Thought for the Day – 26 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Visits to the Blessed Sacrament
“After the many plans and worries of the day, it is wonderful to visit a Church in the evening and kneel before the Blessed Sacrament. There we can adore Jesus and converse lovingly with Him. We have spent so many hours surrounded by the noise of the world. It is restful now to spend a quarter of an hour in silent prayer before Jesus, the Prisoner of Love, in the Tabernacle. It is He, Who invites us. “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). There are so many matters worrying us. We need some words of advice, which will clear our doubts and strengthen us in suffering. We need words of encouragement to banish our sadness and enliven our faith. We need words of love, which will light, in our hearts, the flame of love for God. We can find all this on our knees before the Tabernacle. Do not end the day, without seeking a renewal of Christian strength, at the feet of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, if at all possible.”
Quote/s of the Day – 26 February – Mary’s Saturday
“Pray, pray a great deal and make sacrifices for sinners, for many souls go to Hell because they have no-one to make sacrifices and pray for them.”
Our Lady of Fatima 1917 13 May to 13 October 1917
“O sinner, be not discouraged but have recourse to Mary, in all your necessities. Call her to your assistance, for such is the divine Will that she should help in every kind of necessity.”
St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
“O Mary, I have not doubt that whenever we run to you, we shall obtain all that we desire. Let those then who have no hope, hope in you!”
“In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. And that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favour, you shall reach the goal.”
St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Mellifluous Doctor of the Church
“It seems unbelievable that a man should perish in whose favour Christ said to His Mother: ‘Behold thy son’, provided that he has not turned a deaf ear to the words, which Christ addressed to him: ‘Behold thy Mother.’”
St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) Doctor of the Church
“Never do anything that your heart tells you, is displeasing to Mary and, in addition, never deny her anything that you know she would welcome and desire from you.”
St Joseph Cafasso (1811-1860)
“It would be hard to find a more touching plea. We ask our heavenly Mother to intercede for us now because we have such great need of her assistance in this vale of tears and temptations. May she be always by our side, to shelter us beneath her mantle”
Thought for the Day – 18 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Interior Silence
“God speaks readily when our souls are silent. He cannot be heard in the noise of the world. But we do not have to abandon our normal way of life in order to find a little interior recollection. It is enough to pause for a moment and remember God’s presence. Once we have formed the habit of doing this, it becomes quite easy, at anytime and in any place. We may be walking along the street, or in the middle of our work. We may be in a room full of people chatting together. Wherever we are, we shall be able to pause and raise our minds to God. If we acquire this habit, we can lead peaceful lives, on a completely supernatural level.“
Thought for the Day – 17 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Will
“St Paul seems to contradict this idea when he writes: “There is question, not of him who wills, nor of him who runs but of God showing mercy” (Rom 9:16).
What he says is true. Our will is inadequate to effect anything without the grace of God. But, it is equally true, that the grace of God is not sufficient without an act of the will on our part. God created us as intelligent beings with the marvellous gift of free will. Because He respects the liberty which He gave us, He will not compel us by His grace to become holy. He only assist us. His assistance is absolutely necessary because of ourselves, we are incapable of forming a good intention, let alone performing a good action. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves,” St Paul says elsewhere, “to think anything, as from ourselves but our sufficiency is from God” (2 Cor 3:5).
We must pray fervently for divine grace but, it depends on our own will to ensure, that God’s grace produces results in us. This is the only way in which we can become perfect.”
Thought for the Day – 15 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Order of the Day
“Besides organising our day on the basis of a timetable, it is wise to work out, in advance, the way in which we shall behave during the different hours. It is easy to be taken by surprise, carried away by events and, as a result, to waste time or do things badly. We should make up our minds as to how we should behave in the presence of God and in the presence of men.
Concerning our relations with God, the best resolution is, to begin the day by prayer and, if possible, a visit to the Church. Our ideal will be to hear Mass and receive Holy Communion. During the day, especially in moments of trial, we shall raise our minds and hearts to God by means of short aspirations. We shall live in the presence of God; we shall live in His life.
We shall end the day by making a visit, however brief, to the Blessed Sacrament and by saying our evening prayer. When we are going to sleep, we shall say certain prayers and remember the presence of God.
This is a day in the life of a good Catholic. How many can say that they spend their day like this?”
Thought for the Day – 14 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Early Hours of the Day
“Unfortunately, there are many who never give the slightest thought to God when they rise in the morning. Or perhaps they think that a quick mechanical Sign of the Cross satisfies all their religious obligations.
A good Catholic could not behave in this fashion. He kneels to say his morning prayers and raises his mind and heart to God in acts of thanksgiving, reparation and love. Only in this way, can he begin the day with peace and confidence, knowing that during it, he will have continual need of God’s assistance.
If hitherto you have not behaved like this, make up your mind to begin everyday in future, by offering yourself to God, along with all your work, plans and worries. This offering will be a wonderful spiritual advantage throughout the day.”
Thought for the Day – 8 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Doing Everything for the Love of God
“In one of his letters, Luther wrote that he was so busy that he had no time to read his Breviary, nor to offer Holy Mass. There is no doubt that it was this estrangement from prayer and from the love of God, which caused him to finish up as he did. Our work must be based on charity and the interior life, so that we may be always united with God. Otherwise, every action of ours, no matter how good it may appear, is sterile and valueless in the sight of God.
Today also, there are many people busily engaged in apostolic work but they have no interior life nourished by charity. This is what is known as the heresy of action.
Everything we do is useless and even harmful, if our external activity is not accompanied by a flourishing interior life, enriched by divine grace. St Gregory the Great paraphrases the words of the Gospel as follows: “Our Lord says: If anyone loves Me, let him keep my commandments. Love is proved by action. This is why St John (1 Jn 2:4) says, that the man who claims to love God and does not keep His commandments, is a liar. We love God sincerely if we keep His commandments and avoid the immoderate pleasures of our age. Anyone who surrenders without reserve to the unlawful desires of this world, certainly does not love God because, he is acting contrary to His will.” (Homil 30 in Ev).”
One Minute Reflection – 6 February – The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – Readings: Colossians 3:12-17, Matthew 13:24-30
“Suffer both to grow until the harvest” – Matthew 13:30
REFLECTION – “Nor must one imagine that the Body of the Church, just because it bears the name of Christ, is made up during the days of its earthly pilgrimage, only of members conspicuous for their holiness, or, that it consists only of those whom God has predestined to eternal happiness. It is owing to the Saviour’s infinite mercy, that place is allowed in His Mystical Body here below, for those whom, of old, He did not exclude from the banquet (cf. Mt 9:11). For not every sin, however grave it may be, is such as of its own nature to sever a man from the Body of the Church, as does schism or heresy or apostasy. Men may lose charity and divine grace through sin, thus becoming incapable of supernatural merit and yet, not be deprived of all life, if they hold fast to faith and Christian hope and if, illumined from above, they are spurred on, by the interior promptings of the Holy Spirit to salutary fear and are moved to prayer and penance for their sins.
Let everyone then abhor sin, which defiles the mystical members of our Redeemer but,, if anyone unhappily falls and his obstinacy has not made him unworthy of communion with the faithful, let him be received with great love and let eager charity see in him a weak member of Jesus Christ. For, as the Bishop of Hippo remarks – “it is better to be cured within the Church’s community than to be cut off from its Body as incurable members. As long as a member still forms part of the Body, there is no reason to despair of its cure; once it has been cut off, it can be neither cured nor healed.’”- Venerable Pius XII (1876-1958) – Pope from 1939 to 1958 – Encyclical – Mystici Corporis Christi, 1943.
PRAYER – All-powerful and ever-living God, splendour of true light and never-ending day, chase away the night of sin and fill our minds with the glory of Your coming. Take away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh, help us in our battle with sin and the devil. By our prayers, Your holy sacraments and the strength of the Holy Spirit, may we be ever vigilant of the evil one. Hear the prayers of our Queen and Mother, the Blessed Virgin of Mercy on our behalf dear Lord. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 4 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Ora et labora” – Work and Sanctity
“Everything we do, whether we are working with our hands or with our minds, can and should be made holy by offering it to God. The peasant who toils in the heart of the sun or in the hardship of winter, to wring a living from the hard soil, the workman who strikes the anvil with his hammer, or who extracts coal from the bowels of the earth, or who controls some complicate piece of machinery in order to produce the press, electricity or other services for men – all these can and should raise their minds frequently in adoration and thanksgiving to God, the Creator and Giver of every good.
In the same way, those who are engaged in intellectual work, dedicated to the study of the different branches of knowledge, human and divine, should remember that light comes from Heaven, not from the earth. They should, therefore, ask in their prayers for God’s help. Science without God is cold and soulless. It can do more harm than good. It fills the soul with pride and dries up the heart. It can lead, as experience has shown us, to the destruction, instead of the wellbeing, of the human race. Students and scientists must be investigators of the mysteries of God, as well as those, of the universe. Only in God will they find an answer to the problems of the spirit.
There are some who work with both their minds and hearts. These include priests, teachers, doctors, good sisters sacrificing their lives in the hospitals, the mothers of families and many others. Their work will be especially fruitful, if it is united in a spirit of faith and charity with their prayers. Doing all for love of God, becomes love!”
Thought for the Day – 28 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
How to Guard Holy Purity
“Because it is so difficult to preserve the angelic purity of the soul. it is absolutely essential to make good use of the measures favoured for this purpose, by the masters of the spiritual life. The first of these is prayer – the spirit of prayer will keep us close to God. If our minds and hearts are united to God in the performance of every action, we will never allow ourselves to be separated from Him by impurity. This spirit of prayer must be based on humility and the consciousness of our continual need of God and, must be kept alive, by love for Him.
The second measure is, to avoid the occasions of sin. “Sensuality is best conquered by flight.” St Thomas Aquinas advises us (Summa Theologiae I-II, q 35). “He who loves danger will perish in it” (Ecclus 3:25). Battles like this, said St Francis de Sales, are won by the soldiers who retreat. As soon as an impure thought or image intrudes itself, drive it away as if a serpent were attacking you. It is fatal to allow the thought or image to gain ground, for at this stage, victory becomes extremely difficult!
Thirdly, it often helps to occupy the mind and imagination immediately with things in which we are interested. The greatest danger of all in these moments of temptation is idleness.
So let us examine our conscience now and we shall perceive, that everytime we have fallen in any way, it was always because we did not put into practice, the remedies suggested.”
Quote/s of the Day – 27 January – The Memorial of St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church, Bishop, Confessor.
“The waters have risen and severe storms are upon us but we do not fear drowning, for we stand firmly upon a rock. Let the sea rage, it cannot break the rock.” Let the waves rise, they cannot sink the Boat of Jesus.”
“Let the world be in upheaval. I hold to His Promise and read His Message, that is my protecting wall and garrison. What Message? “Know that I am with you always, until the end of the world!”
“Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.”
“If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the Church door, you will not find Him in the Chalice.”
“When you are weary of praying and do not receive, consider how often you have heard a poor man calling and have not listened to him.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 26 January – The Memorial of St Polycarp (c 69 – c 155) Martyr and Apostolic Father of the Church,
“We are treated as deceivers and yet, are truthful, as unrecognised and yet, acknowledged, as dying and behold we live, as chastised and yet, not put to death, as sorrowful yet, always rejoicing, as poor yet, enriching many, as having nothing and yet, possessing all things.”
2 Corinthians 8-10
“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)
“If the Church stays silent in the face of what is happening, what difference would it make, if no church were ever opened again?”
“We are not dealing with a small matter but the great (apocalyptic) life and death struggle has already begun. Yet in the midst of it, there are many, who still go on living their lives as though nothing had changed … “
Thought for the Day – 23 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Mediocrity
“Mediocrity in the spiritual life, inevitably paves the way for sin. Indifference at prayer, listlessness in practising charity and habitual neglect of our duties in life, lead firstly, to deliberate venial sin and finally, to mortal sin. If we are not generous with Jesus, Jesus will CEASE to be generous with us! He will NO LONGER shower us with His grace. Deprived of this heavenly dew, our souls will grow dry, shrivelled and incapable of producing fruits worthy of eternal life.
Let us get rid of any tendency towards lassitude. Let us revive the divine charity in ourselves. Let us make firmer resolutions and pray more fervently, that the grace of God will make us capable of greater effort. TIME IS SHORT – DO NOT DELAY!”
Quote/s of the Day – 23 January – “Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus” – The Memorial of Blessed Henry Suso OP (1295-1366)
“The eternal God asks a favour of His bride: “Hold me close to your heart, close as locket or bracelet fits.” No matter whether we walk or stand still, eat or drink, we should at all times wear the golden locket “Jesus” upon our heart.”
“Suffering is a short pain and a long joy.”
“Nowhere does Jesus hear our prayers more readily, than in the Blessed Sacrament.”
“It is inner abandonment which leads men to the highest Truth.”
Thought for the Day – 17 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Vicissitudes of Life
“There are three kinds of trials which we have to expect:
(a) Suffering in the guise of illness or accidents.
(b) The insults, lack of understanding and ingratitude of our fellowmen.
(c) Temptations and allurements of sin.
We must make a spiritual preparation at the beginning of everyday and surrender ourselves with filial confidence into the hands of God. Sorrows, illness and misfortune may come. Let us offer ourselves to God in our morning prayer. Like Jesus and with Jesus, let us bow beneath the cross, which is laid upon us.
Perhaps men will insult us and misunderstand us. Let us accept all this with resignation and love for God and our neighbour, whoever he may be. In this, we shall be like our Divine Redeemer, Who, when He was nailed to the Cross, not only forgave but prayed to His Eternal Father, for those who had Crucified Him.
The enchantment of sin may disturb the peace and purity of our soul. In this matter especially, we must prepare to resist, from the very beginning of the day. We must intercede with God, fervently renew our resolutions and turn our attention, when necessary, to other worthwhile thoughts and activities. Let us never panic but place our trust in God. He will enable us to conquer!”
Quote/s of the Day – 16 January – Second Sunday after Epiphany, Readings: John 2:1-11.
“Do whatever he tells you.”
John 2:5
“You are my friends, if you do the things that I command you.”
John 15:14
“Whosoever shall do the will of my Father, … he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 12:50
“We must note, therefore, that he that does things pleasing to God, serves Christ but he that follows his own wishes, is a follower, rather of himself and not of God.”
St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father & Doctor
“ True spiritual life consists in this: that man keep his eyes on God all the time, long for nothing but for God, keep nothing in mind but God, begin every single action,in God’s name and direct it to Him.”
St Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)
“You see, my children, the Christian’s treasure is not on earth, it is in heaven (Mt 6:20). So our thinking must go to where our treasure is. The human person has a beautiful task, to pray and to love. You pray, you love – that is the human being’s happiness on earth.”
Thought for the Day – 15 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Beggars of God
“Both in the natural and in the supernatural order, we are in continual need of the help of God. We did not exist and God, in His infinite goodness, created us. It is He, Who preserves us in existence from day to day and from moment to moment. The act of conservation, is like a continuous creation. If God did not sustain us, we should return immediately to the dust from which we came: “Remember, man, that dust you are and unto dust you shall return” (Gen 3:19).
We are continually dependent on our Lord and Creator for our existence and activity. If we remained always aware of this tremendous fact, we would never offend God. We would show Him a filial gratitude and humbly implore His assistance.
We are so poor and He is so rich. We are so weak and He is so strong. We are blind and He is the true Light, which illumines every man who comes into the world (Jn 1:9). Ask for God’s help with confidence, perseverance and resignation to His Holy Will. As St Augustine says, we are the beggars of God!”
Quote/s of the Day – 15 January – Readings: Phillippians 3:7-12, Matthew 11:25-34
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls…”
Matthew 11:29
“For in prosperity, a man is often puffed up with pride, whereas tribulations chastens and humbles him through suffering and sorrow. In the midst of prosperity, the mind is elated, and in prosperity. a man forgets himself. In hardship, he is forced to reflect on himself, even though he be unwilling. In prosperity, a man often destroys the good he has done. Amidst difficulties, he often repairs what he long since did in the way of wickedness.”
St Alfred the Great (849-899) King
“How can you become a sharer, in His glory (1 Pt 5:1) if you will not consent, to become a sharer, in His humiliating death?”
St Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022)
“Arm yourself with prayer, instead of a sword; be clothed with humility, instead of fine raiment.”
St Dominic de Guzman OP (1170-1221)
“If you seek an example of humility, look upon Him Who is Crucified, although He was God, He chose to be judged by Pontius Pilate and put to death. … If you seek an example of obedience, imitate Him Who was obedient to the Father “even to death” (Phil 2:8). “For just as through the disobedience of one person, Adam, the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of One, the many will be made righteous” (Rom 5:19). . If you seek an example of contempt for earthly things, imitate Him Who is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tm 6:15), “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). On the Cross He was stripped naked, ridiculed, spat upon, bruised, crowned with thorns, given to drink of vinegar and gall.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Angelic Doctor of the Church
“ … If you die with Him, you shall also likewise live with Him. If you are His companion in punishment, so shall you be in glory.”
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
“If humble souls are contradicted, they remain calm; if they are calumniated, they suffer with patience; if they are little esteemed, neglected, or forgotten, they consider this their due; if they are weighed down with occupations, they perform them cheerfully. ”
Thought for the Day – 3 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Making a Good Meditation
“Some people claim, that they cannot concentrate for any great length of time on meditation. In their case, it is very helpful to combine mental and vocal prayer. Short aspirations and expressions of love for God and of an ardent desire for holiness, can restore the atmosphere of recollection, making the intellect more attentive, the heart more fervent and the entire spiritual exercise, more profitable.
When our minds wander or grow drowsy, we must pull ourselves together by placing ourselves once more in God’s presence and beginning to converse with Him, in a humble and loving fashion. We must remember how much we need Him and how anxious He is to inspire and help us. We are so poor and weak – He is infinitely powerful and strong. We are lost in darkness – He is the Light which illumines every man who is travelling through this world.
St Therese of the Child Jesus always held, that anybody who was careful to spend at least ten minutes, everyday, in devout meditation, was certain of salvation!”
Thought for the Day – 2 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Necessity of Meditation in Silence
“The masters of the spiritual life assure us, that without the practice of meditation, it is almost impossible for the just man to persevere in virtue, ot for the lukewarm and tepid, to become fervent, or for the sinner, to be converted! God, it is true, can work miracles. At times the grace of God can strike the sinner with the suddenness of a thunderbolt and convert him. But, it is the ordinary rule of the spiritual life, that meditation on the truths of eternity, especially on the Last Things, stirs up the soul and moves it, under the influence of Divine grace, to form good resolutions. Even though, the first fervour early diminishes, the daily repetition of this pious practice, revives and strengthens such good resolutions and causes them to be realised, in activities which are in accordance with Catholic teaching.
Sin and lukewarmness, cannot co-exist with the practice of daily mental prayer, if this is carried out as it should be. If we keep our hearts united to God and listen willingly and attentively to His Voice, we shall be able to effect, in ourselves, that total renovation of which St Paul speaks: “But be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man, which has been created according to God, in justice and holiness of truth” (Eph 4:23-24).”
Thought for the Day – 1 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The New Year
“During these days, it is customary to exchange, verbally or in writing, good wishes for the New Year. But these poor greetings are often nothing more than conventional phrases. Men lack the power to transmute such good wishes into reality. God alone is the source of every material and spiritual good, therefore, He alone can ensure that these benevolent expressions are translated into deeds of Christian renovation. Since we are at the beginning of a new year, it is especially important for us to ask God more fervently and insistently, to bless the resolutions which are making for ourselves and the good wishes, which we are showering on our friends.
These wishes have no meaning and these resolutions have no force, if they are not accompanied by fervent and persevering prayer!”
Thought for the Day – 28 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Value of An Hour
“There are twenty four hours in a day, eight thousand seven hundred and sixty, in a year. How have you spent all the hours which God has given you in the past? How do you intend to use the hours which He will give you in the future?
When you examine the past, you will find much to regret. Perhaps you have spent many hours in sin, in idle gossp, in useless or dangerous pastimes, or in innumerable business transactions, all of which will contribute NOTHING towards your eternal salvation, which should be our main concern in this life.
How much time have you spent thinking of God, your Creator and Redeemer? How many hours have you devoted to prayer, thanksgiving and penance. How many have you spent in apostolic work on behalf of your neighbour? It may be that the service of God and your spiritual welfare have, so far, been the least of your worries, on which you have expended no more than the few odd moments left over from your other preoccupations. You are well aware, nevertheless, that the purpose of life is to know, love and serve God. You know that you ought to offer Him all your thoughts, affections and actions, for He alone can make your happy – or do you NOT know and believe this?”
Thought for the Day – 26 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
St Stephen, the First Martyr
“Saul was a member of the band which led Stephen to his death. He did not actually take part in the stoning of the saintly Deacod but, he co-operated with the executioners. It is possible that, as he lay dying, Stephen looked up at Saul and uttered his last prayer for this sincere and honest young Jew, who had been led astray by the prejudice and passion of the mob. In God’s plan, the Martyrdom of Stephen was, in some way connected with the conversion of St Paul, who was soon afterward dramatically won over by the grace of God on the road to Damascus.
Let us endeavour too, to suffer, pray and work for the conversion of our fellowmen, so many of whom, are wandering in the darkness of error or struggling in the clutches of vice. Let us try, by our sufferings, prayers and good example, to draw down God’s grace on our unhappy brothers. If we succeed, we shall share in the merits of their good actions and we shall have ensured our own everlasting salvation.”
Thought for the Day – 23 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Christmas Novena VIII What Jesus Wants From Us
“Let us contemplate Jesus lying on a rough pallet of straw in the manger. When we see Him looking at us, let us ask ourselves what it is that He requires of us. In fact, He wants many things from us. First of all, He wants us to weep for our sins and to promise, never to fall again, as long as we have the assistance of His grace, for which we should pray continually. For this, He has become man and has entered into the world. For this He will work miracles, preach His doctrine and shed His Precious Blood on the Cross. All this He will do to redeem us from sin and to win Heaven for us.
If we return to the path of sin, we destroy the divine work of redemption, inasfar as it applies to ourselves. We make Christ’s passion, death and resurrection useless in our case. We brush aside the chain of favours with which His love has girdled us – the Gospel, the Sacraments and the Church, our good mother who is always at our side to instruct and direct us, to rescue us from peril and, to distribute to us, the gifts of her divine Founder. When we sin, we commit an act of base ingratitude to Jesus and accomplish our own eternal ruin.
The Infant Jesus longs for us to give our hearts to Him. Since He has given us His own, why should we be unwilling to give ours to Him? Who or what can we love, if we do not love Jesus? Nothing else is capable of giving us peace of soul and resignation in suffering. Jesus alone can bestow these gifts on us, as long as we love and follow Him and abandon ourselves completely to His Holy Will.”
Thought for the Day – 22 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Christmas Novena VII Prayer and Dedication
“Let us kneel once more before the crib. Like other newborn infants, Jesus is sometimes asleep and sometimes awake, sometimes crying and sometimes smiling. Often His tiny eyes silently watch Mary and Joseph. Surely, this seems a useless existence for Almighty God. But we know that it is not purposeless. This is the first great lesson which God wishes to give to the proud and corrupt human race. It is the lesson of humility, prayer and total dedication to God.
To outward appearances, Jesus is behaving like any other baby. Internally, however, His soul is hypostatically united to the Eternal Word and dwells in the Presence of the Heavenly Father, Whom He loves with a burning and infinite love. Heart and soul, He offers Himself as a holocaust on behalf of sinful humanity and implores His Heavenly Father, to enlighten minds darkened by error, to strengthen weak human wills and to make all men holy. It may well be said, that already, in the silence and obscurity of the cradle, Jesus has begun to redeem the world, for every one of His human-divine actions has an infinite value. Whether He is awake or asleep, crying or smiling, He offers Himself silently to His Eternal Father as a holocaust of propitiation for our sins.
Let us adore the Divine Infant, therefore and thank Him for the priceless gift of our Redemption, which is already accomplished in the silence and obscurity of the manger. Let us implore the grace to love Him and to imitate Him more closely.
As we kneel before the Infant Jesus, let us beseech Him to enable us to grasp the truth of these reflections. Let us take more care of our soul than we do of our external talents and possessions. May God occupy the foremost place in our minds and may He be the principal object of our thoughts, desires and affections. Let us imitate the humble recollection and ardent love for God of the Holy Infant. Like Him, let us offer ourselves entirely to God. Let us ask Him to make us like Him, in complete acceptance of the Divine Will, especially when we are in trouble or in pain, for in this way, we shall be able to show God how sincerely we love Him.”
Thought for the Day – 21 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Christmas Novena VI The Silence of the Divine Infant
“Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word of God, made man, the infinite and substantial image of the Divine Intellect. Nevertheless, the Divine Infant, Whom we adore in the stable at Bethlehem, is mute and silent. The voluntary humiliation of the Son of God is such, that He, the Word of God, cannot utter a single human syllable. By this chosen silence, however, He teaches us many things. In the first place, He teaches us humility and self-denial. He teaches us, moreover, to recollect ourselves in the Presence of God, so that it may be easier for us to speak with Him and for Him, to make known what He requires of us. The silence of prayer brings forth divine consolations and inspirations to holiness,
Do we love to be silent? It is not necessary to become hermits but, it is essential, from time to time, to place ourselves quietly in the Presence of God. God cannot be heard through the noise and confusion of the world, whereas, He speaks clearly to the soul, which seeks the silence of prayer. In any case, if we go about looking for the gossip and idle chatter of the world, it is almost impossible not to offend God. “Avoid profane and empty babblings,” St Paul urges us, “for they contribute much to ungodliness” (2 Tim 2:16). “If anyone does not offend in word,” adds St James, “he is a perfect man” (Js 3:2). “The tongue is a little member,” he continues but, goes onto emphasis that it is capable of doing either a great deal of good or a great deal of harm. “With it, we bless God the Father and, with it, we curse men, who have been made after the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren ought not to be so” (Js 3:5-10).
There are two main lessons which we should learn, therefore, from the silence of the Divine Infant. We should learn to love recollection and, we should learn to make proper use of the gift of speech, which can be an equally powerful weapon, in the cause of good, or, in the cause of evil!”
Thought for the Day – 9 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Perseverance
“Perseverance may be a difficult virtue but nothing is really difficult to a person of strong resolution. When the sister of St Thomas Aquinas asked him how to become holy, he replied that it needed only one thing – a firm act of the will, for God will certainly supply the necessary grace.
Think of how much work and sacrifice is required to achieve worldly success. Cicero wrote that it required constant and tireless labour in order to become a great orator (Cf De Oratore, 1:39). St Paul cited the example of athletes who are prepared to make such great sacrifices, in order to train themselves to win. If they are prepared to do so much to gain a perishable crown, he comments, we should be prepared to do much more to gain an imperishable one (Cf 1 Cor 9:25).
The grace of God is the principal weapon upon which we must depend in order to gain our victory. We should pray for it humbly and perseveringly. There will be victors and losers in the battle for Heaven as well as in earthly contests. We must make sure that we are on the winning side! For this purpose, we should combine fervent and constant prayer with generous co-operation with the grace of God.”
One Minute Reflection – 9 December – Thursday of the Second week of Advent, Readings: Isaiah 48:17-19; Psalm 1:1-4 and 6; Matthew 11:11`-15
“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence …” – Matthew 11:12
REFLECTION – “Someone wrestled with Jacob until morning perseveringly … and Jacob said to him: “I will not let you go unless you bless me” (Gn 32:25.27). … So to you, my brethren, we say, you whose set purpose is to win heaven by force, you who have come together to wrestle with the angel who guards the way to the tree of life, to you we say – it is wholly necessary that you should wrestle perseveringly and without remission, not only until the thigh … is deprived of its vigour but also, until the body is mortified. But your toil will be able to achieve this, only by the touch of God’s strength and through His bounty. …
Do you not seem, to yourself ,to be wrestling with an angel, or rather, with God Himself, when day by day He resists your impatient prayers? … You cry to Him and He does not listen to you; you wish to approach Him and He repels you. You make a decision and the opposite happens and so, in every way, He sets Himself against you, with an unrelenting hand. O Mercy, You conceal Yourself and pretend to be unrelenting! With what loving-kindness You fight against those, for whom You fight. For although You “hide these things in your heart,” I know that You “love those who love you” and that, “the abundance of your sweetness which you hide away for those who fear you is immense” (Jb 10:13; Pr 8:17; Ps 31[30]:20).
Do not despair then, persevere, happy soul, who has begun to wrestle with God; He loves to suffer violence from you. He desires to be overcome by you. For when He is angry and stretches forth His Hand to strike, He seeks, as He Himself confesses, a man like Moses to resist Him. … For if His anger is implacable and His sentence unbending, Jeremiah, who had attempted to resist, will weep and say: “You were the stronger and did prevail” (20:7).” – Blessed Guerric of Igny (c 1080-1157) Cistercian Abbot (2nd Sermon on Saint John the Baptist).
PRAYER – Almighty and merciful God, let neither our daily work nor the cares of this life, prevent us from hastening to meet Your Son. Lord, make straight the winding ways within us. Draw us to repent! Enlighten us with Your wisdom and lead us into His company, that we may love Him and do homage to Him. By the prayers of the Immaculate Mother of Your only-begotten Son, may we receive Your grace and Your strength. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, now and for all eternity. Amen
Thought for the Day – 7 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Contemplative and the Active Life
“We ought not to imagine that contemplation is a privilege exvclusive to Monks and Nuns. In fact, it belongs to all Catholics. It is the privilege of the peasant, artisan, or clerk, who, on his way home from work, pays a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. “Here I am, my God,“ anyone of them may say. “I am very tired. Please give me some rest for my soul. I am weary and worried, both in body and in soul. I wish to love You more and to be faithful to You, until I die. I wish to think only of You but there are so many other things which I must think about. I have so many temptations and disturbances, which cause me to forget You and which often lead me into evil. O God, be the light of my soul, the peace of my heart, the divine strength of my weak will. …” Murmuring words like these, they listen to God and seem to see Him bending down towards them.
Then there is the student who has spent the day pouring over books, searching for the truth. He goes into the Church for a moment and kneels down. His mind is full of the tumult of thoughts, calculations and problems, never completely answered or explained in the books, written by men. He asks God for the light which he has not found, for the answer which he has not discovered, for the peace and calm, which only He can give.
At least for a moment, all these workers and students are contemplatives. They have left behind the noise of the world, in order to listen to the Voice of God. But this Voice, which does not speak in words but in silence and in peace, is the Voice of contemplation. Prayer comes afterwards, when God makes His presence felt in the soul. In this way, no matter who or what we are, we should all be contemplatives. In other words, we should seek, in quiet conversation with God, the truth and tranquiliity which the world cannot give us.”
AnaStpaul 
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