Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The REDEMPTION

Thought for the Day – 27 November – The Salvation of Souls

Thought for the Day –27 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Salvation of Souls

“We have only to look around us to realise the sad state of the greater part of human society.
Men may be divided into three principal categories – the evil, the indifferent and the good.
The evil are very numerous.
The Holy Spirit tells us that the number of fools is infinite (Eccles 1:15).
Now, the greatest and most real folly, is sin because, sin offends God, our supreme good, our Creator and Redeemer and because, it endangers the salvation of the soul.
Nevertheless, countless sins are committed.
There is an immense number of people who commit sin not merely through human frailty but who have abandoned God absolutely by denying or insulting Him and by striving to eradicate Him from the consciousness of their fellow-men.
Their God is themselves!

The second group is that of the indifferent, those for whom God, religion and the supernatural are quite unimportant.
They are content to lead materialistic lives without any thought of eternity.
It is enough for them to be able to live, make money and to enjoy themselves.
Nothing else matters.
Their God is the world and its goods!
The number of such people is increasing at an alarming rate.

Lastly, there are the good people who desire to become more and more perfect.
Unfortunately, there are very few of these now and one would like to see them displaying greater generosity and enthusiasm for the salvation of those around them.

To which group do you belong?
Perhaps you have not yet made up your mind completely to dedicate yourself to the pursuit of sanctity?
Perhaps you are still wavering between the alternatives of good and evil?
Anyone who remains inactive, becomes an accomplish!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 7 July – The Salvation of Souls

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

The Salvation of Souls

We have only to look around us to realise the sad state of the greater part of human society.
Men may be divided into three principal categories – the evil, the indifferent and the good.

The evil are very numerous.
The Holy Spirit tells us that the number of fools is infinite (Eccles 1:15).
Now, the greatest and most real folly, is sin because, sin offends God, our supreme good, our Creator and Redeemer and because, it endangers the salvation of the soul.
Nevertheless, countless sins are committed.
There is an immense number of people who commit sin not merely through human frailty but who have abandoned God absolutely by denying or insulting Him and by striving to eradicate Him from the consciousness of their fellow-men.
Their God is themselves!

The second group is that of the indifferent, those for whom God, religion and the supernatural are quite unimportant.
They are content to lead materialistic lives without any thought of eternity.
It is enough for them to be able to live, make money and to enjoy themselves.
Nothing else matters.
Their God is the world and its goods!
The number of such people is increasing at an alarming rate.

Lastly, there are the good people who desire to become more and more perfect.
Unfortunately, there are very few of these now and one would like to see them displaying greater generosity and enthusiasm for the salvation of those around them.

To which group do you belong?
Perhaps you have not yet made up your mind completely to dedicate yourself to the pursuit of sanctity?
Perhaps you are still wavering between the alternatives of good and evil?
Anyone who remains inactive, becomes an accomplish!

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on DOUBT, QUOTES on FAITH

One Minute Reflection – 12 October – ‘ … Every new doubt is for me, new reason to believe.’ Luke 11:29 The Sign of Jonah

One Minute Reflection – 12 October – Monday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 4:22-2426-27315:1Psalms 113:1-23-45 and 6-7Luke 11:29-32 and the Feast of Our Lady Aparecida, Our Lady Who Appeared

“This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign but no sign will be given to it, except the sign of Jonah.” … Luke 11:29

REFLECTION – “Bad christians lack faith and do not deny it but they claim to be excused, in that they have no reasons for believing. Because of this there is nothing as common as this speech in the mouths of many people: “If I had witnessed a miracle I should be a saint!” “Evil and unfaithful generation! It seeks a sign!” (Mt 12:39). The wicked look for signs.

What is even more remarkable about this, is that, even though they have seen many taking place daily before their eyes, even though they are, so to speak, entirely surrounded, they never stop looking for more like the scribes and Pharisees; they would like to see them in heaven when they have seen them on earth. But neither the dead raised up during the life of the Saviour, nor the eclipse of the sun at death, make them believers; their envy becomes stronger, their hatred more malicious; each goes as far as raging, yet their unbelief is not healed by it. It used to be like this regarding those who, living badly, wait for miracles in order to believe: “They will not be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead” (Lk 16:31). (…)

All the difficulties that halt unbelievers, all the contradictions they encounter in the dogmas of faith, everything they find apparent contradiction, everything that seems new to them, surprising, contrary to common sense, contrary to reason, inconceivable, impossible, all their arguments, all their so-called demonstrations, all of this, far from shaking me, strengthens me even more, makes me immovable in my religion. (…) Every new doubt is for me, new reason to believe.” … St Claude de la Colombière (1641-1682) “Apostle of Sacred Heart” Christian Reflections

PRAYER – “Dear Lord! It is just when I am in the world
that I have most need of You
because You know it is full of snares
that the devil has set for me.
You must hold my hand, dear Lord,
if You will not abandon me.
A little of the world is not bad for me;
it is even good, for it teaches me how small it is
and I feel the greater happiness
when I come back to You.
But that I may surely do so,
You must only loose Your hold a little,
that it may not try me too far,
You must not entirely leave hold.
Do You see dear Lord?
I wish to clasp Your hand – do not refuse me!” (I Wish to Clasp Your Hand – Do Not Refuse Me! – Prayer of Eugene de Ferronays) Our Lady Aparecida, Pray for Us!

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 November – I will have no Lord but You

One Minute Reflection – 6 November – Wednesday of the Thirty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

“If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple…” … Luke 14:26if anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother  - luke 14 26 6 nov 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “O my God, though I am not fit to see or touch You yet, still I will ever come within Your reach and desire that which is not yet given me in its fullness.   O my Saviour, You shall be my sole God! – I will have no Lord but You.  I will break to pieces all idols in my heart which rival You.   I will have nothing but Jesus and Him Crucified.   It shall be my life to pray to You, to offer myself to You, to keep You before me, to worship You in Your holy Sacrifice and to surrender myself to You in Holy Communion.  Amen.” —– St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)o my god though i am not fit to see or touch you yet - st john henry newman 6 nov 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Holy God and Father, You sent Your Son to show us the way to our eternal home.   Teach us always to understand that by relinquishing the things of this world and focusing our efforts only on following the Light He shines on our path, we may attain the eternal victory.   May the prayers of Your our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, assist us in carrying our cross after Hi  m. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.holy mother mary pray for us 16 jan 2019.jpg

Posted in QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, SPEAKING of ....., The LAST THINGS

Quote/s of the Day – 26 October

Quote/s of the Day – 26 October

Speaking of: The Four Last Things – Part One

“A priest goes to Heaven
or a priest goes to Hell
with a thousand people behind.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)a priest goes to heaven - st john vianney - 26 oct 2018

“The issue is now clear.
It is between light and darkness
and every one must choose his side.”

G K Chesterton (1874-1936)
(Chesterton’s last words)the issue is now clear - g k chesterton - 26 oct 2018

“The doors of Hell
are locked from the inside!”

C S Lewis (1898-1963)the doors of hell are locked from the inside - c s lewis - 26 oct 2018

“Each and everyone of us,
at the end of the
journey of life,
will come,
face to face
with either one
or the other
of two faces…
And one of them,
either, the
merciful face of Christ
or the
miserable face of Satan,
will say,
“Mine, mine.”

May we be Christ’s!”

Ven Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)each and everyone of us - ven fulton sheen - 26 oct 2018

“We’ve all got a terminal illness.
It’s called life.”

Servant of God Fr Benedict Groeschel (1933-2014)we've all got a terminal illness - sog benedict groeschel - 26 oct 2018

“The national anthem
of Hell is
“I Did It My Way”.”

Peter Kreeftthe national anthem of hell is i did it my way - peter kreeft - 26 oct 2018

“Many who plan
to seek God
at the eleventh hour
die at 10:30.”

Bumper Stickermany who plan to seek god at the 11th hour die at 10.30 - 26 oct 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on TRUTH, SPEAKING of .....

Quote/s of the Day – 8 May – Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide

Quote/s of the Day – 8 May – Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Eastertide

Speaking of: Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) Seeking Gilbert Keith, Part Two ……

English Catholic Convert, writer, poet, philosopher, dramatist, journalist, orator, lay theologian, biographer, and literary and art critic. Chesterton is often referred to as the “prince of paradox” (Part One – https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/quote-s-of-the-day-18-april-wednesday-of-the-third-week-of-eastertide/)

“Among the rich you will never find,
a really generous man even by accident.
They may give their money away
but they will never give themselves away,
they are egotistic, secretive, dry as old bones.
To be smart enough to get all that money,
you must be dull enough to want it.”

A Miscellany of Men, 1912among the rich you will never find - g k chesterton - seeking chesterton part two - 8 may 2018

“To have a right to do a thing,
is not at all the same,
as to be right in doing it.”

A Short History of England, 1917to have a right to do a thing - g k - seeking chesterton part two - 8 may 2018

“Once abolish the God
and the government
becomes the God.”

Christendom in Dublin, 1933once abolish the god - seeking g k chesterton part tow - 8 may 2018

“If there were no God,
there would be no atheists.”

Illustrated London News, Where All Roads Lead, 1922if there were no god - g k chesterton - seeking chesterton part two - 8 may 2018

“There are those who hate Christianity
and call their hatred
an all-embracing love for all religions.”

Illustrated London News, 1906

“These are the days,
when the Christian is expected,
to praise every creed except his own.”

Illustrated London News, 1928these are the days & there are those who hate - seeking chesterton part two - 8 may 2018

“A Catholic is a person,
who has plucked up courage,
to face the incredible and inconceivable idea,
that something else may be wiser than he is.”

The Surrender on Sex, 1934a catholic is a person - seeking chesterton - part two - 8 may 2018

“Chastity does not mean abstention from sexual wrong;
it means something flaming, like Joan of Arc.
In a word, God paints in many colours;
but he never paints so gorgeously,
I had almost said so gaudily, as when He paints in white.
In a sense our age has realised this fact
and expressed it in our sullen costume.
For if it were really true that white
was a blank and colourless thing,
negative and non-committal, then white would be used,
instead of black and grey for the funereal dress
of this pessimistic period.
Which is not the case.”

“Tremendous Trifles” 1909

Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936)chastity does not mean - g k chesterton - seeking chesterton part two - 8 may 2018