Our Morning Offering – 26 March – Tuesday in Passion Week
This is My Joy, To Follow My Saviour A Prayer to Seek the Consolation of the Cross By St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)
Jesus, love of my soul, centre of my heart! Why am I not more eager to endure pains and tribulations for love of Thee, when Thou, my God, have suffered so many for me? Come, then, every sort of trial in the world, for this is my delight, to suffer for Jesus. This is my joy, to follow my Saviour and to find my consolation with my Consoler on the Cross. This is my happiness, this my pleasure – to live with Jesus, to walk with Jesus, to converse with Jesus, to suffer with and for Him, this is my treasure! Amen
To Thee, O Jesus, Hosanna! By St Bonaventure (1217-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
To Thee, O Jesus, do I turn, as my true and last end. Thou art the River of Life which alone can satisfy my thirst. Without Thee, all else is barren and void. Without all else, Thou alone art enough for me. Thou art the Redeemer of those that are lost, the sweet Consoler of the sorrowful, the Crown of Glory of the victors, the recompense of the Blessed. One day I hope to receive of Thy Fullness and to sing the song of praise, in my true home. Give me only on earth, some few drops of consolation and I will patiently await Thy Coming, when I hope to enter into the joy of my Lord. Hosanna!
Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 21 March – Thursday of Passion Week – Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“He asked life of Thee, Thou hast given him length of days, forever and ever.” Psalm 20:5
“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” Matthew 19:29
Seek for Nothing!
By St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
“Seek for nothing, desiring to enter for love of Jesus, with detachment, emptiness and poverty in everything in this world. You will never have to do with necessities greater than those to which you made your heart yield itself – for the poor in spirit are most happy and joyful in a state of privation and he, who has set his heart on nothing, finds satisfaction everywhere.
The poor in spirit (Mt 5:3) give generously all they have and their pleasure consists in being thus deprived of everything for God’s sake and out of love for their neighbour … Not only do temporal goods – the delights and tastes of the senses – hinder and thwart the way of God but, spiritual delights and consolations also, if sought for or clung to eagerly, disturb the way of virtue.” – (Spiritual maxims, nos. 352, 355,356, 364; 1693 Edition).
One Minute Reflection – 4 March – St Casimir (1458-1484) Confessor, Prince – 4 Kings 5:1-15; Luke 12:35-40 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
There were many widows in Israel” – Luke 4:25
REFLECTION – “My wretched soul is naked and cold and benumbed, it longs to warm itself at the fIre of Your love… Out of my wide wilderness and the great emptiness of my heart, I have collected only these few tiny twigs, like the widow of Sarepta; so that, when I do come to the tabernacle of my house, I may have a handful of flour and a vessel of oil to eat before I die (1 Kgs 17:10). Or maybe, Lord, I shall not die as quickly as all that! It may be rather that “I shall not die at all but live and declare the works of the Lord” (Ps 117:17).
So I stand in the house of solitude… I open my mouth in Your direction, Lord; I breathe in the Spirit. And sometimes, Lord,… You do put something in my heart’s mouth but You do not permit me to know just what it is. A savour I perceive, so sweet, so gracious and so comforting that… I should seek nothing more. But when I receive this thing, neither by bodily sight, nor by spiritual sense, nor by understanding of the mind, do You allow me to discern what it is. When I receive it, then I want to keep it, and think about it and assess its flavour but forthwith, it has gone… But every time this happens I hear the Lord say to me: “The Spirit blows whither he will. ” And I know, even in myself, that He breathes not, when I will but when He Himself wills…
I know that it is to You alone, O Fount of Life, that I must lift up my eyes, that “in your light I may see light” (Ps 35:10). Towards You, then, Lord, are all things turned… But in the meantime, Lord, how much longer are You going to put me off? How often must my wretched, harassed, gasping soul trail after You? “Hide me,” I beseech you, “in the secret place of Your Face away from the troubles of men, protect me in Your tabernacle from the strife of conguest!” (Ps 30:21).” – William of Saint-Thierry (c 1085-1148) Cistercian Monk, Theologian (The Contemplation of God 12).
PRAYER – O God, Who strengthened St Casimir with the virtue of steadfastness amid the luxuries of a Royal Court and the allurements of the world, we beseech Thee that through his intercession, Thy faithful may treat earthly things as naught and ever aspire to those of Heaven. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Quote/s of the Day – 11 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – Within the Octave of Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6, Matthew 2:1-12
“And seeing the Star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”
Matthew 2:10
“Faith in Jesus and in the power of His Holy Name is the greatest spiritual force in the world today. It is a source of joy and inspiration in our youth; of strength in our manhood, when only His Holy Name and His grace, can enable us to overcome temptation; of hope, consolation and confidence at the hour of our death, when more than ever before, we realise, that the meaning of Jesus is ‘Lord, the Saviour.’ We should bow in reverence to His Name and submission to His Holy Will.”
Bl Henry Suso OP (1290-1365)
“Should everything turn upside down, I do not say around us but within us, that is to say, should our soul be sad, happy, in sweetness, in bitterness, peaceful, troubled, in light, in darkness, in temptation, in rest, in enjoyment, in disgust, in dryness, in gentleness, should the sun burn it or the dew refresh it, ah! this point of our heart, our spirit, our higher will, which is our compass, should, nevertheless, always and at all times, turn unceasingly, tend perpetually towards the love of God!”
Quote/s of the Day – 16 December – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Matthew 16:24-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
Seeking St John of the Cross
“For he who will save his life, will lose it and he who will lose his life for My sake, will find it. ”
Matthew 16:25
“The one who walks in the love of God seeks neither gain nor reward but seeks only, with the will, to lose self and all things, for God and this loss, the lover judges to be a gain! ”
“O you souls who wish to go on with so much safety and consolation, if you knew how pleasing to God, is suffering and how much it helps, in acquiring other good things, you would never seek consolation in anything; but. you would rather look upon it, as a great happiness, to bear the Cross of the Lord.”
“The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light!”
“Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world, disturb it.”
“Happiness is not a destination, it is a method of travel.”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
Thought for the Day – 14 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Consolation from God
“Even men and other creatures, have some power to comfort and console us. The comfort which we receive from them, however, cannot completely satisfy our hearts which were made for God alone. Such consolations, as they can give are short-lived and vanish like snow beneath the sun.
What can men or other worldly creatures give us? They can give us material wealth but this often turns out to be troublesome and vexatious and is too much inferior to the greatness of the human soul, to be able to satisfy it. Worldly honour can intoxicate our pride and self-conceit for a little while but this state of inebriation cannot last very long. We know too well that we are what we are in the sight of God and nothing more. The praise and flattery of other men adds nothing to our statue and only serves as an incentive to idle vanity. Then, there are worldly pleasures, some of which are healthy and commendable but how long do thy last? They are like flowers which open there petals to the morning air and fold them again in the evening. There are unhealthy pleasures too; not only are these passing and perishable like all created things but, they leave behind a sense of nausea and remorse!
Let us seek, before all other joys, the consolation of God. These do not decrease as life goes on but, last forever and are completed in the next life.”
Our Morning Offering – 28 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
Daily Prayer to the Most Holy Name By St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444) Apostle of the Most Holy Name
Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love and strength! Thou art the Refuge of those who repent, our Banner of warfare in this life, the Medicine of souls, the Comfort of those who mourn, the Delight of those who believe, the Light of those who preach the true faith, the Wages of those who toil, the Cure of the sick. To Thou, our devotion aspires; by Thee, our prayers are received; we delight in contemplating Thee. O Name of Jesus, Thou art the glory of all the Saints for eternity. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 14 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – St Callistus I (c218- c223) Confessor, Pope, Martyr (and remembering St Bernard our Pilgrim today) – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11, Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. ”
Matthew 16:16
“The fruits of the earth are not brought to perfection immediately but by time, rain and care. Similarly, the fruits of men ripen through ascetic practice, study, time, perseverance, self-control and patience.”
St Anthony Abbot (251-356)
“No-one should fear to suffer for the sake of justice, no-one should lose confidence in the reward that has been promised. The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death. Christ has taken on Himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then, we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won, we receive what He has promised.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Now, you must always persevere in firmly placing all your trust in our Lord, in the troublesome business you have in hand. It will give you a fine opportunity of laying a good foundation of submission to God’s will and peace of soul.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“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!”
“We should also have great confidence in the continual assistance which God offers us in the temptations, troubles and trials of life. When pain torments us, when humiliations are difficult to bear, when all is dark. we fear each moment and we feel abandoned, let us trust in Him, Who is the Way, the Truth and Life. He says to us, as He said to Peter floundering in the waves: “O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?” (Mt 14:31). He is always ready to console and comfort. He is always there waiting for our call. We are not alone!”
Our Morning Offering – 14 September – “Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” and the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
This is My Joy, To Follow My Saviour A Prayer to Seek the Consolation of the Cross By St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)
Jesus, love of my soul, centre of my heart! Why am I not more eager to endure pains and tribulations for love of Thee, when Thou, my God, have suffered so many for me? Come, then, every sort of trial in the world, for this is my delight, to suffer for Jesus. This is my joy, to follow my Saviour and to find my consolation with my Consoler on the Cross. This is my happiness, this my pleasure – to live with Jesus, to walk with Jesus, to converse with Jesus, to suffer with and for Him, this is my treasure! Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 11 September – “Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – St Protus and St Hyacinth (Died c257) Brother Martyrs – Wisdom 3:1-8, Luke 21:9-19 – Scripture search here:
“And you shall be hated by all men, for My Name’s sake.”
Luke 21:17
“The fruits of the earth are not brought to perfection immediately but by time, rain and care. Similarly, the fruits of men ripen through ascetic practice, study, time, perseverance, self-control and patience.”
St Anthony Abbot (251-356)
“The Saints must be honoured as friends of Christ and children and heirs of God. Let us carefully observe the manner of life of all the Apostles, Martyrs, Ascetics and just men, who announced the coming of the Lord. And let us emulate their faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience under suffering and perseverance unto death, so that we may also share their crowns of glory.”
St John Damascene (676-749) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Do you not know that the largest trees which have required years to grow, are cut down in one hour? It is foolish to look for their fruits and yet to be unprepared for their fall. Let it be your consolation, then, that God’s enemies, however honourable and exalted they may have been, shall, nevertheless, fade away like the smoke!”
St Thomas à Becket (1118-1170) Martyr, Archbishop of Canterbury
“Now, you must always persevere in firmly placing all your trust in our Lord, in the troublesome business you have in hand. It will give you a fine opportunity of laying a good foundation of submission to God’s will and peace of soul.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“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)
May We Confess Your Name to the End By St Cyprian of Carthage (200-258) Bishop and Martyr Apostolic Father of the Church
Good God, may we confess Your Name to the end. May we emerge unmarked and glorious from the traps and darkness of this world. As You have bound us together, by charity and peace and as together, we have persevered under persecution, so may we also rejoice together in Your Heavenly Kingdom. Amen
Thought for the Day – 24 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Holy Viaticum
“Although the Holy Eucharist sustains us through life’s journey, we need it most of all, when we are nearing the end and are at last, in sight of our heavenly home.
Men can do no more for us in these final moments. Our friends, if we have any left, will have nothing to give us except their affection. The doctors will have abandoned us once we have passed the stage where medical aid is of any use to us. Life will have become an elusive memory, a sad memory if it recalls a long succession of sins but, a consoling one, if it reminds us of good deeds and acts of mortification.
As a general rule, a dying man experiences a longing for some kind of assistance. Our yearning will be satisfied if it is our privilege to receive, in our final moments, the Divine Healer, Who is also our Saviour and Redeemer. Since death can seize us unawares, however, we cannot depend too much on this last consolation. Whenever we receive Holy Communion, we should ask Jesus not to deprive us of Holy Viaticum at the hour of death.”
Quote/s of the Day – 12 August – St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253) Virgin
“God will be your helper and best consoler. …”
“Because the way and path is difficult and the gate through which one passes and enters into life, is narrow, there are both few who walk it and who enter through it.”
“May the love you have in your hearts be shown outwardly in your deeds.”
Excerpt from the Prayer to the Five Wounds of Jesus By St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
I pray Thee, O most gentle Jesus, that having redeemed me by Baptism from original sin, so now, by Thy Precious Blood, which is offered and received, throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. And by Thy most bitter Death, give me a lively faith, a firm hope and perfect charity, so that I may love Thee with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in Thy service, so that I may be able to please Thee always. Amen.
Thought for the Day – 5 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
THE CRUCIFIX
“Let us weep for our sins and increase in love for our Divine Redeemer. When we are oppressed by the weight of our own cross, we shall look at the Crucifix and find comfort. When we are tempted, we shall grasp the Crucifix and turn away with horror from thoughts of sin and ingratitude.
The Crucifix will teach us, as it taught the Saints, the lesson of charity towards God and towards our neighbour. It will teach us to hate sin and to love virtue. If we cherish it during life, it will be our consolation to kiss the Crucifix at the moment of death.”
One Minute Reflection – 17 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – Feast of The Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary – 1 Timothy 6:6-12, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29
REFLECTION – “Seek for nothing, desiring to enter for love of Jesus, with detachment, emptiness and poverty in everything in this world. You will never have to do with necessities greater than those to which you made your heart yield itself – for the poor in spirit are most happy and joyful in a state of privation and he who has set his heart on nothing, finds satisfaction everywhere.
The poor in spirit (Mt 5:3) give generously all they have and their pleasure consists in being thus deprived of everything for God’s sake and out of love for their neighbour … Not only do temporal goods – the delights and tastes of the senses – hinder and thwart the way of God but spiritual delights and consolations also, if sought for or clung to eagerly, disturb the way of virtue.” – St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Carmelite, Doctor of the Church (Spiritual maxims Nos 352, 355, 356, 364).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness both of mind and body and, by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, maybe delivered from present sadness and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness.ThroughJesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 17 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – Feast of The Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Most Holy Virgin, My Consolation By St Germanus of Paris (c 490-576)
Most Holy Virgin! Who are the greatest consolation that I receive from God, you, who art the heavenly dew which assuages all my pains, you, who are the light of my soul when it is enveloped in darkness, you, who are my guide in unknown paths, the support of my weakness, my treasure, in poverty, my remedy, in sickness, my consolation, in trouble, my refuge, in misery, and the hope of my salvation, hear my supplications, have pity on me, as becomes the Mother of so good a God and obtain for me a favourable reception of all my petitions at the throne of mercy. Amen
Thought for the Day – 13 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Accepting the Will of God
“Let us pray fervently to God for spiritual peace. Let us surrender ourselves to His Will and accept everything from His Hands, remembering that everything, joy and sorrow, sickness and health, temptation and spiritual consolation, should form a mystical ladder which will gradually bring us nearer to Heaven and finally unite us to God for evermore. Everything passes but God is unchangeable.
Sufferings have to end but the merits we gain remain, if we have offered our afflictions to God. Let us surrender ourselves completely into the hands of God, Who in His goodness, gives us some happiness on earth for our consolation and causes us to suffer, so that we may be purified and made holy.”
Thought for the Day – 8 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
“In many Diocese and Parishes, there exist Associations of devout people who take it in turns to pray before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. There ought to be some such association everywhere because, everyone who has a sincere love for the Holy Eucharist, should feel the need of spending some time in Adoration and in conversation with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
The Saints often spent days and nights in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. What about you? Even if you are not members of a Eucharistic association, you should put aside some time everyday, for a visit to Jesus in the Tabernacle. There you will find the strength to put your good resolutions into effect. You will find consolation in your troubles and rest for your souls.”
Thought for the Day – 26 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Only Remedy for All Our Ills
“We should not stop short at doing the will of God with resignation but should aim at doing it from the motive of love. We should perform all our most ordinary actions and accept physical and moral suffering, purely for the love of God. Then we shall have peace, both in joy and in sorrow and we shall be happy.
Only the Saints fully understood this great principle of doing and enduring everything for the love of God alone. They made it their basic rule of life. If Jesus granted them consolation and favours, they thanked Him. If He sent them severe suffering and spiritual desolation, they were equally grateful. “To me to live, is Christ” (Phil 1:21) said St Paul. Jesus Christ must reign supreme in my will and in my heart and in all my actions. Then sorrow and suffering will be all the same to me and I shall possess the peace and happiness of the Saints.”
Thought for the Day – 26 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
THE CRUCIFIX
“Let us weep for our sins and increase in love for our Divine Redeemer. When we are oppressed by the weight of our own cross, we shall look at the Crucifix and find comfort. When we are tempted, we shall grasp the Crucifix and turn away with horror from thoughts of sin and ingratitude.
The Crucifix will teach us, as it taught the Saints, the lesson of charity towards God and towards our neighbour. It will teach us to hate sin and to love virtue. If we cherish it during life, it will be our consolation to kiss the Crucifix at the moment of death.”
Quote/s of the Day – 19 March – Laetare Sunday / The Fourth Sunday in Lent – Galatians 4:22-31, John 6:1-15 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Jesus then took the loaves of bread and having given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated there; in the same way he gave them some fish, as much as they wanted.”
John 6:11
“… May grace and peace be yours in abundance, through knowledge of God and of Jesus Our Lord…”
2 Peter 1:2
“Let the world turn upside down, let everything be in darkness, in smoke, in uproar – God is with us!”
“I recommend that you look before you but not dwell upon those dangers which you see in the distance.”
“Do not look forward to the changes and chances of this life in fear – rather look to them with full hope that, as they arise, God, whose you are, will deliver you out of them. He is your keeper. He has kept you hitherto. Do you but hold fast to His dear hand and He will lead you safely through all things and, when you cannot stand, He will bear you in His arms. Do not look forward to what may happen tomorrow. Our Father will either shield you from suffering, or He will give you strength to bear it.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“Must you continue to be your own cross? No matter which way God leads you, you change everything into bitterness by constantly brooding over everything. For the love of God, replace all this self-scrutiny, with a pure and simple glance at God’s goodness!”
“We think not enough of this Truth – that God is present with us that He sees our thoughts, even long before we have them. That He knows what we think and shall think, better than we ourselves that He sees the folds and recesses, of our heart and of this other Truth – that NOTHING HAPPENS to us but by the order of Providence. We should all be Saints, if we well apprehended these Truths. And truly, it is a great consolation, to know that God sees the bottom of our heart.”
St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641) Disciple and Collaborator with St Francis de Sales in Founding the Sisters of the Visitation
Prayer of Abandonment By St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)
O sovereign goodness of the sovereign Providence of my God! I abandon myself forever to Thy arms. Whether gentle or severe, lead me henceforth whither Thou will. I will not regard the way through which Thou will have me pass but keep my eyes fixed upon Thee, my God, who guides me. My soul finds no rest without the arms and the bosom of this heavenly Providence, my true Mother, my strength and my rampart. Therefore, I resolve with Thy Divine assistance, 0 my Saviour, to follow Thy desires and Thy ordinances, without regarding or examining why Thou does this rather than that but I will blindly follow Thee, according to Thy Divine will, without seeking my own inclinations. Hence I am determined to leave all to Thee, taking no part therein, save by keeping myself in peace in Thy arms, desiring nothing, except as Thou incites me to desire, to will, to wish. I offer Thee this desire, 0 my God, beseeching Thee to bless it. I undertake all it includes, relying on Thy goodness, liberality and mercy, with entire confidence in Thee, distrust of myself, and knowledge of my infinite misery and infirmity. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 18 March – The Memorial of St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor Father & Doctor of the Church
“ Your accumulated offences do not surpass the multitude of God’s mercies; your wounds do not surpass the great Physician’s skill!”
“The Spirit comes gently and makes Himself known by His Fragrance. He is not felt as a burden, for God is light, very light. Rays of light and knowledge stream before Him as the Spirit approaches. The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend – to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen and to console.”
Quote/s of the Day – 17 March – Feast of the Five Holy Wounds
“If you cannot soar up as high as Christ sitting on His Throne, behold Him hanging on His Cross. Rest in Christ’s Passion and live willingly in His Holy Wounds. You will gain marvellous strength and comfort in adversities. You will not care that men despise you!”
Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)
“Ah ! what is all that I do and suffer, compared with what my Jesus did and suffered for my sake? O, that I might, for His honour, be torn with scourges and pierced with nails and expire on the Cross for Him!”
St Andrew Avellino (1521–1608)
Prayer Before The Crucifix – The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass By St Vincent Strambi (1745-1824)
Jesus, by this Saving Sign, bless this listless soul of mine. Jesus, by Your feet nailed fast, mend the missteps of my past. Jesus, with Your riven hands, bend my will to love’s demands. Jesus, in Your Heart laid bare, warm my inner coldness there. Jesus, by Your thorn-crowned head, still my pride till it is dead. Jesus, by Your muted tongue, stay my words that hurt someone. Jesus, by Your tired eyes, open mine to faith’s surprise. Jesus, by Your fading breath, keep me faithful until death. Yes, Lord, by this Saving Sign, save this wayward soul of mine. Amen
Thought for the Day – 15 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Consolation of Prayer
“There are moments when we are overcome by a very deep sadness. It maybe an illness, the result of which could be death or inability to work. Perhaps it is an insult or calumny which has crushingly humiliated us. Or perhaps it is some sin into which we have fallen so seriously that we are close to despair. Somehow, our cross seems too heavy to bear.
It is now that we are in special need of prayer. We can find peace and resignation. God is infinitely good and loves us with a fatherly love. Let us run confidently to Him. If we pray with humility and perseverance, we shall always be comforted.”
One Minute Reflection – 13 March – Monday of the Thirs Week in Lent – 4 Kings 5:1-15, Luke 4:23-30 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“There were many widows in Israel” – Luke 4:25
REFLECTION – “My wretched soul is naked and cold and benumbed, it longs to warm itself at the fIre of Your love… Out of my wide wilderness and the great emptiness of my heart, I have collected only these few tiny twigs, like the widow of Sarepta; so that,, when I do come to the tabernacle of my house, I may have a handful of flour and a vessel of oil to eat before I die (1Kgs 17:10). Or maybe, Lord, I shall not die as quickly as all that! It may be rather that “I shall not die at all but live, and declare the works of the Lord” (Ps 117:17).
So I stand in the house of solitude… I open my mouth in Your direction, Lord; I breathe in the Spirit. And sometimes, Lord,… You do put something in my heart’s mouth but You do not permit me to know just what it is. A savour I perceive, so sweet, so gracious and so comforting that… I should seek nothing more. But when I receive this thing, neither by bodily sight, nor by spiritual sense, nor by understanding of the mind, do You allow me to discern what it is. When I receive it, then I want to keep it, and think about it and assess its flavour but forthwith, it has gone… But every time this happens I hear the Lord say to me: “The Spirit blows whither he will. ” And I know, even in myself, that He breathes not, when I will but when He Himself wills…
I know that it is to You alone, O Fount of Life, that I must lift up my eyes, that “in your light I may see light” (Ps 35:10). Towards You, then, Lord, are all things turned… But in the meantime, Lord, how much longer are You going to put me off? How often must my wretched, harassed, gasping soul trail after You? “Hide me,” I beseech you, “in the secret place of Your Face away from the troubles of men, protect me in Your tabernacle from the strife of conguest!” (Ps 30:21).” – William of Saint-Thierry (c 1085-1148) Cistercian Monk, Theologian (The Contemplation of God 12).
PRAYER – O Lord, we beseech Thee, in Thy mercy, pour forth Thy grace into our hearts, that, as we abstain from material food, so may we restrain our senses from sin. 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)
Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 3 March – Ember Friday of the First Week in Lent – Ezekiel 18:20-28, John 5:1-15 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer and attend to the voice of my petition.” Psalm 85:6
“Do you wish to be made whole?” John 5:6
THE GOAL OF PRAYER St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“ … IN OUR PRIVATE PRAYERS what reverence ought we to have? In private prayer, we are before God, as in public prayer, although in public prayer we ought to be particularly attentive on account of the edification of our neighbour; exterior reverence is a great aid to the interior. We have many examples which witness to the great exterior reverence which we ought to have when praying, even though it be private prayer. Listen to St. Paul: “I kneel, ” he says, “before the Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for you all”(cf Eph 3:14). And do you not see that the Saviour Himself, while praying to His Father, is prostrate on the ground? (cf. Mt 26:39 and Mk 14:35). ” (Sermon for the Palm Sunday, given on 12 April 1615).
“We must now speak of the final cause [that is, the goal] of prayer. We ought to know, in the first place that all things have been created for prayer and that, when God created angels and men, He did so that they might praise Him eternally in Heaven above, even though this is the last thing that we shall do – if that can be called “last” which is eternal.
To understand this better we will say this – when we wish to make something, we always look first to the end [or purpose], rather than to the work itself. For example, if we are to build a Church and we are asked why we are building it, we will respond that it is so that we can retire there and sing the praises of God; nevertheless, this will be the last thing that we shall do. …
Now prayer, according to most of the Fathers, is nothing other than a raising of the mind to heavenly things; others say, it is a petition but the two opinions are not at all opposed, for while raising our mind to God, we can ask Him for what seems necessary.
The principal petition which we ought to make to God is that of union of our wills with His and the final cause [goal] of prayer lies in desiring only God. Accordingly,, all perfection is contained therein, as Brother Giles, the companion of St Francis [of Assisi] said, when a certain person asked him what he could do in order to be perfect very soon. “Give,” he replied, “one to One.” That is to say, you have only one soul and there is only God – give your soul to Him and He will give Himself to you. The final cause [goal] of prayer, then, ought not to be to desire those tendernesses and consolations which our Lord sometimes gives, since union does not consist in that but rather, in conforming to the will of God.” (Sermon for the Third Sunday of Lent, given on 22 March 1615).
Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 27 February – Monday of the First Week in Lent – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“My son, when you come to serve God, prepare your sould for temptation.” Ecclus. Sirach 2:1
“Then the devil left Him and behold, Angels came and ministered to Him.” Matthew 4:11
THESE FORTY DAYS … St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“I DOUBT NOT that many prefer the end of today’s Gospel (Mt 4:1-11) to its beginning. It is said there that after Our Lord had overcome His enemy and rejected his temptations, Angels came and brought Him heavenly food. What joy to find oneself with the Saviour at this delicious feast! My dear friends, we shall never be capable of keeping company with Him in His consolations, nor be invited to His Heavenly banquet, if we are not sharers of His labours and sufferings (2 Cor 1:7). He fasted for forty days but the Angels brought Him something to eat only at the end of that time.
These forty days, … symbolise the life of the Christian – of each one of us! Let us then desire these consolations only at the end of our lives and let us busy ourselves in steadfast resistance to the frontal attacks of our enemies. For whether we desire it or not, we shall be tempted. If we do not struggle, we shall not be victorious, nor shall we merit the crown of immortal glory which God has prepared for those of us, who are victorious and triumphant! Let us fear, neither the temptations nor the tempter, for if we make use of the Shield of Faith and the Armour of Truth, they will have no power whatsoever, over us.
… Let us also shun both spiritual avarice and the ambition which occasions so much disorder in our hearts and so greatly impedes our perfection. The noonday devil will be powerless in causing us to fail in our firm and steadfast resolution, to serve God generously and as perfectly as possible, in this life, so that after this life, we shall go to enjoy Him forever. May He be blessed ! Amen.” – (Extract-Sermon 1st Sunday of Lent – 13 February 1622).
Our Morning Offering – 7 February – Tuesday of Septuagesima Week – Preparing to prepare, making a plan of action, seeking the best means for ourselves.
Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace. “The Peace Prayer” By St Francis of Assisi (c 1181–1226
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying, that we are born to eternal life. Amen
Eternal God, Our Refuge By St Boniface (672-754) Martyr
Eternal God, the refuge and help of all Thy children, we praise Thee for all Thou hast given us, for all Thou hast done for us, for all that Thou art to us. In our weakness, Thou art strength, in our darkness, Thou art light, in our sorrow, Thou art comfort and peace. We cannot number Thy blessings, we cannot declare Thy love – for all Thy graces, we bless Thee. May we live as in Thy presence, and love the things that Thou loves and serve Thee in our daily lives, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Thought for the Day – 7 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Problem of Suffering
“Jesus is the Head of the Mystical Body of the Church and we are its members. We ought to suffer with submission and love, as He did. Rebellion increases and aggravates the pain. Resignation and love, on the other hand, lighten it, making it meritorious and even welcome. It is a consolation to suffer with Jesus. St Paul says: “I rejoice now in the sufferings I have for your sake and what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ, I fill up in my flesh, for His Body, which is the Church” (Col 1:24). In other words,the Passion of Christ demands our submissive and joyful co-operation in suffering along with Jesus.
The Acts says of the Apostles, “So they departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the Name of Jesus.” (Acts 5:41).
“So great is the reward which awaits me,” exclaims St Francis, “every suffering is pure joy to me!” He knew well, that the sorrows of this world are very tiny compared with the wonderful recompense which awaits us in Heaven. “The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come that will be revealed in us” (Rom 8:18).”
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