Category: CATHOLIC Quotes

Posted in EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on VANITY, The BEATITUDES, The HOLY CROSS

Thought for the Day – 23 November – The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn

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Thought for the Day – 23 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn

“Finally, the Christian will sometimes shed tears of joy.
There are some people who are not easily moved.
Rigid and inflexible, they proceed in all things, with mathematical precision and cannot be swayed by the promptings of the heart.
They are incapable of shedding a tear.

If we love God sincerely, however, we shall have what is called by the Fathers, ‘the gift of tears.’
It is because we know God so little that we love Him so little.
If we loved Him fervently, the contemplation of His infinite goodness and mercy, would move us to tears of love and of joy!
So it was with the Saints, especially in the presence of the Crucifix and of the Blessed Sacrament and in the presence of the marvels of creation.

We are incapable of shedding tears of love and of joy because we know and love God so little.
“Our love and knowledge of God are imperfect” (Summa Theologae I-II q 68 a2), writes St Thomas Aquinas.
We are too absorbed in worldly vanities to be capable of such heartfelt joy and love.

Let us meditate more often and love God more fervently and He will grant us ‘the gift of tears!‘”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/30/thought-for-the-day-30-november-the-blessedness-of-those-who-mourn/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/23/thought-for-the-day-23-november-the-blessedness-of-those-who-mourn/

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, FATHERS of the Church, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The HEART, The HOLY FACE, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

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

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 November – St Clement I – Papacy (c88–c101) Pope Martyr, Apostolic Father.

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

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

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

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/23/quote-s-of-the-day-23-november-st-clement-i-and-st-columban/

St Pope Clement I – Papacy (c88 – c101)

Posted in CHRIST the HIGH PRIEST, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on TRUTH, St PETER!, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 November – ‘ … The order willed by God’s Truth remains. … ‘

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 23 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Clement I – Papacy (c88–c101) Pope Martyr, Apostolic Father. – Philippians 3:17-21; 4:1-3, Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Upon this rock I will build My Church” – Matthew 16:18

REFLECTION – “Brothers, when it comes to fulfilling my duties as Bishop, I discover that I am weak and slack, weighed down by the weakness of my own condition, while at the same time, I want to act generously and courageously. However, I draw my strength from the untiring intercession of the Almighty and Eternal Priest, Who, like us but equal to the Father, lowered His Divinity to the level of man and raised humankind to the level of God. The decisions He made, give me a just and holy joy. For, when He delegated many shepherds to care for His flock, He did not abandon watching over His beloved sheep. Thanks to that fundamental and eternal assistance, I in turn, have received the protection and support of the Apostle Peter, who also does not abandon his function. This solid foundation, on which the whole of the Church is built, never grows tired of carrying the whole weight, of the building which rests on it.

The firmness of faith, for which the first of the Apostles was praised, never fails. Just as everything which Peter professed in Christ remains, so that which Christ established in Peter, remains… The order willed by God’s Truth remains. Saint Peter perseveres in the solidity which he received; he has not abandoned the governance of the Church which was placed in his hands. That, my brothers, is what that profession of faith, inspired by God the Father, obtained in the heart of the Apostle. He received the solidity of a rock which no assault can shake. In the entire Church, Peter says everyday: “Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon on the anniversary of his Consecration as Bishop).

PRAYER – Look forgivingly on Thy flock, Eternal Shepherd and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Clement Thy Martyr and Sovereign Pontiff, whom Thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 22 November – The Glory of God

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Thought for the Day – 22 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Glory of God

“Holiness consists in love – not earthly love, of course but supernatural love.
It consists in seeking God in all things, in doing His will without reservation, in aiming at His glory alone.
All else, is dust and ashes!

So it will appear to us at the end of life when we shall be able to view ourselves and the world around us, in the light of eternity.
Herein lies the explanation of the lives of the Saints, lives of sacrifice dedicated to God and to the salvation of souls.
“Everything for the greater glory of God,” was the motto of St Ignatius Loyola.
“Everything in the Name of God,” said St Vincent de Paul.
“My God is my All” said St Catherine of Genoa.
“Love God, serve God, everything is in that!” exclaimed St Clare of Assisi.

How do my thoughts, desires and ambitions compare with these?
Are they sincerely directed towards God and towards His glory?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/26/thought-for-the-day-26-november-the-glory-of-god/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/21/thought-for-the-day-21-november-the-glory-of-god/

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OUR Cross, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on PURITY of INTENTION, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on TIME, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 22 November – Ready?

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Quote/s of the Day – 22 November – St Cecilia (Died 3rd Century) Virgin Martyr – Ecclesiasticus 51:13-17, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“ … The Bridegroom came
and they, who were ready,
went in with Him … ”

Matthew 25:10

“Penance is a needful thing to the sinner,
who desires to recover health of his soul.
And, in doing penance, there be three things
to be considered:
serious compunction of heart,
confession of mouth
and satisfaction by deed.”

St John Fisher (1469-1535)
Martyr

“If you wish to rid yourself of self-love,
purify your intentions
and, in every action,
seek what is pure
and what alone, will give honour to God.”

St Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)

“Lord, forgive this great sinner.
Give me time to do penance.
No more world, no more sins!”

St Camillus de Lellis MI (1550-1614)

“Our Lord, Who saved the world,
through the Cross,
will only Work for the good of souls,
through the Cross.”

St Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779-1865)

“If we are to reach God, Who is our goal,
it is necessary for us to know, love and serve Him.
In the hidden depths of our own being, we hear His Voice.
As our Creator, Redeemer and Benefactor,
God has the right to the undivided affection of our hearts.
This love should not be empty and sterile, however,
it should be active and effective.
Knowing and loving God,
we should feel the obligation of serving Him
as our Master, in whatever He commands,
even when this demands a heavy sacrifice on our part!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, OUR Cross, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on WATCHING, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY CROSS, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 November –“ … Keep going, persevere, bear and accept this delay and you have carried His Cross!”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Cecilia (Died 3rd Century) Virgin Martyr – Ecclesiasticus 51:13-17, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“ … The Bridegroom came and they, who were ready, went in with Him … ” – Matthew 25:10

REFLECTION – “In this world, which is to say, in the Church, wholly following Christ, He says to all of us: “Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself.” This command is not being directed to virgins but not married women, to widows but not wives, to Monks but not husbands, to Priests but not laity. It is the whole Church, the whole Body of Christ with all its members, differentiated and divided according to their proper functions that is, to follow Christ. May she wholly follow Him, she who is one alone, the dove, the bride (Sg 6:9); may she follow Him, she who has been redeemed and endowed with the Blood of her Bridegroom. Virginal purity has its place here; the continence of widows has its place here; wedded chastity has its place here…

These members who have their place here should follow Christ, each according to their category, each according to their status, each after its fashion. Let them deny themselves, that is to say, let them not rely on themselves. Let them carry their cross that is to say, bear, for Christ’s sake in the world, all that the world inflicts on them. May they love Him, He, the Only One, Who never deceives or is deceived, the Only One ,Who is not mistaken. May they love Him because, what He promises is true. Yet because, He does not give it to us now, our faith falters. Keep going, persevere, bear and accept this delay and you have carried His Cross!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (Sermon 96:9)

PRAYER – O God, Who gladden us by the annual feast of blessed Cecilia, Thy Virgin and Martyr, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may by virtuous conduct follow her, whom we venerate in this sacred rite. 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).

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FATHERS of the Church, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on STRENGTH, The HEART, The HOLY FACE, The HOLY SOULS

Our Morning Offering – 22 November – Eternal Light, Shine into our Hearts By St Alcuin

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Our Morning Offering – 22 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”

Eternal Light, Shine into our Hearts
By St Alcuin of York (735-804)

Eternal Light, shine into our hearts,
Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil,
Eternal Power, be our support,
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the
darkness of our ignorance,
Eternal Pity, have mercy on us
that with all our heart
and mind
and soul
and strength,
we may seek Thy Face
and be brought,
by Thine Infinite Mercy
to Thy Holy Presence;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord
Amen

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRIFICE

Thought for the Day – 21 November – Have We Ever Abandoned Jesus?

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Thought for the Day – 21 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Have We Ever Abandoned Jesus?

“We must remain faithful at all times, even when fidelity requires some great sacrifice!
Did not Jesus sacrifice Himself completely for our sakes?
Is it not just, that we should continue to be generous to our Saviour until death?

If we go away from Jesus, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, our minds will be in darkness and our hearts and souls, will grow lifeless.
Perhaps we have sometimes wandered away from Jesus and have experienced this darkness, death and remorse.
Only when we are with Jesus, is there any purpose and goal in our lives.
Only with Him, can we hope to have the strength to reach that goal.
Only He can dry our tears and assuage our suffering.
Only when we are with Jesus, have the little joys of this life any meaning, for they are a foretaste of the everlasting happiness of Heaven!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/23/thought-for-the-day-23-november-have-we-ever-abandoned-jesus/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/17/thought-for-the-day-17-november-have-we-ever-abandoned-jesus/

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRIESTS, the PRIESTHOOD and CONSECRATED LIFE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 21 November – St Pope Gelasius I

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Quote/s of the Day – 21 November – The Memorial of St Pope Gelasius I (Died 496) Bishop of Rome from 1 March 492 until his death on 19 November 496.

“There are two powers, by which chiefly,
this world is ruled – the Sacred authority
of the Priesthood and the authority of Kings.
And of these, the authority of the Priests is,
so much the weightier, as they must render,
before the tribunal of God, an account,
even for the Kings of men.”

“Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord
that we do not trouble ourselves
regarding the contradiction of spurious minds
but once that very wickedness has been spurned,
let us pray that Thou suffer us,
neither to be frightened by the unjust criticisms,
nor to be attracted to the insidious flatteries
but rather, to love that which Thou dost command …”

(In 1751, Pope Benedict XIV published this Prayer
within his Apostolic Constitution “Providas”
which exposed the evils of freemasonry.)

St Pope Gelasius I (Died 496)

Quotes on the Presentation of Our Lady
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/21/quote-s-of-the-day-21-november-the-presentation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 21 November – ‘… Lay out, in the treasure house of your soul, the precious pearls of Scripture.’

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One Minute Reflection – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Ecclesiasticus Sir 24:14-16; Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Rather blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.” – Luke 11:28

REFLECTION – “May Christ help you, dearest brethren, always to welcome, with an eager and thirsting heart, the reading of God’s Word; then your faithful obedience will fill you with spiritual joy. But if you wish Holy Scripture to bring you sweetness and, the divine precepts, to profit you as much as they should, then withdraw from your material pre-occupations for a few hours. Read God’s Words over again in your house, dedicate yourselves entirely to His mercy. Thus, you will succeed in realising, within yourself, what is written of the man who is blessed – “meditating on the Law of the Lord, day and night” (Ps 1:2) and “Happy are they who observe His decrees, who seek Him with all their heart” (Ps 118:2).

Merchants do not seek to make a profit on one single product but, on several. Horticulturists seek a better return by sowing different kinds of seed. You, who look for spiritual gains, do not be satisfied, just with listening to the Sacred texts in Church. Read them at home. When days are short, profit by the long evenings. Thus, you will be able to gather spiritual grain into your heart’s storehouse and lay out, in the treasure house of your soul, the precious pearls of Scripture.” – St Caesarius of Arles (470-543) Bishop (Sermons to the People No 7).

PRAYER – O God, by Whose will the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, was on this day presented in the temple, grant, we beseech Thee, that by her intercession, we may be found worthy to be brought into the temple of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, NOTES to Followers, OUR Cross, PRAYERS for the SOULS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS

Death in the Family – ‘Carry me, O Christ …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Dear Friends
On Thursday evening, 9 November, we lost a close family member, my elder sister, who left us on her final journey home. She had struggled against many odds, not just those related to health and finally gave up the fight and committed her spirit to our loving and merciful God. Our prayers for the dead this month are so appropriate for her soul now too and for these I thank you.
I shall be Absent (with your leave) for about 10 days.

St Ambrose: On the Death of His Brother

“To this must be added that, I cannot be ungrateful to God, for I must rather rejoice that I had such a brother, [sister for me] than grieve that I had lost a brother, for the former is a gift, the latter a debt to be paid.
And so, as long as I might, I enjoyed the loan entrusted to me – now, He Who deposited the pledge, has taken it back.
There is no difference between, denying that a pledge has been deposited and grieving at its being returned.
In each there is untrustworthiness and in each, [eternal] life is risked.
It is a fault, if you refuse repayment and impiety, if you refuse a sacrifice. Moreover, the lender of money can be made a fool of but the Author of nature, the Lender of all that we need, cannot be cheated.
And so, the larger the amount of the loan, so much the more gratitude is due for the use of the capital.” (From St Ambrose’ Sermon on the Death of his older brother, St Satyrus (c335-c378) Confessor). St Satyrus here: https://anastpaul.com/2023/09/17/saint-of-the-day-17-september-st-satyrus-of-milan-c335-c378-confessor/

“Carry me, O Christ,
on Thy Cross
which is salvation to the wanderer,
rest for the wearied
and, in which alone,
is Life for those who die.”

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

Prayer for the Dead
From My Prayer Book, 1927
By Fr Francis Xavier Lasance (1860-1946)

O God, whose property it is,
ever to have mercy and to spare,
we beseech Thee,
on behalf of the soul of Thy servant,
whom Thou hast called out of this world,
look upon her with pity
and let her be conducted
by the holy Angels to Paradise,
her true country.
Grant that she, who believed in Thee
and hoped in Thee, may not be left
to suffer the pains of the Purgatorial fires
but may be admitted to eternal joy.
Through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord,
Who with the Holy Ghost-
liveth and reigneth,
world without end.
Amen

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SLOTH, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR

Thought for the Day – 10 November – Prayer, Work and Leisure

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Thought for the Day – 10 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Prayer, Work and Leisure

“LEISURE:
Some of the Saints make it one of their resolutions to take about an hour’s recreation everyday.
They were thinking in terms of rest, however, not inactivity.
Rest is the reward of labour and is necessary for frail human nature.
Idleness, on the other hand, is a vice and the source of sin.
We should take our repose only after our work and, in consequence of it.

Even during recreation, we should continue to live in the presence of God and to think of Him, from time to time.
If we enjoy our leisure in the open air, everything speaks to us of God, for we are surrounded by the flowers and the birds.
When St Thérèse of the Child Jesus was going for a walk one day, she stopped to admire a tiny flower.
Enraptured by its beauty she exclaimed aloud: “How good Thou art, O God.”
Our recreation can be the source of increased sanctification!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/10/thought-for-the-day-10-november-prayer-work-and-leisure/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/10/thought-for-the-day-10-november/

Posted in QUOTES on DEATH, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 10 November – St Andrew Avellino

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 November – St Andrew Avellino CR (1521–1608) Confessor

“It has been curiously remarked by St. Andrew Avellino
that those who have a special devotion to the Passion,
generally die quiet and sweet deaths,
as the Virgin Mary, St John the Evangelist
and St Mary Magdalen did.
Certainly it is remarkable that,
while most of those close to Our Lord
died violent deaths, the three who assisted
at Calvary should have died so softly,
as if already their real death had been died there.”

Fr Frederick William Faber CO (1814-1863)

(Spiritual Conferences)

St Andrew Avellino’s words:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/10/quote-s-of-the-day-10-november-st-andrew-avellino/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on WATCHING, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 November – ‘ … So keep watch with vigilant soul and you will see the pure Truth with open eyes! …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 10 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”– St Andrew Avellino CR (1521–1608) Confessor – Sirach 31:8-11, Luke 12:35-40 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” – Luke 12:40

REFLECTION – “These words mean – you are to be awake and vigilant because you do not know the hour when the Lord will come from the wedding … Because, as soon as some feeling of pride, self-satisfaction or self-will enters a man, the Enemy is there, cutting the precious bag, of all his good works from him. Oh, children! How many people like these, will you see, who have done great works … and thus gained great renown … but, presumption has stripped them of all … They will be placed after the poor and simple fellows, whom no-one values because of their outward appearance and work. Because they humbly take a lowly place, these latter, will be set above the others … So keep watch with vigilant soul and you will see the pure Truth with open eyes …

“Let your loins be girt about and your lamps alight.” Here there are three points to notice. First – the loins are to be girded like someone firmly bound with a rope, so as to be led, against his will … Second – you are to carry lighted lamps in your hands which is to say, works of love. Your hands should never stop doing the true, ardent work of charity … Third – you should wait for the Lord when He returns from the wedding … “The Lord will set them over all His goods; He will gird Himself and will serve them.” This wedding from which the Lord comes, takes place in the most interior part of the soul, in its depths, where the noble image is found. O what intimate contact the soul has with God and God with it, in this depth and what a marvellous work God does there! What rejoicing and joy He finds there! It surpasses all feeling and thought and yet, man knows nothing and feels nothing of it.” – Fr Johannes Tauler OP (c1300-1361) Dominican Priest and Friar, renowned Preacher and Theologian (Sermon 77 for the Feast of a Confessor).

PRAYER – O God, by his difficult vow to make daily progress in holiness, Thou placed in the heart of blessed Andrew, Thy Confessor, a wondrous longing to ascend unto Thee, grant us, by his merits and intercession, so to become sharers of that same grace that, ever pursuing the more perfect things, we may be happily brought unto the height of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in INDULGENCES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on the CHURCH

Thought for the Day – 9 November – INDULGENCES

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

INDULGENCES

“Indulgences, therefore, are an aid to repentance for sin, not a substitute for it.
In granting them, the Church is only imitating the merciful spirit of Jesus Christ, Who was always compassionate towards sinners.

Let us do our best to make profitable use of the Church’s generosity on our own behalf and, on behalf of the Faithful Departed.
Let us observe the necessary conditions in order to gain as many Indulgences as possible.

Every morning, we should make the intention of gaining all the indulgences which we can, during the day.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/09/thought-for-the-day-9-november-indulgences/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/09/thought-for-the-day-9-november-indulgences-2/

St Alphonsus’ little Morning Prayer:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/08/02/__trashed-24/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, GOD ALONE!, HOLY COMMUNION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 November – “… For this day, I must abide in thy house.” – Luke 19:5

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 9 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour – Apocalypse 21:2-5, Luke 19:1-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“… For this day, I must abide in thy house.” – Luke 19:5

REFLECTION – “Some people are very like Zacchaeus. They desire to see Jesus as He is. All power of reason and all natural light, are too short and small for this, so they run ahead of all crowds and all the multiplicity of creatures. Through faith and love, they climb up to the highest part of their mind, where their spirit lives in its freedom, devoid of images and obstacles. It is there that Jesus is seen, known and loved in His Divinity, for there, He is always present, to the free and exalted spirit which has risen above itself in love of Him. Jesus there flows forth with a fullness of grace and favours.

But He says to all: “Come down quickly, for the exalted freedom of the spirit cannot be maintained, except through lowly obedience of mind. You must know and love Me, as both God and a human being, higher than all and lower than all! You will savour Me when I raise you up above all things and above yourself to Myself and, when you lower yourself beneath all things and beneath yourself, to Me and for My sake. Then, I will have to come to your house and remain living with you and in you and you with Me and in Me!”

When these persons know, taste and feel this, they come down quickly in great disdain of themselves and, with a humble heart and true displeasure, regarding their life and all their works, they say: “Lord, I am not worthy – but I am truly unworthy – that I should receive Thine glorious body in the blessed Sacrament, into the sinful house of my body and soul. But be gracious to me, Lord and have mercy on my poor life and all my transgressions.” – Blessed Jan van Ruysbroeck (1293-1381) Canon Regular (A Mirror of Eternal Blessedness).

PRAYER – O God, Who for us bring each year the recurrence of the Consecration day of this Thy holy temple and always bring us back safely to the Sacred Rites, hear the prayers of Thy people and grant that, whoever enters this temple to pray for blessings., may rejoice in having obtained whatever he sought. 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).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for the SOULS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PURGATORY, QUOTES/PRAYERS on THE FAMILY, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, The HOLY SOULS

Our Morning Offering – 9 November – Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Alphonsus

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Our Morning Offering – 9 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”

My God! I Recommend to Thee …
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

My God! I recommend to Thee,
the souls of my relatives,
my benefactors, my friend, my enemies
and of those, who are in Purgatory on my account.
I recommend to Thee,
the souls of Evangelical labourers,
of Religious and Priests
and especially of those,
who had charge of my soul.
I recommend to Thee,
the souls of those, who were most devout
to the Passion of Our Lord,
to the Blessed Sacrament,
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and to the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the souls, who are most abandoned,
those, who suffer most
and those, who are nearest
to the entrance into Paradise.
Amen.

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

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

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

The Advantages of Devotion
to the Souls in Purgatory

“The example of the Saints should inspire us to practise great devotion to the Souls in Purgatory.
We should ask them to obtain for us everything which we need but especially, the graces necessary for our eternal salvation!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/08/thought-for-the-day-7-november-they-advantages-of-devotion-to-the-souls-
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/08/thought-for-the-day-8-november-the-advantages-of-devotion-to-the-souls-in-purgatory/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, QUOTES on VIRTUE, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The HEART, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 8 November – Strive to reach the Kingdom of Heaven.

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – The Octave Day of All Saints – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward
will be great in Heaven.”

Matthew 5:12

“Let us listen to the holy Voice of God
which summons us from on high,
from the holy mountain top.
There, we must hasten – I make bold to say –
like Jesus, Who is our leader
and has gone before us into Heaven.
There, with Him, may the eyes of our mind
shine with His light and the features of our soul
be made new; may we be transfigured with Him
and moulded to His image,
ever becoming divine,
being transformed in an ever greater degree of glory.”

St Anastasius Sinaita (Died 6th Century)
Priest and Abbot
of St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai

“The only true riches are those
that make us rich in virtue.
Therefore, if you want to be rich, beloved,
love true riches.
If you aspire to the heights of real honour,
strive to reach the Kingdom of Heaven.
If you value rank and renown,
hasten to be enrolled
in the heavenly court of the Angels.”

St Pope Gregory III (Died 741)

“Whatever riches and all other transitory things
you may possess, you must keep your heart
free from the slightest affection for them.
Your heart may be surrounded by riches;
however, riches must never master your heart!
… Do not let that mind which is the likeness of God,
cleave to mere earthly goods;
let it always be raised above them,
not sunk in them.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

“Let us not strive for the rewards of Heaven,
valuable though they may be
but live, so as to please the God of Heaven.
If God were not in Heaven,
all its beauty, riches and sweetness,
would be dull rather than delightful.
By faith, we know, God already dwells within us.
But in Heaven, we will see God face-to-face.
May we so live that one day,
we will be in Heaven praising
and praying eternally,
before our Lord and Saviour!”

St Jane Frances de Chantal VHM (1572-1641)

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on MERIT, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 November – ‘ … Let charity expand our hope, as far as the Communion of Saints … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 8 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – The Octave Day of All Saints – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Be glad and rejoice for your reward is very great in Heaven.” – Matthew 5:12

REFLECTION – “Dearly beloved, let us anxiously attend to all that concerns the profession of our common life, “keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace,” by “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the imparting of the Holy Spirit ”(Eph 4,3; 2 Cor 13:13). From the love of God comes the unity of the spirit; from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ comes the bond of peace; from the imparting of the Holy Spirit, comes that communion which is necessary to those who live in common. …

“I believe, 0 Lord, in the Holy Ghost, the holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints” (Credo). This is my hope, this is my trust, this is my confidence, this is the whole of my security in the professing of my faith. … If I am allowed, O Lord, to “love Thee and love my neighbour,” (Mt 22:37-39) although my merits are small and few, yet will my hopes reach beyond them.  I am confident that the merits of the Saints will help me by the communion of charity, so that the Communion of Saints will make up for my insufficiency and imperfection. … Let charity expand our hope, as far as the Communion of Saints, in the sharing of merits and rewards but the sharing of the latter belongs to the future, for it is the sharing in the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Since, then, there are three communions – the first of nature, which includes the sharing of guilt …; the second of grace and the third, of glory. By the communion of grace, that of nature begins to be remade and the sharing of guilt to be excluded but by the communion of glory, that of nature will be perfectly restored and the communion of anger, will be entirely excluded, when “God will wipe away every tear from the eyes” of the Saints (Is 25:8; Rv 21:4). Then, among all the Saints, there will be “one heart and one soul” and “all things will be in common”when God will be “all in all” (Acts 4:2; 1 Cor 15:28). That we may all arrive at this communion and that we all may be one, “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the imparting of the Holy Spirit be with us all forever. Amen.” – Baldwin of Forde O.Cist ( c 1125–1190) Cistercian Abbot, Bishop, then Archbishop of Canterbury (Treatise on the common life).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession, that abundance of Thymercy for which we yearn. 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).

Posted in HOLY COMMUNION, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on MERIT, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The HOLY SOULS

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

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

How We Can Help the Faithful Departed

“In short, there are innumerable means at our disposal, of helping to release the Holy Souls and, of establishing them, without delay, as our intercessors in Heaven.
These good works are advantageous to ourselves and to them.
In Holy Communion, we draw closer to God; by almsgiving, we grow more detached from worldly possessions and, by penance and mortification, we restrain our wayward appetites and passions.
At the same time, we know that we are helping those for whom we offer the ,merits of our deeds, for we are enabling them to be purified, as soon as possible of their imperfections and so, to enter into the infinite joy of the Beatific Vision of Almighty God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/07/thought-for-the-day-7-november-how-we-can-help-the-faithful-departed/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/07/thought-for-the-day-7-november-how-we-can-help-the-faithful-departed-2/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on ZEAL, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – St Dominic and his OPs

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – The Feast of All Saints of the Order of Preacher

“A man who governs his passions
is master of his world.
We must either command them
or be enslaved by them.
It is better to be a hammer than an anvil!”

“Arm yourself with prayer
instead of a sword;
be clothed with humility
instead of fine raiment.”

St Dominic OP (1170-1221) Confessor

Guide Me Lord
By St Albert the Great (1200-1280)
Doctor of the Church

O Lord Jesus Christ,
Who seeks those who stray
and receives them when returning,
make me approach Thee
through the frequent hearing of Thy Word,
lest I sin against my neighbour,
by the blindness of human judgement,
through the austerity of false justice,
through comparing his inferior status,
through too much trust in my merits
or through ignorance of the Divine Judgement.
Guide me to search diligently,
each corner of my conscience,
lest the flesh dominate the spirit!
Amen

“Christ said that the shepherd
enters through the gate
and that He is Himself the Gate,
as well as the Shepherd.
Then, it is necessary,
that He enter through Himself.
By so doing, He reveals Himself
and through Himself, He knows the Father.
But we enter through Him
because through Him. we find happiness.”

St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus
Doctor Communis

“Speak the truth in a million voices.
It is silence that kills!”

“You are rewarded,
not according to your work,
or your time
but according to the measure
of your love.”

“Embrace, then, Jesus Crucified,
raising to Him the eyes of your desire!
Consider His burning love for you
which made Jesus pour out His Blood
from every part of His body!
Embrace Jesus Crucified,
loving and beloved and in Him,
you will find true life because He is God made Man.
Let your heart and your soul burn
with the fire of love drawn from Jesus on the Cross!
… You will have no other desire than to follow Jesus!
Run, … do not stay asleep
because time flies and does not wait one moment!
Dwell in God’s sweet love!”

St Catherine of Sienna (1347-1380)
Doctor of the Church

“Those with pride
are not Christ’s sheep
but the devil’s goats!”

St Vincent Ferrer OP 1350-1419)

“Apart from the cross
there is no other ‘ladder’
by which we might get to Heaven.”

St Rose of Lima OP (1586-1617)

Grant me, O my God
By St Vincent Ferrer OP (1350-1419)

Good Jesus,
let me be penetrated with love
to the very marrow of my bones,
with fear and respect toward Thee.
Let me burn with zeal for Thy honour,
so that I may deeply resent,
all the outrages committed against Thee,
especially those of which,
I myself have been guilty.
Grant further, O my God,
that I may humbly adore
and acknowledge Thee,
as my Creator and penetrated with gratitude
for all Thy benefits,
I may never cease to render Thee thanksgiving.
Grant that I may bless Thee in all things,
praise and glorify Thee,
with a heart full of joy and gladness
and obeying Thee with docility
in every respect, I may one day,
despite my ingratitude and unworthiness,
be seated at Thine table
together with Thine Holy Angels and Apostles,
to enjoy ineffable delights for all eternity!
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/07/quote-s-of-the-day-7-november-st-dominic-and-friends-ops/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on PURITY, SACRAMENTS, The BEATITUDES, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 November – ‘There is nothing as beautiful as a soul which is pure. …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 7 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the All Saints Octave and the Feast of all the Dominican Saints – Apocalypse 7:2-12, Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.” … Matthew 5:8

REFLECTION – “There is nothing as beautiful as a soul which is pure. If we understood this, we would be incapable of losing our purity. A pure soul is like a beautiful pearl. As long as it is concealed in a shell, at the bottom of the sea, no-one thinks of admiring it. But if you display it in the sun, then this pearl shines and draws people’s eyes.

Purity comes from Heaven, we have to ask God for it. If we ask for it, we shall receive it. We must take great care not to lose it. It closes our hearts to pride, sensuality and every other passion.

Children, we cannot understand the power which a pure soul has over the Good God – it receives all it wishes for. … Before God, a pure soul is like a child before its mother, it caresses her and hugs her and its mother returns its caresses and embraces.

To preserve our purity, there are three things – the Presence of God, prayer and the Sacraments.” … St John-Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) Curé d’Ars (Selected Thoughts of the Curé d’Ars).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession, that abundance of Thy mercy for which we yearn. 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).

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD ALONE!, MARIAN PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MISSION, Quotes on SALVATION, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Our Morning Offering – 7 November – Prayer to Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles

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Our Morning Offering – 7 November – Tuesday being the Day on which we honour the Holy Apostles, as the Church is apostolic. That is, it is founded on the authority and teaching of the Apostles, most especially that of St Peter to whom Jesus gave the keys of his Kingdom. Each Bishop is a direct successor of the Apostles and so we include them in our prayers.

Prayer to Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles
By St Vincent Pallotti SAC (1795-1850)

Immaculate Mother of God,
Queen of the Apostles,
we know that God’s commandment of love
and our vocation to follow Jesus Christ,
impels us to co-operate
in the mission of the Church.
Realising our own weakness,
we entrust the renewal of our personal lives
and our Apostolate, to your intercession.
We are confident,
that through God’s mercy
and the infinite merits of Jesus Christ,
you, who are our Mother,
will obtain the strength of the Holy Spirit,
as you obtained it for the Apostles,
gathered in the Upper Room.
Therefore, relying on your
maternal intercession,
we resolve, from this moment,
to devote our talents,
learning, material resources,
our health, sickness and trials
and every gift of nature and grace,
for the greater glory of God
and the salvation of all.
We wish to carry on those activities,
(which especially promote
the Catholic Apostolate,)
for the revival of faith
and love of the people of God
and so, bring all men and women,
into the faith of Jesus Christ.
(And if a time should come
when we have nothing more to offer,
serviceable to this end,)
we will never cease to pray,
that there will be one fold
and one Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
In this way, we hope to enjoy
the results of the Apostolate of Jesus Christ)
for all eternity.
Amen.

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The HOLY SOULS

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

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

The Communion of Saints
and the Souls in Purgatory

“Let us remember, however, that this will be impossible if we fall into mortal sin and so extinguish, in ourselves, the Divine life which comes to us through the Mystical Body of Christ.
In such an unhappy event, we shall have become branches separated from the vine, lifeless and rotting.
We shall no longer be able to claim brotherhood with the blessed in Heaven, or with the Holy Souls in Purgatory.
We shall be nothing but dry wood, destined to feed the everlasting flames of Hell!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/06/thought-for-the-day-6-november-the-communion-of-saints-and-the-souls-in-purgatory/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/06/thought-for-the-day-5-november/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 November – Ardent Travellers …

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 6 November – Within the All Saints Octave – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward
will be great in Heaven.”

Matthew 5:12

“ Blessed are they who have not seen
and have believed.”

John 20:29

“… A tree is known by its fruit.
So those who profess to belong to Christ
will be known, by what they do.
For the work we are about,
is not a matter of words, here and now
but depends on the power of faith
and on being found faithful, to the end!”

St Ignatius of Antioch (c35–c107)
Bishop, Martyr, Apostolic Father

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

Luke 21:28
“Truth is exhorting His elect by saying:
“When the disasters of the world
become more frequent… let your hearts exult!
While the world, which is not your friend,
is coming to an end,
the redemption you have sought ,is coming near!”
Those who love God are ordered to rejoice
and be merry at the world’s end.
They will soon find Him Whom they love,
while what they have not loved is passing away.
It should be far from the hearts of all the faithful
who long to see God, to grieve over the disasters
of a world, for they know, these very disasters,
are soon to end. It is written that:
“Whoever wishes to be a friend of this world,
makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas 4:4).”

St Gregory the Great (540-604)
Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor
“Father of the Fathers”

“May Christ be heard in our language,
may Christ be seen in our life,
may He be perceived in our hearts”

St Peter Damian (1007-1072)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in CATECHESIS, FATHERS of the Church, ON the SAINTS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 November – ‘ … Rejoice, ardent travellers! …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 6 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the All Saints Octave – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven.” – Matthew 5:12

REFLECTION – “Rejoice in the Lord without ceasing (cf. Phil 4:4), my dear children. I beg you rejoice, citizens of Heaven but exiles on earth, inhabitants of the Jerusalem on high (cf. Gal 4:26) but banished from affairs here below, inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven but disinherited from taking any part at all, in earthly pleasures!  Rejoice, ardent travellers, at undergoing exile and maltreatment in a foreign land in the name of the commandment of God! Rejoice, you who are last in this world but lords of blessings that exceed our understanding (cf. Phil 4:7).
Rejoice, noble company, brought together by God, assembly united in heart and soul, who give life to filial and fraternal love, a replica on earth of the host of Angels! … Rejoice, God’s workers, apostolic men. … Rejoice, you who set your joy in each other, each making his own the reputation of his brother, you in whom is found neither jealousy, rivalry nor envy but, in their place, peace and charity and life in common. In truth, I do not say that we are not attacked – indeed, who is crowned if not the one who struggles and fights, who exchanges thrusts and wounds with his assailants? – but I say that we should not let ourselves be brought down by the machinations of Satan.

Yes, my children, assembly of God, nourish yourselves with the food of the Spirit and drink the water given by the Lord: whoever comes to possess this water will never thirst again but it will become, in Him, a spring of living water welling up to eternal life (cf. Jn 4:14). …  Yet, a little while and we shall have vanquished. And blessed shall we be, blessed also, it shall be said, are the places, family and countries that have borne you (cf Lk 11:27-28).” – St Theodore the Studite (759-826) – Catechesis 47 (The Great Catecheses)

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession that abundance of Thy mercy for which we yearn. 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).

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, DOCTORS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR

Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – St Ignatius Loyola and Friends

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – All Saints and Blesseds of the Society of Jesus (SJ)

“True humility consists in persuading
and convincing oneself
that without God, we are insignificant
and despicable
and, in accepting to be treated as such!”

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

“He who desires to consecrate
himself to God must, in the first place,
trample under his feet,
all regard for what others will say of him.
O my God, why do we not ask
what Jesus Christ or His holy Mother,
will think of our conduct?”

St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572)

“For the sake of obtaining that eternal life,
no works of piety,
ought to seem too difficult to a true believer,
no toil too heavy,
no pain too bitter,
no time spent in labour and suffering,
too long or too wearisome.
For, if nothing is sweeter, or more desirable,
than this present life which is so full of calamities,
how much more desirable,
must that other life be deemed
which is so far removed from all sense of evil,
or fear of it, which will, in every conceivable way,
always abound in the unspeakable
and unending joys, delight and happiness of Heaven.”

St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1597)
Confessor, Doctor of the Church

“All evangelical perfection is attained,
by the continual exercise of prayer.”

“He who is not a man of prayer
will never attain to a great act of holiness,
nor will he ever triumph over himself!”

St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591)

“I must dedicate myself
to the service of God until death,
on the understanding
that I am like a slave.”

St Peter Claver SJ (1581-1654)

“No life, except the life of Christ,
has moved me so deeply,
as that of Peter Claver.”

St Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903)
on the occasion of St Peter Claver’s Canonisation.

Custodes Hominum Psallimus Angelos
Praise We the Guardian Angels of Men
By St Robert Bellarmine SJ (1542-1621)
Archbishop of Capua, Theologian
Doctor of the Church

Angel-guardians of men,
spirits and powers we sing,
Whom our Father hath sent,
aids to our weakly frame,
Heavenly friends and guides,
help from on high to bring,
Lest we fail through the foeman’s wile.

He, the spoiler of souls,
Angel-traitor of old,
Cast in merited wrath
out of his honoured place,
Burns with envy and hate,
seeking their souls to gain
Whom God’s mercy invites to Heaven.

Therefore, come to our help,
watchful ward of our lives:
Turn aside from the land,
God to thy care confides
Sickness and woe of soul,
yea and what else of ill
Peace of heart to its folk denies.

Now to the Holy Three
praise evermore resound:
Under Whose Hand Divine
resteth the triple world
Governed in wondrous wise,
glory be Theirs and Might
While the ages unending run.
Amen

This Hymn by St Robert Bellarmine,was added to the Roman Breviary in 1608, by command of Pope Paul V. It is for Vespers in the Office for “the Holy Guardian Angels. Double of the second class, 2 October.

Prayer for Unbelievers
By St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

O God, the Everlasting Creator of all things,
remember that the souls of unbelievers
were made by Thee
and formed in Thine own image and likeness.
Remember that Jesus, Thy Son,
endured a most bitter Death for their salvation.
Permit not, I beseech Thee, O Lord
that Thy Son should be any longer despised by unbelievers
but do Thou graciously accept the prayers
of holy men and of the Church,
the Spouse of Thy Most Holy Son
and be mindful of Thy mercy.
Forget their idolatry and unbelief
and grant that they too,
may someday know Him,
Whom Thou hast sent…the Lord Jesus Christ,
Who is our Salvation, our Life and Resurrection,
by Whom we have been [redeemed] and delivered,
to Whom be glory for endless ages.
Amen.

St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/05/quote-s-of-the-day-5-november-jesuits/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 November – “… The girl is not dead but sleepeth.” – Matthew 9:24

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 5 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the Octave of All Saints and the Feast of the Holy Relics – Philippians 3:17-21; 4:1-3; Matthew 9:18-26 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“… The girl is not dead but sleepeth.” – Matthew 9:24

REFLECTION – “Let us consider, dear friends, how the Master is continually proving to us that there is to be a resurrection, of which He made the Lord Jesus Christ the First Fruits, when He raised Him from the dead. Let us observe, dear friends, the resurrection that is regularly taking place. Day and night show us a resurrection – night falls asleep, day arises; day departs, night arrives. Let us take the crops – how and in what way, does the sowing take place? The sower goes out and sows each seed in the ground. They fall into the ground, dry and bare and decay, then from their decay, the greatness of the Master’s Providence raises them up and, from a single grain, many spring up and bear fruit! … Do we, then, regard it as a great and marvellous thing. for the Creator of all things. to bring about the resurrection of those. who have served Him with holiness, in the assurance of a good faith?…

With this hope, then, let our souls be bound to Him Who is faithful to His promises and upright in His judgements. He, Who has commanded us not to lie, will much more not lie Himself. For nothing is impossible to God, except lying (Jer 32:17; Lk 1:37 Heb 6:18). So, let faith in Him be rekindled in us and let us understand that all things are possible to Him.

With His majestic Word, He constituted all things and with a Word, He can overturn them … When He pleases and as He pleases, He will do everything and none of the things He has decreed, will pass away. All things are in His sight and nothing has escaped His Providence.” – St Clement of Rome (c35-c101) Pope from c88 to c101, Father of the Church (Letter to the Corinthians 24-28).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession, that abundance of Thy mercy for which we yearn.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).

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on MERCY, The HOLY SOULS

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

More About the Sufferings of Purgatory

“If I were to die now, in which region of Purgatory should I be likely to be confined?
I have no way of knowing this but, there is something which I do know with certainty.
I know that I should avoid the slightest offence against God that I should expiate my past sins by prayer and penance and, that I should pray for the suffering souls in Purgatory, for this is a Work of Mercy which is most pleasing to God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/04/thought-for-the-day-4-november-more-about-the-sufferings-of-purgatory/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/04/thought-for-the-day-4-november-more-about-the-sufferings-of-purgatory-2/