Category: QUOTES on PRAYER

Posted in HOW to PRAY at ALL TIMES, QUOTES on PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 10 November – ON WHAT AND HOW, WE SHOULD CONVERSE WITH GOD

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Thought for the Day – 10 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

ON WHAT AND HOW, WE SHOULD
CONVERSE WITH GOD.
Excerpt from Chapter Three:I

“Never, then, forget His sweet Presence, as do the greater part of men. Speak to Him as often as you can, for He does not grow weary of this, nor disdains it …
If you love Him, you will not be at a loss of what to say to Him. Tell Him all that occurs to you, about yourself and your affairs, as you would tell it to a dear friend.
Do not look upon Him as a haughty King Who will converse only with the superior and on great matters. He, your God, is pleased to lower Himself to you and to hear you communicate to Him, your smallest and most ordinary concerns.

… Say not: Why disclose all my wants to God, since He already sees and knows them better than I do?
Yes, He knows them but, He acts as if He did not know the needs about which you do not speak to Him and for which, you do not seek His aid.
Our Saviour knew that Lazarus was dead and yet, He acted as if He did not know until Martha told Him of it. It was only then, He comforted her by bringing her brother back to life.”

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, QUOTES on WATCHING, SACRAMENTS, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 November – “Suffer both to grow until the harvest” – Matthew 13:30

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One Minute Reflection – 10 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Andrew Avellino CR (1521–1608) Confessor – Col ossians 3:12-17: Matthew 13:24-30 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Suffer both to grow until the harvest” – Matthew 13:30

REFLECTION – “In today’s Gospel, my friends, we see that when the owner of the field had sowed his seed in good soil, the enemy came while he was sleeping and sowed weeds in it. What this means, is that God created man good and perfect but the enemy came and sowed sin. This was Adam’s downfall and a terrible fall which opened the door to sin in the human heart.

Are you saying that we must exterminate the weeds? “But no,” the Lord replies, “for fear that in pulling up the weeds ,you harm the good seed at the same time. Wait until the harvest.” This is how the human heart must remain until the end – a mixture of good and bad, vice and virtue, light and darkness, good seed and weeds. God did not wish to destroy this mix and refashion a nature in us where there would be nothing but good seed. He wants us to fight, to strive to prevent the weeds from overwhelming us. The devil comes to sow temptation across our path but we are able to overcome it by grace, we can smother the weeds.

Three things are absolutely necessary against temptation – prayer to enlighten us, the Sacraments to strengthen us and vigilance to preserve us. Happy are the souls who are tempted! It is when the devil judges a soul is tending towards union with God that he redoubles his rage.” – St Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) Priest and the Patron of Priests, The Curé d’Ars (The Spirit of the Curé d’Ars, Sermons Conversations).

PRAYER – O God, by his difficult vow to make daily progress in holiness, Thou placed in the heart of blessed Andrew, Thy Confessor, a wondrous longing to ascend unto Thee, grant us, by his merits and intercession, so to become sharers of that same grace that, ever pursuing the more perfect things, we may be happily brought unto the height of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in HOW to PRAY at ALL TIMES, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 8 November – IT IS EASY AND AGREEABLETO CONVERSE WITH GOD

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Thought for the Day – 8 November – Meditations with Saint A lphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

IT IS EASY AND AGREEABLE
TO CONVERSE WITH GOD
Excerpt from Chapter Two

“… It is a great mistake to speak to God with diffidence – to appear before Him as a timid slave, trembling with alarm before his prince – it would be a still greater mistake, to think that conversing with God is wearisome and unpleasant.

Now, you are not required to apply your mind so constantly to prayer as to forget your ordinary work and recreation. ‘Praying always’ means that, without neglecting your ordinary occupations, you treat God as you treat the friends who love you and whom you love.
God is ever near you, even within you – In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 18:28).
He who would speak to God has no door to open; God is pleased when you speak to Him without reserve.
Tell Him of your business, your plans, your griefs, your fears – of all which concerns you. Above all, do so (as I have already said) with confidence and entire freedom. For God is not wont to speak to the soul who does not speak to Him; in fact, being unaccustomed to speak to God, the soul would scarcely understand Him when He spoke.

It is the Will of God that we remember His surpassing Power and His rigorous Justice … but, on the contrary, He wishes that we should treat Him as a most affectionate friend, if we love Him and, that we should speak to Him confidingly and without restraint.”

Posted in HOW to PRAY at ALL TIMES, QUOTES on PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 6 November – “How to Pray at All Times”

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Thought for the Day – 6 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

In order to see us to the beginning of Advent, I will be posting short excerpts from this Treatise on Prayer.

This beautiful little work was first published in 1753. It is, therefore, one of the earliest works of St Alphonsus. The Saint entitled it: ‘A method of Conversing Continually and Lovingly with God and, to the title, he added a note to say that it had been translated from the French but that he had ‘ augmented it with holy thoughts, affections and practices. It was surely the Saint’s humility whichmade him thus minimise his part in the composition of the book, for, as a matter of fact, he entirely recast the little French Treatise and made it all his own. His biographer, Father Berthe, could write of it: ‘In this golden little book are to be found the most familiar thoughts of the holy author. (Life Vol I P 575).

It will be easily seen that the Treatise has a twofold message. St Alphonsus, like the Divine Redeemer before him, always puts the thought of God’s justice andthe fear of punishment, before those who are obstinate in sin. But, following again the Redeemer’s example, the saintly Doctor preaches, in burning words the truth that every soul wishing to serve God may go to Him with perfect, unwavering confidence. To such souls God shows, Infinite tenderness and love. This message of confidence to men of goodwill, is the first lesson which the Saint teaches, with convincing force, in the following pages.
The second lesson is deduced from the first – those who wish to serve God should speak to Him frequently, confidingly, lovingly.

Be it remembered, this Treatise is from the pen of a Doctor of the Church every sentence of it bears the impress of his authority. A new translation of it is now given to the faithful in the hope that it will continue its mission of mercy and lead men, in ever increasing numbers, to speak to God, frequently and lovingly.

Posted in GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on PURITY, SACRAMENTS, The BEATITUDES, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 November – ‘There is nothing as beautiful as a soul which is pure. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 6 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the All Saints Octave – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.” … Matthew 5:8

REFLECTION – “There is nothing as beautiful as a soul which is pure. If we understood this, we would be incapable of losing our purity. A pure soul is like a beautiful pearl. As long as it is concealed in a shell, at the bottom of the sea, no-one thinks of admiring it. But if you display it in the sun, then this pearl shines and draws people’s eyes.

Purity comes from Heaven, we have to ask God for it. If we ask for it, we shall receive it. We must take great care not to lose it. It closes our hearts to pride, sensuality and every other passion.

Children, we cannot understand the power which a pure soul has over the Good God – it receives all it wishes for. … Before God, a pure soul is like a child before its mother, it caresses her and hugs her and its mother returns its caresses and embraces.

To preserve our purity, there are three things – the Presence of God, prayer and the Sacraments.” … St John-Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) Curé d’Ars (Selected Thoughts of the Curé d’Ars).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession that abundance of Thy mercy for which we yearn. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in PREPARATION for DEATH, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on WATCHING, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST

Thought for the Day – 2 November – CONSIDERATION XXXI, Of Perseverance

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Thought for the Day – 2 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“Preparation for Death”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

CONSIDERATION XXXI

Of Perseverance
“He who shall endure unto the end,
the same shall be saved.”
(Matt xxiv: 13)

FIRST POINT:
“IT is of the many to begin, of the few to persevere,” writes S.
St Jerome.
Saul, Judas, Tertullian, began well but they ended badly, since they did not persevere in good.
“In Christians, the beginnings are not sought for but the end,” continues the aint and St Bonaventure confirms this by saying: “Perseverance alone is crowned.”
Hence, St Laurence Justinian calls perseverance “the door of Heaven.”

So that he cannot enter into Heaven who cannot find the gate of entrance. My brother, you have at this present time abandoned sin and may justly hope that you have been pardoned, in this case, you are the friend of God but know that you are still, not saved. And when will you be saved? When you have persevered even to the end!
“He who shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

Have you begun the good life? thank the Lord but St Bernard warns you: “The reward is promised to those beginning, it is given to those who persevere.” It is not enough to run for the prize but we must run until we obtain it, or, as the Apostle says: “So run that ye may obtain.” (i Cor ix: 24).
Now, truly, you have. put.your hand to the plough, you have
begun to live well but now, ever very much, fear and tremble: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil ii: 12). Wherefore? Since, if you turn and look back which God forbid and go back to your evil life, God will declare you to be excluded from Heaven: “No man, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.” (Luke ix: 62.

Pray for the grace of the Lord, frequent Holy Communion, make a daily meditation. Blessed are you if you have progressed to do thus and if, so doing, Jesus Christ shall find you, when He comes to judge you.
“Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when He cometh, shall find so doing.” (Matt xxiv:46).

But do not believe, now you have set yourselves to serve God, temptations are either wanting or are, at an end. “My son, if thou come to serve the Lord …. prepare thy soul for temptation.” (Ecclus ii: I) Know that now, more than ever, you ought to prepare yourself for the battle, since your enemies, the devil, the world, the flesh, more than ever will arm themselves to fight against you, to make you lose that which you have already gained!
Denis the Carthusian says: “By how much, anyone the more
bravely endeavours to serve God, by so much, does the adversary rage against him.” This is stated in the Gospel according to St Luke, where it is said: “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out ,Then goeth he and taketh seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter in and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” (Luke xi: 24, 26)
… Consider, therefore, what arms you have which will avail to defend you from these enemies and to preserve you in the grace of God. Against being overcome by the devil, there is no defence save prayer, for St Paul says: “We wrestle, not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers.” (Eph vi: 12).
He wishes by this statement to warn us, we have not strength to resist one so powerful, whence we need assistance from God, by which aid, we can do all things! “I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me.” (Phi. iv: 12). But this aid is not given unless it be sought for by prayer. “Ask and ye shall receive.” Let us not trust ourselves, then, or our resolutions; for if we put confidence in these, we shall be lost but when we are tempted by the devil, let us place it in the Hand of God, commending ourselves to Jesus Christ. This is especially needful when our chastity is tempted, since this temptation is the most terrible of all and it is that, by which the devil gams the most victories. We have not strength in this respect, save from God. We must, therefore, in such temptations, quickly fly to Jesus Christ and frequently invoke His holy Name. He who so acts, shall conquer and he who acts not thus, shall be overcome.

Affections andPrayers

“Cast me not away from Thy presence.” (Ps li: 11).
Ah, my God, do not cast me away from Thy Presence. 1 know
well that Thou wilt never abandon me if I do not first abandon Thee.
… But, Lord, do Thou give me the strength which I must have to resist hell which seeks to find me again its slave.
I ask it of Thee, for the love of Jesus Christ. Establish, O my Saviour, between Thee and me, a perpetual peace which will never be broken and, therefore, give me Thy holy love.
“He who loveth not, …. abideth in death.” (i John iii: 14).
But he who loves Thee, is not dead; Thou, O God of my soul,
must save me from this unhappy death. I was lost, truly Thou
knowest it. It was Thy goodness alone which led me back to
my present condition where I hope to continue in Thy Grace.

Ah! do not suffer me, my Jesus, … to turn away and lose myself.
I love Thee above all things and I trust ever to be bound by this holy love and so being bound, to die and so being bound, to live forever!

Posted in JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, PREPARATION for DEATH, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on PRAYER, The HOLY NAME

Thought for the Day – 1 November – CONSIDERATION XXX, Of Prayer

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Thought for the Day – 1 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“Preparation for Death”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

CONSIDERATION XXX

Of Prayer
“Ask and it shall be given you; …
for everyone who asketh, receivath.”
(Luke xi: 9, 10)

FIRST POINT “”
NOT only in this but in many other places in the Old and New Testaments, God promises to hear those who pray to Him. “Then call thou and I shall answer.” (Job xiii: 22).
“He willll call upon Me and I shall answer him.” (Ps xci.:15).
Call upon Me and I shall deliver thee from danger.
“If ye will ask anything in My Name, I shall do it.” (John xiv: 14). Whatsoever shall be asked through My merits I shall grant. “Ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you.” (John xv: 7) Seek what you will, it is enough that you seek and it shall be granted to you. And so in many other passages.

Therefore, Theodoret says, that “Prayer, although it is one thing, can obtain all things.” St Bernard says, when we pray, He “will give us either what we desire, or what He knows to be more profitable for us.”
The Prophet encourages us to pray, assuring us that God is all compassion towards those who call upon Him for aid. “For Thou, Lord, art good and gracious and of great mercy unto all those who call upon Thee.” (Ps Ixxxvi: 5). And still more does St James encourage us, by saying, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, Who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.” (James i: 5) Neither does He reprove us for the displeasure we have caused Him; for when we pray to Him, He seems to forget all the offences we have committed against Him.

St John Climacus says, prayer, in a certain way, forces God to grant us what we seek. “Prayer is a holy violence done to God.” But it is a violence which is dear to Him and desired by Him. “This violence is pleasing to God,” as Tertullian wrote.
Yes because, as St Augustine adds, God “desires more to bestow His benefits than we desire to receive them!” And the reason for this is that, God, of His own nature, is Infinite Goodness, as writes St Leo and, therefore, He desires most ardently to impart His blessings to us. Thence it is that St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi says, God is almost under an obligation to that soul which prays to Him, since, in this manner, the way is open to Him to gratify the desire which He has of bestowing His favours upon us.
And David says, this kindness of the Lord, in listening directly to those who pray to Him, proved to him that He was his true God. “Whensoever I call upon Thee, then shall my enemies be put to flight, this I know; for God is on my side.” (Ps Ivi: 9).

Some unjustly complain, observes St Bernard that, the Lord is failing them; much more justly might the Lord complain that, many are failing Him, ceasing to come and seek His grace!
And it seems to have been exactly of this that the Redeemer one day complained to His disciples: “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name; ask and ye shall receive.” (John xvi: 24).
Do not complain of Me. He seems to have said, if you have not been fully happy, complain of yourselves for not having asked Me for My favours; from henceforth ask Me for them and you shall be satisfied.
From this the Monks of old concluded, in their conferences that there was no exercise more profitable to the salvation of their souls than ever to be praying and saying: “Lord, help me!”

The venerable Father Paul Segneri said of himself that, in his meditations he at first cultivated emotion but afterwards,
knowing the great efficacy of prayer, he tried as much as he
could, to occupy himself in prayer.
May we ever do the same.
We have a God Who loves us so much and Who is so anxious
for our salvation and Who is, for this reason, ever ready to hear those who pray to Him.
The princes of the world, says St Chrysostom, give audience to few but God is pleased to grant audience to everyone who desires it!

Affections and Prayers

Eternal God, I adore Thee and thank Thee for the many
benefits which Thou has granted to me; for having created and redeemed me through Jesus Christ; for having made me a Christian; for having waited for me when I remained in sin and, for having so often forgiven me.

Ah, my God, I should never have offended Thee, if, in the time of temptation, I had prayed to Thee for Thy assistance and rescue.
I thank Thee for the Light by which Thou makest me now to understand, my salvation depends entirely upon my praying to Thee and, upon my asking for Thy aid. Behold, I now ask of Thee, in the Name of Jesus Christ, to make me very sorry for my sins; to give me strength to persevere in Thy grace; to give me a peaceful death and to make me a partaker of Paradise but, above all, I entreat Thee for the highest gift of Thine Love and for a most complete submission to Thy most holy Will.

I know, indeed, that I am unworthy of these Thy Mercies but Thou hast promised them to those who seek them through the merits of Jesus Christ and through the merits of Jesus Christ I entreat and I hope for these, Thy Mercies.

Posted in QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on PRAYER, ROSARY QUOTES, ROSARY REFLECTIONS and QUOTES, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT

Quote/s of the Day – 25 October – That Daily Rosary …

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Quote/s of the Day – 25 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels”

“… [I] resolved to recite a Rosary
for anyone who caused me trouble.
Then I heard the Voice
from the Tabernacle say,
‘Your prayers for those
who mortify you,
are very pleasing to Me.
In exchange, I am ready
to grant you many graces.‘”

St Serafino of Montegranarno of mono (1540-1604)

“Never will anyone
who says his Rosary everyday,
be led astray.
This is a statement
that I would gladly sign
with my blood.”

St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

“The Rosary is the most excellent form of prayer
and the most efficacious means
of attaining eternal life.
It is the remedy for all our evils,
the root of all our blessings.
There is no more excellent way of praying.”

Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SIMPLICITY, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 September – “But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved.” – Matthew 24:13

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One Minute Reflection – 19 September – “The Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross” – St Januarius of Naples (Died c304) Confessor, Bishop, Martyr and his Martyred Companions – Hebrews 10:32-38; Matthew 24:3-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“But he, who shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved.” – Matthew 24:13

REFLECTION – “He who is mocked by his neighbour, as I am, will call upon God and He will answer him …” (Job 12:4 Vg) … But sometimes, the soul perseveres in good works with a constant heart and yet, is pushed violently by the scoffing of men; it does admirable deeds and receives only abuse and he, who might have been encouraged, to come out of himself by commendation, is repulsed by insults and returns back again into himself. He establishes himself the more firmly in God, as he finds no place elsewhere he may rest in peace – for all his hope is fixed in his Creator. Amidst ridicule and abuse, he implores only the interior Witness. His soul in distress, becomes God’s neighbour, in proportion, as he is a stranger to the favour of man’s esteem. So, he pours himself out in prayer and, hard-pressed from without, is refined with a more perfect purity, to enter more deeply into all that is interior. Therefore, it is well said at this time, “He who is mocked by his neighbour, as I am, will call upon God and He will answer him …” And while the soul of the good strengthens itself, with compunction, in prayer, it is united within itself, in the hearing of the most High, in the very act which severs it, from the approval of men, outside itself. ..

“For the upright man’s simplicity is laughed to scorn” (Job 12:4) It is the wisdom of this world to conceal one’s feelings with pretence, to veil the sense with words; to show things which are false, as true and, to present as fallacious that which is true. But, on the other hand, it is the wisdom of the righteous, to pretend nothing, … to discover the meaning, by words; to love the truth as it is, to avoid falsehood; to set forth good deeds freely, to bear evil more gladly than to do it; to seek no revenge for a wrong, to count ill repute as a gain, for the truth’s sake. But this simplicity of the righteous, is laughed to scorn because the goodness of purity, is taken for folly, by the wise men of this world. For doubtless, everything which is done from innocence, is counted foolish by them and, whatever truth sanctions in practice, sounds weak to carnal wisdom!” – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (A commentary on the Book of Job 10:47-48).

PRAYER – O God, Who gladdens us by the annual festival of Thy Martyrs Januarius and Companions, grant that we, may be inspired by the example of those, in whose merits we rejoice.Through tJesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CARMELITES, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 11 September – ‘Thou alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 11 September – St Protus and St Hyacinth (Died c257) Brother Martyrs – Wisdom 3:1-8, Luke 21:9-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And you shall be hated by all men,
for My Name’s sake.”

Luke 21:17

“If anyone serves Me,
he must follow Me
and where I Am,
there will My servant be too.”

John 12:26

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

St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c605)
“The Apostle to the English”

“O strong love of God!
I really think, nothing seems impossible,
to one who loves. O happy soul
which has obtained this peace, from its God! ”

St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582)
Carmelite Reformer

“Love consists,
not in feeling great things
but, in having great detachment
and in suffering for the Beloved.”

St John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Doctor Mysticus

“Prayer is the inner bath of love
into which the soul plunges itself.”

St Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, PREPARATION for DEATH, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on MEDITATION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), QUOTES on Will (Sensual or Inferior), The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 24 August –Preparation for Death” Preface Part Two

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Thought for the Day – 24 August – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“Preparation for Death”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

PREFACE
Part Two

Regarded as a Manual of Mental Prayer, each of these, “Considerations” has a technical and special significance.
They treat of life and death, of the value of time, of the mercy of God, of the habit of sin, of the general and particular judgments, of the love of God, of the Holy Communion and of kindred subjects, equally important.

The “Consideration” as here used, implies far more, than a mere inquiry. Its equivalents, the Italian Considerazione,
and the Latin Consideration do not fully express its particular meaning in this Treatise, where it stands for a reflectional meditation. It calls into play the exercise of the memory which puts together all the circumstances of the subject under notice; it excites the imagination which represents, as in a picture, all such circumstances, bringing
~ them vividly before the mind’s eye and, lastly, it urges the will so to. fix and detain these things in the soul that, by its own effort, it may unite itself with the Will of God, so that God’s Will and the will of man, may become one.

St Thomas Aquinas defines “Consideration” to be “an act of the intellect andof the beholding the truth of a proposition,”(Sum. 22E Q liii. 4); to be, “moreover, principally related to the judgement.”
As one of the three divisions of prayer, properly so called, these Considerations must also be considered as reflections, as reasonings of the mind upon definite subjects, either for its perfect conviction of some vital truth, or for its persuasion to the formation of some holy resolution.
The chief end of all such reflection, must be the bringing the soul into communion with God but, this cannot be effected by the intellect alone. Man is not united to God through the mind only but chiefly through the heart; the “Consideration” must pass onwards into an “Affection” which forms another leading division of mental prayer, where the action of the former ends that of the latter begins.

Let us apply these “Consideration” to one or two of
the subjects which are treated of in the present Treatise.

At the first thought of Death, we are all naturally inclined to fear it but, the “Consideration” upon death (Chapter viii.) tends to remove this fear, since it brings death before us:
Firstly, as “the end of our labours” of that toil by which we are prepared for our eternal rest.
Secondly, as the “consummation of our victory” over sin and weakness; the struggle has been a sore one, the battle has been hardly fought but, it has been won at last! Thirdly, as the “gate of life” therefore, the death of the Saints is called, a birthday, a day in which they are born to that other and blessed life which can never end.
These are the three Points in the “Consideration” upon Death which disarms it of its terrors.

Again, are we sorely troubled by our struggles with self-will ? We find a “Consideration” on conformity to the Will of God (Chapter xxxiv, the “First Point” of which, indicates the connection between perfect resignation to God’s Will and perfect love towards His Person.
The “Second Point” shows that nothing comes amiss of earthly sorrow and humiliation, not even Martyrdom itself, if all things be submitted to His Divine Will.
The “Third Point” explains that peace of soul fills a heart whose every desire is in conformity to God’s Will. Let come what may, I wish for it because God Will’s it.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 August – ‘ … What is it He has to do for you when, for your sake, Christ spends the night in prayer? …’

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One Minute Reflection – 24 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Bartholomew the Apostle and Martyr – 1 Corinthians 12:27-31; Luke 6:12-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“At that time, Jesus departed to the mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God.” – Luke 6:12

REFLECTION – “Our Lord prays, not to plead on His Own account but to gain something for me. Even though the Father has placed all things at the disposal of the Son, nevertheless, the Son, in order to fulfil His condition as man completely, has thought it fitting to plead with the Father on our account, since He is our Advocate. Do not insidiously prick up your ears, imagining that Christ asks out of weakness, for that which He is unable to carry out Himself, He Who is the Author of all might! Master in obedience, Christ fashions us according to the precepts of virtue, by His Own example. It is said: “We have an Advocate with the Father” – if He is Advocate then, He must intervene for my sins. So it is not through weakness but from goodness that He pleads. Do you want to know to what extent He can do all He wills? He is simultaneously, Advocate and Judge; in the One dwells an obligation of compassion, in the other, the honour of might. “And He spent all the night in prayer to God” – He sets you an example, He outlines a model for you to imitate.

What is it He has to do for you when, for your sake, Christ spends the night in prayer? What is it which it is fitting to do, when you wish to undertake some work of devotion, when Christ, on the point of sending out His Apostles, prayed alone? Besides, at no point, if I am not mistaken, do we find that He prayed with the Apostles. Everywhere He prayed alone. This was because God’s intentions cannot be grasped by human desires and no-one can share in the intimate thoughts of Christ. Do you wish to know, too, how it is indeed on my account and not for Himself that He prayed? “He called His disciples and chose twelve of them” in order to send them out as sowers of the faith, to make known man’s help and salvation throughout the world.” – St Ambrose (340-397) One of the original four Doctors of the Latin Church (Commentary on St Luke’s Gospel 5, 42).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who bestowed on us the devout and holy joy of this day to celebrate the Feast of Thy blessed Apostle Bartholomew, grant unto Thy Church, we beseech Thee, both to love what he believed and to preach what he taught. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 21 August – St Jane Frances de Chantal

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Quote/s of the Day – 21 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Jane Frances de Chantal VHM (1572-1641) Widow

“With God there is no need for long speeches.
In Heaven the Angels utter no other wor
than this: “HOLY.”
This is their entire prayer
and in paradise they are occupied
with this single word as an act of homage,
to the single Word of God, Who lives eternally….
In prayer, more is accomplished
by listening, than by speaking.”

“May we love and serve the Lord reverently
with a loving, filial fear
of offending our heavenly Father
and of displeasing Jesus, our Divine Beloved.
As long as we are in this life,
we would do well to follow
the well-travelled ways to holiness.
Fear of God is the first step on this path.
We cannot maintain a truly productive desire
of serving God unless we have a holy fear
of displeasing Our Saviour and,
of being negligent in responding to grace
and inspirations. ”

“She was full of faith and yet, all her life long,
she had been tormented, by thoughts against it.
Nor did she once relax, in the fidelity God asked of her.
And so, I regard her, as one of the holiest souls
I have ever met on this earth.”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

(St Jane was a close friend of St Francis de Sales
and St Vincent de Paul, both of whom
guided and assisted her and her foundation,
as Spiritual Advisors and Confessors.)

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St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SILENCE

Quote/s of the Day – 9 August – St Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 August – St Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) Confessor

“Man is a beggar
who needs to ask God
for everything.”

“When our hands have touched spices,
they give fragrance to all they handle.
Let us make our prayers
pass through the hands of the Blessed Virgin.
She will make them fragrant.”

“Prayer is the inner bath of love
into which the soul plunges itself.”

“How rare it is, to find a soul
quiet enough, to hear God speak.”

I Love Thee, O My God
By St John Vianney (1786-1859)

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

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St Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

Posted in "Follow Me", CATECHESIS, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, GOD the FATHER, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on MEDITATION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, St Francis de Sales, The TRANSFIGURATION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – Listen to Him!

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – The Transfiguration of the Lord – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“This is My beloved Son;
in Whom I Am well pleased,
listen to Him.”

Matthew 17:5

“I Am the Light of the world.
Whoever follows Me
will never walk in darkness
but will have the Light of Life.”

John 8:12

“Let us listen to the holy Voice of God
which summons us from on high,
from the holy mountain top.
There, we must hasten – I make bold to say –
like Jesus, Who is our leader
and has gone before us into Heaven.
There, with Him, may the eyes of our mind
shine with His light and the features of our soul
be made new; may we be transfigured with Him
and moulded to His image,
ever becoming divine,
being transformed in an ever greater degree of glory.”

St Anastasius Sinaita (Died 6th Century)
Priest and Abbot

“At His Transfiguration
Christ showed His disciples,
the splendour of His Beauty,
to which He will shape and colour,
those who are His :
‘He will reform our lowness
configured to the Body of His Glory.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor of the Church

“ It is necessary, therefore, to obey
the Eternal Father by following Our Lord
in order to hear His Word.
And behold, how we are taught that all
persons, whatever their condition may be,
must pray and meditate,
for it is there, principally,
where this Divine Master speaks to us.
… But, it will not do us any good to listen,
if we do not DO what He says to us,
observing His commandments
and His wishes faithfully,”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on ENEMIES, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 3 August – “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”

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Quote/s of the Day – 3August – The Finding of the Relics of St Stephen, Protomartyr: – Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Matthew 23:34-39 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Lord, do not hold this sin against them”

Acts 7:60

“Leave there thy offering before the Altar
and go first to be reconciled to thy brother
and then, coming, thou shalt offer thy gift.”

Matthew 5:24

“But I say to you,
love your enemies …”

Matthew 5:44

“Whoever says
he abides in Christ,
ought to walk,
even as Christ walked …”

1 John 2:6

“Behold I send you as sheep
in the midst of wolves.
Be, therefore, wise as serpents
and simple as doves. ”
Matthew – 10:16

“So that you might follow in His Footsteps,”
writes St Peter. The blessed Evangelist John
also says the same thing:
“Whoever claims to abide in Christ
ought to walk as He has walked,” (1 Jn 2:6).
And how has Christ walked?
He prayed for His enemies on the Cross, saying: “Father, forgive them, for they know not
what they do,” (Lk 23:34).
They have actually lost their senses
and are possessed by an evil spirit
and while they are persecuting us,
they themselves are undergoing
a far greater persecution from the devil.
Hence, we should be praying more for their deliverance, than for their condemnation.”

St Caesarius of Arles (470-543)
Father of the Church, Bishop

“To the extent that you pray, with all your soul,
for the person who slanders you,
God will make the truth known
to those who have been scandalised
by the slander.”

St Maximus the Confessor (c580–662)

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JUDGING, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE

Thought for the Day – 26 July – Humility in Prayer

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Thought for the Day – 26 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Humility in Prayer

We are all anxious that God should hear and grant our prayers. He is always ready to do so. The obstacles are always on our side and one of the chief of these is a want of humility.
If God resists the proud, He is not likely to hear their prayers; hence, one of the first prerequisites of ssuccess in my prayers, is that I should humble myself before God. Then and not until then, will my prayer reach the ears of the Most High.
“The prayer of him, who humbleth himself, pierces the clouds.”

One of the most dangerous forms of pride is a contempt for others and one which we maybe very prone to manifest, without realisng its ruinous effects upon our prayers.
When the self-complacent Pharisee thanked God that he was not like the poor publican, he probably was quite unconscious of the offensiveness of his prayer to God. Pride blinded him.
So it often blinds us and we little think that when in prayer, we secretly congratulate ourselves on being free from certain faults which we see in our neighbours and, all the while, we are displeasing God by thus harshly judging others! How would He hear our prayers unmder these conditions!

How are we to be humble in prayer?
We should be humble in prayer by dwelling upon our own miseries and the good points we see in those around us or which we should see, if our own pride did not make us blind to others’ superiority to us and, the fact that, the graces God has liberally bestowed upon us, make our ingratitude and our want of correspondence to them, all the more culpable!

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, franciscan OFM, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), QUOTES on WISDOM, The HEART, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 26 July – Let us Pray!

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 July – St Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Grandmother of Jesus.

St Anne, through her constant prayer,
received, the Mother of God
and then, became the Grandmother of God!

“Let my prayer come
like incense before Thee, O Lord.”

Psalm 140:2

“Exercise your soul!
Use keeps metal brighter
but disuse produces rust.
… So “No-one lights a candle
and puts it under a bushel
but upon a candlestick
that it may give light.”
For of what use is wisdom, if it fails
to make those who hear it wise?”

St Clement of Alexandria (c150-c215)
Father of the Church

“God accepts our desires as though
they were of great value.
He longs ardently for us
to desire to and love Him.
He accepts our petitions for benefits,
as though we were doing Him a favour.
His joy in giving,
is greater than ours in receiving.
So let us not be apathetic in our asking,
nor set too narrow bounds to our requests;
nor ask for frivolous things
unworthy of God’s greatness.”

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

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

St Dominic OP (1170-1221)

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

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

St Peter of Alcantara (1499-1562)

“When you pray, let it be your intention
to will God’s Will alone and not your own,
as well in asking as in obtaining that is,
pray because God Wills you to pray
and desire to be heard, insofar and, no farther,
than He Wills. Your intention, in short,
should be to unite your will to the Will of God
and not to draw His Will to yours.
And this because, your will, being infected
and ruined by self-love, often errs
and knows not what to ask but the Divine Will,
being always united to ineffable goodness,
can never err.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St Alphonsus de Liguori,, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 22 July – Penitance

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Quote/s of the Day – 22 July – St Mary Magdalen (1st Century) Penitent – Song 3:2-5; 8:6-7, Luke 7:36-50.

“She began to bathe His feet with her tears
and wiped them with the hair of her head
and kissed His feet
and anointed them with ointment.”

Luke 7:38

“Remember not our former iniquities,
let Thy mercies speedily prevent us,
for we are become exceeding poor.
Help us, O God, our Saviour
and for the glory of Thy Name, O Lord,
deliver us and forgive us our sins,
for Thy Name’s sake.”

Psalm 78:8-9

“Let us then, my brethren, endure in hope.
Let us devote ourselves, side-by-side with our hoping,
so that the God of all the universe,
as He beholds our intention,
may cleanse us from all sins,
fill us with high hopes from what we have in hand
and grant us the change of heart which saves.
God has called you and you have your calling!”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Prayer, appeases the anger of God;
He pardons the sinner
when he prays with humility.”

St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1455)

“We must be very sorry for faults
with a repentance which is strong,
constant, tranquil
but not troubled, unquiet or fainthearted.”

(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 9, Chapter 7).

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

In conclusion, let us say this prayer of St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787):
“My soul, look at this Crucified Man …
see how the arms extend to embrace you,
how the head bows forward
to give you the kiss of peace.
See how His side is open to receive you.
What have you to say?
Such a good and loving God deserves to be loved.
O my Jesus!
Adorable Jesus!
O Love of my soul!
How can I ever forget Thee?
How can I ever love anything
apart from Thee!
O suffering Jesus,
may the memory of Thee ever remain
in my heart!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of PETITION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER

Our Morning Offering – 19 July – Lord, Teach me How to Pray

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Our Morning Offering – 19 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Vincent de Paul CM (1581-1660) Confessor, “Holy Hero of Divine Charity”

Lord, Teach me How to Pray
By St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

Oh Lord,
Thou selected the poor
and simple to be Thy Apostles.
Look upon Thy poor servant
kneeling before Thee now.
I recognise that I am simple and poor too.
Dear Lord, please teach me how to pray
as Thou taught Thy disciples
upon their humble request.
If it pleases Thee in Thiner Goodness
to grant me that grace,
I shall be able to pray well
and much better
than I could ever hope for
if left to my own efforts.
Lord, I trust that Thou wilt bless me
with the fulfilment of this request.
Amen

Posted in EVENING and NIGHT Prayers, FATHERS of the Church, ON the SAINTS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on WATCHING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 July – Let your … lamps burn in your hands.

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One Minute Reflection – 15 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Henry II (972-1024) Confessor, Holy Roman Emperor. – Ecclesiasticus 31:8-11, Luke 12:35-40 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Jesus said to His disciples: Let your … lamps burn in your hands.” – Luke 12:35

REFLECTION – “Prayer offered during the hours of night possess great power, even more than that offered during the day. That is why all the Saints were in the habit of praying at night, combating the body’s drowsiness and the sweetness of sleep and overcoming their bodily nature.  The Prophet also said: “I am wearied with sighing; every night I flood my bed with weeping” (Ps 6:7) as he uttered heartfelt sighs in impassioned prayer.  And elsewhere: “At midnight I rise to give Thee thanks because of Thy just ordinances, O just God” (Ps 118:62). For every request for which the Saints desired to importune God, they armed themselves with nocturnal prayer and, at once received that which they besought Him.

Satan himself fears nothing as much as prayer offered during the night watches. Even if they are accompanied by distractions, it does not return fruitless, as long as something inappropriate is not being asked for. That is why Satan engages in severe combat against those who keep watch at night, so as to deter them from this practice if he can, especially if they show themselves to be persevering. But those who are in any way defended against his pernicious wiles and have tasted the gifts God grants, at these times of vigil and, have had personal experience, of the greatness of the help God gives them, wholly despise him, he and all his craftiness.” – St Isaac the Syrian of Nineveh (c613-c700) Bishop of Nineveh, Monk at Mosul, Father of the Church (Ascetical Discourses)

PRAYER – O God, Who on this day took Henry, Thy Confessor, to the everlasting Kingdom from the throne of an earthly empire; we humbly beseech Thee, that as Thou enabled him, protected by the abundance of Thy grace, to overcome the temptations of the world, so grant that we, in emulation of him, may shun the allurements of this world and come to Thee with pure hearts.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 14 July – St Bonaventure

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274) Seraphic 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.”

“When we pray,
the voice of the heart
must be heard ,
more than that proceeding
from the mouth.”

“The best perfection of a religious man,
is to do common things,
in a perfect manner.
A constant fidelity, in small things,
is a great and heroic virtue.”

“Every creature is a Divine Word
because it proclaims God.”

“Chastity without charity
is a lamp without oil.”

“In beautiful things
St Francis saw Beauty itself
and through His vestiges
imprinted on creation,
he followed his Beloved everywhere,
making, from all things,
a ladder, by which he could climb up
and embrace Him, Who is utterly desirable.”

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

Posted in franciscan OFM, I BELIEVE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER

Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – St Lawrence of Brindisi

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – St Lawrence of Brindisi OFM Cap (1559-1619) Confessor, The “Franciscan Renaissance Man,” Priest

“All things are possible for him who believes,
more for him who hopes,
even more for him who loves.”

“Oh, if we were to consider this reality!
In other words that God is truly present to us,
when we speak to Him in prayer
that He truly listens to our prayers,
even if we pray only with our hearts and minds.
And that ,not only is He present
and hears us, indeed, He willingly
and with the greatest of pleasure,
wishes to grant our requests.”

MORE:
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St Lawrence of Brindisi (1559-1619)

Posted in 7 GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST: Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence, Strength, Knowledge, Piety, Fear, AUGUST - The Immaculate Heart of Mary, BAPTISM, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, QUEENSHIP of MARY, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on VIRTUE, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY GHOST, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Quote/s of the Day – 18 June – “The Harp of the Holy Ghost!”

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Quote/s of the Day – 18 June – “The Harp of the Holy Ghost!” Father & Doctor of the Church, Confessor

“The Cross gives Light to the whole universe;
it casts out darkness
and gathers nations together in charity,
into One Church, One Faith, One Baptism…”

“Virtues are formed by PRAYER.
PRAYER preserves temperance.
PRAYER suppresses anger.
PRAYER prevents emotions of pride and envy.
PRAYER draws the Holy Ghost, into the soul
and raises man to Heaven.”

“Let Heaven sustain me in its embrace
because, I am honoured above it.
For Heaven was not Thy Mother
but Thou hast made it Thy Throne.
How much more honourable
and venerable, than the throne
of a king, is His Mother?!”

“Thou alone and Thy Mother,
are in all things fair,
there is no flaw in Thee
and no stain in Thy Mother.”

“Some people, who were opposed to the Holy Ghost, said:
“These people have had too much new wine; they are drunk.”
Indeed, you speak truly! However, it is not as you think it is.
It is not wine from the vineyard they have drunk.
It is a new wine that flows from Heaven –
a wine newly pressed on Golgotha.
The Apostles caused it to be drunk and thus ,
they inebriated all creation.
This is wine that was pressed on the Cross!”

MORE:
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St Ephrem (306-373)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Posted in PATIENCE - Fr Richard CLARKE, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 17 June – Patience during Bereavement

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Thought for the Day – 17 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

PATIENCE
Meditations for a Month

Patience during Bereavement

  1. Pure human love, especially the love of father and mother for their children, is one of the most beautiful things in the natural order.
    It interweaves itself with our very nature.
    Husband and wife, brother and sister and above all, the children who are in a special sense our own, are a part of ourselves; they are our own by birth, our own-by constant association, our own by a thousand ties of love.
    Oh, how sorrowful it is to lose one of our little circle, to see the empty place, to miss their looks of love, the sweet sound of their voice.
    Then indeed we have need of patience and must beg that we may not grieve like those who have no hope but, may humbly bow our necks under God’s chastising Hand.
  2. Patience! how are we to obtain it under the crushing blow? How are we to recognise the love of God in thus taking away the light of our eyes from us? It is indeed difficult and, for a time, the absorbing grief may overpower us. But we can always pray, we can always make an act of resignation, we can always say: ‘Not as I will but as Thou wilt!’
    It is the Lord, let Him do what is good in His sight.
    Has this been my conduct when one whom I dearly loved was taken from me?
  3. There are many motives of consolation when friends and dear ones fade away or die. If they died in their innocence, how we, ought to rejoice when we think of them with Christ in Heaven! If they had sinned and done penance, we ought to rejoice that God gave them the grace of dying a good death. We can always console ourselves by praying for them. We can make their departure a reason for living a better and a holier life that we may not fail to meet them again before the Throne of God.
    All this I will do more henceforward.
Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, HOLY COMMUNION, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 14 June – St Basil the Great

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 14 June – St Basil the Great (329-379) Bishop of Caesarea, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church.

“Let listening to worldly news
be BITTER FOOD for you
and let the words of
Saintly men
be as combs
filled with honey.”

“He seems to demand of us
the most entire renunciation …
So, if we keep back for ourselves,
any earthly goods or any perishable supplies,
our minds will remain sunk in them,
as though in mud.
Then, inevitably, our souls will become unable
to contemplate God and will be unmoved
by desire for the splendours of Heaven
and for the good things promised us.
We shall only be able to acquire those good things,
if we ask for them unceasingly,
with a burning desire that will, besides,
make easy the effort needed to gain them.”

“A tree is known by its fruit,
a man by his deeds.
A good deed is never lost,
he who sows courtesy,
reaps friendship
and he who plants kindness,
gathers love.”

“Be constant in secret prayers
which God, Who indeed sees in secret,
rewards in the open.
Hold fast to this exercise
of a most excellent way of life.
that you may find hidden treasure
in the day of need.”

Lord, I Know that I Am Not Worthy
Prayer before Holy Communion
By St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Lord, I know that I am not worthy
to receive Thy Holy Body and Precious Blood;
I know that I am guilty
and that I eat and drink
condemnation to myself,
not discerning the Body and Blood
of Christ, my God.
But trusting in Thy loving kindness,
I come to Thee, Who hast said –
‘Whoever eats My Body and drinks My Blood,
will dwell in Me and I in him’;
Therefore, Lord, have compassion on me
and do not put to shame Thy sinful servant
But deal with me according to Thy great mercy
And grant that these Holy Gifts,
may be for me,
healing, cleansing, enlightenment,
protection, salvation and sanctification
of soul and body.
May they cast out from me
every dark delusion,
sinful deed or work of the evil one.
May they move me to trust
and love Thee always,
to amendment of life,
increase of virtue,
obedience to Thy commandments,
communion of the Holy Spirit,
provision for my final journey
and a good defence before the dreadful
seat of judgement.
Amen.

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/06/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-june-st-basil-the-great-2/

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

Posted in EVENING and NIGHT Prayers, FATHERS of the Church, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, ON the SAINTS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on WATCHING, SACRED HEART ASPIRATIONS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 12 June – Let your … lamps burn in your hands.

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 12 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – Within the Octave of the Sacred Heart – St Juan de Sahagun (1419-1479) Confessor, Priest and Friar of the Order of the Augustinians – – Ecclesiasticus i 31:8-11; Luke 12:35-40– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Jesus said to His disciples: Let your … lamps burn in your hands.” – Luke 12:35

REFLECTION – “Prayer offered during the hours of night possess great power, even more than that offered during the day. That is why all the Saints were in the habit of praying at night, combating the body’s drowsiness and the sweetness of sleep and overcoming their bodily nature.  The Prophet also said: “I am wearied with sighing; every night I flood my bed with weeping” (Ps 6:7) as he uttered heartfelt sighs in impassioned prayer.  And elsewhere: “At midnight I rise to give Thee thanks because of Thy just ordinances, O just God” (Ps 118:62). For every request for which the Saints desired to importune God, they armed themselves with nocturnal prayer and, at once received that which they besought Him.

Satan himself fears nothing as much as prayer offered during the night watches. Even if they are accompanied by distractions, it does not return fruitless, as long as something inappropriate is not being asked for. That is why Satan engages in severe combat against those who keep watch at night, so as to deter them from this practice if he can, especially if they show themselves to be persevering. But those who are in any way defended against his pernicious wiles and have tasted the gifts God grants, at these times of vigil and, have had personal experience, of the greatness of the help God gives them, wholly despise him, he and all his craftiness.” – St Isaac the Syrian of Nineveh (c613-c700) Bishop of Nineveh, Monk at Mosul, Father of the Church (Ascetical Discourses)

PRAYER – O God, Author of peace and lover of charity, Who endowed blessed John, Your Confessor, with a wondrous grace for reconciling enemies; grant by his merits and intercession that, being ourselves firmly rooted in Thy charity, we may not be separated from Thee by any temptations.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. – 300 Days, EVERYTIME. (Unless otherwise stated, e.g., “once a day,” a partial Indulgence may be gained any number of times in succession.) St Pope Pius X, 15 September 1905.

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING

Thought for the Day – 9 June – The Attainment of Humility

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 9 June – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

The Attainment of Humility

Humility does not spring up in our souls of its own accord. On the contrary, every child of Adam has a deep root of pride within his soul.
It is only by a long and painful process that the generality of mankind can attain humility. We cannot expect to become humble unless we fulfill the necessary conditions.

We must make many acts of humility before we can attain any proficiency in the virtue. Our acts of humility must consist, not merely in protesting to Almighty God that we are vile and worthless ,in His sight and in humbling ourselves before Him by reason of our many sins. Our acts of humility must be practiced towards others by being very gentle towards those who provoke us, by bearing contradictions with patience, by accepting disappointments with patience and rebuffs without complaint. All this is a gradual process and we must not expect proficiency in humility until we have long practiced these means to attain it.

We must pray for humility.
No gift of God can be won without prayer and humility least of all
because it is so opposed to the natural bent of our nature and, can never be had without a special grace from God. Prayer, moreover, is an acknowledgement of our dependence upon God,and humility consists in nothing else, than a recognition of this dependence and an acquiescence in it.
Pray, then, for humility! It is not much use praying for humility unless we also pray for the means that are to implant it in our souls. We must ask God, from our hearts, not to spare us if He sees that we shall not become humble without suffering. We must leave ourselves in His Hands, saying only, “O my God, make me humble at any cost! Amen.”

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, SELF-DISTRUST, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 7 May – Concerning Sensible Devotion and Dryness (Part Three)

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Thought for the Day – 7 May – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

Final Remarks on Prayer and the Combat
LIX: … Concerning Sensible Devotion and Dryness
(Part Three)

“If the multitudes of those, who profess piety would measure advancement in the spiritual life by this true standard [see Part Two], rather than by the saccharine effervescences of a purely sensible devotion, they would be deceived, neither by the devil, nor by themselves; nor would they be so abominably ungrateful as to murmur against their Lord and unjustly complain of the gift He bestows upon them.
For such situations in which the virtue of patience may be developed and strengthened, are truly gifts.
On the contrary, these multitudes would exert themselves in serving Him with greater fidelity than ever, being convinced that He permits
everything for the greater advancement of His glory and our salvation.

There is another dangerous illusion to which women especially are frequently subject, detesting vice as they do and being sedulously watchful in avoiding occasions of sin.
At times, as they are molested by impure and frightful thoughts and even loathsome visions, they become despondent, thinking that God has forsaken them.
They cannot conceive of the Holy Ghost dwelling in a soul filled with impure thoughts and imagine themselves inevitably banished from the Divine Presence.

Being thus disheartened, they are ready to despair and half-conquered by the temptation, they think of forsaking their exercises of devotion entirely and returning to Egypt.
Blind as they are, they do not see God’s goodness in permitting them to be tempted as a preventive measure against human negligence and also, a coercive measure designed to bring prodigal man to closer union with his loving Father.
Actually, therefore, it is most thoughtless for them to complain, of that which should occasion their unceasing gratitude!

On such occasions, we should consider well the perverse propensities of our wounded nature.
For God, Who knows best what is to our ultimate advantage, would make us aware that, of ourselves, we tend to nothing but sin and, when unaided by Him, fall into innumerable miseries.

After this, we must cultivate within ourselves a loving confidence in His Divine Mercy, realising that since He has been pleased to open our eyes to our danger, He also wishes to free us from it and join us to Himself in prayer and confidence – for this, we owe Him our most humble gratitude and thanksgiving.

To revert again to those vile thoughts which are involuntary – it is certain that they are put to flight, much sooner, by a patient resignation to the anxiety they occasion and, a speedy application of the mind, to something else, than by a tumultuous and overanxious resistance.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/05/05/thought-for-the-day-5-may-concerning-sensible-devotion-and-dryness-part-one/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/05/06/thought-for-the-day-6-may-concerning-sensible-devotion-and-dryness-part-two/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DEVOTIO, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli

Thought for the Day – 6 May – Concerning Sensible Devotion and Dryness (Part Two)

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 6 May – The Spiritual Combat (1589) – Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

“None shall be crowned who has not fought well.” 2 Tim 2: 5

Final Remarks on Prayer and the Combat
LIX: … Concerning Sensible Devotion and Dryness
(Part Two)

“And if, from confusion of mind, you can neither pray nor meditate as usual, yet, you must persist in those exercises with as little anxiety as possible, supplying for the defects of the mind, the affection of the will.

Employ vocal prayer, conversing both with yourself and your Saviour. Such a practice will have surprising effects and, it will afford you great consolation in your anxiety. …

Call to mind the pious sentiments with which God inspired Sara, the wife of Tobias, in her affliction and say with her in spirit and in word –

“My God, all who serve Thee know that if they are visited with trials of affliction in this life, they will be rewarded;,if oppressed with suffering they shall be delivered, if punished by Thy justice, they hope in mercy. For Thou delightest not in seeing us perish, Thou sendest a calm after storms and joy after mourning.
O God of Israel, be Thy Name forever blessed.” (Tob III)

Remember too, thy Christ in the Garden and on the Cross abandoned by Him, Whose Only beloved Son He was – carry your cross with Him and say from the bottom of your heart:
“Not my will but Thine be done.”

Thus, by uniting patience with prayer, in the voluntary immolation of self to God, you will become truly devout.
For, as I have said, true devotion consists in an eager and unswerving
will to follow Christ and to bear the cross at whatever time, in whatever way He shall decide and, it consists too, in loving God because He is worthy of our love and even in forfeiting the sweetness of God for the sake of God!

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/05/05/thought-for-the-day-5-may-concerning-sensible-devotion-and-dryness-part-one/