Category: QUOTES on CREATION

Posted in "Follow Me", BAPTISM, CATECHESIS, DOCTORS of the Church, FEBRUARY - THE BLESSED TRINITY (Traditional), FRANCISCAN OFM, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CREATION, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 April – Three Names, One Essence

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One Minute Reflection – 5 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – Easter Friday – St Vincent Ferrer OP (1350-1419) Confessor, called the “Angel of the Apocalypse/The Last Judgement” and the “Mouthpiece of God” – 1 Peter 3:18-22, Matthew 28:16-20 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Go, therefore, teach all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” – Matthew 28:19

REFLECTION – “The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, are of One substance and inseparably equal. Their Unity is in their Essence, their plurality in the Persons. The Lord openly showed the Unity of the Divine Essence and the Trinity of Persons, when He said: “Baptise them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” He did not say “in the NAMES” but “in the Name” by which He showed the Unity of Essence. But, He then used Three Names in order to show that there are Three Persons.

In this Trinity can be found, the supreme origin of all things, perfect beauty, very blessed joy. As Saint Augustine said in his book on true religion, the supreme origin is God the Father, from Whom all things come, from Whom proceed the Son and the HolyGhost. The very perfect Beauty is the Son, the Truth of the Father, Who is not dissimilar to Him in anything, Whom we venerate with the Father and in the Father, Who is the model for all things because, everything was made through Him and everything relates to Him. The very blessed Joy, the sovereign goodness is the Holy Ghost Who is the Gift of the Father and of the Son and we must believe and hold that this Gift is exactly like the Father and the Son.

When we look at creation, we finish with the Trinity which is of One single substance. We understand One single God – the Father from Whom we are, the Son by Whom we are, the Holy Ghost in Whom we are – the Origin to Whom we run; the Model Whom we follow; the Grace which reconciles us!” – St Anthony of Padua OFM (c1195-1231) Franciscan, Evangelical Doctor of the Church (Sermons for Sundays and the Feasts of the Saints).

PRAYER – O God, Who graciously enlightened Thy Church by the virtues and preaching of blessed Vincent, Thy Confessor, grant that we, Thy servants, may, be taught by his example and delivered from all harm by his intercession.Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, MIRACLES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FAITH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 March – ‘ … We are preferred to them …’

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One Minute Reflection – 10 March – Laetare Sunday / The Fourth Sunday in Lent – Galatians 4:22-31, John 6:1-15 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“When the people, therefore, had seen the sign which Jesus had worked, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet Who is to come into the world..” – John 6:14

REFLECTION – “Governing the entire universe, is a greater miracle, than feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread, yet no-one marvels at it. People marvel at the feeding of the five thousand, not because this miracle is greater but because, it is out of the ordinary. Who is even now providing nourishment for the whole world if not the God Who creates a field of wheat from a few seeds? Christ did what God does. Just as God multiplies a few seeds into a whole field of wheat, so Christ multiplied the five loaves in His Hands. For there was power in the Hands of Christ. Those five loaves were like seeds, not because they were cast on the earth but because, they were multiplied by the One Who made the earth.

This miracle was presented to our senses, in order to stimulate our minds… and so make us marvel at “the God we do not see because of His works which we do see” (Rom 1:20). For then, when we have been raised to the level of faith and purified by faith, we shall long to behold, although not with our eyes, the invisible God Whom we recognise, through what is visible. This miracle was performed for the multitude to see; it was recorded for us to hear. Faith does for us, what sight did for them. We behold with the mind, what our eyes cannot see and we are preferred to them because, of us it was said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn 20:29).” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church (Homilies on Saint John’s gospel, 24).

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who know how courageously Thy holy Martyrs have confessed the faith, may experience their goodness as they intercede for us with Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on The HUMAN SOUL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The HOLY NAME

Quote/s of the Day – 9 March – St Gregory of Nyssa

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 March – St Gregory of Nyssa (c335–c395) Bishop, Father of the Church

On the Soul and the Resurrection
in Two Parts

“[He], Who gives you the day
will give you also the things
necessary for the day.”

“As no darkness can be seen
by anyone surrounded by light,
so, no trivialities can capture,
the attention of anyone,
who has his eyes on Christ.”

“For when one considers the universe,
can anyone be so simple-minded,
as NOT to believe that the Divine is present
in everything, pervading, embracing and penetrating it?”

“It is impossible for one
to live without tears,
who considers things,
exactly as they are!”

“For the purity of Christ and the purity
which is manifest in our hearts are identical.
Christ’s purity, however, is the Fountainhead;
ours has its Source in Him and flows out of Him.
Our life is stamped with the beauty of His thought.
The inner and the outer man,
are harmonised in a kind of music.
The mind of Christ is the controlling influence
which inspires us to moderation and goodness in our behaviour.
As I see it, Christian perfection consists in this –
sharing the title which expresses the meaning of Christ’s Name,
we bring out this meaning in our minds,
our prayers and our way of life.”

“If you draw from Him,
the thoughts in your mind
and the inclinations of your heart,
you will show a likeness to Christ,
your Source and Origin,
as the gleaming water in a jar
resembles the flowing water,
from which it was obtained.”

O Good Shepherd,
You Whom My Soul Loves
By St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395)
Father of the Church

Where are You pasturing Your flock,
O good Shepherd,
Who carry the whole flock on Your shoulders?
(For the whole of human nature is one sheep
and You have lifted it onto Your shoulders).
Show me the place of peace,
lead me to the good grass that will nourish me,
call me by name so that I,
Your sheep, hear Your voice
and by Your speech,
give me eternal life.
Answer me, You Whom my soul loves.
… Show me then (my soul says),
where You pasture Your flock,
so that I can find that saving pasture too
and fill myself with the food of heaven,
without which, no-one can come to eternal life
and run to the spring
and fill myself with the drink of God.
You give it, as from a spring,
to those who thirst –
water pouring from Your side, cut open by the lance,
water that, to whoever drinks it,
is a spring of water,
welling up to eternal life.
Amen

This is a tiny excerpt from St Gregory of Nyssa’s commentary on the Song of Songs (Cap 2: PG 44, 802), using the imagery of Psalm 23, appeals to the Lord Jesus Christ for the promised green pastures, restful waters and noonday rest that is the final, eternal destination of those who love God and walk in His ways.

St Gregory of Nyssa (c335–c395)
Father of the Church

Posted in GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 24 February – Of Using the Senses to Advantage in Diverse Situations (Part Two)

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Thought for the Day – 24 February – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

XXIII: … Of Using the Senses to Advantage
in Diverse Situations
(Part Two)

“+++ When walking, remember that every step brings you nearer to death.

+++ Let the flight of birds and the flowing of water remind you that your life is hastening far more swiftly to its close.

+++ Let storms of wind, lightning and thunder, remind you of the tremendous Day of Judgement and kneeling down, worship God and beseech Him to give you time and grace, duly to prepare yourself to appear before His most high Majesty.

In the variety of accidents which may befall you, exercise yourself thus:
+++ When, for instance, you are oppressed by sadness or melancholy, or suffer heat, cold, or the like, lift up your heart to that Eternal Will, Which, for your own good, wills that at such a time and in such a measure, you should endure this discomfort.
Then, rejoicing in the love thus shown you by God and, at the opportunity of serving Him in the way He is pleased to appoint, say in your heart:
“Behold in me is the Divine Will fulfilled, Which from all eternity, has lovingly appointed that I should now endure this trial. All praise be to Thee for the same, my most gracious Lord!”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/02/23/thought-for-the-day-23-february-of-using-the-senses-to-advantage-in-diverse-situations-part-one/

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, The INCARNATION, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 21 February – Of How Sensible Things Aid Us to Meditate on the Incarnate Word in the Mysteries of His Life and Passion (Part One)

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Thought for the Day – 21 February – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

XXII: … Of How Sensible Things Aid Us
to Meditate on the Incarnate Word in the
Mysteries of His Life and Passion
(Part One)

“I have shown you how we may raise our minds from sensible objects to the contemplation of the Divinity.
Now, learn a method of taking occasion from the same, to meditate on the Incarnate Word and the most Sacred Mysteries of His Life and Passion.

All things in the universe may serve to this end, if first you behold God in them, as the sole first cause, Who has bestowed on them all the being, beauty and excellence which they possess.
Passing on from this, consider how great, how immeasurable is His goodness; Who, being the Sole Principle and Lord of all creation, was pleased to descend so low, as to become Incarnate, to suffer and to die for man, permitting the very works of His Hands to arm themselves against Him and to Crucify Him.
Many objects will then bring these Holy Mysteries before your mind’s eye, such as weapons, cords, scourges, pillars, thorns, reeds, nails, hammers and other instruments of His Passion.

Poor hovels will recall to our memory the stable and manger of our Lord.
Rain will remind us of the drops of Divine Blood which fell from His most sacred Body in the Garden and watered the ground.
Rocks will represent to us those which were rent asunder at His Death.
The earth will bring to our memory the earthquake at that hour; the sun, the darkness that then covered it.
The sight of water will speak to us of that stream which flowed from His most Sacred Side.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

Posted in CONTEMPLATIVE Prayer, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on WATCHING, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 19 February – Of the Proper Use of the Exterior Senses: Contemplation of the Divinity (Part One)

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Thought for the Day – 19 February – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

XXI: … Of The Proper Use of the Exterior Senses:
Contemplation of the Divinity
(Part One)

“Great watchfulness and continual exercise is needed, for the due ordering and regulation of the exterior senses – for the appetite which is, as it were, the captain of our corrupt nature, inclines us to an immoderate seeking after pleasure and enjoyment.
The appetite, being unable, by itself, to attain them, it uses the senses as its soldiers and as natural instruments for laying hold of objects, whose images it draws to itself and impresses on the mind.
Hence arises the pleasure which, by reason of the relationship subsisting, between it and the flesh, diffuses itself, over all the senses which are capable of it, infecting both soul and body with a common contagion which corrupts the whole.
You see the evil – now mark the remedy.

Take good heed not to let your senses stray freely where they will; nor to use them when pleasure alone and not utility, necessity, nor any good end, is the motive.
And, if inadvertently they have been allowed to wander too far, recall them at once; or so regulate them that, instead of remaining as before in a miserable captivity to empty pleasures, they may gather a noble spoil from each passing object and bring it home to the soul, that, collected within itself, if may rise with a steadier flight towards Heaven, to the contemplation of God.

Which maybe done in the following manner:
When any object is presented before one of your exterior senses, separate in your mind, from the material thing, the principle which is in it and reflect that, of itself, it possesses nothing of all that which it appears to have but, that all is the work of God, Who endows it invisibly, by His Spirit, with the being, beauty, goodness, or whatever virtue belongs to it.
Then rejoice that thy Lord alone is the Cause and Principle, of such great
and varied perfections and, that they are all eminently contained in Himself, all created excellences being but most minute degrees of His Divine and Infinite perfections.
When engaged in the contemplation of grand and noble objects, reduce the creature, mentally to its own nothingness, fixing your mind’s eye on the great Creator therein present, Who gave it that great and noble being and delighting yourself in Him alone, say:
“O Divine Essence and above all things to be desired,
how greatly do I rejoice that Thou alone
art the InfInite Principle of every created being!”

In like manner, at the sight of trees, plants, or such like objects, you will understand that the life which they have, they have not of themselves but, from the Spirit which you do not see,and which alone quickens them.
Say, therefore:
“Behold here the true Life from which, in which and through which,
all things live and grow!
O living Joy of this heart!”

So, at the sight of brute animals, raise your thoughts to God, Who gave them sensation and motion, saying:
“O Thou First Mover of all that moves, Thou art Thyself immovable;
how greatly do I rejoice in Thy steadfastness and stability!”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), The REDEMPTION, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 22 January – Of Inclining the Will to Please God in All Things

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Thought for the Day – 22 January – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

The Third Weapon
of the Spiritual Combat

XI: … Of some Considerations which May Incline
the Will to Seek to Please God in All Things

“Furthermore, to incline the Will more readily to seek God’s honour
and glory in all things, always remember that, in many and various ways, He has first loved and honoured you!

In creation: — by creating you out of nothing after His Own Likeness and all other creatures for your service.
In Redemption: — by sending, not an Angel but, His Only-begotten Son, to redeem you, not with the corruptible price of silver and gold but with His Precious Blood and, by His most painful and ignominious death.
Remember, that every hour, nay, every moment, He protects you from your enemies, fights for you by His grace, offers you continually, in the Sacrament of the Altar, His well-beloved Son, to be your food and your defence; are not all these tokens of the inestimable regard and love borne for you by the Infinite God?

It is not in man to conceive, on the one hand, how great is the value which so great a Lord sets upon us poor creatures, in our loneliness and misery and, on the other, how great the return we are bound to make to His Supreme Majesty, Who has done so many and such great things for us.

For if earthly lords, when honoured even by poor and lowly men, feel bound to honour them in return, how should our vile nature demean itself towards the Supreme King of Heaven and earth, by Whom we are so dearly loved and so highly prized?

And besides all this and before all things, keep ever vividly in mind that the Divine Majesty is infinitely worthy to be loved for Himself alone and to be served, purely for His own good pleasure.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEBRUARY - THE BLESSED TRINITY (Traditional), GOOD FRIDAY, HOLY WEEK, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SIMPLICITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 14 January – St Hilary

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 January – St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church

“The Son of God,
is nailed to the Cross
but on the Cross,
God conquers human death.
Christ, the Son of God, dies
but all flesh is made alive in Christ.
The Son of God is in hell
but man is carried back to Heaven!”

(On the Trinity Book II)I

“When I look at Thine heavens,
according to my own lights,
with these weak eyes of mine,
I am certain, with reservation,
that they are Thine heavens.
The stars circle in the heavens,
reappear year after year,
each with a function and service to fulfil.
And, although I do not understand them,
I know that Thou, O God, are in them.”

“Little children follow and obey their father.
They love their mother.
They know nothing of covetousness,
ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and lying.
This state of mind opens the road to Heaven.
To imitate our Lord’s own humility,
we must return to the simplicity
of God’s little ones.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/01/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-january-st-hilary-2/

St Hilary (315-368)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Posted in ACT of CONTRITION, FRANCISCAN OFM, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PURITY, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 13 December – ‘Where your treasure is,there also will your heart be.’

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Quote/s of the Day – 13 December – Feast of St Lucy, Virgin Martyr – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18, 11:1-2; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a treasure
hidden in a field.”

Matthew 13:44

“For the man who loves God,
it is sufficient to please the One he loves
and, there is no greater recompense to be sought,
than the loving itself.
For love is from God, by the very fact
that God Himself is love.
The good and chaste soul
is so happy to be filled with Him
that it desires to take delight in nothing else.
For what the Lord says is very true:
‘Where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.’”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
ather and Doctor of the Church

I Will Love Thee, Lord
By St Thomas of Villanova (1488-1555)

I will love Thee, Lord,
in every way
and without setting limits
to my love.
Thou set no limits to what Thou
hast done for me;
Thou hast not measured Thy gifts.
I will not measure my love.
I will love Thee, Lord,
with all my strength,
with all my powers,
as much as I am able.
Amen

“Amongst all loves,
God’s is so to be preferred
that we must always stand prepared in mind
to forsake them all
for that alone. ”

(Treatise on the Love of God,
Book 10, Chapter 7)

“The love of God is the end,
the perfection and the excellence,
of the universe. ”

(Treatise on the Love of God,
Book 10, Chapter 1)

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

​In Thy Divine Heart
By St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)
Visionary of the Sacred Heart

Lord Jesus,
let my heart never rest
until it finds Thee,
Who are its source,
its love and its happiness.
By the wound in Thy Heart
pardon the sins I have committed,
whether out of weakness,
or out of evil desires.
Place my weak heart
in Thy own Divine Heart,
continually under Thy protection and guidance,
so that I may persevere in doing good
and in fleeing evil,
until my last breath.
Amen

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

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

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

The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn

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

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

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

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the LIGHT, DANTE ALIGHIERI!, GOD is LOVE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on LOVE

Thought for the Day – 10 September – The Creation

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

The Creation

“Dante describes the Creation beautifully as “Eternal Love expanded into new loves.”
Heaven and earth, Angels and men and all created beings, are nothing more than an expansion of this Eternal Love, into new loves.
Love unites and fills everything.
Everywhere in Heaven and on earth, there is love, there is need of love.
But whom shall we love?
The creatures who surround us?
Yes.
We may and should love them.
They are rays of the Light and Beauty of God.
We should love them because they reflect the Power and Glory of God.
But, we must not become attached to them.
We must not try to find, happiness and peace of mind in them.
They cannot give us contentment, for our hearts are made for something greater.
God made creatures for Himself, as St Augustine says and, therefore, our hearts will not rest until they rest in Him.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/10/thought-for-the-day-10-september-the-creation/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MEDIOCRITY, QUOTES on The HUMAN SOUL, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD

Thought for the Day – 4 August – How to Remain Aware of the Presence of God

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

How to Remain Aware of the Presence of God

“The third way of remaining attentive to the Presence of God is to contemplate Him living in ourselves.
While it is true that God is present everywhere, He dwells in a special manner in the human soul which is the masterpiece of creation!

When our souls are adorned with His grace, His delight in us is unbounded.
“I will dwell and move among them. I will be their God and they shall be My people” (2 Cor 6:16).
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Cor 3:16).

God dwells among us, therefore and lives in us as in so many temples.
We should recognise His Presence and listen to His Voice, furthermore, we should adore Him, love Him and pray to Him.
Then, we can sincerely claim to belong entirely to Him.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/06/thought-for-the-day-6-august-how-to-remain-aware-of-the-presence-of-god/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/08/02/thought-for-the-day-2-august-how-to-remain-aware-of-the-presence-of-god/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 5 July – A Ladder Ascending to God

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Thought for the Day – 5 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

A Ladder Ascending to God

“How often, nevertheless, is our mind led astray by the passing beauty of this world.
How often is our heart engrossed in a search for a happiness, which is purely illusory.
God has given us created things so that we may see in them, a reflection of His goodness and beauty and may use them as a ladder, which will lead us to Him.
We shall be lost if we look back and fall beneath the false spell of this earthly fairyland.
Our minds and hearts should look upwards towards Heaven.

God alone can satisfy the infinite desires of the soul.
Let us never lose sight of Him.
Everything else passes but God does not change.
He will be our sure guide in this life and our everlasting happiness in the next.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/07/06/thought-for-the-day-6-july-a-ladder-ascending-to-god/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/06/thought-for-the-day-6-july-a-ladder-ascending-to-god-2/

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on REASON/INTELLECT

Thought for the Day – 17 May– Living in the Presence of God

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Thought for the Day – 17 May– Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Living in the Presence of God

“The masters of the spiritual life advise us to the best way to cultivate an awareness of the presence of God (Cf St Alphonsus Liguori, Al Divino Servizio, III, 3).
This may be done by employing the intellect to form the concept of God’s nearness and by using the will, to offer to Him, ourselves and everything around us, with acts of humility, adoration and love.
The intellect, enlightened by faith, tells us that God is everywhere, “Do not I fill heaven and earth? said the Lord” (er 23:24).
We should see Him in all His creations which reflect His eternal glory.
“Learn to love the Creator in the creature” says St Augustine, “so that you may not become attached to created things and so lose Him by Whom, you yourself were created” (In Px 18).

When we wish to revive, in our minds, a sense of the presence of God, we should not picture Him as a distant Being but, as our own God, Who condescended to dwell within us.
We should then listen to His inspirations and humbly venerate His Divine Majesty, which resides in our souls.
“Do you not know,” says St Paul, “that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor 3:16).
God is everywhere but He dwells in a special manner, in our souls.
It is difficult for us, however, to live with our minds constantly concentrated on Him.
If we were able to do so, this would be an anticipation of the happiness of the Blessed in Heaven.
But, we should have a habitual intention, which we should renew as often as possible, of living in the presence of God and of offering Him all our desires and actions.
Then, our whole life will be a continual prayer of great value in the sight of God.

My loving Mother Mary, you lived both physically and spiritually, permanently in God’s presence, help me to live as you did.
Help me to consciously remember the Divine presence in my soul and offer Him all that I am and do.
Help me to love our good God, more and more.
Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/25/thought-for-the-day-25-may-living-in-the-presence-of-god/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, Of PILGRIMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, ST FRANCIS de SALES, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 20 April – ‘… Man believes with his heart …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 20 April – “The Month of the Resurrection” – Feria Day, Thursday in the Second Week of Easter – 1 John 5:4-10, John 20:19-31 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Who is he who overcomes the world?
but he who believes
that Jesus is the Son of God.”

1 John 5:5

“This people honours Me with their lips
but their heart is far from Me.”

Matthew 15:8

“He who believes and is Baptised,
shall be saved but he who believes not,
shall be condemned.”

Mark 16:16

“Man believes with his heart
and so, he is justified.
He confesses with his lips
and so, he is saved.
In the beginning of his speech,
the just man is his own accuser,
next he gives glory to God
and thirdly, if his wisdom extends that far,
he edifies his neighbour.”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
The “Last Father”
and Mellifluous Doctor of the Church

“Get up tomorrow early in the morning
and earlier than you did today
and do the best that you can!”

St Joan of Arc (1412-1431)

“The very prince of the universe, is man;
the crowning point of man, is his heart;
of the heart, is love
and the perfection of love, is charity.
That is why the love of God is the goal,
the crowning point,
the be-all and end-all of the universe.”

(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 10, Chapter 1)

“But as a general thing,
what is the state of your heart
with regard to your neighbour?
Do you love him from your heart
and for the love of God?
In order to prove this,
you must call to mind
certain disagreeable, troublesome individuals,
for with such, it is that we practice
the love of God towards our neighbour
and still more, towards those who do us any injury,
either in word or deed.
Consider whether your heart is clear
with regard to such and whether
you have to force it to love them?
Are you slow to speak evil of your neighbour,
especially of those whom you do not like?”
Do you never injure him, either directly or indirectly?”

(Introduction to the Devout Life).

“HOW IS YOUR HEART TOWARDS GOD HIMSELF?
Do you take delight in thinking about Him? …
Imitate little children who, with one hand hold fast to their father,
while with the other, they gather strawberries
or blackberries from the hedges.
So too if you gather and handle
the goods of this world with one hand,
you must always hold fast with the other
to your Heavenly Father’s Hand
and turn toward Him, from time to time,
to see if your actions or occupations,
are pleasing to Him.”

(Introduction to the Devout Life, Part 3, Chapter 10)

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, MIRACLES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FAITH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 March – ‘ … We are preferred to them …’

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One Minute Reflection – 19 March – Laetare Sunday / The Fourth Sunday in Lent – Galatians 4:22-31, John 6:1-15 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“When the people, therefore, had seen the sign which Jesus had worked, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet Who is to come into the world..” – John 6:14

REFLECTION – “Governing the entire universe, is a greater miracle, than feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread, yet no-one marvels at it. People marvel at the feeding of the five thousand, not because this miracle is greater but because, it is out of the ordinary. Who is even now providing nourishment for the whole world if not the God Who creates a field of wheat from a few seeds? Christ did what God does. Just as God multiplies a few seeds into a whole field of wheat, so Christ multiplied the five loaves in His Hands. For there was power in the Hands of Christ. Those five loaves were like seeds, not because they were cast on the earth but because, they were multiplied by the One Who made the earth.

This miracle was presented to our senses, in order to stimulate our minds… and so make us marvel at “the God we do not see because of his works, which we do see” (Rom 1,20). For then, when we have been raised to the level of faith and purified by faith, we shall long to behold, although not with our eyes, the invisible God Whom we recognise, through what is visible. This miracle was performed for the multitude to see; it was recorded for us to hear. Faith does for us, what sight did for them. We behold with the mind, what our eyes cannot see and we are preferred to them because of us it was said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn 20,29).” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church (Homilies on Saint John’s gospel, 24).

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who justly suffer for our sins may find relief in the help of Thy grace.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FRIENDSHIP, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MARRIAGE, MARRIED LOVE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on VIRTUE, SACRED MATRIMONY, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 23 October – Blessed Severinus Boethius

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 October – Blessed Severinus Boethius (c 475-524) Martyr, Layman, Theologian, Philosopher.

Prayer of Bl Severinus Boethius
(c 475-524) Martyr

“O Father, enable our minds,
to rise to Thy ineffable dwelling place.
Let us find the light
and direct the eyes of our soul to Thee.
Dispel the mists and the opaqueness
of the earthly mass
and shine out with Thy splendour.
Thou art the serene and tranquil abode
of those who persevere
in their goal of seeing Thee.
Thou art, at the same time,
the Beginning, the Vehicle,
the Guide, the Way and the Goal.
Amen.”

“Love binds people too,
in Matrimony’s Sacred Bonds
where chaste lovers are met
and friends cement their trust
and friendship.
How happy is mankind,
if the Love that orders the stars above,
rules, too, in their hearts.”

“One’s virtue is all that one truly has
because it is not imperiled,
by the vicissitudes of fortune.”

“Contemplate the extent
and stability of the heavens
and then, at last, cease to admire
worthless things.”

“A man content to go to Heaven, alone …
will never go to heaven!”

Blessed Severinus Boethius (c 475-524)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 10 July – A Ladder Ascending to God

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

A Ladder Ascending to God

“How often, nevertheless, is our mind led astray by the passing beauty of this world.
How often is our heart engrossed in a search for a happiness, which is purely illusory.
God has given us created things so that we may see in them, a reflection of His goodness and beauty and may use them as a ladder, which will lead us to Him.
We shall be lost if we look back and fall beneath the false spell of this earthly fairyland.
Our minds and hearts should look upwards towards Heaven.

God alone can satisfy the infinite desires of the soul.
Let us never lose sight of Him.
Everything else passes but God does not change.
He will be our sure guide in this life and our everlasting happiness in the next.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/07/06/thought-for-the-day-6-july-a-ladder-ascending-to-god/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/06/thought-for-the-day-6-july-a-ladder-ascending-to-god-2/

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, GOD the FATHER, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN QUOTES, MOTHER of GOD, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION

Quote/s of the Day – 9 May – St Gregory Nazianzen

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 May – The Memorial of St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Bishop, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church

“He wants you to become
a living force for all mankind,
lights shining in the world.
You are to be radiant lights
as you stand beside Christ,
the Great Light,
bathed in the glory of Him
who is the Light of Heaven.”

“Many indeed are the wondrous happenings
of that time:
God hanging from a Cross,
the sun made dark
and again flaming out;
for it was fitting,
that creation should mourn
with its Creator.
The temple veil rent,
blood and water flowing
from His side –
the one as from a Man,
the other as from what was above man;
the earth shaken,
the rocks shattered because of the Rock;
the dead risen to bear witness
to the final and universal
resurrection of the dead.
The happenings at the sepulchre
and after the sepulchre,
who can fittingly recount them?
Yet not one of them, can be compared,
to the Miracle of my Salvation.
A few drops of Blood
renews the whole world
and do, for all men,
what the rennet does for the milk –
joining us and binding us together!”

“God accepts our desires as though
they were of great value.
He longs ardently for us
to desire to and love Him.
He accepts our petitions for benefits,
as though we were doing Him a favour.
His joy in giving,
is greater than ours in receiving.
So let us not be apathetic in our asking,
nor set too narrow bounds to our requests;
nor ask for frivolous things
unworthy of God’s greatness.”

“If anyone does not believe
that Holy Mary
is the Mother of God,
such a one is a stranger
to the Godhead.”

St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, MIRACLES, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FAITH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 27 March – ‘ … We are preferred to them …’

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One Minute Reflection – 27 March – Fourth Sunday of Lent “Laetare Sunday” – Galatians 4:22-31, John 6:1-15

“When the people, therefore, had seen the sign which Jesus had worked, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet Who is to come into the world..” – John 6:14

REFLECTION – “Governing the entire universe, is a greater miracle, than feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread, yet no-one marvels at it. People marvel at the feeding of the five thousand, not because this miracle is greater but because, it is out of the ordinary. Who is even now providing nourishment for the whole world if not the God Who creates a field of wheat from a few seeds? Christ did what God does. Just as God multiplies a few seeds into a whole field of wheat, so Christ multiplied the five loaves in His Hands. For there was power in the Hands of Christ. Those five loaves were like seeds, not because they were cast on the earth but because, they were multiplied by the One Who made the earth.

This miracle was presented to our senses, in order to stimulate our minds… and so make us marvel at “the God we do not see because of his works, which we do see” (Rom 1,20). For then, when we have been raised to the level of faith and purified by faith, we shall long to behold, although not with our eyes, the invisible God Whom we recognise, through what is visible. This miracle was performed for the multitude to see; it was recorded for us to hear. Faith does for us, what sight did for them. We behold with the mind, what our eyes cannot see and we are preferred to them because of us it was said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn 20,29).” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church (Homilies on Saint John’s gospel, 24).

PRAYER – Stay with us Lord Jesus, be our companion on our way. In Your mercy enflame our hearts and raise our hope, so that, in union with our brethren, we may share with each other Your food of life. Listen to the prayers of your Angels and Saints and as we entrust ourselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary, may she open our hearts to compassion and fraternal sharing. Through Your grace with God our Father and the Holy Ghost, forever and ever amen.

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, The KINGDOM of GOD, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Quote/s of the Day – 12 March – St Gregory the Great

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Quote/s of the Day – 12 March – Ember Saturday in Lent – The Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Confessor, Father & Doctor

“To do penance is to bewail
the evil we have done
and to do no evil to bewail.”

“All elements in nature testified
that their Creator had come.
Let me indicate them in our everyday fashion.
The heavens knew that He was God,
for they sent a star to herald Him.
The sea knew Him,
for it bore up His feet upon it.
The earth knew Him
and trembled when He died.
The sun knew Him
and hid its light.
The stones and walls knew Him
and were rent at His death.
Hell knew Him
and gave up its dead.
All the insensible elements of nature knew Him
but even up to this minute,
the hearts of the unbelieving Jews
will not recognise Him as God
and–more hard than rock–
will not be rent in penitence.”

“… We must all rejoice exceedingly,
to be even the last,
in the Kingdom of God!”

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

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/03/quote-s-of-the-day-3-september-st-pope-gregory-the-great/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Thought for the Day – 9 February – The Use of Creatures

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

The Use of Creatures

“The Saints understood clearly what our attitudes to creatures should be.
Created things should be a reflection of eternal beauty whicb entices us to love God, the Source and Origen of all things.
They should form a ladder, which makes it easy for us to ascend towards God and to achieve unity with Him.
But is this what creatures really mean to us?
Or do they, more often than not, lead us away from God?
Perhaps we are held up too frequently by our love for creatures and tend to forget God.
The passing loveliness of this earth causes us to forget the everlasting beauty for which we are destined.
Worse still, the use of creatures may divert us from God altogether and cause us to disobey His law.

Let us examine ourselves thoroughly on this point.
Let us see if it is necessary to alter the direction of our thoughts and desires and to purify our hearts, in such a way, that we shall think, love and act for God Alone!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/09/thought-for-the-day-9-february-the-use-of-creatures/

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 15 January – The Beggars of God

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Thought for the Day – 15 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Beggars of God

“Both in the natural and in the supernatural order, we are in continual need of the help of God.
We did not exist and God, in His infinite goodness, created us.
It is He, Who preserves us in existence from day to day and from moment to moment.
The act of conservation, is like a continuous creation.
If God did not sustain us, we should return immediately to the dust from which we came: “Remember, man, that dust you are and unto dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19).

We are continually dependent on our Lord and Creator for our existence and activity.
If we remained always aware of this tremendous fact, we would never offend God.
We would show Him a filial gratitude and humbly implore His assistance.

We are so poor and He is so rich.
We are so weak and He is so strong.
We are blind and He is the true Light, which illumines every man who comes into the world (Jn 1:9).
Ask for God’s help with confidence, perseverance and resignation to His Holy Will.
As St Augustine says, we are the beggars of God!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 26 November – The Glory of God

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Thought for the Day – 26 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Glory of God

“The whole of creation manifests the glory of God.
The grass on the field, the trees of the forest, the insects and birds of the air, the creatures on the earth and in the sea, the stars in the sky – they all speak to us of the power and beauty of the Creator.
You also were created by and for God, Who is the beginning and end of all things.
In all thoughts, actions and affections, therefore, you should seek the Glory of God.
God, indeed, has no need of your small contribution to enhance His Glory.
His Glory is complete and perfect in Himself, in Heaven and in Hell, God does not need you but you need God.
It is your strict obligation, not only to proclaim the Glory of God but, also to work for its triumph in yourself and in all things.

The man who loves God above all things, seeks only His Glory.
The man who loves himself more than he loves God, however, seeks his own petty worldly glorification and strays away from the main road of life, which should lead him towards God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on EDUCATION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WISDOM, SAINT of the DAY, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 26 October – St Alfred the Great

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 October – The Memorial of St Alfred the Great (849-899) King

“For in prosperity,
a man is often puffed up with pride,
whereas tribulations chastens
and humbles him through suffering and sorrow.
In the midst of prosperity,
the mind is elated,
and in prosperity.
a man forgets himself.
In hardship, he is forced to reflect on himself,
even though he be unwilling.
In prosperity, a man often destroys
the good he has done.
Amidst difficulties,
he often repairs what he long since did
in the way of wickedness.”

“He seemed to me,
a very foolish man
and very wretched,
who will not increase
his understanding
while he is in the world
and ever with
and long to reach
that endless life,
where all shall be made clear.”

“The saddest thing about any man,
is that he be ignorant
and the most exciting thing.
is that he knows it!”

“Ah, what shall I be at fifty,
should nature keep me alive,
if I find the world so bitter
when I am but twenty-five?”

“One God, one law, one element,
And one far-off divine event,
To which the whole creation moves.”

St Alfred the Great (849-899)
King

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on CREATION, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY SPIRIT

Quote/s of the Day – 17 September – St Hildegard von Bingen

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Quote/s of the Day – 17 September – The Memorial of St Hildegard von Bingen OSB (1098-1179) Doctor of the Church

“Even in a world
which is being shipwrecked,
remain brave and strong.”

“All of creation is a song of praise to God.”

“Holy Spirit, the life that gives life:
You are the Cause of all movement.
You are the Breath of all creatures.
You are the Salve that purifies our souls.
You are the Ointment that heals our wounds.
You are the Fire that warms our hearts.
You are the Light that guides our feet.
Let all the world praise You!”

St Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
Doctor of the Church

St Robert Bellarmine HERE;
https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/17/quote-s-of-the-day-17-september-st-robert-bellarmine/

Posted in GOD the FATHER, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES on CREATION, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Our Morning Offering – 6 September – The Day is Filled with Splendour

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Our Morning Offering – 6 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

The Day is Filled with Splendour
Benedictine Nuns of Stanbrook Abbey

The day is filled with splendour
When God brings light from light,
And all renewed creation
Rejoices in His sight. —
The Father gives His children
The wonder of the world
In which His power and glory
Like banners are unfurled. —
With every living creature,
Awaking with the day,
We turn to God our Father,
Lift up our hearts and pray: —
O Father, Son and Spirit,
Your grace and mercy send,
That we may live to praise You
Today and to the end.
Amen

The Day is Filled with Splendour, is a hymn written by the Benedictine Nuns of Stanbrook Abbey. It is sung during Morning Prayer in the Divine Office. It is set to the hymn tune: Paderborn, first published in the Katholische Kirchengesänge of 1616. Psalter Week 3.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HOLY MASS, The RESURRECTION

One Minute Reflection – 8 August – ‘Life of the world’ St Irenaeus

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One Minute Reflection – 8 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: First Kings 19: 4-8; Psalm 34: 2-9 (9a); Ephesians 4: 30 – 5: 2; John 6: 41-51

“The bread that I will give, is my flesh for the life of the world.” – John 6:51

REFLECTION – “They are wholly mistaken who reject God’s plan for His creation, deny the salvation of the flesh and scoff at the idea of its regeneration, asserting that it cannot put on an imperishable nature. If the flesh is not saved, then the Lord did not redeem us with His Blood, the Chalice of the Eucharist is not a share in His Blood and the Bread which we break is not a share in His Body (1Cor 10,16). For… the human substance, which the Word of God truly became, redeems us with His Blood…

Since we are His members (1Cor 6,15) and are nourished by His creation… He declared, that the Chalice of His creation is His own Blood, from which He augments our own blood and He affirmed, that the Bread of His creation is His own Body from which He gives growth to our being.

So, when the mixed chalice and the baked loaf receive the word of God and when the Eucharistic elements become the Body and Blood of Christ, which brings growth and sustenance to our bodily frame, how can it be maintained that our flesh is incapable of receiving God’s gift of eternal life?

For our flesh feeds on the Lord’s Body and Blood and is His member. So Saint Paul writes: “We are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones” (Eph 5,30; Gn 2,23). He is not speaking about some spiritual and invisible man…: he is speaking of the anatomy of a real man, consisting of flesh, nerves and bones. It is this that is nourished by His Chalice, the Chalice of His Blood and gains growth from the Bread which is His Body… In the same way, our bodies are nourished by the after being buried in the earth and… rise again in due season, when the word of God confers resurrection upon them “for the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2,11).” – St Irenaeus of Lyons (130-202) Bishop, Theologian and Martyr
Against the heresies, V, 2, 2

PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, in Your Word, You shed the light of Your glory on the peoples who are living in the shadow of death. By Your Word, You teach us all things and ‘draw’ us in the way of hope and love. For Your Word is Truth and Your Word became flesh and filled our world with the Sun of Justice, Your Son, He who is the Sun and the Truth. May our steps be guided by His Mother, Our Blessed Lady, as we follow in the footsteps of Your Word and be a protection in our trials by the Bread of Life. Through Christ, our Lord Jesus, with You in union with the Holy Spirit, now and forever, amen.

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on NATURE - GOD'S CREATION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 5 August – Mary, a Light in the Darkness

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Thought for the Day – 5 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mary, a Light in the Darkness

“Let us imagine for a moment, that we have grown blind and are forever plunged in darkness.
It is an unhappy thought.
Never again to see those who are dear to us, never to see the light of the sun nor any of the splendour of the universe.
We should feel as if were alone, for we should have to depend only on sounds and on the voices of others for communication with the external world.
As St Augustine points out, however, in his commentary on the miracle of the man who had been blind from birth, we are all more or less blind in the supernatural order.
The world is the image of God but, do we see His Presence in everything which surrounds us?
Is it not more often the case that created things distract us and lead us to forget their Creator because, we regard them as a means of satisfying our own comfort and our own ego?
We should look on creatures as go-betweens which help us to ascend to God, the beginning and end of all creation.

Unfortunately, instead of climbing this mystical ladder which leads us to God, we often descend it.
We forget God and become excessively wrapped up in worldly affairs.
Sometimes matters may be even worse, not only do we forget God through our love of creatures but, we use them, to offend Him.
God has given us eyes to admire His works and, as a result, to lead us to praise, thank and love Him.
Instead, we often use this wonderful gift in order to commit sin.
He has given us the gift of speech, the gift of hearing and other senses.
But how do we employ them?
The tongue is a marvellous invention but, as St James writes, “if anyone does not offend in the word, he is a perfect man, able also to lead round by the bridle, the whole body … With it we bless God the Father and, with it, we curse men, who have been made after the likeness of God.   Out of the same mouth, proceed blessing and cursing.   These things, my brethren ought not to be so” (Js 3:2-10).
What can be said of vision and of speech can be said of all the senses and faculties of body and soul.
They are all God’s gifts and should, therefore, be used as means of bringing ourselves closer to Him.
If creatures lead us away from God and cause us to forget Him, or if, worse still, they cause us to offend Him, then we are spiritually blind and far more unfortunate than those who have lost their natural vision.

Most Holy Mary, during your earthly pilgrimage, you never once lost sight of God.
Grant that I may not be lost in the darkness of this world.
Grant that I may not be ensnared by the passing charm and false beauty of these created things which surround me.
Grant that I may see, in all things, the Presence and Beauty of God, so that I may always continue to advance, nearer and nearer to Him.   Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on EDUCATION, QUOTES on NATURE - GOD'S CREATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on TRUTH

Thought for the Day – 14 July – Knowledge and Goodness

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 14 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Knowledge and Goodness

“Joseph DeMaistre’s views on the relationship between knowledge and goodness may seem a little extreme but, they are nothing but the truth.
“If the guardianship of education is not restored to the Church and if knowledge is not everywhere subordinated to goodness, the evils which await us will be incalculable. Science will brutalise us. Because of it, men will become more savage than the barbarians!”

We do not wish to speak slightingly of knowledge.
It is a gift from God, Who has given us our intellects to know the truth.
But truth, like every created thing, comes from God and should lead us back to God.
It is the same with knowledge.
If we investigate the secrets of nature and do not make of them a ladder, which helps us to climb towards our Creator, we turn the natural order upside down and inevitably fall backwards.
We can gain, by our labours, a mastery over the hidden forces of nature.
If we do not use them to benefit humanity but to destroy those of our brothers whom we call our enemies, we are worse than Cain.
Science which does not serve goodness, is worse than barbarism.
The latter has very few instruments of destruction at its disposal.
When science rebels against idealism, however and makes itself absolute, it can destroy all that we have inherited of beauty and goodness throughout the centuries.

Science is too easily glorified today.
But knowledge, for the sake of knowledge, does not lead us to God and is very often stupidity or worse.
It can be an instrument of evil and of physical and spiritual destruction!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci