Category: QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD ALONE!, LENT 2021, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, Thomas a Kempis

Our Morning Offering – 6 April – I Will Love and Follow You

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Our Morning Offering – 6 April – Wednesday of Passion Week, the Fifth Week of Lent

I Will Love and Follow You
By Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)

Oh my Lord,
Let my heart expand in Your love.
Let me learn to know
how sweet it is, to serve You,
how joyful it is, to praise You
and to be absorbed in Your love.
Oh, I am possessed by love
and rise above myself
because of the great fervour I feel,
through Your infinite goodness.
I will sing the canticle of love to You
and I will follow You, my Beloved,
wherever You go
and may my soul never weary of praising You,
rejoicing in Your love.
I will love You more than myself
and myself, only for Your sake.
I will love all others in You
and for You,
as Your law of love commands.
Amen

(Book 3 Ch 5:6)

Posted in DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on VANITY, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 5 April – St Vincent Ferrer

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 April – Tuesday in Passion Week – and the Memorial of St Vincent Ferrer OP (1350-1419)

“Whatever you do,
think NOT of yourself
but OF God.”

“Once humility is acquired,
charity will come to life
like a burning flame devouring
the corruption of vice
and filling the heart so full,
that there is no place for vanity.”…

“A vain question deserves nothing
but silence.
So learn to be silent for a time;
you will edify your brethren
and silence will teach you,
to speak when the hour is come.”

St Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419)

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OUR Cross, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES: JUSTICE, PRUDENCE, TEMPERANCE, FORTITUDE

Thought for the Day – 3 April – THE CRUCIFIX

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

THE CRUCIFIX

“Let us weep for our sins and increase in love for our Divine Redeemer.
When we are oppressed by the weight of our own cross, we shall look at the Crucifix and find comfort.
When we are tempted, we shall grasp the Crucifix and turn away with horror from thoughts of sin and ingratitude.

The Crucifix will teach us, as it taught the Saints, the lesson of charity towards God and towards our neighbour.
It will teach us to hate sin and to love virtue.
If we cherish it during life, it will be our consolation to kiss the Crucifix at the moment of death.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/04/thought-for-the-day-4-august-the-crucifix/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/09/25/thought-for-the-day-25-september-the-crucifix/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, SAINT of the DAY, The LAST THINGS, The PASSION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 April – ‘I will be with those who love Me.’

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One Minute Reflection – 2 April – Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent – Isaias 49:8-15, John 8:12-20 and the Memorial of St Francis of Paola OM (1416-1507)

“You know neither Me nor My Father. If you knew Me, you would then know My Father also.” – John 8:19

REFLECTION – “[Christ speaks:]
I became useless to those who knew Me not
because I shall hide Myself, from those who possessed Me not.
And I will be with those who love Me.
All my persecutors have died
and they, who trusted in Me, sought Me because I am living!
I arose and am with them and will speak by their mouths.
For they have rejected those who persecute them
and I threw over them, the yoke of My love.
Like the arm of the bridegroom over the bride (cf Sg 2,6),
so is My yoke over those who know Me.
And as the bridal feast is spread out by the bridal pair’s home,
So is My love, by those who believe in Me.

I was not rejected,
although I was considered to be so
and I did not perish,
although they thought it of Me.
Sheol saw Me and was shattered
and Death ejected Me and many with Me.
I have been vinegar and bitterness to it
and I went down with it as far as its depth.
Death was released
because it was not able to endure My Face.

And I made a congregation of living, among his dead (1P 3,19; 4,6)
and I spoke with them, by living lips;
in order that My word may not fail.
And those who had died ran toward Me
and they cried out and said, “Son of God, have pity on us.
And deal with us according to Your kindness
and bring us out from the chains of darkness.
And open for us, the door
by which we may go forth to You,
for we perceive, that our death does not approach You.
May we also be saved with You
because You are our Saviour.”

Then I heard their voice
and placed their faith in My Heart.
And I placed My Name upon their forehead (Rv 14,1)
because they are free and they are Mine! – Odes of Solomon (Hebrew Christian text from the beginning of the 2nd century) N° 42

PRAYER – O God, the greatness of the humble, Who raised blessed Francis, Your Confessor, to the glory of Your Saints, grant, we beseech You, that, by his merits and our imitation of his life, we may happily attain the rewards promised to the humble.
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 CATHOLIC TIME, CHRIST the KING, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, LENT 2022, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MERIT, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION

Thought for the Day – 31 March – TEMPTATION

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

TEMPTATION

“When a man fears and loves God, temptation is the great trial which he can endure.
“No-one is so perfect and holy,” says The Imitation of Christ, “as not, sometimes to have temptation and we never can be wholly free from them.
Nevertheless, temptations are often very profitable to a man, troublesome and grievous though they may be; for in them a man is humbled, purified and instructed.
All the Saints passed through many tribulations and temptations and profited by them
And they that could not support temptation became reprobate and fell away …

A man is never wholly secure from temptation as long as he lives, for there is within us the source of temptation, since we were born in concupiscence.

Inconstancy of mind and little confidence in God, is the beginning of all evil temptations.
For as a ship without a helm is driven to and fro by the waves, so the man who is negligent and gives up his resolutions, is tempted in varioys ways.
Fire tries iron and temptation a just man” (Bk 1, C 13).

These words from The Imitation of Christ, should encourage us.
God sends us temptations in order to test our virtue and to make us understand, that we are in continual need of Him.
The important thing is to overcome them with the help of His grace, for a thousand temptations do not constitute a single sin!
When we are prepared to make sacrifices and to rely upon God’s assistance, temptations can be a source of merit for us.

“Blessed is the man who endures temptations,” writes St James, “for when he has beeen tried, he will receive the crown of life which God haqs premised to those who love Him” (js 1:12).

We should not fear temptations nor be discouraged by them.
Instead we should watch and pray and love God above all!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Thought for the Day – 30 March – The Hour of Trial

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Thought for the Day – 30 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Hour of Trial

“We should meditate on the following passage from The Imitation of Christ.

“Just Father, ever to be praised, the hour is come for Your servant to be tried. Beloved Father, it is right that in this hour Your servant should suffer something for You. O Father, forever to be honoured, the hour which You knew from all eternity is at hand, when, for a short time, Your servant should be outwardly oppressed but inwardly, should ever live with You.

Let him be a little slighted, let him be humbled, let him fail in the sight of men, let him be afflicted with sufferings and pains, so that he may rise again with You in the dawn of the New Light and be glorified in Heaven.”

“Holy Father, You have so appointed and wished it. What has happened is what You commanded. For this is a favour to Your friend, to suffer and be troubled in the world for Your love, no matter how often and by whom, You permit it to happen to him.”

“Grant me, O Lord, the grace to know what should be known, to praise what is most pleasing to You, to esteem that, which appears most precious to You and to abhor what is unclean in Your sight.” (Bk III c 50).

In the light of these reflections, every trial will be bearable and, by the grace of God, even welcome!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/18/thought-for-the-day-18-february-the-hour-of-trial/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/30/thought-for-the-day-30-march-the-hour-of-trial/

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 29 March – Holiness

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

Holiness

“We need Saints to recall our wayward and corrupt society to the path of truth, justice and charity.
We should pray to God to send us Saints who will reform the world by living the Gospel and making it live for others.
Above all, we should endeavour to become holy ourselves.
To achieve this, we do not have to put on sack-cloth, go into the de4sert, or shut ourselves up in a Monastery.
Each of us can become a saint in his own home and in whatever position God has allotted him.
All we have to do is obey God’s Will in everything, love Him above everything, love our neighbour as ourselves, avoid sin and aim at what is good.
We can and should, do all this with the help of God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/07/19/thought-for-the-day-19-july-holiness/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/29/thought-for-the-day-29-march-holiness/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 25 March – Why God Created Us

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

Why God Created Us

“We should ask the reason for everything which comes from the Hand of God.
Have you ever seriously considered WHY you are in this world?
It is certainly not for the sake of this passing earthly existence, for the sake of earning your living, or enjoying yourself.
You know well, that the passing pleasures of this life do not satisfy the human heart and cannot be the final goal of life.
Each one of us has a thirst for all that is infinite, eternal and perfect.
God alone can satisfy this thirst.
Just as we are created by God, so we are created for Him.
Just as we came from God, so we are gradually travelling back towards Him, for He is the final goal of our earthly journey.
We should meditate on this great truth which we were first taught in the Catechism, namely, that we were created to know, love and serve God on this earth and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven.
Let us not allow ourselves to be dazzled by earthly beauty.
God alone is the eternal beauty which will satisfy our hearts.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/26/thought-for-the-day-26-march-why-god-created-us/

Apologies – the Dear Cardinal went missing yesterday , without leave- due to an Operator error, ‘Moi‘ 🙄

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LENT 2022, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MERCY, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART

Wednesday day of the Third Week of Lent – 23 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – ‘… With our whole heart and our whole mind.’

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Wednesday day of the Third Week of Lent – 23 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – Exodus 20:12-24, Matthew 15:1-20

“Have pity on me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord.” – Psalm 6:3

“… This people honours me
with their lips but their heart
is far from Me … ”

Matthew 15:7

“GREAT IS THE MERCY that Jesus Christ has shown us. The first benefit that we owe to His mercy, is that we, who are living, do not sacrifice to dead gods or worship them but have, through Christ, attained a knowledge of the Father. What else is knowledge of the Father but the recognition of His Son, through Whom this knowledge comes to us? He Himself declares: – Everyone who acknowledges Me, I in My turn will acknowledge in the presence of the Father. This then will be our reward if we acknowledge Him through Whom we have been saved. But how shall we show that we acknowledge Him? By doing what He says, by not disobeying His commands and by honouring Him. not only with our lips but with our whole heart and our whole mind. For He says in Isaiahs This people pays me lip service but its heart is far from me.

LET US NOT ONLY CALL HIM LORD, for that will not save us. Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will be saved, He warns but only the man who does what is right. So then, brothers, let us show our faith in Him by our deeds, by loving one another, by not committing adultery, by not finding fault with one another, or being envious. Instead, let us be chaste, merciful and kind. We should also have compassion for one another and, not be covetous. We have to prove that we believe in Him by performing such actions as these and by avoiding whatever is contrary to them, since we fear God rather than men. Should we fail to do so, we have the Lord’s warning:- If you do not keep my commandments, even though I had pressed you to my heart, I will thrust you away from me and say to you: Out of my sight, you whose deeds are evil; you are complete strangers to me.

THEREFORE, MY BROTHERS, let us enter the lists in the knowledge that the contest is imminent. Many men travel far to contend for a crown that soon fades, yet not all of them win but only those who have strained every nerve and competed fairly. Let us so contend, that we may all be crowned. Let us run a straight course in the race of the Christian life, setting out in great numbers to take part in it and then striving for the crown with all our might. Even if we are not all able to win, at least let us draw near to victory.

NOW, WE MUST SURELY KNOW, that even when the contest is for a wreath that lasts but a day, if anyone is found to be breaking the rules, he is flogged and driven off the racecourse. What do you suppose, then, will be the fate of the man who breaks the rules in the contest of the Christian life? Of those who have not kept the seal of their Baptism unbroken, Scripture says: The worm does not die and the fire is never extinguished. They will be a spectacle to all men.” – Anonymous Ancient Christian Writer – ACW (An excerpt from a Second Century Homily).

Posted in 7 GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST: Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence, Strength, Knowledge, Piety, Fear, AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FRUITS of the SPIRIT, GOD the FATHER, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, The HEART, The HOLY GHOST, The TEN COMMANDMENTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 March – ‘But why did the first Law, written with the Finger of God (Ex 31:18), not give us the essential assistance of grace?’ – St Augustine

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One Minute Reflection – 23 March – Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent – Exodus 20:12-24, Matthew 15:1-20

“Hypocrites, well did Isaias prophesy of you, saying, ‘This people honours me with their lips but their heart is far from Me and in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrine, the precepts of men.’ ” – Matthew 15:7

REFLECTION – “The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has freed you from the law of sin and death” (Rm 8:2) … Saint Paul says that the Law of Moses has been given to prove our weakness and not just to prove it but, to increase it and thus force us to find the Doctor. … “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more” (Rm 5:20; cf. 3:20) … But why did the first Law, written with the Finger of God (Ex 31:18), not give us the essential assistance of grace? Because it was written on tablets of stone, not the tablets of flesh, that are our hearts (2 Cor 3:3) ….

It is the Holy Spirit Who writes “the Law of the Spirit of life” not on stone but in the heart; this Law of the Spirit of life that is in Jesus Christ in Whom the Passover has been celebrated in truth (1 Cor 5:7-8), has delivered you from the law of sin and death. Do you want to have proof of the manifest and certain difference separating the Old Testament from the New? … Hear what the Lord spoke by the mouth of one of the prophets. … ”I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts” (Jr 31:33). So if God’s Law is written in your heart, it does not bring forth fear [as at Sinai] but pours a secret sweetness into your soul.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 155, 6 ).

PRAYER – Breathe in Me, O Holy Spirit By St Augustine (354-420)

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit,
that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit,
that my work, too, may be holy.
Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit,
that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit,
to defend all that is holy.
Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit,
that I always may be holy.
Amen

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 21 March – The Power of God’s Love in the Christian Life

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

The Power of God’s Love in the Christian Life

“As has been said, love must be active and effective, as well as coming from the heart.
This is still not sufficient, however.
Love tends towards an intimate union with the person loved and does not rest, until this union is achieved.
This is the unity of love.
The Saints reached this high level of charity.
They lived in God and were permanently united to God, as if theyt formed part of His Being.
“It is now, no longer I that live,” exclaimed St Paul, “but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20).

If only we could succeed in achieving such a complete and lasting union with God, any sacrifice would seem easy and we should certainly grow in sanctity.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/24/thought-for-the-day-24-march-the-power-of-gods-love-in-the-christian-life/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/21/thought-for-the-day-24-march/

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Thought for the Day – 20 March – Charitable Works

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Thought for the Day – 20 March – Meditations with
Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Charitable Works

“When Jesus was asked, what was the first commandment, He replied: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than this” (Mk 12:30-31).
As St Augustine says, the love of God and the love of neighbour are two branches of the same tree, the tree of charity.
“If anyone says, ‘I love God’ and hates his brother,” St John warns us, “he is a liar” (1 Jn 4:20).

We must prove our love for God by showing charity towards our neighbour.
All men are our brothers in Jesus Christ, Who has redeemed us by His Precious Blood.
Our Lord has said that He will regard as done for Himself, anything which we do for the least of our brethren (Mt 25:10).

Like the Saints, we should see Jesus Himself living in the poor and the suffering.
The Saints gave Him everything they had, not only their possessions but also their toil and their love.

Think how much those missionaries do who leave everything in order to go to foreign lands and win souls for Christ.
Think of the charitable work of the sisters and nurses in the hospitals, asylums and orphanages.
What are we doing?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/21/thought-for-the-day-21-march-charitable-works/

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, LENT 2022, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), The HEART, The WORD

The Third Sunday of Lent – 20 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – ‘The will is drawn also by love. ‘

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The Third Sunday of Lent – 20 March – Ou4 Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – Ephesians 5:1-9, Luke 11:14-28

“My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He will free my feet from the snare. Look toward me and have pity on me, for I am alone and afflicted.” – Psalm 24:15-16

“He who is not with Me,
is against Me
and he who does not gather
with Me scatters.”

Luke 11:23

“NO-ONE COMES TO ME unless the Father draws him. Do not think that you are drawn against your will – the will is drawn also by love. We must not be afraid of men who weigh words but are far from understanding what belongs above all to Divine Truth. They may find fault with this passage of Scripture and say to us: “How can I believe of my own free will if I am drawn to believe?” I answer: “It is not enough that you are moved by the will, for you are drawn also by desire.”

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, to be drawn by desire? Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. The heart has its own desires; it takes delight, for example, in the bread from heaven. The poet could say: “Everyone is drawn by his own desire,” not by necessity but by desire, not by compulsion but by pleasure. We can say then with greater force, that one who finds pleasure in Truth, in Happiness, in Justice, in Everlasting Life, is drawn to Christ, for Christ is all these things.

ARE OUR BOIDLY SENSES to have their desires but not the will? If the will does not have its desires, how can Scripture say: The children of men will find their hope under the shadow of your wings, they will drink their fill from the plenty of your house and you will give them drink from the running stream of your delights, for with you is the fountain of life, and in your light we shall see light.

SHOW ME ONE WHO LOVES; he knows what I mean. Show me one who is full of longing, one who is hungry, one who is a pilgrim and suffering from thirst in the desert of this world, eager for the fountain in the homeland of eternity; show me someone like that and he knows what I mean. But if I speak to someone without feeling, he does not understand what I am saying.

YOU HAVE ONLY to show a leafy branch to a sheep and it is drawn to it. If you show nuts to a boy, he is drawn to them. He runs to them because he is drawn, drawn by love, drawn without any physical compulsion, drawn by a chain attached to his heart. “Everyone is drawn by his own desire. ” This is a true saying and earthly delights and pleasures, set before those who love them, succeed in drawing them. If this is so, are we to say that Christ, revealed and set before us by the Father, does not draw us? What does the soul desire more than truth? Why then does the soul have hungry jaws, a spiritual palate as it were, sensitive enough to judge the truth, if not in order to eat and drink Wisdom, Justice, Truth, Eternal Life?

BLESSED ARE THOSE who hunger and thirst for justice, that is, here on earth. They shall be satisfied, that is, in Heaven. Christ says: I give each what he loves, I give each the object of his hope; he will see what he believed in, though without seeing it. What he now hungers for, he will eat; what he now thirsts for, he will drink to the full. When? At the resurrection of the dead, for I will raise him up on the last day.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Great Western Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church (An excerpt from his Treatise 26).

Posted in CHRIST the KING, GOD ALONE!, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The HOLY GHOST, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 18 March – St Cyril of Jerusalem

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Quote/s of the Day – 18 March – The Memorial of St Cyril of Jerusalem (c 313-386) Bishop of Jerusalem, Confessor and Father & Doctor of the Church

“For His body, has been given to you
under the appearance of bread
and His blood, under the appearance of wine,
so that, when you have partaken
of the body and blood of Christ,
you might be one body and one blood with Him.
So shall we become Christ-bearers [“Christophers”].
His body and blood are diffused through all our members – see, then,
how we become participants
in the divine nature!”

“Do not rejoice in the Cross only in times of peace,
preserve the same faith in times of persecution.
Do not be a friend to Jesus in times of peace alone,
only to become His enemy in times of war.
You are now receiving forgiveness for your sins
and the spiritual gifts lavishly bestowed by your King so,
when war breaks out, fight valiantly for your King.”

“Our actions have a tongue of their own,
they have an eloquence of their own,
even when the tongue is silent.
For deeds prove the lover more than words.”

“His action is preceded
by the beaming rays of His light and knowledge.
He comes with the truth of the real Protector;
for He comes to save, to lead, to teach, to counsel,
to strengthen, to console,
to illumine in the first place the mind of the person
who receives Him
and through that person‘s works,
the minds of others.”

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/18/quote-s-of-the-day-18-march-st-cyril-of-jerusalem/

“On the Twofold Coming of Christ”
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/12/01/thought-for-the-day-1-december-on-the-twofold-coming-of-christ-st-cyril-of-jerusalem/

“The Holy Catholic Church”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (c 313-386)
Father and Doctor of theChurch

Posted in QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on TEMPTATION

Thought for the Day – 17 March – The Consolation of Prayer

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 17 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Consolation of Prayer

“We can gain strength and comfort from prayer, especially when we are tempted and in danger of yielding to sin.
God may not answer us immediately because He may wish to try our faith and love.
But, if we persist and tell Jesus that we would die rather than offend Him, He will take pity on us.
He will stretch out His Hand as He did in the storm tossed boat with the Apostles and over us also, there will come “a great calm” (Mt 8:26, Mk 4:39, Lk 8:24).
Any sacrifice on our part is amply repaid by the peace which follows victory over temptation.

Let us not be afraid!
Let us pray and God will console us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/17/thought-for-the-day-17-march-the-consolation-of-prayer/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 16 March – The Spirit of Prayer

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Thought for the Day – 16 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Spirit of Prayer

“The spirit of prayer is the spirit of the love of God and this should inspire all our vocal prayers.
Flowery petitions are no use if our minds and hearts are turned away from God.
God wants our hearts.
This is why He complained that “this people honours Me with their lips but their heart is far from Me” (Nt 15:8, Mk 7:6).

Remember the apt expression of St Augustine: “To pray is to love. Whoever loves God well, prays a great deal. A man who is lacking in love, prays very little. A man who does not love God at all, never prays, or if he does, he recites coldly, the usual formulae and disregards Christ’s warning: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God! (Mt 4:7).”

Let us pray often but let our prayers be sincere acts of the love of God, coming from the heart.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/14/thought-for-the-day-14-march-the-spirit-of-prayer/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/15/thought-for-the-day-15-february-the-spirit-of-prayer/

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 16 March – The Proof of our Love

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Quote/s of the Day – 16 March – Wednesday of the Second week of Lent – Esther 13:8-11; 15-17, Matthew 20:17-28

“Are you able to drink the cup
that I am to drink?”

Matthew 20:22

“… Now is the time in this life of suffering,
when we journey apart from Him.
… So let us fast and pray now
because, we are in the days of childbirth!”

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

“Only let it be in the name of Jesus Christ,
that I may suffer together with Him!
I endure everything
because He Himself,
Who is perfect man, empowers me.”

St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35–107) Martyr

“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

“To labour and to suffer
for the One we love,
is the greatest proof of our love.”

St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 March – Persevere to the end and prefer to die rather than abandon the post to which God has called you!

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One Minute Reflection – 13 March – The Second Sunday of Lent – Daniel 3:47-51, Matthew 17:1-9 and “The Month of St Joseph”

“Lord, it is good for us to be here” – Matthew 17:4

REFLECTION – “Rejoice and be happy! Persevere to the end and prefer to die rather than abandon the post to which God has called you!

But embrace the Cross with patience and hide in God’s breast with your troubles: fix your eyes on the Lamb immolated for your sake and always be content with what God gives you and destines for you. We must act like this because we are sure that God is calling us and has chosen for us ,what will make us the most pleasing in His sight. Thus you will go from light to light and the pains endured for the sake of Jesus Crucified will be delightful to you, whereas the pleasures and consolations of the world ,will become bitter.

You will begin to taste, even in this life, a foretaste of eternal life, for the principal beatitude of the soul in Heaven is to be confirmed forever in the Will of the Father. Thus it tastes the divine sweetness. But it will never taste it in Heaven, if it is not clothed with it on earth, where we are pilgrims and travellers. When it is clothed with it, it tastes God by grace in its troubles; its memory will be full of the Blood of the Lamb without blemish; its mind will be opened and contemplate the ineffable love that God has made known in the Wisdom of His Son and the love it finds in the Holy Spirit’s goodness, casts out self-love and love for created things, to love only God.

So do not be afraid … but suffer with joy, so as to conform yourself to the Will of God.” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the Church (Sermon for the Second Sunday of Lent [20 Feb 1622])

PRAYER – O God, Who tempered the flames of fire for the three young men, mercifully grant that the flames of sin may not burn us, Your servants.
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 DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, LENT 2022, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS

Ember Saturday in Lent – 12 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – ‘… IF WE ARE STEADFAST …’

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Ember Saturday in Lent – 12 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – 1 Thess. 5:14-23, Matthew 17:1-9

“Behold, O God, our Protector and look upon Your servants.” – Psalm 83:10,9

“This is My beloved Son,
in Whom I am well pleased;
hear Him.”

Matthew 17:5

“THE LORD REVEALS HIS GLORY in the presence of chosen witnesses. His body is like that of the rest of mankind but He makes it shine with such splendour that His face becomes like the sun in glory and His garments, as white as snow.

THE GREAT REASON for this Transfiguration was to remove the scandal of the cCoss from the hearts of His disciples, and to prevent the humiliation of His voluntary suffering, from disturbing the faith, of those who had witnessed the surpassing glory that lay concealed.

WiITH NO LESS FORETHOUGHT He was also providing a firm foundation for the hope of holy Church. The whole body of Christ was to understand the kind of transformation that it would receive as His gift. The members of that body were to look forward to a share in that glory which first blazed out in Christ their head.

THE LORD had Himself spoken of this, when He foretold the splendour of His coming: Then the just will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Saint Paul the Apostle bore witness to this same truth when he said: I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not to be compared with the future glory that is to be revealed in us. In another place he says: You are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

THIS MARVEL of the TRANSFIGURATION contains another lesson for the apostles, to strengthen them and lead them into the fullness of knowledge. Moses and Elijah, the law and the prophets, appeared with the Lord in conversation with Him. This was in order to fulfill exactly, through the presence of these five men, the text which says: Before two or three witnesses every word is ratified. What word could be more firmly established, more securely based, than the word which is proclaimed by the trumpets of both old and new testaments, sounding in harmony, and by the utterances of ancient prophecy and the teaching of the Gospel, in full agreement with each other?

THE WRITINGS of the two testaments support each other. The radiance of the Transfiguration reveals clearly and unmistakably the One Who had been promised by signs foretelling Him under the veils of mystery. As Saint John says: The law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. In Him the promise made through the shadows of prophecy stands revealed, along with the full meaning of the precepts of the law. He is the One who teaches the truth of prophecy through His presence and makes obedience to the commandments possible through grace.

IN THE PREACHING of the holy Gospel all should receive a strengthening of their faith. No-one should be ashamed of the Cross of Christ, through which the world has been redeemed.

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.

WHEN IT COMES to obeying the commandments or enduring adversity, the words uttered by the Father should always echo in our ears: This is my Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear Him.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father, Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermon 51)

Posted in EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 9 March – St Dominic Savio

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 March – Wednesday of the First Week of Lent, Ember Wednesday and the Memorial of St Dominic Savio (1842-1857)

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

“I need nothing in this world
in order to be happy.
I only need to see Jesus in Heaven,
Whom I now see
and adore on the Altar
with the eyes of faith.”

St Dominic Savio (1842-1857)

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 8 March – St John of God (1495-1550)

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 March – Tuesday of the First Week of Lent and the Memeorial of St John of God (1495-1550)

“Labour without stopping,
do all the good works you can,
while you still have the time!”

“If we look forward to receiving God’s mercy,
we can never fail to do good,
as long as we have the strength.
For if we share with the poor,
out of love for God,
whatever He has given to us,
we shall receive according to His promise,
a hundredfold in eternal happiness.
What a fine profit, what a blessed reward!
With outstretched arms He begs us
to turn toward Him, to weep for our sins
and to become the servants of love,
first for ourselves, then for our neighbours.
Just as water extinguishes a fire,
so love wipes away sin.”

St John of God (1495-1550)

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/08/quote-s-of-the-day-8-march-st-john-of-god-2/

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ENEMIES, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on TRUTH

One Minute Reflection – 4 March – “But I say to you, love your enemies” – Matthew 5:44

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One Minute Reflection – 4 March – First Friday of Lent – Isaiah 58:1-9, Matthew 5:43438,6:1-4 and the Memorial of St Casimir- (1458-1484)

“But I say to you, love your enemies” – Matthew 5:44

REFLECTION – “One of you will say: “I’m not able to love my enemies at all.” All through Holy Scripture God has said to you that you can and do you answer Him that, to the contrary, you cannot!? Now think about it – who are we to believe? God or you? Since He who is Truth itself cannot lie, let human weakness leave off its futile excuses forthwith! He who is just, cannot demand something impossible and He who is merciful, will not condemn someone for something that person could not avoid. So why these evasions then? There is no-one who knows better, what we are capable of, than He who has given us the ability. Such numbers of men, women, children, tender young girls, have borne flames, fire, sword and the wild beasts for Christ’s sake, without flinching and we, do we say that we cannot bear the insults of unintelligent persons?…

Indeed, if only the good are to be loved, what are we to say of the action of our God, of whom it is written: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son?” (Jn 3,16). For what good deeds are they, that the world had done, for God to love it so? Christ our Lord, found us all to be, not only evil but even dead, on account of original sin and yet… “he loved us and handed himself over for us” (Eph 5,2). In so acting, He loved even those who did not love Him, as the Apostle Paul also says: “Christ died for the guilty” (Rm 5,6). And in his inexpressible mercy, He gave this example to all humankind, saying: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart” (Mt 11,29).” – St Caesarius of Arles (470-543) Bishop and Monk – Sermons to the people, no 37

PRAYER – Almighty God, to whom this world, with all it’s goodness and beauty belongs, give us grace joyfully, to begin this day for Christ Your Son, in Him and with Him and to fill it, with an active love for all Your children, even those who may not like or who do us harm. Help us to love as You do, so that we may become like You. St Casimir, you who spread your charity abundantly in your short life and continue to do so now from Heaven, pray for us. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God, forever, amen.

Posted in LENT 2022, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on ANGELS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Second Thoughts for our immanent entry into Lent – Planting a Lenten Garden

Posted on by AnaStpaul

A few last-minute sowing plans
for the garden of our souls.
Planting virtue and good habits
and ascending that steep hill,
day-by-day, with love, faithfulness
and perseverance.
Accompanying our Saviour on His
Journey of our Redemption:

Five Rows of Squash:

  1. Squash gossip
  2. Squash indifference
  3. Squash unkindness
  4. Squash temper
  5. Squash the idols of greed and lust

Six Rows of Peas:

  1. Prayer
  2. Penance
  3. Perseverance
  4. Purity
  5. Patience
  6. Politeness

Seven Heads of Lettuce:

  1. Let us be unselfish
  2. Let us be charitable
  3. Let us be obedient
  4. Let us be truthful
  5. Let us be gentle and kind
  6. Let us be repentant
  7. Let us be renewed

No garden is complete without Turnips:

  1. Turn up for Daily Mass
  2. Turn up fo Eucharistic Adoration
  3. Turn up for Daily Morning and Night Prayer
  4. Turn up for Spiritual reading on Breathing Catholic 🤗🙏💘

Conclude with Thyme:

Thyme with God, thyme for fasting, thyme for generosity and care of the poor, the sick, the suffering.

Water daily with patience
Feed with love
The Beloved Saviour will provide the growth.

Posted in EUCHARISTIC Adoration, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 26 February – Visits to the Blessed Sacrament

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

Visits to the Blessed Sacrament

“After the many plans and worries of the day, it is wonderful to visit a Church in the evening and kneel before the Blessed Sacrament.
There we can adore Jesus and converse lovingly with Him.
We have spent so many hours surrounded by the noise of the world.
It is restful now to spend a quarter of an hour in silent prayer before Jesus, the Prisoner of Love, in the Tabernacle.
It is He, Who invites us.
“Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).
There are so many matters worrying us.
We need some words of advice, which will clear our doubts and strengthen us in suffering.
We need words of encouragement to banish our sadness and enliven our faith.
We need words of love, which will light, in our hearts, the flame of love for God.
We can find all this on our knees before the Tabernacle.
Do not end the day, without seeking a renewal of Christian strength, at the feet of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, if at all possible.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on NATURE - GOD'S CREATION, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 February – I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth …” – Matthew 11:25

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One Minute Reflection – 24 February – Feast of St Matthias, Apostle and Martyr – Acts 1:15-26, Matthew 11:25-30

“I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to little ones.” – Matthew 11:25

REFLECTION – “The fact that the all-powerful God has been able to humble Himself even to the humility of the human condition, constitutes a greater proof than the impact and supernatural character of miracles. Indeed, when Divine power effects something of great sublimity, this is, after a fashion, in conformity with and appropriate to God’s nature… On the other hand, that God descended even to our lowliness is, in a certain way, the expression of an overwhelming power which, is not in the least restrained, by what is contrary to its nature…

Neither the expanse of the heavens, the brightness of the stars, the governing of the universe, nor the harmony of created things, reveal the splendid power of God so much, as His indulgence, which leads Him to lower Himself to the weakness of our nature… God’s goodness, wisdom, justice and power, are revealed in His plans on our behalf: goodness in His will to “save that which was lost” (Lk 19,10); wisdom and justice, in His manner of saving us; power in the fact, that Christ became “in the likeness of men” (Phil 2,7-8) and made Himself conformable to the humility of our nature.” – St Gregory of Nyssa (c.335-395) Bishop, Father of the Church (Catechetical Discourse 23-26 ; SC 453).

PRAYER – God, Who added blessed Matthias to the company of Your Apostles, grant, we beseech You, that by his intercession, we may ever be aware of the depth of Your love for us. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in ACT of PERFECT CONTRITION, CONFESSION/PENANCE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on PURITY of INTENTION, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 23 February – The Sacrament of Penance

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Thought for the Day – 23 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Sacrament of Penance

“We should confess our sins humbly and sincerely.
We are obliged to confess at least all the mortal sins which we have committed after Baptism and have never included in a previous good confession.
We should prepare for the Sacrament by making a careful examination of conscience in the presence of God.
When we kneel before our Confessor, we should remember that, even though he is only a man like ourselves, he is the representative of God.
We should confess at least our mortal sins in a clear and exact manner.
Whenever possible, we should confess deliberate venial sins in order to be sure of obtaining forgiveness for them.

It is very necessary to be sincerely sorry for our sins and to be firmly resolved never to commit them again, with the help of divine grace.

Perfect contrition, which stems from a pure and disinterested act of love for God, is not necessary.
Attrition is sufficient, that is, imperfect sorrow which springs from a lower supernatural motive, such as the fear of hell, the hideousness of sin, insofar, as it is an offence against God, or the loss of eternal happiness.

Let us examine ourselves to ensure that we fulfil all the ncessary conditions in our Convession.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/23/thought-for-the-day-23-february-the-sacrament-of-penance/

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The REDEMPTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 February – ‘ … If then, we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him,…’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 23 February – The Memorial of St Peter Damian (1007-1072) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19

“I have come, not to abolish but to fulfil.” … Matthew 5:17

REFLECTION – “In Him, the promise made through the shadows of prophecy, stands revealed, along with the full meaning of the precepts of the law. He is the One Who teaches the Truth of prophecy, through His presence and makes obedience to the commandments possible, through grace.
In the preaching of the holy Gospel all should receive a strengthening of their faith. No-one should be ashamed of the Cross of Christ, through which the world has been redeemed.
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.
When it comes to obeying the commandments or enduring adversity, the words uttered by the Father should always echo in our ears – “This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” … St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermo 51).

PRAYER – Grant us, we beseech You, almighty God, to follow the counsel and examples of St Peter, Your Confessor and Bishop, so that by setting earthly goods at naught, we may attain everlasting happiness. 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 MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OUR Cross, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, STATIONS of the CROSS, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 22 February – Why Should It Happen to Me?

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Thought for the Day – 22 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Why Should It Happen to Me?

“When Jesus had been scourged and crowned with thorns, He was forced to set out towrds the execution-ground on Calvary, carrying the heavy wooden Cross.
On the way, He met a Cyrenean named Simon, who was probably returning from his work in the fields outsdie the city.
The Jews had realised, that Jesus had lost so much blood, that He was unable to bear the weight any longer.
They felt no compassion for Him but they were anxious to save their victim for the final punishment.
With this in mind, they compelled Simon to carry Jesus’ Cross.
The Cyrenean could have said: “Why pick on me? I am tired and must get home …”
But his eyes met the tired gaze of Our Saviour.
He saw that He was covered with wounds and streaming blood.
Simon was deeply moved and willingly lifted the Cross which he carried to the place of execution (Cf Mt 27:32; Mk 15:21; Lk 23:26).

Picture Jesus, suffering and bleeding on the road to Calvary and Simon removing the Cross from the shoulders of Our Saviour and transferring it to his own.
How can we ever again rebel and complain, when we meet with inconvenience or sorrow?!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/22/thought-for-the-day-22-february-why-should-it-happen-to-me/

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 21 February – Lord, That I May See!

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

Lord, That I May See!

“Spiritually, we are all blind to a greater or lesser extent.
Do we understand the infinite truth, beauty and goodness of God, in Whom our true happiness consists?
Do we understand the emptiness of the world, despite the glory of its transient beauty, which can never satisfy our hearts?
Do we understand our own nothingness and our dependence on God for light and grace?
If we understood all this, then the scales of our spiritual blindness would fall from our eyes.
Our faith would be even purer and more heartfelt than that of the poor blind man of Jericho.
If we do not possess this lively faith and our eyes are dazzled by the glittering vanities of the world, let us turn to Jesus and beseech Him: “Lord, that I may see!”
Only the light which comes from You is the true light which illumines every man who comes into this world (Jn 1:9).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/21/thought-for-the-day-21-february-lord-that-i-may-see/