Category: QUOTES on PRAYER

Posted in LAPSED Catholics, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, Quotes on SALVATION

Thought for the Day – 7 July – THE SALVATION OF SOULS

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

THE SALVATION OF SOULS

“If you still belong to the category of those who desire to be good and virtuous, remember that your obligations do not stop at this.
You are obliged to work as hard as possible, for the return of sinners to the fold and for the reawakening of the faith of the indifferent.

A man who really loves God, cannot remain inactive when he witnesses the desertion of so many of his fellow-men, the corruption of public and private morals and the continuous insults offered to the Creator of the human race.
ANYONE WHO REMAINS INACTIVE BECOMES AN ACCOMPLISH!

Everyone is obliged to do his best to prevent the spread of such errors and evils.
Do NOT make the excuse that there is very little which you can do.
Although the resources of those who are still faithful, may be individually insignificant, they become, when combined, an irresistible force.

Remember that you have three invincible weapons – prayer, mortification and sacrifice.
These are the weapons which can and should be employed in order to convert the world and to establish the Kingdom of God.

Remember the countless conversions effected by the Saints as a result of their prayer, mortications and heroic sacrifices.
No-one can call himself a Catholic, who does not love, in a practical manner, his fellowmen, especially unfortunate sinners.
Make up your mind to offer up your prayers and sacrifices for their conversion.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/07/thought-for-the-day-7-july-the-salvation-of-souls/

”

Posted in EUCHARISTIC Adoration, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

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

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

“For Him all things were created
and to Him, all things must be subject
and God loves all creature,
in and because of Christ.”

“My dear souls, let us recognise, I pray you,
Christ’s infinite charity towards us
in the institution of this Sacrament of the Eucharist.
In order that our love be a spiritual love,
He wills a new heart, a new love, a new spirit for us.
It is not with a carnal heart but with a spiritual one,
that Christ has loved us with a gratuitous love,
a supreme and most ardent love,
by way of pure grace and charity.
Ah! One needs to love Him back
with one’s whole, whole, whole,
living, living, living
and true, true, true heart!”

St Lawrence of Brindisi(1559-1619)

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT, The WILL of GOD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 9 June – ‘Take nothing for your journey …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart” – Pentecost Thursday – Acts 8:5-8, Luke 9:1-6

“Take nothing for your journey,
neither staff, nor bag,
nor bread, nor money;
neither have two tunics.”

Luke 9:3

“You are the salt of the earth.”

Matthew 5:13

“It is as a matter of absolute necessity
that He commands all this.
Why must you be salt?
Jesus says in effect:
“You are accountable,
not only for your own life
but also, for that of the entire world.
I am sending you not to one or two cities,
nor to ten or twenty,
nor even to one nation,
as I sent the Prophets.
Rather, I am sending you to the entire earth,
across the seas, to the whole world,
to a world fallen into an evil state.”

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

“What is reprehensible,
is that while leading good lives themselves
and abhorring those of wicked men,
some, fearing to offend,
shut their eyes to evil deeds
instead of condemning them
and pointing out their malice.”

St Augustine (354-407)
Father and Doctor of Grace

“The love of Jesus is noble and generous,
it spurs us on to do great things
and excites us to desire always,
that which is most perfect.
Love will tend upwards
and is not to be detained by things beneath.
Love will be at liberty
and free from all worldly affections…
for love proceeds from God
and cannot rest but in God,
above all things created.
The lover flies, runs and rejoices,
he is free and not held.
He gives all for all and has all in all,
because he rests in One Sovereign Good above all,
from Whom all good flows and proceeds.”

Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)

(Book III, Chapter V, 3-4)

“Entrust yourself entirely to God.
He is a Father
and a most loving Father at that,
Who would rather let Heaven
and earth collapse,
than abandon anyone
who trusted in Him.”

St Paul of the Cross (1604-1775)

“God alone!”

“Chosen soul, how will you bring this about?
What steps will you take to reach the high level
to which God is calling you?
The means of holiness and salvation,
are known to everybody,
since they are found in the Gospel,
the masters of the spiritual life have explained them,
the Saints have practised them…
These means are –
sincere Humility,
unceasing Prayer,
complete Self-denial,
abandonment to Divine Providence
and obedience to the Will of God.”

St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

Posted in PATRONAGE-INFERTILITY & SAFE CHILDBIRTH, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, QUOTES on MARRIAGE, MARRIED LOVE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIESTS, the PRIESTHOOD and CONSECRATED LIFE, QUOTES/PRAYERS on THE FAMILY, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 6 June – St Norbert and a Prayer for his Intercession for a Safe Childbirth

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 June – Pentecost Monday and the Memorial of St Norbert (c 1080-1134) Bishop, Confessor, Founder of the Premonstratensian or the Norbertine Canons and Sisters, “Defender of the Eucharist” and “Apostle of the Eucharist,” Exorcist, Reformer, Preacher

On the day of his ordination, St Norbert said:

“O Priest! You are not of yourself because you are of God.
You are not of yourself because you are the servant and minister of Christ.
You are not your own because you are the spouse of the Church.
You are not yourself because you are the mediator between God and man.
You are not from yourself because you are nothing.
What then are you?
Nothing and everything.
O Priest!
Take care, lest what was said to Christ on the cross be said to you:
‘He saved others, himself he cannot save!”

“You will never enjoy
the sweetness of a quiet prayer,
unless you shut your mind,
to all worldly desires and temporal affairs.”

St Norbert (c 1080-1134)

Why is St Norbert Patron of Expectant Mothers & Infertile Married Couples?

A pious woman once approached St Norbert asking whether she and her husband ought to separate and enter Monasteries because they lived in an infertile marriage.
St Norbert prophesied that they would be blessed with children, the first of whom would be dedicated to God. This child, Nicholas, did indeed become a Norbertine at Prémontré.
St Norbert is traditionally invoked for a safe childbirth too.
The Norbertine Canonesses at Doksany (Czech Republic) in modern times, promote this devotion to St Norbert as ‘Patron of Infertile Couples and Endangered Pregnancies’ and report hundreds of families now blessed with children, the Sisters, having well over 3,000 spiritual children as of 2012. It would be wonderful to find an updated figure 10 hears later.

A Prayer to St Norbert
for a Safe Childbirth

St Norbert, great and faithful servant of God!
You venerated the holy
and miraculous birth of our Saviour,
Whom, His Mother,
the purest Virgin Mary,
conceived without the loss of her virginity
and gave birth, ever remaining a virgin.
You connected the origin
of the Premonstratensian Order
with the day of the Birth of Jesus Christ.
I humbly pray to you, St Norbert,
as a great protector,
so that God will give me the grace,
through your intercession,
to give birth to this conceived child.
And so, that He will give me also,
the grace that this child
will join the Church of Christ
through the Sacrament of Baptism
and that he/she will serve
Almighty God
the whole of his/her life
so that in the end
we both will reach eternal salvation.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God forever.
Amen.

(Translated from The Little Hours, 1749, by one of our Norbertine Sisters at Doksany)

Posted in 7 GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST: Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence, Strength, Knowledge, Piety, Fear, CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PENTECOST, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on STRENGTH, The HOLY GHOST

Quote/s of the Day – 5 June – ‘ .. The life of our souls.’

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 June – Pentecost Sunday, Alleluia! – Acts 2:1-11, John 14:23-31.

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

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

“He pours light into our minds,
arouses our desire
and gives us strength…
As the soul is the life of the body,
so the Holy Spirit is the life of our souls.”

St Peter Damian (1007-1072)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“A soul, that possesses the Holy Spirit,
tastes such sweetness, in prayer,
that it finds the time, always too short,
it never loses, the holy presence of God.”

“The Holy Spirit forms thoughts
and suggests words, in the hearts of the just.”

“The Holy Spirit is like a gardener,
cultivating our souls.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Nunc, Sancte, nobis Spiritus
Come, Holy Ghost, Who ever One
By St Ambrose (340-397)
Trans John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Trans 1836

Come, Holy Ghost, Who ever One
Art with the Father and the Son.
Come, Holy Ghost, our souls possess
With Thy full flood of holiness.

In will and deed, by heart and tongue,
With all our powers, Thy praise be sung.
And love light up our mortal frame,
Till others catch the living flame.

Almighty Father, hear our cry
Through Jesus Christ our Lord most high,
Who with the Holy Ghost and Thee
Doth live and reign eternally.

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Holy Name PRAYERS, I BELIEVE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The HEART, The HOLY NAME, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 2 June – Thank You for our Faith Lord!

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 June – The Octave Day of the Ascension

“He who believes and is baptised,
shall be saved …”

Mark 16:16

“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name,
saying, ‘I am he’
and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!”

Luke 21:8

“[Christ speaks:]
I became useless to those
who knew Me not,
because I shall hide Myself,
from those who possessed Me not.
And I will be with those who love Me.
… I arose and am with them
and will speak by their mouths.
For they have rejected those
who persecute them
and I threw over them, the yoke of My love.
… Then I heard their voice
and placed their faith in My Heart.
And I placed My Name upon their forehead (Rv 14,1)
because they are free and they are Mine!”

Odes of Solomon
(Hebrew Christian text f
rom the beginning of the 2nd Century)
N° 42

“Faith gives rise to prayer
and this prayer obtains
an increase of faith.”

“Wherever you are on earth,
however long you remain on earth,
the Lord is near,
do not be anxious about anything!”

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

“Let Your Name, not mine, be praised.
Let Your Work, not mine, be magnified.
Let Your Holy Name be blessed
but let no human praise be given to me.
You are my glory.
You are the joy of my heart.
In You I will glory and rejoice
all the day and for myself
I will glory in nothing but my infirmities. … ”

Thomas `a Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)

The Imitation of Christ – Book 3 Chapter 40

Posted in CARMELITES, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SCANDAL, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, SAINT of the DAY, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 29 May – St Maria Magdalena de’ Pazzi

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Quote/s of the Day – 29 May – Sunday within the Octave of Ascension – The Memorial of St Maria Magdalena de’ Pazzi O.Carm (1566-1607)

“You will be consoled
according to the greatness
of your sorrow and affliction;
the greater the suffering,
the greater will be the reward.”

“By opening the door of our heart
to love for God,
this love dissolves all self-love in us.
But we must open the door!”

“Prayer ought to be humble,
fervent, resigned, persevering
and accompanied by great reverence.
One should consider,
that he stands in the presence of God
and speaks with a Lord
before whom the Angels tremble,
from awe and fear.”

“Never utter,
in your neighbour’s absence,
what you would not say,
in their presence.”

St Maria Magdalena de’ Pazzi (1566-1607)

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/25/quote-s-of-the-day-25-may-st-maria-magdalena-de-pazzi/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 24 May – The Recollection of Mary

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Thought for the Day – 24 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Recollection of Mary

“We cannot all be Monks or Hermits.
Most have to live in the world and look after their daily business.,
They have to deal with all kinds of people and are subject to the tremendous influences of the modern world.
How can they be recollected?
It is difficult but it is possible.
Most of the Saints lived in the heart of the world, while still maintaining close contact with God.
St Paul the Apostle and St John Bosco, are two examples which come to mind.

St Paul traversed the greater parts of the known world.
He preached in the temple of Jerusalem and on the Areopagus of Athens, in the Synagogues, squares, court rooms and prsisons of countless cities.
Throughout it all, his heart remained united to God, so that he could exclaim: “It is now no longer I who live but Christ lives in me” Gal 2:20).
“For to me to live is Christ,” he said, “and to die is gain. But if to live in the flesh is my lot, this means for me, fruitful labour and I do not know which to choose. Indeed, I am hard-pressed from both sides – desiring to depart and to be with Christ – a lot by far the better; yet, to stay on in the flesh is necessary for your sake” |(Phil 1:21-23).

The superhuman industriousness of St John Bosco is well known.
He never rested but, his extraordinary activity derived entirely from his close and loving union with God.

We also should try and preserve an oasis of silence in our heart, while we are making our way through the noisy uproar which prevails around us.
We shall draw from this oasis of interior recollection, the power to conquer the temptations of the world and to accomplish all the good work which God wishes us to do.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/24/thought-for-the-day-24-may-the-recollection-of-mary/

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 May – ‘ … Where is the honey to go? … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 24 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – James 1:22-27, John 16:23-30

“That your joy may be full.” – John 16:24

REFLECTION – “The entire life of a good Christian is, in fact, an exercise of holy desire. You do not yet see what you long for but the very act of desiring, prepares you, so that when He comes, you may see and be utterly satisfied.

Suppose you are going to fill some holder or container and you know you will be given a large amount. Then you set about stretching your sack or wineskin or whatever it is. Why? Because you know the quantity with which you will fill it and your eyes tell you, there is not enough room. By stretching it, therefore, you increase the capacity of the sack and this is how God deals with us. Simply by making us wait, He increases our desire, which in turn, enlarges the capacity of our soul, making it able to receive what is to be given to us.

So, my brethren, let us continue to desire, for we shall be filled. Take note of Saint Paul, stretching as it were, his ability to receive what is to come – ‘Not that I have already obtained this,’ he said, ‘or am made perfect. Brethren, I do not consider that I have already obtained it.’ We might ask him, ‘If you have not yet obtained it, what are you doing in this life?’ ‘This one thing I do,‘ answers Paul, ‘forgetting what lies behind, and stretching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the prize to which I am called in the life above.‘ Not only did Paul say he stretched forward but he also declared that he pressed on toward a chosen goal. He realised, in fact, that he was still short of receiving ‘what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived.‘

Such is our Christian life. By desiring Heaven, we exercise the powers of our soul. Now this exercise will be effective, only to the extent, that we free ourselves from desires leading to infatuation with this world. Let me return to the example I have already used, of filling an empty container. God means to fill each of you with what is good – so cast out what is bad! If he wishes to fill you with honey and you are full of sour wine, where is the honey to go? The vessel must be emptied of its contents and then be cleansed. Yes, it must be cleansed, even if you have to work hard and scour it. It must be made fit for the new thing, whatever it may be!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (An excerpt from his Tractates on «The First Letter of John»)

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord God, unto all Thy servants, that they may remain continually in the enjoyment of soundness, both of mind and body and by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary, always a Virgin, may be delivered from present sadness and enter into the joy of thine eternal gladness. 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 MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 23 May – Prayer to Mary, Our Mother

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

Prayer to Mary, Our Mother

“Even if we fall often into sin, we should never be discouraged.
Although Mary is the Mother of all mankind, she, in a special fashion, is the merciful Mother of sinners.
No matter how sinful a man maybe, he will not be lost if he is sincerely devoted to Mary.
We must not be deluded into imagining, however, that it is enough to pray to Our Lady in order to be saved, even if we continue to commit sin.
St Brigid tells us in her revelations, that Mary is not the Motbher of hardened sinners but, only of those sinners who desire to amend their lives and pray to her with this intention (Rev Bk 4, C 138).

Jesus has told us, moreover, that “not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven but he who does the will of my Father in Heaven, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 7:21).
The same holds for those who are devoted to Our Lady.
It is not sufficient to pray to her but we must also imitate her and accompany our prayers with the resolution of improving.

Fervent prayer is certain to obtain Mary’s intercession on our behalf.
St Alphonsus recommends, in particular:
(a) the Hail Mary repeated three times every morning and every night, with the invocation “Mother most pure, pray for me;”
(b) an invocation to Our Lady everytime the clock strikes the hour;
(c) the daily recitation of the Holy Rosary;
(d) a visit to the Altar of Our Lady evertime we make our daily visit to the Blessed Sacrament;
(e) and some acts of mortification on the vigil of principal Feasts of Our Lady, followed by a fervent celebration of the Feasts themselves.
If we show our good dispositions in this manner, Mary will be our true Mother in life and in death.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/22/thought-for-the-day-22-may-prayer-to-mary-our-mother/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 23 May – Ask, seek, knock

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 May – James 5:16-20, Luke 11:5-13

“Ask and it shall be given you: s
seek and you shall find:
knock and it shall be opened to you. ”

Luke 11:9

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

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

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

“In prayer one must hold fast and never let go,
because the one who gives up, loses all.
If it seems that no-one is listening to you,
then cry out even louder.
If you are driven out of one door,
go back in by the other.”

St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)

May We Love Only You
By St Columban (543-615)

Loving Saviour,
be pleased to show Yourself to us who knock,
so that in knowing You,
we may love only You,
love You alone,
desire You alone,
contemplate only You, day and night
and always think of You.
Inspire in us the depth of love
that is fitting for You to receive as God.
So may Your love pervade our whole being,
possess us completely
and fill all our senses,
that we may know no other love
but love for You,
Who are everlasting.
May our love be so great,
that the many waters of sky, land and sea
cannot extinguish it in us –
many waters could not extinguish love.
May this saying be fulfilled
in us also, at least in part,
by Your gift,
Jesus Christ, our Lord,
to Whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 16 May – Prayer and Our Lady

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

Prayer and Our Lady

“O Mary, my Mother, obtain for me that spirit of prayer which will keep me always close to God.
I know that sin can never conquer me if I remain united to God.
I know if my heart is filled with the desire of Heavenly gifts, there will be no room in it for useless or sinful affections.
I wish to follow your example and live a life of prayer and recollection.
But, I am very weak and unstable.
Please obtain for me the gift of constant and persevering prayer and grant that I may never lose it.
Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/16/thought-for-the-day-16-may-prayer-and-our-lady/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/05/16/thought-for-the-day-16-may-prayer-and-our-lady-2/

Posted in CARMELITES, DOCTORS of the Church, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), St JOSEPH

Quote/s of the Day – 11 May – Hail, Holy Joseph, Hail!

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Quote/s of the Day – 11 May – Octave Day of St Joseph

“I cannot call to mind
that I have ever asked him,
at any time for anything,
which he has not granted
and I am filled with amazement
when I consider the great favours
which God has given me,
through this blessed Saint;
the dangers from which he has delivered me,
both of body and of soul!”

St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of the Church

“It is impossible, that he could be denied
the favours for which he asks
and which we should request him
to obtain for us.
Let us go to him trustingly
but, let us remember,
that the surest way of being heard by him,
is to imitate his wonderful virtues,
especially his humility,
his spirit of prayer,
his purity and his calm desire always,
to do God’s will.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Hail, Holy Joseph, Hail!
By Father Frederick William Faber CO (1814-1863)

Hail, holy Joseph, hail!
Chaste spouse of Mary hail!
Pure as the lily flow’r
In Eden’s peaceful vale.
Hail, holy Joseph, hail!
Prince of the house of God!
May His best graces be
By thy sweet hands bestowed.

Hail, holy Joseph, hail!
Comrade of Angels, hail!
Cheer thou the hearts that faint,
And guide the steps that fail.
Hail, holy Joseph, hail!
God’s choice wert thou alone!
To thee the Word made flesh,
Was subject as a Son.

Hail, holy Joseph, hail!
Teach us our flesh to tame
And, Mary, keep the hearts
That love thy husband’s name.
Mother of Jesus! bless,
And bless, ye Saints on high,
All meek and simple souls
That to Saint Joseph cry.
Amen.

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, GOD the FATHER, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN QUOTES, MOTHER of GOD, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION

Quote/s of the Day – 9 May – St Gregory Nazianzen

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 May – The Memorial of St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Bishop, Confessor, 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.”

“Many indeed are the wondrous happenings
of that time:
God hanging from a Cross,
the sun made dark
and again flaming out;
for it was fitting,
that creation should mourn
with its Creator.
The temple veil rent,
blood and water flowing
from His side –
the one as from a Man,
the other as from what was above man;
the earth shaken,
the rocks shattered because of the Rock;
the dead risen to bear witness
to the final and universal
resurrection of the dead.
The happenings at the sepulchre
and after the sepulchre,
who can fittingly recount them?
Yet not one of them, can be compared,
to the Miracle of my Salvation.
A few drops of Blood
renews the whole world
and do, for all men,
what the rennet does for the milk –
joining us and binding us together!”

“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.”

“If anyone does not believe
that Holy Mary
is the Mother of God,
such a one is a stranger
to the Godhead.”

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

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TRUTH, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 May – “Without Me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 7 May – Wisdom 5:1-5, John 15,1-7.

“Without Me
you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

“Whoever does not gather
with me, scatters.”

Luke 11:23

“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.”

St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108)
Father of the Church

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

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

“Girded with faith
and the performance of good works,
let us follow in His paths
by the guidance of the Gospel.”

“For at all times, we must so serve Him,
with the good things He has given us,
that he may not, as an angry Father,
disinherit his children,
nor as a dread Lord,
provoked by our evil deeds,
deliver us to everlasting punishment,
as wicked servants,
who refuse to follow Him to glory.”

St Benedict (c 480-547)

“Each one of us has a thirst
for all that is infinite, eternal and perfect.
God alone can satisfy this thirst.
Just as we are created by God,
so we are created for Him.
Just as we came from God,
so we are gradually travelling back towards Him,
for He is the final goal of our earthly journey.
We should meditate on this great truth
which we were first taught in the Catechism,
namely, that we were created
to know, love and serve God
on this earth and to be happy with Him
forever in Heaven.
God alone is the eternal beauty
which will satisfy our hearts.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The PASSION, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 11 April – Jesus in Gethsemane

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Thought for the Day – 11 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Jesus in Gethsemane

“What was the prayer of Jesus in the moment of anguish when He saw Himself abandoned or betrayed by everyone on this earth and foresaw the terrible sufferings of His Passion and Death, which, despite His infinite love, would prove to be in vain for so many men?
Face downwards upon the earth, He implored His Heavenly Father to take away, if possible, the bitter chalice.
But, He added immediately, “Yet not My will but Thine be done” (Lk 22:42).

We should pray like Jesus, especially when we are suffering in body and tormented in mind.
We should prostrate ourselves before God, with an act of deep humility and of perfect confidence in His infinite goodness.
We should pray first of all, that His Name may be glorified throughout the world, as it is in Heaven.
We should pray that His Kingdom may be established and may triumph over evil and that our own souls may be saved, along with those of our brothers in Christ.
Only then, can we ask for the favours which we need in the present life and for freedom from physical and moral suffering.
We can ask for all these things, certainly but, we should add with Jesus, “Yet not my will but Thine be done!”
In other words, we should be ready to offer up our sufferings, as a proof of our love for Him. Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/10/thought-for-the-day-10-april-jesus-in-gethsemane/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 April – Obedience

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 April – Wednesday of Passion Week, the Fifth Week of Lent Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-19, 25, John 10:22-38

“My sheep hear My Voice;
I know them and they follow Me.”

John 10:27

“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.”

“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 (376-444)

“Chosen soul, how will you bring this about?
What steps will you take to reach the high level
to which God is calling you?
The means of holiness and salvation,
are known to everybody,
since they are found in the Gospel,
the masters of the spiritual life have explained them,
the Saints have practised them…
These means are –
sincere Humility,
unceasing Prayer,
complete Self-denial,
abandonment to Divine Providence
and obedience to the Will of God.”

St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

“Peace in us is the result
of two kinds of necessary obedience,
the obedience to right reason
of the lower faculties
and the obedience of right reason
to God, our Creator.
“This is the peace which God
gives on earth to men of goodwill;
this is the most perfect wisdom,”
St Augustine.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

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

Thought for the Day – 31 March – TEMPTATION

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

TEMPTATION

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

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

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

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

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

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Thought for the Day – 27 March – The Presence of God

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

The Presence of God

“In times of temptation, it is especially necessary for us to place ourselves in the presence of God.
We are courting disaster, if we do not raise our minds and hearts to God to implore His help, when temptation assails us.
Like the Apostles on the lake of Genesareth, when their frail boat was battered by the storm tossed waves and was in danger of being wrecked, let us cry out with the same faith and confidence, when we are assaulted by the devil: “Lord save us! We are perishing!” (Mt 8:25).
God knows our weakness and will certainly have mercy on us.

Let us not lose courage if He seems to be slow in granting His enlightenment and His grace and leaves us prey to the onslaughts of our passions.
Like the Canaanite woman in tbe Gospel, let us continue to pray with constancy and with faith and the merciful God will take pity on us at last.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/30/thought-for-the-day-30-march-the-presence-of-god/

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

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

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

The Consolation of Prayer

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

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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

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

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

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

The Spirit of Prayer

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

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

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on STRENGTH

Thought for the Day – 13 March – PRAYER

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Thought for the Day – 13 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

PRAYER

“The Saints loved to pray.
Prayer was the source of their strength and consolation.
They prayed with enthusiasm and for as long as they were able.
They would have liked to spend their lives in intimate conversation with Jesus.
They loved God so much, that they lived and worked only for Him.
For this reason, they regarded prayer as a pleasure.
The hours of prayer passed like seconds because love does not feel the passing of time, nor does it notice discomfort.

Our Lord gave us an example of this in His own life.
When He prayed to His Heavenly Father, “He continued all night in prayer to God” (Lk 6:12).
In spite of the fact that He was God, He gave Himself in prayer to His Heavenly Father before He worked any of His miracles and in Gethsemane, before He went to His Passion.

It must be the same with us.
A man who does not love prayer, does not love God.
If anyone works without praying, his work is useless.
We should feel the need to pray, just as much as we feel the need of God’s assistance.
The happiest hours of our lives, should be those which we spend in prayer.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/13/thought-for-the-day-13-march-prayer/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, Holy Name PRAYERS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, Quotes on SALVATION, The HOLY NAME

Our Morning Offering – 8 March – St Alphonsus’ Prayer for the Gift of Prayer

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Our Morning Offering – 8 March – Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

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

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

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 4 March – How We Should Pray

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

How We Should Pray

“We must pray with deep humility.
Once again we find, that the Man-God Jesus, has given us an example.
In Gethsemane He fell prostate on the ground and begged that, if it were possible, the bitter chalice might be taken away from Him.
Immediately He added. with full submission to the will of His Heavenly Father – “Yet, not my will but thine be done” (Lk 22:42).
Let us remember, moreover, the parable of the Pharisee and the publican.
The former appeared to be full of virtue but he was proud and was rejected.
The latter, recognised in all humility, that he was a poor sinner and he was exalted.
“Everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled and he who humbles himself shall be exalted” (Lk 14:11).
“God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (Js 4:6).
“The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest, until t reaches its goal” (Ecclus 35:17).

When we kneel down to pray, therefore, we should make an Act of Humility.
We are poor beggars, as St Augustine puts it, before the throne of God.
Let us pray with confidence in God’s goodness but also with a proper realisation of our own helplessness.
Then God will take pity on us.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/16/thought-for-the-day-16-march-how-we-should-pray/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 2 March – Prayer as a Necessary Means of Salvation

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

Prayer as a Necessary Means of Salvation

“The man who prays, will be saved, the man who does not pray, will be damned!”
This reflection occurs in much the same words in the writings St Teresa, of St Alphonsus and of other masters of the spiritual life.
There is no suggestion that prayer ALONE, without sincerity of purpose, the Sacraments and good works, is sufficient for salvation.
What is meant, is that anyone, who does not pray, cannot possibly be saved, except by a miracle because, God, does not normally give His grace to anyone, who does ot ask for it!
Even though the soul has grown indifferent and submerged in sin, if it does not abandon the habit of praying, it will sooner or later, be overcome by remorse and will turn again to God.
St John Chrysostom teaches us, that it is impossible for anyone, who prays fervently and consta\ntly, to fall and remain in serious sin.

Let us pray, therefore.
Let prayer be our constant support in every situation and in every action.
If we remain close to God, we are assured of salvation.
As long as we remain united to Our Lord, His grace will pervade our souls.
But, if we sever this bond of prayer with God, we shall be alone and helpless and shall fall into sin.
This has been the sad experience of many before us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/15/thought-for-the-day-15-march-prayer-as-a-necessary-means-of-salvation/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2022, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on WATCHING, The HEART

Ash Wednesday – 2 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers Begins

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Ash Wednesday – 2 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers Begins

“In the face of my darkness,
You are Light.
In the face of my mortality,
You are Life.”

St Gregory of Narek (950-1003)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“O Lord, deal with us,
not according to our sins,
nor requite us according to our crimes.”

Psalm 102:10

BEHOLD, DEARLY BELOVED, the Sacred days are drawing near, the acceptable time, of which it is written – Behold, now is the acceptable time. behold, now is the day of salvation (II Cor vi)
And so you must be more earnest in prayer and in alms-giving, in fasting and in watching. He that until now has given alms, in these days let him give more – for as water quencheth a flaming fire, so does almsgiving wipe out sin (Eccles. iii. 33).
He that until now fasted and prayed, let him fast and pray still more – for there are certain sins which are not cast out, except by prayer and fasting (Mc. xvii. 20).

SHOULD ANYONE CHERISH ANGER towards another, let him forgive from his heart. Should anyone take, unjustly what belongs to another, let him restore it and if not fourfold, at least that which he has taken, if he desires God to be merciful to himself (Lk. xix. 8).

AND although a Christian should abstain at all times from cursings and revilings, from oaths, from excessive laughter and from idle words, he must do this especially in these holy days, which are set apart, so that during these forty days, he may, by Penance, wipe out the sins of the whole year!

MAY YOU BELIEVE and believe firmly, that if, in these days, you have made a thorough Confession of your sins and done Penance as we have told you, you shall receive from Our Most Merciful Lord, the pardon of all your offences, as did the Ninivites, who earned deliverance from their afflictions by doing penance in sackcloth and ashes (Jn. iii).

So you also, following their example, if you cry out with all your heart to the Lord, you will invoke His Mercy on you, so that, serene and joyful, you will celebrate the day of the Lord’s Resurrection and, thus blessed, you will, after this life, cross over to your heavenly home, by the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest, world without end. Amen. – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan. Father and One of the Four Original Doctors of the Latin Church

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The HOLY CROSS, The SIGN of the CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 2 March – Ash Wednesday

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 March – Ash Wednesday

“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

“He need not fear anything,
nor be ashamed of anything,
who bears the Sign of the Cross
on his brow.”

“Fasting is the soul of prayer,
mercy is the lifeblood of fasting.
Let no-one try to separate them,
they cannot be separated.
If you have only one of them,
or not all together,
you have nothing!
So if you pray, fast;
if you fast, show mercy;
if you want your petition to be heard,
hear the petition of others.
If you do not close your ear to others,
you open God’s ear to yourself.”

St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Fasting cleanses the soul,
raises the mind,
subjects one’s flesh to the spirit,
renders the heart contrite and humble,
scatters the clouds of concupiscence,
quenches the fire of lust
and kindles the true light of chastity.
Enter again into yourself!”

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

“Fasting, when rightly practised,
lifts the mind to God
and mortifies the flesh.
It makes virtue easy to attain
and increases our merits.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

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

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

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Five Rows of Squash:

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

Six Rows of Peas:

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

Seven Heads of Lettuce:

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

No garden is complete without Turnips:

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

Conclude with Thyme:

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

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

Posted in AUGUST - The Immaculate Heart of Mary, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PRAYER, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS

Thought for the Day – 1 March– The Apostolate of Prayer

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Thought for the Day – 1 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Apostolate of Prayer

“Everybody cannot be an Apostle in the strict sense of the word.
Not everyone can dedicate his whole life to the expansion of God’s Kingdom upon earth and to the conversion of pagans, heretics and sinners.
Everyone can, however, do a little in this cause.
Perhaps you cannot leave your family as the missionaries do and travel to distant lands to extend the Kingdom of God.
Perhaps you cannot enter a Convent or dedicate yourself to God as a Priest or a Religious because you have not received this high vocation from God.
We know, however, that each one of us has some responsibility for his neighbour and must help him whenever possible.
“Go surety for your neighbour according to your means ” (Eccles 29:20).

Now, the ‘Apostleship of Prayer’ offers everybody a simple way of doing exactly this.
Its object is to promote the glory of God and the salvation of souls, especially by means of prayer in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Besides prayer, we must offer the actions and sufferings of each day.
Let us decide to become one, with all the faithful, in offering the prayers and actions and sufferings of each day to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of His Mother Mary.

We shall certainly receive showers of graces, both for ourselves and for the salvation of the souls of our neighbours.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 27 February – Evening Prayer

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

Evening Prayer

“We should pray all the time because we always need the help of God.
“They must always pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:11).
There are certain times, however, when this need of God is greater than usual.
This is so when we are tempted, or when we are threatened by some evil, whether spiritual or physical.
Our need is also greater when we have some important decision to make, or difficult task to undertake.
When we are close to death, this need of God is exceptionally urgent.

Apart from these occasions, there is a time everyday, when we should feel a special need to kneel and pray to God..
This is when we are going to bed.
Before retiring, we should kneel by the bedside and say our prayers fervently.
We have many reasons for praying –
(1) We should thank God for His graces during the day;
(2) We should ask forgiveness for our lack of co-operation with the gifts He has given us;
(3) We should ask the good God to grant us new fervour.
Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci