Category: QUOTES on DEATH

Posted in APRIL -MONTH of the RESURRECTION and the BLESSED SACAMENT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2024, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY CROSS, The REDEMPTION, The RESURRECTION, The SIGN of the CROSS

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 23 March – What Happened on the Cross?

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 23 March – Saturday in Passion Week – Jeremias18:18-23, John 12:10-36 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Shall evil be rendered for good
because they have dug a pit for my soul?”
Jeremias 18:20

“The hour is come
when the Son of man
should be glorified.”
John 12:23

What Happened on the Cross?

St John Damascene (675-749)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“By nothing else except the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ
has death been brought low:

The sin of our first parent destroyed,
hell plundered,
resurrection bestowed,
the power given us to despise the things of this world,
even death itself,
the road back to the former blessedness made smooth,
the gates of paradise opened,
our nature seated at the right hand of God
and we made children and heirs of God.

By the Cross all these things have been set aright…

It is a seal that the destroyer may not strike us,
a raising up of those who lie fallen,
a support for those who stand,
a staff for the infirm,
a crook for the shepherded,
a guide for the wandering,
a perfecting of the advanced,
salvation for soul and body,
a deflector of all evils,
a cause of all goods,
a destruction of sin,
a plant of resurrection
and a tree of eternal life.”

(Reflections on the Cross of Christ
from the Early Church Fathers –
Orthodox Faith 4).

Posted in MARCH the month of ST JOSEPH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DEATH, St JOSEPH

Thought for the Day – 19 March – The Patronage of St Joseph

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Thought for the Day – 19 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Patronage of Saint Joseph

“We shall have particular need of the protection of St Joseph at the hour of death.
He had the most beautiful of deaths, for Jesus and Mary were by his side.
All his life he had lived only for them.
He had worked for them, worried about them and loved them.
In the end, he was able to see them near him, his own sweet Jesus and his beloved Spouse.
His must have been, a very peaceful death.
He had fulfilled his mission and Jesus and Mary were there to console him in his last agony.

We shall come to the end of our lives too, perhaps sooner than we imagine.
Let us ask the Holy Patriarch for the favour of a happy death.
Let us ask him to ensure that Jesus and Mary will help us too, when we are leaving this world.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/20/thought-for-the-day-20-march-the-patronage-of-st-joseph/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/03/20/thought-for-the-day-20-march-the-patronage-of-saint-joseph/

Posted in GUARDIAN ANGELS - Prayers etc, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FRIENDSHIP

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 19 March – A Happy or Miserable Eternity

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 19 March – The Month and Feast of St Joseph

MEDITATION on the Feast of St Joseph,
The Patron of a Holy and Happy Death

A Happy or Miserable Eternity

“When a person thinks seriously that on the moment of death, depends a happy or miserable eternity, his heart must be obdurate, indeed, if he be not struck with fear, for if the just be scarcely saved, where will the sinner appear?
O, Lord! enter not into judgement with Thy servant, for no-one living is justified in Thy sight!

The holy Abbot Agatho, being seized with trembling at his last hour and his religious having asked him the cause — he replied that although, by the great mercy of God, his conscience did not reproach him with anything, yet that the Divine Judgement being very different from those of men, he was in great alarm.
No wonder he should have felt so — all our good works are imperfect in the sight of the Divine Majesty.

If the Angels succour us in this dread moment, do they not prove themselves our true friends?
It is in the time of affliction a person knows a sincere friend and behold, in the hour of death, when all abandon us to our fate, when our bodies are consigned to the solitary tomb and our soul “goes to the house of its eternity,” the Angels, faithful to their charge, never depart from us. ” – (Devotion to the Holy Angels)

O My Good Angel
Prayer to One’s Guardian Angel
Appointing him Intercessory at the Hour of Death
By St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)

My good Angel – I know not when or how I shall die.
It is possible I may be carried off suddenly
and before my last sigh, I may be deprived of all intelligence.
Yet, how many things I would wish to say to God,
on the threshold of eternity.
In the full freedom of my will today,
I come to charge thee to speak for me
at that fearful moment.
Thou will say to Him, then, O my good Angel –
That I wish to die
in the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church
in which all the Saints, since Jesus Christ, have died
and, out of which, there is no salvation.
That I ask the grace, of sharing
in the Infinite Merits of my Redeemer
and that I desire to die, in pressing to my lips,
the Cross which was bathed in His Blood!
That I detest my sins because they displease Him
and that I pardon, through love of Him,
all my enemies, as I wish myself to be pardoned.
That I die willingly because He orders it
and that I throw myself, with confidence,
into His adorable Heart, awaiting all His mercy.
That in my inexpressible desire to go to Heaven,
I am disposed to suffer everything
it may please His Sovereign Justice to inflict on me.
That I love Him before all things,
above all things and for His own sake;
that I wish and hope, to love Him with the elect,
His Angels and the Blessed Mother,
during all eternity.
Do not refuse, O my Angel,
to be my interpreter with God
and to protest to Him, that these,
are my sentiments and my will.
Amen.

Posted in BAPTISM, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LENT 2024, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 15 March – Do Not Fall Back Again Into Death!

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 15 March – Friday of the Fourth Week in Lent – 3 Kings 17:17-24; John 11:1-45 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Now, by this I know t
hat thou art a man of God
and the Word of the Lord
in thy mouth is true.”
3 Kings 17:24

“ Lazarus, come forth!”
John 11:43

Do Not Fall Back Again Into Death!

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

“Laid to rest in the tomb, you heard the resounding call.
Is there any Voice greater than that of the Word?
Then you came out, you who were dead not merely for four days but for a very long time indeed.
You were raised with Christ … your burial bands fell to the ground.
Do not fall back again now into death; do not rejoin those who dwell in the tombs; do not allow yourself to be stifled by the burial bands of your sins.
For would you be able to come back to life once again?
Would you be able to bring out, from the death of here below, the resurrection of all men at the end of time? …

So let the Lord’s call resound in your ears!
Do not close them today to the teaching and admonitions of the Lord.
If you used to be blind, without light in your tomb, open your eyes lest you sink into the sleep of death.
In the Light of the Lord, behold light! in the Spirit of God, fix your eyes on the Son.
If you take to yourself the Word, in its entirety, then you focus onto your soul, all the power of Christ Who heals and restores to life ….
Do not be afraid to put some work into preserving your Baptismal purity and set the ways that lead to the Lord, within your heart.
Take care to preserve the act of acquittal which you received through pure grace ….

Let us be Light, as the disciples learned, from He Who is the Great Light: “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5:14).
Let us be lamps in this world by holding up on high the Word of Life, by being a life force for others.
Let us set out in search of God, in search of the One Who is the First and Purest of Lights.” – (Sermon on Holy Baptism).

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, GOD ALONE!, GUARDIAN ANGELS - Prayers etc, HYMNS, LENT 2024, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on SIN, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 6 March – Sweet Angel of Mercy!

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Our Lenten Journey with the Angels and the Saints – 6 March – Wednesday of the Third Week in Lent – Ecclesiasticus Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Nor then do thou leave me,
Angelical friend!
But at the tribunal
Of Judgement attend
And cease not to plead
For my soul, till, forgiven,
Thou bear it aloft
To the Palace of Heaven!”

“The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a treasure hidden in a field.”
Matthew 13:44

Sweet Angel of Mercy!
By Fr Edward Caswell C.Orat. (1814-1878)

Sweet Angel of mercy!
By Heaven’s decree
Benignly appointed
To watch over me!
Without thy protection,
So constant and nigh,
I could not well live;
I should tremble to die.

All thanks for thy love,
Dear companion and friend!
Oh may it continue
With me to the end!
Oh cease not to keep me,
Blest guide of my youth,
In the ways of religion
And virtue and truth.

Support me in weakness,
My spirit inflame;
Defend me in danger,
Secure me from shame,
That safe from temptation,
Or sudden surprise,
I may mount the straight path
That ascends to the skies.

When Satan his snares
For my ruin shall lay,
Be thou, gentle comrade,
My comfort and stay
And in every event
Which may happen to me,
Make all my desires
With thine to agree.

When I wander in error,
My footsteps recall,
Remove from my path
What might cause me to fall.
Preserve me from sin
And in all that I do,
May God and His glory
Be ever in view.

O thou who didst witness
My earliest breath,
Be with me, I pray,
In the hour of death.
Console me in sadness,
Refresh me in pain
And teach me how best
I may mercy obtain.

That, cleansed by confession
Complete and sincere,
From every defilement
Afflicting me here,
All glowing with love,
I may gladly depart.
With faith on my lips
And with hope in my heart.

Nor then do thou leave me,
Angelical friend!
But at the tribunal
Of Judgement attend
And cease not to plead
For my soul, till, forgiven,
Thou bear it aloft
To the Palace of Heaven!

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, DOCTORS of the Church, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, LENT, LENTEN THOUGHTS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SACRED HEART QUOTES, SACRED HEART REFLECTIONS, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 1 March – “They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”- Matthew 21:39

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One Minute Reflection – 1 March – Friday of the Second Week in Lent and the Feast of the Holy Shroud – Genesis 37:6-22; Matthew 21:33-46 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”– Matthew 21:39

REFLECTION – “I am the true vine,” Jesus says (Jn 15:1)… People dig trenches around this Vine, that is to say, cunningly dig traps. When they plot to make someone fall into a snare, it is as if they dug a pit in front of him. That is why He mourns about it, saying: “They have dug a pit before Me” (Ps 56:7)… Here is one example of these snares: “They brought a woman who had been caught in adultery” to our Lord Jesus, “saying: ‘Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?’ ” (Jn 8:3f)… And here is another: “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to the Emperor or not?” (cf. Mt 22:17)…

However, they discovered that these traps caused no harm to the Vine. To the contrary, in digging these pits, they themselves fell into them (Ps 56:7) … Then they kept on digging, not just His Hands and His Feet (Ps 21:17) but they pierced His Side with a lance (Jn 19:34) and uncovered the interior of that Sacred Heart, which had already been wounded by the spear of love. The Bridegroom says in the song of His love that: “You have wounded My heart, My sister, My spouse” (Sg 4:9). O Lord Jesus, Your Heart has been wounded with love by Your spouse, Your friend, Your sister. Why, then, was it necessary for Your enemies to wound You again? O you enemies, what are you doing?… Do you not know that this Heart of Our Lord Jesus, already pierced, is already dead, already open and cannot be touched by any other suffering? The Heart of the Bridegroom, Our Lord Jesus, has already received the wound of love, the death of love. What other death could touch Him?… The Martyrs also laugh when they are threatened, rejoice when they are struck, triumph when they are killed. Why? Because they have already died through love in their hearts, “dead to sin” (Rm 6:2) and to the world…

Thus Jesus’ Heart has been wounded and put to death for our sake… Physical death triumphed for a moment but only to be conquered forever. It was blotted out when Christ rose from the dead because “death has no power over Him anymore” (Rm 6:9). – St Bonaventure (1221-1274), Franciscan, Doctor of the Church (The Mystical Vine, ch. 3, § 5-10)

PRAYER – O God, Who hast left us a Relic of Thy passion in the Holy Shroud in which Thy body, taken down from the Cross, was wrapped by Joseph [of Arimathea], grant, we beseech Thee that through Thy Death and Burial, we may be brought to the glory of resurrection. Thou who livest and reignests with The Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS

Our Morning Offering – 28 February – O Mother of Sorrows, Stand by Me in My Last Agony

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Our Morning Offering – 28 February – St Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows/Gabriel Possenti CP (1838-1862) Confessor

O Mother of Sorrows,
Stand by Me in My Last Agony
By St Gabriel Francis Possenti
of Our Lady of Sorrows (1838-1862)

O Mother of Sorrows,
by the anguish and love
with which thou did stand at the Cross of Jesus,
stand by me in my last agony.
To thy maternal heart
I commend the last three hours of my life.
Offer these hours to the Eternal Father
in union with the agony of our dearest Lord,
in atonement for my sins.
Offer to the Eternal Father
the most precious blood of Jesus,
mingled with your tears on Calvary,
that I may obtain the grace of receiving Holy Communion
with the most perfect love and contrition
before my death
and that I may breathe forth my soul
in the adorable presence of Jesus.
Dearest Mother,
when the moment of my death has at last come,
present me as your child to Jesus.
Ask Him to forgive me for having offended Him,
for I knew not what I did.
Beg Him to receive me into His kingdom of glory
to be united with Him forever.
Amen

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 "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SELF-DISTRUST, THEOLOGICAL

Quote/s of the Day – 24 February – I Am meek and humble of heart …

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Quote/s of the Day – 24 February – Ember Saturday – Feast of St Matthias, Apostle – Acts 1:15-26, Matthew 11:25-30 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,
for I Am meek and humble of heart
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For My yoke is easy and My burden light.”

Matthew 11:29-30

“I shall reflect the image of God
in that I feed on love;
grow certain on faith and hope;
strengthen myself, on the virtue of patience;
grow tranquil by humility;
grow beautiful by chastity;
am sober by abstention;
am made happy by tranquillity
and am ready for death,
by practising hospitality.”

ACW – Ancient Christian Writer
Incomplete Work on Matthew
(Homily 40)

“If you wish to reach high, then begin at the lowest level.
If you are trying to construct some mighty edifice in height,
you will begin with the lowest foundation.
This is humility.
However great the mass of the building
you may wish to design or erect,
the taller the building is to be,
the deeper you will dig the foundation.
The building in the course of its erection,
rises up high but he who digs its foundation,
must first go down very low.
So then, you see even a building is low
before it is high and the tower is raised,
only after humiliation.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

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

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, franciscan OFM, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ENEMIES, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 February – But I say to you, Love your enemies …

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One Minute Reflection – 16 February – Friday after Ash Wednesday – The Feast of the Sacred Crown of Thorns of Our Lord Jesus Christ – Isa 58:1-9; Matthew 5:43-48; 6:1-4 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“But I say to you, Love your enemies …” Matthew 5:44

REFLECTION – “Let us pay attention, all my brothers, to what the Lord says: “Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you,” for our Lord Jesus Christ, Whose footprints we must follow (cf 1 Pt 2:21), called His betrayer “friend” (Mt 26:50) and gave Himself willingly to those who crucified Him. Our friends, then, are all those who, unjustly afflict upon us, trials and ordeals, shame and inju­ries, sorrows and torments, martyrdom and death! We must love them greatly for we will possess eternal life because of what they bring upon us.” – St Francis of Assisi (c1181-1226) Founder of the Friars Minor (Earlier Rule, #22).

PRAYER – May Thy kindly favour, we beseech Thee, O Lord, accompany the fast we have begun that we, maybe able to practice, with a pure mind and heart, that which we perform bodily. 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 AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, EVENING and NIGHT Prayers, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on WATCHING, The SECOND COMING

Quote/s of the Day – 10 February – Watch, O Lord!

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 February – St Scholastica (c482-547) Virgin Nun, St Benedict’s twin – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Watch, therefore because you know
not the day, nor the hour.”

Matthew 25:13

Watch, O Lord!
With Those Who Wake,
or Watch, or Weep Tonight
By St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

Watch, O Lord,
with those who wake,
or watch,
or weep tonight
and give Thy Angels and Saints,
charge over those who sleep.
Tend Thy sick ones, O Lord Christ.
Rest Thy weary ones.
Bless Thy dying ones.
Soothe Thy suffering ones.
Pity Thy afflicted ones.
Shield Thy joyous ones.
And all, for Thine Love’s sake.
Amen

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on WATCHING, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 February – ‘ … Does not the example of the ten virgins make us tremble? …’

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One Minute Reflection – 10 February – “The Month of the Most Holy and Blessed Trinity” – St Scholastica (c482-547) Virgin Nun, St Benedict’s twin – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Behold, the Bridegroom is coming, go forth to meet Him!” – Matthew 25:6

REFLECTION – “My brothers, there is a time for sowing and a time for harvesting, a time for peace and another for war, a time for labour and another for rest (Cf Eccl 3). But, for the salvation of the soul, all times are right and every journey is worthwhile, at least, if we wish it to be. Therefore, let us always be moving towards the good, ready to move, full of eagerness, putting words into deeds. For, says the Apostle Paul, “it is not those who hear the law, who are just in the sight of God; rather, those who observe the law, will be justified” (Rom 2:13) … Is this the time for spiritual warfare? Then we should fight vigorously and pursue, with God’s aid, the devilish thoughts that rise up inside us. If, on the other hand, it is time for spiritual harvest, we should enthusiastically gather in the crops and collect together, into spiritual barns, provisions for eternal life…

It is always the time for prayer, for tears, for repentance after a failing, always time to take the Kingdom of Heaven by storm! Why delay? Why set aside till later? Why put off our improvement, from day to day? “For the world, in its present form, is passing away” (1 Cor 7:31) … Are we going to live forever? … Does not the example of the ten virgins make us tremble? “The Bridegroom is coming,” says the Gospel, “go out to meet Him.” And the wise virgins went out to meet him with lamps alight and went into the wedding feast — whereas, the foolish virgins, delayed by their lack of good works, cried out: “Lord, Lord, open the door for us. But He said in reply: Amen, I say to you, I do not know you” and He added: “Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” So we should stay awake and rouse the soul to soberness, compunction, holiness, purification and illumination, so as to prevent death from shutting the door and no-one being there to open it to us or help us!” – St Theodore the Studite (750–826) Father, Abbot, Theologian, Writer at Constantinople (Small Catechism No 130).

PRAYER – O God, Who, to show us the way of innocence, caused the soul of Thy Virgin, blessed Scholastica, to fly up to heaven in the likeness of a dove, grant us, through her merits and prayers, to live innocently, so that we may be found worthy to reach everlasting joys. 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", ArchAngels and Angels, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on PURITY of INTENTION, Quotes on SALVATION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 February – ‘… Be a lamp then in heart, in hand, in lips. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 2 February – The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, Candlemas – Malachias 3:1-4; Luke 2:22-32 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“My eyes have seen Thy salvation …” – Luke 2:30

REFLECTION – “Come then, my brethren, give an eye to that candle burning in Simeon’s hands. Light your candles too by borrowing from that Light; for these candles I speak of are the lamps which the Lord orders us to have in our hands (Mt 25:1; Lk 12:35). Come to Him and be enlightened (Ps 33:6), so as to be not merely carrying lamps but to be very lamps yourselves, shining inside and out, for yourselves and for your neighbours.

Be a lamp then in heart, in hand, in lips. The lamp in your heart will shine for you; the lamp in your hand or on your lips, will shine out for your neighbours. The lamp in the heart is loving faith; the lamp in the hand is the example of good works; the lamp on the lips is edifying speech. But not just before men, must we shine by works and word but before Angels too, by prayer and before God Himself by pure Intention. Our lamp before the Angels is the purity of our devotion, when, in the sight of Angels, we chant the Psalms with care, or pray with burning ardour; our lamp before God is the honesty of our intention to please Him only, Whose approval we have won…

There are so many lamps then, my brethren, to lighten your way, if only you will come to the Source of all Light and be enlightened. Come, I say, to Jesus, Who shines out to us from Simeon’s arms. He will give Light to your faith, lustre to your works, meaning to your words for men, ardour to your prayer, purity to your intentions … And when this life’s lamp is extinguished, there will arise a life’s Light which can never be extinguished, a shimmering noonday Light, arising, as it were, at the evening of your life!” – Blessed Guerric of Igny O.Cist. (c1080-1157) Cistercian Abbot (1st Sermon for the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, we humbly beseech Thy Majesty that, as Thy Only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in the nature of our flesh, so may Thou grant us to be presented to Thee with purified minds. 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). 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 QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on PHYSICAL SICKNESS, ILLNESS, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SCANDAL, QUOTES on SLOTH, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The SIGN of the CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 17 January – St Anthony Abbot

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Quote/s of the Day – 17 January – St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

“The illusions of this world soon vanish,
especially if a man arms himself
with the Sign of the Cross.
The devils tremble
at the Sign of the Cross of our Lord,
by which He triumphed over and disarmed them.”

“If we make every effort to avoid
death of the body,
still more should it be our endeavour,
to avoid death of the soul!
There is no obstacle for a man
who wishes to be saved,
other than negligence and laziness of soul.”

“ What is slander?
It is every sort of wicked word
we would dare not speak
in front of the person whom
we are complaining about.”

MORE and MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/01/17/quote-s-of-the-day-17-january-st-anthony-abbot-2/

St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PRESUMPTION, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on WATCHING, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 January –  ‘ … So keep watch with vigilant soul and you will see the pure Truth with open eyes! …’

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One Minute Reflection – 17 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – St Anthony Abbot (251-356) – Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6; Luke 12:35-40 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

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

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

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

PRAYER – May the intercession of the Blessed Abbot Anthony, commend us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, so that what we do not deserve by any merits of our own, we may obtain by his patronage. Through tJesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, 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 CHRIST the LIGHT, DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on STRENGTH, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, St Francis de Sales, The HEART, The HOLY NAME, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 11 January – The source of Joy

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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!”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

(From the Letters)

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, JESUIT SJ, NOTES to Followers, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRAYERS on FAITH, QUOTES for the NEW YEAR, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TIME, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St Alphonsus de Liguori,, The HOLY NAME, The WILL of GOD, THEOLOGICAL

The New Day and Year has Dawned! Its 2024!

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The New Day and Year has Dawned!
Its 2024!

We know that there is only ONE thing necessary
and so, for this New Year, 2024,
I wish you only that ONE THING –
that HE may fill your heart,
your mind, your soul, your whole being,
everyday and every moment
and then, nothing will be wanting to you,
ALL will be yours and even sadness
and pain will serve only to unite you
more and more closely to our Divine Saviour.
And so, abiding in His Sacred Heart,
2024 will be PERFECT!

“We must make our way towards eternity,
never regarding what men think of us,
or of our actions,
studying only to please God.”

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)

The One Thing Necessary
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

O my God,
help me to remember,
that time is short, eternity long.
What good is all the greatness of this world
at the hour of death?
To love Thee, my God
and save my soul is the one thing necessary.
Without Thee, there is no peace of mind or soul.
My God, I need fear only sin
and nothing else in this life,
for to lose Thee, my God, is to lose all.
O my God, help me to remember,
that I came into this world with nothing
and shall take nothing from it, when I die.
To gain Thee, I must leave all.
But in loving Thee,
I already have all good things –
the infinite riches of Christ and His Church in life,
Mary’s motherly protection and perpetual help
and the eternal dwelling place
Jesus has prepared for me.
Eternal Father, Jesus has promised
that whatever we ask
in His Name will be granted us.
In His Name, I pray,
give me a burning faith,
a joyful hope,
a holy love for Thee.
Grant me perseverance in doing Thine will
and never let me be separated from Thee.
My God and my All,
make me a Saint!
Amen

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the SUN of JUSTICE, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CHRISTMAS Prayers & Hymns, CHRISTMAS Quotes, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PEACE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The DIVINE INFANT, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 30 December – Our only Light – Deo Gratias!

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Quote/s of the Day – 30 December – The Sixth Day Within the Octave of the Nativity of our Lord

“With hearts truly grateful,
Come, all ye faithful,
To Jesus, to Jesus in Bethlehem;
See Christ your Saviour,
Heaven’s greatest favour.
Let us hasten to adore Him;
Our God and King.”

DEO GRATIAS! 

“Open wide your door to the One who comes.
Open your soul,
throw open the depths of your heart
to see the riches of simplicity,
the treasures of peace,
the sweetness of grace.
Open your heart
and run to meet
the Sun of Eternal Light
Who illuminates all men.”

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

“Listen! the reason He is called Saviour
is because, for all those
to whom He is united,
He gains salvation.
Now salvation means,
to be delivered from all ills and,
at the same time,
to find all blessings forever –
Life instead of death,
Light in place of darkness
and, instead of the slavery
of the passions and unworthy deeds,
the complete freedom granted
to all those, who are united to Christ,
Saviour of all beings.
Thus they will possess,
without being able to lose it,
all joy, all happiness, all blessedness …
that that none can ever know,
or conceive, or see,
if not sincerely and ardently
attached to Christ.”

St Symeon the New Theologian (c 949-1022)

“Taking up the newborn Emmanuel,
Mary beheld a Light incomparably fairer
than the sun and saw a Fire
that water cannot quench.
She received, in the covering of flesh
Whom she had borne,
the Light Who enlightens all things
and she was worthy,
to carry in her arms,
the Word Who carries the universe!” ”

St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159)
Bishop, Cistercian Monk

(Homilies in praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary IV SC 72)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The HOLY CROSS, The REDEMPTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 December – ‘ … Do you listen attentively to the Voice of the Good Shepherd and obey His Word?’

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One Minute Reflection – 29 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – St Thomas à Becket (1118-1170) Martyr – Hebrews 5:1-6, John 10:11-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“I am the Good Shepherd, I know My Own and My Own know Me.”- John 10:14

REFLECTION – “He shows in what manner a shepherd may be proved good and, He teaches that, he must be prepared to give up his life, fighting in defence of his sheep which was fulfilled in Christ. For man has departed from the love of God and fallen into sin and, because of this was, I say, excluded from the divine abode of paradise. And when he was weakened by that disaster, he yielded to the devil tempting him to sin and death, following that sin, he became the prey of fierce and ravenous wolves.  But after Christ was announced as the True Shepherd of all men, He laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16), fighting for us against that pack of inhuman beasts.  He bore the Cross for us that by His own death, He might destroy death. He was condemned for us that He might deliver all of us, from the sentence of punishment – the tyranny of sin being overthrown by our faith -fastening to the Cross, the decree that stood against us, as it is written (Colossians 2:14).

Therefore, as the father of sin had, as it were, shut up the sheep in hell, giving them to death to feed on, as it is written in the Psalms (Ps. 48:16), He died for us, as truly Good and truly our Shepherd, so that the dark shadow of death is driven away, He might join us to the company of the blessed in Heaven and, in exchange for abodes which lie far in the depths of the pit … grants us mansions in His Father’s House above. Because of this, He says to us in another place: Fear not, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you a Kingdom (Luke 12:32). Do you listen attentively to the Voice of the Good Shepherd and obey His Word? – ” – St Cyril of Alexander (376-444) Known as “The Pillar of Faith” Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor of the Church. (Commentary on the Good Shepherd).

PRAYER – O God, for Whose Church Bishop Thomas, now in glory, fell by the swords of wicked men, grant, we beseech Thee, that the prayers of all who implore his assistanc, may be effective and may lead to salvation. 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 MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on TIME, St PAUL!

Thought for the Day – 28 December – The Value of An Hour

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Thought for the Day – 28 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Value of An Hour

“Let us now contemplate the fact that our eternity can and may depend on a single hour!
Within an hour, the repentant thief was converted and gained Heaven.
In one hour, Mary Magdalene, St Paul and many other Saints, finally yielded to the grace of God and set out on the road to sanctity.

There are vital hours in our lives too.
It will be disastrous for us if we ever let the hour of grace slip away neglected!
Let us listen when God calls us and let us be generous with Hinn, as He has been infinitely generous towards us.
If we behave in this manner, we need never fear the hour of death.
It will still be the hour on which our eternity depends but, it will be an eternity of everlasting happiness.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/28/thought-for-the-day-28-december-the-value-of-an-hour/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/12/28/thought-for-the-day-28-december-the-value-of-an-hour-2/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on JOY, The INCARNATION, The NATIVITY of JESUS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 December – And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us …

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One Minute Reflection – 25 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The Nativity of Our Lord, Christmas Day! – Titus 2:11-15; Luke 2:1-14 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we saw His glory, the glory, as it were, of the Only-Begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.”- Luke 2:14

REFLECTION – “This is the day our Saviour was born – what a joy for us, my beloved! This is no season for sadness, this, the birthday of Life – the Life which annihilates the fear of death and engenders joy, promising, as it does, immortality! Nobody is an outsider to this happiness. The same cause for joy is common to all, for our Lord . . . came with redemption for all. Let the saint rejoice, for he hastens to his crown; let the sinner be filled with joy, for pardon is offered him; let the Gentile be emboldened, for he is called to life. When the designated time had come, which God, in His deep and impenetrable plan, had fixed upon, God’s Son took the nature of man upon Himself, in order to reconcile man to his Creator . . .

The Word, Who is God, the Son of God “Who was in the beginning with God; through Whom all things came to be and without Whom, nothing came to be” has become Man to deliver man from eternal death. He humbled Himself to assume our mortal condition, yet without diminishing His greatness. Remaining what He was and assuming what He was not, He united our condition of a slave, to His condition of equality with God the Father . . . Greatness was clothed with humility, strength with weakness, eternity with mortality – True God and True Man, in the unity of a single Lord, “the One Mediator between God and the human race” (1Tim 2,5). . .

My beloved, let us offer thanksgiving to God the Father, through His Son, in the Holy Ghost. In the great mercy with which He loved us, He had pity on us and “in giving life to Christ, gave life to us too, when we were dead through sin,” so that, in Him, we might be a new creation, a new work of His Hands (Eph 2:4-5; 2 Cor 5:17) . . . O Christian, be aware of your nobility!” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope , Father and Doctor of the Church (1st sermon for the Nativity of the Lord)

PRAYER – O God, Who have brightened this most holy night with the splendour of the true Light, grant, we beseech Thee that we may know in Heaven the joy of that light which we have known mystically on earth. 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 MARCH the month of ST JOSEPH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DEATH, St JOSEPH, The HOLY FAMILY

Thought for the Day – 24 December – The Holy Family – Joseph

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Thought for the Day – 24 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

A Christmas Novena IX
The Holy Family – Joseph

“The third member of the Holy Family is St Joseph, the most just of men, faithful to his vocation as the foster-father of the Child Jesus and chaste spouse o the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Let us imitate his purity, his utter dedication to the service of God and his burning love for Jesus, Whom he was privileged to clasp to his breast before any other man.
Let us ask him to obtain for us the grace to be able to imitate him in his life so that we may also imitate him in his holy death.
May he, who died with Jesus and Mary by his side, obtain peace for us in our final agony, so that we may expire with the names of Jesus and Mary on our lips and in our hearts.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/24/thought-for-the-day-24-december-the-holy-family-jesus-2/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/12/24/thought-for-the-day-24-december-the-holy-family-mary/

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, FATHERS of the Church, GOOD FRIDAY, HOLY WEEK, HYMNS, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, MARIAN POETRY, MARIAN QUOTES, MOTHER of GOD, POETRY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, The ANNUNCIATION, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY CROSS, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 14 December – St Venantius Fortunatus

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 December – Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – The Feast of St Venantius Fortunatus (c530 – c609) Bishop, Poet, Hymnist, Writer. Another “Golden Words.”

“O Mother blest!
And chosen Shrine
wherein the Architect Divine,
Whose Hand contains the earth and sky
vouchsafed in hidden guise to lie;
Blest in the message Gabriel brought;
blest in the work, the Spirit wrought;
Most blest, to bring to human birth,
the long desired of all the earth!”

“See the destined day arise!
See a willing Sacrifice!
Jesus, to redeem our loss,
hangs upon the shameful Cross;
Jesus, Who but Thee could bear
wrath so great and justice fair?
Every pang and bitter throe,
finishing Thine life of woe?”

“Hail, O Altar, Hail, O Victim,
For the glory of Thy Passion,
By which Life endured death
And by death, restored life!”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-december-st-venantius-fortunatus/

St Venantius Fortunatus (c530 – c609)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on DEATH, St PETER!, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 11 December– Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:16

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One Minute Reflection – 11 December – Monday of the Second Week of Advent, Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God – St Pope Damasus I (c305-384) Confessor. – 1 Peter 5:1-4, 10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:16

REFLECTION – “Peter did not say “Thou are a Christ” or “a son of God” but “the Christ, the Son of God.” For there are many christs by grace, who have attained the rank of adoption [as sons] but [there is] only One Who is by nature the Son of God. Thus, using the definite article, he said, THE Christ, THE Son of God. And in calling Him, Son of the LIVING God, Peter indicates that Christ Himself is Life and that death has no authority over Him. And even if the flesh, for a short while, was weak and died, nevertheless, it rose again, since the Word, Who dwelled in it, could not be held under the bonds of death.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Known as “The Pillar of Faith” Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor Incarnationis (Doctor of the Incarnation) (Fragment 190).

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

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 December – St Ambrose

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 December – St Ambrose (340-397) – Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church

“O, that the soul of Mary were in us,
to glorify the Lord!
That the spirit of Mary were in us,
to rejoice in God.
May the life of Blessed Mary
be ever present to our awareness.
In her, as in a mirror,
the form of virtue
and beauty of chastity, shine forth.
She was Virgin, not only in body
but in mind and spirit.
She never sullied the pure affection of her heart
by unworthy feelings.
She was humble of heart.
She was serious in her conversations.
She was prudent in her counsels.
She preferred to pray rather than to speak.
She united in her heart the prayers of the poor,
and avoided the uncertainty of worldly riches.
She was ever faithful to her daily duties,
reserved in her conversations
and always accustomed to recognise God
as the witness of her thoughts.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus!”

(On Virginity II 2.7)

“Watch, therefore because you know not
the day, nor the hour.”
Matthew 25:13

“ In the hours of the night, think always on Christ
and hope for His coming at every moment. …
Christ enters at the open door.
He will not fail to do so, for He has promised to enter.
Embrace Him, Whom you have sought.
Approach Him and be illumined.
Hold Him and ask Him not to go away quickly.
Beg Him not to depart.
For “His Word runs swiftly” (Ps 147:15)
and will not be held by the slothful
or negligent soul.
Let your soul run to His call and follow closely, t
he sound of His heavenly Voice,
for His passing is swift. …”

“Open wide your door to the One who comes.
Open your soul,
throw open the depths of your heart
to see the riches of simplicity,
the treasures of peace,
the sweetness of grace.
Open your heart
and run to meet
the Sun of Eternal Light
Who illuminates all men.”

“No-one heals himself
by wounding another.”

“Our own evil inclinations
are far more dangerous,
than any external enemies. ”

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

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/12/07/quote-s-of-the-day-7-december-st-ambrose-3/

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

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FAITH, The ASCENSION of the LORD, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 27 November – He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 27 November – Feria of the Last Sunday after Pentecost – Colossians 1:9-14; Matthew 24:15-35 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“They will see the Son of man
coming in the clouds of Heaven
with much power and majesty.”

Matthew 24:30

“From that time onward,
He was to remain at the Father’s Right Hand,
until the completion of the period,
ordained by God, for the Church’s children
to increase and multiply, after which,
in the same Body with which He ascended,
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
And so, our Redeemer’s Visible Presence
has passed into the Sacraments.
Our faith is nobler and stronger because,
empirical sight has been replaced by a reliable teaching,
whose authority is accepted by believing hearts,
enlightened from on high.”

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

“Fool that I am to offend God
for the sake of such trifling vanities.
I have forsaken God and for what – for nothing!
On the other hand, devotion and good deeds
will be seen as desirable and delightful
and you will ask yourself –
why did I not take this beautiful
and pleasant path of everlasting joy?
At that hour, your sins –
which at the time seemed so small –
will appear as vast as mountains
and your devotions truly small. …

Pray to God and cast yourself into His arms.
O my God, take me into Thy care on that terrible day;
may all other days be sad, if only that single day
will be a happy one!”

“Let the world turn upside down,
let everything be in darkness,
in smoke, in uproar – God is with us!”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, QUOTES on DEATH

Our Morning Offering – 27 November – Prayer to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 27 November – Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Patronages : … Special graces, miracles of healing, for conversions, for believers.

Our Blessed Lady and her Miraculous Medal are the solution to the difficulties we are facing. Now, more than ever, we need our Blessed Mother’s comfort and protection. Now, more than ever, we need to discover her peace. Now, more than ever, we need to know that our Mother is with us.

Prayer to Our Lady
of the Miraculous Medal

Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate,
we unite ourselves to thee
under thy title of Blessed Mother,
Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.
May this medal be, for each one of us,
a sure sign of thy motherly affection for us
and a constant reminder
of our filial duties towards thee.
While wearing it, may we be blessed
by thy loving protection
and preserved in the grace of thy Son.
Most powerful Virgin,
Mother of our Saviour,
keep us close to thee,
every moment of our lives
so that like thee, we may live and act
according to the teaching
and example of thy Son.
Obtain for us, thy children,
the grace of a happy death,
so that in union with thee
we may enjoy
the happiness of heaven forever.
Amen

Posted in "Follow Me", CATECHESIS, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOOD FRIDAY, JESUIT SJ, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, OUR Cross, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, St Francis de Sales, The HOLY CROSS, The LORD'S PRAYER, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION

Quote/s of the Day – 25 November – Life for those who die

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 25 November – Sirach 51:1-8; 5:12, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Behold, the Bridegroom is coming,
go forth to meet Him!”
Matthew 25:6

“He worked and struggled as our Champion
against our enemies,
broke open the bars of our prison,
won the struggle,
vanquished our death through His Own,
redeemed us through His Blood,
freed us through His water in Baptism
and made us rich,
through His Sacraments and His gifts,
so that, as He says in the Gospel (Mt 25:6),
we might “go out” with all virtues to,
“meet Him” in the palace of His glory
and enjoy Him forever in eternity.”

Bl Jan van Ruysbroeck (1293-1381)

“So, my brothers, let us pray as God our master has taught us.
To ask the Father in words His Son has given us,
to let Him hear the prayer of Christ ringing in His ears,
is to make our prayer one of friendship, a family prayer.
Let the Father recognise the words of His Son.
Let the Son who lives in our hearts, be also on our lips.
We have Him as an Advocate for sinners, before the Father,
when we ask for forgiveness for ours sins,
let us use the words given by our Advocate.
He tells us –
Whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you.
What more effective prayer could we then make,
in the name of Christ, than in the words of His own prayer?”

An excerpt from St Cyprian’s
Treatise On the Lord’s Prayer

St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200-258)
Martyr, Bishop of Carthage,
Father of the Church

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

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

“The soul glorifies the Lord,
when it consecrates all its inner powers
on praising and serving God
and when, by its submission
to the Divine commands,
it proves that it never loses sight
of His Power and Majesty.
The spirit rejoices in God, its Saviour,
when it places all its joy
in the remembrance of its Creator,
from Whom it hopes for eternal salvation.”

St Bede the Venerable (673-735)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“When you pray,
hear Mass,
sit at table,
engage in business and,
when at bedtime you remove your clothes—
at all times, yearn that by the pain
which He felt when He was stripped
just before His Crucifixion,
He may strip us of our evil habits of mind.
Thus, naked, of earthly things,
we may also embrace the Cross!”

St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572)

“Jesus Nazarenus, Rex Judeaorum –
Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.”
John 19:19

“HE DIED, THEN
But although He died for us and was lifted up on the Cross,
those who refuse to look upon Him, will surely die,
for there is no other redemption but in this Cross.

O God, how spiritually beneficial and profitable
is a consideration of Thy Cross and Passion!
Can we contemplate our Saviour’s humility on the Cross,
without becoming humble and,
having some affection for humiliations?
Can we see His obedience, without being obedient?
Certainly not!
No-one has ever looked upon Our Lord Crucified
and remained dead or sick.
On the other hand, all who have died,
have done so because.
they were unwilling to gaze upon Him,
just as the Israelites died.
who were unwilling to gaze upon the serpent
which Moses had raised upon the pole.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WATCHING, The HEART, The SECOND COMING, The WORD, Uncategorized

One Minute Reflection – 25 November – ‘…Christ enters at the open door. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 25 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Catherine of Alexandria (Died c305) Virgin Martyr – Sirach 51:1-8; 5:12, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Watch, therefore because you know not the day, nor the hour.” – 25:13

REFLECTION – “You are one of the virgins who illumine the beauty of your body with the light of the mind, you are all the more fit to be compared with the Church. In the hours of the night, think always on Christ and hope for His coming at every moment. …
Christ enters at the open door. He will not fail to do so, for He has promised to enter. Embrace Him, Whom you have sought. Approach Him and be illumined.
Hold Him and ask Him not to go away quickly. Beg Him not to depart. For “His Word runs swiftly” (Ps 147:15) and will not be held by the slothful or negligent soul. Let your soul run to His call and follow closely, the sound of His heavenly Voice, for His passing is swift. …

With what ties is Christ to be held?
Not by force, not by chains but rather, by the bonds of charity.
He is kept and held by the ties of the mind, by the love of the heart.
So, if you wish to hold Christ, seek Him continually and fear no fatigue.
It is often in pain of body, amid the very hands of the persecutors that Christ may really be found. … In a little while, in a brief moment, when you have escaped the hands of your persecutors and have not succumbed to the powers of the world, Christ will meet you and will not allow you to be tempted further.” – St Ambrose (340-397) Archbishop of Milan, Father and Doctor of the Church (De virginitate, PL 16, 283-286 – The Nun’s Ideals).

PRAYER – O God, Who gave the law to Moses on Sinai’s height and through Thy holy Angels, miraculously placed there, the body of blessed Catherine, Thy Virgin and Martyr, grant, we beseech Thee that by her merits and intercession, we may reach that towering eminence which is Christ our Lord.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).