One Minute Reflection – 17 November – The Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Luke 21:5–19, The Third World Day of Prayer for the Poor and the Memorial of St Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231)
“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” … Luke 21:19
REFLECTION – “That person has not yet attained perfect love and profound knowledge of Divine Providence who, in time of trial, when affliction befalls, does not have magnanimity but cuts himself off from love for the spiritual brethren.
The aim of Divine Providence is to re-unite by means of right faith and spiritual love, those who were cut asunder and scattered by evil. It was in order to “gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad” (Jn 11:52) that the Saviour suffered. So, someone who refuses to bear the burden of arduous circumstances and endure sorrows or suffer pain, walks outside the love of God and the aim of Providence. If “charity is patient and kind” (1Cor 13:4), does not the person who is fainthearted in sorrows, who bears malice against those giving offence, or who severs the love due to them, fall short of the aim of Divine Providence?… They are long-suffering who await the end of the trial and receive praise for what they have endured. “Whoever is slow to wrath abounds in wisdom” (Prv 14:29), for such a one, relates all that happens, to the ultimate end and, in its expectation, bears all afflictions. And the end, says the Apostle, is everlasting life (cf. Rm 6:22). “And this is eternal life, that they might know You, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (Jn 17:3).” … St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662) Monk, Theologian, Father – Fourth Century on Love, nos 16-18, 23-24
PRAYER – Holy God and Father, grant us a strong Faith! Poor Your graces into our hearts that we may believe with all our hearts, minds and souls and that in believing, we may constantly raise our entire being to You in prayer and supplication, in prayer and adoration, in prayer and love. May the intercession of St Elizabeth of Hungary, a woman of deep prayer from her youth, strengthen our perseverance and trust. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 16 November – The Memorial of St Edmund Rich of Abingdon (1175-1240) Archbishop of Canterbury
St Edmund’s best-known work in the Middle Ages was his Speculum Ecclesie. It’s a work on the contemplative life, offering (among other things) meditations on different moments in the life of Christ, aiming to help the reader to enter imaginatively into the scenes of His Passion and feel intense compassion for His sufferings. I don’t know whether people read the Speculum Ecclesie today, but most students of Middle English will have read a poem which survives as part of it. This is one of the earliest, shortest and most popular devotional poems in Middle English:
Nou goth sonne under wod,
Me reweth, Marie, thi faire rode.
Nou goth sonne under tre,
Me reweth, Marie, thi sone and thee.
Now goes the sun under the wood, I grieve, Mary, for your fair face. Now goes the sun under the tree, I grieve, Mary, for thy son and thee.
This short poem is designed to be a spur to meditation on the Crucifixion, perhaps at the appropriate hour of the day when the sun begins to set. Apparently very simple, the poem is dense with meaningful wordplay – as the sun sets behind the wood, so Christ the Son is shrouded in darkness on the wood of the cross, the tree; that is, the ‘rode’, which means both ‘face’ and ‘rood’ (cross). And here we have another pair of a mother and her son, and their strong emotional bond (like St Edmund himself and his mother). The poem encourages the reader to meditate and dwell on Christ’s Crucifixion by approaching the Son through the Mother, to feel compassion for His suffering as it is reflected in her grief (underlined by that wordplay on ‘rode’ – (His cross and her face). How wonderful it is that this poem should be associated with a saint whose mother was such an important presence in his life.
Back in Abingdon, the Catholic church is dedicated to him and to the Virgin Mary, the mother and bride who was so constant a presence in his spiritual life.
One Minute Reflection – 16 November – Saturday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 18:1–8 and The Memorial of St Edmund Rich of Abingdon (1175-1240) Archbishop of Canterbury
“And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night?” … Luke 18:7
REFLECTION – “ Pray at all times ” commands the apostle Paul (1 Th 5:17). Calling to mind this precept, Clement of Alexandria writes: “We have been commanded to praise and honour the Word, which we know to be our Savior and King and through Him, the Father, not on certain select days as others do but continually, our whole lives long and in every possible way.”
Amidst our daily occupations, at times when we overcome our egoistical tendencies, when we experience the joy of friendship towards others, at all such times, Christians must discover God. Through Christ and in the Holy Spirit, Christians gain intimacy with God the Father and run along the way, as they seek that kingdom which, although it is not of this world (Jn 18:36), is prepared for, in this world and begins in this world.
We need to go regularly to Christ in the Word and the Bread, in the Eucharist and prayer. And stay with Him frequently, as one stays with a friend, a truly alive person – just as Christ is, being risen… Christ, the risen Christ is our companion, our Friend. A companion who is only to be seen in the semi-darkness but whose reality fills our lives and makes us want His company permanently. “The Spirit and the Bride say: ‘Come!’ Let those who hear say: ‘Come!’ Let anyone who thirsts come forward and let those who desire it receive the gift of life-giving water… He who gives this testimony says: ‘Yes, I am coming soon!’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rv 22:17.20).” … St Josémaria Escriva de Balaguer (1902-1975) – Sermon of 26/03/67 in ‘Es Cristo que pasa’
PRAYER – Holy Father, grant us a strong Faith! Poor Your graces into our hearts that we may believe with all our hearts, minds and souls and that in believing, we may constantly raise our entire being to You in prayer and supplication, in prayer and adoration, in prayer and love. May the intercession of St Edmund Rich of Abingdon, a man of deep prayer from his youth, strengthen our perseverance. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.
Saint of the Day – 16 November – Saint Edmund Rich of Abingdon (1175-1240) Archbishop of Canterbury, Confessor, Apostle of Prayer and Charity, Mystic, Doctor of Divinity/Theology, eloquent Preacher, Ascetic, highly regarded Professor lecturer, Reformer, Writer, peacemaker, social activist and negotiator. Born, it is thought, on 20 November c. 1175 at St Edmund’s Lane, Abingdon, Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), England and died on 16 November 1240 at Soisy-Bouy, Seine-et-Marne, France. Patronages – Abingdon, Oxfordshire, Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth; St Edmund’s College, Cambridge; St Edmund Hall, Oxford, St Edmund’s College, Ware.
Of English birth, he became a respected lecturer in mathematics, dialectics and theology at the Universities of Paris and Oxford, promoting the study of Aristotle. Having already an unsought reputation as an ascetic, he was ordained a priest, took a doctorate in divinity and soon became known, not only for his lectures on theology but as a popular preacher, spending long years travelling within England, and engaging, in 1227 preaching the sixth crusade. Obliged to accept an appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury by Pope Gregory IX, he combined a gentle personal temperament with a strong public stature and severity towards King Henry III in defence of Magna Carta and in general of good civil and Church government and justice. He also worked for strict observance in monastic life and negotiated peace with Llywelyn the Great. His policies earned him hostility and jealousy from the king and opposition from several monasteries and from the clergy of Canterbury Cathedral. He died in France at the beginning of a journey to Rome in 1240.
St Edmund was born circa 1174, possibly on 20 November (the feast of St Edmund the Martyr), in Abingdon in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire), 7 miles south of Oxford, England. He was the oldest of four children.
“Rich” was an epithet sometimes given to his wealthy merchant father, Reynold. It was never applied to Edmund or his siblings in their lifetimes. His father retired, with his wife’s consent, to the monastery at Eynsham Abbey, leaving in her hands the education of their family. Her name was Mabel, she was a devout woman who lived an ascetic life and encouraged her children to do the same. Both her daughters took the veil.
Edmund may have been educated at the monastic school in Abingdon. He developed a taste for religious learning, saw visions while still at school and at the age of twelve took a vow of perpetual chastity in the Virgin’s church at Oxford. His early studies were in England but he completed his higher learning in France, at the University of Paris. He became a teacher about 1200, or a little earlier. For six years he lectured on mathematics and dialectics, apparently dividing his time between Oxford and Paris and helped introduce the study of Aristotle.
Edmund became one of Oxford’s first lecturers with a Master of Arts but was not Oxford’s first Doctor of Divinity. Long hours at night spent in prayer had the result that he often “nodded off” during his lectures. There is a long-established tradition that he utilised his lecture-fees to build the Lady Chapel of St Peter’s in the East at Oxford. The site where he lived and taught was formed into a mediaeval academic hall in his name and later incorporated as the college of St Edmund Hall.
His mother’s influence then led to his taking up the study of theology. Though for some time Edmund resisted the change, he finally entered upon his new career between 1205 and 1210. He spent a year in retirement with the Augustinian canons of Merton Priory, received ordination, took a doctorate in divinity and soon became known as a lecturer on theology and as an extemporaneous preacher. In this capacity he gained some reputation for eloquence. He spent the fees which he received in charity and refused to spend upon himself the revenues which he derived from several benefices. He often retired for solitude to Reading Abbey and it is possible that he would have become a monk if that profession had afforded more scope for his gifts as a preacher and expositor.
His spiritual fervour, eloquent and effective preaching led to miracles and conversions. He constantly encouraged the faithful to pray. “A hundred thousand people are deceived by multiplying prayers,” he said once. “I would rather say five words devoutly with my heart, than 5,000 which my soul does not relish with affection and intelligence.”
He was known for his great self-discipline – under his clothes, he wore a sackcloth pressed close to his skin by metal plates and he slept only a few hours at night in order to spend time in prayer and meditation. On one occasion, he was observed levitating, consumed in prayer.
In 1233 he was named the 46th Archbishop of Canterbury against his wishes. He advised King Henry III and presided at the king’s confirmation of the Magna Carta in 1237. Edmund was at the centre of relations between Rome and England and spoke truth to power on both sides. He admonished the king for having favourites in his court and travelled to Rome to urge reforms in the Church.
Because he was so truthful and did not vary from what he saw as just and right, many people found him inconvenient. Political movements forced Edmund’s resignation in 1240 and he moved to France and became a Monk. He died later that year and miracles at his grave were reported soon after his burial. His relics rest in the Reliquary Chapel in the Basilica. “I have sought nothing else but Thee, O God.” – St Edmund’s Dying Words.
In less than a year after Edmund’s death, miracles were wrought at his grave. Despite Henry’s opposition, he was Canonised only 6 years after his death, on 16 December 1246 by Pope Innocent IV. A few years later, the first chapel dedicated to him, St Edmund’s Chapel, was Consecrated in Dover, by his friend St Richard of Chichester (c 1197-1253), making it the only chapel dedicated to one English Saint by another.
Edmund’s body was never translated to Canterbury, because the Benedictine community there resented what they regarded as Edmund’s attacks on their independence. After his death he was taken back to Pontigny Abbey, where his main relics are now found in a baroque reliquary tomb dating to the 17th century.
An arm is enshrined in the Chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption at St Edmund’s Retreat on Enders Island off the coast of Mystic, Connecticut. The retreat is operated by the Society of the Fathers and Brothers of St Edmund.
In 1853, the fibula of the Edmund’s left leg was presented to St Edmund’s College, Ware,by Cardinal Wiseman. Many local cures of serious illnesses were attributed to the intercession of St Edmund, one of the earliest of these was of a student who nearly died after a fall in 1871. His complete healing led to the accomplishment of a vow to extend the beautiful Pugin chapel with a side chapel to honour the saint.
St Edmund’s silk chasuble, which Edmund had with him at his death, remains in a local church, with a stole and maniple. His works, Speculum Ecclesiae (Mirror of the Church)
and Provincial Constitution, are still relevant today. He holds the sad honour, of being the last Archbishop of Canterbury, to be Canonised. The Society of St Edmund, formed in his honour in France in the 1840s, operates from the US – you can read about them here: http://www.sse.org/history.html.
Thought for the Day – 15 November – The Memorial of St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280), Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Do This in Remembrance of Me
Saint Albert the Great
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
An excerpt from Commentary on the Gospel of Luke
Do this in remembrance of Me. Two things should be noted here. The firs,t is the command that we should use this Sacrament, which is indicated when He says: Do this. The second, is that this Sacrament commemorates the Lord’s going to death for our sake.
Do this. Certainly He would demand nothing more profitable, nothing more pleasant, nothing more beneficial, nothing more desirable, nothing more similar to eternal life. We will look at each of these qualities separately.
This Sacrament is profitable because it grants remission of sins; it is most useful because it bestows the fullness of grace on us in this life. The Father of spirits instructs us in what is useful for our sanctification. And his sanctification is in Christ’s sacrifice, that is, when He offers Himself in this Sacrament to the Father for our redemption, to us for our use. I consecrate Myself for their sakes. Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered Himself up without blemish to God, will cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.
Nor can we do anything more pleasant. For what is better than God manifesting His whole sweetness to us. You gave them bread from heaven, not the fruit of human labour but a bread endowed with all delight and pleasant, to every sense of taste. For this substance of Yours revealed Your kindness toward Your children and serving the desire of each recipient, it changed to suit each one’s taste.
He could not have commanded anything more beneficial, for thisSsacrament is the fruit of the tree of life. Anyone who receives this Sacrament with the devotion of sincere faith will never taste death. It is a tree of life for those who grasp it and blessed is he who holds it fast. The man who feeds on Me shall live on account of Me.
Nor could He have commanded anything more lovable, for this Sacrament produces love and union. It is characteristic of the greatest love to give itself as food. Had not the men of my tent exclaimed: Who will feed us with his flesh to satisfy our hunger? as if to say: I have loved them and they have loved Me so much, that I desire to be within them and they wish to receive Me so that they may become My members. There is no more intimate or more natural means for them to be united to Me and I to them.
Nor could He have commanded anything, which is more like eternal life. Eternal life flows from this Sacrament, because God, with all sweetness, pours Himself out upon the blessed.
St Albert the Great, Pray for Us that we may receive the Body of Christ with total faith, conviction and love!
Quote/s of the Day – 15 November – The Memorial of St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church and of Bl Mary of the Passion FMM (1839-1904)
“The whole world is indebted to Jesus for His Passion. Similarly, all of us, are indebted to our Lady, for her compassion.”
“…By ourselves, we never could have accomplished our vocation. It is for this reason, that the exposed Holy Eucharist, has become our weapon, our banner and our sovereign strength to fight the Lord’s battles.”
“…Let us continue Immaculate Mary’s mission. All is included in it. May [we].. follow her example and be the handmaid of the Lord in everything, everywhere and always.”
One Minute Reflection – 15 November – Friday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:26–37 and the Memorial of St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church and of Bl Bl Mary of the Passion FMM (1839-1904)
“Whoever seeks to gain his life, will lose it but whoever loses his life, will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed, one will be taken and the other left.”…Luke 17:33-34
REFLECTION – “Today the Church, the Lord, with His goodness, tells each one of us, ‘Stop, stop, not every day will be so. Do not get used to this as if it were eternity. There will be one day that you will be taken, while the other one will remain, you will be taken, you will be removed.’ It means going with the Lord, thinking that our life will end.”…Pope Francis – Santa Marta, 17 November 2017
“It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for “God is Charity” (1 John 4:8) …
“We will not be proclaimed blessed on the altars in all probability but if we are faithful, in Heaven we will be proclaimed ‘blessed’ and that is enough for us. Let us try to merit this hour of eternal delights.” … Bl Mary of the Passion (1839-1904)
PRAYER – Lord God, You made St Albert great by his gift for reconciling human wisdom with divine faith. Help us so to follow his teaching that every advance in science may lead us to a deeper knowledge and love of You. May his prayers on our behalf be a succour to us all. We ask too for the intercession of the blessed Mary of the Passion that her zeal and perseverance may be the driving force of our lives. Through our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.
Thought for the Day – 14 November – Thursday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:20–25
” … For behold, the kingdom of God, is in the midst of you.”
Luke 17:21
My Lord and my God!
St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
“I am slow to master the great Truth, that Christ is, as it were, walking among us and, by His Hand, or eye, or voice bidding me to follow Him.
I do not understand, that His call, is a thing which takes place now.
I think it took place in the Apostles’ days but I do not believe in it, I do not look out for it in my own case.
I have not eyes to see the Lord – far different from the beloved Apostle, who knew Christ, even when the rest of the disciples knew Him not! When He stood on the shore after His Resurrection and bade them cast the net into the sea, “that disciple whom Jesus loved, said unto Peter, ‘It is the Lord!'” …
O my God, Thou does over-abound in mercy!
To live by faith is my necessity, from my present state of being and from my sin but Thou has pronounced a blessing on it. Thou has said, that I am more blessed if I believe in Thee, than if I saw Thee – My Lord and my God!”
Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – Thursday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:20–25
” … For behold, the kingdom of God, is in the midst of you.”
Luke 17:21
” …[The Kingdom of God] … is within you. That is, it depends on your own wills and is in your own power, whether or not you receive it. Everyone, that has attained to justification, by means of faith in Christ and decorated by every virtue, is counted worthy, of the kingdom of heaven.”
St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
(Commentary on Luke, 117) Known as “The Pillar of Faith” Archbishop of Alexandria, Father & Doctor of the Church
“Pray to God:
‘You are the Spirit and I am only the trumpet and without Your breath I can give no sound.’”
St Joseph of Cupurtino (1603-1663)
“There is One very near you Who knocks at your door every hour of the day, Who begs you to listen to Him and to keep silence in order to hear Him.”
St Simon-Marie-Just Ranfer de Bretenières (1838-1866) Martyr
One Minute Reflection – 14 November – Thursday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:20–25 and the Memorial of Saint Joseph Maria Pignatelli SJ (1737 – 1811)
” … For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” … Luke 17:21
REFLECTION – “Is it difficult to faith to admit the word of Scripture concerning our connection with a world superior to us?… The world of spirits then, though unseen, is present, present, not future, not distant. It is not above the sky, it is not beyond the grave, it is now and here, “the kingdom of God is among us.” Of this the text speaks—”We look,” says St Paul, “not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor 4:18)…
Such is the hidden kingdom of God and, as it is now hidden, so in due season it shall be revealed. Men think that they are lords of the world and may do as they will. They think this earth their property and its movements in their power, whereas… it contains Christ’s little ones, whom they despise and His Angels, whom they disbelieve and these, at length, shall take possession of it and be manifested. At present, “all things,” to appearance, “continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” and scoffers ask, “Where is the promise of His coming?”(2 Pt 3:4) but at the appointed time there will be a “manifestation of the sons of God” and the hidden saints “shall shine out as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Mt 13:43)
When the Angels appeared to the shepherds, it was a sudden appearance—“Suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host” (Lk 2:13). How wonderful a sight! The night, had before that, seemed just like any other night – they were keeping watch over their sheep, they were watching the night as it passed. The stars moved on—it was midnight. They had no idea of such a thing when the Angel appeared. Such are the power and virtue hidden in things which are seen and at God’s will, they are manifested.” … St John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Cardinal, founder of the Oratory in England, Theologian – PPS “The Invisible world” vol.4, no.13
PRAYER – Our Father, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done! Grant us Lord, a true knowledge of our salvation, so that freed from fear and from the power of our foes, we may serve You faithfully, all the days of our lives and thus attain eternal joy with You. May the prayers of St Joseph Pignatelli on our behalf, be a succour to us all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 14 November – Thursday of the Thirty Second Weeek in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of St Joseph Maria Pignatelli SJ (1737 – 1811)
Prayer for Submission to Divine Providence By St Joseph Maria Pignatelli SJ (1737 – 1811)
My God, I do not know
what must come to me today.
But I am certain
that nothing can happen to me
that You have not foreseen, decreed
and ordained from all eternity.
That is sufficient for me.
I adore Your impenetrable
and eternal designs,
to which I submit with all my heart.
I desire, I accept them all
and I unite my sacrifice to that of
Jesus Christ, my Divine Saviour.
I ask in His name
and through His infinite merits,
patience in my trials
and perfect and entire submission,
to all that comes to me
by Your good pleasure.
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 13 November – The Memorial of St Stanislaus Kostka SJ (1550-1568) and Bl Karl Lampert (1894-1944) Martyr and of all the Saints of the Order of St Norbert, the Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines and the White Canons.
On the day of his ordination, St Norbert said:
“O Priest! You are not of yourself because you are of God. You are not of yourself because you are the servant and minister of Christ. You are not your own because you are the spouse of the Church. You are not yourself because you are the mediator between God and man. You are not from yourself because you are nothing. What then are you? Nothing and everything. O Priest! Take care, lest what was said to Christ on the cross be said to you: ‘He saved others, himself he cannot save!”
St Norbert (c 1080-1134)
“What have I done for Christ? What am I doing for Christ? What ought I do for Christ?”
St Stanislaus Kostka SJ (1550-1568)
“I love my Church. I remain faithful to my Church and to the priesthood. I am on Christ’s side and I love His Church.”
Said during his trial, in which the Nazis condemned him to death by guillotining.
One Minute Reflection – 13 November – Wednesday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:11–19 and the Memorial of All Benedictine and Cistercian Saints and Blessed Karl Lampert (1894-1944) Martyr
“Was no-one found to return and give praise to God, except this foreigner?” … Luke 17:18
REFLECTION – “How happy was that Samaritan leper who recognised that “he possessed nothing he had not received” (1Cor 4:7). “He guarded what had been entrusted to him” (2 Tm 1:12) and turned back to the Lord to thank Him. Blessed are they who, after each gift of grace, turn back to Him in whom is the fullness of all the graces, for if we show ourselves thankful in regard to Him for all we have received, then we make ready a place for grace within ourselves… in even greater abundance. In fact, our ingratitude is the only thing, that prevents us making progress, following our conversion…
Happy, then, are they who think of themselves as strangers and who give great thanks for even the least blessing, thinking that everything given to a stranger and foreigner is a wholly free gift. How unfortunate and wretched we are, on the other hand, if after first of all appearing timid, humble and pious we then forget, just how freely given, is what we have received…
I beg you then, brethren, let us remain ever more humbly under the mighty hand of God (1 Pt 5:6)… Let us continue in thanksgiving, with great devotion and He will grant us the grace, that alone can save our souls. Let us show our gratitude, not just in our words and on our lips but in deed and in truth.” … St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – You Lord, Holy Father, never forget Your solemn covenant and grant us new life each day. We, though in our hearts of stone do forget and cease to thank and bless You. Make our hearts turn in gratitude, for all we are and have is by Your grace and we are as nothing without You. May our minds, hearts and souls sing with love and thanks to You, Lord our God. Grant us new hearts by the prayers of Blessed Karl Lampert and all the saints in heaven, who always lived with grateful hearts, praising You always. We ask this this through Jesus Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 12 November 2019 – Tuesday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:7-10 and the Memorial of St Josaphat Kuncewicz (1584-1623)
“Say, ‘We are unprofitable servants”
Luke 17:10
St Isaac the Syrian of Nineveh (c 613-c 700)
Bishop of Nineveh, Monk at Mosul
The eyes of the Lord look on the lowly to make them glad. But the face of the Lord turns away from the proud to humble them. The lowly always receive pity from God… Make yourself small before everyone and you will be raised up higher than this world’s princes. Make all creatures go before you, embrace them, humble yourself before them, and you will be honoured more than those who make an offering of gold. Descend lower than your own self and you will see God’s glory within you. For where humility sprouts, God’s glory spreads… If you have humility in your heart, God will reveal his glory to you in it…
Do not love honour and you will not be dishonoured. Honour flees before someone who runs after it. But honour pursues the one who flees it and makes known to everyone his humility. If you despise yourself so as not to be honoured, God will make you known. If you accuse yourself for love of the truth, God will permit you to be praised in front of every creature. They will open before you the door to the glory of your Creator and praise you. For you are truly made in His image and likeness (Gn 1:26).
Collect:
Stir up in Your Church, we pray, O Lord,
the Spirit that filled Saint Josaphat
as he laid down his life for the sheep,
so that through his intercession
we, too, may be strengthened by the same Spirit
and not be afraid
to lay down our life for others.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
One Minute Reflection – 12 November – Tuesday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:7-10 and the Memorial of St Josaphat (1584-1623) Martyr
“So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty.’ ”… Luke 17:10
REFLECTION – “Thou, O my God, have a claim on me and I am wholly Thine! Thou are the Almighty Creator and I am Thou workmanship. I am the work of Thou Hands and Thou are my owner. As well might the axe or the hammer exalt itself against it’s framer, as I against Thee. Thou owe me nothing, I have no rights in respect to Thee, I have only duties. I depend on Thee for life and health and every blessing every moment. If Thou withdraw Thy breath from me for a moment, I die, I am wholly and entirely Thy property and Thy work and my one duty is to serve Thee. Amen” … St John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Cardinal, Theologian, Poet, Writer, Apologist, Professor
PRAYER – O Lord our God, grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love and to be only good influences to our neighbour. That by our love, our brothers in faith may be one . St Josaphat you fought and struggled to unite the Church and by your efforts achieved the crown of martyrdom, please pray for our world, for a one united faith. Amen
Thought for the Day – 11 November – Monday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:1-6 and The Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours (c 316-397)
St Martin, the Miracle-Worker
By St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Two Essays on Biblical and Ecclesiastical Miracles
And the Lord said, “If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, ‘Be rooted up and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
Luke 17:6
“Before Martin was a Bishop, while he was near St Hilary at Poitiers, a certain Catechumen, who lived in his monastery, died of a fever, in Martin’s absence, without baptism. On his return, the Saint went by himself, into the cell where the body lay, threw himself upon it, prayed and then raising himself with his eyes fixed on it, patiently waited his restoration, which took place before the end of two hours …. At another time, on his giving orders for cutting down a pine to which idolatrous honour was paid, a heathen said, “If thou has confidence in thy God, let us hew the tree and do thou receive it as it falls. If thy Lord is with thee, thou wilt escape harm.” Martin accepted the condition and when the tree was falling upon him, made the Sign of the Cross. The tree reeled round and fell on the other side! This miracle converted the vast multitude who were spectators of it.”
Quote/s of the Day – 12 November – The Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours (c 316-397) and Blessed Vincenza Maria Poloni (1802-1855)
Lord, if Your people still have need of my services, I will not avoid the toil. Your will be done. I have fought the good fight long enough. Yet, if You bid me to continue to hold the battle line, in defence of Your camp, I will never beg to be excused from failing strength. I will do the work You entrust to me. While You command, I will fight beneath Your banner. Amen
Saint Martin of Tours (c 316-397)
“The poor are our masters, let us love them and serve them, as we would serve Jesus Christ Himself. “
One Minute Reflection – 12 November – Monday of the Thirty Second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 17:1-6 and the Memorial of St Martin of Tours
“… if he sins against you seven times in the day and turns to you, seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” … Luke 17:4
REFLECTION – “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor 13:7). By this the apostle Paul showed that love can persevere steadfastly because it has learned to endure all things. And in another place he says: “Bear with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph 4:2-3).
Neither unity nor peace can be preserved, unless brothers cherish one another, with mutual forbearance and preserve the bond of unity, with patience as intermediary. How then will you be able to endure these things – not to swear or curse, not to seek again what has been taken away from you, on receiving a blow to offer the other cheek also to your assailant, to forgive your brother who offends you, not only seventy times seven times but all his offences without exception, to love your enemies, to pray for your adversaries and persecutors, if you do not have the steadfastness of patience and forbearance?
We see what happened in the case of Stephen. When he was being killed by the violence and stones of the Jews, he did not ask for vengeance but forgiveness for his murderers, saying: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60).” … St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200- c 258) Bishop and Martyr, Father of the Church – The Good of Patience
PRAYER – Lord God, Your Son has shown us the way. As we follow in His steps, may we never wander from the path that leads to life. Renew the wonders of Your grace in our hearts so that neither death nor life may separate us from Your love. Holy Father, as You were glorified by the life and death of St Martin, grant that by his prayers, we may receive strength to always give You our hearts, minds and selves. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, with You in union with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.
Thought for the Day – 9 November – Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
We have All been made Temples of God through Baptism
Saint Caesarius of Arles (470-543)
An excerpt from Sermon 229
My fellow Christians, today is the birthday of this church, an occasion for celebration and rejoicing. We, however, ought to be the true and living temple of God. Nevertheless, Christians rightly commemorate this Feast of the Church, their mother, for they know that through her, they were reborn in the spirit. At our first birth, we were vessels of God’s wrath, reborn, we became vessels of His mercy. Our first birth brought death to us but our second restored us to life.
Indeed, before our Baptism we were sanctuaries of the devil but after our Baptism we merited the privilege of being temples of Christ. And if we think more carefully about the meaning of our salvation, we shall realise that we are, indeed, living and true temples of God. God does not dwell only in structures fashioned by human hands, in homes of wood and stone but rather He dwells principally, in the soul made according to His own image and fashioned by His own hand. Therefore, the apostle Paul says: The temple of God is holy and you are that temple.
When Christ came, He banished the devil from our hearts, in order to build in them a temple for Himself. Let us, therefore, do what we can with His help, so that our evil deeds will not deface that temple. For whoever does evil, does injury to Christ. As I said earlier, before Christ redeemed us, we were the house of the devil but afterward, we merited the privilege of being the house of God. God Himself in His loving mercy, saw fit, to make of us, His own home.
My fellow Christians, do we wish to celebrate joyfully the birth of this temple? Then let us not destroy the living temples of God in ourselves by works of evil . I shall speak clearly, so that all can understand. Whenever we come to Church, we must prepare our hearts to be as beautiful as we expect this Church to be. Do you wish to find this Basilica immaculately clean? Then do not soil your soul with the filth of sins. Do you wish this Basilica to be full of light? God too, wishes that your soul be not in darkness but that the light of good works shine in us, so that He, who dwells in the heavens, will be glorified. Just as you enter this Church building, so God wishes to enter into your soul, for He promised – I shall live in them and I shall walk the corridors of their hearts.
Quote/s of the Day – 8 November – The Memorial of Blessed John Duns Scotus OFM (c 1265-1308) and St Elizabeth of the Trinity O.Carm (1880-1906)
O Lord our God! You are one in nature. You are one in number. Truly have You said that besides You there is no God. For though many may be called gods or thought to be gods, You alone are by nature God. You are the true God from whom, in whom and through whom, all things are, You are blessed forever. Amen!
Blessed John Duns Scotus (c 1265-1308)
“A soul united to Jesus, is a living smile that radiates Him and, gives Him.”
“I have found heaven on earth, since heaven is God and God is in my soul.”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – The Memorial of All Dominican Saints
Just a few quotes from Dominican Saints
“Heretics are to be converted by an example of humility and other virtues far more readily, than by any external display or verbal battles. So let us arm ourselves with devout prayers and set off, showing signs of genuine humility and go barefooted to combat Goliath.”
St Dominic (1170-1221)
“Anyone who receives this Sacrament, with the devotion of sincere faith, will never taste death.”
St Albert the Great (1200-1280) OP Doctor of the Church
“Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches because they divided My garments among themselves. Nor to honours, for I experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for weaving a crown of thorns, they placed it on My head. Nor to anything delightful, for in My thirst, they gave Me vinegar to drink.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor of the Church
“Remember that you will derive strength by reflecting that the saints, yearn for you to join their ranks, desire to see you fight bravely, and behave like a true knight in your encounters with the same adversities which they had to conquer and that breathtaking joy is the eternal reward, for having endured a few years, of temporal pain. Every drop of earthly bitterness, will be changed into an ocean of heavenly sweetness.”
Blessed Henry Suso OP (1290-1365)
“He will provide the way and the means, such as you could never have imagined. Leave it all to Him, let go of yourself, lose yourself on the Cross and you will find yourself entirely.”
“Speak the truth in a million voices. It is silence that kills!”
“What is it you want to change? Your hair, your face, your body? Why? For God is in love with all those things and He might weep when they are gone!”
St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church
“Once humility is acquired, charity will come to life, like a burning flame, devouring the corruption of vice and filling the heart so full, that there is no place for vanity.”…
St Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419)
“Apart from the Cross there is no other ‘ladder’ by which we might get to heaven.”
One Minute Reflection – 7 November – Thursday of the Thirty First week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 15:1–10 and the Memorial of Saint Vincenzo Grossi (1845-1917)
“‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’”… Luke 15:6
REFLECTION –
“I have wandered in the desert,
Gone astray in the wilderness,
One among a hundred
As in the parable of the sheep.
The wicked enemy tore it to pieces,
He covered it with incurable wounds,
Hence there is no other cure for the wound
But You, to heal it.
In floods of tears I implore You,
I lift up my cries to my Lord:
O Good Shepherd, come down from heaven,
Go in search of the little flock.
Lord, seek out the fallen coin,
Your image that was lost (Gn 1:26),
That I trampled in the vice of sin
And the stinking mud.
Wash me, Lord, from my filth,
Make my soul pure, as the whiteness of snow (Is 1:18).
Make up the number of the ten coins
As You did for the forty saints [of Sebaste].
Carry me on Your shoulders,
O You who bore the Cross,
Be pleased to raise up my fallen soul.
Give joy to the heavenly host of angels
At the return of a single sinner.” … Saint Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173), Armenian Bishop
PRAYER – Lord God, in Your wisdom, You created us, by Your providence You rule us, penetrate our inmost being with Your holy light, so that our way of life, may always be one of faithful service to You. With great love we thank You for the great gifts You shower upon us and for being our Father, who seeks and finds us when we are lost. Grant that by the intercession of St Vincenzo Grossi, we may ever seek to stay true to our baptism. Through Jesus, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 6 November – Wednesday of the Thirty First week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 14:25-33
The Power of Faith Transcends Man’s Strength
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop, Father & Doctor of the Church
An excerpt from the Catecheses, 5
The one word faith can have two meanings. One kind of faith concerns doctrines . It involves the soul’s ascent to and acceptance of, some particular matter. It also concerns the soul’s good, according to the words of the Lord – Whoever hears my voice and believes in him who sent me has eternal life and will not come to be judged. And again – He who believes in the Son is not condemned but has passed from death to life.
How great is God’s love for men! Some good men have been found pleasing to God because of years of work. What they achieved by working for many hours at a task pleasing to God, is freely given to you by Jesus in one short hour. For, if you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved and taken up to paradise by Him, just as He brought the thief there. Do not doubt that this is possible. After all, He saved the thief on the holy hill of Golgotha because of one hour’s faith, will He not save you too, since you have believed?
The other kind of faith is given by Christ by means of a special grace. To one wise sayings are given through the Spirit, to another perceptive comments by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing. Now this kind of faith, given by the Spirit as a special favour, is not confined to doctrinal matters, for it produces effects beyond any human capability. If a man who has this faith says to this mountain move from here to there, it will move. For when anybody says this in faith, believing it will happen and having no doubt in his heart, he then receives that grace.
It is of this kind of faith, moreover, that it is said – If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed. The mustard seed is small in size but it holds an explosive force, although it is sown in a small hole, it produces great branches and when it is grown, birds can nest there. In the same way faith produces great effects in the soul instantaneously. Enlightened by faith, the soul pictures God and sees Him as clearly as any soul can. It circles the earth, even before the end of this world, it sees the judgement and the conferring of promised rewards. So, may you have the faith which depends on you and is directed to God, that you may receive from Him that faith too, which transcends man’s capacity.
“[Lord God] I believe in You, increase my faith. All my hopes are in You, secure my trust. I love You, teach me to love You more each day… I adore You as my first beginning, I long for You as my final end. I praise You as my constant helper and call on You as my loving protector. Guide me by Your Wisdom, correct me with Your Justice, comfort me with Your Mercy, protect me by Your Power… Lord, enlighten my understanding, enflame my will, purify my heart, sanctify my soul. Help me to repent of my past sins and to rise above my human weaknesses and to grow stronger as a Christian…”
(from the Universal Prayer by Pope Clement XI (1649-1721))
One Minute Reflection – 6 November – Wednesday of the Thirty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 14:25-33
“If any one 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 – “O my God, though I am not fit to see or touch You yet, still I will ever come within Your reach and desire that which is not yet given me in its fullness. O my Saviour, You shall be my sole God! – I will have no Lord but You. I will break to pieces all idols in my heart which rival You. I will have nothing but Jesus and Him Crucified. It shall be my life to pray to You, to offer myself to You, to keep You before me, to worship You in Your holy Sacrifice and to surrender myself to You in Holy Communion. Amen.” —– St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
PRAYER – Holy God and Father, You sent Your Son to show us the way to our eternal home. Teach us always to understand that by relinquishing the things of this world and focusing our efforts only on following the Light He shines on our path, we may attain the eternal victory. May the prayers of Your our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, assist us in carrying our cross after Hi m. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 5 November – The Memorial of St Guido Maria Conforti (1865-1931)
The Crucifix Encounter – St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)
and St Guido Maria Conforti, Founder of the Xaverian Missionaries
The Source of My Vocation alongside St Francis Xavier
Conforti had similar experience of the crucifix as Saint Francis Xavier had. It is divided into two part, firstly, is the similar experience of the cross since their childhood and secondly, is the experience during their ministry. Both Conforti and Xavier, contemplated the crucifix since they were children.
“I looked at Him and He looked at me and it seemed as though He was telling me many things.”
This is the actual Crucifix which spoke to St Guido
God revealed the fullness of His love in His Crucified Son. One day this love touched the heart of young Guido Conforti in an almost natural way. He was but a child . Every morning, He stopped at the “Church of Peace” to gaze at the the large Crucifix there.
“The huge crucifix which embellished the altar fascinated him. He looked at the figure of Jesus and he really believed that Jesus looked at him. Whatever the nature of the experience, it moved him deeply. Indeed, so entranced did he become with this crucifix that he became increasingly reluctant to leave the church. ‘It looked at me and told me so many things’, he was to remark one day, speaking of ‘his crucifix’, ‘for me it is a miraculous crucifix. I owe my vocation to it’ he was heard to tell one of his friends.”
This was the beginning of an uninterrupted dialogue with Christ crucified. Later when he was sixty years old and bishop, his sister often found him rapt in ecstasy before that crucifix, which had been brought to his residence, at his request. Was it that dialogue with the Crucified Lord that sparked the idea to found a missionary congregation?
In the same way, Saint Francis Xavier had an experience with the crucifix in the chapel of the castle in Navarra. The story says, that while he was cared by his mother in academic and religious education, he passed some time alone contemplating the crucifix which has a special smile.
“During these early years, Francis was often quite late coming home from classes. When that happened, his mother would begin to worry. Soon she would be searching for him in the squares and alleys of the castle town. Usually, she would find her son alone in Church, kneeling before the main altar, apparently absorbed in prayer.”
This experience of both, Xavier and Conforti, is important because it influenced their entire lives. Both have shown the influence of the crucifix in their writings and especially in their ministry.
Conforti expressed the contemplation of the cross in his writings as bishop and as a founder. As bishop he promoted his motto “Christ is all things”because his spirituality was centred on the person of Christ: “ Christ was always present in his thoughts and in the heart. Christ was his constant companion in all the actions of his life.” He always encouraged the Christians of his dioceses to contemplate the crucifix and to be formed by Him.
As founder of the Xaverian Missionaries, Conforti gave to them the contemplation of the crucifix as the centre of their spirituality. “In the mind of Blessed Guido Conforti, consecration is born of the contemplation of the crucified Christ and of the love made manifest therein .”Consecration is not only to make vows but it is more, an experience of the love of Christ on the cross, which invites the consecrated to imitate this love.”
St Francis Xavier, St Guido Maria Conforti, Pray for Us!
Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – The Memorial of St Guido Maria Conforti (1865-1931)
“Work always with the same spirit of Christ. Keep Jesus before your eyes. He is the model of all called to glory.”
The First Circular Letter
“Don’t be discouraged, the Lord measures, not so much the results of your labour, as the right intention with which you work.”
“Persevere always with a simple spirit, humility, mortification, good intention, cleanliness of heart, fraternal charity and you will constitute a formidable army, for the Lord will be by your side.”
The Second Circular Letter
“On the last day, we will not be asked if we accomplished great deeds, or been acclaimed by men, rather we will be asked if we followed His will, in the state and condition, to which we were called.”
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