirit was urging. The Lord “took pity” on me “thousands upon thousands” of times, (Ex 20:6) because He saw within me, that I was prepared to serve Him. … Many were trying to prevent this mission, they were talking among themselves behind my back and saying, “Why is this fellow throwing himself into danger among enemies who do not know God?” Not from malice did they say this, as I myself can testify, they perceived my rusticity. And I was not quick to recognise the grace that was then in me, I now know, that I should have done so earlier.
Now I have put it frankly to my brothers and co-workers, who have believed me because of what “I have proclaimed and still proclaim” (2 Co 13:2) to strengthen and reinforce your faith. I wish only, that you too, would make greater and better efforts. This will be my pride, for “a wise son makes a proud father.” (Pr 10:1)” … St Patrick (c 385-461) (The Confessions,# 43-47)
PRAYER – Hear, we beseech You, O Lord, our prayers which we offer You on the feast of blessed Athanasius, Your Bishop and Confessor and absolve us from all our sins by the merits and prayers of him, who had the grace to serve You worthily. 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).
Quote/s of the Day – 29 April – 2 Timothy 2:8-10; 3:10-12, John 15:1-7
“I am the vine, you the branches; whoever remains in me and I in him, the same bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
“My sheep hear My Voice; and I know them and they follow Me.”
John 10:27
“He [Christ], protects their faith and gives strength to believers, in proportion to the TRUST, that each man, who receives that strength, is willing to place in Him.”
St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200- c 258) Martyr, Father of the Church
“The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death. Christ has taken on Himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won, we receive what He has promised.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor 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 (1380-1471)
“For the branch,” says St Augustine, “there can be no half-measures. Either it remains united with the vine, or it is thrown into the fire.” The same holds true for each one of us. We must choose, either close union with Jesus, or separation and spiritual death. We must decide between a life of fervour in Christ, or a life of tepidity and sin.”
AnaStpaul 
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