Category: QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Posted in CARMELITES, DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 November – ‘… Prayer means … ‘

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 13 November – Readings: Wisdom 18: 14-16; 19: 6-9; Psalm 105: 2-3, 36-37, 42-43; Luke 18: 1-8 – The Memorial of St Didacus (de Alcalá de Henares) OFM (c 1400-1463

“Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones, who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it, that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” – Luke 8:7-8

REFLECTION – “What an extraordinary thing it is, the efficiency of prayer! Like a Queen, it has access at all times to the Royal presence and can receive, whatever it asks for. And it is a mistake to imagine that your prayer will not be answered, unless you have something out of a book, some splendid formula of words, specially devised to meet this emergency. If that were true, I am afraid I should be in a terribly bad position. You see, I recite the Divine Office, with a great sense of unworthiness but ,apart from that, I cannot face the strain of hunting about in books for these splendid prayers – it makes my head spin. There are such a lot of them, each more splendid than the last – how am I to recite them all, or to choose between them? I just do what children have to do before they have learned to read – I tell God what I want quite simply, without any splendid turns of phrase and somehow, He always manages to understand me.

For me, prayer means launching out of the heart towards God; it means lifting up one’s eyes, quite simply, to heaven, a cry of grateful love, from the crest of joy, or the trough of despair; it is a vast, supernatural force, which opens out my heart and binds me close to Jesus.” – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873-1897), Carmelite, Doctor of the Church (Ms C, 25 r° – trans Ronald Knox)

PRAYER – Holy Father, grant us a strong Faith! Poor Your graces into our hearts that we may believe with all our hearts, minds and souls and that in believing, we may constantly raise our entire being to You in prayer and supplication, in prayer and adoration, in prayer and love. May the intercession of St Didacus, a man of deep prayer from his youth, strengthen our perseverance. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 10 November – Love Him

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 10 November

“Many sins are forgiven her
because she has loved much.”

Luke 7:42

“Without love,
there is only faith,
which the devil has.”

“Once for all, then,
a short precept is given you –
Love and do what you will,
whether you hold your peace,
through love, hold your peace;
whether you cry out,
through love cry out;
whether you correct,
through love correct;
whether you spare,
through love do you spare.
Let the root of love be within,
of this root, can nothing spring
but what is good.”

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

“… It is Him you should love and no other.
Of Him you could and should say
“My Beloved is mine and I am his” (Sg 2:16);
my God has given Himself without reserve
and, without reserve, I give myself to Him;
He has chosen me as the object of His tenderness
and He, among thousands,
He, the radiant and ruddy one (Sg 5:10),
so loveable and so loving,
He is the chosen of my heart,
the only one I wish to love.”

St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

“Nothing is sweeter than love,
nothing stronger or higher or wider;
nothing is more pleasant, nothing fuller
and nothing better in heaven or on earth,
for love is born of God
and cannot rest except in God,
Who is above all created things.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

I Love You, O My God
By St Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

I love You,
O my God
and my only desire is to love You
until the last breath of my life.
I love You,
O my infinitely lovable God
and I would rather die loving You,
than live without loving You.
I love You, Lord
and the only grace I ask,
is to love You eternally
My God,
if my tongue cannot say
in every moment that I love You,
I want my heart to repeat it to You
as often as I draw breath.
Amen

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The PASSION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 November – ‘He is satisfied with being loved.’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 10 November – Readings: Wisdom 6: 1-11; Psalm 82: 3-4, 6-7; Luke 17: 11-19

“Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?” – Luke 17:17

REFLECTION – “After having offended our Benefactor by our indifference to His signs of goodwill, we have, nevertheless, not been forsaken by the Lord’s goodness nor cut off from His love but we have been rescued from death and restored to life by our Lord Jesus Christ. And the way in which we have been saved, is even more worthy of wonder. “Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave” (Phil 2,6-7).

He carried our weakness and bore our sufferings, He was put to death for our sake that we might be saved by His Wounds, He redeemed us from the curse, by becoming accursed for us (cf Is 53,4-5; Gal 3,13). He endured the most degrading of deaths, to lead us to life and glory. And it was not enough for Him to restore to life, those who lay in death. He clothed them again in the divine dignity and prepared for them, in everlasting rest, a happiness that exceeds all human imagining.

How, then, shall we repay the Lord for all He has given us? His goodness is such, that He asks nothing in return for His blessings – He is satisfied with being loved.” – St Basil (330-379) Monk, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Father and Doctor of the Church (Great monastic Rules, # 2)

PRAYER – You Lord, Holy Father, never forget Your solemn covenant and grant us new life each day. We though in our hearts of stone do forget and cease to thank and bless You. Make our hearts turn in gratitude, for all we are and have is by Your grace and we are as nothing without You. May our minds, hearts and souls sing with love and thanks to You, Lord our God. Grant us new hearts by the prayers of Your Saint Leo the Great and all the saints in heaven, who always lived with grateful hearts, praising You always. We ask this this through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING

Our Morning Offering – 10 November – May I Love You More Dearly

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 10 November

May I Love You More Dearly
St Richard of Chichester (1197-1253)

Thanks be to You,
my Lord Jesus Christ
For all the benefits
You have given me,
For all the pains and insults
You have borne for me.
O most merciful Redeemer,
Friend and Brother,
May I know You more clearly,
Love You more dearly,
Follow You more nearly.
Amen

Posted in DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, QUOTES on ZEAL

Our Morning Offering – 9 November – Grant me, O my God – By St Vincent Ferrer

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 9 November – Feast Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour in the Lateran

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 You.
Let me burn with zeal for Your honour,
so that I may resent terribly,
all the outrages
committed against You,
especially those of which
I myself have been guilty.
Grant further, O my God,
that I may adore and acknowledge You humbly,
as my Creator and that,
penetrated with gratitude
for all Your benefits,
I may never cease to render You thanks.
Grant that I may bless You in all things,
praise and glorify You
with a heart full of joy and gladness
and that, obeying You with docility
in every respect, I may one day,
despite my ingratitude and unworthiness,
be seated at Your table
together with Your Holy Angels and Apostles
to enjoy ineffable delights.
Amen

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

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

How We Can Help the Faithful Departed

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

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

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

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MARIAN PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The DIVINE INFANT, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – The Order of Preachers

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – The Memorial of
All Saints of the Order of Preachers

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

“We must sow the seed,
Not hoard it.”

St Dominic’s Blessing
By St Dominic de Guzman (1170-1221)

May God the Father,
who made us, bless us.
May God the Son,
send His healing among us.
May God the Holy Spirit,
move within us
and give us eyes to see with,
ears to hear with,
and hands, that Your work,
might be done.
May we walk and preach
the word of God to all.
May the angel of peace
watch over us
and lead us at last,
by God’s grace,
to the Kingdom.
Amen

St Dominic de Guzman OP (1170-1221)

“I send you a very little word,
THE WORD,
made little in the crib,
THE WORD,
made flesh for us ….
THE WORD,
of salvation and grace
THE WORD,
of sweetness and glory
THE WORD
Who is good and gentle –
JESUS CHRIST!”

Blessed Jordan of Saxony OP (1190-1237)

“It is by the path of love,
which is charity,
that God draws near to man
and man to God.
But where charity is not found,
God cannot dwell.
If, then, we possess charity,
we posses God,
for ‘God is Charity’
(1 John 4:8).”

St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280)
Doctor of the Church

“To convert somebody,
go and take them by the hand
and guide them.”

“Charity is
the form,
mover,
mother
and root
of all
the virtues.”

“To love is to
will the good
of the other.”

“The greatest kindness
one can render
to any man
consists in leading him
from error to truth.”

O Jesus, Mary’s Son!
By St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus, Doctor communis

Hail to Thee! True body sprung
From the Virgin Mary’s womb!
The same that on the cross was hung
And bore for man the bitter doom.
Thou Whose side was pierced and flowed
Both with water and with blood.
Suffer us to taste of Thee
In our life’s last agony.
O kind, O loving One!
O Jesus, Mary’s Son!
Amen

St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274)

“Be strong and kill yourself
with the sword of hate and love,
then you will not hear the insults
and abuse. which the enemies
of the Church throw at you.
Your eyes will not see anything,
which seems impossible,
or the sufferings,
which may follow
but only the light of faith
and in that light ,
everything is possible
and remember ,
God never lays greater burdens
on us than we can bear.”

“What is it you want to change?
Your hair, your face, your body?
Why? For God is in love with all those things
and He might weep when they are gone!”

St Catherine of Siena OP (1347-1380)
Doctor of the Church

“Compassion, my dear Brother,
is preferable to cleanliness.
Reflect that with a little soap,
I can easily clean my bed covers
but even with a torrent of tears,
I would never wash from my soul,
the stain, that my harshness toward
the unfortunate would create.”

St Martin de Porres OP (1579-1639)

Just a few of the great Dominicans – Ana OP – with Love

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

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

The Consolations of the
Suffering Souls in Purgatory

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

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

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

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

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

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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

Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – Jesuits

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

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

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

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

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

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

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

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

St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

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

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)

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

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

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

The Burning Babe,

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

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

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

St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591)

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

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

St John Francis Régis SJ (1597-1640)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 4 November – St Charles Borromeo

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 4 November – The Memorial of St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)

“God wishes us not to rest
upon anything
but His infinite goodness;
do not let us
expect anything –
hope anything,
or desire anything
but from Him
and let us put our trust
and confidence in Him alone.”

“We must keep ourselves
in the presence of God
as much as possible
and have no other view
or end, in all our actions
but the divine honour.”

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/04/quote-s-of-the-day-4-november-the-memorial-of-st-charles-borromeo-1538-1584/

St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOOD FRIDAY, HOLY WEEK, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The SECOND COMING

Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – ‘Death is then no cause for mourning … ‘

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – All Souls Day – Readings: Wisdom 3: 1-9; Romans 5: 5-11 or Romans 6: 3-9; Gospel: John 6: 37-40

“We should have a daily
familiarity with death,
a daily desire for death.
By this kind of detachment,
our soul must learn to free itself
from the desires of the body.
It must soar above earthly lusts,
to a place where they cannot come near,
to hold it fast.
It must take on the likeness of death,
to avoid the punishment of death!”

“Death is then no cause for mourning,
for it is the cause of mankind’s salvation.
Death is not something to be avoided,
for the Son of God
did not think it beneath His dignity,
nor did He seek to escape it.”

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

“We should consider how much good
our Lord did us,
by His first coming
and how much more He will do for us,
by His second.
This thought will help us,
to have a great love
for that first coming of His
and a great longing for His return.”

St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)

“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.”

St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)

“Do now,
what you wish to have done,
when your moment
comes to die.”

St Angela Merici (1474-1540)

Sabbatum Sanctum
By St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

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

Posted in Hail MARY!, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, THE ASSUMPTION, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Thought for the Day – 31 October – “Pray for Us … at the Hour of Our Death”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Pray for Us … at the Hour of Our Death”

“Our divine Redeemer, although He was God and did not except Himself from the law of death.
It was appropriate, therefore, that His divine Mother should have been no exception either.
But Mary had shared in the torments of her Son’s death upon Calvary and so obtained from Him, the privilege of a death so sweet and gentle, as hardly to justify the name at all.
Her soul was separated from her body as if in an ecstasy of love and was united even more indissolubly with God.
She did not die of a natural disease but, out of love for God.
She had always loved God with all the ardour of the noblest of creatures and her life ended in a final outpouring of love.
It was the climax of a continuous ascent towards God.

Death should be like this for us too.
It can be like this if we follow her example, especially in the boundlessness of her love for God.

O Mary, my tender Mother, be at my side throughout my life but especially at the hour of death.
Shelter me beneath your maternal mantle and never let me be far apart from you.
Grant that I may have a calm and peaceful death like yours, a death made easy by a great love for Jesus and for you, as well as by the reception of the Holy Sacraments and by your special blessing, amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/31/thought-for-the-day-31-october-pray-for-us-at-the-hour-of-our-death/

Posted in CHRIST the KING, DOCTORS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, POETRY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Our Morning Offering – 31 October – I am Thine and born for Thee

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 31 October – Christ the King

I am Thine and born for Thee,
What wilt Thou do with me?
By St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of Prayer of the Church

Sovereign Lord, upon Thy Throne,
Endless Wisdom, One and Whole,
Goodness that dost feed my soul,
Good and great, One God alone,
As I sing my love for Thee.
What wilt Thou do with me?

Thine I am, for Thou didst make me;
Thine, for Thou alone didst save me;
Thine – Thou couldst endure to have me;
For Thine own, didst deign to take me.
Never once, didst Thou forsake me.
Ruined were I, if not for Thee:
What wilt Thou do with me?

What, O good and loving Lord,
What wilt Thou have this creature do?
This Thy slave, a sinner too,
Waiting till she hears Thy word?
With Thy will in close accord,
Sweetest Love, I come to Thee:
What wilt Thou do with me?

Take, O Lord, my loving heart:
See, I yield it to Thee whole,
With my body, life and soul
And my nature’s every part.
Sweetest Spouse, my life Thou art;
I have given myself to Thee:
What wilt Thou do with me?

Let me live or let me die;
Give me sickness, give me health;
Give me poverty or wealth;
Let me strive or peaceful lie.
Weakness give or strength supply –
I accept it all of Thee:
What wilt Thou do with me?…

I am Thine and born for Thee,
What wilt Thou do with me?

Poem – I am Yours, for You I was born – “Vuestra Soy, para Vos nací ”
(trans. E Allison Peers)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on HYPOCRISY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The BEATITUDES, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 30 October – ‘… he who humbles himself will be exalted’ Luke 14:11

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 30 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” and Mary’s Day – Readings: Romans 11: 1-2a, 11-12, 25-29; Psalm 94: 12-15, 17-18; Luke 14: 1, 7-11

“For everyone who exalts himself
will be humbled
but he who humbles himself
will be exalted. ”

Luke 14:11

“The servant is not greater
than his Master”

John 13:16

“How can you become a sharer,
in His glory (1 Pt 5:1)
if you will not consent,
to become a sharer,
in His humiliating death?”

St Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022)

“As “pride is the beginning of all sin,” (Eccl. 10:15)
so humility is the foundation of all virtue.
Learn to be really humble and not,
as the hypocrite, humble merely in appearance.”

St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274)
Seraphic Doctor of the Church

“ … If you die with Him,
you shall also likewise
live with Him.
If you are His companion in punishment,
so shall you be in glory.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

“Humility and charity
are the two master chords –
one, the lowest;
the other, the highest;
all the others are dependent on them.
Therefore, it is necessary, above all.
to maintain ourselves in these two virtues,
for observe well,
that the preservation of the whole edifice
depends on the foundation and the roof!”

“If humble souls are contradicted,
they remain calm;
if they are calumniated,
they suffer with patience;
if they are little esteemed,
neglected, or forgotten,
they consider this their due;
if they are weighed down
with occupations,
they perform them cheerfully. ”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

“St Ambrose describes virtue,
as a slow martyrdom.
In this sense, we must all be martyrs.
… Our martyrdom, … will be prolonged.
It will last all our lives
and will end only when we accept death
with resignation from the hands of God.
Ours is the martyrdom of virtue.
… It is necessary, then,
to descend into the mire of humility
and to remain there until we die.
Only after we have died to ourselves,
shall we rise again in God.
After the death of our lower instincts and vices,
we shall find a new life.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 28 October – ‘… He spent the night in prayer to God.’ Luke 6:12

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 28 October – Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles and Martyrs – Readings: Ephesians 2: 19-22; Psalm 19: 2-5; Luke 6: 12-16

“Come away by yourselves ,
o a deserted place and rest awhile”

Mark 6:31

“In those days he departed
to the mountain to pray
and he spent the night
in prayer to God.”

Luke 6:12

“It says,
“He passed the whole night in prayer.”
A model is given to you.
A form is prescribed
which you must imitate.”

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

“Rest is in Him alone.
Man knows no peace in the world
but he has no disturbance
when he is with God.”

St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)

“It is impossible
to find a Saint
who did not take
the “two P’s” seriously –
Prayer and Penance.”

St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

“To pray,
is to think about Jesus
and love Him.
The more we love,
the better we pray.”

Bl Charles of Jesus de Foucauld (1858-1916)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on TRUTH, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 24 October ” – “And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 24 October ” – Jeremiah 31: 7-9; Psalm 126: 1-6; Hebrews 5: 1-6; Mark 10: 46-52

“And immediately
he received his sight
and followed him on the way.”

Mark 10:52

“Come, follow me”

Matthew 19:21

“I am the light of the world;
he who follows me will not walk in darkness
but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

“Whatever you do, do from the heart,
as for the Lord and not for others,
knowing that you will receive
from the Lord
the due payment of the inheritance;
be slaves of the Lord Christ.”

Colossians 3:23-24

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

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

“We will follow You, Lord Jesus.
But in order for us to follow You,
call us because without You,
no-one will ascend towards You.
For You are the way, the truth, the life.
You are also our help,
our trust, our reward.
Welcome those who belong to You,
You who are the way;
strengthen them, You who are the truth;
give them life, You who are the life.”

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

“Let us listen to the Lord:
“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6).
If you are looking for the Truth,
follow the Way which is also the Truth.
This is where you are going and it is how you go.
It is not by another thing that you go to something;
it is not by anything else that you come to Christ;
it is through Christ that you come to Christ.
How to Christ through Christ?
To Christ God through Christ man;
through the Word made flesh,
to the Word who was with God, from the beginning;
through what we have eaten to what the angels eat daily.
In fact it is what is written:
“He gave them bread from heaven; man ate the bread of angels” (Ps 77[78]:24-25).
What is the bread of angels?
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was in God and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1-3). How has man eaten the bread of angels?
“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

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

“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.”

St Francis of Assisi (1181/2–1226)

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The LORD'S PRAYER

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 20 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 GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 19 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – The “Our Father”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 19 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The “Our Father”

“Our Father, Who art in heaven.”
Heaven is God Himself, Who reveals Himself to the souls of the blessed.
If a man lives in God, his mind and heart are already in Heaven, even though he is still an exile upon this earth.
It is a wonderful experience to lead a bodily existence upon earth, while our minds are with God in Heaven, for, as St Paul says, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20).
As we are aware, God is everywhere, in Heaven and on earth.
When we invoke our Father, Who is in Heaven, however, we manifest our faith in Him and in His generosity, whereby, He reveals Himself in all His glory to the blessed and shows His mercy to us poor exiles, when we come to Him.
In the first words of the Pater Noster, we express, not only our faith but, also our hope of being happy with God for all eternity.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/18/thought-for-the-day-18-october-the-our-father/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 October – ‘For love calls for love in return. …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 15 October – Readings: Romans 4: 1-8; Psalms 32: 1b-2, 5, 11; Luke 12: 1-7 – The Memorial of St Teresa of Jesus of Avila OCD (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church

“Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not, you are of more value than many sparrows.”…Luke 12:7

REFLECTION – “What more do we desire from such a good friend at our side? Unlike our friends in the world, He will never abandon us when we are troubled or distressed. Blessed is the one who truly loves Him and always keeps Him near. Let us consider the glorious Saint Paul – it seems, that no other name fell from his lips, than that of Jesus because, the name of Jesus, was fixed and embedded in his heart. Once I had come to understand this truth, I carefully considered the lives of some of the Saints, the great contemplatives and found, that they took no other path – Francis, Anthony of Padua, Bernard, Catherine of Siena. A person must walk along this path in freedom, placing himself in God’s hands. If God should desire to raise us to the position of one who is an intimate and shares His secrets, we ought to accept this gladly.

Whenever we think of Christ, we should recall, the love that led Him to bestow on us, so many graces and favours and also, the great love God showed in giving us, in Christ, a pledge of His love – for love calls for love in return. Let us strive to keep this always before our eyes and to rouse ourselves to love Him. For if, at some time the Lord should grant us the grace, of impressing His love on our hearts, all will become easy for us and we shall accomplish great things quickly and without effort.” – St Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from her On the Book of Life)

PRAYER – Lord Jesus Christ, You wondrously revealed all of the deep treasures of Your Heart to St Teresa. May her merits and example win us the grace to love You above all things and in all things so that we may make our abode in Your own Sacred Heart. Through You, Lord Jesus, who live and reign forever, in union with God our Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 14 October – Love

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 14 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Romans 3: 21-30; Psalms 130: 1b-6ab; Luke 11: 47-54

“Whatever you do, do from the heart,
as for the Lord and not for others,
knowing that you will receive
from the Lord
the due payment of the inheritance;
be slaves of the Lord Christ.”

Colossians 3:23-24

“Love[ing] one another
with the charity of Christ,
let the love you have in your hearts,
be shown outwardly in your deeds …”

St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)

“Love is watchful.
Sleeping, it does not slumber.
Wearied, it is not tired.
Pressed, it is not straitened.
Alarmed, it is not confused
but like a living flame,
a burning torch,
it forces its way upward
and passes unharmed
through every obstacle.”

“Nothing is sweeter than love,
nothing stronger or higher or wider;
nothing is more pleasant, nothing fuller
and nothing better in heaven or on earth,
for love is born of God
and cannot rest except in God,
Who is above all created things.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

“On the journey of this life to eternity,
let me carry You in my heart,
following Mary’s example,
who bore You in her arms,
during the flight to Egypt.”

“… It is Him you should love and no other.
Of Him you could and should say
“My Beloved is mine and I am his” (Sg 2:16);
my God has given Himself without reserve
and, without reserve, I give myself to Him;
He has chosen me as the object of His tenderness
and He, among thousands,
He, the radiant and ruddy one (Sg 5:10),
so loveable and so loving,
He is the chosen of my heart,
the only one I wish to love.”

St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

“When the heart is pure and simple,
it cannot help loving
because it has discovered,
the source of love,
which is God.”

St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

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

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

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 October – ‘ … love Christ as much as humans are able to hate Him.’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 14 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Romans 3: 21-30; Psalms 130: 1b-6ab; Luke 11: 47-54

“And they began to act with hostility toward him… for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say. ” – Luke 11:53-54

REFLECTION – “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (Jn 3:16). This only Son “was offered”, not because His enemies overcame Him but because “he surrendered himself” (cf. Is 53:12). “He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1). This “end” was the death He accepted on behalf of those whom He loved; this was the end of all perfection, the end of perfect love, for “there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13).

This love of Christ, was stronger in the death of Chris, than His enemies’ hatred – for hatred could only do what love permitted it to do. Judas – or the enemies of Christ – delivered Him up to death through wicked hatred. The Father delivered His Son and the Son delivered Himself to death, through love (Rom 8:32; Gal 2:20). Love, however, is by no means guilty of betrayal; it is innocent even when Christ dies of it. Since love alone, is able to carry out with impunity, whatever it pleases. Only love can constrain God and, as it were, give Him orders! This it was, that caused Him to descend from Heaven and placed Him on the Cross; this it was, that shed Christ’s Blood for the remission of sins, in an act that was as innocent as it was salutary. All our thanksgiving for the salvation of the world ,is thus owing to love. And it constrains us, with inescapable logic, to love Christ as much as humans are able to hate Him! – Archbishop Baldwin of Canterbury (c 1125-1190) also Baldwin of Forde Cistercian abbot, then Bishop (The Sacrament of the Altar, II, 1 ).

PRAYER – I Love You, O My God – By St Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)
I love You,
O my God
and my only desire is to love You
until the last breath of my life.
I love You,
O my infinitely lovable God
and I would rather die loving You,
than live without loving You.
I love You, Lord
and the only grace I ask,
is to love You eternally
My God,
if my tongue cannot say
in every moment that I love You,
I want my heart to repeat it to You
as often as I draw breath.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on HYPOCRISY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRIDE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 13 October – Hypocrisy

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 13 October – The 104th Anniversary of the Last Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima and the Miracle of the Sun – Readings: Romans 2: 1-11; Psalm 62: 2-3, 6-7,9; Luke 11:42-46

“But woe to you Pharisees!
For you tithe mint and rue and every herb
and neglect justice and the love of God.”

Luke 11:42

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,
which is hypocrisy. ”

Luke 12:1

“Mint and dill and cumin are only spices for food
but are not themselves, substantial food.
What substantive food would mean in conversion,
would be that which is necessary
for the justification of our souls—faith and love—
unlike these legalisms,
which are more like condiments and flavourings.
It is as if, a meal might be thought to consist,
more of condiments and flavourings,
than the food itself.
The seriousness of judgement is neglected,
while great attention is given to minor matters.”

Origen (c 185-253)
Priest, Theologian, Father

“Grace is given,
not to those who
speak [their faith]
but to those,
who live their faith.”

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

“As “pride is the beginning of all sin,” (Eccl. 10:15)
so humility is the foundation of all virtue.
Learn to be really humble and not,
as the hypocrite, humble merely in appearance.”

St Bonaventure (1221-1274)
Seraphic Doctor of the Church

Our lADY of FATIMA speaks – here:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/13/quote-s-of-the-day-13-october-our-lady-of-fatima/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection- 13 October – “Woe to you …!”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection- 13 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” and the 104th Anniversary of the Last Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima and the Miracle of the Sun – Readings: Romans 2: 1-11; Psalm 62: 2-3, 6-7,9; Luke 11:42-46

“Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb but you pay no attention to judgement and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others.” – Luke 11:42

REFLECTION – “The transgression of one commandment, transgresses the law. It proves the man to be without the law. When anyone disregards those commandments, which especially are important above the rest, what words will he find able to save him from deserved punishment? The Lord proved that the Pharisees merited these severe censures, saying, “Woe to you, Pharisees, who tithe mint, rue and all herbs and pass over judgement and the love of God!” You should have done these things and not passed by the others, that is, to leave them undone. They omitted, as of no importance ,those duties which they were especially bound to practice, like justice and the love of God. They carefully and scrupulously observed, or rather commanded the people subject to their authority to observe, only those commandments that were means of great revenues for themselves.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Archbishop of Alexandria, known as The Pillar of Faith, Father and Doctor of the Incarnation (Commentary on Luke, Homily 84)

PRAYER – Lord God, open our hearts to Your Grace, that we may be filled with Your light and overflow with gratitude for Your merciful love. May we love and adore and worship You in return. Although we are sinners, our hearts long to thank You in total trust and humble thankfulness. Grant that by the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Fatima, our Mother, we may grow in holiness. Through Your only Son, our Saviour and Redeemer, with the Holy Spirit, God, forever, amen.

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, Hail MARY!, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, MOTHER of GOD, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The INCARNATION, The NATIVITY of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, To JESUS through MARY

Thought for the Day – 11 October – Mary, Mother of God

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 11 October – Feast of the Divine Maternity – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mary, Mother of God

“The near-infinite greatness of Mary, flows from the fact, that she is the Mother of God.
The Eternal Word of the Father, consubstantial with Him in nature and equal to Him in majesty, willed to become man in order to set us free from the slavery of sin and to regain Heaven for us.
He became man in the chaste womb of the Virgin Mary.
He took a human body and soul and was born of her, as the God-Man.
For this reason, there is attributed to His Divine Person, the title of Son of Mary and to Mary, the title of Mother of God.

There is a relationship between Mary and each of the three Divine Persons, for she is the daughter of God the Father, the spouse of the Holy Spirit by whose power the Word became incarnate in her and the mother of the Word made Man.
She is, moreover, in the words of Dante, the “termine fisso di eterno consiglio” (Paradiso 33:1-3).
In other words, she is the centre of the eternal plan which God established for the redemption of the human race.
It was God’s eternal design to reunite creation to the Uncreated, by means of Mary.
She became the mother of the Eternal Word, in whom the divine and human natures were indissolubly united.
He redeemed us by His infinite merits but, in this work of redemption, He employed the co-operation of His holy Mother.
All the graces, privileges and virtues of Mary, flow from this great mystery of her divine Motherhood.
As befitted the future Mother of God, she was conceived free from the stain of original sin and full of grace.
Her mortal life was a continuous ascent towards the highest peak of sanctity.
When she died, she was assumed body and soul into Heaven, where she was crowned in glory, as Queen of Angels and Queen of Saints.
When we consider the sublime nobility of Our Lady, we should be moved to love and venerate her.
This love and veneration does not subtract in the slightest from God’s glory, because, she is the Mother of God.
In fact, it is a great advantage to us, to imitate her and to call on her to intercede for us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 October – Bearing Christ in our hearts

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 9 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: : Joel 4: 12-21; Psalm 97: 1-2, 5-6, 11-12; Luke 11: 27-28

“He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.” – Luke 11:28

REFLECTION – “Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, “Blessed is the womb that bore you,” He replied, “Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.” Finally, for His brothers, His relatives according to the flesh, who did not believe in Him, of what advantage was that relationship? Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good unless she had borne Christ, more happily in her heart, than in her flesh.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of Grace (Holy Virginity, 3).

PRAYER – “O my God, whatever is nearer to me than You, things of this earth and things more naturally pleasing to me, will be sure to interrupt the sight of You, unless Your grace interfere. Keep You my eyes, my ears, my heart, from any such miserable tyranny. Keep my whole being fixed on You. Let me never lose sight of You and while I gaze on You, let my love of You grow more and more every day.” … St John Henry Newman (1801-1890) May we run the race in obedience and love of the Will of our God, always seeking Your Face in those who are the leastg. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The CHRIST CHILD, The DIVINE INFANT, The HEART, The NATIVITY of JESUS

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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 protrate 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 "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, HOLY SPIRIT, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 3 October – Childlike Trust

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 3 October – Readings: Genesis 2: 18-24; Psalm 128: 1-6; Hebrews 2: 9-11; Mark 10: 2-16

Childlike Trust

“Whoever does not accept
the kingdom of God
like a little child,
shall not enter it.”

Mark 10:15

“Father, I am seeking,
I am hesitant and uncertain
but will You, O God,
watch over each step of mine
and guide me.”

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

“The greater and more persistent
your confidence in God,
the more abundantly
you will receive
all that you ask.”

St Albert the Great (1200-1280)
Doctor of the Church

“Do not have any anxiety
about the future.
Leave everything in God’s hands
for He will take care of you.”

St John Baptiste de la Salle (1651-1719)

“Those whose hearts are enlarged
by confidence in God
run swiftly on the path of perfection.
They not only run, they fly
because, having placed all their hope in the Lord,
they are no longer weak as they once were.
They become strong
with the strength of God,
which is given to all
who put their trust in Him.”

St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

“The Holy Spirit
leads us like a mother.
He leads His child by the hand…
as a sighted person
leads a blind person.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

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

Our Morning Offering – 3 October – O Jesus, Sweetest Love, Come Thou to Me

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 3 October – The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

O Jesus, Sweetest Love,
Come Thou to Me
1940 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 GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The LAST THINGS, Uncategorized

Thought for the Day – 30 September – The Death of the Just

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

The Death of the Just

Consider now the death of the just man.
Through his dying tears, he also will see the world slipping away from him.   But, one thing will remain to comfort him, namely, the memory of his good actions, of the virtues he acquired, of his fervent prayers and of his voluntary mortifications.
Above all, there will remain his great love of God, for Whom he has lived, worked and drawn breath.
In that moment, this love will even increase the flaming desire consuming his poor, frail body, to be united to God.
He will be able to say, as some of the Saints have said – “I never thought it would be so sweet to die.”
With St Louis, he will be able top say: “I am going joyfully to meet my God.”
He will be able to exclaim with St Charles: “I long for my body to be dissolved, so that I may be with Christ!” (Phil 1:23)

In the sight of God, the death of the good man is a very precious thing.   “Precious in the eyes of the Lord, is the death of His faithful ones” (Ps 115:6)

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD is LOVE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Thought for the Day – 27 September – The Power of God’s Love in the Christian Life

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

The Power of God’s Love in the Christian Life

“Everyday, in the lives of the Saints, was a continual act of love of God.
This was how they became holy.
They loved God intensely all the time.
They loved Him above all things.
Everything which they thought, desired or did, was directed to Him.
Their entire lives were consecrated to Him.
We should all desire to be holy, if we do, we must love God with our whole heart, strength and will.
Not until then, will every action of ours become meritorious.
Holiness is born of the love of God.
Without the love of God, everything is futile and useless; our conversation is so much idle chatter;  our desires are empty dreams which excite us for a while and then dissolve like bubbles of soap;  our actions are unprofitable and our enterprises are not aimed at a true objective;  our achievements can inflate us for a time but they will leave us disillusioned at the hour of death.
The love of God is necessary for us.
He alone is entirely worthy of our affection.
Other loves are passing but, this love is eternal.
Other loves confuse and trouble us but, the love of God gives us peace of soul.
Other loves weaken and vanish with time but, the love of God is the source of all holiness in this life and of eternal happiness in the next.
Why, then, do we not forget our worldly preoccupations?
Let us give our hearts to God forever and we shall be in possession of the one true happiness which never fades.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci