Category: QUOTES on HELL

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Thought for the Day – 8 April – The Betrayal of Judas

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Thought for the Day – 8 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Betrayal of Judas

“It is quite certain, that Judas did not commit this sacrilegious act of betrayal on the spur of the moment.
Evil, like goodness, is arrived at step-by-step.
Perhaps it was some motive of self-interest, rather than of pure love, which led Judas to become one of Jesus; Apostles.
Covetousness, “the root of all evils,” (Cf 1 Tim 6:10) seems to have been his dominant passion.
As the Gospel tells us, he kep the money offerings which those who had been converted, gave to Jesus for His support and for that of His Apostles.
Judas did not know how to suppress his dominant passion at times.
On one occasion, he complained about Mary Magdalen, when she anointed the feet of Jesus with precious ointment.
The passion grew and he became a thief, “He was a thief and holding the purse used to take what was put in it” (Jn 12:6).
In spite of the extraordinary grace he had received, he fell into sin.
Finally, he was guilty of the betrayal, of the sacrilegious communion at the last supper and of the kiss of hypocrisy in Gethsemane.

The example of Judas is a lesson to us.
It is disastrous to begin to yield to our passions and to fall into evil habits.
The Holy Spirit warns us that anyone who makes little account of small things, will fall into bigger (Cf Ecclus 19:11).
Let us remember, that even a tiny spark can set off a conflagration.
Likewise, a single mortal sin can lead us to Hell!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/09/thought-for-the-day-9-april-the-betrayal-of-judas/

Posted in CATHOLIC TIME, CHRIST the KING, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, LENT 2022, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 1 April – My God, I Love Thee

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Our Morning Offering – 1 April – Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent

My God, I Love Thee
By St Francis Xavier (1506-1552) (Attri)
Transr: Fr Edward Caswall CO (1814-1878)

My God, I love Thee, not because
I hope for heav’n thereby,
nor yet for fear, that loving not,
I might forever die
but for that Thou didst all mankind
upon the Cross embrace;
for us didst bear the nails and spear
and manifold disgrace.

And griefs and torments numberless
and sweat of agony;
e’en death itself and all for man,
who was Thine enemy.
Then why, most loving Jesus Christ,
should I not love Thee well?
Not for the sake of winning heav’n,
nor any fear of hell.

Not with the hope of gaining aught,
nor seeking a reward
but as Thyself hast loved me,
O ever loving Lord!
E’en so I love Thee and will love
and in Thy praise will sing,
solely because Thou art my God
and my eternal King!
Amen

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on The SOUL

Thought for the Day – 26 March – The Human Soul

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

The Human Soul

“Remember that every mortal sin means death to the soul, for it robs it of the supernatural life of grace, making it incapable of every good action and deserving of hell.
If you committed one mortal sin, God could tire of you, as if you were an unproductive tree and put an end to your life, without giving you time to repent!
Then, you would be lost for all eternity.
This thought should never leave your mind, particularly in time of temptation.
At such a time, turn to God with confidence, tell Him that you love Him and do not wish to offend Him at any price.
Face death rather than sin.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/27/thought-for-the-day-27-march-the-human-soul/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/10/thought-for-the-day-27-march-the-human-soul-2/

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 21 March – St Benedict

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Quote/s of the Day – 21 March – Monday of the Third Week of Lent – The Memorial of St Benedict OSB (c 480-547)

“Girded with faith
and the performance of good works,
let us follow in His paths
by the guidance of the Gospel.”

“There exists an evil fervour,
a bitter spirit, which divides us from God
and leads us to hell.
Similarly, there is a good fervour,
which sets us apart from evil inclinations
and leads us toward God and eternal life.”

“For at all times, we must so serve Him,
with the good things He has given us,
that he may not, as an angry Father,
disinherit his children,
nor as a dread Lord,
provoked by our evil deeds,
deliver us to everlasting punishment,
as wicked servants,
who refuse to follow Him to glory.”

“The first degree of humility,
is prompt obedience.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/07/11/quote-s-of-the-day-11-july-st-benedict-2/

St Benedict (c 480-547)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on POVERTY, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 March – Do you suppose that charity is not an obligation but voluntary?

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One Minute Reflection – 7 March – Monday of the First Week of Lent – Ezech 34:11-16, Matt hew 25:31-46 and the Memorial of St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus and Doctor Communis

“Amen I say to you, as long as you did not do it for one of these least ones, you did not do it for Me.” – Matthew 25:45

REFLECTION – “Do you suppose that charity is not an obligation but voluntary? That it is not a law but merely a counsel? I should like it to be so, too and would gladly think so. But God’s left hand gives me cause for alarm, the place where He has set the goats to whom He addresses His reproaches, not because they stole, plundered, committed adultery or perpetrated other such faults but because, they did not honour Christ in the person of His poor!

If you are willing to listen to me, then, O servants of Christ, His brothers and co-heirs, I say ,that we should visit Christ while there is an opportunity, take care of Him and feed Him. We should clothe Christ and welcome Him. We should honour Him, not only at our table, like some; not only with ointments, like Mary Magdalene; not only with a sepulchre, like Joseph of Arimathea; nor with things which have to do with His burial, like Nicodemus… nor finally, with gold, incense and myrrh, like the Magi.

But, as the Lord of all “desires mercy and not sacrifice” (Mt 9,13) and as compassion is better than tens of thousands of fat rams, let us offer Him this mercy through the needy and those who are at present cast down to the ground. Let us do this, so that, when we depart hence, they may “welcome us into the eternal habitations” (Lk 16,9), in the same Christ our Lord, to whom be glory forever.” – St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 14, on Love for the Poor, 27, 28, 39-40).

PRAYER – O God, our Saviour, direct our minds by Your heavenly teaching, so that the Lenten fast may profit us. And may the intercession of St Thomas Aquinas, Your humble servant, aid us in our need. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. R. Amen.

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Thought for the Day – 25 February – Fervour and Tepidity

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Thought for the Day – 25 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Fervour and Tepidity

“The ONLY choice in the life of a Catholic is between fervour and sin!
The tepid or negligent soul cannot remain long in the grace of God and, when God’s grace is removed, it means the death of the soul.

The spiritual life resembles a steep hill.
A man cannot stay still.
He must keep going upwards or begin to slip downwards.
Whoever struggles on, up the hill is approaching perfection and Heaven; whoever slips backwards, is approaching sin, a dead soul and Hell.

There us NO MIDDLE WAY!
Those who are lukewarm are an object of DISGUST to their Creator, Who casts them away from Himself – “Because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot,” the Holy Spirit says, “I am about to vomit thee out of my mouth” (Apoc 3:16).

So, it is not enough to be mediocre Catholic.
The half-hearted and indifferent are already travelling along the slippery path of sin and are on the waiting list for hell!
It is dangerous for anyone to remain thoughtlessly in this state of spiritude ineptitude.
A man who never thinks of his own salvation, is suffering from a serious illness.
He is running a very great risk of eternal damnation.
He has one foot in Hell here on this earth!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on VIRTUE, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES

Thought for the Day – 25 January – The Rich

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Thought for the Day – 25 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Rich

“Wealth is a gift from God.
Therefore, it is good, like everything else which comes from God.
Worldly wealth, as St Thomas Aquinas says, can be an instrument of virtue.
But, it is good only insofar, as it leads to holiness.
If it interferes with the practice of virtue, it is evil (Summa Contra Gentiles, Bk III, 134).

God created the wealth of the earth, not for a few but, for all mankind.
All men have the right, therefore, to draw their means of subsistence from the earth.
If any individual with large private possessions, however lawfully acquired, battles against this right to live, he commits a grave sin.
This could happen either because a man is lacking in justice or in charity.
Both justice and charity are commanded by God, however and, it matters very little, whether a man goes to Hell because he has offended against justice or because he has offended against charity.
Hell is Hell, in either case!

Let us examine ourselves and see if we are lacking in either of the virtues.
It is certain that there would not be so much misery and want in the world, if the Gospel teaching on the virtues of justice and charity had ever really triumphed.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/27/thought-for-the-day-27-january-the-rich/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MEDITATION, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on SIN, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 12 January – HELL 1

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Thought for the Day – 12 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

HELL 1

“In whatever you do, remember your last days and you will never sin.” (Eccl 7:36)

“The meditation considered, by the masters of the spiritual life, to be the most useful for rousing the soul from sin, or from a state of torpor, is that on the last things, in other words, on what will happen to us at the end of life.
Amongst these last things, hell is the most terrifying.
Yet, if the mercy of God did not sustain us, we could fall into hell at any moment.
St John Chrysostom meditated on hell everyday.
All the Saints have found in this meditation, the first steps on the way to perfection.
Remember, that a single mortal sin, would merit hell for us!
In that moment, the sinner could have been already hurled into the abyss of torments.
Let us imagine, that we are there …. and, that the goodness and mercy of God has released us from those everlasting, all-devouring flames.   If this should happen, all the sacrifices, which virtue demands, would seem so easy and pleasant.
How ready we should be to do anything, sooner than return to that chasm of eternal sorrow!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING

Thought for the Day – 9 January – Death

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

Death

“Death, like suffering, is the result of sin: “Through sin death” (Rom 5:12).
But, it is more than a punishment for sin.
It is also a liberation for the just who, like St Francis of Assisi, look upon death as the good sister, who will come one day to set them free and unite them with Christ in everlasting happiness.
“Desiring to depart and to be with Christ …” (Phil 1:33).

Death is certainly a fearful thing.
It is the violent separation of the soul from the body.
The mere thought makes us tremble, for our eternal happiness, or misery, depends on this moment.
But, if we lead good Christian lives, if we strive with the help of divine grace to avoid sin and to do what is good, death is no longer terrible.
Death is now reward.
It is the paradise which awaits us.
Even in the mystery of death, the Justice of God is interwoven with His Mercy.
As He punishes us in order to correct us, so, He makes us die, in order to bestow on us, the joys of Heaven.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/08/thought-for-the-day-8-january-death/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SACRAMENTS, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Thought for the Day – 10 December – Those Who Will to be Damned

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

Those Who Will to be Damned

“Only those who will it themselves, are damned.
God wishes all men to be saved.
It was for this, that He came into the world and shed His Precious Blood.
Moreover, He has given us the means necessary for salvation.
“God our Saviour, wishes all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4).

What can be wanting to us, therefore, in order to obtain salvation?
Divine grace is certainly not lacking, for God gives it to us without reserve.
“I come that they may have life and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10).
Nor are we lacking in strength, for, as St Paul says, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).
We have the Sacraments, good inspirations and the example of the Saints.
All that we can be deficient in, then, is our own goodwill and co-operation with the grace of God.
We must be prepared to play our part in our own salvation.

Our first thought and purpose, therefore, must be our own salvation.
The treasure hidden in a field and the pearl of great price (Cf Mt 13:44-46) are symbols of the Kingdom of God and of everlasting happiness.
We should be prepared to sacrifice everything else, in order to find this treasure an to acquire this pearl!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Part One here:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/27/thought-for-the-day-27-august-those-who-will-to-be-damned/

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on FREEDOM, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on JOY, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 December – The sweetness of the Kingdom of Heaven

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One Minute Reflection – 10 December – Friday of the Second Week of Advent, Readings: Isaiah 48: 17-19; Psalm 1: 1-4,6, Matthew 11:16-19 and the Memorial of Our Lady of Loreto and the Holy House

“We played the flute for you but you did not dance,
we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.” – Matthew 11:17

REFLECTION – “When some children are dancing and others are singing a dirge, their purpose does not agree. Both sides find fault with their friends for not being in harmony with them. So the Jews underwent such an experience when they accepted, neither the gloominess of John the Baptist, nor the freedom of Christ. They did not receive help, one way or another. It was fitting for John, as a lowly servant, to deaden the passions of the body through very hardy training and for Christ, by the power of His Godhead, freely to mortify the sensations of the body and the innate practice of the flesh and to do so, without reliance on strenuous ascetic labours.
Nevertheless, John, “while he was preaching the baptism of repentance,” offered himself as a model for those who were obliged to lament, whereas the Lord, “who was preaching the kingdom of heaven” similarly displayed radiant freedom in Himself.
In this way, Jesus outlined for the faithful, indescribable joy and an untroubled life.
The sweetness of the Kingdom of Heaven is like a flute.
The pain of Gehenna is like a dirge.” – Origen Adamantius (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Exegist, Writer, Apologist, Father (Fragments, 142-143)

PRAYER – Lord, watch over Your people, who come to You in confidence. Strengthen the hearts of those who hope in You. Give courage to those who falter because of their failures. In this holy season of Advent, lead them closer to You in hope, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. May Mary Immaculate, our Mother and Advocate be our eternal succour. Through Christ, our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, EUCHARISTIC, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 16 November – St Gertrude the Great

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Quote/s of the Day – 16 November – The Memorial of St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)

“Bodily and spiritual affliction
are the surest sign
of Divine predilection.”

“Gratitude for suffering
is a precious jewel
for our heavenly crown…
Man should always firmly believe,
that God sends just that trial
which is most beneficial for him.”

“Every time we look
at the Blessed Sacrament,
our place in Heaven
is raised forever.”

“Angels constantly guard
the clients of the Blessed Virgin
from the assaults of Hell.”

St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)

MOR HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2017/11/16/quote-s-of-the-day-16-november-the-memorial-of-st-gertrude-the-great-1256-1302/

Posted in BAPTISM, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on TIME, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 12 November – ‘Life is passing. … ‘

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Quote/s of the Day – 12 November – Readings: Wisdom 13: 1-9; Psalm 19: 2-5; Luke 17: 26-37

“On that day, …
a person in the field,
must not return
to what was left behind.”

Luke 17:31

“The Son of Man will send his angels
and they will gather out of his kingdom,
all causers of sin and all law-breakers
and throw them into the fiery furnace.
In that place, there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous shall shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
He who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:41-43

“Then the righteous shall shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.”

Matthew 13:43

“So from now on, run well (cf. Gal 5:7)
and may the devil not bewitch you (cf. Gal 3:1)
nor hinder you! …
May mercy, peace, charity,
freedom from envy,
from jealousy and ostentation
come upon you, docility, friendly speech,
solidarity, compassion
towards each other, humility.”

St Theodore the Studite (759-826)

“Ah Jesus, Sun of Justice,
make me clothe myself with You,
so that I may be able to live
according to Your will.
Make me, under Your guidance,
preserve my robe of baptismal innocence,
white, holy and spotless
and present it undefiled,
before Your tribunal,
so that I may wear it,
for eternal life.”

St Gertrude the Great of Helfta (1256-1301)

“Let everyone who has
the grace of intelligence,
fear that because of it,
he will be judged more heavily,
if he is negligent.”

St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303 – 1373)

“Life is passing.
The days chase one another; time is flying.
Do not say, therefore, that you will change tomorrow, that tomorrow you will
turn away from the path of sin
and begin to lead a holy life.
For not alone does time pass
but, it often betrays us!
Our Lord tells us that
the judgement will come at a time
when we least expect it.
The time that is gone will never return;
the future is uncertain;
there remains, only the present.
But the present is equally uncertain;
it is something that passes and,
every moment could be the last of our lives.
How many whom we have known,
were taken away suddenly
in the flower of their youth …
Is that not a warning to us?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 7 November – How We Can Help the Faithful Departed

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Thought for the Day – 7 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

How We Can Help the Faithful Departed

“We have a natural obligation to help the faithful departed, for they are our fellow-men.
Are we capable of watching another human being in agony, without feeling pity for him?
If there is some way in which we can help him, moreover, ought we not to do so?
The Holy Souls are in agony, however, they are on fire with the love of God, yet cannot be united to Him.
We have a means of helping them through our prayers and good works.

There is a further obligation on us, arising from our religion.
They have been redeemed, like ourselves, by the Blood of Christ and God has told us that the same degree of mercy, will one day be shown to us, which we have shown to others.
The time will come when we also shall find ourselves in Purgatory and shall be in need of prayer.
If we remember the dead now, they will be in a position, one day, to do the same for us.
Blessed are the merciful, Jesus says, for they will obtain mercy.

When we appear before the judgement seat of God in order to account for the way in which we have spent our lives, He will count as done to Himself, whatever we have done to the poor, hungry and ill-clad.
Only if we have been merciful towards them, will He receive us into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Otherwise, He will send us away, accursed, for all eternity.
Now the Souls in Purgatory are more unfortunate than those who are poor, hungry and homeless in this world.
They hunger for God, they are full of regret for the sins which they have committed and they languish far from the eternal home, to which they belong.

Finally, we have a duty in justice, to help their souls.
Some of them are our parents, brothers, sisters, friends and benefactors.
Perhaps they are suffering now because they loved us too much because they wished to make money for us or because, they were led astray by our bad example!
It is not only charity, therefore but justice, which obliges us to pray for them.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 5 November – The Consolations of the Suffering Souls in Purgatory

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

The Consolations of the
Suffering Souls in Purgatory

“The following is an excerpt from a book by a spiritual writer named, Father Alberione:

“There is suffering in Purgatory and there is suffering in Hell but there are essential difference between one and the other.
Hell is eternal, while Purgatory is temporal.
In Hell, there is no hope of salvation, whereas in Purgatory, there is the certainty of future happiness in Heaven.
Hell is the lasting state of a soul rejected by God, while Purgatory is the temporary state of a soul loved and awaited by God in Heaven.
In Hell, suffering is without hope and altogether unprofitable but in Purgatory, the purpose of suffering, is to become worthy of entering Heaven.
Hell is a place forever cursed by God, whereas Purgatory is a place which He has blessed.
Hell is governed by the stern and exacting justice of God, whereas Purgatory is under the dominion of the divine justice, which seeks to be merciful.
Hell is the abode of the damned.
Purgatory is the abode of the saved and this earth is the abode of those who are still uncertain of salvation.”

The writer goes onto examine the three main reasons why there is joy in Purgatory, even in the midst of the most dreadful torments.
The first reason is that the suffering souls are sure of eternal salvation.
They are confirmed in grace and it is impossible for them to sin any more.
No Saint on earth had this wonderful certitude, which makes the sufferings of Purgatory seem desirable to those confined there.

In the second place, these souls recognise their own imperfection and need of purification, therefore, they are glad to suffer in order to become worthy, at last, of the happiness of God’s company.

The third source of consolation, is their ardent love of God.
Love does not measure or feel sacrifices; it even desires them because it knows that they are a necessary means of achieving an intimate union with the beloved.
It is the greatness of their love for the Supreme Good, which makes it a joy for the suffering souls, to suffer for His sake and for the purpose of being united with Him.

If only we could love God as they love Him, we should avoid and abhor the least imperfection.
We should accept ,with perfect resignation, the sorrows and trials of this life, as a means of making reparation for our sins and, we should pray often for these suffering souls, so that they might at last, fulfil their intense desire to be united with their Infinite Good.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, Gerard MANLEY HOPKINS SJ, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN POETRY, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MODESTY, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, SACRED HEART QUOTES, SAINT of the DAY, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – Jesuits

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – The Memorial of All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds

“Hate what the world seeks
and seek, what it avoids.”

“God’s love calls us to move beyond fear.
We ask God for the courage
to abandon ourselves unreservedly,
so that we might be moulded
by God’s grace,
even as we cannot see
where that path may lead us.”

“Act as if everything depended on you;
trust as if everything depended on God.”

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

I Beg of You, My Lord
By St Peter Faber (1506-1546)

I beg of You, my Lord,
to remove anything which separates
me from You
and You from me.
Remove anything that makes me unworthy
of Your sight,
Your control,
Your reprehension;
of Your speech and conversation,
of Your benevolence and love.
Cast from me every evil
that stands in the way of my seeing You,
hearing, tasting, savouring and touching You,
fearing and being mindful of You,
knowing, trusting, loving and possessing You;
being conscious of Your Presence
and, as far as may be, enjoying You.
This is what I ask for myself
and earnestly desire from You.
Amen

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

St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

“This death … has already levelled
his bow to strike me.
Is it not prudent to prevent its stroke,
by dying now to the world,
that at my death,
I may live to God?”

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)

“We ought to instruct with meekness
those whom heresy has made bitter and suspicious
and has estranged from orthodox Catholics,
… Thus, by whole-hearted charity and goodwill,
we may win them over to us in the Lord.”

St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1397)
Doctor of the Church

“We … are under an obligation
to be the light of the world
by the modesty of our behaviour,
the fervour of our charity,
the innocence of our lives
and the example of our virtues.
Thus shall we be able
to raise the lowered prestige
of the Catholic Church
and, to build up again,
the ruins that others by their vices have caused.
Others, by their wickedness,
have branded the Catholic Faith
with a mark of shame,
we must strive,
with all our strength, to cleanse it
from its ignominy
and to restore it
to its pristine glory!”

The Burning Babe,

As I in hoary winter’s night
stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat
which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view
what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright
did in the air appear;
Who, scorchëd with excessive heat,
such floods of tears did shed
As though His floods should quench His flames
which with His tears were fed.
Alas, quoth He but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts
or feel my fire but I!
My faultless breast the furnace is,
the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire and sighs the smoke,
the ashes shame and scorns;
The fuel justice layeth on
and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought
are men’s defiled souls,
For which, as now on fire I am
to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.
With this He vanished out of sight
and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I called unto mind
that it was Christmas day.

St Robert Southwell SJ (1561-1595)
Priest and Martyr

“When He takes away
what He once lent us,
His purpose is to
store our treasure elsewhere,
more safely and bestow on us,
those very blessings,
that we ourselves
would most choose to have.”
(From A Letter to His Mother)

St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591)

“The Catholic religion was the religion of your forefathers
and the only one Jesus Christ founded; –
the one which He promised would endure
till the end of time.
It is in the Catholic religion alone
that you can save your soul.”

“How long are you going to be deaf to His call?
Or are you going to lose your soul,
which Jesus Christ bought at the price
of His Precious Blood?”

St John Francis Régis SJ (1597-1640)

“… Make use of Our Lord
as an armour which covers [us] all about,
by means of which [we] shall resist
every device of [our] enemies.
You shall then be my Strength, O my God!
You shall be my Guide,
my Director,
my Counsellor,
my Patience,
my Knowledge,
my Peace,
my Justice
and my Prudence.”

“He promises to be [our] strength,
in proportion to the trust
which [we] place in Him.”

St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682)
“Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

The May Magnificat
By Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (1844-1889)

May is Mary’s month and I
Muse at that and wonder why:
Her feasts follow reason,
Dated due to season-

Candlemas, Lady Day:
But the Lady Month, May,
Why fasten that upon her,
With a feasting in her honour?
Ask of her, the mighty Mother:
Her reply puts this other
Question: What is Spring?
Growth in everything-
All things rising, all things sizing
Mary sees, sympathising
With that world of good,
Nature’s motherhood.

Well but there was more than this:
Spring’s universal bliss
Much, had much to say
To offering Mary May.

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, The HEART, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 29 September – The Death of the Sinner

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Thought for the Day – 29 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Death of the Sinner

“The Sinner must also die.
For him death is really terrible.
Imagine him lying on his deathbed, instinctively aware, that his life is over.
The past will rise up to reproach him, a past full of sin and of ingratitude towards his Creator and Redeemer.
The plans which he has centred around profit, ambition and honour, will have vanished like smoke.
His friends, will have either deserted him, or will be at hand, to utter useless words, which will have no power to comfort him.
Now he must stand alone, alone before God!

What will happen, at that moment?
Perhaps, despair will overcome his soul, as it overcame the soul of Judas?
Perhaps, the innumerable graces which he has despised, will tip the balance of Divine Justice towards the abyss of damnation?
Or, will a final ray of mercy pierce his tired mind, burning with remorse, so that, with it’s last throb, his poor heart will torn towards God and implore His pardon?
Who can say?
It is certain, however, that of the two thieves dying beside the Cross of our Redeemer, only one heard Him say:
“This day, you will be with me in Paradise!”
The other, remained obdurate in his sin.
It is the height of stupidity, to wait to be converted, at the hour of death!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Thought for the Day – 13 September – Sin

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Thought for the Day – 13 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Sin

In that we prefer our own wayward whims to the law of God, sin is an abuse of liberty.
It is a revolt against right reason, the dictates of which, we refuse to obey.
It is an offence against our Creator and Redeemer, whose commandments we despise and whose redeeming grace, we reject by our actions.
It is moreover, an act of supreme folly, for it extinguishes, not only the supernatural splendour of grace but, also, the natural light of reason.
Through sin, man is brutalised and experiences in himself, as his first punishment, the confusion of his whole being.

In practice, the sinner denies God, Who has created and redeemed him.
He upsets the natural order of things and is violently separated from the source of all truth, beauty and goodness.   As a result, he experiences, in himself, the hell which he has constructed with his own hands – a hell of emptiness, disgust and remorse.
Unless the helping hand of God reaches out to rescue him from the abyss, all this is simply a bitter foretaste of eternal despair.
God, as St Augustine has written, has ordained from all eternity, that every dissolute soul will be it’s own punishment.
For the sinner, hell begins on this earth!   There can be no peace for the wicked.

When we realise, the gravity, stupidity and dire consequences of sin, it seems impossible, that a rational being, enlightened and enriched by divine grace, should continue to sin.
Nevertheless, sad experience teaches us that the lives of individuals, families and human society in general, are often distorted by this evil, which is the root of all other evils.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The HOLY NAME of MARY

Quote/s of the Day – 5 September – St Lawrence Justinian

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 September – The Memorial of St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1455) Bishop

“There is no prayer or good work
so great, so pleasing to God,
so useful to us,
as the Holy Mass.”

“The name of Mary
is a tower of strength,
which saves sinners from punishment
and defends the just
from the assaults of hell.”

“By the practice of prayer
we can construct an impregnable citadel,
in which we shall be securely protected
against all the snares of the enemy.”

St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1455)

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SANCTITY

Thought for the Day – 3 September – The Sacrifices of Life

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Thought for the Day – 3 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Sacrifices of Life

“People make many sacrifices for the sake of the present life, to maintain health, to carve out a career, or to obtain money, success and honours.
If you are a student, what pains you take to get a degree so that you may establish yourself in society.
If you are a labourer, look at the efforts you must make to obtain the necessities of life.
If you are a business executive, how you are prepared to strive and strain, in order to do better than your colleagues and gain promotion!

If you become ill, you spare neither expense, nor effort, in order to regain your health.
You are even prepared to undergo a surgical operation if that is necessary to save your life.

But how many sacrifices do we make in order to do good or to become holy?
We know that the present life is short and is only the forerunner of the true life, which is eternal.
We should be able then, to appreciate the profundity of this question of Jesus Christ: “What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world but suffer the loss of his own soul?” (Mt 16:26).

We are not forbidden to pay attention to worldly affairs.
Very often it is our duty to do so.
But our first concern must always be to save our souls and those of our neighbours because, it was for this, that God created us.
With this aim in mind, we should be prepared, not only to make greater sacrifices than we make for the sake of our material welfare but, we should be prepared to die, rather than offend God and, expose ourselves to the danger of eternal damnation.

Let us reflect.
What sacrifices have we made so far for our own sanctification and for the sanctification of others?
What sacrifices do we propose to make in the near future?
We must be prepared to take up our cross voluntarily and generously, at least when we realise, that it is necessary or profitable for our salvation and sanctification.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PURGATORY, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 31 July – Little Things

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Thought for the Day – 31 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Little Things

“Just as there are ordinary acts of virtue, so there are very ordinary sins.
But it would be rash to regard acts of deception, vanity and impatience, as insignificant.
Every deliberate sin is an offence against God our highest good and our Redeemer.

How can God be indifferent to these ungrateful violations of His law?
After all, even as He has assured us, that a cup of cold water given in His Name to a thirsty man, will have its reward (Cf Mt 10:42), so He has assured us, that not even the slightest trace of sin can enter into eternal glory!
We shall not be condemned to Hell for venial sins alone but, we shall suffer a decline in grace and shall be obliged to expiate our sins, either in this life, or in Purgatory.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/14/thought-for-the-day-14-august-little-things/

Posted in BAPTISM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HOLY SATURDAY, HOLY WEEK, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on WATCHING, The LAST THINGS, The RESURRECTION, The SECOND COMING

Quote/s of the Day – 27 July – Last things

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Quote/s of the Day – 27 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 33: 7-11; 34: 5b-9, 28; Psalms 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13; Matthew 13: 36-43

“The Son of Man will send his angels
and they will gather out of his kingdom,
all causers of sin and all law-breakers
and throw them into the fiery furnace.
In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous shall shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
He who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:41-43

“You do not know
when your last day may come.
You are an ingrate!
Why not use the day, today,
that God has given you
to repent?”

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

“Ah Jesus, Sun of Justice,
make me clothe myself with You,
so that I may be able to live
according to Your will.
Make me, under Your guidance,
preserve my robe of baptismal innocence,
white, holy and spotless
and present it undefiled,
before Your tribunal,
so that I may wear it,
for eternal life.”

St Gertrude the Great of Helfta (1256-1301)

“This then is to watch –
to be detached from what is present
and to live in what is unseen,
to live in the thought of Christ
as He came once and as He will come again,
to desire His second coming,
from our affectionate
and grateful remembrance,
of His first. ”

Sabbatum Sanctum

I look at You, my Lord Jesus
and think of Your most holy Body
and I keep it before me,
as a pledge of my own resurrection.
Though I die, as die I certainly shall,
nevertheless, I shall not forever die,
for I shall rise again.
O You, who are the Truth,
I know and believe with my whole heart,
that this very flesh of mine will rise again.
I know, base and odious as it is at present,
that it will one day, if I be worthy,
be raised incorruptible
and altogether beautiful and glorious.
This I know,
this by Your grace,
I will ever keep before me.
Amen

St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 27 July – ‘ … So from now on, run well …’

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One Minute Reflection – 27 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 33: 7-11; 34: 5b-9, 28; Psalms 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13; Matthew 13: 36-43

“Then the righteous shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” – Matthew 13:43

REFLECTION – “In your imagination see our Lord Jesus Christ seated on a throne of glory; beside Him stand the seraphim, cherubim and each angelic order, serving Him with fear and trembling. Then those who will have finished the combat, without allowing themselves to be drawn by any worldly pleasures or seduced by the attractions of this vain world, will hear the blessed voice of the Master. “Then, he says, “the righteous will shine like the sun” (Mt 13:43) when they have come from east and west, north and south to take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (cf. Mt 8:11) in an indescribable joy (cf. 1 Pt 1:8), when our King and Lord, will distribute gifts according to their merits. Ah! my brothers and children. ah! how great and beautiful is the glory which the thrice blessed will enjoy and the saints who practised asceticism! Yes, most certainly, each will receive the blessings promised, according to the degree to which they have pleased God. …
So from now on, run well (cf. Gal 5:7) and may the devil not bewitch you (cf. Gal 3:1) nor hinder you! … May mercy, peace, charity, freedom from envy, from jealousy and ostentation come upon you, docility, friendly speech, solidarity, compassion towards each other, humility. Live like this, act like this, praying, too, with all your heart for my humble self that I may not be thrown into the eternal fire. May we all escape it, having been judged worthy of the kingdom of heaven, in Christ Himself, our God, to whom belongs all glory, honour, adoration, magnificence, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, world without end. Amen.” … St Theodore the Studite (759-826) Monk and Theologian – Catechesis 42

PRAYER – All-powerful and ever-living God, splendour of true light and never-ending day, chase away the night of sin and fill our minds with the glory of Your coming. Take away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh, help us in our battle with sin and the devil. By our prayers, Your holy Sacraments and the strength of the Holy Spirit, may we be ever vigilant of the evil one. By our Baptism in Your Son, we are Your children, grant us Your protection. Kindly listen to the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints and Angels, whose prayers we beg, through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, The FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES: JUSTICE, PRUDENCE, TEMPERANCE, FORTITUDE

Thought for the Day – 24 July – The Particular and General Judgements

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

The Particular and General Judgements

“It is appointed unto men to die once and after this comes the judgement” (Heb 9:27).

To have to appear before the Face of the Living God is terrifying for everybody.
How much more terrifying will it be for the sinner?
Weighed down by numberless sins, he will stand before the scrutinising gaze of God.
He will be able to hide nothing.
Everything will be evident and clear.
The Countenance of our Divine Redeemer, which was mild and merciful during life, will at that moment be that of a severe and just Judge.
After having scorned so many graces, after having spurned so many calls to conversion and so many secret inspirations to change his life, after dying unrepentant …behold the sinner in the presence of his Eternal Judge.
At that moment, he will hear the irrevocable sentence resounding in his ears “Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire chich was prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mt 25:41).
This terrible condemnation will be publicly repeated, moreover, at the general judgement.
Memento mori!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MERCY, The BEATITUDES, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 12 July – Blessed are the Merciful

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Thought for the Day – 12 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Blessed are the Merciful

“Some day each of us will have to stand before the judgement seat of God and will have to render an account of all his actions.
Are we anxious that God will be merciful to us at that crucial moment?
Let us be forgiving and charitable towards others now!
It is clear from the words of the Gospel, that we shall be pardoned or condemned, largely in accordance with the measure of our mercifulness and charity.
God will show mercy towards us as we show mercy towards others.
In fact, the Eternal Judge will say to the good: “Come, blessed of my Father, take possession of the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the word: for I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you covered me; sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me.”
Then He will turn to the wicked and deliver this terrible sentence: “Depart from me accursed ones, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take me in; naked and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison and you did not visit me … Amen, I say to you, as long as you did not do it for one of these least ones, you did not do it for me.” (Mt 25:34-46).

These are terrifying words.
They should persuade us to exercise charity towards all who are suffering in any way at all!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – “… You are to be radiant lights …“

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 41: 55-57; 42: 5-7a, 17-24a, Psalms 33: 2-3, 10-11, 18-19, Matthew 10: 1-7

“Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority … “

Matthew 10:1

“Speak Lord for your servant hears.”

1 Samuel 3:10

“A person who wishes
to become the Lord’s disciple
must repudiate a human obligation,
however honourable it may appear,
if it slows us, ever so slightly,
in giving the wholehearted obedience
we owe to God.”

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

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

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

“Pray as though everything depended on God.
Work as though everything depended on you.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father & Doctor of the Church

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

St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 2 June – ‘He vanquished death …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 June – “Month of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Readings: First: Tobit 3: 1-11a, 16-17a, Psalm: Psalms 25: 2-3, 4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9, Gospel: Mark 12: 18-27

“He is not God of the dead but of the living. ”

Mark 12:27

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

John 12:26

“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hell, where is your victory?
Christ is risen and you are overthrown.
Christ is risen and the demons are fallen.
Christ is risen and the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen and life reigns.
Christ is risen and not one dead remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead,
is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages.”

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

“He died, but He vanquished death.
In Himself, He put an end to what we feared;
He took it upon Himself and He vanquished it,
as a mighty hunter,
He captured and slew the lion.”

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

“How precious the gift of the Cross,
how splendid to contemplate!
In the Cross there is no mingling of good and evil,
as in the tree of paradise;
it is wholly beautiful to behold
and good to taste.
The fruit of this tree is not death but life,
not darkness but light.
This tree does not cast us out of paradise
but opens the way for our return.”

St Theodore the Studite (750–826)
Father, Abbot, Theologian, Writer

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Thought for the Day – 26 April – My Life is Christ

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

My Life is Christ

“Am I determined to live the Life of Christ, by striving to be indissolubly united with Him, through divine grace?
Am I prepared to say, with St Paul “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? For I am sure, that neither death, or life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, or any other creature, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord” (Rom 8:35-39).

But, in order to bring this about, it is necessary for me to fly from every sin and to look for God in all things and in all actions.
I must love God with my whole heart and nurture the divine life within me, by prayer, recollection and frequent Communion.
If I fail to put these resolutions into practice, I shall become a barren branch, fit only for eternal fire!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PARTS ONE AND TWO HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/14/thought-for-the-day-14-september-my-life-is-christ/
https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/07/thought-for-the-day-14-september-my-life-is-christ-2/

Posted in "Follow Me", DOGMA, EASTER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on The SOUL, QUOTES on TRUTH, The RESURRECTION

Thought for the Day – 5 April – The Resurrection

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

The Resurrection

“Even as Jesus rose from the dead, so we shall rise again.
This is a Dogma of ou faith.
“I believe … in the resurrection of the body.”
When Job was seated on his dunghill, his body rotting with leprosy, deserted by everybody, scorned by his wife and reproved by his friends, he found comfort in this great truth.
“I know that my Vindicator lives and that he will at last, stand forth on the dust where I myself shall see and, not another – and from my flesh, I shall see God – my inmost being is consumed with longing” (Job 19:25-27).
St Paul describes this resurrection.
In the twinkling of an eye, he says, at the sound of the trumpet of the Eternal Judge, our bodies will reformed and will have life again.
We shall all rise but not all in the same manner.
The body, which was the companion of the soul during our mortal life, will once again be its companion and share with it, either the eternal glory of Heaven, or the everlasting pains of Hell (Cf 1 Cor 15).
We shall live forever like Jesus.
“I believe in life everlasting,” in everlasting happiness, in Heaven or in eternal damnation in Hell.
This great truth is a warning to us.
If we remember it all our lives, we shall not steer our course towards evil and towards Hell but, towards goodness and towards Heaven, where one day, we shall come to rest in a land of lasting happiness.

Our life should be a continual resurrection, a continual ascent towards perfection, which will raise us from sin, to the state of grace, from the state of grace, to fervour and from fervour to sanctity.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/15/thought-for-the-day-15-april-the-resurrection/

Posted in CONFESSION, CONFESSION/PENANCE, LENT 2021, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, St PETER!, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Lenten Journey Day Forty – 30 March – I confess that I am deserving of all scorn and contempt.

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Lenten Journey Day Forty – 30 March – Tuesday of Holy Week, Readings: First: Isaiah 49: 1-6, Psalm: Psalms 71: 1-2, 3-4a, 5ab-6ab, 15 and 17, Gospel: John 13: 21-33, 36-38

Imitating Christ with Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

In You is the source of life
and in Your Light Lord, we see light
Psalm 35(36)

“The cock will not crow before you deny me three times.” – John 13:38

Truly, my sins have deserved nothing but hell and everlasting damnation.
I confess that I am deserving of all scorn and contempt.
Neither is it fitting that I should be remembered among Your devoted servants. And although it is hard for me to hear this, yet for truth’s sake I will accuse my sins against myself, so that I may more easily deserve to beg Your mercy.
What shall I say, guilty as I am and full of all confusion?
My tongue can say nothing but this alone: “I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned; have mercy on me and pardon me. Suffer me a little that I may pour out my grief, before I go to that dark land that is covered with the shadow of death.” (Job 10:20-21)

What do you especially demand of a guilty and wretched sinner, except that he be contrite and humble himself for his sins?
In true sorrow and humility of heart, hope of forgiveness is born, the troubled conscience is reconciled, grace is found, man is preserved from the wrath to come and God and the penitent meet with a holy kiss.

To You, O Lord, humble sorrow for sins is an acceptable sacrifice, a sacrifice far sweeter than the perfume of incense. This is also the pleasing ointment which You would have poured upon Your sacred feet, for a contrite and humble heart You will not spurn (Ps 51:19). There is the place of refuge from the wrath of the enemy, there, watever has been defiled, is washed away.
(Book 3 Ch 52:2b-4)