Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, OPEN HOUSE...Conversations with..., QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Thought for the Day – 14 September – My Life is Christ

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

My Life is Christ

“St Paul reached such a degree of union with Christ that he could exclaim” “To me to live is Christ” (Phil 1:21).
Elsewhere he says” “It is now no longer I that live but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20).
This is a characteristic of the Saints.
They live their own lives no longer, for they live the life of Christ.
That is to say, their minds and hearts are always fixed on Jesus.
They love the Lord, more than all things and, more than themselves.
God is the object of all their desires, affections and actions.
As a result, the soul is transfigured and is infused with divine life, so that it does nothing which is not activated by grace.
In the Saints, then, there is reflected something heavenly which attracts and stimulates one to virtue.

The Saints preached effectively in simple, unadorned language, as in the case of the Cure of Ars.
But, their most effective sermon was the example of their lives.
They could say with St Paul: “To me to live is Christ.”
They could repeat the thought of St Jerome: “Christ is the breath of my lips.”
Like St John Chrysostom, they could say: “My heart is the heart of Christ.”
They could say with St Augustine: “I am only an instrument in the service of Christ” and, with St Anselm: “My eyes are the eyes of Christ.”

When we meditate on these words, which signify the height of sanctity, we feel very small, shabby and far from the Christian perfection to which we should aspire.
Perhaps we are still immersed in sin, or perhaps, we are wavering between the things of this world and the things of God, or perhaps, as yet, we have not given up our egoism and complacent mediocrity in order to offer ourselves entirely to God.
Real Christianity demands that we renounce ourselves, live the life of Christ and, make every effort to acquire perfection.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", ACT of CONTRITION, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HYPOCRISY, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – The blessed Cross of Christ

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

“Do not rejoice in the Cross only in times of peace,
preserve the same faith in times of persecution.
Do not be a friend to Jesus in times of peace alone,
only to become His enemy in times of war.
You are now receiving forgiveness for your sins
and the spiritual gifts lavishly bestowed by your King so,
when war breaks out, fight valiantly for your King.”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“The way to rest is through toil,
the way to life is through death.
Christ has taken on Himself
the whole weakness of our lowly human nature.
If then we are steadfast in our faith in Him
and in our love for Him,
we win the victory that He has won,
we receive what He has promised.”

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

“This is that enviable
and blessed Cross of Christ . . .
the Cross in which alone,
we must make our boast,
as Paul,
God’s chosen instrument,
has told us.”

St Raymond of Peñafort
(1175-1275)

“Whenever anything disagreeable
or displeasing happens to you,
remember Christ crucified
and be silent!”

St John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Doctor of the Church

“Act of Contrition

My Lord Jesus Christ,
You have made this journey
to die for me, with love unutterable
and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You
but now I love You with my whole heart
and because I love You,
I repent sincerely for having ever offended You.
Pardon me, my God
and permit me to accompany You on this journey.
You go to die for love of me,
I wish also, my beloved Redeemer,
to die for love of Thee.
My Jesus, I will live
and die always united to You.”
Amen

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

“Like Jesus, we must bow our heads
before our Cross
and embrace it,
with resignation and love.
We must unite our sufferings
with those of our Redeemer,
for the expiation of our sins.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/09/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-september-the-message-of-the-cross/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FATHERS of the Church, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 13 September – Words of Golden Mouth

Quote/s of the Day – 13 September –The Memorial of St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Church

“The waters have risen
and severe storms are upon us
but we do not fear drowning,
for we stand firmly upon a rock.
Let the sea rage, it cannot break the rock.
Let the waves rise,
they cannot sink the boat of Jesus.”

“Let the world be in upheaval.
I hold to His promise and read His message,
that is my protecting wall and garrison.
What message?
‘Know that I am with you always,
until the end of the world!’”

“Jesus Christ, the God-Man,
was born in a manger
and is spiritually reborn on the altar.
He suffered on Calvary
and continues to offer Himself on the altar.
In His earthly life,
He spread His teaching
and worked miracles among the crowds.
In the Eucharist,
He spans the centuries
and communicates Himself to all.”

“When you see the immolated Lord lying on the altar
and the priest who, standing, prays over the victim…
can you still believe you are among men,
that you are on earth?
Are you not, on the contrary,
suddenly transported to Heaven?”

“By virtue of this Body,
I am no longer dust and ashes,
I am no longer a prisoner but free,
by virtue of this, I hope in Heaven
and to receive its goods,
the inheritance of the angels
and to converse with Christ!”

“Lift up and stretch out your hands,
not to heaven but to the poor…
if you lift up your hands in prayer
without sharing with the poor,
it is worth nothing.”

“Jesus, open the eyes of my heart,
that I may hear Your word
and understand and do Your will.
Open the eyes of my mind
to the understanding
of Your Gospel teachings.
Speak to me the hidden
and secret things of Your wisdom.
Enlighten my mind and understanding
with the light of Your knowledge,
not only to cherish those things
that are written
but to do them.
Amen”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day 11 September – Blessed Charles Spinola – Martyr

Quote/s of the Day 11 September – Friday of the Twenty Third week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-27, Psalms 84:3, 4, 5-6, 12, Luke 6:39-42 and the Memorial of Blessed Charles Spinola SJ (1564-1622) Priest, Martyr, Missionary to Japan

“A disciple is not above his teacher…”

Luke 6:40

“Let us then learn from the Cross of Jesus our proper way of living.
Should I say ‘living’ or, instead, ‘dying’?
Rather, both living and dying.
Dying to the world, living for God.
Dying to vices and living by the virtues.
Dying to the flesh, but liv­ing in the spirit.
Thus in the Cross of Christ, there is death
and in the Cross of Christ there is life.
The death of death is there and the life of life.
The death of sins is there and the life of the virtues.
The death of the flesh is there and the life of the spirit.”

St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)

Blessed Charles Spinola went underground, going by the foreshadowing alias “Joseph of the Cross”, a haunt of the shadows who was obliged to conceal himself from daylight because his foreign features were instantly recognisable. With the help of Nagasaki’s ample Christian community he eluded capture for an amazingly long time.

“For nearly two years and a half I have devoted myself to encourage and support the Christians of this country, not without great difficulty. Having no home, I pass secretly from house to house, to hear confessions and celebrate our holy mysteries by night. Most of my time I spend in utter solitude, deprived of all human converse and consolation, having only that which God gives to those who suffer for His love … However I am tolerably well and, though destitute of almost everything and taking but one scanty meal a day, I do not fall away. Does not this prove that “man liveth not by bread alone?”

-Letter of Spinola dated March 20, 1617

“Father, how sweet and delightful
is it to suffer for Jesus Christ!
I have learned this better by experience
than I am able to express,
especially since we are in these dungeons
where we fast continually.
The strength of my body fails me
but my joy increases as I see death draw nearer.
O what a happiness for me,
if next Easter I shall sing the heavenly Alleluia
in the company of the blessed!”

“Oh, if you had tasted the delights
with which God fills the souls
of those who serve Him
and suffer for Him,
how would you condemn all that the world can promise!”

“… God is to be served chiefly for Himself alone,
for He is the fountain of all goodness
and merits all our devotion,
without any hope of reward.”

Bl Charles Spinola SJ (1564-1622)
Priest, Martyr

Posted in "Follow Me", JESUIT SJ, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST

Thought for the Day – 9 September – The Two Standards

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

The Two Standards

“The well-known meditation of St Ignatius in his Spiritual Exercies on the two standards, remains applicable to our times.
We need only glance at the world to see, that it contains two different kinds of people – the good and the bad, the enemies of Christ and His faithful followers.
But, there is also a third group, those who are indifferent and apathetic, those who think of their own comfort and convenience and of nothing else!
When one considers it, it is plain that those people who think only of themselves – and their number seems to grow every year – belong to the rearguard of those, who fight beneath the banner of Satan.
That man is an enemy of Christ, who has no generosity, no spirit of sacrifice, no desire to combat the evil which threatens to submerge the world.
“He who is not with me, is against me,” (Mt 12:30) said Jesus.
He who thinks only of his own convenience and remains indifferent to the spread of evil, is not worthy of Jesus.
One cannot be indifferent when faced with the alternative between good and evil because, indifference is tantamount to a betrayal.
“The Christian,” writes Tertullian, “is another Christ!”

The fact that we are Christians imposes on us, the obligation to fight openly and courageously under the Standard of Christ.
The battle must be waged on two fronts.
On one side, the struggle is internal.
We must resist our rebellious inclinations and self-centred egoism.
At the same time, we must make a constant effort to advance in Christian perfection.
On the second front, the struggle is external.
It is not sufficient to sanctify ourselves but, we must try to sanctify others.
When we consider the sacrifices made in the cause of evil by the enemies of Christ, how can we remain indifferent?
We should work with zeal and with the help of God’s grace, to achieve our own sanctification and the reign of Christ in the universe.
We should examine what we have already done and resolve to be more determined in our future efforts!

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in JESUIT SJ, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on INDIFFERENCE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on TIME, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 9 Sepember – St Peter Claver and Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

Quote/s of the Day – 9 Sepember – The Memorial of St Peter Claver SJ (1581-1654) “Slave of the slaves” and Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (1813–1853) “Servant to the Poor” and Founder of the St Vincent de Paul Society

“We must speak to them
with our hands, by giving,
before we try to speak to them
with our lips.”

“To love God as He ought to be loved,
we must be detached from all temporal love.
We must love nothing but Him,
or if we love anything else,
we must love it, only for His sake.”

“To do the will of God,
man must despise his own;
the more he dies to himself,
the more he will live to God.”

St Peter Claver (1581-1654)
“Slave of the slaves”

“Let us complain less of our times
and more of ourselves.
Let us not be discouraged,
let us be better!”

“Let us learn of Him,
that holy preference,
which shows most love,
to those who suffer most.”

“Let us go in simplicity,
where merciful Providence leads us,
content to see the stone on which we should step,
without wanting to discover,
all at once and completely,
the windings of the road.”

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (1813–1853)
“Servant to the Poor”

More from Blessed Frédéric:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/09/09/quote-s-of-the-day-9-september-from-blessed-frederic-ozanam-founder-of-the-st-vincent-de-paul-society/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 September – ‘… The one who is healthy must go to the one who is sick. ‘ St John Chrysostom

One Minute Reflection – 6 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ezekiel 33:7-9Psalms 95:1-26-78-9Romans 13:8-10Matthew 18:15-20

“If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.” … Matthew 18:15

REFLECTION – “He does not say “accuse him” or “punish him” or “take him to court.” He says “correct him.” For he is possessed, as it were, by some stupor and drunk in his anger and disgrace. The one who is healthy must go to the one who is sick. You must conduct your judgement of him privately. Make your cure easy to accept. For the words “correct him,” means nothing other, than help him see his indiscretion. Tell him what you have suffered from him.

What then if he does not listen, if he stubbornly flares up? Call to your side someone else or even two others, so that two witnesses may corroborate all that’s said. For the more shameless and boldfaced he is, so much the more must you be earnest toward his cure, not toward satisfying your anger and hurt feelings. For when a physician sees the sickness unyielding, he does not stand aside or take it against himself but, then is all the more earnest. That then, is what Christ orders us to do. You appeared too weak since you were alone, so become stronger with the help of others. Two are sufficient to reprove the wrongdoer. Do you see how He seeks the interest not of the aggrieved party alone but, also that of the one who caused the grief? For the person injured may be the one who is more taken captive by passion. He becomes the one that is diseased and weak and infirm.

This effort may occur many times, as He attempts to lead him first alone and then with others. If he persists, then make the effort with the whole congregation. “Tell it,” He says, “to the church.” If He had sought the interest of the aggrieved alone, He would not have told him to approach the sick individual seventy-seven times. He would not have attempted so many times or brought so many treatments to the malady. He might have just let him be, if he persisted uncorrected from the first meeting. But instead, He shows us how to seek his cure once, twice and many times, first alone, then with two, then with many more.” … St John Chrysostom (347-407) Bishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor – The Gospel of Matthew, Homily 60.

PRAYER – Since it is from You, God our Father, that redemption comes to us, Your adopted children, look with favour on the family You love, give true freedom to us and to all who believe in Christ, Your Son and our Saviour and bring us all alike, to our eternal heritage. May we, in turn, give ourselves in true love to You and our neighbour in all things, treating him as we would want ourselves treated. And may the prayers of our glorious and merciful Mother, lead us to our heavenly home. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 September – The LORD is near … Psalm 145:18

Quote/s of the Day – 5 September – Saturday of the Twenty Second week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 4:6-15, Psalms 145:17-18, 19-20, 21, Luke 6:1-5

Mother Teresa Quotes here:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/09/05/quote-s-of-the-day-5-september-st-mother-teresa/

“The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18

“And He departed from our sight
that we might return to our heart
and find Him there.
For He left us
and behold,
He is here!”

St Augustine (354-430)
Doctor of Grace

“God, in His promises to hear our prayers,
is desirous to bestow Himself upon us;
if you find anything better than Him, ask it
but if you ask anything beneath Him,
you put an affront upon Him
and hurt yourself, by preferring to Him,
a creature which He created.”

St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605)
“The Apostle to the English”

“Christ acts like a loving mother.
To induce us to follow Him,
He gives us Himself as an example
and promises us a reward in His kingdom.”

St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)
Evangelical Doctor

“Teach us, good Lord to serve You as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
except that of knowing that we are doing your will. Amen”

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

“God alone!”

St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

“Nothing is anything anymore to me;
everything is nothing to me
only Jesus!
Neither things nor persons,
neither ideas nor emotions,
neither honour nor sufferings.
Jesus is for me honour, delight, heart and soul.”

St Bernadette Soubirous/of Lourdes (1844-1879)

Posted in "Follow Me", CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – St Pope Gregory the Great!

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – The Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

“God is within all things
but not included;
outside all things
but not excluded.
God is above all things
but not beyond their reach.”

“Let no seductive good fortune lead us astray,
he is a foolish traveller
who sees pleasant meadows on his journey
and forgets where he is going.”

“If some rich and powerful friend were to enter your home,
you would quickly clean the entire house,
for fear something there,
might offend your friend’s eyes, when he entered.
Let anyone then who is preparing his inner house for God,
cleanse away the dirt of his evil deeds.
… The Lord comes into the heart
and makes His home in one,
who truly loves God
and observes His commandments…”

“The Sacred Scriptures grow
with the one who reads them.”

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/09/03/quote-s-of-the-day-3-september-the-memorial-of-st-pope-gregory-the-great-540-604-father-doctor-of-the-church-father-of-the-fathers/

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

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 September – “Put out into the deep and lower your nets for a catch…” … Luke 5:4

One Minute Reflection – 3 September – Thursday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 3:18-23Psalms 24:1-23-45-6Luke 5:1-11 and the Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

“After He [Jesus] had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and lower your nets for a catch…” … Luke 5:4

REFLECTION – “He told Simon and his companions to sail off a little from the land and to let down the net for a draught. But they replied that they had been toiling the whole night and had caught nothing. However, in the name of Christ, they let down the net and immediately it was full of fish.

By a visible sign and by a miraculous type and representation, they were fully convinced that their labour would be rewarded and the zeal displayed in spreading out the net of the gospel teaching would be fruitful. Within this net they should most certainly catch the shoals of the heathen. But note that neither Simon nor his companions could draw the net to land. Speechless from fright and astonishment—for their wonder had made them mute—they beckoned to their partners, to those who shared their labours in fishing, to come and help them in securing their prey.

For many have taken part with the holy apostles in their labours and still do so, especially those who inquire into the meaning of what is written in the holy Gospels. Yet besides them there are also others – the shepherds and teachers and rulers of the people, who are skilled in the doctrines of truth. For the net is still being drawn, while Christ fills it, and calls to conversion those who, according to the Scripture phrase, are in the depths of the sea, that is to say, those who live in the surge and waves of worldly things.” … St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father and Doctor of the Incarnation – Commentary on Luke, Homily 12

PRAYER – God our Father, Your rule is a rule of love, Your providence is full of mercy for Your people. Through the intercession of St Gregory, grant the spirit of wisdom and understanding in Your Word through Your Son Jesus Christ. Grant that by the light of His Resurrection we may know our eternal home and strive to attain eternal joy there with You. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, SPEAKING of ....., The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 2 September – “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God” – Luke 4:43

Quote/s of the Day – 2 September – Wednesday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Psalms 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21, Luke 4:38-44

“And the people sought him and came to him
and would have kept him from leaving them,
but he said to them,
I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God
to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”

Luke 4:42-43

“Peace be with you
as the Father has sent me,
even so I send you.”

John 20:21

“Proclaim the word;
be persistent
whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince,
reprimand
and encourage
through all patience and teaching.”

2 Timothy 4:2

Lord, if Your people still have need
of my services,
I will not avoid the toil.
Your will be done.
I have fought the good fight long enough.
Yet, if You bid me to continue to hold
the battle line, in defence of Your camp,
I will never beg to be excused
from failing strength.
I will do the work You entrust to me.
While You command,
I will fight beneath Your banner.
Amen

St Martin de Tours (c 316-397)

“I preached myself,
the scholars came and praised me.
I preached Christ,
the sinners came and thanked me.”

St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Doctor of the Church

“It is no use walking somewhere to preach,
unless our walking is our preaching.”

St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)

“What a tragedy,
how many souls
are being shut out of heaven
and falling into hell,
thanks to you!”

St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

“Christ has no body on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which, the compassion of Christ, looks out to the world.
Yours are the feet,
with which, He is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands,
with which, He is to bless others now.”

St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of the Church

“Never say to God: “Enough;”
simply say, “I am ready.”

Bl Sebastian Valfre (1629-1710)

“I greatly desire to become a saint,
that I may be able to make others saints
and thus procure the glory of God.”

St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)

“In everything,
ask yourself only
what the Master would have done
and do that.”

Bl Charles of Jesus de Foucauld (1858-1916)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 1 September – “”Your all-powerful Word leapt down from heaven’s royal throne” Wisdom 18:15

Quote/s of the Day – 1 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary” – Tuesday of the Twenty Second week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 2:10-16, Psalms 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 13-14, Luke 4:31-37

And they were all amazed
and said to one another,
“What is this word?
For with authority and power
he commands the unclean spirits
and they come out.”

Luke 4:36

“Your all-powerful Word leapt down from heaven’s royal throne”

Wisdom 18:15

“I and the Father are one.”

John 10:30

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”

John 14:6

“If you know me, then you will also know my Father.
From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

John 14:7

“In his name the Gentiles will hope”

Matthew 12:21

“So that we might be able to lay hold of it,
He who is equal to the Father,
having the nature of God,
became like us by taking the nature of a servant
and recreates us in God’s likeness.
Having become son of man,
the only Son of God
transforms numberless men
into sons of God. ”

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

Sermon 194 ; PL 38, 1016

“We, Christians,
are the true Israel which springs from Christ,
for we are carved out of His Heart,
as from a Rock!”

St Justin Martyr (100-165)
Father of the Church and Martyr

“Accordingly, in the Church,
one God is preached,
one God who is above all things
and through all things and in all things.
God is above all things as Father,
for He is principle and source,
He is through all things through the Word
and He is in all things in the Holy Spirit.”

St Athanasius (c 295-373)
Father and Doctor of the Church

And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said,
“Why does this generation seek a sign?

Mark 8:12
“But for what sign from heaven were they asking?
Maybe that He should hold back the sun,
or curb the moon,
or bring down thunderbolts,
or change the direction of the wind,
or something like that?
In Pharaoh’s time there was an enemy
from whom deliverance was needed.
But for one who comes among friends,
there should be no need of such signs.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Who lives in Love, loves least to live
and long delays doth rue,
if Him he love by whom he lives,
to whom all praise is due,
Who for our love did choose to live
and was content to die,
who loved our love more than His life,
and love with life did buy.
Let us in life, yea with our life
requite His living love,
for best we live when least we live,
if Love our life remove.
Mourn, therefore, no true lover’s death,
life only him annoy,
and when he taketh leave of life
then Love begins his joys.”

St Robert Southwell (1561-1595) Martyr

Everything is possible with Jesus.
“I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).
Let us go to Jesus and take our nourishment from Him.
Then, like St Paul, we shall
be able to do everything in Him,
Who is our strength and our support.
In union with Jesus,
we shall be able to conquer sin
and to become holy. amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY GHOST, The WILL of GOD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 31 August – “… The Light of the Only-begotten has Shone on Us …”

Quote/s of the Day – 31 August – Monday of the Twenty Second week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Psalms 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, Luke 4:16-30

“… The Light of the Only-begotten has Shone on Us …”

“He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free.”

Luke 4:18

“This, beloved, is the way in which we found our salvation,
Jesus Christ, the High Priest who offers our gifts,
the patron and helper in our weakness (Heb 10:20; 7:27; 4:15).
It is through Him, that we look straight at the heavens above.
Through Him, we see mirrored, God’s faultless
and transcendent countenance.
Through Him, the eyes of our heart were opened.
Through Him, our unintelligent and darkened mind shoots up into the light.
Through Him, the Master was pleased to let us taste
the knowledge that never fades,
He who is “the radiance of His splendour,
who towers as much above the angels,
as the title He has inherited, is superior to theirs.”

St Pope Clement I (c 35 – c 99)

“For what reason did God send Him to preach to the poor?
“To preach release to captives.”
We were the captives.
For many years Satan had bound us
and held us captive and subject to himself.
Jesus has come
“to proclaim release to captives and sight to the blind.”
By His word and the proclamation of His teaching,
the blind see.”

Origen (c 185-253)

“On each occasion I say:
‘Lord, Thy will be done!
It’s not what this, or that one, wants
but, what You want me to do.’
This is my fortress,
this is my firm rock,
this is my sure support.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor

“He did not treat us as our sins deserved.
For we are now sons of God.
How do we show this?
The only Son of God died for us,
so that He might not remain alone.
He who died as the only Son,
did not want to remain as the only Son.
For the only Son of God made many sons of God.
He bought brothers for Himself by His blood,
He made them welcome by being rejected,
He ransomed them by being sold,
He honoured them by being dishonoured,
He gave them life by being put to death.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Bishop, Great Western Father and Doctor of Grace

An excerpt from his Sermon 171

“You have the words of eternal life”

John 6:68

“These words surely make quite obvious to us
the necessity for sitting at the feet of Christ,
taking Him as our one and only teacher
and giving Him our constant and undivided attention. …
Keeping with their guide was the Israelites’ salvation then,
just as not leaving Christ is ours now.
… We will stay with You always and hold fast to Your commandments.
We will receive Your words without finding fault,
or thinking Your teaching hard,
as the ignorant do but thinking rather:
“How sweet are Your words to my throat!
Sweeter to the mouth are they, than honey or the honeycomb!”

“Our lives are all controlled by the Spirit now
and are not confined to this physical world
that is subject to corruption.
The light of the Only-begotten has shone on us
and we have been transformed into the Word,
the source of all life.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“He is the one who teaches
the truth of prophecy
through His presence
and makes obedience
to the commandments possible,
through grace.”

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

Heal us Lord God
Prayer of St Albert of Trapani O.Carm. (c 1240-1307)

O my God,
You have created the human race
by Your wonderful power.
It is an act of Your clemency that has called us
to share Your glory and eternal life.
When the first sin condemned us to suffer death,
out of Your goodness,
You wished to redeem us
through the blood of Your Son,
To unite us to You through our faith
and Your great mercy.
You have brought us back
from the shame of our sin,
You have veiled our dishonour
in the brightness of Your glory.
Look now and see that what You have created,
giving it subtle limbs and joints
and made beautiful through its immortal soul,
is now subject to the attack of Satan.
Be pleased Lord
to reconstitute Your work and heal it.
May Your power be glorified
and may the malice of the enemy be stunned.
Amen

St Albert of Trapani (c 1240-1307)

“Even to the present time
I have not stopped speaking to all men
but many are deaf and obstinate in response.
… He who possesses my words
yet spurns them,
earns his own judgement on the last day.”

Thomas á Kempis (1380-1471)

The Imitation of Christ

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 31 August – And they rose up and put him out of the city … Luke 4:29-30

One Minute Reflection – 31 August – Monday of the Twenty Second week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5Psalms 119:979899100101102Luke 4:16-30 and the Memorial of St Raymond Nonnatus O.deM. (1204-1240)

And they rose up and put him out of the city and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. But passing through the midst of them he went away….Luke 4:29-30

REFLECTION – “A doctor came amongst us to restore us to health – our Lord Jesus Christ. He discovered blindness in our hearts and promised the light that “eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered the heart of man” (1Cor 2:9).
The humility of Jesus Christ is the cure for your pride. Do not scorn what will bring you healing, be humble, you for whom God humbled Himself. Indeed, He knew that the medicine of humility would cure you, He, who well understood your sickness and knew how to cure it. While you were unable to run to the doctor’s house, the doctor in person came to your house… He is coming, He wants to help you, He knows what you need.
God has come with humility precisely in order that man might imitate Him. If He had remained above you, how would you have been able to imitate Him? And, without imitating Him, how could you be healed? He came with humility because He knew the nature of the remedy He had to administer – a little bitter, it is true but healing. And do you continue to scorn Him? He who holds out the cup to you and you say: “But what sort of God is this God of mine? He was born, suffered, was covered with spittle, crowned with thorns, nailed on the cross!” O miserable soul! You see the doctor’s humility and not the cancer of your pride. That is why humility displeases you…
It often happens that mentally ill people end up by beating their doctor. When that happens, the unfortunate doctor is not only not distressed by the one who beat him but attempts to treat him… As for our doctor, He did not fear being killed by sick people afflicted with madness, He turned His own death into their remedy. Indeed, He died and rose again.”…St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – My Lord and my God, help me eternal Father, to overcome my weakness! Teach me to be constantly on guard against my pride, to constantly keep watch for temptation and to live constantly in prayer, that Your Son will lead me to safety. St Raymond Nonnatus, you suffered torture but always remain prayerful and awake, imitating the Lord, please pray for me, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SLOTH, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on TIME

Thought for the Day – 30 August – Perseverance

Thought for the Day – 30 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Perseverance

“He who has persevered to the end,” Jesus tells us, “will be saved” (Mt 10:22; 24:13).
Elsewhere He says that “no-one, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdome of God” (Cf Lk 9:62).
It is necessary, therefore, to persevere in goodness, if we wish to be saved.

It is easy to begin but, it is difficult to continue.
In a moment of fervour, perhaps, you promised to be holy.
Maybe some misfortune came your way, such as the loss of someone very dear to you and you were moved to meditate upon the vanity of earthly things and promised to dedicated yourself entirely to God.
In that moment, you experienced the truth of the words of Ecclesiastes, summarised in The Imitation of Christ: “Vanity of vanities and all is vanity but, to love God and serve Him alone” (Bk 1, c 1:4).

Unfortunately, your good resolutions wore away with time.
You may have been swept away once more by the deceptive pleasures of this world.
Or perhaps, your charity grew cold and in your tepidity, you gave into the violent onslaught of temptation.

Christian perseverance has three main enemies.
(1) Firstly, there is time, which slowly consumes this virtue.
You must conquer time by resolving to begin the battle anew every morning of your life.
(2) Then there is the devil, who goes about, as St Peter warns us, like a lion in search of his prey (Cf 1 Peter 5:8).
You must resist him by the strength of your faith.
(3) Finally, there is spiritual sloth, which easily invades the soul.
You must take your cue from St Paul’s exhortation: “My beloved brethren, be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor 15:58).

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 August – “Get behind me, Satan! Matthew 16:23

One Minute Reflection – 30 August – Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Readings: Jeremiah 20:7-9Psalms 63:23-45-68-9 (2b), Romans 12:1-2Matthew 16:21-27 and the Memorial of Blessed Juvenal Ancina (1545–1604) Bishop

“He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does but as human beings do…” … Matthew 16:23

REFLECTION – “Responding to Peter’s ignorance as one opposing God, Jesus said, “Satan,” which is Hebrew for opponent.
If he had not spoken to Him from ignorance nor of the living God when he said, “Never, Lord! This must never happen to you!” then he would not have said to him “Get behind me,” as if speaking to someone who had given up being behind Him and following Him. Neither would He have called him “Satan.”
Satan had overpowered the one following Jesus in order to turn him aside from following Him and from being behind the Son of God, to make him, because of ignorant words, worthy of being called “Satan” and a scandal to the Son of God, “not thinking in the ways of God but of humans.” Origen (c 185-253) (Commentary on Matthew, 12.)

“When we stand in the light
it is not we who illumine the light and cause it to shine
but we are illuminated and made shining by the light…
God grants His blessings on those who serve Him
because they are serving Him
and on those who follow Him
because they are following Him
but He receives no blessing from them
because He is perfect and without need.” … St Irenaeus of Lyons (c 130-c208) Bishop, Martyr

PRAYER – God our Saviour, through the grace of Baptism you made us children of light. Hear our prayer, that we may always walk in that light and work for truth, love and charity, as Your witnesses before men. Dispel from our hearts the darkness of sin and keep us ever watchful for the true light, Christ Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever. Blessed Juvenal Ancina, you lived a life of total surrender to God and charity ever watchful to the needs of your neighbour, please pray for us, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, SAINT of the DAY, St JOHN the BAPTIST

Quote/s of the Day – 29 August – The Memorial of the Beheading of St John the Baptist

Quote/s of the Day – 29 August – The Memorial of the Beheading of St John the Baptist

“John saw a man that was a tyrant
overthrowing the divine commands of marriage.
With boldness, he proclaimed in the midst of the forum,
“It is not lawful for you to have your brother Philip’s wife.”
So we learn from him to admonish our fellow servant as an equal.
Do not shrink from the duty of chastising a brother,
even though one may be required to die for it.
Now do not make this cold reply:
“What does it matter to me? I have nothing in common with him.”
With the devil alone we have nothing in common
but with all humanity, we have many things in common.
All partake of the same nature with us.
They inhabit the same earth.
They are nourished with the same food.
They have the same Lord.
They have received the same laws.
They are invited to the same blessings with ourselves.
Let us not say then that we have nothing in common with them.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor of the Church

(Concerning the Statues, 1)

“He preached the freedom of heavenly peace,
yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men.
He was locked away in the darkness of prison,
though he came bearing witness to the Light of life
and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp
by that Light itself, which is Christ.”

“John was baptised in his own blood,
though he had been privileged
to baptise the Redeemer of the world,
to hear the voice of the Father above him
and to see the grace of the Holy Spirit descending upon Him.
But to endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth
was not a heavy burden for such men as John;
rather it was easily borne and even desirable,
for he knew eternal joy would be his reward.”

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

“He chose to despise the commands of a tyrant,
rather than those of God.
His example teaches us,
that nothing should be dearer to us, than the will of God.
Pleasing other people is of little value,
indeed, it often causes great harm…
Therefore, let us die to our sins and anxieties
with all God’s friends,
tread underfoot our misguided self-will
and be careful to allow fervent love for Christ,
to grow within us.”

Lanspergius the Carthusian (1489-1539)
Monk, Theologian

Sermon for the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. Opera omnia, t 2

[Like St John the Baptist did -]
“Prepare a path for God
so that He can enter your heart.”

St John Baptiste de la Salle FSC (1651-1719)

“The true secret of love consists in this:
we must forget self
like St John the Baptist
and exalt and glorify the Lord Jesus.”

St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MUSIC/SINGING, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TIME, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The LAMB of GOD, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quotes of the Day – 28 August – St Augustine

Quotes of the Day – 28 August – The Memorial of St Augustine of Hippo (354-430) – Father and Doctor of Grace

“To fall in love with God,
is the greatest romance;
to seek Him,
the greatest adventure;
to find Him,
the greatest human achievement.”

“You ask what you might offer to God?
Offer yourself!
What does God expect from you,
except yourself?”

“He bought brothers for Himself by His blood,
He made them welcome by being rejected,
He ransomed them by being sold,
He honoured them by being dishonoured,
He gave them life by being put to death.
So, brethren, rejoice in the Lord,
not in the world.
That is, rejoice in the truth,
not in wickedness,
rejoice in the hope of eternity,
not in the fading flower of vanity.
That is the way to rejoice.
Wherever you are on earth,
however long you remain on earth,
the Lord is near,
do not be anxious about anything!”

“God provides the wind
but man must raise the sails.”

“A man may lose the good things
of this life against his will
but, if he loses the eternal blessings,
he does so with his own consent.”

“Do you wish to RISE?
Begin by DESCENDING.
You plan a tower
that will pierce the CLOUDS?
Lay first the foundation
of HUMILITY.”

“If we live good lives,
the times are also good.
As we are, such are the times.”

“He who calls us, came here below,
to give us the means of getting there.
He chose the wood
that would enable us to cross the sea –
indeed, no-one can cross the ocean of this world,
who is not borne by the Cross of Christ.
Even the blind can cling to this Cross.
If you can’t see where you are going very well,
don’t let go of it, it will guide you by itself. ”

“We pray then to Him,
through Him, in Him
and we speak along with Him
and He along with us. ”

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

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ABORTION, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 27 August – “Stay awake! … for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” … Matthew 24:42,44

One Minute Reflection – 27 August – Thursday of the Twenty First week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9Psalms 145: 2-34-56-7Matthew 24: 42-51 and the Memorial of Bl Amadeus of Lausanne OCist (1110—1159) Bishop

Jesus said to his disciples: “Stay awake! … for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” … Matthew 24:42,44

REFLECTION – “Listen to my words and give ear to my humble discourses,I cry out to you all, I exhort you: “Lift up your hearts to God, unbind yourselves from your attachment to the passions!” Here is what the prophet cries to you: “Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob” (Is 2:3), which is that of impassibility and let us contemplate with the eyes of our mind,s the joy held in store for us by the heavenly promises.
My beloved children, gather up your fervour, take wings of fire like the dove, as it is written, fly away (cf. Ps 54[55]:7), place yourselves among the virtuous, those on the right side (Mt 25:33). Receive joy, spiritual desire, impassioned for God. Taste the great sweetness of His love (cf. Rev 10:9-10) and, by it, considering all else as secondary, tread vainglory underfoot, the desire of the flesh and bitter anger! (…)
Let us hike up our tunics, be on the alert, have eagle eyes – this is the speediest flight for the trip which leads us from earth to Heaven! It is true, travellers can have something to endure. And this happens to you too – indeed, as you see, you struggle under hard labours, you tire yourselves, you work the ground until you are out of breath, you pour with sweat, you are at the end of your strength, hungry, thirsty, one of you labouring at the plough, the other cultivating the vineyard, another pressing oil, or cooking, constructing, making bread or busy about the cellar. Briefly, each is at their post. All go forward on the highway to God, they approach the great City and, in death, they will have entry to the unutterable joy of the good things God reserves for all those who have loved Him!
May we be accounted worthy of the kingdom of Christ Himself, our God, to whom belongs all glory and power with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, world without end. Amen.” … St Theodore the Studite (759-826) Monk at Constantinople – Catechesis 16

PRAYER – Lord God, renew Your Church with the Spirit of wisdom and love which You gave to St Amadeus. Lead us by that same Spirit, to seek You, the only fountain of true wisdom and the source of everlasting love. May we turn to You in sorrow and true repentance when we fail and strive always and everywhere to live in Your truth and Your love for all and thus be ready when You come. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, in union with the Spirit, one God, forever and ever. St Amadeus, pray for Holy Mother Church and for us all, amen.

Posted in QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EDUCATION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 25 August – St Louis IX and St Joseph Calasanz

Quote/s of the Day – 25 August – The Memorials of St Louis IX (1214-1270) King of France and St Joseph Calasanz (1557-1648) Founder

“Dear son, have a tender pitiful heart for the poor
and for all those whom you believe to be
in misery of heart or body and,
according to your ability, comfort
and aid them with some alms.”

“In order to avoid discord,
never contradict anyone
except in case of sin
or some danger to a neighbour
and, when necessary to contradict others,
do it with tact and not with temper.”

“In prosperity,
give thanks to God with humility and fear,
lest by pride,
you abuse God’s benefits
and so offend him.”

St Louis IX King of France (1214-1270)

“All who undertake to teach
must be endowed with deep love,
the greatest patience and,
most of all, profound humility.
They must perform their work with earnest zeal.
Then, through their humble prayers,
the Lord will find them worthy
to become fellow workers
with Him in the cause of truth.”

“As Scripture says,
“Those who instruct many in justice
will shine as stars for all eternity.”
They will attain this more easily,
if they make a covenant of perpetual obedience
and strive to cling to Christ
and please Him alone
because, in His words,
“What you did to one of the least
of my brethren, you did to me.”

“For if from childhood,
a child is diligently imbued
with piety and literacy,
a happy course of life
can be foreseen.”

St Joseph Calasanz (1557-1648)
Patron of children
and of Catholic schools,
Pray for Us!

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, HYMNS, I BELIEVE!, MARIAN QUOTES, ON the SAINTS, POETRY, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUEENSHIP of MARY, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on VANITY, QUOTES on WISDOM, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 20 August – St Bernard

Quote/s of the Day – 20 August – The Memorial of St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Mellifluous Docotr, “Doctor of Light”

“In every lodging, at every corner,
have reverence for thy Angel.
Do not dare to do in his presence
what you would not dare to do, if I were there.
Or do you doubt that he is present
whom you do not behold?
What if you should hear him?
What if you should touch him?
What if you should scent him?
Remember, that the presence of something
is not proved only by the sight of things.”

” It is true that the creature loves less
because she is less.
But if she loves with her whole being,
nothing is lacking,
where everything is given.”

“There are those who seek knowledge
for the sake of knowledge;
that is Curiosity.
There are those who seek knowledge
to be known by others;
that is Vanity.
There are those who seek knowledge
in order to serve;
that is Love.”

“The road to hell
is paved
with good intentions.”

“A saint is not someone, who never sins,
but one who sins less and less frequently
and gets up more and more quickly.”

“Just as Mary surpassed in grace all others on earth,
so also in heaven is her glory unique.
If eye has not seen or ear heard or the human heart conceived
what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9),
who can express what He has prepared
for the woman who gave Him birth
and who loved Him,
as everyone knows, more than anyone else?”

“Rest is in Him alone.
Man knows no peace in the world
but he has no disturbance
when he is with God.”

Jesu Dulcis Memori

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
with sweetness fills my breast,
But sweeter far Thy face to see
and in Thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing nor heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find
a sweeter sound than Jesus’ name,
O Saviour of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek
to those who fall, how kind Thou art,
how good to those who seek!

But what to those who find?
Ah this nor tongue nor pen can show,
the love of Jesus, what it is none
but His loved ones know.

Jesus our only joy be Thou
as Thou our prize wilt be.
Jesus, be Thou our glory now
and through eternity.
Amen

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/08/20/quote-s-of-the-day-21-august-st-bernard/

St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 19 August – St John Eudes

Quote/s of the Day – 19 August – The Memorial of St John Eudes Orat. (1601-1680) “Apostle of Two Hearts”

“I ask you to consider,
that our Lord Jesus Christ
is your true head
and that you are a member of His body.
He belongs to you
as the head belongs to the body.
All that is His is yours –
breath, heart, body, soul and all His faculties.
All of these you must use,
as if they belonged to you,
so that in serving Him,
you may give Him praise, love and glory.”

“A man is no true Christian
if he has no devotion
to the Mother of Jesus Christ.

“Every Saint
belongs to the Court
of the Queen of All Saints.”

St John Eudes (1601-1680)
“Apostle of Two Hearts”

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Thought for the Day – 18 August – Renouncing All Things

Thought for the Day – 18 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Renouncing All Things

renouncing all things - bacci 18 aug 2020

“If we want God to take possession of our souls, we must drive out every inordinate affection to earthly things.
It is not possible for God to dwell within us, if we are still attached to sin or preoccupied with worldly aims.

God should reign supreme in us and inspire all our desires and actions.
This can never happen if we retain an attachment to deliberate sin, even if it is not grave sin.
In the case of venial sin, it is not so much the sin which prevents God from ruling us absolutely, as the attachment to sin.

It is possible for anybody to fall through human weakness, “for the just man falls seven times and rises again” (Prov 24:16).
It is when we remain willingly in the state of sin, that we offend God and weaken our faith and charity.
At such times, it is as if Jesus were asleep within us, as He slept in the boat during the storm on the lake of Galilee, when the terrified Apostles cried out:   “Lord save us! We are perishing!” (Mt 8:25).
We must keep ourselves free from all trace of sin, if we wish to remain intimately united with God and to be governed only by Him!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Quote/s of the Day – 18 August – “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” – John 14:6

Quote/s of the Day – 18 August – Tuesday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ezekiel 28: 1-10, Responsorial Psalm Deuteronomy 32:26-27ab, 27cd-28, 30, 35cd-36ab, Matthew 19:23-30

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”

John 14:6

john 14 6 i am the way the truth and the life 18 aug 2020 STD

“Through Him, our gaze
penetrates the heights of heaven
and we see, as in a mirror,
the most holy face of God.
Through Christ, the eyes of our hearts are opened
and our weak and clouded understanding,
reaches up toward the light.”

Saint Pope Clement I (c 35-99)
Apostolic Father, Bishop of Rome and Martyr

through him our gaze penetrates the heights of heaven - st pope clement 1 17 may 2019

“Let us listen to the Lord:
“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6).
If you are looking for the Truth,
follow the Way which is also the Truth.
This is where you are going and it is how you go.
It is not by another thing that you go to something;
it is not by anything else that you come to Christ;
it is through Christ that you come to Christ.
How to Christ through Christ?
To Christ God through Christ man;
through the Word made flesh,
to the Word who was with God, from the beginning;
through what we have eaten to what the angels eat daily.
In fact it is what is written:
“He gave them bread from heaven; man ate the bread of angels” (Ps 77[78]:24-25).
What is the bread of angels?
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was in God and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1-3). How has man eaten the bread of angels?
“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

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

let-us-listen-to-the-lord-i-am-the-way-and-the-truth-st-augustine-10-may-2020 and 10 aug 2020 st lawrence

“The love of Jesus is noble and generous,
it spurs us onto do great things
and excites us to desire always,
that which is most perfect.
Love will tend upwards
and is not to be detained by things beneath.
Love will be at liberty
and free from all worldly affections…
for love proceeds from God
and cannot rest but in God above all things created.
The lover flies, runs and rejoices,
he is free and not held.
He gives all for all and has all in all,
because he rests in one sovereign Good above all,
from Whom all good flows and proceeds”

Thomas à Kempis,
The Imitation of Christ,
Book III, Chapter V, 3-4

the love of jesus - st john 27 dec 2019 thomas a kempis

“Do everything
out of love for God,
for God,
with God,
to get to God.”

Blessed Maria Rosa Flesch (1826-1906)

do-everything-out-opf-love-for-god-for-god-with-god-to-get-to-god-blmaria-rosa-flesch-19-june-2020-sacred-heart and 9 july 2020

“Life has only one face – LOVE.”

Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro (1936-1964)

life-has-only-one-face-love-bl-benedetta-porro-23-jan-2020 and 6 july 2020

“Catholics are part of the Church Militant.
They struggle and they suffer for the triumph of Christ.
They must never lose sight of their Divine Model,
so that their trials will be turned into joy.”

Saint Pius X (1835-1914)

catholics are part of the church militant - st pius X 10 july 2020

“Love infinitely,
the most sweet Lord Jesus Christ,
do everything for Him alone
and spend your life,
in works of mercy and of love.”

Blessed Marija of Jesus Crucified Petković (1892-1966)

love infinitely the most sweet lord jesus christ - bl marija of jesus crucified opetkovic 9 july 2020

“Since the death of Christ,
almost every century
has seen the persecution of Christians,
there have always been heroes
and martyrs who gave their lives –
often in horrible ways –
for Christ and their faith.
If we hope to reach our goal some day,
then we, too, must become heroes of the faith.”

Blessed Franz Jägerstätter (1907-1943)
Martyr of Conscientious Objection

we-need-no-rifles-or-pistols-for-our-battle-bl-franz-jagerstatter-21-may-2020 and 10 july 2020

“If a boat is running with the stream,
it has little need of the pull of the oars,
nor of the guidance of the helm.
It’s passage is smooth and peaceful.
The same applies to those
who place absolute confidence in God
in their journey through life.
… Why should I worry,
when I know that whatever God
has in store for me, is for my own good?
… There is no need to be disturbed.
Everything must be accomplished for God,
with God and in God and,
with complete abandonment to His will.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

entrusting ourselves to god bacci 16 july 2020

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 August – “… You who have followed me…” Matthew 19:28

One Minute Reflection – 18 August – Tuesday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ezekiel 28: 1-10, Responsorial Psalm Deuteronomy 32:26-27ab, 27cd-28, 30, 35cd-36ab, Matthew 19:23-30

“… Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” … Matthew 19:28matthew 19 28 amen i say to you that you who have followed me 18 aug 2020

REFLECTION – “In gift-giving it is not the gift itself, that God praises and approves but the will and sincerity of the giver.  He excuses and holds more acceptable, the one who gave less but gave it with more perfect sincerity, than the one who gave more, from a fuller store but with less pure affection.   Thus, from what is written about the gifts of the wealthy and from the two mites which the widow in the treasury sent for the poor, it is clear that the same also happens to those who leave everything that they possess, for the love of God, so as to follow undistractedly the Christ of God.   They will do everything according to His word.

The one who leaves the greater wealth is not more acceptable than the one who leaves the lesser.   This is especially so if he leaves the lesser with his whole heart.   What Peter left, along with his brother Andrew, was small and of no value but when they both heard, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men, immediately they left their nets and followed him.”   Yet they were not valued lightly by God, who knew that they had done this with great love.   God knew that even if they had been endowed with much wealth they would still not have been distracted by it, nor would their desire to follow Jesus have been thwarted by it ….

Those who follow the Saviour, therefore, will sit on the twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel and will receive this power in the resurrection of the dead.   For this is the regeneration, a new birth, when the new heaven and the new earth are established for those who renew themselves and a New Testament with it’s chalice is given.” … Origen (c 185-253) – Commentary on Matthew, 15the one who leaves the greater wealth - origen 18 aug 2020

PRAYER – Father of might and power, every good and perfect gift comes to us from You.  Implant in our hearts the love of Your name and Your creatures.   Increase our zeal for Your service by following behind Your Son with determination and joy.   Nourish in us what good and tend it with watchful care.   Grant that the prayers and caring love of the Blessed Virgin, our Mother, may help us to follow Jesus our Saviour unreservedly and thus attain eternal life.   We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.mary-mother-of-god-pray-for-us-27-july-2018 and 29 march 2020

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, MIRACLES, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WISDOM, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 August –

Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Readings: Isaiah 56,1.6-7. Psalms 67(66),2-3.5.6.8, Romans 11,13-15.29-32, Matthew 15,21-28

“Great is your faith, be it done for you as you desire.”

Matthew 21:28

matthew 21 28 great is your faith be it done for you - 16 aug 2020 (1)

“See her humility as well as her faith! …
Behold the woman’s wisdom! …
Behold her constancy!”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor of the Church

see her humility as wellas her faith behold - st john chrysostom 16 aug 2020

“I will suggest a means
whereby you can praise God all day long…
Whatever you do,
do it well
and you have praised God.”

I will suggest a means whereby you can praise god - st augustine 16 aug 2020

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Gracepatience is the ciompanion of wisdom - st augustine 16 aug 2020

“Aspire to God with short
but frequent outpourings of the heart, 
admire His bounty,
invoke His aid, 
cast yourself in spirit at the foot of His Cross,
adore His goodness, 
treat with Him of your salvation,
give Him your whole soul  –
a thousand times in the day.”

aspire to god - st francis de sales - 16 aug 2020

“He who trusts in God
can do all things.”

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

he who trusts in god - st francis de sales 16 aug 2020

“Turn to God.
Believe in God.
Trust Him for a miracle.”

turn to god believe in god trust him for a miracle - st padre pio - 16 aug 2020

“God will not allow you to be lost
if you persist in your determination
not to lose Him.”

St Pio of Pietrelcina/Padre Pio (1887-1968)

god will not allow you to lost - st padre pio 16 aug 2020

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Thought for the Day – 14 August – Little Things

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

Little Things

little things - bacci 14 aug 2020

“Very few people are destined to great things by Almighty God.
More of us must offer ourselves in the relatively unimportant walks of life in which we have been placed by Providence.
Only some of the Saints were endowed with exceptional virtues and miraculous powers which attracted the attention and the admiration of the world.
In the normal course of events, Christian perfection must be acquired little by little, through the practice of ordinary virtues and unspectacular good actions.
There is always scope for these.
An upsurge of anger can be suppressed from the motive of the love of God and of our neighbour.
We can behave courteously towards people who are unsympathetic towards us or who offend us by their unmannerly conduct.
We can combat pride by acts of humility and egoism by acts of charity.
We can mortify ourselves in speech, in behaviour and at table and, we can give alms to the poor, good advice to the ignorant and comfort to the afflicted.

All these virtuous actions are insignificant in the eyes of men but, they are great in the sight of God.
The blades of grass and the flowers in the meadow are tiny things but, joined together, they constitute the pasture which provides nourishment for the herds and the flocks.
Let us perform these small actions everyday and so cultivate the ordinary virtues.
We shall attract the attention and favour of God, Who, will help us to advance, step-by-step, towards the peak of Christian perfection.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 10 August – A Holy Death

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

A Holy Death

a holy death - bacci - 10 aug 2020 st lawrence

“Now and again, it is useful for Christians to dedicate a day to meditation on the subject of death.
It is useful, because, it is easy to regard our own death as something theoretical and remote, whereas in fact, we ought always to be prepared to die, since it is “at any hour that you do not expect, the Son of Man is coming” (Lk 12:40).
It may be at the hour when we are least expecting it, that God will come to take us and, it will be on our spiritual state at this hour, that our eternity will depend.

We know neither when nor where death will surprise us.
It may be today, it may be in a few years.
It may come suddenly, or maybe after a long illness.
We may be in bed or in the middle of a street, in hospital or at home.
Finally, we may be resigned, comforted by the presence of a Priest and by the reception of the last sacraments, or we may be alone and deprived of these consolations.

It is essential, therefore, to be always prepared, fortified by faith, charity and good works.
If we are really prepared, it will not matter when, where, or how death comes, for it will be to us, like the good Sister death of St Francis of Assisi.
It will release us from this corrupt mortal flesh and open to us the gates of everlasting happiness.
Then, we shall fly joyfully into the arms of our Creator and Redeemer, Whom we have tried hard to love and serve.

But, if we are not prepared, what then?
How bitter it will be to have to leave the world to which we have become so attached.
What remorse we shall feel at the remembrance of our innumerable sins, badly confessed and never atoned for and, at the realisation, that we have failed to do so much good we could have done, whereas now, we shall have to appear before the Eternal Judge, with nothing to offer!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci 

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, SPEAKING of ....., The STATIONS of the CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 10 August – ‘Follow Me’

Quote/s of the Day – 10 August – Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Readings: Second Corinthians 9:6-10Psalms 112:1-25-67-89John 12:24-26

“If anyone serves me,
he must follow me
and where I am,
there will my servant be also.”

John 12:26

john 12 26 if anyone serves me he must follow me and where i am - 10 aug 2020 st lawrence

“The Lord is near
do not be anxious
about anything.”

the lord is near do not be anxious about anything - st augustine 13 july 2020

“Let us listen to the Lord:
“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6).
If you are looking for the Truth,
follow the Way which is also the Truth.
This is where you are going and it is how you go.
It is not by another thing that you go to something;
it is not by anything else that you come to Christ;
it is through Christ that you come to Christ.
How to Christ through Christ?
To Christ God through Christ man;
through the Word made flesh,
to the Word who was with God, from the beginning;
through what we have eaten to what the angels eat daily.
In fact it is what is written:
“He gave them bread from heaven; man ate the bread of angels” (Ps 77[78]:24-25).
What is the bread of angels?
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was in God and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1-3). How has man eaten the bread of angels?
“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

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

let-us-listen-to-the-lord-i-am-the-way-and-the-truth-st-augustine-10-may-2020 and 10 aug 2020 st lawrence

“Day by day follow God’s path,
keeping Him closely attached to you by His promise.
In fact, He Himself said, through the mediation of His apostles,
to all those who seek His will and His testimonies
that He would be with them, until the end of the world (Mt 28:20)
where paths and footsteps will be unknown (cf Ps 76:20),
as the divine David said in his songs.
Yet, in an invisible way,
He is present to the eyes of the mind,
making Himself seen by those who have a pure heart
and conversing with them.
So pursue your path …. “

St Theodore the Studite (759-826)
Monk and Theologian at Constantinople

Catechesis 11

 “Jesus is happy to come with us,
as Truth is happy to be spoken,
as Life to be lived,
as Light to be lit,
as Love is to be loved,
as Joy to be given,
as Peace to be spread.”

St Francis of Assisi (1181/2–1226)

jesus-is-happy-to-come-with-us-st-francis-of-assisi-4-oct-2018-and-17-july-2020 and 10 aug 2020 st lawrence

“Someone who truly follows the Lord
wants everyone to follow Him,
which is why He turns to his neighbour
with kind attentions, prayers
and proclamation of the Gospel.
Peter’s turning around, signifies all those things.
… Christ, through interior inspiration and the Church,
by preaching, says: “Come!”
And whoever hears these words
says to his neighbour: “Come!”
which is to say: “Follow Jesus!”
Then Peter, turning round,
saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following after.
Jesus loves the one who follows Him.”

St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)
Evangelical Doctor

someone who truly follows the lord - st anthony of padua 10 aug 2020 st lawrence

“Do not be afraid!
God will show you,
to the hour and moment,
what you should say
and what you should do.”

St Léonie Françoise De Sales Aviat
(1844-1914)

do-not-be-afraid-god-will-show-you-st-leonie-aviat-10-jan-2020 and 10 aug 2020 st lawrence

“The way of the Cross
is the only road that leads to Heaven.
Consequently, a man who refuses
to take this road cannot reach Heaven.
… We must ascend our own Calvary,
if we wish to imitate and follow Jesus.
… Let the Passion of Christ be our rule of life.
Let us be glad, when we seem
to be more like Him and sorrowful,
whenever we seem to be departing
from the example which He set us.
Suffering should be a source of consolation for us,
for it makes us more like Jesus,
as long as we endure it
with resignation and with love.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

the-royal-road-of-the-cross-bacci-22-july-2020 and 10 aug 2020 st lawrence

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 August – ‘… Walk with me …’

One Minute Reflection – 7 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Friday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Readings:  Nahum 1:152231-36-7 (2, 1, 3; 3,1-3, 6-7), Responsorial psalm Deuteronomy 32:35-3639-41Matthew 16:24-28 and the Memorial of St Donatus of Arezzo (Died 362) Bishop

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

REFLECTION – “At the responsory:  “See, the Lord our protector comes, the Holy One of Israel,” Gertrude understood, that if someone applies himself, with all his heart, to desire that his whole life be governed, in prosperity and adversity, according to the most laudable will of God, then by such thoughts, by God’s grace, he would be giving as much honour to God, as one would give to an emperor in placing the imperial crown on his head. …
She saw the Lord walking along a path, pleasant to behold, with fairest flowers and verdure but narrow and lined with dense hedges bristling with sharp thorns.   She saw that He seemed to be preceded by a cross which parted the thorns and made the way wider and easier.   With a serene expression on His face, turning toward those who belonged to Him, He invited them to follow Him, saying: “Whoever wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me…” (Mt 16:24).
From this she knew that the cross of each, is his own personal trial.  For example, for some souls obedience is a cross when they are obliged to do what is contrary to their wishes.   For others, to be burdened with infirmity, which acts as a restraint and so on.   We should all carry our crosses and apply ourselves with a good will to suffer adversity gladly and, in addition, to do all that is in our power, neglecting nothing, which we know to be for the greater glory of God.” … St Gertrude of Helfta/the Great (1256-1302) Benedictine nun – The Herald of Divine Love, Book III, SC 143we should all carry our crosses - st gertrude the great 7 aug 2020

PRAYER“O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You.   Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me.   I do not see very far ahead but when I have arrived where the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will open before me and I shall be met with peace.   How wondrous are the marvels of Your love, we are amazed, we stammer and grow dumb, for word and spirit fail us.  Amen” St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942) Martyr   St Donatus of Arezzo, Pray for us!i do not see very far ahead - st teresa benedicta of the cross 7 aug 2020

st donatus of arezzo pray for us 7 aug 2020