QUOTES of the SAINTS – Page 39

One Minute Reflection – 12 August – “Does not your teacher pay the tax?”

Posted on August 12, 2019August 12, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 12 August – Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 17:22–27 and the Memorial of Blessed Karl Marie Leisner (1915–1945) Priest, Martyr

“Does not your teacher pay the tax?” … Matthew 17:22

REFLECTION – “Since Christ reconciled the world to God, He Himself certainly did not need reconciliation. For what sin of His own was He to make propitiation, when He knew no sin? When the Jews were asking for the didrachma, which according to law was given for sin, He said to Peter: “Simon, from whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from others?” Peter answered: “From others.” Jesus said to him: “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offence to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel, take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”

He is pointing out that He is not obliged to propitiation for sins on His own behalf, because He is not a slave of sin but, as Son of God, free from all fault. For the Son sets free, it is the slave who is guilty. So He was free from all sin and gives no price of redemption for His own soul – the price of His blood was more than sufficient to redeem all the sins of the world. Justly then He sets others free, owing nothing for Himself.

Furthermore, not only does Christ owe no price of redemption for Himself or propitiation for sin but, if you take the case of anyone, it can be understood that no individuals owes propitiation for themselves, since Christ is the propitiation of all and Himself the redemption of all.” …Saint Ambrose (340-397) Father & Doctor – Commentary on Ps 48, 14-15 ; CSEL 64, 368-370 (trans. Breviary, Week 20, Saturday) matthew 17 22 does not your teacher pay the tax - since christ - st ambrose 12 aug 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Almighty God and Father, by Your grace, we are made one in mind and heart. Give us a love for what You command and a longing for what You promise, so that, amid this world’s changes, our hearts may be set on the world of lasting joy. Grant, we pray that by the prayers of Blessed Karl Marie Leisner, we will be made always faithful. Through Him, with Him and in Him, in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. bl karl leisner pray for us 12 aug 2019

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, franciscan OFM, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Thought for the Day – 11 August – “ Blessed be You, O God, for having created me. ”

Posted on August 11, 2019August 10, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 11 August – Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 12:32–48 and the Memorial of St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)

St Pope John Paul II said of Saint Clare –
“her whole life was a Eucharist because …
from her cloister she raised up a continual ‘thanksgiving’ to God
in her prayer, praise, supplication, intercession, weeping, offering and sacrifice.

She accepted everything from the Father in union with the infinite ‘thanks’ of the only begotten Son.”

St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

“ Blessed be You, O God, for having created me. ”

St Clare’s Last Words

I Come, O Lord
By St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)

I come, O Lord,
unto Thy sanctuary
to see the life and food of my soul.
As I hope in Thee, O Lord,
inspire me with that confidence
which brings me to Thy holy mountain.
Permit me, Divine Jesus,
to come closer to Thee,
that my whole soul may do homage
to the greatness of Thy majesty,
that my heart,
with its tenderest affections,
may acknowledge Thy infinite love,
that my memory may dwell
on the admirable mysteries
here renewed every day
and that the sacrifice,
of my whole being,
may accompany Thine.
Amen i-come-o-lord-into-thy-sanctuary-st-clare-11-aug-2018 and in thought for the day 2019

FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 11 August – ‘Stewards of the Mysteries of God.’

Posted on August 11, 2019August 10, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 11 August – Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 12:32–48 and the Memorial of St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)

And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household….” … Luke 12:42

REFLECTION – “Wishing to emphasise the special office of the servants whom He has placed in charge of His people, the Lord says, ‘Who, do you think, is the faithful and wise steward whom the Lord sets over his household, to give to them their measure of wheat at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” Who is that master, brethren? Without a doubt it is Christ, who says to His disciples: “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right for so I am” (Jn 13,13). What, too, is the master’s household? Doubtless it is the one which the Lord Himself ransomed… This sacred household is the holy, Catholic Church, which is spread through the whole earth with abundant fertility and glories in the fact that she has been redeemed by the precious blood of her Master. As He Himself says: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10,45). He is, too, the good shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep” (Jn 10,11)…

As to who the steward is, who ought to be faithful as well as wise, the Apostle Paul shows us, when, speaking of himself and his companions, he says: “This is how one should regard us, as the servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they should be found trustworthy” (1Cor 4,1-2). Now, lest anyone of us should think that it is only the apostles who have been made stewards… the blessed Apostle Paul shows us that the bishops also are stewards, when he says: “For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless” (Tt 1,7)…

We, therefore, who are the servants of the master of the household, we are the stewards of the Lord, we have received the measure of wheat to disburse to you.” … Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe (467-532) Bishop – Homily 1, on the Lord’s servants ; CCL 91A, 889 (trans. breviary Common of pastors)

PRAYER – Holy God, grant we pray, Your Holy Spirit of love and divine grace to grow ever more in faith. By our prayers and love for You and our neighbour, may we merit Your divine assistance. Lord Jesus, help us to dwell often on the manner in which we are following You. Let us strive each day to become more and more like You in all things and, to become beacons of Your Light, to all the world. St Clare of Assisi, you who were a light to all, pray for us, amen. st-clare-of-assisi-pray-for-us-11-aug-2017,2018 and 2019.jpg

FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 10 August -“Come. You have my Father’s blessing! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you”

Posted on August 10, 2019August 10, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 10 August – Feast of St Lawrence, Martyr (Died 258)

When the archdeacon returned, instead of bringing vessels of gold and silver, he brought the poor of the city, saying, “Behold, these choice pearls, these sparkling gems that adorn the temple, these sacred virgins, I mean, and these widows who refuse second marriage…. Behold then, all our riches.”

“Come. You have my Father’s blessing!
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you”

The faithful watched there for three days to mourn their holy Archdeacon who had been so good to them. God, by the glory of this holy martyr, demonstrates the value He sets upon love for the poor. Innumerable prayers were offered at his tomb. Saint Lawrence continued from his throne in heaven his charity to those in need, granting them, as Saint Augustine says, the smaller graces which they sought, and leading them to the desire of better gifts.

Our Lord appears before us in the persons of the poor. Charity to them is a great sign of predestination. It is almost impossible, the holy Fathers assure us, for any one who is charitable to the poor, above all for Christ’s sake, to perish.

St Lawrence, Pray for Us!

FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 10 August – St Lawrence

Posted on August 10, 2019August 10, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 10 August – Feast of Saint Lawrence (Died 258), Deacon and Martyr,

“Today the noble martyr
offered pleasing sacrifice to God,
Today he, being grievously tested,
Endured unto the end the torment of his fire…”

From the Mass of Saint Lawrence,
Old Sarum Rite Missal

“Sheltered under the name of
Jesus Christ,
I do not fear these pains,
for they do not last long.”

“Learn, unhappy man,
how great is the power of my God,
for your burning coals give me refreshment
but they will be your eternal punishment.”

St Lawrence (Died 258)

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD, VOCATIONS

One Minute Reflection – 10 August – “Whoever loves his life loses it ..”

Posted on August 10, 2019August 10, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 10 August – Feast of Saint Lawrence (Died 258), Deacon and Martyr, Gospel: John 12:24–26

“Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life” … John 12:25

REFLECTION – “The Roman Church commends this day to us as the blessed Laurence’s day of triumph, on which he trod down the world as it roared and raged against him, spurned it as it coaxed and wheedled him and in each case, conquered the devil as he persecuted him. … The blessed Lawrence carried out the office of deacon in the Church of Rome. In that office he administered Christ’s sacred blood to the faithful and for Christ’s sake he shed his own blood. The blessed apostle John clearly expounded the mystery of the Lord’s Supper when he said: “Just as Christ laid down his life for us, so should we lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 Jn 3:16). Saint Lawrence understood this and acted accordingly. His self-sacrifice was similar in kind to that which he received at the altar. He loved Christ in his life and imitated Him in death.

Brethren, let us imitate Lawrence if we truly love Christ. We cannot show a better proof of our love than by imitating Him. “Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we might follow his footsteps” (1 Pt 2:21)… Indeed the garden of the Lord contains not only the roses of martyrdom but also the lilies of virginity, the ivy of marriage and the violets of widowhood. So no-one, my dear brethren, need despair of his vocation. Christ suffered for all… Therefore we must try to understand how the Christian ought to imitate Christ other than by shedding his blood or enduring martyrdom.

The apostle Paul says of our Lord Jesus Christ: “His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God.” What majesty was His! Paul adds: “He emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave and became as men are” (Phil 2,6f.). What humility He showed! Christ humbled Himsel,; the Christian has His example to imitate. “Christ became obedient” (v.8). Why then should a Christian be proud? It was after enduring this humility and defeating death that Christ ascended into heaven, let us follow Him.” … St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church (From a sermon delivered by St Augustine in about 400 AD on the occasion of the Feast of St Lawrence.)

PRAYER – Lord God, You inspired St Lawrence with so ardent a love that his life was renowned for the service of Your people and his death for the splendour of his martyrdom. Help us to love what he loved and to live as he showed us. St Lawrence, Martyr for Christ and His Church, pray for us. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever amen. st-lawrence-pray-for-us-10-august-2018 and 2019.jpg

CARMELITES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY

Quote of the Day – 9 August – “Let go of your plans.”

Posted on August 9, 2019August 9, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 9 August – The Memorial of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross OCD (1891-1942) Martyr

“Let go of your plans.
The first hour of your morning belongs to God.
Tackle the day’s work that He charges you with
and He will give you the power to accomplish it.”

St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/08/09/quote-s-of-the-day-9-august-the-memorial-of-st-teresa-benedicta-of-the-cross-1891-1942-martyr/ let go of your plans - st teresa benedicta of the cross 9 aug 2019.jpg

"Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 August – Follow me

Posted on August 9, 2019August 9, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 10 August – Friday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Matthew 16:24–28 and the Memorial of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942) Martyr

“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” ... Matthew 16:24 matthew 16 24 - if any man ...take up his cross and follow me - 9 aug 2019 no 2 lg

REFLECTION – “Two years before he gave his spirit back to heaven… Francis understood that just as he had imitated Christ in the actions of his life, so he should be conformed to him… in his Passion… He was in no way terrified but… by the Seraphic ardour of his desires, he was transformed into Him who chose to be crucified, because of “the excess of his love” (Eph 2:4). On a certain morning about the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, while Francis was praying on the mountainside, he saw a Seraph with six fiery and shining wings descend from the height of heaven. And when, in swift flight, the Seraph had reached a spot in the air near the man of God, there appeared between the wings, the figure of a man crucified, with His hands and feet extended in the form of a cross and fastened to a cross…

When Francis saw this, he was overwhelmed and his heart was flooded with a mixture of joy and sorrow. He rejoiced, because of the gracious way Christ looked upon him under the appearance of the Seraph but, the fact that he was fastened to a cross, “pierced his soul with a sword” of compassionate sorrow (Lk 2:35). He wondered exceedingly at the sight of so unfathomable a vision, realising that the weakness of Christ’s passion, was in no way compatible, with the immortality of the Seraph’s spiritual nature. Eventually, he understood by a revelation from the lord, that divine providence had shown him this vision so that, as Christ’s lover, he might learn in advance, that he was to be totally transformed into the likeness of Christ crucified, not by the martyrdom of his flesh but by the fire of his love consuming his soul.” … St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274) Doctor of the Church eventually he understood that he was to be - st bonaventure on st francis - 9 aug 2019

PRAYER – “O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead but when I have arrived
where the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will open before me and I shall be met with peace. How wondrous are the marvels of Your love, we are amazed, we stammer and grow dumb, for word and spirit fail us. Amen” …St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

franciscan OFM, PRAYERS for CANONISATION, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 8 August – Nothingness Itself.

Posted on August 8, 2019August 8, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 8 August – The Memorial of Ven Antonio Margil of Jesus OFM (1657-1726) “The Flying Father”

A quarter century before St Junípero Serra began his California adventure, there was an extraordinary Franciscan carrying out a great work of evangelisation across Central America, Mexico and finally, Texas. In his zeal to spread the Catholic faith, he faced inclement weather, hostile animals, forest insects and reptiles, lack of food and water and cruel treatment from hostile Indian tribes.

The life of Fr Antonio Margil of Jesus is an epic story of a man who seems larger than life. Barefoot, carrying only a staff, breviary and the materials he needed to say Mass, he established hundreds of missions in a territory extending from the jungles of Costa Rica to east Texas and the borders of Louisiana. Countless Indians of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico and Texas received the divine gift of faith from him and revered him a saint. For this, he is called the Apostle of New Spain and Texas.

In 1697, Fr Margil was recalled to Querétaro as superior, or presidente, of the Franciscan College of the Holy Cross, and a new phase of his life began as an administrator. When he reached the College, Fr Margil took off the ragged habit he had worn and mended for 14 years, patching it at times with bark from a certain tree called the mastastes and exchanged it for a new one, thus avoiding the least shadow of singularity.

As superior, he never dispensed himself from any public act or expected anything but what he himself practised. To maintain accuracy and the decorum of ritual, he imposed upon his religious the obligation of holding a conference once a week on the ceremonies of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The friar who loved “Lady Poverty” exhorted his brethren and the faithful to ornament the altars and churches as much as they could, so they might be worthy of the divine majesty of God.

For Our Lord, there was nothing too rich or decorous. For himself, it was a different story. With the exception of Sunday, he fasted every day, taking a few herbs, a piece of bread and some water or watered down chocolate once a day. He permitted himself sleep only from 8 to 11 every evening. He was wakened then by the brother porter and together they read a chapter from The Mystical City of God by María de Agreda. After praying the Divine Office at midnight, he made the Stations and would remain in prayer until the hour of Prime, absorbed in God.

The barefoot friar who walked on water in his extraordinary missionary work was a man of deep humility. More than once he was tortured, beaten, or left for dead. His name, which deserves to be known and his fame spread is Venerable Antonio Margil of Jesus, who titled himself and signed his letters as El Nada Mismo – Nothingness Itself.

“Do not forget your nothingness, no matter what others may do to you. Do not fear, so long as you live, Antonio, any demon greater than that called ‘I.’”

Let us Pray that Venerable Antonio that he may soon be raised to the altars of the most high!

Prayer for the Intercession of Venerable Antonio

O Lord Jesus Christ,
Your apostle Antonio Margil of Jesus,
left his homeland to bring
the Gospel of Salvation to the people
of Mexico and the United States.
He endured every hardship
and pain for love of You.
May You graciously deign
to reward Your servant Antonio
by hastening the day
when he will be raised
to the honour of Blessed and Saint.

We ask that Venerable Antonio Margil
intercede for us before God
by answering this request.
………………………………. (make your request)
Through Christ Our Lord,
Amen

Venerable Antonio Margil of Jesus, Pray for Us!

DOMINICAN OP, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on HERESY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 8 August – Go forth …

Posted on August 8, 2019August 8, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 8 August – The Memorial of St Dominic (1170-1221)

“We must sow
the seed,
not hoard it.”

“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)

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 August – “Upon this rock…”

Posted on August 8, 2019August 8, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 8 August – Thursday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 16:13–23 and The Memorial of St Dominic (1170-1221)

“Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of the netherworld, shall not prevail against it” … Matthew 16:18 upon-this-rock-and the gates of the netherworld matthew-16-18 - 8 aug 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “This was the perplexity of believers in the old time, as we read in the Psalms and Prophets, viz. that the wicked should prosper, while God’s servants seemed to fail and so, in Gospel times. Not that the Church has not this peculiar prerogative with it, which no other religious body has, that as it began with Christ’s first coming, so it will never fail till He comes again.

Nevertheless, for a time, in the course of single generations, nay, I may say, in every age and at all times, it seems to be failing and its enemies to be prevailing. It is the peculiarity of the warfare between the Church and the world, that the world seems ever gaining on the Church, yet the Church is really, ever gaining on the world… Kingdoms rise and fall, nations expand and contract, dynasties begin and end, princes are born and die, confederacies are made and unmade and parties and companies and crafts and guilds and establishments and philosophies and sects and heresies. They have their day but the Church is eternal, yet in their day they seem of much account…

Much there is to try our faith at this moment, who cannot see the future and, therefore, cannot see the short duration of what shows proudly and successfully now. We at this day, see a number of philosophies, sects and parties, thriving and extending and the Church seems poor and helpless… Let us pray God to teach us – we need His teaching, we are very blind. The Apostles on one occasion said to Christ, when His words tried them, “Increase our faith” (Lk 17:5). Let us come to Him honestly, we cannot help ourselves, we do not know ourselves, we need His grace. Whatever perplexity the world gives us… let us come to Him with pure and sincere minds, imploring Him to reveal to us what we know not, to incline our hearts when they are stubborn and to make us love and obey Him honestly while we seek.” … Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Cardinal, Founder of the Oratory in England, Theologian – Sermons on Subjects of the Day, no.6, “ Faith and Experience ” nevertheless for a time in the course of - bl john henry newman on the church the rock 8 aug 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, may holy Mother Church be our guide at all times. May we never stray from the teachings of the Bride of Your divine Son and may she remain always in Your care. May the prayers of Saint Dominic assist us in our day and may his zeal be our inspiration to always fight the good fight. Through Christ our Lord and Saviour, with You and the Holy Spirit, one God for always and forever, amen. st dominic pray for us 8 aug 2019.jpg

QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote of the Day – 7 August – ‘..Give yourself to Him..’

Posted on August 7, 2019August 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 7 August – The Memorial of St Cajetan (1480-1547)

“Do not receive Christ in the Blessed Sacrament
so that you may use Him as you judge best
but give yourself to Him
and let Him receive you in this Sacrament,
so that He Himself, God your Saviour,
may do to you and through you, whatever He wills.”

St Cajetan (1480-1547)

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 August – ‘You raise the stricken, You deliver the shackled.’

Posted on August 7, 2019August 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 7 August – Wednesday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 15:21–28 and The Memorial of St Albert of Trapani O.Carm. (c 1240-1307)

Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. … Matthew 15:28

REFLECTION – “O Loving-kindness, Loving-kindness! do not desert me, an anxious woman. Do not avert Your face from my sobs and cries. May Your charity compel You to hear me patiently. Ah, open your bosom, here I may repose a little and pour out my spirit in Your presence. I am certain that, because of Your goodness and the loving-kindness that is part of Your nature, You do not spurn a desolate woman or disdain an afflicted one. Oh how suitable Your conduct is to those in misery . Oh how agreeable already are the scents of Your perfumes to those almost fainting away.
You raise the stricken, You deliver the shackled (Ps 145[146]:7). You disdain no-one in tribulation, You look upon the needs of all maternally and mercifully. You counsel those in despair with loving-kindness. To everyone’s indigence You bring help most clemently. Ah, now bend Your ear to me, an indigent woman, that I may hold rare discourses with You for the sake of my soul and may receive dear counsel from You.” … Saint Gertrude of Helfta (1256-1301) Benedictine nun Exercises VII, SC 127 matthew 14 28 o woman great is your faith - you rais the stricken st gertrude of helfta 7 aug 2019

PRAYER – Lord God, You gave St Albert of Trapani, to the Church in his day, as lessons in total love, charity and zeal. We pray that he may help us in our times, by his merits, inspiration and prayers. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. st albert of trapani pray for us 7 aug 2019

FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD the FATHER, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The TRANSFIGURATION

Thought for the Day – 6 August – ‘..Today salvation has come to this house.’

Posted on August 6, 2019August 6, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 6 August – Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord – Today’s Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36

It is indeed good to be here, as you have said, Peter. It is good to be with Jesus and to remain here forever. What greater happiness or higher honour could we have than to be with God, to be made like Him and to live in His light?

Therefore, since each of us possesses God in his heart and is being transformed into His divine image, we also should cry out with joy:
It is good for us to be here – here where all things shine with divine radiance, where there is joy and gladness and exultation, where there is nothing in our hearts but peace, serenity and stillness, where God is seen.
For here, in our hearts, Christ takes up His abode together with the Father, saying as

He enters – Today salvation has come to this house.

With Christ, our hearts receive all the wealth of His eternal blessings and there where they are stored up for us in Him, we see reflected as in a mirror both the first fruits and the whole of the world to come.

St Anastasius of Sinai (630-701)

for-here-christ-takes-up-his-abode-transfiguration-homily-st-anastasius-of-sinai-6-aug-2018 and 2019

Fr James Kubicki SJ of the Apostleship of Prayer, shares his own personal experience as a pilgrim, journeying up Mt Tabor, the location traditionally identified with the Feast of the Transfiguration.

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, The TRANSFIGURATION

Quote of the Day – 6 August – Jesus goes before us to show us the way

Posted on August 6, 2019August 6, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 6 August – Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord – Today’s Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36

“Jesus goes before us to show us the way,
both up the mountain and into heaven and —
I speak boldly — it is for us now,
to follow him with all speed . . .
Let us run with confidence and joy
to enter into the cloud like Moses and Elijah,
or like James and John.
Let us be caught up like Peter
to behold the divine vision
and to be transfigured by that glorious transfiguration.
Let us retire from the world,
stand aloof from the earth,
rise above the body,
detach ourselves from creatures
and turn to the Creator,
to whom Peter in ecstasy exclaimed:
‘Lord, it is good for us to be here.’”

Saint Anastasius (died 628)

Hail MARY!, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The ANNUNCIATION, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 August – “Hail Mary”

Posted on August 5, 2019August 5, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 5 August – Monday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of the Dedication of Mary Major

Rejoice, O highly favoured daughter!
The Lord is with thee.

Luke 1:28

“The salvation of the whole world
began with the “Hail Mary.”
Hence, the salvation of each person
is also attached to this prayer.”

St Louise Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 4 August – Where your treasure is….

Posted on August 4, 2019August 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 4 August – Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 12:13–21 and The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” … Luke 12:20-21

“Someone who works frenziedly on Sundays, thinking he is going to earn more money or get more done, is making a mistake in his calculations! Can two or three dollars ever compensate for the harm he does himself by violating the law of God?
You imagine everything depends on your work but then an illness, an accident…! It takes so little: a storm, hail, frost…
Do not work for food that perishes but for that which dwells in eternal life. What will you gain by having worked on Sunday? You leave the land just as it is when you depart, you do not carry anything away.
Our first aim is to go to God, we are not on earth for anything but this!
My brethren, we should die on Sundays and come back to life again on Mondays.
Sunday belongs to God – it is His day, the Day of the Lord.
He made all the days of the week and could have kept them all.
He has given you six of them and has only held back the seventh for himself!”

“All our religion is but a false religion
and all our virtues are mere illusions
and we ourselves are only hypocrites in the sight of God,
if we have not that universal charity for everyone –
for the good and for the bad,
for the poor and for the rich
and for all those who do us harm,
as much as those who do us good.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

QUOTES of the SAINTS, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

Sunday Reflection – 4 August – ‘The Bread of understanding!’

Posted on August 4, 2019August 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 4 August – Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

“And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognised him… but he vanished from their sight.”…Luke 24:30-31

“Before Communion you hear about Jesus Christ and you know Him – you are told of His Cross, of His suffering; doubtless you are affected, are even touched with compassion.

But let these same truths be presented to you after Communion. Oh, how much more deeply your soul is moved! It cannot hear enough, it understands much more perfectly. Before Communion, you contemplate Jesus outside you, now you contemplate Him within you, with His own eyes!

It is the mystery of Emmaus re-enacted. When Jesus taught the two disciples along the way, explaining the Scriptures to them, their faith still wavered, though they felt inwardly some mysterious emotion. But participating in the Fraction of the bread, immediately their eyes were opened and their hearts were like to burst with joy.

The voice of Jesus had not sufficed to reveal His presence to them, they had to feel His Heart, had to be fed with the Bread of understanding!”

St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)
Apostle of the Eucharist

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on MERCY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 August – ‘You who have wealth, recognise who has given you the gifts you have received.’

Posted on August 4, 2019August 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 4 August – Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 12:13–21 and The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” … Luke 12:20-21

REFLECTION – “What am I to do? I will pull down my barns and build larger ones.” Now why did that land bear so well, when it belonged to a man who would make no good use of its fertility? It was to show more clearly the forbearance of God, whose kindness extends even to such people as this. He “sends rain on both the just and the unjust, and makes the sun rise on the wicked and the good alike” (Mt 5:45)… These were God’s blessings towards this rich man – fruitful fields, a temperate climate, abundant sowing, oxen to do the work and everything needful to assure his prosperity. But what do we find in this man? A bitter disposition, hatred of other people, unwillingness to give. This is the return he made to his Benefactor.

He forgot that we all share the same nature, he felt no obligation to distribute his surplus to the needy, he paid no heed to those divine precepts: “Refuse n- one the good on which he has a claim” (Prv 3:27), “Let not kindness and fidelity leave you” (3:3), “Share your bread with the hungry” (Is 58:7). Every prophet, every wise man cried out to him these precepts, yet he turned a deaf ear. His barns were full to bursting point but still his miserly heart was not satisfied… Greed would not permit him to part with anything he possessed and yet, because he had so much, there was no place to store his latest harvest And so he was incapable of making a decision and could find no escape from his anxiety. “What am I to do?” he went on saying. Who would not pity a man so oppressed? His land yields him no profit but only sighs… he laments in the same way as the poor do. What am I to do? How can I find food and clothing?…

You who have wealth, recognise who has given you the gifts you have received. Consider yourself, who you are, what has been committed to your charge, from whom you have received it, why you have been preferred to most other people. You are the servant of the good God, a steward on behalf of your fellow servants… “What am I to do?” It would have been so easy to say – “I will feed the hungry, I will open my barns and call in all the poor… Let anyone who lacks bread come to me. You shall share, each according to need, in the good things God has given me, just as though you were drawing from a common well”. … St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church luke 12 2- but god said fool - you who have wealth - st basil the great 4 august 2019 no 2.jpg

PRAYER – O God, protector of those who hope in You, without Whom nothing has firm foundation, nothing is holy, bestow in abundance Your mercy upon us and grant that, with You as our ruler and guide, we may use the good things that pass, in such a way, as to hold fast even now to those that ever endure. Help us, by St John Vianney’s example and prayers, to win our brethren for Christ by our love and to share with them now and in eternal glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN Saturdays, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The SOCIAL TEACHING of the Church

Quote/s of the Day – 3 August – Marian Gems

Posted on August 3, 2019August 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 3 August – Saturday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Marian Saturdays

Marian Gems

“Mary is so holy
that she is the perfect model
of all the virtues
to all mankind.”

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

“Mary was placed by God
in the centre of history
and we can say,
that everything was made
through her
and with her
and in her.”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Doctor of the Church

“Mary is the divine Page
on which God the Father
wrote the Word of God, His Son.
Let us draw near to her and read her!”

St Albert the Great (1200-1280)
Doctor of the Church

“The single richest treasure in the Vatican is the Rosary.”

Bl Pope Pius IX (1792-1878)

“Her Heart is so loving
that in comparison to it,
the heart of any other mother
is a piece of ice.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“It can be said, that the Rosary is a compendium of our holy religion.”

St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 August – ‘..the archives of truth written in letters of blood…’

Posted on August 3, 2019August 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 August – Saturday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 14:1-12

And his disciples came and took the body and buried it and they went and told Jesus. ... Matthew 14:12

REFLECTION – “Before Pilate, Christ proclaims that he “has come into the world, to bear witness to the truth,” (Jn 18:37). The Christian is not to “be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord,” (2 Tim 1:8). In situations that require witness to the faith, the Christian must profess it without equivocation, after the example of St Paul before his judges. We must keep “a clear conscience toward God and toward men,” (Acts 24:16).

The duty of Christians to take part in the life of the Church impels them to act as witnesses of the Gospel and of the obligations that flow from it. This witness is a transmission of the faith in words and deeds. Witness is an act of justice that establishes the truth or makes it known: “All Christians by the example of their lives and the witness of their word, wherever they live, have an obligation to manifest the new man which they have put on in Baptism and to reveal the power of the Holy Spirit by whom they were strengthened at Confirmation” (Vatican II).

Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith – it means bearing witness even unto death. the martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is united by charity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude… The Church has painstakingly collected the records of those who persevered to the end in witnessing to their faith. These are the acts of the Martyrs. They form the archives of truth written in letters of blood…:

“I bless You for having judged me worthy from this day and this hour to be counted among Your martyrs…. You have kept Your promise, God of faithfulness and truth. For this reason and for everything, I praise You, I bless You, I glorify You through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son” (St. Polycarp) … CCC #2471-2474 lord god you have considered me worth - st polycarp - prayer before martyrdom 9 july 2019

PRAYER – Almighty God, teach us to bear witness to Christ, Your only-begotten Son, who died for our sins. May each moment of our lives radiate the truth of the Word, Christ our Lord. Through the intercession of our holy Mother, the Channel of all Graces, may our strength be such, that we would bear witness even unto death. We make our prayer, through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. mary channel of grace - pray for us - 30 may 2018.jpg

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 3 August- Peter and Peter

Posted on August 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 3 August – Friday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of St Peter Faber SJ (1506-1546) and St Peter Julian Eymard SSS (1811-1868) “Apostle of the Eucharist”

“Seek grace for the smallest things,
and you will find grace to accomplish,
to believe in,
and to hope for,
the greatest things.
Attend to the smallest things,
examine them,
think about putting them into effect,
and the Lord will grant you greater.”

St Peter Faber (1506-1546)

“Eucharistic adoration is the greatest of actions.
To adore is to share the life of Mary on earth
when she adored the Word Incarnate in her virginal womb,
when she adored Him in the Crib,
on Calvary,
in the divine Eucharist.”

“Eucharistic Adoration
is the greatest
act of holiness on earth.”

St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD the FATHER, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on TRUTH, SAINT of the DAY, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 August – ‘He is true God…’

Posted on August 2, 2019August 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 August – Friday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 13:54–58 and The Memorial of St Eusebius of Vercelli (c 283-371)

Is not this the carpenter’s son?…And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.…Matthew 13:55,58

REFLECTION – “For if I do not understand the nature placed at my service, I discern Your goodness from the mere fact that it is there to serve me. I perceive that I do not even understand myself but I wonder at You all the more… You have given me intellect, life and human feeling, the source of so many joys, yet I do not begin to understand how I began to be…
So it is through failing to understand what surrounds me, that I grasp what You are and it is through perceiving what You are, that I come to adore You. That is why, in what concerns Your mysteries, my incomprehension, lessens not a bit my faith in Your omnipotence… Your eternal Son’s birth exceeds even the idea of eternity, it is prior to the times everlasting. Before any other thing that exists, He was Son proceeding from You, O God and Father. He is true God… You have never existed without Him… Before ever time was, You are the eternal Father of Your Sole Begotten One.”…St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Doctor of the Church is-not-this-the-carpenters-son-matthew-13-5558-st-hilary-so-it-is-through-failing-to-understand-3-aug-2018.and 2 aug 2019jpg

PRAYER – “So long as I enjoy that breath of life granted to me by You, Holy Father, Almighty God, I will proclaim You as God eternal but also as Father eternal. Never will I set myself up as judge of Your almighty power and mysteries, never will I set my limited understanding before the true appreciation of Your infinity, never will I claim You to have existed beforehand without Your Wisdom, Power and Word, God the Only-Begotten, my Lord Jesus Christ. For even though human language is weak and imperfect when it speaks of You, this will not inhibit my mind, to the point of reducing my faith to silence, for lack of words, able to express the mystery of Your being…” (St Hilary) Lord God, You hold out the light of Your Word to those who do not know You. Strengthen in our hearts the faith You have given us, so that no trials may quench the fire Your Spirit kindled within us . Grant that the prayers of St Eusebius of Vercelli, may assist us to grow in love of You. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. st eusebius of vercelli pray for us 2 aug 2019

DOCTORS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, HYMNS, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, St PETER!

Thought for the Day – 1 August – ‘Upon this rock I will build my Church!’

Posted on August 1, 2019August 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 1 August – Thursday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Feast of St Peter in Chains

Homily of St Augustine

Peter alone among the Apostles was accounted worthy to hear – A – men I say to thee, that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church. Worthy indeed was he, to be the foundation-stone, the supporting pillar, the key to the kingdom, in building up the peoples into the house of God. Concerning this, the divine word says – And they laid, it says, their sick, that when Peter passed by, his shadow at the least might fall on them. If at that time the shadow of his body could give aid, how much more now can the fullness of his power? If a mere breath of air from him, as he passed by, was of such benefit to suppliants, how much more his favour now that he remains steadfast? With good reason is the iron of those Penal chains held throughout all the churches of Christ to be more precious than gold.

If the shadow of him who visited was so potent to cure, how much more the chains of him who binds? If even the mere appearance of an empty image could have the force of healing in it, how much more healthfulness should the chains, with which he suffered, whose iron weight had pressed upon his sacred members, deserve to draw forth from his body? If he was so mighty to help his suppliants before his martyrdom, how much more must he avail after his triumph?

Happy those bonds, which by touching the Apostle rendered him a Martyr and so from manacles and fetters themselves were changed into a crown! Happy chains, which brought their prisoner even unto the cross of Christ, not so much for condemnation as for consecration!

Jesus said to His disciples – Who do men say that the Son of Man is? Peter answered and said – Thou art Christ, the son of the living God. And I say to thee – that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church! the chains of st peter hymn 1 aug 2019.jpg

Hymn
The Chains of Saint Peter

How blessed is the force of prayer!
Eager for Peter’s fate,
Thy soldiers, Herod, bound him fast,
And watch’d before the gate.

But Jesus has His soldiers, too,
They also vigils keep,
They watch to prayer, while Peter rests
In faith composed in sleep.

And Jesus other soldiers has,
Responsive to the call
Of prayer His holy angels come,
Sent by the Lord of all.

Prayer brought an angel down from heaven,
Sentries and bars are vain,
With heavenly light the prison shines,
Unlocked is Peter’s chain.

St Peter, Pray for Us!

DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYER WARRIORS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 1 August – St Alphonsus Liguori on Prayer

Posted on August 1, 2019August 2, 2021 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 1 August – Thursday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

“Were you to ask,
‘what are the means of overcoming temptations’,
I would answer:
the first means is prayer,
the second is prayer,
the third is prayer
and should you ask me a thousand times,
I would repeat the same.”

“Know also that you will probably gain more
by praying fifteen minutes
before the Blessed Sacrament
than by all the other spiritual exercises of the day.
True, Our Lord hears our prayers anywhere,
for He has made the promise, ‘Ask, and you shall receive,’
but He has revealed to His servants,
that those who visit Him in the Blessed Sacrament
will obtain a more abundant measure of grace.”

“Without prayer,
we have neither light nor strength,
to advance in the way which leads to God.”

“He who prays most receives most.”

“Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus
in the Blessed Sacrament
is the greatest, after the sacraments,
the one dearest to God
and the one most helpful to us.”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 1 August – “Thus it will be at the end of the age.”

Posted on August 1, 2019August 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 1 August – Thursday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 13:47–53 and the Memorial of St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

“Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” … Matthew 13:49-50 matthew 13 49-50 thus it will be at the end of the age - 1 aug 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “St Augustine and St Thomas define mortal sin to be a turning away from God – that is, the turning of one’s back upon God, leaving the Creator for the sake of the creature.
What punishment would that subject deserve who, while his king was giving him a command, contemptuously turned his back upon him to go and transgress his orders?
This is what the sinner does and this is punished in hell with the pain of loss,
that is, the loss of God, a punishment richly deserved by him who in this life turns his back upon his sovereign good.” … St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church st-augustine-and-st-thomas-define-mortal-sin-st-alphonsus-1-aug-2017.jpg

PRAYER – Almighty God and Father, grant us this day the grace to live in Your light and follow your precepts. Desert us not in our temptations but grant us Your strength against the power of the evil one. May our deeds be ever true to Your commandments and our thoughts pleasing in Your sight. May the pattern and prayers of St Alphonsus be an inspiration on our way. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen. st alphonsus liguori pray for us - 1 august 2018.jpg

JESUIT SJ, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 31 July – Wisdom of St Ignatius

Posted on July 31, 2019July 31, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 31 July – The Memorial of St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“We must speak to God as a friend speaks to his friend,
servant to his master – now asking some favour,
now acknowledging our faults
and communicating to Him all that concerns us,
our thoughts, our fears, our projects,
our desires and in all things seeking His counsel.”

“If our church is not marked by caring for the poor,
the oppressed, the hungry, we are guilty of heresy.”

“What seems to me white,
I will believe black,
if the hierarchical Church,
so defines.”

“If God gives you an abundant harvest of trials,
it is a sign of great holiness which He desires you to attain.
Do you want to become a great saint?
Ask God to send you many sufferings.
The flame of Divine Love never rises higher than when fed
with the wood of the Cross, which the infinite charity
of the Saviour used to finish His sacrifice.
All the pleasures of the world are nothing compared
with the sweetness found in the gall and vinegar offered to
Jesus Christ. That is, hard and painful things endured
for Jesus Christ and with Jesus Christ…..If God causes you
to suffer much, it is a sign that He certainly
intends to make you a saint.”

“Go forth and set the world on fire.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, franciscan OFM, JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SACRAMENTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 31 July – Where your treasure is…

Posted on July 31, 2019July 31, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 31 July – Wednesday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 13:44-46 and The Memorial of St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field” … Matthew 13:44

REFLECTION – “Christ is the treasure store of all grace for He is “filled with grace and truth” (Jn 1:14) and angels and humans receive from His fullness. He possesses the very source of fullness and, when He opens His hand, He fills all rational creatures with blessings. But this treasure store of graces, is concealed beneath the veil of the sacrament of the altar. Is it not true that “the Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field”? (Mt 13:44). And is not the field, in this case, the sacrament of the body of Christ, gathered in the fields? In this field we possess a hidden treasure because all kinds of graces are hidden there. “The man who discovered it went away in his joy, sold all he possessed and bought it” (Mt 13:44). Someone who knows the wealth of this sacrament willingly renounces all other activity, to freely give himself to participation and devotion towards this sacrament. He knows he will gain possession of eternal life according to the words of the Lord: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (Jn 6:55).
The treasure of all glory exists in Christ. All the glory, possessed by both angels and men, who are to be saved until the day of judgement, whether it be glory of body or glory of soul, is drawn from that store of treasure. For that store is He, the one whose treasures go to great depths and who set the incomprehensible limits of His glory. And so, He commands us to run to this treasure when He says: “Gather up treasure for yourselves in heaven” (Mt 6:20). This treasure is hidden beneath the veil of bread and wine that you might have the merit of faith.
So may the Lord be praised for His mercies since He represented His Body to us beforehand under the image of heavenly treasure!” … St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Doctor of the Church matthew 13 44 the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure - the treasure of all glory exists in christ st bonaventure 31 july 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Almighty God, grant that the example of Your saints may spur us on to perfection, so that we, who are celebrating the feast of St Ignatius, may follow him step-by-step in his way of life to reach You in heaven. Grant us the grace, by his intercession, to find our treasure in Your divine Son, through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for always and forever, amen. st-ignatius loyola -pray-for-us-2-31-july-2017 2018 2019.jpg

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 30 July – Let your Heart be an Altar, our universal Priesthood

Posted on July 30, 2019July 30, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 30 July – The Memorial of St Peter Chrysologus “Golden Words” (c 400-450) Father & Doctor

Present your Bodies as a Living Sacrifice

Let your Heart be an Altar

Saint Peter Chrysologus

From a Sermon

I appeal to you by the mercy of God.

This appeal is made by Paul, or rather, it is made by God through Paul, because of God’s desire to be loved rather than feared, to be a father rather than a Lord. God appeals to us in His mercy to avoid having to punish us in His severity.

Listen to the Lord’s appeal.
In Me, I want you to see your own body, your members, your heart, your bones, your blood. You may fear what is divine but why not love what is human?
You may run away from Me as the Lord but, why not run to Me, as your Father?

Perhaps you are filled with shame for causing My bitter passion. Do not be afraid. This cross inflicts a mortal injury, not on me but on Death.
These nails no longer pain Me but only deepen your love for Me.
I do not cry out because of these wounds but through them, I draw you into My heart.
My body was stretched on the cross as a symbol, not of how much I suffered but of My all-embracing love.
I count it no less to shed my blood – it is the price I have paid for your ransom.
Come, then, return to Me and learn to know Me as your Father, who repays good for evil, love for injury and boundless charity for piercing wounds.

Listen now to what the Apostle urges us to do. I appeal to you, he says, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. By this exhortation of his, Paul has raised all men to priestly status. How marvellous is the priesthood of the Christian, for he is both the victim that is offered on his own behalf and the priest who makes the offering. He does not need to go beyond himself to seek what he is to immolate to God – with himself and in himself, he brings the sacrifice he is to offer God for himself. The victim remains and the priest remains, always one and the same. Immolated, the victim still lives, the priest who immolates cannot kill. Truly it is an amazing sacrifice in which a body is offered without being slain and blood is offered without being shed.
The Apostle says – I appeal to you by the mercy of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.
Brethren, this sacrifice follows the pattern of Christ’s sacrifice by which He gave His body as a living immolation for the life of the world. He really made His body a living sacrifice, because, though slain, He continues to live. In such a victim death receives its ransom but the victim remains alive. Death itself suffers the punishment. This is why death for the martyrs is actually a birth and their end a beginning. Their execution is the door to life and those who were thought to have been blotted out from the earth shine brilliantly in heaven.
Paul says: I appeal to you by the mercy of God to present your bodies as a sacrifice, living and holy. The prophet said the same thing – Sacrifice and offering You did not desire but You have prepared a body for me.

Each of us is called to be both a sacrifice to God and His priest. Do not forfeit what divine authority confers on you. Put on the garment of holiness, gird yourself with the belt of chastity. Let Christ be your helmet, let the cross on your forehead be your unfailing protection. Your breastplate should be the knowledge of God that He Himself has given you. Keep burning continually the sweet smelling incense of prayer. Take up the sword of the Spirit. Let your heart be an altar. Then, with full confidence in God, present your body for sacrifice. God desires not death but, faith. God thirsts not for blood but, for self-surrender. God is appeased not by slaughter but, by the offering, of your free will.

Saint Peter Chrysologus, Pray for Us!

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 30 July -From Golden Words and St Maria de Jesus

Posted on July 30, 2019July 30, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 30 July – The Memorial of St Peter Chrysologus “Golden Words” (c 400-450) Father & Doctor and St Maria de Jesus Sacramentado(1868-1959)

“A gentle maiden
having lodged
a God in her womb,
asks as its price,
peace for the world,
salvation for those who are lost
and life for the dead.”

“He is The Bread sown in the virgin,
leavened in the Flesh,
moulded in His Passion,
baked in the furnace of the Sepulchre,
placed in the Churches
and set upon the Altars,
which daily supplies Heavenly Food to the faithful.”

“For he who touches
the Body of Christ unworthily,
receives his damnation.”

“We exhort you, in every respect, honourable brother,
to heed obediently what has been written
by the Most Blessed Pope of the City of Rome;
for Blessed Peter, who lives and presides in his own see,
provides the truth of faith to those who seek it.”

“The poor stretch out the hand
but God receives what is offered.”

St Peter Chrysologus “Golden Words”
(c 400-450) Father & Doctor

“Those who are merciful
with the needy of the world
will not lack God’s mercy.”

“The weight of the cross
is burdensome
for those carrying it
but not, for those,
who embrace it.”

	Santas e Santos do d… on Notre-Dame-des-Tables / Our La…
	Santas e Santos do d… on Nuestra Señora de la Palabra /…
	MAIN SAINTS & TH… on Saint of the Day – 23 Fe…
	moinillon on Quote/s of the Day – 29 Decemb…
	Santo Aelredus dari… on Saint of the Day – 12 Ja…

Share this:

St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

St Clare’s Last Words

Share this:

Share this:

“Come. You have my Father’s blessing! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you”

St Lawrence, Pray for Us!

Share this:

St Lawrence (Died 258)

Share this:

Share this:

St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Share this:

Share this:

Venerable Antonio Margil of Jesus, Pray for Us!

Share this:

St Dominic (1170-1221)

Share this:

Share this:

St Cajetan (1480-1547)

Share this:

Share this:

St Anastasius of Sinai (630-701)

Share this:

Saint Anastasius (died 628)

Share this:

Luke 1:28

St Louise Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

Share this:

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Share this:

St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868) Apostle of the Eucharist

Share this:

Share this:

Marian Gems

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

St Bernard (1090-1153) Doctor of the Church

St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church

Bl Pope Pius IX (1792-1878)

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

Share this:

Share this:

St Peter Faber (1506-1546)

St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)

Share this:

Share this:

Homily of St Augustine

St Peter, Pray for Us!

Share this:

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

Share this:

Share this:

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Share this:

Share this:

Present your Bodies as a Living Sacrifice

Let your Heart be an Altar

Saint Peter Chrysologus

Saint Peter Chrysologus, Pray for Us!

Share this:

St Peter Chrysologus “Golden Words” (c 400-450) Father & Doctor

St Maria de Jesus Sacramentado (1868-1959)

Share this:

“Come. You have my Father’s blessing!
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you”

St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)
Apostle of the Eucharist

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

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Doctor of the Church

St Albert the Great (1200-1280)
Doctor of the Church

St Peter Chrysologus “Golden Words”
(c 400-450) Father & Doctor