Quote/s of the Day – 6 Novemer – Within the All Saints Octave – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven.”
Matthew 5:12
“ Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed.”
John 20:29
“Be glad in that day and rejoice, for behold, your reward is great in Heaven,”
Luke 6:23
“May He, Who is the Track of the runners and the Reward of the winners, lead and guide you along it – He, Christ Jesus!”
Bl Guerric of Igny O.Cist (c1080-1157)
“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
“You will be consoled according to the greatness of your sorrow and affliction; the greater the suffering, the greater will be the reward.”
St Maria Magdalena de’ Pazzi (1566-1607)
“It is true that we require great confidence to abandon ourselves, without any reserve, to Divine Providence but, when we do abandon all, Our Lord takes care of all and disposes of all. But, if we reserve anything which we are unwilling to confide to Him, He leaves us, as if He would say: “You think yourselves sufficiently wise to manage that affair without Me – you can do so and see what will come of it!”
One Minute Reflection – 24 October – “The Month of The Most Holy Rosary and The Holy Angels” – The Feast of St Raphael the Archangel – Tobias 12:7-15 – John 5:1-4 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“In these lay a great multitude of sick, of blind, of lame, of withered, waiting for the moving of the water (by the Angel). ” – John 5:3
REFLECTION – “The cripple beside the pool of Bethsaida was waiting for someone (to help him into the pool). For whom was he waiting, if not for the Lord Jesus, born of a Virgin? When He came, it was no longer only a matter of some mere prefiguration which was healing people but Truth itself, was healing them all. And so it was, He, Whose descent was awaited, He of Whom God the Father spoke to John the Baptist: “On Whomever you see the Spirit descend and remain, He is the One Who will Baptise with the Holy Spirit” (Jn 1:33) … But why did the Spirit come down like a Dove, if not so that you might see and acknowledge that the Dove which righteous Noah sent out from the ark, was the image of that Dove and, might recognise in it, a prefiguring of the Sacrament of Baptism. ..?
Can you still waver, when the Father is unquestionably proclaiming to you in the Gospel: “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17); when the Son, over Whom the Holy Spirit was manifested, in the form of a Dove, is proclaiming it too; when the Holy Spirit, Who descended in the form of a Dove, is also proclaiming it; when David proclaims: “The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over vast waters” (Ps 28:3)? Scripture also affirms that Fire came down from Heaven at Gideon’s prayers and again, that Fire was sent to consecrate the sacrifice at the prayer of Elijah. (Jgs 6:21; 1Kgs 18:38).
Do not attend to a Priest’s personal worth but to his office … Believe that our Lord Jesus is present, when invoked at the prayer of the Priest, He Who said: “Where two or three are gathered together, there Am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:0). How much more, then, does He deign to grant us His presence where the Church is, where the Mysteries are celebrated. And so, you have gone down to the Baptistery. Remember what you have said – that you believe in the Father, you believe in the Son, you believe in the Holy Ghost … With similar words of commitment. you asserted your belief in the Son, as you believe in the Father, your belief in the Holy Spirit as you believe in the Son, with this sole difference – that you profess the need to believe in the Cross of our only Lord Jesus.” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan, Father and Doctor of the Church (On the Mysteries 24).
PRAYER – O God, Who gave blessed Raphael the Archangel as a traveling companion to Your servant Tobias, grant us, Your servants, ever to be protected by his guardianship and by his help.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).
Thought for the Day – 22 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Month of the Holy Rosary” The Our Father Our Daily Bread
“In the Pater Noster, Jesus instructs us to ask for our daily bread – that is, for sufficient bread for today, not for tomorrow. In this way, He warns us not to be too preoccupied with the future but, to trust in Providence and accept, from God’s hands, from day to day, whatever is necessary for us. God is our Father and loves us as His children. Knowing this, why should we worry about the future?
We are in the hands of God, Who looks after all His children. Let us entrust ourselves completely to His care. This does not mean that we should indulge in any kind of fatalism, expecting everything from God and doing nothing ourselves. We cannot and should not expect unnecessary miracles. We are under an obligation to work because work, is the result of and the punishment for, sin. It enable us to co-operate with God in His work of creation and has ben ennobled and sanctified by Jesus Christ, Who chose to be “the carpenter’s son,” (Mt 13:55) and a carpenter Himself (Cf Mk 6:3). We should work, therefore but, should not worry!
When we have done everything of which we ae capable, we should leave the rest to Divine Providence.”
Quote/s of the Day – 27 September – Saints Cosmas and Damian (Died c 286 ) Martyrs – Wisdom 5:16-20 – Luke 6:17-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Be glad in that day and rejoice, for behold, your reward is great in Heaven,”
Luke 6:23
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven.”
Matthew 5:12
“The one who walks in the love of God seeks neither gain nor reward but seeks only, with the will, to lose self and all things, for God and this loss, the lover judges to be a gain! ”
St John of the Cross (1442-1591) Doctor of the Church
“It is true that we require great confidence to abandon ourselves, without any reserve, to Divine Providence but, when we do abandon all, Our Lord takes care of all and disposes of all. But, if we reserve anything which we are unwilling to confide to Him, He leaves us, as if He would say: “You think yourselves sufficiently wise to manage that affair without Me – you can do so and see what will come of it!”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“The patience of the Saints was more severely tried than is ours. Not only were they stoned, racked, torn asunder, not only did they suffer want, distress, afflictions (Hebrews 11 : 37) but, they had to endure what was still more difficult – ingratitude, failure, unkindness, false accusations, desolation, darkness. Yet they willingly endured all for Jesus’ sake, never ceasing to love Him through it all. I have my trials, yet none so dreadful as theirs, yet I complain even under my lighter cross!”
Quote/s of the Day – 16 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – The Feast of Saint Corneliu, Pope & Martyr and Saint Cyprian, Bishop & Martyr
May We Confess Thy Name to the End By St Cyprian of Carthage (200-258) Bishop and Martyr Apostolic Father of the Church
Good God, may we confess Thy Name to the end. May we emerge unmarked and glorious from the traps and darkness of this world. As Thou hast bound us together by charity and peace and, as together, we have persevered under persecution, so may we also rejoice together in Thy Heavenly Kingdom. Amen
“He not only receives and pardons , those adversaries, those blasphemers, those persistent enemies of His Name, provided they do PENANCE for their offences and acknowledge the CRIIMES committed BUT, He admits them to the reward of the Kingdom of Heaven!”
“God’s Merciful Design has warned us that the day of our own struggle, our own contest, is at hand! By that shared love which binds us close together, we are doing all we can, to exhort our congregation, to give ourselves unceasingly to fastings, vigils and prayers in common. These are the heavenly weapons which give us the strength to stand firm and endure; they are the spiritual defences, the God-given armaments which protect us.”
One Minute Reflection – 11 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – St Protus and St Hyacinth (Died c257) Brother Martyrs – Hebrews 10:32-38 – Luke 12:1-8 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Yes, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid, you are of more value than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7
REFLECTION – “It seems to me you ought to resolve to carry out peacefully what you can. Do not worry about all the rest but entrust to Divine Providence that which you are unable to accomplish on your own. What is pleasing to God, is the reasonable care and attention we give, to accomplishing well, whatever business we must undertake through duty. What is not pleasing to God, is anxiety and disquiet of mind. The Lord wants our limitations and weaknesses, to find their support in His Strength; He wants us to hope that His Goodness will complete and perfect the imperfectness of our means.
Those who take on numerous responsibilities, even with an upright and pure intention, must resolve to do simply what lies within their power … If it is necessary to set certain things aside, arm yourselves with patience and do not think that God expects of us what we are unable to do. He does not want a man to distress himself on account of his limitations … there is no need to tire ourselves out excessively. More, if we have laboured to do our best, we can abandon all the rest to Him ,Who has the power to accomplish whatever He will.
May the Divine Goodness always be pleased to communicate His Light of Wisdom to us, so that we may clearly see and firmly accomplish, His good pleasure, for ourselves and for others … so that we may accept from His Hand, whatever He sends us, taking due note of what is the most important – patience, humility, obedience and charity!” – St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Priest, Founder of the Society of Jesus (Letter of 17 November 1555)
PRAYER – May the precious witness of Thy blessed Martyrs, Protus and Hyacinth, comfort us, O Lord and may their kind intercession, continually protect us. 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).
Thought for the Day – 10 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Accepting the Will of God
“Why are we so often dissatisfied and so easily unsettled by ordinary events? Why does a small measure of success, pleasure, or human praise go to our heads and disturb our peace of soul? Why does suffering failure, or humiliation, makes us sad and dispirited? It is because we forget that everything comes to us from God.
The inscrutable designs of Divine Providence have ordained that our mortal lives should be interwoven with joyful and sorrowful events. There is joy, so that we may realise, that God is Infinitely Good and may experience on earth, the reflection of His beauty. There is sorrow, so that we may remember, that “here we have no permanent city but we seek for the city that is to come” (Heb 13:14). We should not be too elated by worldly pleasure and success but, should be grateful to God, for giving them to us. On the other hand, we should not lose heart, nor rebel, when we experience suffering or humiliation. These also come from God and He has a reason for sending them to us. Even if we do not know the reason, we should retain our confidence, that the Providence of God, arranges everything for our true welfare.
One Minute Reflection – 30 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Rose of Lima OP (1586-1617) Virgin – 2 Cor inthians10:17-18; 11:1-2 – Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Many will come from the east and the west and will recline… at the banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven” – Matthew 8:11
REFLECTION – “I have seen our Lord in the Gospel accomplish many miracles and, reassured by them, have strengthened my fearful words. I have seen the centurion throw himself at the Lord’s feet, nations send their firstfruits to Christ. The Cross has not yet been erected and already, pagans hasten towards their Master. The words “Go, teach all nations” have not yet been heard (Mt 28,19) but the nations are already hastening. Their race precedes their call, they are burning with desire for the Lord. The sound of preaching has not yet been heard but they are hurrying towards the One Who preaches. Peter… has now been instructed and they gather around the One Who is teaching him; the light of Paul has not yet blazed beneath Christ’s standard and nations are coming with incense to adore the King (Mt 2:1).
And now, see how a centurion begs Him and says to him: “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralysed, suffering dreadfully.” Here is a new miracle indeed! The servant, whose limbs are paralysed leads his master to the Lord; the slaves’ sickness gives health to his owner. Seeking his servant’s healing, he finds our Lord and while he is seeking for his slave’s cure, he becomes Christ’s conquest!” – Basil of Seleucia (Died c 468) Archbishop (Homily 19 on the centurion, PG 85, 235f).
PRAYER – Almighty God, Giver of all good things, Who willed that blessed Rose, imbued in early life with the dew of heavenly grace, should bloom among the Indians with the beauty of virginity and patience, grant unto us, Thy servants that, following the fragrance of her sweetness, we may be found worthy to become a sweet savour of Christ. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 21 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Feast of St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)
Prayer of Abandonment By St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)
O sovereign goodness of the sovereign Providence of my God! I abandon myself forever to Thy arms. Whether gentle or severe, lead me henceforth whither Thou will. I will not regard the way through which Thou will have me pass but keep my eyes fixed upon Thee, my God, who guides me. My soul finds no rest without the arms and the bosom of this heavenly Providence, my true Mother, my strength and my rampart. Therefore I resolve with Thy Divine assistance, 0 my Saviour, to follow Thy desires and Thy ordinances, without regarding or examining why Thou does this rather than that but I will blindly follow Thee, according to Thy Divine will, without seeking my own inclinations. Hence I am determined to leave all to Thee, taking no part therein, save by keeping myself in peace in Thy arms, desiring nothing, except as Thou incites me to desire, to will, to wish. I offer Thee this desire, 0 my God, beseeching Thee to bless it. I undertake all it includes, relying on Thy goodness, liberality and mercy, with entire confidence in Thee, distrust of myself, and knowledge of my infinite misery and infirmity. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 11 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Tiburtius (Died c286) Martyr, Layman, St Susanna of Rome (Died c 295) Virgin Martyr, St Philomena (Died 304) Virgin Martyr – Hebrews 11:33-39– Luke 12:1-8 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Yes, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid, you are of more value than many sparrows.”
Luke 12:6-7
“[He] hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous Light … ”
1 Peter 2:9
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have conquered the world.” John 16:33
“Who will be crowned without having fought? Who will go to rest if he is not tired (cf. 2 Tim 2:5-6)? Who will gather the fruits of life without having planted virtues in his soul? Cultivate them, prepare the earth with the greatest care, take trouble over it, sweat over it, children, God’s workers, imitators of the Angels, competitors with incorporeal beings, lights for those who are in the world. (cf. Phil 2:15)!”
St Theodore the Studite (759-826)
“Fear is a greater evil than the evil itself.”
(Letters to Persons in the World, VI, 12)
“Why do you put yourself in trouble? God is good; He sees very well what you are.”
(Letters to Persons in Religion, III, 16)
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“We think not enough of this Truth – that God is present with us that He sees our thoughts, even long before we have them. That He knows what we think and shall think, better than we ourselves that He sees the folds and recesses, of our heart and of this other Truth – that NOTHING HAPPENS to us but by the order of Providence. We should all be Saints, if we well apprehended these Truths. And truly, it is a great consolation, to know that God sees the bottom of our heart.”
St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641) Disciple and Collaborator with St Francis de Sales in Founding the Sisters of the Visitation
Thought for the Day – 9 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”
“In the second part of the Lord’s Prayer, we ask the universal Father, on behalf of ourselves and of our brethren, for all things necessary for soul and body. Since we have already paid homage to God, our Creator and our Redeemer and, have prayed for the triumph of His Kingdom and for the accomplishment of His Will in Heaven and on earth, Our Lord does not forbid us to think now of ourselves and to pray for our own needs. “Give us this day our daily bread,” we ask, intending to pray, both for our spiritual and material requirements.
We should not delude ourselves into imagining that it is we who produce the fruits of the earth. A grain of wheat dies beneath the soil but God has infused into it, a mysterious force as a result of which, in dying, it generates new life.
The moisture of the soil, the warmth of the air and the light of the sun combine to develop this mysterious life-force, which produces the green stalk and then the flaxen ear of corn which provides us with bread. It is God Who has given this vital power to this tiny seed, as well as to all the other seeds of the soil. It is He Who has endowed the soil with the nutritive elements from which the seeds draw life and it is He, Who sends the dew, the rain and the sunshine, which cause the flowers to blossom and the plants to bear fruit.
We should ask God humbly, therefore, to “give us this day our daily bread.” Our own labours would be futile without the intervention of the all-powerful Creator. We are capable, neither of producing, nor of destroying a single atom nor a single seedling. Without God, we are incapable of achieving anything, either inthe natural or in the supernatural order. Therefore, we must ask Him to provide us with what we need. He is supremely good and loves us very much. His Providence will not leave us in want, even if we are often obliged to work with all our energy, in co-operation with Him to procure the necessaries of life. The birds have no granary, yet they manage to find enough seed to keep them alive because God is watching over them. How could we suppose, that He will not look after us, if we turn to Him with trust and perseverance?”
Quote/s of the Day – 31 July – St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556) Priest, Confessor, Founder, Theologian, Spiritual Writer, Mystic.
Suscipe “Receive” By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
Receive, O Lord, all my liberty. Take my memory, understanding and entire will. Whatsoever I have or hold, Thou hast given it – I give all back to Thee and commit it wholly to be governed by Thy Will. Thy Love and Thy Grace give unto me and I am rich enough and ask for nothing more! Amen
“God takes special care to detach from the passing pleasures of this world, those whom He Loves with special predilection, by sending them desires after heavenly bliss and, by the sorrows and bitterness of the present life.”
“A precious crown is reserved in Heaven for those who endow their actions with all the diligence of which they are capable, for, it is not enough to do good, we must do it well!”
“Truth, always shines with the brightness which belongs to it, while falsehood, is wrapped in darkness – to dispel this darkness, it is enough, to put falsehood in the presence of truth!”
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Yes, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid, you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6-7
“It seems to me you ought to resolve to carry out peacefully what you can. Do not worry about all the rest but entrust to Divine Providence that which you are unable to accomplish on your own. What is pleasing to God, is the reasonable care and attention we give, to accomplishing well, whatever business we must undertake through duty. What is not pleasing to God, is anxiety and disquiet of mind. The Lord wants our limitations and weaknesses, to find their support in His Strength; He wants us to hope that His Goodness will complete and perfect, the imperfectness of our means. … May the Divine Goodness always be pleased to communicate His Light of Wisdom to us, so that we may clearly see and firmly accomplish, His good pleasure, for ourselves and for others … so that we may accept from His Hand, whatever He sends us, taking due note of what is the most important – patience, humility, obedience and charity!”
Thought for the Day – 23 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Duties of Our State
“Everyone finds himself in a certain position in life. He may be there, either through force of circumstances, or, through somebody else’s desire, or through some secret inspiration from God, In any case, each of us is in a certain place and God, either wills it or permits it. We should not complain about our state in life. No matter what that state is, we can either be saved or damned for all eternity. In any position, we can do a great deal of good or a great deal of evil, according to the way in which we co-operate with the grace of God. We should not envy the positions of others. This would be unjust because, it would be tantamount to questioning the arrangements of Providence, which gives everyone the graces necessary, in his particular state. It would also be injurious, insofar, as we should be worried and disturbed, instead of working peacefully and earnestly, in the place assigned to us by God.”
Quote/s of the Day – 14 July – St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
“Since happiness is nothing else than the enjoyment of the Supreme Good and the Supreme Good is above us, no-one can enjoy happiness, unless he rises above himself.”
“Men do not fear a powerful hostile army, as the powers of hell fear the name and protection of Mary.”
“Although you feel tepid, approach with confidence, for the greater your infirmity, the more you stand in need of a physician!”
Thought for the Day – 11 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Accepting the Will of God
“Why are we so often dissatisfied and so easily unsettled by ordinary events? Why does a small measure of worldly success, pleasure, or human praise go to our heads and disturb our peace of soul? Why does suffering failure, or humiliation, makes us sad and dispirited? It is because we forget –everything comes to us from God.
The inscrutable designs of Divine Providence have ordained that our mortal lives should be interwoven with joyful and sorrowful events. There is joy, so we may realise that God is Infinitely Good and may experience on earth, the reflection of His Beauty. There is sorrow, so we may remember that “here we have no permanent city but we seek for the city which is to come” (Heb 13:14). We should not be too elated by worldly pleasure and success but, should be grateful to God, for giving them to us. On the other hand, we should not lose heart, nor rebel, when we experience suffering or humiliation. These also come from God and He has a reason for sending them to us. Even if we do not know the reason, we should retain our confidence that the Providence of God, arranges everything for our true welfare.
Quote/s of the Day – 27 February – St Gabriel of the Sorrowful Virgin/Gabriel Possenti CP (1838-1862) Confessor
“The Infinite Mercy of God has been able to arrange all things sweetly and today, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, our Protectress and our Mother, I have put on, with unutterable joy, this holy religious Habit and taken the name of Confrater Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows.”
(Letter to his Father, From Morrovalle on 21 September 1856)
“What caution, in fact, does it not require, to live as a good Christian in the world!”
(Letter to his Father, From Morrovalle on 21 September 1856)
“May the Holy Infant Jesus and Mary, His Immaculate Mother, grant you all every happiness and crown you with blessings. Let us pray often to Him, Who came from the Right Hand of His Father, … to be born between two beasts in a poor stable. Let us beg Our Saviour Who so willingly exposed Himself to the insults and outrages of His creatures, in order to snatch us from everlasting hell to which we were hopelessly condemned; let us beg of Him, to purify our hearts by a holy Communion and to inflame us with His Divine Love.”
(Letter to his Father, From Morrovalle on 2 December 1856)
One Minute Reflection – 12 February – “The Month of the Blessed Trinity” – The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order (1233) – Ecclesiasticus 44:1-15; Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“At that time, Peter said to Jesus: Behold we have left all things and have followed Thee: what, therefore, shall we have? ” – Matthew 19:27
REFLECTION – “For forty years, to use the analogy made by Saint Paul (1 Cor 9:24), Clare had now run the race in the stadium of very great poverty. She was drawing close to the goal of her heavenly vocation and, to the reward promised to the victor … Divine Providence hastened to fulfil what it had in mind for Clare – Christ desired to bring His little, poor one into His Royal Palace at the close of her pilgrimage. She, on her part, longed with all the impulse of her desire … to behold, reigning on high in His Glory, the Christ Whose poverty she had imitated on earth …
All her daughters had gathered around their mother’s bed … Then, speaking to herself, Claire said to her soul: “Go in all safety; you have a good Guide for the road. Go, for He Who created you, has also sanctified you. He has always kept you and loved you with tender love, as a mother loves her child. Blessed are you, O Lord, Who have created me!” One of the Sisters asked her, to whom she was speaking. Clare answered: “To my blessed soul.” Her guide for the journey was not far off. Indeed, turning towards one of her daughters, she said: “Do you see what I can see? – The King of Glory!” …
Blessed be her departure from this vale of sorrow, a departure which was, for her, the entry into the life of blessedness! As a reward for her fasts here below, she now knows the joy which reigns at the table of the Saints. In exchange for her rags and ashes, she has entered into possession of the blessedness of the heavenly Kingdom, where she is clothed in the robe of eternal glory!” – Thomas of Celano OFM (c1185-1260) Franciscan Friar and close assistant to St Francis, Biographer of Saint Francis and Saint Clare (Life of Saint Clare).
PRAYER – O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, to keep alive the memory of Your most holy Mother’s sorrows, through the Seven holy Fathers enriched your Church with a new family of her Servants, graciously grant that we may be so united with them in their sorrows, as also to share their joys. Who lives and reigns with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Quote/s of the Day – 28 January – St Peter Nolasco OdeM (c 1182–c 1256) Confessor, Founder – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14, Luke 12:32-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be too.”
Luke 12:34
“We are made a spectacle to the world and to Angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake but you are wise in Christ; we are weak but you are strong; you are honourable but we without honour. Even unto this hour, we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no fixed abode. And we labour, working with our own hands. We are reviled and we bless. We are persecuted and we suffer it. We are blasphemed and we entreat. We are made as the refuse of this world, the offscouring of all, even until now.”
St Paul – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14
“The great wealth of Christians is found in the needs of the poor, provided we grasp how to put our possessions to good use. The poor are always before us; if we entrust our wealth to them, we shall not lose it.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Great indeed is the confidence which God requires us to have in His paternal care and in His Divine Providence but why should we not have it, seeing that no-one has ever been deceived in it? No-one ever trusts in God without reaping the fruits of his confidence.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 11 January – “The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Family” – Within the Octave of Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12 – cripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy Light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” – Isaias 60:1
REFLECTION – “The loving Providence of God determined that, in the last days He would aid the world, set on its course to destruction. He decreed that all nations should be saved in Christ.
A promise had been made to the holy Patriarch Abraham, in regard to these nations. He was to have a countless progeny, born not from his body but from the seed of faith. His descendants are, therefore, compared with the array of the stars. The father of all nations, was to hope, not in an earthly progeny but, in a progeny from above.
Let the full number of the nations now take their place in the family of the Patriarchs. Let the children of the promise, now receive the blessing in the seed of Abraham, the blessing renounced by the children of his flesh. In the persons of the Magi, let all people adore the Creator of the universe – let God be known, not in Judea only but in the whole world, so that His Name may be great in all Israel.
Dear friends, now that we have received instruction in this revelation of God’s grace, let us celebrate, with spiritual joy, the day of our first harvesting, of the first calling of the Gentiles. Let us give thanks to the merciful God, Who has made us worthy, in the words of the Apostle, to share the position of the Saints in Light, Who has rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. As Isaias prophesied – the people of the Gentiles, who sat in darkness, have seen a great Light and for those who dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, a Light has dawned. He spoke of them to the Lord – The Gentiles, who do not know Thee, will invoke Thee and the peoples, who knew Thee not, will take refuge in Thee.” – St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from his On the Lord’s Epiphany, Sermon 3)
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who by the guidance of a star this day revealed Thy Only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, who know Thee now by faith, may come to behold Thee in glory. 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).
Thought for the Day – 29 D ecember – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
As Fr Clarke has left us in the lurch for the last 3 days of December, I am revisiting dear Cardinal Bacci to come to our aid. I pray you, like myself, never tire of his wisdom.
The Holy Family – Jesus
“We have in the Holy Family, the highest possible models of perfection – Jesus, Mary and Joseph. As God, Jesus is essentially holy. By means of the Hypostatic Union, this sanctity is transmitted also to His human nature. The holiness of Jesus was only gradually revealed as He grew older because He wished to be like us in everything, save in sin. As the Gospel says, He “advanced in wisdom and age and grace before God and men” (Lk 2:52). Jesus gave us an example of holiness which we should find easier to imitate because it was eternally increasing all the time. He offered us, as an example, the kind of sanctity which has its beginning and foundation in utter humility and detachment from worldly goods. “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29).
Socrates advised his followers to have few desires and to desire these as little as possible, in order to remain content, for the man who is full of desires is always uneasy and restless. This human counsel is very true but, it is incomplete. It recommends detachment from earthly things but fails to teach the ardent and practical desire for supernatural things. Jesus Christ teaches us both. After He has urged us to become gentle and humble like Himself, after He has told us not to worry about the future and not to fret about what to wear and what to eat, He points out the way in which Providence clothes the lilies of the filed and feeds the birds of the air. Then He adds: “Seek the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be given you besides” (Cf Lk.12:22-31).
We must limit and moderate our desire for earthly goods, therefore but, should ardently yearn to love God, to serve and obey Him in this life and to enjoy Him forever in Heaven. This is what the Infant Jesus wishes to teach us.”
Quote/s of the Day – 9 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Resumed Mass of Sunday – Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 11:2-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Now, the God of hope, fill you with all joy and peace in believing – that you may abound in hope and in the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Romans 15:13
“And as soon as He sees you seek Him fervently, He will make Himself known to you. He will appear to you, grant you His help, bestow the victory on you and save you from your enemies. In fact, when He sees how you are looking for Him, how you continually place all your hope in Him, then He will instruct you, teach you true prayer, give you that authentic charity that is Himself. Then, He will become everything to you: your Paradise, Life-giving Tree, Precious Pearl, Crown, Architect, Farmer, One subject to suffering but not afflicted with suffering, Man, God, Wine, Living Water, Lamb, Bridegroom, Soldier, Armour, Christ Who is “All in All” (1Cor 1B,28).
St Macarius of Egypt (c300-390)
“God accepts our desires as though they were of great value. He longs ardently for us to desire to and love Him. He accepts our petitions for benefits, as though we were doing Him a favour. His joy in giving, is greater than ours in receiving. So let us not be apathetic in our asking, nor set too narrow bounds to our requests; nor ask for frivolous things unworthy of God’s greatness.”
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Great indeed is the confidence which God requires us to have in His paternal care and in His Divine Providence but why should we not have it, seeing that no-one has ever been deceived in it? No-one ever trusts in God without reaping the fruits of his confidence.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Thought for the Day – 7 December – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Meditations for Advent From “The Devout Year” By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
The Causes of Delay
+1. If the wickedness of the world in heathen times was so great, how was it that the Coming of the Redeemer was so long delayed? To this question we can only give one answer with absolute certainty, it was so decreed by Almighty God in His Infinite Wisdom. We cannot hope, in this life, to comprehend the Mysteries of the Providence of the Most High. We can only humbly bow our heads and say that, the Redeemer came when God so Willed and that which God Wills, is necessarily the best.
+2. Yet, we can at least form some kind of conjecture, as to the causes of delay. God works by natural means. In order that the religion of Jesus, should spread all over the world, by the ordinary working of the laws which govern the affairs of men, it was convenient that the world should be subject to one central power. This was never the case until, at the time of Christ’s Nativity, the Roman Empire was mistress of the world. Thus, God prepares the way for His Designs of Mercy and arranges the world’s events according to His Will, yet, without forcing the wills of men.
+3. There was another reason for the long delay. It was to teach us that, God does nothing hurriedly. He always waits, before executing His Decrees. In this, He wishes us to imitate Him. The Eternal Wisdom of the Most High needs no time for deliberation. His Works are not gradually perfected, or improved, on second thoughts. But ours are and the slow action (in our understanding of time) of the Providence of God, should impress upon us, the importance of waiting before we act and considering and reconsidering, all our plans .
Thought for the Day – 3 December – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Meditations for Advent From “The Devout Year” By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
The Announcement of His Coming
“+1. For a short time after their creation our first parents lived in perfect peace and happiness in the Garden of Eden. If they had continued obedient to the authority of their Creator, during their whole time of probation, there would have been no need for the advent of the Son of God as their Redeemer from sin, for sin there would have been none. It was their deliberate rebellion which was the occasion that determined the visit of the Word to this world of ours. No wonder that the Church sings, O felix culpa! O happy transgression which earned a Redeemer such as this! Admire God’s wonderful Providence in thus bringing good out of evil and advantage to man for his very sin!
+2. The promise made was couched in words which gave no immediate prospect of the crushing of the serpent’s head and the destruction of his power. It left the curse of sin upon the earth and its inhabitants and announced the sorrows which would accompany them through their time of sojourn here. This law still holds. Christ came to abolish sin but not its temporal consequences. He who sins shall suffer, is a law which Christ fulfilled and in no way destroyed.
+3. Yet, the promise of a Redeemer rekindled the light of hope in the souls of Adam and Eve. They and all their children, were ever looking and praying for His Coming. God’s intention was to keep them in expectancy. So too, with His Second Coming. There has always been a tradition of expectation. “Blessed is the man whom his Lord , when He cometh, shall find watching.” Hence, learn to watch and pray. Come quickly , O Lord Jesus!”
One Minute Reflection – 21 Octoberber – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” –Saint Ursula and Companions (Died c238) Virgin Martyrs –Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6; Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29
REFLECTION – “WE MUST POSSESS a continual and imperturbable equanimity, amid the great variety of human occurrences and although, all things change around us, remain immovable, with our eyes fixed on God alone. And, although, all things, I will not merely say around us but even within us, should turn topsy-turvy; whether our souls be joyful or sorrowful, in peace or in trouble, in light or in darkness, in temptation or in repose, in happiness or in disgust, although the sun scorch, or the dew refresh – we should always keep our will fixed on the good pleasure of God, as its sole and supreme object.
It is true that we require great confidence to abandon ourselves, without any reserve, to Divine Providence but, when we do abandon all, Our Lord takes care of all and disposes of all. But, if we reserve anything which we are unwilling to confide to Him, He leaves us, as if He would say: “You think yourselves sufficiently wise to manage that affair without Me – you can do so and see what will come of it!” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis( Consoling Thoughts on God and Providence).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord our God that we may never cease devoutly, to venerate the triumphs of Thy holy Virgins and Martyrs, Ursula and her companions that, as we cannot worthily shew forth their praises, yet we may continually honour them, with lowly service. 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).
One Minute Reflection – 13 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Saints Hippolytus and Cassian (Died c235) Martyrs – Our Lady Refuge of Sinners – Hebrews 10:32-38; Luke 12:1-8 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Yes, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid, you are of more value than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7
REFLECTION – “It seems to me you ought to resolve to carry out peacefully what you can. Do not worry about all the rest but entrust to Divine Providence that which you are unable to accomplish on your own. What is pleasing to God, is the reasonable care and attention we give, to accomplishing well, whatever business we must undertake through duty. What is not pleasing to God, is anxiety and disquiet of mind. The Lord wants our limitations and weaknesses, to find their support in His Strength; He wants us to hope that His Goodness will complete and perfect the imperfectness of our means.
Those who take on numerous responsibilities, even with an upright and pure intention, must resolve to do simply what lies within their power … If it is necessary to set certain things aside, arm yourselves with patience and do not think that God expects of us what we are unable to do. He does not want a man to distress himself on account of his limitations … there is no need to tire ourselves out excessively. More, if we have laboured to do our best, we can abandon all the rest to Him ,Who has the power to accomplish whatever He will.
May the Divine Goodness always be pleased to communicate His Light of Wisdom to us, so that we may clearly see and firmly accomplish, His good pleasure, for ourselves and for others … so that we may accept from His Hand, whatever He sends us, taking due note of what is the most important – patience, humility, obedience and charity!” – St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Priest, Founder of the Society of Jesus (Letter of 17 November 1555)
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness, both of mind and body and, by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness. 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).
Thought for the Day – 5 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
CHARITY Meditations for a Month
The Contentedness of Charity “Charity envieth not”
Envy is the vice which begrudges happiness, liberty, riches, success, or some other good. to another. Envy is pained at seeing another in possession of that which the envious man desires himself to have but cannot obtain. Envy is a mean and contemptible vice. What difference can it make to us that others should succeed and be happy? If they shared our misfortunes, we would be no better off. Examine whether envy lurks in your heart?
Envy is a vice which utterly destroys the peace of he who harbours it. He is always uneasy and unites the longing for that which he cannot have, with a hatred of those who are enjoying it. This double worm gnaws unceasingly at his heart. In our own interest, there is scarcely any vice which is such folly to harbour. Envy is also especially displeasing to God and hateful in His sight because, it challenges His goodness and rebels against, a state of things, which He has ordained or permitted.
How different is the spirit of charity! It takes pleasure in the pleasure of others, it rejoices in their success and is happy in seeing them happy. It wishes for nothing which others have and which is out of its own reach, for it recognises the wise Providence of God in all happenings and, therefore, is perfectly satisfied with everything and has no wish to see itself exalted and others depressed, as envy does. In view of the greater successes of others, is my spirit one of envy or one of charity? Do I rejoice in them or do I feel vexed and annoyed?
One Minute Reflection – 17 July– “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Feast of The Humility of the Blessed Virgin Mary – St Alexius –1 Timothy 6:6-12, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29
REFLECTION – “WE MUST POSSESS a continual and imperturbable equanimity, amid the great variety of human occurrences and although, all things change around us, remain immovable, with our eyes fixed on God alone. And, although, all things, I will not merely say around us but even within us, should turn topsy-turvy; whether our souls be joyful or sorrowful, in peace or in trouble, in light or in darkness, in temptation or in repose, in happiness or in disgust, although the sun scorch, or the dew refresh – we should always keep our will fixed on the good pleasure of God, as its sole and supreme object.
It is true that we require great confidence to abandon ourselves, without any reserve, to Divine Providence but, when we do abandon all, Our Lord takes care of all and disposes of all. But, if we reserve anything which we are unwilling to confide to Him, He leaves us, as if He would say: “You think yourselves sufficiently wise to manage that affair without Me – you can do so and see what will come of it!” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis( Consoling Thoughts on God and Providence).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness both of mind and body and, by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, maybe delivered from present sadness and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness.ThroughJesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 12 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
PATIENCE Meditations for a Month Today is the Last Meditation
The Third Fruit of Patience: – Joy
‘As it were, sorrowing yet always rejoicing.‘ (2 Cor 6 : 10) This is St Paul’s description of the ministers of Christ, labouring for the salvation of souls. What is true of them, is true of all faithful servants of God. On the surface ,apparent misery but down in the depths of the soul, intense joy. Of this joy, St Paul says: ‘I am filled with comfort and exceedingly abound with joy. in all our tribulation. (2 Cor 7 : 4) What is it that works this charm? Patience!. Patient endurance, humble submission to the Will of God, resignation to His Providence.
How is it that out of sorrow, joy can come? The reason is that if we are living for God and in dependence upon Him and seeking to promote His glory, then, although in the natural order we may be crushed down with pain and suffering, we shall be full of joy by reason of the supernatural gladness which God bestows upon us. ‘Your joy,‘ says our Lord to His Apostles, ‘no man shall take from you.’ (St John 16 : 22) Have I any experience of this joy? If so, I shall thank God for it; if not, I must wait patiently and see whether there may not be some hindrance to it, on my part.
Whence comes this joy? From Heaven. This is why it surpasses all earthly joy and makes earthly sufferings sweet. It is the first faint reflection of the Light of Heaven, amid the clouds and darkness of earth – the first foretaste of the joy into which the just will be welcomed by their Lord at the Gate of Heaven. If one drop of it sweetens all bitterness on earth and makes all sufferings light, what must be the intensity of joy which will inebriate all those who have here endured tribulation and suffering for Christ’s sake?
One Minute Reflection – 4 July– “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Within the Octave of Sts Peter and Paul – Acts 5:12-16, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29
REFLECTION – “WE MUST POSSESS a continual and imperturbable equanimity, amid the great variety of human occurrences and although, all things change around us, remain immovable, with our eyes fixed on God alone. And, although, all things, I will not merely say around us but even within us, should turn topsy-turvy; whether our souls be joyful or sorrowful, in peace or in trouble, in light or in darkness, in temptation or in repose, in happiness or in disgust, although the sun scorch, or the dew refresh – we should always keep our will fixed on the good pleasure of God, as its sole and supreme object.
It is true that we require great confidence to abandon ourselves, without any reserve, to Divine Providence but, when we do abandon all, Our Lord takes care of all and disposes of all. But, if we reserve anything which we are unwilling to confide to Him, He leaves us, as if He would say: “You think yourselves sufficiently wise to manage that affair without Me – you can do so and see what will come of it!” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis( Consoling Thoughts on God and Providence).
PRAYER – God, Who hast consecrated this day to the Martyrdom of Thy Apostles Peter and Paul, give Thy Church a precept to follow them in all things. 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).
One Minute Reflection – 26 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Saint John and Saint Paul of Rome (Died c362) Martyrs – Ecclesiasticus 44:10-15, Luke 12:1-8 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Yes, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid, you are of more value than many sparrows.” – Luke 12:6-7
REFLECTION – “It seems to me you ought to resolve to carry out peacefully what you can. Do not worry about all the rest but entrust to Divine Providence that which you are unable to accomplish on your own. What is pleasing to God ,is the reasonable care and attention we give, to accomplishing well, whatever business we must undertake through duty. What is not pleasing to God, is anxiety and disquiet of mind. The Lord wants our limitations and weaknesses, to find their support in His Strength; He wants us to hope that His Goodness will complete and perfect the imperfectness of our means.
Those who take on numerous responsibilities, even with an upright an d pure intention, must resolve to do simply what lies within their power … If it is necessary to set certain things aside, arm yourselves with patience and do not think that God expects of us what we are unable to do. He does not want a man to distress himself on account of his limitations … there is no need to tire ourselves out excessively. More, if we have laboured to do our best, we can abandon all the rest to Him ,Who has the power to accomplish whatever He will.
May the Divine Goodness always be pleased to communicate His Light of Wisdom to us, so that we may clearly see and firmly accomplish, His good pleasure, for ourselves and for others … so that we may accept from His Hand, whatever He sends us, taking due note of what is the most important – patience, humility, obedience and charity!” – St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) Priest, Founder of the Society of Jesus (Letter of 17 November 1555)
PRAYER – We beseech Thee, Almighty God that on this feast-day, we may have the double joy of celebrating blessed John and Paul, true brothers ,who obtained eternal glory through one Faith and one Martyrdom. 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).
All praise, honour and glory to the divine HEART of JESUS. – Indulgence 50 Days, Once a day. Raccolta 168 Pope Leo XIII, 14 June 1901.
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