Quote/s of the Day – 5 October – The Memorial of St Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905-1938)
“Oh, how great, is the goodness of God,
greater than we can understand.
There are moments
and there are mysteries,
of the Divine Mercy
over which, the heavens are astounded.
Let our judgement of souls cease,
for God’s mercy upon them, is extraordinary.”
“I know well that the greater
and more beautiful the work is,
the more terrible will be the storms,
that rage against it.”
Thought for the Day – 3 October – Thursday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 10:1-12 and the Memorial of Blessed Szilárd István Bogdánffy (1911-1953) Martyr
“Let us thank God for this heroic pastor of the Church who followed the Lamb to the very end! May his witness bring comfort to those, who even today, are persecuted for the sake of the Gospel.”
We must always pray to the “Lord of the harvest”, namely, God the Father, that He send labourers into His field which is the world.
These imperatives show that the mission is based on prayer, that it is itinerant – it is not idle, it is itinerant, that it requires separation and poverty, that it brings peace and healing, signs of the closeness of the Kingdom of God, that it is not proselytism but proclamation and witness and that, it also requires frankness and the evangelical freedom, to leave, while highlighting the responsibility of having rejected the message of salvation but without condemnation and cursing.
If lived in these terms, the mission of the Church will be characterised by joy.
And how does this passage end? The 72 “returned with joy” (cf. v. 17). It is not an ephemeral joy, which flows from the success of the mission – on the contrary, it is a joy rooted in the promise that — as Jesus says – “your names are written in heaven” (v. 20).
That is, the joy of being His disciples.
Pope Francis
(Angelus 7 July 2019)
Quote/s of the Day – 24 September – Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 8:19-21
But he said to them,
“My mother and my brethren,
are those, who hear
the word of God and do it.”
“We recognise a tree by its fruit
and we ought to be able to recognise
a Christian by his action.
The fruit of faith should be evident in our lives,
for being a Christian is more than making
sound professions of faith.
It should reveal itself in practical and visible ways.
Indeed it is better to keep quiet about our beliefs
and live them out,
than to talk eloquently about what we believe
but fail to live by it.”
“A Christian is not his own master,
since all his time belongs to God.”
“Look upon the face of the Crucified,
who invites you to follow Him.
He will be a Father, Mother–
everything to you.”
Quote/s of the Day – 17 September – Tuesday of the Twenty Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of Saint Zygmunt Szcesny Felinski (1822-1895)
“The Church is
the greatest treasure,
the aim in my life,
my only love on the Earth.”
(1855)
“I trust in God
and wish nothing else
but His will.”
(1877)
“Blessed are those who will be found,
in their hour of trial
with Mary, under the cross.”
(1874)
“Internal peace is the most precious treasure
and the only gift that the Saviour promises
His disciples on the Earth.”
(1879)
“Let God’s Peace,
His grace and blessing
accompany you
in all places
and at all times.”
(1890)
Quote/s of the Day – 15 September – Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 15:1–32 and the Memorial of Blessed Paolo Manna PIME (1872-1952)
“Just so, I tell you,
there will be more joy in heaven
over one sinner who repents,
than over ninety-nine righteous persons
who need no repentance.”
“The whole Church for the whole world!”
“Go for a divine call,
go where obedience has destined you.
Go for the love of Jesus,
for the interests of Jesus
and Jesus will always be at your side,
always in your heart”
“We are apostles!
We are apostles
and we wander far and wide,
we work generously,
only for the sake of souls,
only for the Church,
only for heaven!”
Christ only knows
how to count to one and that one,
is each of us!
Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – The Memorial of Saint Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) “Father of the Fathers” and Blessed Brigida of Jesus Morello (1610-1679)
“Holy Scripture presents a kind of mirror
to the eyes of the mind,
so that our inner face may be seen in it.
There we learn our own ugliness, there our own beauty.
And there too we discover the progress we are making
and how far we are from perfection.”
“When we attend to the needs of those in want,
we give them what is theirs, not ours.
More than performing works of mercy,
we are paying a debt of justice.”
More quotes from St Gregory:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/09/03/quote-s-of-the-day-3-september-the-memorial-of-st-pope-gregory-the-great-540-604-father-doctor-of-the-church-father-of-the-fathers/
“Let the Crucifix we wear be our mirror,
so that we may conform our life to that of Jesus,
our guide and model!”
“Confidence, Confidence!
A large heart! God is a Father
and He will never abandon us!”
One Minute Reflection – 29 August – The Beheading of St John the Baptist, Gospel: Mark 6:17–29
She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”…Mark 6:24
REFLECTION – “John did not live for himself alone, nor did he die for himself alone. How many there were, burdened with sin, who were led to conversion by his hard and austere life. How many who were strengthened to bear their own trials by his undeserved death. And what about us? From where does the opportunity come to offer faithful thanks to God today, if not from the the remembrance of Saint John, put to death for righteousness’ sake, that is to say, for Christ?…
Yes indeed, John the Baptist sacrificed his life with all his heart here below for love of Christ. He chose to despise the commands of a tyrant, rather than those of God. His example teaches us, that nothing should be dearer to us, than the will of God. Pleasing other people is of little value, indeed, it often causes great harm… Therefore, let us die to our sins and anxieties with all God’s friends, tread underfoot our misguided self-will and be careful to allow fervent love for Christ, to grow within us.” … Lanspergius the Carthusian (1489-1539) – Monk, Theologian – Sermon for the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. Opera omnia, t. 2
PRAYER – God our Father, You appointed St John the Baptist to be the herald of the birth and death of Christ Your Son. Grant that as he died a martyr for justice and truth, so we may also courageously bear witness to Your Word. We make our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever. St John the Baptist, pray for us, amen.
