Category: QUOTES on OBEDIENCE

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 2 September – “Leaving all things, they followed him.”

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary” – Readings: Colossians 1: 9-14; Psalms 98: 2-3ab, 3cd-4-6; Luke 5: 1-11

“Leaving all things,
they followed him.”

Luke 5:11

“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

“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

“My sheep follow me,” says Christ.
By a certain God-given grace,
believers follow in the footsteps of Christ.
No longer subject to the shadows of the Law ,
they obey the commands of Christ,
and guided by His words,
rise through grace,
to His own dignity,
for they are called children of God.
When Christ ascends into heaven,
they also follow Him.”

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

“There are two ways of keeping God’s word,
namely, one, whereby we store in our memory
what we hear and the other,
whereby we put into practice,
what we have heard
(and none will deny that the latter
is more commendable, inasmuch,
as it is better to sow grain,
than to store it in the barn).”

Blessed Jordan of Saxony OP (1190-1237)

“Place all your trust in God,
let Him be your fear and your love.
He will answer for you,
He will do what is best for you.
You have here no lasting home.
You are a stranger and a pilgrim
wherever you may be
and you shall have no rest,
until you are wholly united with Christ.
Why do you look about here
when this is not the place of your repose?”

Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FRUITS of the SPIRIT, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 16 August – “Come, follow me”

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Quote/s of the Day – 16 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart” – Readings: Judges 2: 11-19; Psalm 106: 34-7, 39-40, 43ab and 44; Matthew 19: 16-22

“Come, follow me”

Matthew 19:21

“You are my friends,
if you do the things
that I command you.”

John 15:14

“I have chosen you
and have appointed you,
that you should go
and should bring forth fruit
and your fruit should remain,
says the Lord.”

John 15:16

“This is the glory of man –
to persevere and remain
in the service of God.
For this reason,
the Lord told His disciples:
‘You did not choose Me but I chose you.’
He meant that His disciples
did not glorify Him by following Him
but, in following the Son of God,
they were glorified by Him.
As He said:
‘I wish that where I am
they also may be,
that they may see My glory.’”

St Irenaeus (c 130 – c 202)
Bishop & Martyr, Father of the Church

“A person who wishes
to become the Lord’s disciple
must repudiate a human obligation,
however honourable it may appear,
if it slows us, ever so slightly,
in giving the wholehearted obedience
we owe to God.”

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Neither do I condemn you
but, having been made secure
concerning the past,
be on your guard in the future.
I, for My part, will not condemn you,
I have blotted out what you have done;
keep what I have commanded,
that you may gain
what I have promised.”

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

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST

Thought for the Day – 10 August – Following Jesus, the Divine Model

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Thought for the Day – 10 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Following Jesus, the Divine Model

“Jesus is the Divine Model, Whom we ought to follow and imitate.
In Him, the virtues possess both the infinite splendour of the Divinity and the gentle appeal of glorified Humanity.
Jesus does not dazzle us with His brightness but kindly invites us to love and follow Him.
“Learn from me” He says, “for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29).
After He has indicated humility, meekness and interior peace, as the foundations of the spiritual life, He invites us to take up the yoke of His law and assures us, that we shall find it light (Mt 11).

If we follow Jesus, even though we are bowed with Him, beneath the weight of the Cross, we shall experience, even in this life, a reflection of the peace and joy which will be our reward in Heaven.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/11/thought-for-the-day-11-july-following-jesus/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/24/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on WISDOM, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 10 August – We seek You, we follow You,

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 August – Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Readings: Second Corinthians 9:6-10, Psalms 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9, John 12:24-26

“If anyone serves me,
he must follow me
and where I am,
there will my servant be also.”

John 12:26

“Love one another as I have loved you”

John 15:12

“Behold, my servant
whom I have chosen”

Matthew 12:18

“ When we stand in the light
it is not we who illumine the light and cause it to shine
but we are illuminated and made shining by the light…
God grants His blessings on those who serve Him
because they are serving Him
and on those who follow Him
because they are following Him
but He receives no blessing from them
because He is perfect and without need.”

St Irenaeus (c 130 – c 202)
Bishop & Martyr, Father of the Church

“My brothers, Christ made love the stairway
that would enable all Christians
to climb to heaven.
Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity,
give one another practical proof of it
and by your progress in it,
make your ascent together.”

St Fulgentius of Ruspe (460-533)

Our Lord, King of All
By St Albert the Great (1200-1280)
Doctor of the Church

We pray to You, O Lord,
who are the supreme Truth,
and all truth is from You.
We beseech You, O Lord,
who are the highest Wisdom,
and all the wise depend on You
for their wisdom.
You are the supreme Joy,
and all who are happy
owe it to You.
You are the Light of minds
and all receive
their understanding from You.
We love, we love You above all.
We seek You, we follow You,
and we are ready to serve You.
We desire to dwell under Your power
for You are the King of all.
Amen.

“If you wish to enter into life,
keep My commandments.
If you will know the truth,
believe in Me.
If you will be perfect,
sell all.
If you will be My disciple,
deny yourself.
If you will possess the blessed life,
despise this present life.
If you will be exalted in heaven,
humble yourself on earth.
If you wish to reign with Me,
carry the Cross with Me.
For only the servants of the Cross
find the life of blessedness
and of true light.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
The Imitation of Christ Chapter 56

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Thought for the Day – 2 August – The Awareness of the Presence of God

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Thought for the Day – 2 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Awareness of the Presence of God

“The presence of God, moreover, encourages us to do our best to acquire all the virtues.
When He is always before our eyes, we have no difficulty in recognising, that He is the supreme Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

Let us seek to please God, therefore, by obeying His commandments and inspirations.
If we wish to be worthy of His presence, let us seek to adorn our souls with His grace, which is ours for the asking.
Our awareness of God’s presence, should not be a passive state.
It should enliven our faith and increase our love for Him.

Do we realise how poor and sinful we are in the sight of God?
Let us ask Him to make us holy.
If we are troubled by temptations, let us ask Him for the strength to conquer them.
If we are worn out by suffering, let us ask Him to help and console us.
As St Alphonsus said: “He who does not acquire the love of God will scarcely persevere in the grace of God, for it is very difficult to renounce sin, merely through fear of chastisement.”

If we live in the presence of God and contemplate Him, we shall be moved to love Him more and more.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/08/thought-for-the-day-8-august-the-awareness-of-the-presence-of-god/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 22 July – Progress in the Love of God

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

Progress in the Love of God

“The entire Christian system is based on the love of God.
This, is “the greatest and first commandment” (Mt 22:38) of Jesus, from which the second commandment, to love our neighbour, naturally flows.
A man who does not observe this first commandment is not a Christian, whereas a man who endeavours to increase, everyday, his love for God, is a saint.
There are may grades of ascent in this love but, the basic step is indicated in the words of our Divine Master:  “He who has my commandments and keeps them, he is is who loves me” (Jn 14:15,21).

The love of God should not consist of an empty and ineffective sentimentality but, should comprise a sincere determinations to please God by carrying out His will, without reserve and by becoming more closely united to Him, by the help of His holy grace.
Progress in the love of God is divided by the masters of the spiritual lfe into three stages:
(1) the period of purification;
(2) the period of illuminations and;
(3) the period of union with God.
We may have advanced no farther than the first stage because there is still so much to be purified in our souls.
Nevertheless, let us ask God’s grace, to help us to begin this work immediately!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 20 July – “Do whatever he tells you.”

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Quote/s of the Day – 20 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 14: 21 – 15: 1; Exodus 15: 8-9, 10 and 12, 17; Matthew 12: 46-50

“Whosoever shall do the will of my Father, …
he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 12:50

“Do whatever he tells you.”

John 2:5

“You are my friends,
if you do the things
that I command you.”

John 15:14

“A person who wishes
to become the Lord’s disciple
must repudiate a human obligation,
however honourable it may appear,
if it slows us, ever so slightly,
in giving the wholehearted obedience
we owe to God.”

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Neither do I condemn you
but, having been made secure
concerning the past,
be on your guard in the future.
I, for My part, will not condemn you,
I have blotted out what you have done;
keep what I have commanded,
that you may gain
what I have promised.”

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

“We must note, therefore,
that he that does things pleasing to God,
serves Christ but he that follows his own wishes,
is a follower, rather of himself and not of God.”

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

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 July – “Behold my mother and my brothers!” – Matthew 12:49.

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One Minute Reflection – 20 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 14: 21 – 15: 1; Exodus 15: 8-9, 10 and 12, 17; Matthew 12: 46-50

“And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Behold my mother and my brothers!” – Matthew 12:49.

REFLECTION – “.“His Mother is the whole Church, since it is she, who, by God’s grace, gives birth to Christ’s members, that is to say, those who are faithful to Him.   Again, His Mother is every holy soul who does the Father’s will and whose fruitful charity is made known in those, to whom she gives birth for Him, “until he has been formed in them” (cf Gal 4:19)…St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church – Sermon 72

PRAYER – Almighty Father, You made us Your children, You called us from all ages and You formed us by Holy Mother Church. Grant, we pray, that by Your grace, we may be ever faithful to her and be guided by Your Holy Spirit of love. O God may YourMother and ours and Your holy Angels and Saints intercede for us that, being made imitators of the Lord’s Passion, we may merit to be co-heirs of His Kingdom. Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 17July – ‘… The life of the soul, is Christ’.

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Quote/s of the Day – 17July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 12: 37-42; Psalms 136: 1 and 23-24, 10-12, 13-15; Matthew 12: 14-21

“Behold, my servant
whom I have chosen”

Matthew 12:18

“He cries out, saying:
See, I am with you all the days of this age.
He is Himself the shepherd,
the high priest,
the way and the door,
and has become all things at once for us.”

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

“Loving You, O God,
brings its own reward here on earth,
as well as the eternal reward of heaven.
By becoming mirrors of Your love,
by wearing the mask of Your likeness
and by allowing You to make us perfect,
we can know the joy of heaven,
even while we abide here on earth.”

William of St Thierry O.Cist (c 1075 – c 1148)

“The life of the body,
is the soul,
the life of the soul,
is Christ.”

St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)
Evangelical Doctor of the Church

“Who is like You, Who founded heaven and earth …,
You, Who will Your delight to be
with the children of humankind?
How great You are, King of kings
and Lord of Lords,
Who rule the stars
and set Your Heart on humankind!”

St Gertrude the Great of Helfta (1256-1301)

“If you wish to enter into life,
keep My commandments.
If you will know the truth,
believe in Me.
If you will be perfect,
sell all.
If you will be My disciple,
deny yourself.
If you will possess the blessed life,
despise this present life.
If you will be exalted in heaven,
humble yourself on earth.
If you wish to reign with Me,
carry the Cross with Me.
For only the servants of the Cross
find the life of blessedness
and of true light.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
The Imitation of Christ Chapter 56

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17July – ‘This is our faith… ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 17July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 12: 37-42; Psalms 136: 1 and 23-24, 10-12, 13-15; Matthew 12: 14-21

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen” – Matthew 12:18

REFLECTION – “This is our faith… God sent His Word (Jn 1,1) to reveal Himself in person before men’s eyes, that the world, when it saw Him, might be saved… We know He became man, of the same clay as ourselves. If it had been otherwise, it would have been futile for Him to command us to imitate Him as our Lord (Jn 13,14-34). If this Man were of a different nature, how could He ask me to do as He did, I, who am weak by nature? Where, then, would be His goodness, His justice?

To make us thoroughly understand, that He is no different from us, He desired to bear fatigue and know hunger (Jn 4,6); He did not refuse thirst or to find rest in sleep. He did not refuse suffering, He became subject to death and openly manifested His Resurrection. In all these things, He offered His own humanity as a first-fruits, so that you, in your own suffering, might not lose courage but, recognising that you, yourself, are man, might also wait for what the Father has given to Him…

Thanks to your knowledge of the true God, you will have an immortal and imperishable body like the soul itself. You will receive the Kingdom of Heaven as your inheritance because you acknowledged the King of Heaven, while you lived on earth. You will live in the presence of God, “co-heir with Christ” (Rm 8,17). You will no longer be dominated by desires, suffering and sickness because you have become divine in nature… “Christ is God above all” (cf Rm 9,5)… and has given the perfection of the new Man to the old man (Col 3,9). He called it His image from the beginning (Gn 1,27) and, through this likeness, He has shown His loving kindness for you. If you obey His holy commandments, if you imitate He who is good in being Good, you will become like Him.” – St Hippolytus of Rome (c 170-c.235) Bishop, Martyr, Theologian, Father – The Refutation of all heresies, 10, 33-34

PRAYER – Lord God, in Your wisdom You created us, by Your Providence, You rule us. Penetrate our inmost being with Your holy light so that our way of life may always be one of faithful service and childlike trust in You. Grant that by the intercession of our most Holy and Blessed Virgin Mother, we may always follow behind Your Son, obey His Words and grasp His hand, to lead us to You, Through Jesus Christ our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God now and for all eternity, amen

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FATHERS of the Church, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 13 July – Repent!

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Quote/s of the Day – 13 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 2: 1-15a; Psalms 69: 3, 14, 30-31, 33-34; Matthew 11: 20-24

“Jesus began to reproach the towns
where most of his mighty deeds had been done,
for their failure to repent.”

Matthew 11:20

“Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.
Rend your hearts, not your garments
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger,
rich in kindness
and relenting in punishment.”

Joel 2:12-13

“Let us fix our thoughts on the Blood of Christ
and reflect how Precious that Blood is, in God’s eyes,
inasmuch, as its outpouring for our salvation,
has opened the grace of repentance to all mankind.”

St Pope Clement I (c 35-99)

“… In the conceitedness of our souls,
without taking the least trouble
to obey the Lord’s commandments,
we think ourselves worthy
to receive the same reward
as those who have resisted sin to the death!”

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“For this all-powerful Physician,
nothing is incurable.
He heals without charge!
With one word, He restores to health!
I would have despaired of my wound were it not,
that I placed my trust in the Almighty.”

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

“ … Yet only grant me repentance here below
That I may make reparation for my sins, …
That these tears may extinguish the blazing furnace
With its burning flames. …

And, instead of acting like the merciless,
Set merciful compassion within me,
That, by showing mercy to the poor,
I may obtain Your mercy.”

St Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173)
Armenian Bishop

“ It is better to atone for sin now and to cut away vices,
than to keep them for purgation in the hereafter.
In truth, we deceive ourselves
by our ill-advised love of the flesh.
What will that fire feed upon but our sins?
The more we spare ourselves now
and the more we satisfy the flesh,
the harder will the reckoning be
and the more we keep for the burning.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 9July – Sheep in the midst of wolves – .Matthew 10:16

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Quote/s of the Day – 9July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 46: 1-7, 28-30; Psalms 37: 3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40; Matthew 10:16-23

“Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves.
Be, therefore, wise as serpents
and simple as doves.”

Matthew 10:16

“But above all these things have charity,
which is the bond of perfection.”

Colossians 3:14

“What is the surest kind of witness?
“Anyone who acknowledges that Jesus Christ
came among us in the flesh” (cf. 1Jn 4,2)
and who keeps the commands of the Gospel…
How many there are each day
of these hidden martyrs of Christ
who confess the Lord Jesus!
… So be faithful and courageous
in interior persecutions
so that you may also win
the victory in exterior persecutions.”

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

“When he has begun to follow me,
according to My teaching and precepts,
he will find many people contradicting him
and standing in his way,
many who not only deride but even persecute him.
Moreover, this is true,
not only of pagans who are outside the Church
but also of those, who seem to be in it visibly
but are outside of it because of the perversity of their deeds.
Although these glory,
in merely the title of Christian,
they continually persecute faithful Christians.”

St Caesarius of Arles (470-543)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on SANCTITY

Thought for the Day – 8 July – Living the Gospel

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

Living the Gospel

“The Gospel teaches perfection.
It teaches the perfection of the interior life, as well as the exterior life, of private, as well as of domestic and social life.
There is no problem in the universe, which has not been solved in the Gospel.
In regard to the spiritual life, its command is clear. “You are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with they whole mind … Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mt 22:37, Mk 12:30, Lk 10:27).
“This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12).
“If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23).
“Blessed are the poor in spirit … the clean of heart … the peacemakers …” (Mt 5:3-10).
“If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to the poor and thou shall have treasure in heaven” (Mt 19:21).
“Our Father who art in heaven … thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10).
“Father … not my will but thine be done” (Lk 22:42).
Anyone who identifies himself with these maxims, rises above the level of a man, to that of an angel.
His interior life soars to such a peak, that he seems to be leading a heavenly, rather than an earthly existence.
If he is living the Gospel, moreover, his external behaviour will be a faithful mirror of his interior life, for it is not enough to say “Lord, Lord” but a man must also do the will of the Father (Cf Mt 7:21).
A man’s domestic and social life, will follow the pattern of his private life.

When he has reached the summit of perfection, an invisible force will emanate from him, the force of good example.
This force will transform everything, within him and around him.
Like Mary and the Saints, he will become the loyal and powerful co-worker of Christ in the redemption of the human race and in the Christian transformation of society.
Redemption and restoration, can come only through the Gospel.
Other theories are always bound up with and impeded by, human egoism.
The doctrine of the Gospel is reinforced by the love of God and our neighbour.
In the Gospel, public and private justice is transformed into the charity of Christ which cannot be impeded by any earthly difficulty, nor by any human barrier, not even by death.
“Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ?” (Rom 8:35) asks St Paul.
Let us meditate on this.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FRUITS of the SPIRIT, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SIN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 8 July – Obedience

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 44, 18-21, 23b-29, 45: 1-5; Psalms 105: 16-17, 18-19, 20-21; Matthew 10: 7-15.

Obedience

“Go and from now on,
sin no more”

John 8:11

“You are my friends,
if you do the things
that I command you.”

John 15:14

“I have chosen you
and have appointed you,
that you should go
and should bring forth fruit
and your fruit should remain,
says the Lord.”

John 15:16

“Let it be understood,
that those who are not found living
as He taught,
are NOT Christian- even though they profess
with the lips, the teaching of Christ.”

St Justin Martyr (c 100-165)
Father of the Church

“It is not that we keep His commandments first
and that then He loves
but, that He loves us
and then we keep His commandments.
This is that grace
which is revealed to the humble
but hidden from the proud.”

“Neither do I condemn you
but, having been made secure
concerning the past,
be on your guard in the future.
I, for My part, will not condemn you,
I have blotted out what you have done;
keep what I have commanded,
that you may gain
what I have promised.”

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

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 July – ‘ Do you comprehend the dignity of the Apostles?!’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 8 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 44, 18-21, 23b-29, 45: 1-5; Psalms 105: 16-17, 18-19, 20-21; Matthew 10: 7-15.

“As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” – Matthew 10:7

REFLECTION – “Do you perceive the unparalleled magnificence of their ministry? Do you comprehend the dignity of the Apostles?! They are not authorised to speak of things perceivable by the senses. They do not repeat what Moses said or the prophets before them. Rather, they spoke of new and strange things. Moses and the prophets spoke of temporal promises of an earthly land. The Apostles proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven and all that this implies.

Not only does the loftiness of their message characterise them as greater but so does the lowly nature of their obedience. They were not reluctant nor irresolute, like those who came before. Instead, warned as they were of perils, wars and intolerable evils, they receive His commands with simple obedience. They immediately became heralds of the coming Kingdom.” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Bishop, Father, Doctor – The Gospel of Matthew: Homily, 32.

PRAYER – Holy God and Almighty Father, we are the disciples of Your Son as we follow Him home to You. As He taught His Apostles, so they have passed their learning onto us and we reach out in love and obedience for the Kingdom of Heaven. Grant us we pray, the strength and love to imitate Jesus Our Lord in all things and to daily, pick up our cross with joy and commitment. May the Blessed Virgin, be a constant protection and assistance in our times of struggle and may all your Angels and Saints and Martyrs, pray for us, through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God for always and forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – “… You are to be radiant lights …“

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 41: 55-57; 42: 5-7a, 17-24a, Psalms 33: 2-3, 10-11, 18-19, Matthew 10: 1-7

“Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority … “

Matthew 10:1

“Speak Lord for your servant hears.”

1 Samuel 3:10

“A person who wishes
to become the Lord’s disciple
must repudiate a human obligation,
however honourable it may appear,
if it slows us, ever so slightly,
in giving the wholehearted obedience
we owe to God.”

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“He wants you to become
a living force for all mankind,
lights shining in the world.
You are to be radiant lights
as you stand beside Christ,
the Great Light,
bathed in the glory of Him
who is the Light of Heaven.”

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

“Pray as though everything depended on God.
Work as though everything depended on you.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father & Doctor of the Church

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

St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the HIGH PRIEST, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, POETRY, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day– 6 July – We are not without a Shepherd!

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Quote/s of the Day– 6 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 32: 23-33, Psalms 17: 1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15, Matthew 9: 32-3

We are not without a Shepherd!

“I pray for them.
I do not pray for the world
but for the ones you have given me,
because they are yours.
All mine are yours and all yours are mine
and I am glorified in them.
… Holy Father, keep them in your name,
which you have given me,
that they may be one,
even as we are one.”

John 17:9-11

“This, beloved, is the way in which we found our salvation,
Jesus Christ, the High Priest who offers our gifts,
the patron and helper in our weakness (Heb 10:20; 7:27; 4:15). I
t is through Him, that we look straight at the heavens above.
Through Him, we see mirrored,
God’s faultless and transcendent countenance.
Through Him, the eyes of our heart were opened.
Through Him, our unintelligent and darkened mind
shoots up into the light.
Through Him, the Master was pleased
to let us taste the knowledge that never fades,”

St Pope Clement I (c 35 – c 99)

“The mark of Christ’s sheep
is their willingness to hear and obey,
just as disobedience
is the mark of those who are not His.
We take the word ‘hear’
to imply obedience
to what has been said.”

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

“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love,
in which the royal prophet said to Him,
‘Thou, O Lord, are my portion.’
Let others choose to themselves,
portions among creatures,
for my part, You are my portion,
You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”

St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605)

And if by chance you do not know
Where to go in quest of Me,
Do not go far My Face to see,
Searching everywhere high and low,
But in yourself must seek for Me.

For, soul, in you I am confined,
You are My dwelling and My home;
And if one day I chance to find
Fast-closed the portals of your mind
I ask for entrance when I come.

Oh, do not seek me far away,
For, if you would attain to Me,
You only need My Name to say
And I’ll be there, without delay.
Look in yourself to seek for Me!”

St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FRUITS of the SPIRIT, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MEDITATION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THE WORLD, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 5 July – St Anthony Mary Zaccaria

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – the Memorial of St Anthony Mary Zaccaria CRSP (1502-1539)

“In His mercy, God has chosen us,
unworthy as we are,
out of the world,
to serve Him and thus, to advance in goodness
and to bear the greatest possible
fruit of love in patience.”

“If you want to pray well,
first detach yourself from things of the world,
purify yourself from your passions,
which deprive your soul of your trust in God,
then prepare yourself for prayer through meditation.”

“ True spiritual life consists in this:
that man keep his eyes on God all the time,
long for nothing but for God,
keep nothing in mind but God,
begin every single action,in God’s name
and direct it to Him.”

St Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/07/05/quote-s-of-the-day-5-july-st-anthony-mary-zaccaria-2/

Posted in GOD is LOVE, GOD the FATHER, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WISDOM

Thought for the Day – 3 July – The New Life

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Thought for the Day – 3 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The New Life

Only a Christian,” wrote Tertullian, “can be wise, sincere and lofty” (De praescriptione haereticorum, 3).

He had in mind, of course, the true follower of Jesus Christ, who is practising the precepts of Our Lord.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with they whole heart ... Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mt 22:37, MK 12:30, Lk 10:27).
“You are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).

A man who loves God above all things, can fairly be called wise.
God is the supreme good and as such, should be the final end towards which we direct all our thoughts and actions.
If anyone adopts his own ego or some created good as his goal in life, he is not wise because he has upset the proper scale of values.
It is not true to say that we should love ourselves before anything else because we are creatures who belong to God and should refer everything to Him.
Only if we love God above all things, even above ourselves, can we really be said to love ourselves.
How can we love ourselves, if, in the first place, we do not love our highest good, which is God?
Since this love must be active, it makes us faithful to God’s commandments and raises us above the rest of creation to a state of immediate dependence on God.
A love of all mankind flows as a natural consequence from this union of love with God.
If we regard all men as our brothers in Jesus Christ, we shall be perfect Christians in the manner intended by our divine Redeemer when He desires us to be like His heavenly Father.
This is the new life which Jesus came to bring into the world and which we should nurture in ourselves (Cf Heb 4:23-24).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Hail MARY!, I BELIEVE!, MARIAN PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on VIRTUE, SAINT of the DAY, The ASCENSION of the LORD, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The HOLY GHOST, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The LAST THINGS, The RESURRECTION, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 27 June – St Cyril of Alexandria

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Quote/s of the Day – 27 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – The Memorial of St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father and Doctor of the Church ) – “The Pillar of Faith” & “Seal of all the Fathers” – Doctor Incarnationis (Doctor of the Incarnation)

“Christ has dominion
over all creatures,
a dominion not seized
by violence
nor usurped but His,
by essence and by nature.”

“Our lives are all controlled
by the Spirit now
and are not confined to this physical world
that is subject to corruption.
The light of the Only-begotten
has shone on us
and we have been transformed
into the Word,
the source of all life.”

“We must note, therefore,
that he that does things pleasing to God,
serves Christ but he that follows his own wishes,
is a follower, rather of himself and not of God.”

“My sheep follow me,” says Christ.
By a certain God-given grace,
believers follow in the footsteps of Christ.
No longer subject to the shadows of the Law ,
they obey the commands of Christ,
and guided by His words,
rise through grace,
to His own dignity,
for they are called children of God.
When Christ ascends into heaven,
they also follow Him.”

“The mark of Christ’s sheep
is their willingness to hear and obey,
just as disobedience
is the mark of those who are not His.
We take the word ‘hear’
to imply obedience
to what has been said.”

“…[The Kingdom of God] … is within you.
That is, it depends on your own wills
and is in your own power,
whether or not you receive it.
Everyone, that has attained
to justification, by means of faith in Christ
and decorated by every virtue,
is counted worthy,
of the kingdom of heaven.”

Hail, O Mary, Mother of God
By St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)

Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Virgin and Mother!
Morning Star, perfect vessel.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Holy Temple in which God Himself was conceived.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Chaste and pure dove.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
who enclosed the One Who cannot be encompassed
in your sacred womb.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
From you flowed the true light, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Through you the Conqueror
and triumphant Vanquisher of hell, came to us.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Through you, the glory of the Resurrection blossoms.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
You have saved every faithful Christian.
Hail, O Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now
and at the hour of our death.
Amen

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

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD is LOVE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 25 June – The Power of God’s Love in the Christian Life

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

The Power of God’s Love
in the Christian Life

“The love which we have for God, our Creator, Redeemer and Benefactor, should not be merely sentimental.
It must be effective.
When love is sincere, it is active.
It is not enought to say: I love You, O my God.
We must show by our actions, that we love Him.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven,” Jesus tells us, “but he who does the will of my Father in heaven, shall enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 7:21).
Our love must be active, therefore.
Moreover, we must avoid and detest sin because it is an offence against God and, we must strive to become holy.
This involves sacrifice but sacrifice is the touchstone of love.
Anyone in love, is not afraid of sacrifice – in fact, he looks for it, in order to prove his love.
Charity, like faith, is a lifeless thing, if it is not accompanied by actions (Cf Js 2:17).
We must love God by doing everything for love of Him.
God will repay us generously, ot only in the next life but even in the present.
Even on earth, the only real happiness, is that whch comes from Him.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The TEN COMMANDMENTS

Thought for the Day – 23 June – Progress in the Love of God

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

Progress in the Love of God

“The entire Christian system is based on the love of God.
This, is “the greatest and first commandment” (Mt 22:38) of Jesus, from which the second commandment, to love our neighbour, naturally flows.
A man who does not observe this first commandment is not a Christian, whereas a man who endeavours to increase, everyday, his love for God, is a saint.
There are may grades of ascent in this love but, the basic step is indicated in the words of our Divine Master:  “He who has my commandments and keeps them, he is is who loves me” (Jn 14:15,21).

The love of God should not consist of an empty and ineffective sentimentality but, should comprise, a sincere determinations to please God by carrying out His will, without reserve and by becoming more closely united to Him, by the help of His holy grace.
Progress in the love of God is divided by the masters of the spiritual lfe into three stages:
(1) the period of purification;
(2) the period of illuminations and;
(3) the period of union with God.
We may have advanced no farther than the first stage because there is still so much to be purified in our souls.
Nevertheless, let us ask God’s grace, to help us to begin this work immediately!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, CHRIST the HIGH PRIEST, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FATHERS of the Church, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PAPAL PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 June – “Is Christ asleep in you? – Mark 4:35-41

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One Minute Reflection – 20 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Job 38: 1, 8-11, Psalms 107: 23-24, 25-26, 28-29, 30-31 (1b), Second Corinthians 5: 14-17, Gospel: Mark 4: 35-41

And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” – Mark 4:39-40

REFLECTION – “Your heart is imperilled, your heart is taking a battering. On hearing yourself insulted, you long to retaliate but, the joy of revenge, brings with it another kind of misfortune – shipwreck. Why is this? Because Christ is asleep in you. What do I mean? I mean you have forgotten His presence. Rouse Him, then; remember Him, let Him keep watch within you, pay heed to Him. … You have forgotten that when Christ was being crucified He said: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34). Christ, the sleeper in your heart, had no desire for vengeance in His.

Rouse Him, then, call Him to mind. (To remember Him, is to recall His words; to remember Him, is to recall His commands.) Then, when He is awake within you, you will ask yourself, “Whatever kind of wretch am I to be thirsting for revenge? … He who said, ‘Give and it shall be given you; forgive and you will be forgiven,’ would indeed decline to acknowledge me. So I will curb my anger and restore peace to my heart.” Now all is calm again. Christ has rebuked the sea. … This is the moment to awaken Christ and let Him remind you of those words: “Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey him” Who is this whom the sea obeys? “It is he to whom the sea belongs, for he made it” (Ps 95[94]:5); “all things were made through him” (Jn 1:3).

Try, then, to be more like the wind and the sea – obey the God who made you. The sea obeys Christ’s command and are you going to turn a deaf ear to it? … Words, actions, schemes, what are all these but a constant huffing and puffing, a refusal to be still at Christ’s command? When your heart is in a troubled state, do not let the waves overwhelm you.

If, since we are only human, the driving wind should stir up in us a tumult of emotions, let us not despair but awaken Christ, so that we may sail in quiet waters and reach at last our heavenly homeland.” – St Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo, Father and Doctor of Grace – Sermon 63

PRAYER – Waken us holy Lord, to Your presence in us, with us, now and forever. Open our eyes to see Your presence and our ears to hear Your voice. Teach us that You are always with us and Your presence is all we need to survive the storms and the winds of this world. For You, just You, are our rock and our foundation, our ship and our harbour. Grant that the prayers of all Your Angels and Saints with their Queen and ours, Mother Mary, may serve to remind us of Your love and power. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
EUCHARISTIC Heart of JESUS, model of the priestly heart, have mercy on us.
COR JESU Eucharisticum, cordis sacerdotalis exemplar, miserere nobis. – Indulgence 300 Days, Everytime – Raccolta 177St Pius X, 11 September 1907

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY

Thought for the Day – 19 June– Confidence in the Providence of God

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

Confidence in the
Providence of God

“An excessive pre-occupation with worldly affairs may often be responsible for our lack of perfect confidence in God.
We worry about tomorrow and about our many material need.
But Jesus has warned us about this.
“Do not be anxious for your life,” He said, “what you shall eat, nor yet for your body, what you shall wear … Look at the birds of the air – they do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much more value than they? …
Consider how the lilies of the field grow, they neither toil nor spon, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory, was arrayed like one of these.
But, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which flourishes today but tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more you, O you of little faith!
Therefore, do not be anxious …
But seek first the kingdom of God and his justice and all these things shall be given ou besides.
Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow will have anxieties of its own.
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Cf Mt 6:25-34).

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing?
And yet, not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave.
But, as for you, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
Therefore, do not be afraid!” (Cf Mt 10:29-31).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/20/thought-for-the-day-20-august-confidence-in-the-providence-of-god/

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 1 June – St Justin Martyr

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Quote/s of the Day – 1 June – “Month of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus” – The Memorial of St Justin Martyr (c 100-165) Father of the Church

“Let it be understood,
that those who are not found living
as He taught,
are NOT Christian- even though they profess
with the lips, the teaching of Christ.”

“As by the Word of God,
Jesus our Saviour
was made Flesh
and had both Flesh and Blood for our salvation,
so also the food,
which has been blessed by the word of the prayer,
instituted by Him,
is both the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Incarnate.”

“By examining the tongue of the patient,
physicians find out,
the diseases of the body
and philosophers,
the diseases of the mind.”

“Love is like the air we breathe,
it isn’t always seen
but it is heard,
felt and needed.”

“You can kill us
but you cannot do us
any real harm.”

St Justin Martyr (c 100-165)
Father of the Church

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on MEDITATION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day -15 May – ‘Ask the Father anything in my name …’ Let us pray

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Quote/s of the Day – 15 May – “Mary’s Month” – Readings: Acts 18: 23-28, Psalms 47: 2-3, 8-9, 10, John 16: 23-28

“Amen, amen I say to you,
if you ask the Father anything in my name,
he will give it you.”

John 16:27

“Prayer is the wing,
wherewith the soul flies to heaven
and meditation,
the eye,
wherewith we see God.”

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

“ Lift up and stretch out your hands,
not to heaven but to the poor…
if you lift up your hands in prayer
without sharing with the poor,
it is worth nothing.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor of the Church

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

“Ask with tears,
seek with obedience,
knock with patience.”

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

Prayer for the Gift of Prayer
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

O Incarnate Word,
You have given Your Blood and Your Life
to confer on our prayers that power by which,
according to Your promise,
they obtain for us all that we ask.
And we, O God,
are so careless of our salvation,
that we will not even ask You for the graces
that we must have, if we should be saved!
In prayer You have given us the key
of all Your Divine treasures;
and we, rather than pray,
choose to remain in our misery.
Alas! O Lord, enlighten us,
and make us know the value of prayers,
offered in Your name and by Your merits,
in the eyes of Your Eternal Father.
Amen

“My children, your heart is small
but prayer expands it
and makes it able to love God.
Prayer is a foretaste of heaven,
an outflowing of paradise.
It never leaves us without sweetness.
It is honey, which descends into the soul
and sweetens everything.
Sorrows melt in a prayer,
that is well prayed,
like snow in the sun.”

St John-Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 12 May – “All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed”

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

“All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed”

“It is related in the Gospel, that once a certain occasion, a woman in the crowd, was roused by the preaching and miracles of Jesus and cried out: “Blessed is the womb that bore thee and the breasts that nursed thee.” But Jesus replied: “Rather blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it” (Lk 11:27-28).
These words take nothing from the glory of the Mother of God.
They were not intended for her but, for us.
She was great and holy, not only because she was chosen to be the Mother of the Word Incarnate but also because she perfected herself in virtue by carrying out, in everything, the teaching of her divine Son, Jesus.

We cannot follow her as far as her high dignity of Mother of God but we can follow her in her heroic practice of virtue.
Admittedly, we shall not be able to climb to an equal height but, with the help of God and under Mary’s own protection, we can and should, walk in her footsteps.

We can imitate her humility, her purity, her lively faith, her burning love for God and for her neighbour and her spirit of constant prayer and union with God.
If we do this, we shall always feel that she is by our side as our loving Mother, who is eager to help us to become holy.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/12/thought-for-the-day-12-may-all-generations-shall-call-me-blessed/

Posted in "Follow Me", ACT of CONTRITION, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 9 May – “You are my friends if you do what I command you. “ – John 15:14

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 May – Sixth Sunday of Easter, Readings: First: Acts 10: 25-26, 34-35, 44-48; Psalm: Psalms 98: 1, 2-3, 3-4 (2b); Second: First John 4: 7-10; Gospel: John 15: 9-17

“You are my friends if you do what I command you. “

John 15:14

“It is not that we keep His commandments first
and that then He loves
but, that He loves us
and then we keep His commandments.
This is that grace
which is revealed to the humble
but hidden from the proud.”

“If we live good lives, the times are also good.
As we are, such are the times.”

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

“We must note, therefore,
that he that does things pleasing to God,
serves Christ but he that follows his own wishes,
is a follower, rather of himself and not of God.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor of the Incarnation

PRAYER – O Infinite Goodness – Act of Contrition
By St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) – Doctor of the Church

O my God,
I am exceedingly grieved,
for having offended Thee
and with my whole heart,
I repent of the sins I have committed.
I hate and abhor them above every other evil,
not only because, by so sinning,
I have lost heaven and deserved hell
but still more because I have offended Thee,
O infinite Goodness,
who art worthy to be loved above all things.
I most firmly resolve,
by the assistance of Thy grace,
never more to offend Thee for the time to come
and to avoid those occasions
which might lead me into sin.
Amen

Posted in "Follow Me", FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 May – “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me first.”- John 15:18

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One Minute Reflection – 8 May – “Mary’s Month” – Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter, Readings: Acts 16:1-10, Psalm 100:1-3, 5, John 15:18-21

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me first.”- John 15:18

REFLECTION –“I rejoice with you greatly in our Lord Jesus Christ, that you welcomed the copies of true love [Ignatius of Antioch and his companions]…who were encumbered with saintly chains, which are the diadems of those, truly chosen by God and our Lord. And I rejoice because the deep root of your faith, which has been renowned from early times, still lasts and bears fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ, Who for our sins, endured even facing death, and whom “God raised, releasing him from the throes of death” (Acts 2,24). “Though you have not seen him, you believe with unutterable, triumphant joy” (1Pt 1,8)… “He who raised him from the dead will raise us also” (2Cor 4,14), if we do His Will and live by His Commands and love what He loved… Let us be imitators of His endurance and, if we suffer for His sake, let us glorify Him. For He set us this example Himself and this is what we have believed.

So I beg you all, to obey the message of uprightness and to exhibit all endurance, such as you saw with your own eyes, not only in the blessed Ignatius and Zosimus and Rufus but also, in others of your number and in Paul himself and the rest of the Apostles, being assured, that all these “have not run in vain” (Gal 2,2) but in faith and uprightness and, that they are in the place that they have deserved with the Lord, with and for Whom they suffered. For they did not “love the present world” (2Tm 4,10) but Christ, Who died for us and was raised up by God for our sakes.”- St Polycarp (69-155) Apostolic Father, Bishop and Martyr – Letter to the Philippians, 1-2, 8-9

PRAYER – Almighty God, grant that Your faithful, who rejoice in the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, may be delivered from every evil here on earth, put on the armour of Your Son and fight the good faith bearing His standard. Through her prayer and the prayers of Your Angels and Saints, may we come to the enduring joys of heaven. We make our prayer through her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, one God with You, in the union of the Holy Spirit, forever amen.

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MOTHER of GOD, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 4 May – Mary, the Mother of God

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Thought for the Day – 4 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mary, the Mother of God

“St Matthew (Cf Mt 12:46-50) and St Mark (Cf Mk 3:31-35), relate how Jesus was preaching one day in Galilee, surrounded by His Apostles and by a large crowd, when a man approached and said: “Behold, thy mother and thy brethren are standing outside, seeking thee.”
“Who is my mother,” He answered, “and who are my brethren?”
Then He extended His hand towards His disciples and said: “Behold, my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

These words were directed at us, not at Our Lady.
Not only was she the Immaculate Mother of Jesus Christ but, she performed lovingly, on all occasions, the Will of the heavenly Father.
She did His Will, in poverty and obedience, in exile and on Mount Calvary.
Therefore, she was God’s Mother in the spiritual, as well as, in the physical sense of the word, insofar, as she was constantly united to Him by a bond of love and of conformity with His desires.

Christ’s words indicate, that Mary’s perfect and continuous acceptance of God’s Will, was even more pleasing to God, than the dignity of the divine Motherhood.

We cannot equal her in dignity but, we can imitate her in this other respect.
Jesus will look on us as His brothers and as worthy sons of Mary, if we carry out His Will in all things.
It is not always easy to do this.
It is not easy, when we are strongly tempted to commit sins of pride, anger or impurity.
It is not easy, when we are overcome by sorrow or by sickness, when we are let down or misunderstood by others, when we are in want and, when we feel that we are collapsing beneath the weght of our cross.
At times like these, we should pray for Mary’s spirit of complete acceptance of the Will of God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/04/thought-for-the-day-4-may-mary-the-mother-of-god/