Quote/s of the Day – 21 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – St Aloysius de Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591) Confessor
“There is no finer thing in this life, than to be faithful to the Lord. Nothing can be compared to this.”
“What is it to serve God and to go to Heaven? Nothing else but to love!”
“My confidence is placed in God, Who does not need our help for accomplishing His designs. Our part, is to pray that we may be worthy of becoming His instruments.”
One Minute Reflection – 21 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – St Aloysius de Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591) Confessor – Ecclesiasticus 31:8-11, Matthew 22:29-40 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.” – Matthew 22:40
REFLECTION – “God does not ask many things of you, for charity alone fulfills the whole Law. But that love is double – love of God and love of the neighbour… When God tells you to love your neighbour, He does not tell you to love him with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. Rather, He tells you to love your neighbour as yourself. Thus, love God with all that you are because He is greater than you are; love your neighbour as yourself because he is what you are…
Thus, our love has three objects. But why are there only two commandments? I will tell you – God did not consider it necessary to commit you to loving yourself, since there is no-one who does not love himself. But many people lose themselves because they love themselves in a bad way. By telling you to love God, with all that you are, God gave you a rule according to which you must love yourself. Without doubt, you want to love yourself? So love God with all that you are. For it is in Him that you will find yourself and avoid losing yourself in yourself… Therefore, the rule according to which you must love yourself is given to you – love the One Who is greater than you and you will love yourself!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church (Sermon on the Letter of St James).
PRAYER – O God, bestower of heavenly gifts, Who in the angelic youth Aloysius joined wondrous innocence of life to an equally wondrous love of penance; grant, by his merits and prayers, that we who have not followed him in his innocence may imitate him in his penance. 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).
DIVINE Heart of JESUS, convert sinners, save the dying, set free the holy souls in Purgatory. Indulgence 300 Days Everytime – St Pius X, 11 September, 1907
Quote/s of the Day – 19 June – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18, 11:1-2; Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But the wise took oil in their vessels” Matthew 25:4
“It is some great thing, some exceedingly great thing that this oil signifies. … “If I speak with the tongue of mortals and of angels but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” This is charity. It is “that way above the rest,” which is, with good reason, signified by the oil. For oil swims above all liquids. If you keep the usual order, it will be uppermost, if you change the order, it will be uppermost. “Charity never fails!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Give me grace, to amend my life and to have an eye to mine end, without grudge of death, which, to them, who die in You, good Lord, is the gate of a wealthy life.”
St Thomas More (1478-1535) Martyr
“Love consists, not in feeling great things but, in having great detachment and in suffering for the Beloved.”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor Mysticus
“To love our neighbour, in charity, is to love God, in man.”
(Treatise on the Love of God Book 10 Chapter 11)
“We should always love our neighbour, as in the breast of Christ”
(The Spirit of St François de Sales II, 1)
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 19 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – St Juliana Falconieri OSM (1270 – 1341) Virgin – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18, 11:1-2; Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“ … The Bridegroom came and they, who were ready, went in with Him … ” – Matthew 25:10
REFLECTION – “In this world, which is to say, in the Church, wholly following Christ, He says to all of us: “Whoever wishes to come after Me must deny himself.” This command is not being directed to virgins but not married women, to widows but not wives, to Monks but not husbands, to Priests but not laity. It is the whole Church, the whole Body of Christ with all its members, differentiated and divided according to their proper functions that is, to follow Christ. May she wholly follow Him, she who is one alone, the dove, the bride (Sg 6:9); may she follow Him, she who has been redeemed and endowed with the Blood of her Bridegroom. Virginal purity has its place here; the continence of widows has its place here; wedded chastity has its place here…
These members who have their place here should follow Christ, each according to their category, each according to their status, each after its fashion. Let them deny themselves, that is to say, let them not rely on themselves. Let them carry their cross that is to say, bear, for Christ’s sake in the world, all that the world inflicts on them. May they love Him, He, the Only One, Who never deceives or is deceived, the Only One ,Who is not mistaken. May they love Him because, what He promises is true. Yet because, He does not give it to us now, our faith falters. Keep going, persevere, bear and accept this delay and you have carried His Cross!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (Sermon 96:9)
PRAYER – O God, Who miraculously fortified blessed Juliana, Thy Virgin, in her last illness with the precious Body of Thy Son, grant, we beseech Thee, that with her merits pleading for us, we also, refreshed and strengthened by the same Sacrament in our dying agony, may be brought to our heavenly home. 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).
EUCHARISTIC Heart of JESUS, model of the priestly heart, have mercy on us. COR JESU Eucharisticum, cordis sacerdotalis exemplar, miserere nobis.– Indulgence 300 Days, Everytime – Raccolta 177St Pius X, 11 Sept
Quote/s of the Day – 17 June – Ferial Day – Visiting St Augustine
“Our hearts were made for Thee, O God And restless must they be Until, O God, this grace accord, Until they rest in Thee!”
“So Saul was led to Ananias – the ravaging wolf is led to the sheep. But the Shepherd, Who guides everything from Heaven above, reassures him… “Do not fear, I will show him what he will have to suffer, for My Name’s sake” (Acts 9:16). What wonder is this! The wolf is led, a captive, to the sheep… The Lamb who died for the sheep, teaches it not to be afraid anymore!”
“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!”
Breathe in Me, O Holy Ghost By St Augustine (354-420) Father and Doctor of the Church
Breathe in me, O Holy Ghost, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Ghost, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Ghost, that I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Ghost, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Ghost, that I always may be holy. Amen
“Then they tried to seize Him.” If only they had seized Him! But by faith and intellect, not so as to mock and put Him to death! At this very moment, as I speak to you … all of us, both you and I, are wanting to seize Christ. To ‘seize’ what does that mean? You have ‘seized’ when you have understood. But Christ’s enemies were looking for something different. You have seized in order to possess but they wanted to seize Him in order to get rid of Him! And because, this was how they wanted to seize Him, what does Jesus do? “He escaped from their power.” They were unable to seize Him because they did not have the hands of faith. … We truly seize Christ, if our minds grasp the Word!”
“Let Us Hate Our Sins and Love Him Who Will Exact Punishment for Them. What then should the Christian do? He ought to use the world, not become its slave. And what does this mean? It means having, as though not having. … Are we really certain that we love Him? Or do we love our sins more? Therefore, let us hate our sins and love Him Who, will exact punishment for them. He will come whether we wish it or not. Do not think that because He is not coming just now, He will not come at all. He will come, you know not when and provided He finds you prepared, your ignorance of the time of His coming, will not be held against you.”
Watch, O Lord! With Those Who Wake, or Watch, or Weep Tonight By St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight and give Thy Angels and Saints, charge over those who sleep. Tend Thy sick ones, O Lord Christ. Rest Thy weary ones. Bless Thy dying ones. Soothe Thy suffering ones. Pity Thy afflicted ones. Shield Thy joyous ones. And all, for Thine Love’s sake. Amen
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 14 June – St Basil the Great (329-379) Bishop of Caesarea, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church.
“Let listening to worldly news be BITTER FOOD for you and let the words of Saintly men be as combs filled with honey.”
“He seems to demand of us the most entire renunciation … So, if we keep back for ourselves, any earthly goods or any perishable supplies, our minds will remain sunk in them, as though in mud. Then, inevitably, our souls will become unable to contemplate God and will be unmoved by desire for the splendours of Heaven and for the good things promised us. We shall only be able to acquire those good things, if we ask for them unceasingly, with a burning desire that will, besides, make easy the effort needed to gain them.”
“A tree is known by its fruit, a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost, he who sows courtesy, reaps friendship and he who plants kindness, gathers love.”
“Be constant in secret prayers which God, Who indeed sees in secret, rewards in the open. Hold fast to this exercise of a most excellent way of life. that you may find hidden treasure in the day of need.”
Lord, I Know that I Am Not Worthy Prayer before Holy Communion By St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
Lord, I know that I am not worthy to receive Thy Holy Body and Precious Blood; I know that I am guilty and that I eat and drink condemnation to myself, not discerning the Body and Blood of Christ, my God. But trusting in Thy loving kindness, I come to Thee, Who hast said – ‘Whoever eats My Body and drinks My Blood, will dwell in Me and I in him’; Therefore, Lord, have compassion on me and do not put to shame Thy sinful servant But deal with me according to Thy great mercy And grant that these Holy Gifts, may be for me, healing, cleansing, enlightenment, protection, salvation and sanctification of soul and body. May they cast out from me every dark delusion, sinful deed or work of the evil one. May they move me to trust and love Thee always, to amendment of life, increase of virtue, obedience to Thy commandments, communion of the Holy Spirit, provision for my final journey and a good defence before the dreadful seat of judgement. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 11 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Feast of St Barnabas the Apostle, Martyr, The “Son of Encouragement” – Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3; Matthew 10:16-22.– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be, therefore, wise as serpents and simple as doves. ”
Matthew – 10:16
“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
“All the brothers should strive to follow the humility and the poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ … And they must rejoice when they live among people who are considered to be of little worth and who are looked down upon, among the poor and the powerless, the sick and the lepers and the beggars by the wayside. And when it may be necessary, let them go to seek alms. And they should not be ashamed but rather recall that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living and all-powerful God … was a poor man and a transient and lived on alms, He and the Blessed Virgin and His disciples.”
St Francis of Assisi (c1181-1226)
(Earlier Rule, #8-9).
“If you truly wish to help the soul of your neighbour, you should firstly approach God with all your heart. Ask Him simply, to fill you with charity, the greatest of all virtues.”
St Vincent Ferrer OP (1350-1419)
“If you wish to enter into life, keep My commandments. If you will know the truth, believe in Me. If you will be perfect, sell all. If you will be My disciple, deny yourself. If you will possess the blessed life, despise this present life. If you will be exalted in Heaven, humble yourself on earth. If you wish to reign with Me, carry the Cross with Me. For only the servants of the Cross find the life of blessedness and of true Light.”
Quote/s of the Day – 10 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Within the Octave of the Sacred Heart – Proverbs 31:10-31; Matthew 13,44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, … sold all that he had and bought it.”
Matthew 13:46
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where rust and moth consume and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves, treasures in Heaven …”
Matthew 6:19-20
“Sell what you possess and give alms. Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure unfailing in Heaven, where neither thief draws near, nor moth destroys.”
Luke 12:33
“For the man who loves God, it is sufficient to please the One he loves and, there is no greater recompense to be sought, than the loving itself. For love is from God, by the very fact that God Himself is love. The good and chaste soul is so happy to be filled with Him that it desires to take delight in nothing else. For what the Lord says is very true: ‘Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.’”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) ather and Doctor of the Church
“Whoever thinks well on eternity, troubles himself little about what happens in these three or four moments of mortal life.”
“By giving yourself to God, you not only receive Himself in exchange but, eternal life as well!”
One Minute Reflection – 7 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” and the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19, John 19:31-37 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But one of the soldiers, with a spear, opened His side and, immediately, there came forth, blood and water. ” –
REFLECTION – “Brethren, let us pursue our calling – we are called by Life to the Source of Life and this Source is a source, not just of ‘living water’ (Jn 4:10) but of eternal life, Source of Light and illumination. Indeed, all things flow from it, wisdom, life and eternal light… O Lord, Thou are Thineself this Source Who always exists and is always to be desired and, at where it is always permitted and always necessary for us to draw. ‘Lord Jesus, give us this water always’ that it may also become within us, a spring of water \welling up to eternal life’ (Jn 4:15.14). It is true that I am asking Thee for a great deal, who could deny it? But Thou, O King of glory, know well how to give great things and Thou hast promised them. There is nothing greater than Thou art and, it is Thee Thyself Who give to us, it is Thee Who gave Thyself for us.
Therefore, it is Thee we are asking for … since we desire nothing other than Thee. Thou art our All, our Life, our Light and our Salvation, our Food and our Drink, our God. Breathe into our hearts, I beseech Thee, O our Jesus; with the breath of Thine Spirit, wound our souls with Thy Love that each of us may say in truth – “Show me Him Whom my soul loves” (Sg 3:3) for I have been wounded by Thy Love.
I desire these wounds to be in me, O Lord. Happy the soul who loves wounds in this way – the soul who seeks the Source, who drinks and who, nevertheless, never ceases to thirst even as it drinks, nor to draw continually by desire, nor to continue drinking in its thirst. Thus, it always seeks in loving, for in its wound, it finds healing.” – St Columban (543-615) Father of the Church, Monk, Missionary, Founder of many Monasteries (Spiritual Instructions No 13: 2-3).
PRAYER – O God, Who in the Heart of Thy Son, wounded by our sins, mercifully lavish upon us the infinite riches of Love, grant, we beseech Thee, that as we offer Him the faithful service of our devotion, we may also show forth fitting reparation. 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).
DIVINE Heart of JESUS, convert sinners, save the dying, set free the holy souls in Purgatory.Indulgence 300 Days Everytime – St Pius X, 11 September, 1907.
Our Morning Offering – 7 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – First Friday of the Sacred Heart
Act of Love to the Sacred Heart of Jesus By Servant of God Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val (1865-1930)
Reveal Thy Sacred Heart to me, O Jesus and show me Its attractions. Unite me to It forever. Grant that all my aspirations and all the beats of my heart, which cease, not even while I sleep, may be a testimonial to Thee, of my love for Thee and may it say to Thee – “Yes, Lord, I am all Thine” the pledge of my allegiance to Thee, rests forever in my heart and will never cease to be there. May Thou accept, the slight amount of good that I do and be graciously pleased, to repair all my wrong-doing – so that I may be able, to bless Thee, in time and in eternity. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 4 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – St Francis Caracciolo CRM (1563-1608) Confessor –Within the Corpus Christi Octave – 1 Corinthians 23-29; John 6:56-59.– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“For as often as you shall eat this Bread and drink the Cup, you proclaim the Death of the Lord, until He comes.” – 1 Corinthians 11:26
REFLECTION – “In our offering of the Holy Sacrifice we fulfil the Command of our Saviour, as recorded by the Apostle Paul: The Lord Jesus, on the night in which He was betrayed, took bread and after He had given thanks, broke it and said: This is My Body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me. The same way, after the supper, He took the Cup saying: This Cup is the New Covenant in My Blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this Bread and drink this Cup, you shall proclaim the Death of the Lord until He comes.
This Sacrifice is offered, then, to proclaim the Lord’s Death; it is offered in remembrance of Him, Who laid down His Life for our sake. As He says: Greater love than this no man has, that he lay down his life for his friends. Because Christ died for us out of love, we ask, when we make remembrance of His Death, at the time of Sacrifice that we too may be granted love through the coming of the Holy Ghost. We pray, that by the Love which Christ had for us, when He braved the Cross, we may receive the grace of the Spirit and be crucified to the world and the world to us. The Death Christ died, He died to sin, once for all but the Life He lives, He lives to God. Let us imitate our Lord’s Death and also live a new life. Strengthened with the gift of His Love, let us die to sin and live for God.
For God’s Love has been poured out in our hearts, through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us. Indeed our sharing in the Lord’s Body and Blood, when we eat His Bread and drink His Cup, teaches us, that we should die to the world and that we should keep our life hidden with Christ in God, crucifying our flesh with its vices and evil desires.
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 (An excerpt from Against Fabianus).
PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Thou Who have given Thy servants, in the confession of the true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity and in the power of that Majesty, to adore its unity, grant, we beseech Thee, that in the firmness of this faith, we may ever be protected from all harm. And may the example and intercession of Thy Confessor, St Francis Caracciolo ever assist us on our journey to our eternal home. 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).
MAY the HEART of JESUS be loved everywhere.100 Days, Indulgence Once a day – Bl Pope Pius IX 23 September 1860
Thought for the Day – 2 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Little Extracts from The Adorable Heart of Jesus
On the Nature of the Devotion
If we desire to enter into the designs of Jesus Christ, we must not seek this idea of the Devotion to the Sacred Heart, outside the revelation itself, from which it derived its origin and, since it has pleased this amiable Saviour to give an explanation Himself on this subject, it is from His own words that we must gather the real idea which we seek. It will not be difficult, since Jesus Christ has spoken very clearly. … But , we must here also allude to a circumstance which is essential to the nature of our Devotion and, that is, that the Love with which the Divine Heart of Jesus is inflamed, must be considered as a Love despised and wounded by the ingratitude of men. This circumstance is expressed in these words which our Lord adds : “ And in return, I receive, for the most part, only ingratitude, contempt, irreverence, sacrileges, in the indifference which they manifest towards Me in the Sacrament of Love.”
The Heart of Jesus must, therefore, here be considered under two aspects – on the one hand, as burning with Love for men and, on the other, as cruelly wounded by the ingratitude of these same men. These two motives united, must excite in us two feelings, both of which are equally essential to Devotion to the Sacred Heart, that is love which corresponds to Its Love and grief , which would leads us to make reparation for the insults it endures through the hard-heartedness of men!
Finally, the practices prescribed by Jesus Christ in fulfilment of this double duty, are laid down in these last words : “I ask of thee that the first Friday after the Octave of the Blessed Sacrament, should be dedicated as a special festival to do honour to My Heart, by devout acts of reparation and satisfaction, by communicating, on that day, to expiate the indignities it received whilst exposed on the Altar.” Jesus Christ contents Himself with explaining here the principal exercise of the devotion which He desires to establish but, it is not the only practice which must be employed, to do honour to the Divine Heart. There are many others which will be mentioned further on.
Quote/s of the Day – 2 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – The Solemnity of Corpus Christi
“It is enough for us to love Him and to be ready to keep His commandments. Such an act of sincere and effective love for Jesus, will cause Him to enter and to remain in our hearts, even after the Sacramental Species has been consumed. This is Spiritual Communion, which consists mainly in the yearning for Jesus. “I have come to cast fire upon the earth and what will I but, that it be kindled” (Lk 12:49).”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Act of Spiritual Communion By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
I desire, good Jesus, to receive Thee in Holy Communion and since I cannot now receive Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, I beseech Thee to come to me spiritually and to refresh my soul with Thy sweetness. Come, my Lord, my God and my All! Come to me and never let me ever again be separated from Thee by sin. Teach me Thy blessed ways, help me with Thy grace to imitate Thy example, to practise meekness, humility, charity and all the virtues of Thy Sacred Heart. My divine Master, my one desire is to do Thy will and to love Thee, more and more. Help me, that I may be faithful to the end, in Thy service. Bless me in life and in death, that I may praise Thee, forever in heaven, Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 29 May – St Maria Magdalena de’ Pazzi O.Carm (1566-1607) Virgin
“Self-love is like the worm which gnaws at the root and destroys, not only the fruit but even, the very life of the plant. The traitor whom we have to fear most, is self-love, f or self-love betrays us as Judas betrayed our Lord with a kiss. He who conquers self-love, conquers all!”
“I do not desire to die soon because, in Heaven, there is no suffering. I desire to live a long time because, I yearn to suffer much for the love of my Spouse.”
Quote/s of the Day – 27 May – St Bede the Venerable (673-735) Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church
St Bede became known as “Venerable Bede or Bede the Venerable” (Latin: Beda Venerabilis) by the 9th Century because of his great devotion and holiness but this was not linked to consideration for sainthood. According to a legend, the epithet was miraculously supplied by Angels. It was first utilised in connection with St Bede, where he was grouped with others, who were called “venerable,” at two Ecclesiastical Councils, held at Aachen in 816 and 836. Paul the Deacon (c 720-c 796) Italian Monk, Writer, Historian, then referred to him as Venerable consistently. By the 11th and 12th Centuries, the title had become commonplace and it is rarely omitted today.
“The soul glorifies the Lord, when it consecrates all its inner powers on praising and serving God and when, by its submission to the Divine commands, it proves that it never loses sight of His Power and Majesty. The spirit rejoices in God, its Saviour, when it places all its joy in the remembrance of its Creator, from Whom it hopes for eternal salvation.”
“I was no longer the centre of my life and, therefore, I could see God in everything!”
“Unfurl the sails and let God steer us where He will.”
“Purgatorial fire will be more intolerable than all the torments which can be felt or conceived in this life.”
“Be Thou our Joy and Strong Defence, Who art our future Recompense. Alleluia, alleluia. So shall the Light that springs from Thee Be ours through all eternity. Alleluia, Alleluia.”
One Minute Reflection – 25 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God” – Pentecost Saturday – Joel 2:23-24; 26-27; Luke 5:17-26 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts?” – Luke 5:22
REFLECTION – “Thanks to the faith of others the cripple’s soul would be cured before his body. “Seeing their faith,” the Gospel says. Note here, my brethren, that God is not interested in what foolish people want and does noy expect to find faith among the ignorant … among those who conduct themselves badly. On the other hand he does not refuse to come to the help of others’ faith. Such faith is a gift of grace, at one with God’s will … In His divine goodness, Christ the Physician, strives to draw to salvation, even in spite of themselves, those affected by sickness of soul, those whom the burden of their sins and offences overwhelms, even to delirium. Yet they do not want to submit.
O my brethren, if only we wanted to, if only we all wanted to perceive our soul’s paralysis in all its depth! Then we would see that it is lying on a stretcher of sins, deprived of strength. Christ’s action within us, would be a source of light and we would understand that each day He sees our lack of faith, harmful as it is, that He draws us towards healing remedies and sharply presses our rebellious wills. “My son” He says, “your sins are forgiven you.”– St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) Bishop of Ravenna, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 50 ; PL 52, 339).
PRAYER – Grant to Thy Church, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that, united by the Holy Ghost, she may in no way be harmed by any assault of the enemy. 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).
Thou, of all consolers best, Visiting the troubled breast, Dost refreshing peace bestow.
The Gift of Piety
The gift of Piety begets in our hearts, a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect, for His sake. persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as those, who are vested with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors, our country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety, finds the practice of his religion, not a burdensome duty but, a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labour.
Prayer
Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle therein, such a love for God, that I may find satisfaction only in His service and for His sake, lovingly submit to all legitimate authority. Amen.
Our Father and Hail Mary – ONCE. Glory be to the Father – SEVEN TIMES.
ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT To be recited daily during the Novena
On my knees, I, before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, offer myself, soul and body to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy Purity, the unerring keenness of Thy Justice and the might of Thy Love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee, I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy Light, listen to Thine Voice and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee, by Thy compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and of the Son, to say to Thee, always and everywhere, “Speak Lord for Thine servant hears.” Amen.
Thought for the Day – 6 May – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)
“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5
Final Remarks on Prayer and the Combat LIX: … Concerning Sensible Devotion and Dryness (Part Two)
“And if, from confusion of mind, you can neither pray nor meditate as usual, yet, you must persist in those exercises with as little anxiety as possible, supplying for the defects of the mind, the affection of the will.
Employ vocal prayer, conversing both with yourself and your Saviour. Such a practice will have surprising effects and, it will afford you great consolation in your anxiety. …
Call to mind the pious sentiments with which God inspired Sara, the wife of Tobias, in her affliction and say with her in spirit and in word –
“My God, all who serve Thee know that if they are visited with trials of affliction in this life, they will be rewarded;,if oppressed with suffering they shall be delivered, if punished by Thy justice, they hope in mercy. For Thou delightest not in seeing us perish, Thou sendest a calm after storms and joy after mourning. O God of Israel, be Thy Name forever blessed.” (Tob III)
Remember too, thy Christ in the Garden and on the Cross abandoned by Him, Whose Only beloved Son He was – carry your cross with Him and say from the bottom of your heart: “Not my will but Thine be done.”
Thus, by uniting patience with prayer, in the voluntary immolation of self to God, you will become truly devout. For, as I have said, true devotion consists in an eager and unswerving will to follow Christ and to bear the cross at whatever time, in whatever way He shall decide and, it consists too, in loving God because He is worthy of our love and even in forfeiting the sweetness of God for the sake of God!
Thought for the Day – 30 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 Four)
“After Communion strive to be deeply recollected, shutting out from your heart the multiple petty encroachments of worldly distractions. Entertain the Divine Guest with such sentiments as are expressed in the following prayer:
“O Sovereign Lord of Heaven, what has brought Thee from celestial heights to the depths of earthly hearts?” His answer will be simply, “Love.” And you must reply: “O Eternal Love, what is it you ask of me?”
And He will answer again: “Nothing but love. I would have no other fire within thee but charity, the ardent flames of which will conquer the impure flames of passion and make thee pleasing in My sight. Long have I wished that thou wert all Mine and I all thine. And long have I desired that surrender of thy will ever solicitous for frivolous liberty and worldly vanities, for only when thy will is attuned to Mine can the first wish be realised. Know, then that I would have thee die to self, that you might live to Me. I would have thee give Me thy heart that I might make it like unto Mine which broke on Calvary out of love for mankind. Thou knowest Who I Am and yet thou knowest that, in some measure, I have made thee My equal in an excess of love. When I give Myself entirely to thee, I ask nothing but thyself in return. Be Mine and I shall be satisfied. Will nothing, think nothing, understand nothing, see nothing but Me and My Will. Let thy nothingness be lost in the depths of My Infinity and find there thy happiness, as I find repose in thee.”
Finally, offer to the Eternal Father, His Only-Begotten Son: First in thanksgiving for the unspeakably great favours He has rendered, in bestowing them on you. In petition for such things as are needed by you and those for whom you are obligated to pray; remember also, in your petitions, the Souls in Purgatory. Let this entire offering be made in commemoration of and in union with, the offering made by Christ on Calvary’s hill, when bleeding on the Cross, He offered Himself to His Eternal Father. Similarly, you may offer for the same intention, the Sacrifice of the Mass, wherever it may be celebrated that day, throughout the Catholic world.”
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.”
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.”
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:
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!”
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.
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.
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.
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.”
Quote/s of the Day – 24 April – The Octave Day of the Patronage of St Joseph
“Saint Joseph was the just man: by his constant fidelity -an effect of justice; by his perfect discretion – a sister to prudence; by his upright conduct – a mark of strength and by his inviolable chastity – a flower of temperance.”
St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church
“I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him, at any time for anything, which he has not granted and I am filled with amazement when I consider the great favours which God has given me, through this blessed Saint; the dangers from which he has delivered me, both of body and of soul!”
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church
“It is impossible, that he could be denied the favours for which he asks and which we should request him to obtain for us. Let us go to him trustingly but, let us remember, that the surest way of being heard by him, is to imitate his wonderful virtues, especially his humility, his spirit of prayer, his purity and his calm desire always, to do God’s will.”
“This holy Patriarch was as resigned to the poverty of the manger and the discomforts of exile, as he was grateful to God for the wonderful gifts and joys which he had been granted. He knew that God could have solved, by a single act of His Divine Will, all the problems which he encountered throughout life. But he never asked for such a favour. His only desire was to do God’s Will perfectly. Let this be our desire too and let us never cease to ask God for this grace.”
Quote/s of the Day – 23 April – 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.”
Quote/s of the Day – 22 April – St Pope Soter (Died c174) Martyr and St Pope Caius I (Died 296) Martyr – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11; … Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter and upon this rock, I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:18
“But the God of all grace, Who hath called us into His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, will Himself perfect you and confirm you and establish you. To Him be glory and empire forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:10-11
“Look at the fig tree and all the trees, when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near. So too, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.” Luke 21:29-31
“He means that just as the coming of summer is recognised by the fruit on the trees, so is the nearness of the Kingdom of God recognised by the destruction of the world. These words show that the fruit of the world is destruction – it increases only to fall, it produces, only to destroy by its disasters whatever it produces. The Kingdom of God is aptly compared to summer, because it is then that the clouds of our sorrow pass away and the days of life shine with the brightness of the Eternal Sun. … Therefore, my friends, do not love what you see cannot long exist. Keep in mind the Apostle John’s precept, in which he counsels us not “to love the world or the things in the world because, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn 2:15).”
St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church
“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
“But, [you will tell me], there is so much to do, so many household jobs, so much business in town, in the fields – work everywhere! Do we have to abandon it all, then, so as to think of nothing but God?” No – but these occupations have to be sanctified by seeking God in them and doing them to find Him in them, rather than, to see them done. What our Lord wants, is for us to seek His glory, His Kingdom, His righteousness, before all else and, for this, to make our foundation the interior life, faith, trust, love, religious exercises…, labours and sufferings, with God our Sovereign Lord in view… Once we are firmly set in the search for God’s glory, we can be assured that the rest will follow.”
Thought for the Day – 21 April – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)
“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5
LI: … Meditation on the Sufferings of Christ (Part Two)
“If you would have a lively sorrow for your sins, let your meditation convince you that if Jesus Christ suffered so much, it was to inspire you with wholesome self-contempt and a hatred of your disorderly passions, particularly your greatest faults which are naturally most offensive to Almighty God.
And if you would excite sentiments of admiration, you need only consider that nothing is more shocking than the sight of the Creator of the universe, the Fountain of Life, butchered by His own creatures, the right of the Supreme Majesty, as it were, annihilated, Justice condemned, Beauty defiled and lost in filth, the Beloved of the Eternal Father become the hated of sinners. Light inaccessible is overwhelmed by the powers of darkness; Uncreated glory and felicity are buried under ignominy and wretchedness!
To arouse compassion in your heart for the sufferings of your Saviour and God, exclusive of His exterior pains, consider the most acute of His sufferings, His interior anguish. For if you are moved by the first, you will be pierced with grief at the sight of the second. The soul of Christ beheld the Divinity in Heaven, then as clearly as it does now. It knew how much God deserved to be honoured and, as it infinitely loved Him, desired that all creatures should love Him with all the power of their souls. Seeing Him, therefore, so horribly dishonoured throughout the world by countless, abominable crimes, it was overwhelmed with grief that the Divine Majesty was not loved and served by all men. As the greatness of this desire of the soul of Christ that His Father be loved, was beyond imagination, it is futile to try to comprehend the depths of His interior sufferings in the agonies of death.”
Quote/s of the Day – 21 April – St Anselm (1033-1109) ArchBishop of Canterbury, Confessor, Magnificent and Marian Doctor of the Church
“No-one will have any other desire in Heaven than what God wills and the desire of one, will be the desire of all and the desire of all and of each one, will also be the desire of God.”
O Lord Our God, Grant Us Grace By St Anselm (1033-1109) Archbishop of Canterbury Doctor of the Church
O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire Thee with our whole heart; that, so desiring, we may seek and, seeking, find Thee and so finding Thee, may love Thee and loving Thee, may hate those sins from which Thou hast redeemed us. Amen.
A Prayer for All in Need By St Anselm (1033-1109) Archbishop of Canterbury Doctor of the Church
O Lord, we bring before Thee, the distress and dangers of peoples and nations, the pleas of the imprisoned and the captive, the sorrows of the grief-stricken, the needs of the refugee, the impotence of the weak, the weariness of the despondent and the diminishments of the aging. O Lord, stay close to them all. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 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
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
Our Morning Offering – 16 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament”
Guide Me Lord By St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who seeks those who stray and receives them when returning, make me approach Thee through the frequent hearing of Thy Word, lest I sin against my neighbour, by the blindness of human judgement, through the austerity of false justice, through comparing his inferior status, through too much trust in my merits or through ignorance of the Divine Judgement. Guide me to search diligently, each corner of my conscience, lest the flesh dominate the spirit! Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 15 April – “The Month of the Resurrection and the Blessed Sacrament” – Ferial Day – 1 Peter 2:21-25; John 10:11-16– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“I am the Good Shepherd, I know My Own and My Own know Me.”
John 10:14
“He cries out, saying: See, I am with you all the days of this age. He is Himself the Shepherd, the High Priest, the Way and the Door and has become all things at once for us.”
St Athanasius (297-373) Father & Doctor of the Church
“So Saul was led to Ananias – the ravaging wolf is led to the sheep. But the Shepherd, Who guides everything from Heaven above, reassures him… “Do not fear, I will show him what he will have to suffer, for My Name’s sake” (Acts 9:16). What wonder is this! The wolf is led, a captive, to the sheep… The Lamb who died for the sheep, teaches it not to be afraid any more!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church
“With good reason Christ declares: I am the Good Shepherd, I seek out the lost sheep, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal (Ez 34:16). I have seen the flock of mankind struck down by sickness; I have witnessed my lambs wander about where demons dwell; I have seen my flock ravaged by wolves. All this I have seen and have not witnessed it from on high. That is why I took hold of the withered hand, gripped by pain, as if by a wolf; I have unbound those whom fever had bound; I taught him to see, whose eyes had been shut from his mother’s womb; I brought Lazarus out from the tomb where he had lain for four days (Mk 3:5; 1:31; Jn 9; 11). For I am the Good Shepherd and the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.”
Basil of Seleucia (Died 448) Bishop of Seleucia
(Oratio 26)
“The measure of love, is to love without measure.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
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