Category: QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRIFICE

Thought for the Day – 21 November – Have We Ever Abandoned Jesus?

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Thought for the Day – 21 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Have We Ever Abandoned Jesus?

“We must remain faithful at all times, even when fidelity requires some great sacrifice!
Did not Jesus sacrifice Himself completely for our sakes?
Is it not just, that we should continue to be generous to our Saviour until death?

If we go away from Jesus, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, our minds will be in darkness and our hearts and souls, will grow lifeless.
Perhaps we have sometimes wandered away from Jesus and have experienced this darkness, death and remorse.
Only when we are with Jesus, is there any purpose and goal in our lives.
Only with Him, can we hope to have the strength to reach that goal.
Only He can dry our tears and assuage our suffering.
Only when we are with Jesus, have the little joys of this life any meaning, for they are a foretaste of the everlasting happiness of Heaven!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/23/thought-for-the-day-23-november-have-we-ever-abandoned-jesus/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/17/thought-for-the-day-17-november-have-we-ever-abandoned-jesus/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, GOD ALONE!, HOLY COMMUNION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 November – “… For this day, I must abide in thy house.” – Luke 19:5

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One Minute Reflection – 9 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour – Apocalypse 21:2-5, Luke 19:1-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“… For this day, I must abide in thy house.” – Luke 19:5

REFLECTION – “Some people are very like Zacchaeus. They desire to see Jesus as He is. All power of reason and all natural light, are too short and small for this, so they run ahead of all crowds and all the multiplicity of creatures. Through faith and love, they climb up to the highest part of their mind, where their spirit lives in its freedom, devoid of images and obstacles. It is there that Jesus is seen, known and loved in His Divinity, for there, He is always present, to the free and exalted spirit which has risen above itself in love of Him. Jesus there flows forth with a fullness of grace and favours.

But He says to all: “Come down quickly, for the exalted freedom of the spirit cannot be maintained, except through lowly obedience of mind. You must know and love Me, as both God and a human being, higher than all and lower than all! You will savour Me when I raise you up above all things and above yourself to Myself and, when you lower yourself beneath all things and beneath yourself, to Me and for My sake. Then, I will have to come to your house and remain living with you and in you and you with Me and in Me!”

When these persons know, taste and feel this, they come down quickly in great disdain of themselves and, with a humble heart and true displeasure, regarding their life and all their works, they say: “Lord, I am not worthy – but I am truly unworthy – that I should receive Thine glorious body in the blessed Sacrament, into the sinful house of my body and soul. But be gracious to me, Lord and have mercy on my poor life and all my transgressions.” – Blessed Jan van Ruysbroeck (1293-1381) Canon Regular (A Mirror of Eternal Blessedness).

PRAYER – O God, Who for us bring each year the recurrence of the Consecration day of this Thy holy temple and always bring us back safely to the Sacred Rites, hear the prayers of Thy people and grant that, whoever enters this temple to pray for blessings., may rejoice in having obtained whatever he sought. 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 "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on ZEAL, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – St Dominic and his OPs

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – The Feast of All Saints of the Order of Preacher

“A man who governs his passions
is master of his world.
We must either command them
or be enslaved by them.
It is better to be a hammer than an anvil!”

“Arm yourself with prayer
instead of a sword;
be clothed with humility
instead of fine raiment.”

St Dominic OP (1170-1221) Confessor

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

“Christ said that the shepherd
enters through the gate
and that He is Himself the Gate,
as well as the Shepherd.
Then, it is necessary,
that He enter through Himself.
By so doing, He reveals Himself
and through Himself, He knows the Father.
But we enter through Him
because through Him. we find happiness.”

St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus
Doctor Communis

“Speak the truth in a million voices.
It is silence that kills!”

“You are rewarded,
not according to your work,
or your time
but according to the measure
of your love.”

“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)
Doctor of the Church

“Those with pride
are not Christ’s sheep
but the devil’s goats!”

St Vincent Ferrer OP 1350-1419)

“Apart from the cross
there is no other ‘ladder’
by which we might get to Heaven.”

St Rose of Lima OP (1586-1617)

Grant me, O my God
By St Vincent Ferrer OP (1350-1419)

Good Jesus,
let me be penetrated with love
to the very marrow of my bones,
with fear and respect toward Thee.
Let me burn with zeal for Thy honour,
so that I may deeply resent,
all the outrages committed against Thee,
especially those of which,
I myself have been guilty.
Grant further, O my God,
that I may humbly adore
and acknowledge Thee,
as my Creator and penetrated with gratitude
for all Thy benefits,
I may never cease to render Thee thanksgiving.
Grant that I may bless Thee in all things,
praise and glorify Thee,
with a heart full of joy and gladness
and obeying Thee with docility
in every respect, I may one day,
despite my ingratitude and unworthiness,
be seated at Thine table
together with Thine Holy Angels and Apostles,
to enjoy ineffable delights for all eternity!
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/07/quote-s-of-the-day-7-november-st-dominic-and-friends-ops/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 November – Ardent Travellers …

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 November – Within the All Saints Octave – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward
will be great in Heaven.”

Matthew 5:12

“ Blessed are they who have not seen
and have believed.”

John 20:29

“… A tree is known by its fruit.
So those who profess to belong to Christ
will be known, by what they do.
For the work we are about,
is not a matter of words, here and now
but depends on the power of faith
and on being found faithful, to the end!”

St Ignatius of Antioch (c35–c107)
Bishop, Martyr, Apostolic Father

“Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”

Luke 21:28
“Truth is exhorting His elect by saying:
“When the disasters of the world
become more frequent… let your hearts exult!
While the world, which is not your friend,
is coming to an end,
the redemption you have sought ,is coming near!”
Those who love God are ordered to rejoice
and be merry at the world’s end.
They will soon find Him Whom they love,
while what they have not loved is passing away.
It should be far from the hearts of all the faithful
who long to see God, to grieve over the disasters
of a world, for they know, these very disasters,
are soon to end. It is written that:
“Whoever wishes to be a friend of this world,
makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas 4:4).”

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

“May Christ be heard in our language,
may Christ be seen in our life,
may He be perceived in our hearts”

St Peter Damian (1007-1072)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, ON the SAINTS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on PURITY of INTENTION, The BEATITUDES, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 November – “They shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8

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One Minute Reflection – 3 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the Octave of All Saints – Apocalypse 7:2-12, Matthew 5:1-12– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“They shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8

REFLECTION – “We want to see God, we seek to see Him, we ardently desire to see Him. Who does not desire this? But note what the Gospel says: “Blest are the pure of heart, they shall see God.” Do what is necessary in order to see Him! To compare it with something from material reality, how can you want to contemplate the rising sun if your eyes are sick? If your eyes are healthy that light will be a pleasure for you; if they are sick, it will be torture for you. You will surely not be allowed to see, with an impure heart, that which one can only see with a pure heart. You will be moved away, put at a distance, you will not see!

How often did the Lord proclaim people to be ‘blest‘? What reasons for eternal happiness did He cite, what good works, what gifts, what merits and what rewards? No other! the beatitude says, “They shall see God.” This is what the others say: “How blest are the poor in spirit, the reign of God is theirs. Blest are the lowly; they shall inherit the land. Blest are the sorrowing; they shall be consoled. Blest are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they shall have their fill. Blest are they who show mercy; mercy shall be theirs.” So none other asserts, “They shall see God.”

The vision of God is promised ONLY to those with a pure heart. This is not without a reason, since the eyes which allow us to see God are in the heart. Those are the eyes the Apostle Paul was speaking of when he said: “May He enlighten your innermost vision” (Eph 1:18). So, at the present time because of their weakness, those eyes are enlightened by faith; later, because of their strength, they will be enlightened by vision… “Now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face.” (1 Cor 13:12).” (1 Cor 13:12).” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 53).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession, that abundance of Thy mercy for which we yearn. 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 "Follow Me", CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on TRUTH, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 27 October – ‘But to God alone, give all the glory …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 27 October – Vigil of Saints Simon and Jude – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14, John 15:1-7 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Abide in Me and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
unless it abide in the vine,
so neither can you,
unless you abide in Me.”

John 15:4

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,
with thy whole heart
and with thy whole soul
and with thy whole mind.”

Matthew 22:37

“Be strengthened in Almighty God
and in the power of His might,
for with His help, nothing is difficult.
Throw off the heavy load of your own will,
cast aside the burden of sin
and gird yourselves as valiant warriors!
Forget what you are leaving behind;
strain forward to the great things before you.
I tell you that every place where you set foot,
shall be yours.
For the Spirit, Who goes before your face
is Christ the Lord.
He will carry you to the topmost peak
in the arms of His Love.”

St Francis of Assisi (c1181-1226)

“If, because of your preaching,
men lay aside enmities,
forgive injuries,
avoid occasions of sin
and scandals
and reform their conduct,
you may say that the seed
has fallen on good ground.
But to God alone, give all the glory
and acknowledge yourselves,
ever unprofitable servants.”

St Louis Bertrand (1526-1581)

“Amongst all loves,
God’s is so to be preferred
that we must always stand prepared in mind,
to forsake them all for that alone!”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 10, Chapter 7)

“[Jesus] is our only Master, Who must teach us;
our only Lord, on Whom we must depend;
our only Head, to Whom alone we should belong;
our only Model, Whom we should imitate;
our only Physician, Who must heal us;
our only Shepherd, Who must feed us;
our only Way, Who must lead us;
our only Truth, Whom we must believe;
our only Life, Who must be our life
and our sole sufficiency in all things
that, in Him, we may have all in All.
Except the Name of Jesus,
there is no other name given under Heaven,
whereby we must be saved
and apart from Jesus Christ,
God has given us no other foundation of our salvation,
our perfection and our glory! ”

St Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

Posted in "Follow Me", 7 GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST: Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence, Strength, Knowledge, Piety, Fear, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, St Francis de Sales, The HOLY GHOST, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 26 October – ‘… Grow onto Him …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11, Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona
because flesh and blood
hath not revealed it to thee
but My Father Who is in Heaven.”

Matthew 16:17

“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

“He who abides in Me and I in Him,
the same bears much fruit”
John 5:5

“We are preserved in being, if we grow onto Him
and cling fast to the holy commandment,
which has been handed down to us
and, if we are eager to keep the blessing of nobility,
that is to say, if we never consent, in any way,
to “grieve the Holy Spirit” (Eph 4:30),
Who has come to dwell in us and, through Whom,
we believe, God has made His home in us. …
For just as the vine-stock supplies and distributes,
the virtue of its own inherent natural quality to the shoots,
so, too, the Only-Begotten Word of God,
implants, in His people, a sort of affinity
with His own nature and that of the Father.
By the gift of the Spirit, they are united with Him
by every kind of holiness.
He nourishes them, so that they become devout
and He moves them to knowledge of all virtue
and good works.”

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

“Hide me then in the day of evil, O Lord,
in the secret place of Thy tabernacle,
in the hidden recesses of Thy Face,
“far from the strife of tongues” (Ps 26:5; 30:21),
for Thy yoke is easy and the burden
Thou hast laid on me is light (Mt 11:30).
And when Thou show me the difference
between Thy service and the service of the world,
gently and tenderly Thou asks me
if it is not better to serve Thee,
the living God, than to serve strange gods
(Cf 2 Chron 12:8). And I, for my part,
adore the hand that lays the load,
I kiss the yoke and I embrace the burden
and it is very sweet to me to sweat beneath its weight.
For masters other than Thee, have long possessed me…
I acknowledge Thy yoke and Thy light burden
which lifts me up and does not crush me down. …”

William of St Thierry O.Cist (c1075 – c1148)

“Let us always belong to God,
unreservedly and without interruption.
May He ever live and reign in our hearts.”

(Letter to Madame de Chantal)

“He who most loves,
will be most loved.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in CATECHESIS, DOCTORS of the Church, franciscan OFM, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on GOSSIP, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, St Francis de Sales, The HEART, The LORD'S PRAYER

Quote/s of the Day – 25 October – Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace

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Quote/s of the Day – 25 October – Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace.

The Lord’s Prayer
Jesus
Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
Amen

“If your brother sins, rebuke him
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times
in one day and returns to you
seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’
you should forgive him.”

Luke 17:3-4

“If a man finds it very difficult to forgive injuries,
let him look at a Crucifix
and think that Christ shed all His Blood for him
and not only forgave His enemies
but, even prayed His Heavenly Father,
to forgive them too.
Let him remember,
that when he says the Pater Noster, everyday,
instead of asking pardon for his sins,
he is calling down VENGEANCE UPON HIMSELF!”

St Philip Neri (1515-1595)

“But as a general thing,
what is the state of your heart
with regard to your neighbour?
Do you love him from your heart
and for the love of God?
In order to prove this,
you must call to mind
certain disagreeable, troublesome individuals,
for with such, it is that we practice
the love of God towards our neighbour
and still more, towards those who do us any injury,
either in word or deed.
Consider whether your heart is clear
with regard to such and whether
you have to force it to love them?
Are you slow to speak evil of your neighbour,
especially of those whom you do not like?”
Do you never injure him, either directly or indirectly?”

(Introduction to the Devout Life).

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace.
“The Peace Prayer”
By St Francis of Assisi (c 1181–1226

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving
that we receive;
it is in pardoning
that we are pardoned
and it is in dying,
that we are born to eternal life.
Amen

Posted in CONSECRATION Prayers, GOD ALONE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SPIRITUAL WORKS of MERCY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 23 October – St Anthony Mary Claret

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 October – St Anthony Mary Claret CMF (1807-1870) Archbishop and Founder of the Claretians

“Christian perfection consists in three things:
praying heroically,
working heroically
and suffering heroically.”

“I shall be kind to everyone,
particularly to those
whom I find troublesome.”

“Although the sinner
does not believe in Hell,
he will, nevertheless, go there,
if he has the misfortune to die
in mortal sin.”

I Wish to Love Thee, My God
By St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

I wish to love Thee, my God,
with all my heart,
with all my being,
with all my strength.
I consecrate to Thee,
my thoughts,
desires, words
and actions,
whatever I have
and whatever I can be.
Let me use what I have
for Thy greater honour
and glory,
according to Thy will.
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/24/quote-s-of-the-day-24-october-st-anthony-mary-claret/

St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, EUCHARISTIC, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 22 October – O Jesus, Sweetest Love, Come Thou to Me

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Our Morning Offering – 22 October – The 21st Sunday after Pentecost

O Jesus, Sweetest Love,
Come Thou to Me
(1940)
By Fr Francis Xavier Lasance (1860–1946)

O JESUS, sweetest Love, come Thou to me.
Come down in all Thy beauty unto me.
Thou Who didst die for longing of me
And never, never more depart from me.
Free me, O beauteous God, from all but Thee;
Sever the chain that holds me back from Thee;
Call me, O tender Love, I cry to Thee;
Thou art my all! O bind me close to Thee.
O suffering Love, Who hast so loved me;
O patient Love, Who wearies not of me.
Thou alone O Love! Thou weary not of me!
Ah! Weary not till I am lost in Thee,
Nay, weary not, till I am found in Thee.
Amen

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the POOR, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 21 October – “Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”

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Thought for the Day – 21 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”

“Note that each one of us prays for “Our Daily Bread” not for “MY Daily Bread.”
We should not ask only for our own requirements but, for those of all our fellowmen, as well.

There are many poverty-stricken people for whom bread is very scarce.
We should pray especially for them and should be prepared to share our bread with those who have none.
Both charity and justice demand this of us.
Let us ask, moreover, only for our necessary requirements, not for wealth and luxury.
Anything superfluous which we possess does not belong to us but, to the poor.
“Give that which remains,” the Gospel commands, “as alms” (Lk 11:41).
Let us remember that, whether we are rich or poor, we are all one great family.
Our love for one another should not be merely theoretical but practical, otherwise we are not sincere Christians!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/20/thought-for-the-day-20-october-give-us-this-day-our-daily-bread/

Posted in CONTEMPLATIVE Prayer, franciscan OFM, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on REASON/INTELLECT, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 19 October – St Peter of Alcantara

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Quote/s of the Day – 19 October – St Peter of Alcantara OFM (1499-1562) Confessor

“The soul enjoys silence and peace,
not by many reasonings
but, by simply contemplating the Truth.”

“The trouble, is that everyone talks
about reforming others
and no-one thinks
about reforming himself.”

“In prayer, the soul cleanses itself from sin,
charity is nourished,
faith is strengthened,
hope made secure;
the spirit rejoices,
the soul grows tender
and the heart is purified,
truth discovers itself,
temptation is overcome,
sadness takes to flight,
the senses are renewed,
failing virtue is made strong,
tepidity disappears,
the rust of sin is rubbed away.
In it are brought forth,
lively flashes of heavenly desires
and in these fires,
burns the flame of Divine love.
Great are the excellences of prayer,
great its privileges.
The heavens open before it
and unveil therein, their secrets
and to it, are the ears of God ever attentive.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/10/19/quote-s-of-the-day-19-october-st-peter-of-alcantar/

A Golden Treatise of Mental Prayer

Download the book, “A Golden Treatise of Mental Prayer”

St Peter of Alcantara (1499-1562)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, SACRED HEART QUOTES, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 October – ‘ … He has written us on His hands, so as to have us always under His eyes …’

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One Minute Reflection – 19 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” St Peter of Alcantara OFM (1499-1562) Confessor – Philippians 3:7-12, Luke 12:32-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“I press on, hoping that I may lay hold of that, for which Christ Jesus, has laid hold of me.” – Philippians 3:12

REFLECTION – “Our beloved Saviour assures us, in many places, of His Holy Scriptures that He is constantly caring for and keeping watch over us that He carries and, will Himself, always carry us in His breast, His Heart, His inner being. Nor is He content to say just once, or twice, that He will carry us in this way but, He asserts and reasserts it, as many as five times, in the same place.

Furthermore, He assures us that even if a mother were to be found, who would go as far, as to forget the child she had borne in her womb, yet, He will never forget us that He has written us on His hands, so as to have us always under His eyes; that whoever touches us, touches the apple of His eye; that we should never be anxious, about what we need to live and to clothe ourselves, that He knows well, we need these things and takes care of them for us; that He has numbered the hairs on our head and not one of them will perish that His Father loves us as He loves Him and that, He loves us as His Father loves Him that He wills that we should be where He is that is to say, that we should be at rest with Him, in the breast and Heart of His Father.” – St John Eudes (1601-1680) Priest, Founder, Apostle of the Two Holy Hearts (The Kingdom of Jesus II:30).

PRAYER – O God, Who graciously made blessed Peter, Thy Confessor, glorious by the gift of remarkable penance and sublime contemplation, grant, we beseech Thee, that, by the merit of his prayers, we may the more easily understand the things of Heaven by curbing our passions. 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 DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, EUCHARISTIC ADORATION and Nocturnal, GOD ALONE!, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, SACRED HEART PRAYERS

Quote/s of the Day – 17 October – St Margaret Mary Alacoque

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Quote/s of the Day – 17 October – St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) Virgin

“Let us begin, in earnest,
to work out our salvation,
for no-one will do it for us,
since, even He Himself,
Who made us, without ourselves,
will not save us, without ourselves!”

“Keep your heart in peace
and let nothing trouble you,
not even your faults.
You must humble yourself
and amend them peacefully,
without being discouraged or cast down,
for God’s dwelling, is in peace.”

“Let every knee bend before Thee,
O greatness of my God,
so supremely humbled in the Sacred Host.
May every heart love Thee,
every spirit adore Thee
and every will be subject to Thee!”

In Thy Divine Heart
By St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)
Visionary of the Sacred Heart

Lord Jesus,
let my heart never rest
until it finds Thee,
Who are its source,
its love and its happiness.
By the wound in Thy Heart
pardon the sins I have committed,
whether out of weakness,
or out of evil desires.
Place my weak heart
in Thy own Divine Heart,
continually under Thy protection and guidance,
so that I may persevere in doing good
and in fleeing evil,
until my last breath.
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/10/17/quote-s-of-the-day-17-october-st-margaret-mary-alacoque-2/

St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

Posted in 7 GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST: Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence, Strength, Knowledge, Piety, Fear, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on SLOTH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The BEATITUDES, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HEART, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 October – ‘ … And, the greater their purity, the more they will see!’

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One Minute Reflection – 16 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – Feast of the Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Proverbs
31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field.” – Matthew 13:44

REFLECTION – “Some of the brethren think that they are excluded from the Holy Ghost’s gifts of grace. Because they neglect to practise the commandments, they do not know that he who has an unadulterated faith in Christ, has within himself, the sum total of all the Divine gifts. Since, through our laziness, we are far from having an active love for Him — a love which shows us the Divine Treasures within us — we naturally think that we are excluded from these gifts.

If, as St Paul says: “Christ dwells in our hearts through faith” (Eph 3:17) and, “all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in Him” (Col 2:3), then, all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in our hearts! They are revealed to the heart, in proportion to our purification by means of the commandments. This is the treasure, hidden in the field of your heart which you have not yet found because of your laziness. Had you found it, you would have sold everything and bought that field. But now, you have abandoned that field and give all your attention to the land nearby, where there is nothing but thorns and thistles! It is for this reason that the Saviour says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8) for He is hidden in the hearts of those who believe in Him. They shall see Him and the riches that are in Him, when they have purified themselves, through love and self-control. And, the greater their purity, the more they will see!” – St Maximus the Confessor (c580-662) Abbot and Theologian (Centuries of love 4:69).

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness, both of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness and enter into the joy of Thine eternal gladness. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, St Francis de Sales, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 14 October – The Faithful on Pilgrimage

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – St Callistus I (c218- c223) Confessor, Pope, Martyr (and remembering St Bernard our Pilgrim today) – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11, Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Simon Peter answered and said:
Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. ”

Matthew 16:16

“The fruits of the earth
are not brought to perfection immediately
but by time, rain and care.
Similarly, the fruits of men ripen
through ascetic practice,
study, time, perseverance,
self-control and patience.”

St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

“No-one should fear to suffer
for the sake of justice,
no-one should lose confidence
in the reward that has been promised.
The way to rest is through toil,
the way to life is through death.
Christ has taken on Himself
the whole weakness of our lowly human nature.
If then, we are steadfast in our faith in Him
and in our love for Him,
we win the victory that He has won,
we receive what He has promised.”

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

“Now, you must always persevere
in firmly placing all your trust in our Lord,
in the troublesome business you have in hand.
It will give you a fine opportunity
of laying a good foundation of submission
to God’s will and peace of soul.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

“If we are to reach God, Who is our goal,
it is necessary for us to know, love and serve Him.
In the hidden depths of our own being, we hear His Voice.
As our Creator, Redeemer and Benefactor,
God has the right to the undivided affection of our hearts.
This love should not be empty and sterile, however,
it should be active and effective.
Knowing and loving God,
we should feel the obligation of serving Him
as our Master, in whatever He commands,
even when this demands a heavy sacrifice on our part!”

“We should also have great confidence
in the continual assistance which God offers us
in the temptations, troubles and trials of life.
When pain torments us,
when humiliations are difficult to bear,
when all is dark. we fear each moment
and we feel abandoned, let us trust in Him,
Who is the Way, the Truth and Life.
He says to us, as He said to Peter floundering in the waves:
“O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?” (Mt 14:31).
He is always ready to console and comfort.
He is always there waiting for our call.
We are not alone!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOOD FRIDAY, INGRATITUDE, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, REDEMPTIVE Suffering, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION

Thought for the Day – 13 October – The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery – The Crucifixion

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery
The Crucifixion

“At last, Jesus reaches Calvary, breathless and reduced to utter exhaustion.
The instrument of torture is taken from Him and laid upon the ground.
Our divine Redeemer suffers acute pain as Her is again stripped of His garments, which have stuck to His wounds.
Now, He is stretched, an innocent victim, on the altar of sacrifice, the Cross.
One of the executioners grasps His hand, pierces it with a large nail and attaches it to the wood.
Then, he does the same with the other hand and with the two feet.
His Mother is close at hand.
She feels in her heart the blows of the hammer which lacerate the living flesh of Jesus.
Jesus remains silent “as a meek lamb that is carried to be a victim” (Jer 11:19).

Now, the executioners raise up the Cross and fix it in the hold already prepared for it.
The shock of this impact sends a shudder of terrible pain through the Victim’s members and entire frame.
Behold Him now, suspended between Heaven and earth, the Mediator between God and humanity, the Victim of Expiation for the innumerable sins of men.

Come near to the Cross and kiss the bloodstained feet.
While the Jews are insulting Him and most of the Apostles have abandoned Him, let us tell Him how much we love Him.
Let us tell Him of our sorrow for our sins and of our determination to make amends for our faults and for our ingratitude, by living in accordance with His teachings and example.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OUR Cross, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, ROSARY QUOTES, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 12 October – The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery – The Road to Calvary

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery
The Road to Calvary

“Scourged, crowned with thorns and derided, Jesus is finally condemned to death.
Burdened with the Cross, He sets out for the place of execution in the midst of a crowd of enemies, blasphemers and idle speculators.
Among them , there is only a tiny group which sympathises with Jesus, namely, Mary His Mother, the devout women and the beloved Apostle, St John.

The divine Redeemer goes forward laboriously beneath the heavy weight of the Cross.
He has already lost a large quantity of blood in Gethsemane and during the scourging and crowning with thorns.
His strength seems to be failing but love sustains Him.
Looking feebly around Him, He sees the mocking Jews, the indifferent and disrespectful Roman soldiers and a throng of curious spectators looking for something to amuse them.
Is there nobody else?
Where are those whom He cured miraculously and those whom He comforted and forgave?
Has nobody any pity for Him?
Suddenly the crowd falls silent.
A woman, pale and tearful, is approaching Him, supported by her friends.
She defies the commands of soldiers and the scowls of the executions and comes close to Him.

Here and there, a murmur is heard – It must be His Mother, poor woman!
Jesus and Mary gaze at one another.
It would be impossible for us to guess at the immense depths of love contained in that loving exchange of glances.
Neither utters a word, for no words could express their anguish, nor manifest their love.
They look and understand one another, offering themselves as a holocaust for the redemption of wayward humanity.

Nevertheless, in this silent meeting, there was great consolation for the Heart of Jesus, for He had found someone who loved and understood Him, amongst those malicious throngs.
Why do we not sympathise with Him too and love Him with all our hearts?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, St Francis de Sales, The HOLY GHOST, The LAMB of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 12 October – That you may abound in hope … Romans 15:13

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Quote/s of the Day – 12 October – Romans 15:4-13. Matthew 11:2-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Now, the God of hope,
fill you with all joy and peace
in believing – that you may abound in hope
and in the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Romans 15:13

“And as soon as He sees you seek Him fervently,
He will make Himself known to you.
He will appear to you, grant you His help,
bestow the victory on you
and save you from your enemies.
In fact, when He sees how you are looking for Him,
how you continually place all your hope in Him,
then He will instruct you,
teach you true prayer,
give you that authentic charity that is Himself.
Then, He will become everything to you:
your Paradise, Life-giving Tree,
Precious Pearl, Crown, Architect, Farmer,
One subject to suffering
but not afflicted with suffering,
Man, God, Wine, Living Water,
Lamb, Bridegroom, Soldier, Armour,
Christ Who is “All in All” (1Cor 1B,28).

St Macarius of Egypt (c300-390)

“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.”

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

“Great indeed is the confidence
which God requires us to have
in His paternal care and in His Divine Providence
but why should we not have it,
seeing that no-one has ever been deceived in it?
No-one ever trusts in God
without reaping the fruits of his confidence.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

(Spiritual Conferences 6)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MEDITATION, QUOTES on PURITY of INTENTION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 October – ‘ … Stay close to Him at all times …’

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One Minute Reflection – 10 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572) Confessor, Priest of the Society of Jesus, – Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29

REFLECTION – “We must follow Christ, cleaving to Him, nor should we forsake Him until we die. As Elisha said to his master: “ As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you ” (2 Kgs 2:2) … So, let us follow Christ and stay close to Him! “To be near God is my good” says the Psalmist (72:28). “ My soul clings fast to Thee; Thy right hand upholds me ” (Ps 62:9). And Saint Paul adds : “ Whoever is joined to the Lord becomes One Spirit with Him ” (1 Cor 6:17). Not just One Body but One Spirit. His whole body lives from the Spirit of Christ through the Body of Christ, we attain to the Spirit of Christ. Remain, therefore, by faith, in Christ’s Body and you will become One Spirit with Him. You are already united to His Body through faith, in vision, you will also be united to Him in spirit. Not that we shall see without a body when we are above but our bodies will be spiritual (1 Cor 15:44).

“Father,” Christ said : “I pray that they may all be one, as Thou, art in Me and I in Thee, that the world may believe” this is what union through faith is. And later He asks: “” this is union through vision.

This is how we are spiritually nourished by the Body of Christ – by having a pure faith in Him, by continually seeking the content of this faith in assiduous meditation and, in this way, discovering, with our minds, what it is we are looking for, by loving passionately, the object of our discovery and imitating, as far as possible, Him Whom we love and, even as we imitate Him, by staying close to Him at all times, so that we may come to everlasting union with Him.” – Guigo II “The Angelic” O.Cart. (Died c1188) The 9th Prior of Grande Chartreuse, from 1174 to 1180 (Meditation 10).

PRAYER – O Lord Jesus Christ, model of true humility and its reward, we beseech Thee, that as Thou made blessed Francis one of Thy glorious imitators, by his contempt for earthly honours, grant us to follow his example and to share in his glory.Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, ROSARY QUOTES, ROSARY REFLECTIONS and QUOTES, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 9 October – The Second Sorrowful Mystery, The Scourging

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Second Sorrowful Mystery
The Scourging

“Tradition holds that Mary followed Jesus through the various stages of His Passion.
It is impossible to believe that she would have abandoned Him in these tragic hours.
She must, at least, have known of the cruel flogging which He endured and, while His body was being torn by lashes, she was most probably not far away, participating, by her maternal sorrow, in her Son’s torment.
Here, then, was a double Martyrdom – the Martyrdom of Blood and the Martyrdom of tears.

Life demands the shedding of blood and the shedding of tears!
What are the motives which cause you sorrow in life?
Are yours the tears of unsated ambition, of frustrated caprice, or of discouragement in times of trouble?
Such tears are not worthy of a Christian.
His, should be tears of repentance for his sins and tears of love for Jesus and Mary.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/09/thought-for-the-day-9-october-the-second-sorrowful-mystery-the-scourging/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/09/thought-for-the-day-9-october-the-second-sorrowful-mystery-the-scourging-2/

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 October – “Everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.” – Matthew 22:5

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One Minute Reflection – 8 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303-1373) Widow – Ephesians 4:23-28, Matthew 22:1-14 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Everything is ready; come to the marriage feast.” – Matthew 22:5

REFLECTION – “Everything is ready. Come to the marriage feast.” But the people invited asked to be excused. They went “one to his farm, another to his business”… This astonishing busy-ness and constant agitation which stir the world, are seen, alas, only too often. The prodigious amount of clothing, food, buildings which we have and the many things, half of which would be ample enough, make one dizzy. This life should be nothing other, than a passage to eternity. With all our strength, we have to pull ourselves away from this exuberant activity and diversity, from all that is not absolutely necessary and, we must become recollected in ourselves, become attached to our vocation, consider where, how and in what manner, the Lord has called us – one to interior contemplation, the other to activity and a third… to interior quiet, in the calm silence of divine darkness, in unity of spirit.

Even these latter, are sometimes called by God to exterior, sometimes to interior actions, according to His good pleasure, yet,, the man pays no attention to his call. But if the person, who is called, interiorly to noble and calm silence, in the emptiness of the dark cloud, (Ex 24:18) was always wanting to forgo all charitable work because of it, then it would not be good. And unfortunately, the numbers of those today, who wish to carry out extra works of charity, are very rare . … The Gospel tells us too that the Master found one of His guests seated at the banquet who was not wearing the wedding garment. The wedding garment, which, this guest was lacking, is pure, true and divine charity, the true intention of seeking God which excludes all love of self and of all which is foreign to God – it wants only that which God wants. … To those who seek themselves, our Lord says: “My friend, how did you come in here without the garment of true charity?” They sought the gifts of God, rather than God Himself!” – Father Johnnes Tauler OP (c1300-1361) Dominican Friar, renowned Preacher and Theologian (Sermon 74 in honour of St Cordula (Died c450) Virgin Martyr, Companion of St Ursula).

PRAYER – O Lord, our God, Who through Thy Only-begotten Son revealed secrets to blessed Bridget, grant that through her kind intercession, we, Thy servants, may rejoice and be glad in the revelation of Thy eternal glory. 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 CHRISTMASTIDE!, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, ROSARY QUOTES, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Thought for the Day – 5 October – The Third Joyful Mystery, The Birth of Jesus

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Third Joyful Mystery
The Birth of Jesus

“Like the simple shepherds, let us prostrate ourselves with faith and with love before the Manger.
Let us offer, as our gifts, our good resolutions; let us offer our hearts and ask God to change them and make them entirely His forever.

Quite suddenly, the darkness of the night and the wretchedness of the cave was illuminated by a bright light from Heaven.
While men were unaware of, or indifferent to, the miraculous event which had taken place, bands of Angels descended from Heaven and sang: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among men of goodwill” (Lk 2:13-14).
Joseph bent over the Divine Infant and silently adored Him, while the Blessed Virgin knelt at His Feet in loving contemplation.

Let us too, learn to adore and love Him, as His Mother and Foster-Father did.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/05/thought-for-the-day-5-october-the-third-joyful-mystery-the-birth-of-jesus/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HOLY WEEK, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Our Morning Offering – 5 October – I Will Love Thee, Lord

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Our Morning Offering – 5 October

I Will Love Thee, Lord
By St Thomas of Villanova (1488-1555)

I will love Thee, Lord,
in every way
and without setting limits
to my love.
Thou set no limits to what Thou
hast done for me;
Thou hast not measured Thy gifts.
I will not measure my love.
I will love Thee, Lord,
with all my strength,
with all my powers,
as much as I am able.
Amen

Posted in APRIL -MONTH of the RESURRECTION and the BLESSED SACAMENT, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, EASTER, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DOUBT, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on TRUTH, The HEART, The RESURRECTION, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 4 October – St Francis of Assisi

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Quote/s of the Day – 4 October – St Francis of Assisi (c1181–1226) Confessor, Founder

“All I want to know is Christ
and the power flowing
from His Resurrection!”

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

“Be strengthened in Almighty God
and in the power of His might,
for with His help, nothing is difficult.
Throw off the heavy load of your own will,
cast aside the burden of sin
and gird yourselves as valiant warriors!
Forget what you are leaving behind;
strain forward to the great things before you.
I tell you that every place where you set foot,
shall be yours.
For the Spirit Who goes before your face
is Christ the Lord.
He will carry you to the topmost peak
in the arms of His Love.”

“Keep a clear eye toward life’s end.
Do not forget your purpose
and destiny as God’s creature.
What you are in His sight,
is what you are and nothing more.
Remember that when you leave this earth,
you can take nothing that you have received…
but only what you have given – a full heart
enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.”

Great and Glorious God
By St Francis of Assisi (c1181-1226)

Great and glorious God,
my Lord Jesus Christ!
I implore Thee to enlighten me
and to disperse the darkness of my soul.
Give me true faith, firm hope and perfect charity.
Grant me, O Lord, to know Thee so well
that in all things I may act by Thy Light
and in accordance with Thy holy Will.
Amen

Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace.
“The Peace Prayer”
By St Francis of Assisi (c1181–1226

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving
that we receive;
it is in pardoning
that we are pardoned
and it is in dying,
that we are born to eternal life.
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/10/04/quote-s-of-the-day-4-october-st-francis-of-assisi/

St Francis of Assisi (c1181–1226)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 October – “For My yoke is sweet and My burden light.” – Matthew 11:30

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 4 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – St Francis of Assisi OFM (c1181–1226) Confessor, Founder – Galatians 6:14-18, Matthew 11:25-30 Scripture Search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“For My yoke is sweet and My burden light.” – Matthew 11:30

REFLECTION – “People who complain about the roughness of the Lord’s yoke have possibly not completely rejected, the heavy load of the lusts of the world, or, if they did reject them, they have enslaved themselves to them again, to their greater shame! Outwardly, they carry the yoke of the Lord but inwardly, they submit their shoulders to the burden of the world’s cares. They set on the balance of the Lord’s yoke, the hardships and difficulties which they inflict on themselves… As for the yoke of the Lord – it is “sweet and its burden light”.

Indeed, what is sweeter, what more glorious, than to see oneself lifted up above the world by the scorn one shows it and, seated at the summit of a conscience at peace, to have the whole world at one’s feet? Then, one sees nothing to desire, nothing to fear, nothing to envy, nothing of one’s own which might be taken away, no evil which might be caused one, by another. The eyes of the heart turn towards “an inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled and unfading which is kept for us in Heaven” (1 Pt 1:4). With a sort of greatness of soul, one gives little importance to this world’s goods – they pass away; to the pleasures of the flesh – they are contaminated; to the world’s pomp – it fades and, in one’s joy, one repeats the words of the Prophet: “All mankind is grass and all its glory like the flower of the field; the grass withers, the flower fades but the Word of the Lord remains forever” (Is 40:6-8)… In charity – and nowhere but in charity – dwells true tranquillity and true sweetness, for, it is the yoke of the Lord!” – St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167) Cistercian Monk (The Mirror of charity I:30-31).

PRAYER – O God, Who by the good works of blessed Francis enriched Thy Church by establishing a new religious family, grant us to imitate him by emulation of him, by looking upon the things of earth as nought and ever to rejoice in sharing Thy heavenly gifts. 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!, GOD is LOVE, GOOD FRIDAY, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 4 October – I Beg Thee, Lord By St Francis of Assisi

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 4 October – St Francis of Assisi OFM (c1181–1226) Confessor, Deacon, Founder, Mystic, Stigmatist.

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

Posted in CARMELITES, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on JEALOUSY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on VOCATIONS

Quote/s of the Day – 3 October – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 October – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873–1897)

“A soul, in a state of grace,
has nothing to fear from demons –
who are cowards.”

“Trust and trust alone,
should lead us to love.”

“Love alone, have I ever given to the good God;
with love, He will repay me.”

“Then, overcome by joy, I cried:
‘Jesus, my love.’
At last I have found my vocation.
My vocation is love.
In the heart of the Church,
my mother, I will be love
and then I will be all things!”

“The splendour of the rose
and the whiteness of the lily,
do not rob the little violet of its scent,
nor the daisy of its simple charm.
If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose,
spring would lose its loveliness.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/10/03/quote-s-of-the-day-3-october-st-therese/

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

Posted in CARMELITES, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, SACRED HEART PRAYERS

Our Morning Offering – 3 October – Let Me Sing the Song of Love

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Our Morning Offering – 3 October – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873 – 1897)

Let Me Sing the Song of Love
By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus
and the Holy Face (1873 – 1897)

Deepen Thy love in me, O Lord
that I may learn, in my inmost heart
how sweet it is to love, to be dissolved
and to plunge myself into Thy love.
Let Thy love possess
and raise me above myself,
with a fervour and wonder beyond imagination.
Let me sing the song of love.
Let me follow Thee into the heights.
Let my soul spend itself in Thy praise,
rejoicing for love.
Let me love Thee more than myself
and myself, only for Thy sake.
Let me love others, as Thy law commands.
Amen

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, Holy Name PRAYERS, I BELIEVE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PHYSICAL SICKNESS, ILLNESS, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on STRENGTH, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The HOLY NAME

Our Morning Offering – 30 September – Merciful Jesus! by St Jerome

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Our Morning Offering – 30 September – St Jerome (347-419) Confessor, Father and Doctor, Priest, Monk, Translator of the Scriptures into Latin (the Vulgate), Theologian, Historian, Hermit, Mystic.

Merciful Jesus!
Stretch Forth Thy Hand of Mercy
(Excerpt – Prayer in a Time of Anguish)
By St Jerome (347-419)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Merciful Jesus!
Thou art my strength, my refuge and my deliverer;
in Thee I have believed and hoped;
in Thee have I loved.
Call me now, I beseech Thee and I will answer.
Stretch forth Thy hand of mercy, to the work of Thy hands
and let me not perish, whom Thou hast redeemed
with Thy precious blood.
It is now time for dust to return to dust
and my spirit to Thee Who gavest it.
Open then, Lord, the gate of life and receive me.
Receive me most merciful Lord,
according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies,
Who receivedst the thief on the cross
and now prepare my soul for hearing
the same promise of mercy which he did.
I am ill, O Lord and Thee my Physician.
Heal me then, my God and I shall be healed,
let me not be confounded, for I put my trust in Thee.
In Thee have I hoped – let me not be cast off forever!
… Deal not with me, according to what I deserve,
nor chastise me, according to my iniquities
but help me, O God, my Saviour
and for the glory of Thy Name deliver me.
Now, at this hour, show mercy to me
and whenever I depart, receive me
into the number of Thy family that I, may be one of those,
who are to praise Thee forever.
Amen

IMAGE – Ribera, Jusepe de, lo Spagnoletto (Spanish) 1644 Oil on Canvas