Category: QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Posted in GOD ALONE!, In the PRESENCE of GOD, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on NATURE - GOD'S CREATION, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 8 May – Mary, a Light in the Darkness

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Mary, a Light in the Darkness

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

Unfortunately, instead of climbing this mystical ladder which leads us to God, we often descend it.
We forget God and become excessively enmeshed in worldly affairs.
Sometimes matters may be even worse, not only do we forget God through our love of creatures but, we use them, to offend Him.
God has given us eyes to admire His Works and, as a result, to lead us to praise, thank and love Him.

Instead, we often use this wonderful gift in order to commit sin.
He has given us the gift of speech, the gift of hearing and other senses.
But how do we employ them?
The tongue is a marvellous invention but, as St James writes, “if anyone does not offend in the word, he is a perfect man, able also to lead round by the bridle, the whole body … With it we bless God the Father and, with it, we curse men, who have been made after the likeness of God.   Out of the same mouth, proceed blessing and cursing.   These things, my brethren ought not to be so” (Js 3:2-10).
What can be said of vision and of speech can be said of all the senses and faculties of body and soul.
They are all God’s gifts and should, therefore, be used as means of bringing ourselves closer to Him.

If creatures lead us away from God and cause us to forget Him, or if, worse still, they cause us to offend Him, then we are spiritually blind and far more unfortunate than those who have lost their natural vision.

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 2 May – Concerning Thanksgiving

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 2 May – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

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

LVII: … Concerning Thanksgiving

“Since all the good we have, or all the good we do, is of God and from God, we are bound, in justice, to render Him thanks for every good action done, or every victory won in the battle against self.
And, what is more, we are obliged to render thanksgiving for all blessings, general or particular, which we have received from His bounteous Hand.

To do this in a becoming manner, let us consider the end because of which, He has heaped upon us the abundance of His blessings; for from such considerations, we come to learn how God would be thanked.
And, as His principal design, in all His beneficence, is primarily His own honour and the dedication of souls to His Divine service, let everyone reflect within his hearts:
“What power, wisdom and goodness has God displayed in bestowing
this Grace and blessing upon me!”

Then considering the incapacity of finite man, to merit unaided, an Infinite favour – or even man’s utter ingratitude which makes him unworthy of such a blessing – we should say, in deep humility:
“Is it possible, O Lord that Thou shouldst love sinful man, the most abject of creatures?
How boundless is a love which grants a multitude of blessings, to him, who deserves it so little!?
May Thy Holy Name be blessed now and forever!”

And finally, as such a multitude of blessings requires no more acknowledgment from man, than that he love his gracious Benefactor, let him thank and love God from the bottom of his heart, resolving to obey completely, the dictates of God’s Holy Will.

The concluding step consists in the entire offering of self to God, as
suggested in the following chapter.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOCTRINE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SPIRITUAL WORKS of MERCY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 2 May – St Athanasius

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 2 May – The Feast of St Athanasius (297-373) Confessor, Father & Doctor of the Church

“The likeness of Wisdom has been stamped
upon creatures, in order that the world
may recognise the Word, Who was its Maker
and, through the Word, come to know the Father. ”

“If we follow Christ closely we shall be allowed,
even on this earth,
to stand, as it were,
on the threshold of the heavenly Jerusalem
and enjoy the contemplation,
of that everlasting Feast,
like the blessed Apostles,
who, in following the Saviour as their leader,
showed and still show,
the way to obtain the same gift from God.
They said – See, we have left all things and followed Thee.
We too follow the Lord
and we keep His Feast
by deeds rather than by words.”

“You will not see anyone,
who is really striving
after his advancement,
who is not given to spiritual reading.
And as to him who neglects it,
the fact will soon be observed
by his progress.”

“Similarly, anyone who wishes
to understand the minds
of the sacred writers
must first cleanse his own life
and approach the Saints,
by imitating their deeds.”

“Let us remember the poor
and not forget kindness to strangers;
above all, let us love God
with all our soul
and might
and strength
and our neighbour
as ourselves.”

St Athanasius (297-373)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CATECHESIS, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, St Francis de Sales, St PAUL!, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 1 May – “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” – John 14:6

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 1 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” –The Feast of St James the Lesser and St Philip Apostles – Wisdom 5:1-5 – John 14:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

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

John 14:6

“Be imitators of God, as very dear children
and walk in love, as Christ also Loved us
and delivered Himself up for us …”

St Paul … Ephesians 5:1-2

“… There is one Road
and one only,
well secured against all possibility
of going astray
and, this Road is provided
by One, Who is Himself
both God and Man.
As God, He is the Goal,
as Man, He is the Way.”

“But the wise took oil
in their vessels”

Matthew 25:4

“The wise ones’ lamps were burning,
from the oil inside them,
from the assurance of their consciences,
from their inner boast,
from their deepest charity.”

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

“Father, forgive them.”
With this prayer, He wanted to make us understand
the Love He bore us, undiminished
by any suffering and to teach us how
our heart should be toward our neighbour.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, INGRATITUDE, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, Quote on SELF-ABANDONMENT, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SELF-DISTRUST, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 29 April – The Role of the Eucharist in Increasing Our Love of God (Part Three)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 29 April – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

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

LV: … The Role of the Eucharist in
Increasing Our Love of God (Part Three)

“When the time itself draws near, we must consider, attentively, Who it is we are about to receive – for our Guest is to be the Son of the living God, the august Majesty before Whom the heavens and the powers of Heaven tremble in awesome fear!

Our Guest is to be the Saint of Saints, Mirror without blemish, Purity
itself, before Whom all is unclean in comparison.
This is Divinity become Man – One looked upon as the very outcast of men, Who was pleased to be spat upon, struck, reviled and Crucified out of love for us.

You are indeed about to receive God Himself, in Whose Hand is the destiny of the universe.
On the other hand, think of your own utter insignificance and your vile sinfulness which has reduced you below the level of the brute and made you worthy of being the sport and slave of devils!
Consider your acknowledgment of the Infinite favours you have received from your Saviour – you have insulted the Redeemer and trampled upon His Precious Blood, displaying a most absolute ingratitude.

But even human ingratitude cannot overcome Divine charity – capricious fickleness is no match for unchanging Love.
Still the gracious Lord summons you to the Divine banquet and rather
than rebuffing you for your obvious inadequacies, bids you come
under pain of death.
The arms of the merciful Father are always open to receive you, be you leprous, lame, blind, squandering, or possessed by devils.

He demands of you these few requisites alone:

To be sincerely sorry for having so grievously offended Him.
To hate sin of all kinds with an unquenchable vigour.
To consecrate yourself to cheerful acceptance of His Divine
Will, whatever it may be.
To have a firm confidence that He will forgive your sins, cleanse your soul of all taint and defend you against all your enemies.

Encouraged by this ineffable Love of the Lord for you and all penitent sinners, approach the Holy Table with a prudent fear, tempered by hope and love, saying:

“After so many grievous offences, I am not worthy to receive
Thee, not having fully satisfied Thy Justice.
No, my God, I am unworthy of Thee, sullied as I am by an inordinate attachment to creatures and a reluctance to serve Thee completely, with my whole heart and my whole strength.
O my omnipotent Lord, be mindful of Thy goodness and Thy promise; through the Divine alchemy of Love and Faith, make my heart a worthy dwellingplace for Thy Divine Son.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2026/04/27/thought-for-the-day-27-april-the-role-of-the-eucharist-in-increasing-our-love-of-god/

PART TWO:

Posted in "Follow Me", ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, HOLY COMMUNION, In the PRESENCE of GOD, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The HEART, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 28 April – The Role of the Eucharist in Increasing Our Love of God (Part Two)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 28 April – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

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

LV: … The Role of the Eucharist in
Increasing Our Love of God (Part Two)

“Meditating on this truth, let each man say within himself:

“Who could have imagined, O Lord, that a God of such Infinite greatness would bestow His affections on such an abject and insignificant creature as myself!
What could be Thy design, O King of glory?
What canst Thou expect of me who am but dust?
I see clearly, O my God, by the Light of Thy burning charity which enlightens me with knowledge and enkindles me with love that Thy design, was one divorced from all self-interest.
For Thy wish in so graciously bestowing this Sacrament, is to transform me into Thee that I may live in Thee and Thou in me.
Such an intimate union will ultimately remake my heart, fashioning from a vessel of earth, a delicate instrument attuned to things Divine!”

Then, full of joy and wonder at the indications of Divine Love given us by Christ and aware that His only purpose is the transformation of our hearts from things of earth, to things of Heaven, let us offer a sacrifice, and consecrate the will, the memory and understanding, to the sole task of pleasing Him in the gracious acceptance of His Holy Will.

After this, recognising our incapacity to dispose ourselves properly, unaided by His Grace for proper reception of the Eucharist, let us strive earnestly to obtain that Grace by ejaculations such as the following:

“O heavenly food, when shall I be united to Thee, to be consumed joyfully in the fire of Divine Love?
O Divine charity, when shall I live in Thee, by Thee and for Thee alone?
O heavenly manna, Sovereign good, joy of my heart, when shall I, loathing all other food, seek Thee alone?
O life of eternal joy, when shall I dwell in Thee alone?
O my Loving And almighty Lord, free my heart from the tyranny of its passions and vicious attachments; adorn it with Thy heavenly virtues and with gentle compulsion, force it to rejoice in loving and pleasing Thee.
Then O Lord, will I open my heart and bid Thee enter; then shalt Thou come, my only Treasure, to transform my heart by Thy Divine Presence.”

Such are the tender and affectionate sentiments which we should form on the evening before and, on the morning of, reception of Holy Communion.”

PART ONE
https://anastpaul.com/2026/04/26/thought-for-the-day-26-april-the-manner-in-which-we-ought-to-receive-the-blessed-sacrament/

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

Posted in GOD ALONE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, Quote on SELF-ABANDONMENT, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRIFICE

Our Morning Offering – 28 April – Oh Jesus, My Love By St Paul of the Cross

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 28 April – The Memorial of St Paul of the Cross (1604-1775) Confessor, Priest, Founder

Oh Jesus, My Love
By St Paul of the Cross (1604-1775)

Oh Jesus, my Love,
may my heart be consumed
in loving Thee.
Make me humble and holy,
giving me childlike simplicity,
transform me into Thy holy Love.
O Jesus, Life of my life,
Joy of my soul,
God of my heart,
accept my heart as an altar,
on which I will sacrifice to Thee,
the gold of ardent charity,
the incense of continual,
humble and fervent prayer
and the myrrh
of constant sacrifices!
Amen

Posted in EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, HOLY COMMUNION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The REDEMPTION, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 27 April – The Role of the Eucharist in Increasing Our Love of God

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 27 April – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

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

LV: … The Role of the Eucharist in
Increasing Our Love of God (Part One)

“If our motive in receiving Holy Communion be a desire of increasing our love of God, we should recall the Love which God has for us.
The preparation consists in an attentive contemplation of this Sovereign Lord of boundless Power and Majesty, Who, not satisfied with creating us to His Image and Likeness, nor with the immolation of His only Son on our behalf, left this Son to us in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, to be our food and support in all our necessities.
Consider well the greatness and uniqueness of this Love in the following manner:

  1. In its duration we find that God’s Love for us is eternal and unceasing; for, as He is eternal in His Divinity, so is He eternal in His Love.
    Before time was, God determined to give His Son to mankind in this marvellous manner.
    Let these words, then, echo joyfully within your heart: “In the abyss of eternity, my littleness was so loved by the most high God that He thought of me and with Love ineffable, wished to give me His Son to be my food and my nourishment!”
  2. Our strongest passions for earthly things recognise certain limits which they cannot exceed but, the Love of God for us, is limitless.
    The advent of His Son, equal to Himself in Majesty and Perfection, was a testimony to that boundless Love.
    Thus is the Gift equal to the Love and the Love to the Gift and both are Infinite, beyond the borders of human understanding.
  3. In Loving us God was not constrained by any power or necessity but heaped innumerable benefits upon us out of the magnitude of Divine Love.
  4. Neither have human merit or previous good works, rendered us worthy of this remarkable Gift.
    If God has loved to excess or given of Himself unstintingly, it is rather to be attributed to the immensity of Divine charity.
  5. God’s Love for us is untainted by the blemish of the self-interest present in human affections.
    For what is the totality of human greatness to Him, the Source of all happiness and glory?
    How could we possibly add glory to Glory itself?
    The advantages, then, are all on the side of man.    ”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, BAPTISM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, Quotes on SALVATION, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 25 April – “Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”- St Mark Evangelist

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 25 April – St Mark Evangelist

“For the Son of Man came not to be served
but to serve and to give His Life
as a ransom for many …”

Mark 10:45

“Go into the whole world
and preach the Gospel
to every creature.”
Mark 16:15

“You have heard what the Lord said
to His disciples after the Resurrection.
He sent them out to preach the Gospel
and they did so.
Listen: “Through all the earth their voice resounds
and to the ends of the world, their message” (Ps 18[19],5).
Step by step, the Gospel has reached even to us
and the ends of the earth.
In a few words the Lord, addressing Himself
to His disciples, set out what we are to do
and what we have to hope for.
Just as you have heard, He said:
“Whoever believes and is Baptised will be saved.”
He asks for our faith and offers us salvation.
What He offers us, is so precious
that what He asks of us, is as nothing.”

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

“At that time, the Lord appointed
seventy-two others
and sent them forth …”
Luke 10:1

“By saying that He is sending them
as the Father has sent Him, therefore,
He summarised, in a few words,
the character of the Apostles’ mission.
In this way, they would know that they were bound
to call sinners to repentance,
to heal the sick, whether of body or soul
and in all their dealings as stewards,
not by any means to follow their own will
but the will of Him Who sent them and,
finally, to save the world,
insofar as it received the teachings of the Lord.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (380-444)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Love is the most necessary of all virtues.
Love in the person who preaches the Word of God
is like fire in a musket.
If a person were to throw a bullet with his hands,
he would hardly make a dent in anything
but, if the person takes the same bullet
and ignites some gunpowder behind it, it can kill.
It is much the same with the Word of God.
If it is spoken by someone who is filled
with the fire of charity-
the fire of love of God and neighbor-
it will work wonders!”

St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

“It is above all, the Gospel
which supports me during my prayer.
There, I find all which
my poor little soul needs.
There, I always discover new lights,
hidden and mysterious meaning.
… Just when I need it, I discover lights
which I had not seen before.”)

St Thérèse of the Child Jesus
and the Holy Face (1873 – 1897)

Posted in "Follow Me", 7 GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST: Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence, Strength, Knowledge, Piety, Fear, CATHOLIC Quotes, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), QUOTES on WISDOM, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 April – I Am the Vine, you the branches …

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 24 April – Day 3 Within the Octave of the Patronage of St Joseph – St Fidelis of Sigmaringen OFM Cap (1577-1622) Martyr – Wisdom 5:1-5 – John 15:1-7 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“I Am the Vine, you the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, the same bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

REFLECTION – “The Lord calls Himself the Vine and those united to Him, branches, in order to teach us how much we shall benefit from our union with Him and, how important it is for us, to remain in His Love. By receiving the Holy Spirit, Who is the bond of union between us and Christ our Saviour, those who are joined to Him, as branches are to a vine, share in His own nature.

On the part of those who come to the Vine, their union with Him depends upon a deliberate act of the will, on his part, the union is effected by grace. Because we had goodwill, we made the act of faith which brought us to Christ and received from Him, the dignity of adoptive sonship which made us His own kinsmen, according to the words of Saint Paul: He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

The Prophet Isaiah calls Christ the Foundation because it is upon Him that we, as living and spiritual stones, are built into a holy priesthood to be a dwelling place for God in the Spirit. Upon no other Foundation than Christ can this temple be built. Here Christ is teaching the same Truth, by calling Himself the Vine, since the Vine is the parent of its branches and provides their nourishment.

From Christ and in Christ, we have been reborn through the Spirit, in order to bear the fruit of life; not the fruit of our old, sinful life but, the fruit of a new life, founded upon our faith in Him and our love for Him. Like branches growing from a vine, we now draw our life from Christ and we cling to His holy commandment, in order to preserve this life. Eager to safeguard the blessing of our noble birth, we are careful not to grieve the Holy Ghost Who dwells in us and Who makes us aware of God’s Presence in us.

Let the wisdom of John teach us how we live in Christ and Christ lives in us: The proof that we are living in Him and He is living in us, is that He has given us a share in His Spirit. Just as the trunk of the vine gives its own natural properties to each of its branches, so, by bestowing on them the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, the Only-begotten Son of the Father, gives Christians a certain kinship with Himself and with God the Father because they have been united to Him by faith and determination to do His Will in all things. He helps them to grow in love and reverence for God and teaches them, to discern right from wrong and to act with integrity.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Known as “The Pillar of Faith” Archbishop of Alexandria, Father & Doctor of the Church, Doctor Incarnationis (Doctor of the Incarnation) [Commentary on the Gospel of John].

PRAYER – God, Who didst vouchsafe to enkindle in blessed Fidelis, the fire of Thy Seraphim and to glorify his toil, to give men a true knowledge of Thee, didst by the Palm-branch of Martyrdom and by great signs and wonders, be entreated, we beseech Thee, for his sake and by his prayers and so, establish us in the knowledge and love of thee, that we also, like him, may be found faithful even unto death, in serving of Thee.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY

Quote/s of the Day – 23 April – The Wisdom of Blessed Giles of Assisi

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 23 April – On the Feast Day of Blessed Giles of Assisi OFM (c1190-1262) Friar and Missionary of the Order of Friars Minor, Friend and the 3rd follower of St Francis.

A Brother said to Brother Giles:
“ Father, I have seen other men who received from God
the grace of devotion and of tears in their prayers
and I cannot feel in myself any such grace,
when I go to worship God.”
To whom Brother Giles answered:
“My Brother, I counsel thee to persevere humbly
and faithfully in thy prayers;
for the fruits of the earth cannot be had without toil
and labour applied beforehand
and even after we have laboured,
the desired fruit does not follow immediately
but only in its season, when the fullness of time has come.”

“Happiness is to do bodily labour
for the love of the Most High
and not to take any lesser wages than Paradise,
for the good work one does.”

“If thou wouldst see well, pluck out thine eyes and be blind;
if thou wouldst hear well, be deaf
and if thou wouldst speak well, become dumb;
if thou wouldst advance, stand still
and advance with thy mind;
if thou wouldst work well, cut off thy hands
and work with thy heart;
if thou wouldst love much, hate thyself;
if thou wouldst live well, mortify thyself;
if thou wouldst gain much and be rich,
first lose all and become poor
and if thou wouldst enjoy peace, afflict thyself
and be ever in fear and suspect thine own self;
if thou wouldst be exalted and have great honour,
humble and abase thyself;
if thou wouldst be held in great reverence, despise thyself
and do reverence to him who reviles thee;
if thou wouldst that it should be well with thee,
suffer all evil things and if thou wouldst be blessed,
desire that all should speak ill of thee
and if thou wouldst have true and eternal rest,
then toil and suffer and desire to have every temporal affliction.
O what great wisdom it is to know how to do
and to work out these things.”

Blessed Giles of Assisi (c1190-1262)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, MARIAN PRAYERS, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FREEDOM, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REASON/INTELLECT, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 21 April – St Anselm

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 21 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – St Anselm (of Canterbury) OSB (1033-1109) Bishop, Confessor, Magnificent and Marian Doctor of the Church

“For I do not seek to understand
in order to believe
but I believe in order to understand.
For I believe this – unless I believe,
I will not understand.”

“Remove Grace and you have nothing
whereby to be saved.
Remove free will and you have nothing
which could be saved.”

“God does not delay to hear our prayers
because He has no mind to give
but that, by enlarging our desires,
He may give us the more abundantly!”

The Joy of My Lord
By St Anselm ‬(1033-1109)
Doctor of the Church

I beseech Thee, O my God,
that I may know Thee, love Thee,
and rejoice in Thee.
If in this life, I cannot do these things fully,
grant that I may, at the least,
progress in them, from day to day.
Advance in me, the knowledge of Thee, now
that in the life to come, it may be complete.
Increase in me, the love of Thee, here
that there, it may be overflowing.
O God of Truth,
I pray, that I may obtain
that which Thou promise
that my joy may be complete.
And in the meantime,
let my mind meditate on it,
let my soul hunger after it
and my whole being long for it,
till at last, I enter into the joy of my Lord,
Who is God, blessed forever.
Amen

What Can I Say?
By St Anselm (1033-1109)
Magnificent Doctor
Marian Doctor

My most merciful Lady,
what can I say about the fountains
which flowed from thy most pure eyes
when thou saw thy only Son before thee,
bound, beaten and suffering?
What do I know of the flood
which drenched thy matchless face,
when thou beheld thy Son,
thy Lord and thy God,
stretched on the Cross without guilt,
when the flesh of thy flesh
was cruelly butchered by wicked men?
How can I judge, what sobs,
troubled thy most pure breast,
when thou heard,
“Woman, behold thy son,”
and the disciple, “Behold, thy Mother,”
when thou received as a son,
the disciple, in place of the Master,
the servant, for the Lord?
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/04/21/quote-s-of-the-day-21-april-st-anselm-3/

St Anselm (1033-1109)
Archbishop of Canterbury
Doctor of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TRUTH, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 April – ‘ … These pastures are the spiritual joys of Heaven. … ‘John 10:14

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 19 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – Easter II – 1 Peter 2:21-25 – John 10:11-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

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

REFLECTION – “I am the good shepherd. I know My Own—by which I mean, I love them—and My Own know Me. In plain words – those who love Me are willing to follow Me, for anyone who does not love the Truth, has not yet come to know it.

My dear brethren, you have heard the test we shepherds have to undergo. Turn now to consider, how these words of our Lord, imply a test for yourselves too. Ask yourselves whether you belong to His flock, whether you know Him, whether the Light of His Truth shines in your minds. I assure you that it is not by faith that you will come to know Him but, by love, not by mere conviction but, by action. John the Evangelist is my authority, for this statement. He tells us that anyone who claims to know God, without keeping His commandments, is a liar.

Consequently, the Lord immediately adds: ‘As the Father knows Me and I know the Father and I lay down My life for My sheep.‘ Clearly, He means that laying down His life for His sheep, gives evidence of His knowledge of the Father and the Father’s knowledge of Him. In other words, by the love with which He dies for His sheep, He shows, how greatly He loves His Father.

Again He says: ‘My sheep hear My voice and I know them; they follow Me,and I give them eternal life.’ Shortly before this He had declared – ‘If anyone enters the sheepfold through Me, he shall be saved, he shall go freely in and out and shall find good pasture.‘ He will enter into a life of faith; from faith, he will go out to vision, from belief to contemplation and will graze in the good pastures of everlasting life.

So our Lord’s sheep will finally reach their grazing ground, where all who follow Him in simplicity of heart, will feed on the green pastures of eternity. These pastures are the spiritual joys of Heaven. There, the elect look upon the Face of God with unclouded vision and feast at the banquet of life, forever more.

Beloved brothers, let us set out for these pastures ,where we shall keep joyful festival with so many of our fellow citizens. May the thought of their happiness urge us on! Let us stir up our hearts, rekindle our faith and long eagerly for what Heaven has in store for us. To love thus, is to be already on our way. No matter what obstacles we encounter, we must not allow them to turn us aside from the joy of that heavenly feast. Anyone who is determined to reach his destination, is not deterred by the roughness of the road which leads to it. Nor must we allow the charm of success to seduce us, or we shall be like a foolish traveller who is so distracted by the pleasant meadows through which he is passing that he forgets where he is going.” – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Bishop of Rome and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from his Sermon 14).

PRAYER – Grant us, Thy servants, O Lord God, we beseech Thee, to enjoy lasting health of mind and body and by the intercession of glorious and blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may we be delivered from present sorrow and partake of the fullness of eternal happiness. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, I BELIEVE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE WORLD, St Francis de Sales, The HOLY GHOST, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 15 April – Who is he who overcomes the world?

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 15 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – Wednesday after the Octave of Easter – Ferial Day – 1 John 5:4 -10 – John 20:19-31– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

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

1 John 5:5

“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

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

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

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

“If we live good lives, hoping for a Heavenly reward
and guided by the action of the Holy Spirit,
dwelling within us, we shall possess this spiritual joy.
Once we possess it, it will be erased, neither by temptation,
nor by suffering, nor by persecution,
as long as our faith remains firm and steadfast.
The sincere Christian accepts pleasure
and pain with equal readiness
because he places everything in God’s Hands.
… We must try, at least, to achieve that spirit
of complete resignation to God’s Will
which is always rewarded by peace of soul!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St Alphonsus de Liguori,

Our Morning Offering – 15 April – O God of Love, Give Me Thy Love and Thy Grace By St Alphons

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 15 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – Ferial Day

O God of Love,
Give Me Thy Love and Thy Grace
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

O God of Love,
Thou art
and shall be forever,
the only delight of my heart
and the sole object of my affections.
Since Jesus said:
‘Ask and you shall receive,’
I do not hesitate to say:
‘Give me Thy Love and Thy Grace.’
Grant that I may love Thee
and be loved by Thee.
I want for nothing else.
Amen

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, Quote on SELF-ABANDONMENT, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, Quotes Self-Oblation, SELF-DISTRUST, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 13 April – ‘… Clothing ourselves with the Lord …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 13 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – Wisdom 5:1-5; Luke 14:26-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“If anyone comes to Me
without hating his father
and mother, wife and children,
brothers and sisters
and even his own life,
he cannot be My disciple.”

Luke 14:26

“So likewise, everyone of you,
who does not renounce all
that he possesses,
cannot be My disciple.”

Luke 14:33

“Take nothing for your journey,
neither staff, nor bag,
nor bread, nor money;
neither have two tunics.”

Luke 9:3

“That is why all the faithful who love God
and their neighbour, truly drink the Cup
of the Lord’s Love, even though,
they may not drink the cup of His Bodily Suffering.
And becoming inebriated from it,
they put to death, whatever in their nature
is rooted in earth.
They clothe themselves with the Lord Jesus Christ
and do not indulge fleshly desires.
They do not fix their gaze on visible things
but contemplate things, which the eye cannot see.
Thus they drink the Lord’s Cup
by preserving the holy bond of love –
without it, even if a man should deliver his body
to be burned, he gains nothing.
But the gift of love enables us to become,
in reality, what we celebrate
as Mystery in the Sacrifice.”

St Fulgentius of Ruspe (c462–533)
Bishop, Father

“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.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
Priest, Founder of the Society of Jesus

(Letter of 17 November 1555)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HOLY SATURDAY, HOLY WEEK, In the PRESENCE of GOD, LENT 2026, PURGATORY, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, Thomas Aquinas

Holy Saturday – 4 April – Our Lenten Journey With St Thomas Aquinas – Why Our LordDescended into Limbo

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Holy Saturday – 4 April – Our Lenten Journey With St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor of the Church

Holy Saturday
Why Our Lord Descended into Limbo

“Wisdom forsook not the just when he was sold but delivered him from sinners; she went down with him into the pit and in bands, she left him not.
Wis x. 13-14

From the descent of Christ to hell, we may learn, 4 lessons for our instruction:

  1. Firm hope in God.
    No matter what the trouble in which a man finds himself, he should always put trust in God’s assistance and rely on it.
    There is no trouble greater than to find oneself in hell.
    If then, Christ freed those who were in hell, any man who is a friend of God, cannot but have great confidence that he too shall be freed from whatever anxiety holds him captive.
    “Wisdom forsook not the just when he was sold but delivered him from sinners; she went down with him into the pit and in bands, she left him not”(Wis x. 13-14).
    And since, to His servants, God gives a special assistance, he who serves God should have still greater confidence.
    “He who fearth the Lord shall tremble at nothing and shall not be afraid: for He is his Hope” (Ecclus xxxiv. 16).
  2. We ought to conceive the fear of God and to rid ourselves of presumption.
    For although Christ suffered for sinners and descended into hell to set them free, He did not set all sinners free but only those who were free of mortal sin.
    Those who had died in mortal sin, He left there. Wherefore, for those who have gone down to hell in mortal sin, there remains no hope of pardon.
    They shall be in hell as the holy Fathers are in Heaven, that is, forever!
  3. We ought to be full of care.
    Christ descended into hell for our Salvation and we should be careful to go down there frequently too, meditating in our minds on hell’s pain and penalties, as did the holy King Ezechias as we read in the prophecy of Isaias, “I said, In the midst of my days, I shall go to the gates of hell” (Isaias xxxviii. 10).

Those, who in their meditations, often descend to hell during life, will not easily succomb at death.
Such meditations are a powerful arm against sin and a useful aid to protect a man and convert him from sin.
Daily we see men kept from evildoing by the fear of the law’s punishments.
How much greater care should they not take, on account of the punishment of hell, greater in its duration, in its bitterness and in its variety.
“Remember thy last end and thou shalt never sin” (Ecclus vii. 40).

  1. The fact is an example of Love for us.
    Christ descended into hell to set those who were His Own free.
    We too, therefore, should descend there to help our own. For those who are in Purgatory are themselves unable to do anything and, therefore, we ought to help them. Truly he would be a harsh man indeed, who failed to come to the aid of a kinsman who lay in prison, here on earth.
    How much harsher then, the man who will not aid the friend who is in Purgatory, for there is no comparison between the pain there and the pains of this world.
    “Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends because the Hand of the Lord hath touched me” (Job xix. 21).

We assist the souls in Purgatory, chiefly by these three means, by Holy Masses, by prayers and by almsgiving.
Is it not wonderful that we can do so, in this world – a friend can make satisfaction for a friend.

ST THOMAS AQUINAS (1225-1274)
Priest, Theologian, Dominican
Doctor Angelicus (Angelic Doctor)
Doctor Communis (Common Doctor)
Added by Pope Saint Pius V in 1568

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOOD FRIDAY, HOLY WEEK, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, POETRY, Quote on SELF-ABANDONMENT, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, Quotes Self-Oblation, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS

Quote of the Day – 3 April – GOOD FRIDAY The Word of the Cross (Christ,What am I to Give Thee for my life?)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 3 April – Good Friday – The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ

GOOD FRIDAY
The Word of the Cross
(Christ,What am I to Give Thee for my life?)

St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431)
Father of the Church

“Look on thy God, Christ hidden in our flesh.
A bitter word, the Cross and bitter sight –
Hard rind without, to hold the Heart of Heaven.
Yet, sweet it is, for God upon that tree
Did offer up His Life upon that rood –
My Life hung, that my Life might stand in God.
Christ, what am I to give Thee for my life?
Unless, take from Thy Hands, the cup they hold,
To cleanse me with the precious draught of death.
What shall I do? My body to be burned?
Make myself vile? The debt is not paid out yet.
Whate’er I do, it is but I and Thou,
And still do I come short, still must Thou pay
My debts, O Christ, for debts Thyself had’st none.
What love may balance Thine? My Lord was found
In fashion like a slave that so His slave
Might find himself in fashion like his Lord.
Think you the bargain’s hard, to have exchanged
The transient for the eternal, to have sold,
Earth to buy Heaven? More dearly God bought me!”

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St Francis de Sales, St PAUL!, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 2 April – Maundy Thursday

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 2 April – Maundy Thursday

“Be imitators of God, as very dear children
and walk in love, as Christ also Loved us
and delivered Himself up for us …”

St Paul … Ephesians 5:1-2

“But I say to you,
Love your enemies …”

Matthew 5:44

“But the wise took oil
in their vessels”

Matthew 25:4

“The wise ones’ lamps were burning,
from the oil inside them,
from the assurance of their consciences,
from their inner boast,
from their deepest charity.”

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

“Father, forgive them.”
With this prayer, He wanted to make us understand
the Love He bore us, undiminished
by any suffering and to teach us how
our heart should be toward our neighbour.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

“He Loves you as though He had
no-one else to love but you alone.
You, too, should love Him alone
and all others for His Sake.
Of Him you may say and, indeed, you should say:
My Beloved to me and I to Him (Cant, 2:16).
My God has given Himself all to me
and I give myself all to Him;
He has chosen me for His beloved
and I choose Him, above all others,
for my only Love.”

“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 31 March – My God, I Love Thee By St Francis Xavier

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 31 March – Tuesday in Holy Week

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 DOCTORS of the Church, franciscan OFM, GOD is LOVE, HOLY WEEK, LENT 2026, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on BLASPHEMY, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, St Francis de Sales, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The PASSION, The SECOND COMING

Quote/s of the Day – 30 March – ‘… For love of Thy Love …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 30 March – Monday of Holy Week

I Beg Thee, Lord
By St Francis of Assisi (c1181–1226)

I beg Thee, Lord,
let the fiery, gentle power
of Thy Love
take possession of my soul
and snatch it away,
from everything under Heaven,
that I may die,
for love of Thy Love,
as Thou saw fit, to die
for love of mine!
Amen

“Now it is that we are to show
an invincible courage towards our Saviour,
serving Him purely for the love of His Will,
not only without pleasure
but amid this deluge of sorrows,
horrors, distresses and assaults,
as did His glorious Mother and St John,
upon the day of His Passion.
Amongst so many blasphemies,
sorrows and deadly distresses,
they remained constant in love …”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, In the PRESENCE of GOD, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 26 March – ‘Forgiven … Because she has loved much …’ Luke 7:47

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 26 March – Thursday in Passion Week –Ferial Day – Daniel 3:25, 34-45 – Luke 7:36-50 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“She began to bathe His feet with her tears
and wiped them with the hair of her head
and kissed His feet
and anointed them with ointment.”

Luke 7:38

“Wherefore I say to you,
her sins, many as they are,
shall be forgiven her
because she has loved much.
But he, to whom little is forgiven,
loves little.”

Luke 7:47

“A servant of the Lord
stands bodily before men
but mentally,
he is knocking at the Gates of Heaven.
with prayer.”

St John Climacus (c 525-606)
Father of the Church

“For, just as water extinguishes a fire,
just so, does charity blot out our sins.”

St John of God (1495-1550)

“ I shall spend every moment loving.
One who loves, does not notice her trials;
or perhaps, more accurately,
she is able to love them.
I shall do everything for Heaven, my true home.
There, I shall find my Mother,
in all the splendour of her glory.
I shall delight with her
in the joy of Jesus Himself,
in perfect safety.”

St Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879)

Posted in "Follow Me", CARMELITES, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 20 March – Life for those who die.

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 20 March – The Lenten FEAST of the MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD of JESUS is a Feast for the Fridays of Lent

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

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

“Embrace, then, Jesus Crucified,
raising to Him the eyes of your desire!
Consider His burning love for you
which made Jesus pour out His Blood
from every part of His Body!
Embrace Jesus Crucified,
loving and beloved and in Him,
you will find true life because He is God made Man.
Let your heart and your soul burn
with the fire of love drawn from Jesus on the Cross!
… You will have no other desire than to follow Jesus!
Run, … do not stay asleep
because time flies and does not wait one moment!
Dwell in God’s sweet love!”

St Catherine of Sienna (1347-1380)

“O souls!
Seek a refuge, like pure doves,
in the shadow of the Crucifix.
There, mourn the Passion
of your Divine Spouse
and drawing from your hearts,
flames of love and rivers of tears,
make of them a precious balm
with which to anoint
the Wounds of your Saviour.”

St Paul of the Cross CP (1694-1775)

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD ALONE!, LENT 2026, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on FRIENDSHIP, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, Thomas Aquinas

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent – 18 March – Our Lenten Journey With St Thomas Aquinas – The Divine Friend

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent –18 March – Our Lenten Journey With St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor of the Church

Wednesday of the Fourth Week
The Divine Friend

“His sisters sent to Him saying :
Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest, is ill.”
John xi. 3

Three things here call for thought.

  1. God’s friends are afflicted from time to time in the body.
    It is not, therefore, in any way a proof that a man is not a friend of God if he is ill and ailing.
    Eliphaz argued falsely against Job when he said, “Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent?or when were the just destroyed?” (Job iv. 7).

The Gospel corrects this when it says, “Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is ill” and the Book of Proverbs, too, where we read, “For whom the Lord loveth, He chastiseth and as a father in the son, He pleaseth Himself” (Prov. iii. 12).

  1. The sisters do not say, “Lord, come and heal him.”
    They merely explain that Lazarus is ill, they say, he is sick. This is to remind us that, when we are dealing with a friend, it is enough to make known our necessity, we do not need to add a request.
    For a friend, since he wills the welfare of his friend, as he wills his own, is as anxious to ward off evil from his friend as he is to ward it off from himself.
    This is true, most of all in the case of Him Who, of all friends, Loves most truly.
    “The Lord keepeth all those who love Him”(Ps cxliv. 20).
  2. These two sisters, who so greatly desire the cure of their ill brother, do not come to Christ personally, as did the centurion and the man ill of the palsy.
    From the special Love and familiarity which Christ had shown them, they had a special confidence in Him.
    And, possibly, their grief kept them at home, as St Chrysostom thinks.
    “A friend, if he continue steadfast, shall be to thee, as thyself, and shall act with confidence among those of thy household” (Ecclus vi. 11).

ST THOMAS AQUINAS (1225-1274)
Priest, Theologian, Dominican
Doctor Angelicus (Angelic Doctor)
Doctor Communis (Common Doctor)
Added by Pope Saint Pius V in 1568

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ORIGINAL SIN, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY

Quote/s of the Day – 12 March – St Gregory the Great (540-604)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 12 March – St Gregory the Great (540-604), Pope, Confessor, Father & Doctor of the Church, “Father of the Fathers”

“And immediately he saw
and followed Him, glorifying God.”
Luke 18:43

“We must understand the miracles
of our Lord and Saviour, dearly beloved,
so as to believe that they have been truly effected
and that their meaning, nevertheless, still signifies something else too.
We do not know the historical identity of the blind man
but we do know whom he mystically denotes.
The blind man is the human race.
In our first parents it was driven from the joys of paradise and ignorant of the brightness of the Divine Light,
it suffered the darkness of its condemnation.
But yet, it is enlightened by the presence of its Redeemer,
to see already, the joys of inward light,
by desire and to direct the footsteps of its good works,
in the way of Life.”

“Friend, how did you come in here
without a wedding garment?”
Matthew 22:12

“But you, my friends, since you have already
come into the house of the marriage feast,
our holy Church, as a result of God’s generosity,
be careful lest, when the King enters,
He finds fault with some aspect
of your heart’s clothing!”
… He may have faith but he does not have love.
We are correct when we say
that love is the wedding garment
because this, is what our Creator Himself possessed,
when He came to the marriage feast,
to join the Church to Himself.
Only God’s Love brought it about,
that His Only-Begotten Son,
united the hearts of His chosen, to Himself.”

“The branches of this mysterious tree
are the holy preachers of the Gospel,
of whom the Psalmist indicates the reach:
“Their report goes forth through all the earth,
their message, to the ends of the world”
(Ps 19:5; cf Rom 10:18).
The birds rest on these branches
while the souls of the just,
who have been raised above earth’s attractions
on the wings of holiness,
find, in the words of these preachers of the Gospel,
the consolation they need in the sorrows
and difficulties of this life.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2025/03/12/quote-s-of-the-day-12-march-st-gregory-the-great-3/

St Gregory the Great (540-604)
Pope, Father & Doctor of the Church

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, In the PRESENCE of GOD, Quote on SELF-ABANDONMENT, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on the FAMILY, Quotes Self-Oblation

Quote/s of the Day – 9 March – St Gregory of Nyssa, St Frances of Rome, St Dominic Savio

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 9 March – St Gregory of Nyssa (c335–c395) Bishop, Father of the Church – St Frances of Rome (1384-1440) Widow – St Dominic Savio (1842-1857)

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

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

“It is most laudable, in a married woman,
to be devout but, she must never forget
that she is a home-keeper.
And sometimes, she must
leave God at the Altar
to find Him in her household affairs.”

St Frances of Rome (1384-1440)

“Nothing seems tiresome or painful
when you are working
for a Master Who pays well;
Who rewards, even a cup of cold water,
given for love of Him.”

St Dominic Savio (1842-1857)

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The BEATITUDES, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 24 February – Feast of St Matthias “Thou has Chosen”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

“And praying, they said:
Thou, Lord, Who knows the hearts of all men,
show which of these two Thou hast chosen,
to take the place of this ministry and apostleship,
from which Judas hath, by transgression, fallen …”

Acts 1:24-25

“You did not choose Me
but I chose you…”

John 15:16

“That is amazing grace!
For what were we before Christ had chosen us
besides being wicked and lost?
What then has He chosen in those who are not good?
You cannot say, I am chosen because I believed.
For if you believed in Him,
you had already chosen Him.
Nor can you say, before I believed I did good works
and, therefore, was chosen.
For what good work is there
before faith when the Apostle says,
“Whatever is not of faith is sin?”
What is there for us to say, then
but that we were wicked and were chosen,
that by the grace of having been chosen,
we might become good?”

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

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

St Theodore the Studite (759-826)
Abbot, Confessor, Father of the Church

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LENT 2026, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on WATCHING, QUOTES on WISDOM, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, Thomas Aquinas

Our Morning Offering – 19 February – Grant Me, My God By St Thomas Aquinas

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 19 February – Ash Thursday

Grant Me, My God
By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Angelic Doctor, Common Doctor

Make my heart watchful, O God,
so that no vain thoughts may distract it from Thee.
Make it noble,
so that it may never be seduced by any base affection.
Make it steadfast,
so that troubles may not dismay it.
Make it free,
so that it may not yield to the onslaughts of passion.
Grant me, my God,
the intelligence, to understand Thee,
the love, to seek Thee,
the wisdom, to find Thee,
words, to please Thee,
the perseverance, to wait faithfully for Thee
and, the hope of embracing Thee, at last.
Grant that I, a repentant sinner,
may bear Thy chastisements with resignation.
Poor pilgrim which I am,
may I draw on the treasury of Thine grace
and may I one day,
be eternally happy with Thee in Heavenly glory!
Amen.

Posted in GOD ALONE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, Quotes Self-Oblation

Our Morning Offering – 29 December – Please Lord, Make me Worthy! By St Thomas à Becket

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 29 December – St Thomas à Becket (1118-1170) Martyr, Archbishop of Canterbury

Please Lord, Make me Worthy!
Prayer of Supplication and Repentance
By St Thomas à Becket (1118-1170)
Martyr, Archbishop of Canterbury

My Lord,
I find it difficult to talk to Thee.
What can I say?
I, who have turned away from Thee
so often with indifference.
I have been a stranger to prayer,
undeserving of Thy friendship and love.
I have been without honour
and feel unworthy.
I am a weak and shallow creature,
clever only in the second-rate and worldly arts,
seeking my comfort and pleasure.
I gave my love, such as it was, elsewhere,
putting service to my earthly King,
before my duty to Thee.
Please Lord, teach me how to serve Thee
with all my heart, to know at last,
what it really is, to love, to adore.
So that I may worthily minister to
Thine Kingdom, here on earth
and find my true honour,
in observing Thine divine will.
Please Lord, make me worthy!
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Thought for the Day – 27 December – St John, the Apostle and Evangelist

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 27 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

St John, the Apostle and Evangelist

“Both in his Gospel and in his letters, St John continually emphasises the virtue of charity.
He stresses the need for love of God and love of our neighbour, “God is love,” he says, “and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16).
According to St Jerome, when the Apostle John was almost a hundred years old and lacked the strength to speak for very long, he was accustomed to go, supported by his disciples, to gatherings of the faithful.
There he prepared, on every occasion, the same exhortation: “My children, love one another.”
His followers grew tired of this and finally asked him why he kept repeating the same phrase.
“Because that is God’s command,” he replied, “and if we do no more than obey it, that is sufficient!”

Let us meditate upon his words and let us remember, that our love for God is futile, unless it is accompanied by a practical love for our neighbour.
The love of God cannot be separated, from the love of our fellow-men.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci