QUOTES on REPENTANCE

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Thought for the Day – 3 July – The Good Shepherd

Posted on July 3, 2020July 3, 2020 by AnaStpaul

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

The Good Shepherd

“The Good Shepherd is the theme of two of the most moving passages in the Gospel.
“I am the good shepherd,” Jesus says. “The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. But, the hireling, who is not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. and the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep … I am the good shepherd and I know mine and mine know me, even as the father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for my sheep” (Jn 10:11-15).

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep,” He says elsewhere “and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after that which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it upon his shoulders rejoicing. And on coming home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, “Rejoice with me because, I have found my sheep that was lost.”
“I say to you that, even so, there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety nine just, who have no need of repentance” (Cf Lk 15:4-7).

These texts vividly describe God’s mercy towards poor sinners.

We may often have been amongst the lost sheep which are separated from the flock of Jesus Christ.
We found, perhaps, the poisoned pastures of error and vice and strayed from the path of truth and goodness.
But what happened?
We experienced disillusionment and remorse and knew that we had lost our only real good, which is God.
How sad our fate would have been, if the Good Shepherd, Jesus, had not come to look for us and to enlighten us with His grace.
We should have been lost forever, in the desert of sin!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 July – “Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee.” Matthew 9:2

Posted on July 2, 2020July 2, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 2 July – Thursday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: Amos 7: 10-17, Psalms 19: 8, 9, 10, 11, Matthew 9: 1-8

“Be of good heart, son,
thy sins are forgiven thee.”

Matthew 9:2

“If you forgive the sins of any,
they are forgiven them;
if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

John 20:23

” Indeed, the instant you say:
“I have sinned against the Lord”,
the response is given you:
“Your sins are forgiven” (Mt 9:2).
… Only do not keep away, or distance yourself,
from He who has chosen you to sing
and pray but all your life long,
remain close to Him,
either through pure confidence,
or by a holy audacity and courageous confession.”

John of Karpathos (7th Century) Bishop

“When you commit some infidelity,
do not be anxious
but with humility and confidence,
immediately turn to the Lord.
Do not flee from the Offended
but embrace Him as a lover
and ask for forgiveness.”

Bl Mary of the Angels Fontanella (1661-1717)

“My beloved Redeemer,
how much did it cost You to raise me from the ruin,
which I brought on myself through my sins?
What can I do without Your grace?
I can do nothing but pray
that You will help me
but even this prayer comes
from the merits of Your suffering and death!
O my Jesus, help me!”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most zealous Doctor

“To whom does your heart belong?
To the devil, perhaps?
You expected to find satisfaction
and you have found disillusionment.
You hoped for peace and found remorse.
Instead of the happiness you expected,
you will know only despair,
unless you turn back to God immediately.
There is only one way out of your predicament,
the way chosen by the prodigal son –
“I will get up and go to my father” (Lk 15:18).
Rise up, then and cast yourself
into the merciful arms of your heavenly Father,
Who is waiting for you.”

“Even if we are unfaithful servants
and are covered with the leprosy of sin,
let us go to Him and He will heal us.
Even if we have deserved Hell a thousand times,
let us shed tears of repentance at His feet
as Magdalen did and,
He will give us His forgiveness and His peace.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Jesus carries us to the inn.
Imagine you are in the arms of Jesus,
being carried, half-dead in sin—
some of your own making,
some done to you—to a place of help.
You can rest in His arms.
In another surprise,
the inn is the Church,
the hospital for sinners.
The innkeeper might be a priest,
family member,
or friend who helps you
through a dark time in your life.”

Pope Benedict XVI

“So many people
see the Confessional
as a place of defeat
but Confession is a place of victory
every single time.”

Father Mike Schmitz

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Thought for the Day – 1 July – Moments of Silence

Posted on July 1, 2020July 1, 2020 by AnaStpaul

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

Moments of Silence

“Such is the speed of modern life that many people forget God and do not even pause to think about themselves.
Action is everything.
There is no time for reflection, no time for prayer.
Life has become mechanical and superficial, for nobody has the time, nor the inclination, to think about spiritual matters.

What is the result?
Since men are not machines but living beings, composed of soul and body and are capable of feeling and passion, their lower inclinations break loose and insist on being satisfied.
In the absence of prayer and of all effort to lead a good life, grace is lacking to inspire the mind, to strengthen the will and to keep the heart pure.
Rapid materialistic progress has accustomed men to accept, as inevitable, the most shameful falls.
The absence of any kind of contact with God, makes the soul the slave of sin.

Examine yourself.
Perhaps, you have not yet sunk to this low level of spirituality and are still capable of feeling remorse and the urge to do good.
But, you must listen for God’s voice and a certain amount of silence, is necessary, if His voice is not to be drowned in the tumult of the world.
We are in real need of solitude, recollection and prayer!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 26 June – The Four Ends of the Holy Mass

Posted on June 26, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 26 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Four Ends of the Holy Mass

“Let us meditate on the fact, that the Sacrifice of the Eucharist, was instituted for four ends, namely:

1. TO HONOUR GOD
All the Angels and Saints of Heaven and all the human beings upon earth, could not possibly honour God, as He ought to be honoured because, they are creatures who derive everything which they possess from God.
Only Jesus the God-Man, could offer the Eternal Father, the infinite honour due to Him, by offering Himself.

2. TO MAKE ADEQUATE SATISFACTION FOR ALL OUR SINS
Insofar, as they are a revolt against God, our sins are, in a certain way, infinite.
This is because they offend an Infinite Being.
Only Jesus, being at the same time man and God, could offer for us, His brothers, an infinite satisfaction to the Eternal Father.
Only He, could redeem us from the debt of crime and punishment, which we had contracted, by offering Himself, without reserve, in the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
It must be explained, however, that although the Mass is of infinite value in itself, God applies this value to us in a finite way only, according to His good pleasure and according to our dispositions.
For this reason, we should do well to attend Mass, as often as possible and with the maximum fervour.

3. TO GIVE THANKSGIVING TO GOD for all the benefits which we have received from Him.

4. Finally, TO OBTAIN ALL THE GRACES AND FAVOURS of which we and other people stand in need.
The Mass is an extraordinary gift.
Let us attend at Mass with recollection and devotion.
It will be for us, the source of every grace and virtue!”
Amen

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Quote/s of the Day – 22 June – St John Fisher

Posted on June 22, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 22 June – The Memorial of St John Fisher (1469-1535) Bishop, Martyr

“I reckon in this realm no one man,
in wisdom, learning
and long approved virtue together,
meet to be matched and compared with him.”

St Thomas More speaking of St John Fisher

“A good man is not a perfect man;
a good man is an honest man,
faithful and unhesitatingly responsive
to the voice of God in his life.”

“Contrition is to have sorrow at heart
and great repentance of all his sins
and to have steadfast purpose to keep
and abstain him from all deadly sins.
For who has intention to return him to deadly sin,
his confession avails him nothing!”

“Penance is a needful thing to the sinner,
who desires to recover health of his soul.
And, in doing penance, there be three things
to be considered:
serious compunction of heart,
confession of mouth
and satisfaction by deed.”

“As St Paul has said,
for our justification,
He [Christ], gave to man
all that was necessary –
His Blood to wash us,
His Body to redeem us.
In His Passion,
Justice and peace
have met each other.”

“Beware of those prophets who speak unto you
and deceive you!
They prophecy nothing
but the imaginations and forgings
of their own minds
and not the truth of Holy Scripture!”

St John Fisher (1469-1535) Bishop, Martyr

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One Minute Reflection – 22 June – ‘Remove the wooden beam from your eye first’

Posted on June 22, 2020June 22, 2020 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Monday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18, Psalm 60:3-5, 12-13, Matthew 7:1-5 and the Memorial of St John Fisher (1469-1535) Bishop, Martyr

“You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.” … Matthew 7:5

REFLECTION – “The word hypocrite is aptly employed here, since the denouncing of evils is best viewed as a matter only for upright persons of goodwill. When the wicked engage in it, they are like impersonators, masqueraders, hiding their real selves behind a mask, while they portray another’s character through the mask. The word hypocrites, in fact, signifies pretenders.
Hence we ought especially to avoid that meddlesome class of pretenders who, under the pretence of seeking advice, undertake the censure of all kinds of vices. They are often moved by hatred and malice.

Rather, whenever necessity compels one to reprove or rebuke another, we ought to proceed with godly discernment and caution.
First of all, let us consider whether the other fault is such, as we ourselves have never had, or whether it is one that we have overcome.
Then, if we have never had such a fault, let us remember that we are human and could have had it. But if we have had it and are rid of it now, let us remember our common frailty, in order that mercy, not hatred, may lead us to the giving of correction and admonition.
In this way, whether the admonition occasions the amendment, or the worsening of the one for whose sake we are offering it, (for the result cannot be foreseen), we ourselves shall be made safe through singleness of eye. But if on reflection we find that we ourselves have the same fault as the one we are about to reprove, let us neither correct nor rebuke that one. Rather, let us bemoan the fault ourselves and induce that person to a similar concern, without asking him to submit to our correction.”… St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace – Sermon on the Mount, 2 matthew 7 5 - you hyprocrites remove the wooden beam from your own eye - rather, whenvever necessity compels us - st augustine 22 june 2020

PRAYER – As we pray before You Lord, we ask You, in Your loving kindness, for the grace always to ponder in our hearts what we proclaim with our lips. Keep us in Your commandments and strengthen us by the prayers of St John Fisher, Your Martyr, that we may live by a holy conscience and never flinch from the protection of truth. Grant this we pray through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, in the love and unity of the Holy Spirit, God for always and forever, amen. st john fisher pray for us 22 june 2020

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One Minute Reflection – 18 June – Delighting the Heart of God

Posted on June 18, 2020June 18, 2020 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 18 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Thursday of the Eleventh week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: Sirach 48:1-14 (1-15), Psalm 97:1-7, Matthew 6:7-15

“Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: Our Father … “ … Matthew 6:8-9

REFLECTION – “Engrave, pious soul, engrave this teaching deeply into your soul common to all masters of the spiritual life – after your infidelities you must turn back to God at once, even if you should fall a hundred times a day and, when you have done this, immediately set yourself at peace again. … Between friends who love each other deeply, it is not uncommon, that a ruffled relationship is healed by humble apologies, which seals their friendship once more. Act in such a way, that it is the same between yourself and God – use your faults to make your bond of love with Him even tighter.

It may happen to you, to be at a loss before a decision to be made, or advice to be given. Here, too, don’t be afraid and do not neglect to act together with God as the faithful do amongst themselves. In every event they consult among themselves – you, consult God, pray to Him to suggest the solution to you that will be most pleasing to Him, “Lord, set on my lips the word I am to speak and in my heart, the resolution to take!” (Jdt 9:18 Vg.) Suggest to me what I have to do or answer and I shall do it. “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3:10).

Again, give God the testimony of friendly trust by discussing with Him, not just about your personal affairs but also about those of your neighbour. What pleasure you give to His heart if, sometimes even going so far as to forget your own worries, you call to His mind the interests of His glory and the misfortunes of others! … “O God, so worthy of all love, make yourself known and loved. May your kingdom be adored and blessed by all, may your love reign in every heart!”

Let us conclude. If you wish to charm the loving Heart of your God, set yourself to talk to Him as often as you can and, after a fashion, continually, together with the fullest and most confident liberty. He will not hold aloof from answering you and participating in the conversation on His part.” … St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor – What should one converse about with God?

PRAYER – Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
Amen the-our-father-matthew-6-7-15-lenten-reflection-20-feb-2018 and 18 june 2020

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Quote/s of the Day – 12 June – Speaking of: Sin

Posted on June 12, 2020June 12, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 12 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Friday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-16, Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14, Matthew 5:27-32

Speaking of: Sin

” It is better for you to lose one of your members,
than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.”

Matthew 5:29

“The dragon sits by the side of the road,
watching those who pass.
Beware lest he devour you.
We go to the Father of Souls
but it is necessary to pass by the dragon.”

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

“Virtue is nothing without the trial of temptation,
for there is no conflict without an enemy,
no victory without strife.”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“When God forgives a sinner who humbly confesses his sin,
the devil loses his dominion over the heart he had taken.”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor

“Let the enemy rage at the gate;
let him knock, pound, scream, howl;
let him do his worst.
We know for certain,
that he cannot enter our soul,
except by the door of our consent.”

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

“We are generally,
the carpenters
of our own crosses.”

St Philip Neri (1515-1595)

“The power of evil men
lives on the cowardice of the good.”

“Do not try to excuse your faults,
try to correct them.”

“Fly from bad companions
as from the bite
of a poisonous snake.”

“Act today in such a way,
that you need not blush
tomorrow.”

St John Bosco (1815-1888)

“That conversation… was as dirty as a sewer!
It is not enough for you to take no part in it.
You must show your repugnance for it strongly!”

St Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975)

“For the sinner, hell begins on this earth!”

“The Sacrament of Penance,
is our plank of salvation
in the shipwreck of sin.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

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One Minute Reflection – 12 June – ‘… The impulse of the heart…’

Posted on June 12, 2020June 12, 2020 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 12 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Friday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 1 Kings 19:9, 11-16, Psalm 27:7-9, 13-14, Matthew 5:27-32

“If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.” … Matthew 5:29

REFLECTION – “As the degree of innocence increases, faith becomes more advanced. For we are advised to be free, not only from our own particular faults but also from those things, which affect us outwardly. For is it not because of sin, that the bodily members were condemned in the first place? The right eye is no less sinister than the left. It is pointless to chastise a foot that is unaware of lust and thus involves no grounds for punishment. But our members indeed do differ from each other while we are all one body. We are here being advised to pluck out inordinate loves or friendships, if they are the occasion that leads us further into wrongdoing. We would do well, to not even have the benefit of a member, like an eye or a foot, if it furnishes the avenue, by which one is drawn by excessive affections into a partnership with hell. Even the cutting away of a member might be beneficial, if the heart (figuratively speaking), were also able to be cut away. But, if the impulse of the heart is left unchanged, the cutting away of a member would be pointless.” … St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ – On Matthew, Ch 4 matthew 5 29 if your right eye - we are here being advised to pluck out - st hilary 12 june 2020

PRAYER – Yours is the day and Yours, the night, Lord God and we are Your children. Grant we pray, that the weakness of our humanity, the drive of our emotions and flesh may not overpower us. Lead us Lord, through the dangers of our day, give us strength and true love, wishing only, our final home, for those who share our lives, especially our spouse. Mary, pray for us, that we may imitate your faithfulness in all things. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. blessed-virgin-mother-mary-pray-for-us-25-june-2018

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Quote/s of the Day – 15 May – “Love one another as I have loved you”

Posted on May 15, 2020May 15, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 15 May – Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter, Readings: Acts 15:22-31, Psalm 57:8-12, John 15:12-17

“Love one another as I have loved you”

John 15:12

“Jesus carries us to the inn.
Imagine you are in the arms of Jesus, being carried, half-dead in sin—some of your own making, some done to you—to a place of help.
You can rest in His arms.
In another surprise, the inn is the Church, the hospital for sinners.
The innkeeper might be a priest, family member, or friend who helps you through a dark time in your life.

This is the rest of the story – the Good Samaritan is Jesus!
He always pursues us, even when we don’t ask for it—even in our sins.
We must receive the Good Samaritan’s love and mercy first, or we have nothing to give away (1 Jn 4:19)!
And then our response to this love is repentance—going beyond the mind we have now/giving up the lies we believe about God or ourselves—and then going to confession.
This is followed by The Ultimate Challenge – to be that good neighbour or the innkeeper in a world where everyone is wounded by something!
Be like Jesus—be a good spiritual neighbour in a dark and lonely world!

the ultimate challenge to be that good neighbour - pope benedict 15 may 2020

In a world which demands of Christians a renewed witness of love and fidelity to the Lord, may all of us feel the urgent need, to anticipate one another in charity, service and good works (cf. Heb 6:10).”

Pope Benedict XVI

3 November 2011

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Quote of the Day – 11 May – Obeying God

Posted on May 11, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 11 May – “Mary’s Month” – Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter, Readings: Acts 14:5-18, Psalm 115:1-2.3-4.15-16, John 14:21-26.

“Whoever does not love me, does not keep my words.”

John 14:24

“If some rich and powerful friend were to enter your home,
you would quickly clean the entire house,
for fear something there, might offend your friend’s eyes, when he entered.
Let anyone then who is preparing his inner house for God,
cleanse away the dirt of his evil deeds.
… The Lord comes into the heart
and makes His home in one,
who truly loves God
and observes His commandments…”

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

Homilies on the Gospels no 30

“There is absolutely nothing
that gives us more peace,
or does more to make us holy,
than obeying the will of God.”

“We must offer ourselves to God
like a clean, smooth canvas
and not worry ourselves about
what God may choose to paint on it
but at each moment,
feel only, the stroke of His brush.”

Fr Jean Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751)

‘Abandonment to Divine Providence’

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Sunday Reflection – 10 May – ”Lord, I am not worthy”

Posted on May 10, 2020May 10, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 10 May – The Fifth Sunday of Easter

”Lord, I am not worthy”

St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

When I say, Domine, non sum dignus—”Lord, I am not worthy”—You whom I am addressing, alone understands in their fullness the words which I use. You see how unworthy so great a sinner is to receive the One Holy God, whom the Seraphim adore with trembling. You see, not only the stains and scars of past sins but the mutilations, the deep cavities, the chronic disorders which they have left in my soul. You see the innumerable living sins, though they be not mortal, living in their power and presence, their guilt and their penalties, which clothe me. You see all my bad habits, all my mean principles, all wayward lawless thoughts, my multitude of infirmities and miseries, yet You come. You see most perfectly how little I really feel what I am now saying, yet You come.

O my God, left to myself should I not perish under the awful splendour and the consuming fire of Your Majesty. Enable me to bear You, lest I have to say with Peter, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

Act of Spiritual Communion
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor

I desire, good Jesus,
to receive Thee in Holy Communion
and since I cannot now receive Thee
in the Blessed Sacrament,
I beseech Thee to come to me spiritually
and to refresh my soul with Thy sweetness.
Come, my Lord, my God and my All!
Come to me
and never let me ever again be separated from Thee by sin.
Teach me Thy blessed ways,
help me with Thy grace to imitate Thy example,
to practise meekness, humility,
charity and all the virtues of Thy Sacred Heart.
My divine Master, my one desire is to do Thy will
and to love Thee more and more.
Help me that I may be faithful to the end in Thy service.
Bless me in life and in death,
that I may praise Thee forever in heaven, Amen.

act of spiritual comm by st alphonsus 10 may 2020 no 4

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Thoughts of Mary – 6 May – The Purple Flower of Sacrifice

Posted on May 6, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Thoughts of Mary – 6 May – “Mary’s Month”

The Immaculate Virgin – the Purple Flower of Sacrifice
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

She who was preserved from original sin through the merits of her Son the Redeemer, was granted this privilege because she was predestined for the sublime mission of being the Mother of God.
She, who was to clothe in mortal flesh, the eternal Word of the Father, could not be contaminated, even for an instant, by the shadow of sin.
So, she is immaculate through the power of Christ, because all that was granted to the Mother, was granted through her Son.
The blooming of this snow white flower on our soil, is a sure pledge of the reconciliation of mankind with God.

How apt are the words of the liturgy that we sin on the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin – “Thy nativity, O Virgin Mother of God, was the herald of joy to the whole world.”

But this joy is also a purple flower of sacrifice – the sacrifice of the Blessed Mother of Jesus who, when she gave her consent: “Be it unto me …” accepted her share in the destines of her Son, from the poverty of Bethlehem, to the self-denials of the secluded life in Nazareth and the martyrdom of Calvary.

So we may not consider ourselves, the beloved children of Our Lord and of His Mother, if our life is without sacrifice and self-denial.

May this reference to the requirement of sacrifice, be then a loving and thoughtful reminder of the strong and solid Christian virtues of self-denial, patience and penitence. Amen

the purple flower of sacrifice - st john XXIII 6 may 2020

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Thought for the Day – 30 April – The Divided Heart

Posted on April 30, 2020April 30, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 30 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Divided Heart

“To whom does your heart belong?
To the devil, perhaps?
It may be that you have allowed him to insinuate himself into your soul, so that you have fallen under his tyranny and are trying to find happiness in the satisfaction of your lower impulses.
Remember the warning of St Paul – “If anyone destroys the temple of God, him will God destroy, for holy is the temple of God and this temple you are” (1 Cor 3:17).
If you have fallen this low, you will suffer the penalty decreed by the Holy Spirit – “There is no peace to the wicked” (Is 48:22).
You expected to find satisfaction and you have found disillusionment.
You hoped for peace and found remorse.
Instead of the happiness you expected, you will know only despair, unless you turn back to God immediately.
There is only one way out of your predicament, the way chosen by the prodigal son – “I will get up and go to my father” (Lk 15:18).
Rise up, then and cast yourself into the merciful arms of your heavenly Father, Who is waiting for you.
There, you will find that peace of soul, which will remain with you until you die.
If you never allow your heart to be separated from God again, this peace will flower into eternal happiness in the next life.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 29 April – The Dignity and Responsibility of Being a Christian

Posted on April 29, 2020April 29, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 29 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Dignity and Responsibility of Being a Christian

“It is a great dignity to be a Christian.
By Baptism, we become sons of God, heirs to Heaven, temples of the Holy Spirit and members of the Mystical Body of Jesus, which is the Church.
God’s grace raises us to the supernatural order and makes us, as St Paul expresses it, sharers in the divine nature.
By the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Holy Spirit fortifies our faith and gives us the strength to resist the temptations of the devil and to fight like loyal soldiers, for the triumph in ourselves and in others, of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
The Sacrament of Penance, is our plank of salvation in the shipwreck of sin. the sacrament of penance is our plank of salvation in the shipwreck of sin - bacci 29 april 2020
Although, we are all wretched sinners, by this give of the divine mercy, we can recover our lost innocence and return to the grace and friendship of God.
Moreover, in order to prevent us from falling back into sin, Jesus give us Himself in the Blessed Eucharist, which is called, by St Thomas Aquinas, the greatest miracle of His infinite love (Opusculum 56, Officium de festo Corporis Christi, lectures 1-4). the greatest miracle of his ifinite love - eucharist - bacci 29 april 2020
But this is not all.
If it is our vocation for form a family, God consecrates our union at the altar and gives us the graces necessary, to sanctify it, so that it may produce a good Christian family.
If God has called us, on the other hand, to become spiritual fathers of the souls redeemed by His Precious Blood, He raises us to this high dignity, by the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
Finally, when we shall have come to the end of our mortal lives, the Priest will be still by our side, to wash away, by the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, the last traces of sin and to comfort us in our passage to eternity.
The whole life of a Christian, is a chain of favours which accompany him, from the cradle to the grave.
We should be grateful to God for the goodness with which He has treated us and continues to treat us.
We should co-operate generously with His gifts by recognising the lofty honour it is, to be a Christian and by living in accordance with this dignity.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 24 April – The Three Grades of Perfection – Introduction

Posted on April 24, 2020April 24, 2020 by AnaStpaul

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

The Three Grades of Perfection – Introduction

“God’s great commandment could create in us a sense of confusion and fear.
“You are to be perfect,” He orders us, “even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
Is it possible for weak creatures like us, to achieve the perfection of God Himself?
At first sight, this commandment seems quite impossible but, it is possible for us to act upon it with the grace of God.
We must understand it properly, in any case.
We shall never reach divine perfection but, we are obliged by Our Lord’s command, to strive towards it constantly, by every means in our power.
Perfection should be our most ardent desire and, not merely a theoretical ideal but a practical aim.
This practical intention can inspire our entire life, in such a way, that it will become a continual assent towards sanctity and towards God.
We need never lose heart, even when we suffer a set-back in our spiritual progress.
God allows us to fall so that we may be humbled and may place our trust in His grace, instead of in ourselves.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Quote/s of the Day – 24 April – Faith and love …

Posted on April 24, 2020April 24, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 24 April – Friday of the Second week of Easter and the Memorial of St Fidelis of Sigmaringen OFM.Cap (1577-1622) and St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier (1796-1868)

“O Catholic faith, how solid, how strong you are!
How deeply rooted, how firmly founded on a solid rock!
Heaven and earth will pass away but you can never pass away.
From the beginning the world opposed you
but you mightily triumphed over everything.
This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.
It has subjected powerful kings to the rule of Christ,
it has bound nations to His service.
What made the holy apostles and martyrs endure fierce agony
and bitter torments, except faith and especially faith in the Resurrection?
What is it that today makes true followers of Christ cast luxuries aside,
leave pleasures behind and endure difficulties and pain?
It is living faith that expresses itself through love.
It is this, that makes us put aside the goods of the present in the hope of future goods.
It is because of faith, that we exchange the present for the future.”

“Woe to me if I should prove myself
but a half-hearted soldier
in the service of my thorn-crowned Captain.”

St Fidelis of Sigmaringen (1577-1622)

“Draw near to our Lord, thoroughly aware
of you own nothingness and you may hope
all things from His Goodness and Mercy.
Never forget that Jesus Christ is no less generous
in the Blessed Sacrament than He was
during His mortal life on earth.”

“May your heart be an altar,
from which the bright flame,
of unending thanksgiving
ascends to heaven.”

“It is human to fall
but angelic to rise again.”

St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier (1796-1868)

“To the end of the longest life,
you are still a beginner.
What Christ asks of you
is not sinlessness
but diligence ….
You cannot be profitable to Him,
even with the longest life;
you can show faith
and love
in an hour!”

St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Parochial and Plain Sermons, v.4

MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE

Thought for the Day – 23 April – Faith and Charity

Posted on April 23, 2020April 23, 2020 by AnaStpaul

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

Faith and Charity

“Faith is a gift from God (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q 45).
We should, therefore, ask for it in our prayers.
Faith cannot enter into a proud soul, because, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (Js 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).
If a man does not pray, his faith grows weaker and he may lose it altogether.
Faith must be nourished continually by grace, which is obtained through prayer.
A man who is in a state of mortal sin, loses his faith, ‘especially if he is a slave to impurity, because, only the clean of heart can see God’ (Cf Mt 5:8).
St Thomas Aquinas knew what he was talking about when he said, that “faith is the foundation of the entire spiritual edifice of the Christian life” (Summa Theologiae III, q 73, a 3).
It is faith, nourished by grace, which raises us to the supernatural level, where everything which we do, say or think, becomes meritorious in the sight of God. “My just one lives by faith” (Heb 10:38).
The keener and stronger our faith is, the firmer is the foundation of our spiritual life and the more numerous are our good works.
This is not to say, that faith excludes all study and investigation.
In fact, the more lively is our faith, the more earnest will be our desire to understand better the terms in which our faith is expressed and to explore the intimate connection, between divine revelation and human knowledge.
Study of this kind, will prove, a refreshing experience because, it will bring us to the threshold of the contemplation of eternal truth.
Reason is not humiliated but ennobled by the light of revelation, which raises it to a higher plane.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FREE WILL, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST

Quote/s of the Day – 21 April – St Anselm

Posted on April 21, 2020April 21, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 21 April – The Memorial of St Anselm ‬OSB (1033-1109)

Doctor of the Church

“God has promised pardon
to him that REPENTS
but He has NOT
promised repentance
to him that sins.”

“A single Mass offered
for oneself during life,
may be worth more,
than a thousand celebrated
for the same intention, after death.”

“Remove grace
and you have nothing,
whereby to be saved.
Remove free will
and you have nothing,
that could be saved.”

“It is impossible to save one’s soul
without devotion to Mary
and without her protection.”

St Anselm (1033-1109)
Doctor of the Church

DIVINE MERCY, EASTER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE

Thought for the Day – 19 April – The Mercy of God

Posted on April 19, 2020April 19, 2020 by AnaStpaul

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

The Mercy of God

“God is the Being, Who is infinitely true, beautiful and good.
His goodness is manifested in His infinite love for all the creatures which He has made but, it is in His relations with sinners, in particular, that we call Him merciful.
He loves all things which He has created and directs them towards Himself, their beginning and their end.
When He is dealing, however, with beings endowed with free will, who can separate themselves from Him and even offend Him, He tries, while respecting the liberty which He has given them, to recall them to Himself, by the influence of His love and of His grace.
It is this supernatural outpouring of love towards sinners, which we call mercy.

The mercy of God shines forth in all the pages of Sacred Scripture.
In the Old Testament, there is promised and foreshadowed, in many ways, the coming of the Saviour of the sinful human race.
In the New Testament, Jesus appears, made man for our salvation, meek and humble of heart and merciful towards the unfortunate, especially towards sinners.
For them, He offers His life and His Precious Blood, dying on the Cross with His arms outstretched, as if in an embrace of forgiveness.
He tells us that He has not come to call the just but sinners, (Lk 5:32) and, that He has not come to those who are in health but to those who are sick (Mk 2:17); He assures us that, if we ask the Father for anything in His name, it will be given to us (Jn 16:23).
So much goodness should move and soften our hearts.
Even if we are unfaithful servants and are covered with the leprosy of sin, let us go to Him and He will heal us.
Even if we have deserved Hell a thousand times, let us shed tears of repentance at His feet as Magdalen did and, He will give us His forgiveness and His peace.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

EASTER, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 16 April – Repentance

Posted on April 16, 2020April 16, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 16 April – Easter Thursday, Readings: Acts 3:11-26, Psalm 8:2, 5-9, Luke 24:35-48 and the Memorial of St Benedict Joseph Labre (1748-1783)

“… And said to them,
“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer
and on the third day rise from the dead
and repentance for the forgiveness of sins
should be proclaimed in his name to all nations…”

Luke 24:46-47

“Repentance lifts a man up.
Mourning knocks at heaven’s gate.
Holy humility opens it.”

St John Climacus (579-649)

“The Ladder of Divine Ascent” (Step 25)

“Meditate on the horrors of Hell,
which will last for eternity
because of one easily-committed mortal sin.
Try hard to be among the few who are chosen.
Think of the eternal flames of Hell
and how few there are that are saved.”

“The want of proper examination,
true contrition and a firm purpose of amendment,
is the cause of bad confessions
and of the ruin of souls.”

St Benedict Joseph Labre (1748-1783)
“The Beggar of Perpetual Adoration”

“The saints understood how great
an outrage sin is against God.
Some of them passed their lives
in weeping for their sins.
St Peter wept all his life;
he was still weeping at his death.
St Bernard used to say,
‘Lord! Lord! it is I who fastened You to the Cross!’”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST

Thought for the Day – 14 April – The Death of our Saviour

Posted on April 14, 2020April 14, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 14 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Death of our Saviour

In the midst of His sufferings, Jesus forgets Himself and pray for His executioners.
“Father,” He pleaded, “forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34).
Who were these people who crucified Him?
We know well that they were not only the Jews but all of us.
The prophet Isaiah, had foretold this. “He was wounded for our iniquities, he was bruised for our sins … He was offered because it was his own will…” (Is 53:5-7).
We are all the crucifiers of Jesus. Therefore, He willed to suffer and to die for all of us and when He was hanging on the Cross, He begged for forgiveness for us all.
This should incite us to trust in God and to do repentance for our sins.
We should be sorry for our sins because, they were the real cause of the voluntary death of Jesus.
We should have confidence in Him, because, He forgave us when He was dying on the Cross and is ready to pardon us again, as long as we are sincerely repentant.

Let us consider how Jesus, even though He was derided and nailed to the Cross, prayed for and forgave His executioners.
How do we normally behave?
Perhaps we fly into anger at the first word of offence or act of misunderstanding, or perhaps we nourish secret feelings of hatred in our hearts for our brothers in Jesus Christ?
Let us kneel before the Cross and tell Our Lord, that we wish to be meek and humble of heart, like Him.
We wish to be quick to forgive and to live in peace and, even, if it is necessary, to do good to those who offend us, or at any rate, to pray fervently for them.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

CONFESSION/PENANCE, EASTER, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The RESURRECTION

Thought for the Day – 12 April – The Meaning of Easter

Posted on April 12, 2020April 12, 2020 by AnaStpaul

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

The Meaning of Easter

“Today the Church adorns herself in festival array.
Gone are the lengthy lamentations of Holy Saturday and the sorrowful recitations of the Passion and in their place, is the glad cry of Alleluia, the hymn of vitory over death and sin.
The true joy of Easter, lies, not merely in external celebration, however but in the spiritual gladness of the soul.
As Jesus has conquered death and sin, so we must purify ourselves of every trace of guilt by a good confession and must be sure, that it will result in a practical renovation of our lives.
We should approach Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist with greater fervour and humility and with greater trust in His goodness and mercy.
When we have received Him into our hearts, we should ask Him to renew and transform us in Himself.
He is everything and we are nothing without Him.
He is strong, we are weak.
We are capable only of feeble desires to do good but He can make them effective by His grace.
We should not be satisfied with forming general resolutions when we go to confession and receive Holy Communion at Easter.
We should examine the depths of our soul and discover the sin which we are most accustomed to commit and the virtue which we are principally lacking.
As a result of our investigation, we should form a particular resolution to combat this sin and to practise this virtue.
It is only in this way, that our celebration of Easter can inaugurate the beginning of a genuine self-renewal which will gain momentum daily, until it becomes a true spiritual resurrection.
It will be a hard battle, which will necessitate a constant vigilance and a readiness to begin again, everytime we realise, that we have fallen.
It will require an unfailing spirit of prayer but, the final victory, will bring us such happiness, that worldly pleasures will seem empty and illusory, by comparison.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Most of us are barred from the Sacraments at present. Some, have been able to make their Easter Confession before all this ‘lockdown’ occurred. For those of us who were not able to do so, now is perhaps the most perfect time to prepare ourselves for the great day, when this time is over and we can, again, joyfully receive the Sacraments! In the meantime, let us be strong in the Risen Christ and rejoice in His Glory – Alleluia!

MAUNDY THURSDAY, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 9 April – The Betrayal of Judas

Posted on April 9, 2020April 9, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 9 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Betrayal of Judas

“Ingratitude is a very cruel thing.
It imprints a deep wound on the human heart and the heart of Jesus, was infinitely more sensitive than ours.
He had raised Judas to the high rank of the Apostolate; He had made him one of His closest friends and had entrusted him with the secrets of His infinite love.
Now Judas betrays Him for the wretched sum of thirty pieces of silver.
Worse is to follow, however.
While Jesus is praying and perspiring blood at the thought of the ingratitude of men and of the nearness of His passion and death, the garden of Gethsemane becomes suddenly aglow with torches and reverberates with the shouting of the hired ruffians, whom Judas has brought with him to arrest Jesus.
The treacherous Apostle comes forward.
He embraces our divine Redeemer, hails Him as his Master and greets Him with a sacrilegious kiss upon the cheek.
Jesus neither repulses nor rebukes him but, with a gesture of infinite mercy, He addresses him as a friend.
“Friend,” He says, “for what purpose hast thou come?” (Mt 26:50).
“Dost thou betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Lk 22:28).
If only Judas could have heeded this last appeal and begged for forgiveness at Jesus’ feet with tears of repentance!
Jesus would certainly have taken him to His heart and returned his kiss with a kiss of pardon and divine friendship.
Perhaps, we have also stood at times on the brink of sin and have been aware of a higher appeal to go back!
But, have we heeded it?
If ever we are in danger again, let us listen to this quiet voice which speaks to our conscience.
Let us fall on our knees before Jesus and earnestly implore Him: “Be not silent, Lord, be not far from me!” (Ps 34:22).
Let us ask Him to have pity on our weakness and to come to our assistance.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on REPARATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 30 March – St John Climacus – “Humility”

Posted on March 30, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 30 March – The Memorial of St John Climacus (c 525-606) Father of the Church

“Humility is the only virtue
that no devil can imitate.
If pride made demons out of angels,
there is no doubt,
that humility could
make angels out of demons.”

“Obedience is the burial of the will
and the resurrection of humility.”

“Repentance lifts a man up.
Mourning knocks at heaven’s gate.
Holy humility opens it.”

“… A proud soul is the slave of fear,
hoping in itself, in comes to such a state,
that it is startled by a small noise
and is afraid of the dark.”

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

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 March – ‘So let the Lord’s call resound in your ears!’

Posted on March 29, 2020March 29, 2020 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 29 March – The Fifth Sunday of Lent, Readings: Ezekiel 37:12-14, Psalm 130:1-8, Romans 8:8-11, John 11:1-45

“Lazarus, come out!” … John 11:43

REFLECTION – “Lazarus, come out!” Laid to rest in the tomb, you heard the resounding call. Is there any voice greater than that of the Word? Then you came out, you who were dead not merely for four days but for a very long time indeed. You were raised with Christ …, your burial bands fell to the ground. Do not fall back again now into death, do not rejoin those who dwell in the tombs, do not allow yourself to be stifled by the burial bands of your sins. For would you be able to come back to life once again? Would you be able to bring out from the death of here below, the resurrection of all men at the end of time? …
So let the Lord’s call resound in your ears! Do not close them today to the teaching and admonitions of the Lord. If you used to be blind, without light in your tomb, open your eyes lest you sink into the sleep of death. In the light of the Lord, behold light, in the Spirit of God, fix your eyes on the Son. If you take to yourself the Word, in it’s entirety, then you focus onto your soul all the power of Christ, who heals and restores to life …. Don’t be afraid to put some work into preserving your baptismal purity and set the ways that lead to the Lord within your heart. Take care to preserve the act of acquittal, which you received through pure grace ….
Let us be light, as the disciples learned from He who is the great Light – “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5,14). Let us be lamps in this world by holding up on high the Word of life, by being a life force for others. Let us set out in search of God, in search of the One who is the first and purest of lights.” … Saint Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church – Sermon on Holy Baptism. john 11 43 -so let the lords call resound in your ears! st gregory of nazianzen 29 march 2020

PRAYER – Give us good God, a heart of flesh, that we might resemble the heart of Your love. For truly following the steps of Your divine Son, we would make peace in the world and give glory to Your kingdom. Help us Lord, to see with Your eyes and hear with Your ears, that the Word may dwell in us all and bring us to rise with You. May the immaculate heart of Mary, our Mother dwell in us and help us to reach our eternal home. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord, with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. mary-mother-of-god-pray-for-us-27-july-2018 and 29 march 2020

GOD the FATHER, LENTEN THOUGHTS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRAYERS on FAITH, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FREEDOM, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 27 March – Death

Posted on March 27, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 27 March – Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent

“So everyone who acknowledges me before men,
I also will acknowledge before my Father,
who is in heaven…”

Matthew 10:32

“O my God and my Father,
may I know You
and make You known,
love You
and make You loved,
serve You
and make You served,
praise You
and make all creatures praise You.”

St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)
Founder of the Claretians

It is certain, however, that of the two thieves
dying beside the Cross of our Redeemer, only one heard Him say:
“This day, you will be with me in Paradise!”
The other, remained obdurate in his sin.
It is the height of stupidity, to wait to be converted,
at the hour of death!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“The greatest freedom,
is the freedom from the fear of death,
when we know Who sent us
and to Whom we must return.”

Msgr Alex Rebello CMF
Claretian Priest
Diocese of Wrexham, Wales

MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 25 March – Mortification and Penance

Posted on March 25, 2020March 25, 2020 by AnaStpaul

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

Mortification and Penance

“In Christian teaching, death is the beginning of life.
“Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies,” Jesus said, “it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He who loves his life, loses it and he, who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting” (Jn 12:24-25).
This paradox of dying to this life in order to live in Heaven, was enacted in a wonderful way in the lives of Jesus and of the Saints.
It must be put into effect in our lives also, if we are to be genuine Christians.
Jesus shed His precious blood for us and His death was the beginning of His triumph.
The Apostles, Martyrs and Saints, gave their lives for Christ and received, as their reward, the happy and eternal life of Heaven.
By dying to our own ego and to our passions, we shall find the true life of Christ.
We must die to ourselves, so that Christ may live in us, as He lived in St Paul.
We must die to pride, so that Christian humility may live in us;
we must die to anger, so that patience may live in us;
we must die to lust, so that purity and innocence may live in us
and, we must die to selfishness, so that charity may live in us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, LENT 2020, Papa FRANCIS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The WORD

Lenten Reflection – 22 March – So he went and washed and came back seeing.

Posted on March 22, 2020March 21, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Lenten Reflection – 22 March – Fourth “Laetare” Sunday of Lent, Readings: 1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13, Psalm 23:1-6, Ephesians 5:8-14, John 9:1-41

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

So he went and washed and came back seeing. … John 9:7

lent - laetare sunday 4th sun of lent 22 march 2020

Daily Meditation:
Laetare Sunday: Be joyful!

“The man born blind and healed, represents us when we do not realise that Jesus is the light, He is “the Light of the World,” when we are looking elsewhere, when we prefer to entrust ourselves to little lights, when we are groping in the dark.
Acting as children of the light requires a radical change of mindset, a capacity to judge men and things according to another scale of values, which comes from God. What does it mean to have the true light, to walk in the light? First of all it means abandoning false lights – the cold, vain light of prejudice against others, because prejudice distorts reality and ladens us with aversion to those whom we judge without mercy and condemn without appeal.
May the Blessed Virgin, who was the first to welcome Jesus, the Light of the World, obtain for us this grace of welcoming anew the light of faith this Lent, rediscovering the inestimable gift of Baptism, which all of us have received. And may this new illumination transform us in attitude and action, so that we too, beginning with our poverty, our narrow-mindedness, may be bearers of a ray of the light of Christ.” … Pope Francis (Angelus, 26 March 2017) the man born blind and healed represents us - pope francis 22 march 2020

Intercessions:
Let us give glory to God, whose kindness knows no limit.
Through Jesus Christ, who lives forever to intercede for
us, let us pray:
Kindle in our hearts the fire of Your love.

God of mercy, let today be a day rich in good works,
-a day of generosity to all we meet.
From the waters of the flood you saved Noah through the ark,
-from the waters of baptism raise up to new life those
under instruction.
May we live not by bread only,
-but by every word falling from Your lips.
Help us to do away with all dissension,
-so that we may rejoice in Your gifts of peace and love.

Closing Prayer:

“All-powerful God, Benefactor and Creator of the universe,
hearken to my groaning in my peril.
Deliver me from fear and anguish,
free me by the strength of Your might, You who can do all…
O Lord Christ, cut the threads of my net
with the sword of Your triumphant Cross, with the weapon of life.
This net encompasses me on every side,
holding me captive so as to bring me to my death.
Guide to their rest, my tottering and unsteady steps,
heal the stifling fever of my heart.
I stand guilty before You,
take away from me my distress, the devil’s ploy;
remove the darkness of my anguished soul…

Renew in my soul the light-filled image of the glory of Your name,
so great and so powerful.
Intensify the brilliance of Your grace upon the image of my face
and on the eyes of my spirit, I who am born of the earth (Gn 2:7).
Let my darkness vanish in a radiant purity, sinner that I am.
Drown my soul in Your living, eternal, heavenly divine light
so that the likeness of God the Trinity may increase within me.
You alone, O Christ, are blessed, together with the Father
for the praise of your Holy Spirit
for endless ages.
Amen

Saint Gregory of Narek (c 951-c 1010)
Doctor of the Church
Book of prayers, no 40

LENT 2020, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, St JOHN HENRY Cardinal NEWMAN!

Quote of the Day – 14 March – We are ever but beginning

Posted on March 14, 2020March 14, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 14 March – Saturday of the Second Week of Lent

“We are ever but beginning,
the most perfect Christian,
is to himself but a beginner,
a penitent prodigal
who has squandered God’s gifts
and comes to Him,
to be tried over again,
not as a son
but as a hired servant.”

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The Good Shepherd

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Matthew 9:2

John 20:23

John of Karpathos (7th Century) Bishop

Bl Mary of the Angels Fontanella (1661-1717)

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most zealous Doctor

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Pope Benedict XVI

Father Mike Schmitz

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Moments of Silence

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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The Four Ends of the Holy Mass

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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St Thomas More speaking of St John Fisher

St John Fisher (1469-1535) Bishop, Martyr

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Speaking of: Sin

Matthew 5:29

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

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church

St Bernard (1090-1153) Mellifluous Doctor

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

St Philip Neri (1515-1595)

St John Bosco (1815-1888)

St Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975)

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

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John 15:12

Pope Benedict XVI

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John 14:24

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

Fr Jean Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751)

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”Lord, I am not worthy”

St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

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The Immaculate Virgin – the Purple Flower of Sacrifice Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

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The Divided Heart

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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The Dignity and Responsibility of Being a Christian

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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The Three Grades of Perfection – Introduction

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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St Fidelis of Sigmaringen (1577-1622)

St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier (1796-1868)

St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

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Faith and Charity

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most zealous Doctor

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

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
Father and Doctor of the Church

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor

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

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

The Immaculate Virgin – the Purple Flower of Sacrifice
Moments with Saint Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

St Anselm (1033-1109)
Doctor of the Church

St Benedict Joseph Labre (1748-1783)
“The Beggar of Perpetual Adoration”