Category: QUOTES on SIN

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – ‘ O sweet and precious wood …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – The Memorial of St Serapion of Algiers OdeM (c 1179–1240) Mercadarian Priest and Martyr

“How precious the gift of the Cross,
how splendid to contemplate!
In the Cross there is no mingling of good and evil,
as in the Tree of Paradise;
it is wholly beautiful to behold
and good to taste.
The fruit of this Tree is not death but life,
not darkness but light.
This Tree does not cast us out of Paradise
but opens the way for our return.”

St Theodore the Studite (750–826)
Father, Abbot, Theologian, Writer

“O sweet and precious wood,
the perfect image of the
Wood on which my beloved Jesus died,
through you, I hope
to ascend to eternal happiness!”

St Serapion of Algiers (c 1179–1240)
Martyr

“There is no better Wood
for feeding the fire of God’s love
than the Wood of the Cross.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour Crucified.”

St Serafino of Montegranaro (1540-1604)

“The Crucifix is the open book
in which men can read
of God’s infinite love for them.
The Saints wept before the Crucifix
because they realised
that the sufferings and death
of the Redeemer were the result
of sin and so, they learned
to avoid sin at all costs.
… Let the Crucifix be
the most precious object in our homes
and let us love to hold it in our hands.
Let us weep for sins
and increase in love
for our divine Redeemer.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on WATCHING, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING

One Minute Reflection – 14 November – Let us not resist His First Coming, so that we may not dread the Second.

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One Minute Reflection – 14 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Daniel 12: 1-3; Psalm 16: 5, 8, 9-10, 11; Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18; Mark 13: 24-32 and the Memorial of St Serapion of Algiers OdeM (c 1179–1240) Mercadarian Priest and Martyr

“And then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory… ” – Mark 13:26

REFLECTION – “All the trees of the forest will exult before the Face of the Lord, for He has come, he has come to Judge the earth. He has come the first time and He will come again. At His first coming, His own voice declared in the gospel: “Hereafter, you shall see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds.” What does He mean, by hereafter? Does He not mean that the Lord will come at a future time when all the nations of the earth will be striking their breasts in grief?
Previously He came through His preachers and He filled the whole world. Let us not resist His first coming, so that we may not dread the second.
… But I wish you to be without anxiety. He who is without anxiety waits without fear until his Lord comes. For what sort of love of Christ is it to fear His Coming? Brothers, do we not have to blush for shame? We love Him, yet we fear His Coming? Are we really certain that we love Him? Or do we love our sins more? Therefore, let us hate our sins and love Him, Who will exact punishment for them. He will come whether we wish it or not. Do not think that because He is not coming just now, He will not come at all. He will come, you know not when and provided He finds you prepared, your ignorance of the time of His Coming, will not be held against you. … ” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop and Great Western Father, Doctor of Grace of the Church – (An excerpt from his On The Psalms (Psalm 95) 14-15.)

PRAYER – Almighty Lord and God, protect us by Your power throughout the course of this day, even as You have enabled us to begin it. Your grace is all that we need, to see the loving kindness of Your Son, our Lord Jesus in all we see and do and think. Do not let us turn aside from His path but by the faith You have granted us, let us find meaning in all, which is the sign of Your glory. Do not let us turn aside to sin and may the intercession of St Serapion of Algiers, grant us courage and peace. Through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.

Posted in ACT of PERFECT CONTRITION, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, I BELIEVE!, INDULGENCES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HERESY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 9 November – INDULGENCES

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

INDULGENCES

“Indulgences are among the means by which we can help to satisfy the Divine Justice for our own offences and for those of the faithful depared.

Unfortunately, very few Christians understand the true nature of indulgences.
As a result, they neglect to fulfil the conditions necessary to gain them.

Canon Law defines an indulgence as “the remission in the sight of God of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven, which, the proper ecclesiastical authority concedes from the treasury of the Church, for the living, by way of absolution and for the dead, by way of suffrage” (Canon 911).
The main requirement is to be in the state of grace, which sinners can attain by means of the Sacrament of Penance, or by an Act of PERFECT CONTRITION.
If properly made, Confession takes away sin and eternal punishment but, not temporal punishment.
This may be cancelled by means of penance, prayer and good works.
In the early days of the Church, the penitential system was most severe (I wish it were so again!)
According to the degree of gravity, different sins drew penances of days, weeks or months of fasting on bread and water.
As times changed, the Church reduced these penalties and granted indulgences instead.

What we may ask, is the theological basis for these indulgences?
It is the spiritual treasury which is at the disposal of the Church, made up of the infinite merits of our Redeemer and added to, by the merits of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints.
These merits are communicated to us by the Church by reason of the consoling Dogma of the Communion of Saints, according to which, the Church Militant, Suffering and Triumphant, constitutes one Mystical Body of which Jesus Christ is the Head.

The Church has power to dispose of this immense treasure by reason of the injunction given to her by her Founder, when He said to St Peter: “Whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19).
There are no reservations – the injunction applies, not only to sin but, also to its punishment.
It is clear that indulgences are not merely a dispensation from the penitential discipline in the eyes of the Church, as certain heretics held and still hold but also, in the sight of God.
Indulgences reflect, both the mercy and the justice of God.
They reflect His justice because complete satisfaction is rendered by the merits of Jesus Christ.
They reflect His mercy because these merits are applied to us poor sinners and also, by way of suffrage, to the souls of our departed friends.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in BAPTISM, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 November – ‘… The handwriting of sin … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 5 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Romans 15: 14-21; Psalms 98: 1-4; Luke 16: 1-8 and the Memorial of All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds

“Then to another he said: ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note, write one for eighty.’” – Luke 16:7

REFLECTION – “What the Gospel of “the unjust steward” says, is also an image of this matter. He says to the debtor [of one hundred measures of wheat], “Take your bill, sit down and write eighty” and the other things that are related.
You see that he said to each man, “Take your bill.”
It is evident from this, that the ‘documents of sin‘ are ours but God writes ‘documents of justice.‘
The Apostle says, “For you are an epistle written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart.” You have in yourselves, ‘documents of God’ and ‘documents of the Holy Spirit.’
If you transgress, you yourself write in yourselves, the handwriting of sin.
Notice, that at anytime, when you have approached the Cross of Christ and the grace of Baptism, your handwriting is fastened to the Cross and blotted out in the fountain of Baptism.
Do not rewrite later, what has been blotted out, or repair what has been destroyed. Preserve only the documents of God in yourself. Let only the scripture of the Holy Spirit remain in you.” – Origen Adamantius (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Exegist, Writer, Apologist, Father (Homilies on Genesis, 13)

PRAYER – Lord God, teach us humility, to give and not to count ever the cost to ourselves, to take the lowest part and the back seat – teach us Lord, to strive and not to seek for glory, save for that of Your Kingdom. Let us see Your Face, His Face, He our Teacher, our Saviour in the face of all those in most need. May all those great Jesuit Saints standing before that Face, pray for us! We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who we beg, have mercy on us all, who seek rewards for our own sakes, amen.

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 4 November – More About the Sufferings of Purgatory

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

More About the Sufferings of Purgatory

“Apart from the physical pain which we have considered in the preceding meditation, the souls in Purgatory suffer a much greater torment, which theologians call “the pain of loss.“
St John Chrysostom writes, that the pain of loss, which is the unsatisfied yearning to be united with the Supreme Good, is a far more agonising torment, than the flames of a hundred hells!
This is because, the souls in Purgatory, having been set free from the bodily confinement which prevented them from seeing the Eternal Truths in all their clarity, now experience an unceasing and irresistible need, to be united with God.
Being aware of their own imperfection, however, they undergo a terrible anguish at their inability to satisfy this burning desire.
They love God with an immense love and long to enjoy His intimate friendship but, they realise, that they will be rejected by His divine justice as long as they have not perfectly expiated their faults.

If we would have a faint idea of the cruel agony of this unsatisfied desire, let us recall the keen anguish experienced by the Saints, whenever they remembered the sins which they had committed before their conversion.
They shed tears of repentance before the Crucifix and inflicted terrifying penances upon themselves in reparation for their misdeeds.

What are we doing in order to avoid offending God and to wash away our past transgressions?
Let us remember, that the divine justice must be satisfied, either in this life, or in the next.
If we fail to make satisfaction now, we shall do so with much greater suffering in Purgatory, where we shall no longer have the benefit of the Sacraments and of Indulgences.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD is LOVE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on SIN, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 3 November – The Pain of Purgatory

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Thought for the Day – 3 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Pain of Purgatory

“The Tradition of the Fathers and the ordinary teaching of the Church, describe the pains of Purgatory in such a fashion, that they should prompt us to avoid even the smallest sin, not only because it is an offence against the most amiable God but also because, it will be severely punished by Him.
This teaching, moreover, should move us to pity for the poor suffering souls, who are enduring such torments.

St Cyril of Jerusalem states, that the sum total of the sufferings of this world, is nothing in comparison to the sufferings of Purgatory.
He adds, moreover, that the pain of Purgatory is equal to the severity of the torments of Hell; the only difference is that the latter are everlasting, whereas the former, will have an end.
St Athanasius assures us that the least pang of suffering in Purgatory, is sharper than all the torments which it is possible to undergo on earth.
Moreover he adds, in comparison with the fire which afflicts the suffering souls, earthly fire is hardly even real!
St Bede the Venerable tells us, that even if we could imagine all the tortures to which tyrants subjected the Martyrs, such as iron hooks, red-hot pincers, roasting gridirons and boiling pitch, we should still have failed to form any idea of the pains of Purgatory!

But what is the reason for such severe torments?
It is that God loves these souls and desires that they be purified of sins, as soon as possible and be made worthy of infinite happiness.

The fires of Purgatory are nourished by a twofold love – the love of God, Who desires the purification of souls and, the love of these souls, who desire to expiate their faults in order to become worthy of being united to Him forever.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in ACT of CONTRITION, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOMINICAN OP, I BELIEVE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Our Morning Offering – 3 November – Heal Us Lord God

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Our Morning Offering – 3 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”

Heal Us Lord God
By St Albert of Trapani O.Carm. (c 1240-1307)

O my God,
You have created the human race
by Your wonderful power.
It is an act of Your clemency that has called us
to share Your glory and eternal life.
When the first sin condemned us to suffer death,
out of Your goodness,
You wished to redeem us
through the Blood of Your Son,
To unite us to Yourself
through our faith
and Your great mercy.
You have brought us back
from the shame of our sin,
You have veiled our dishonour
in the brightness of Your glory.
Look now and see that what You have created,
giving it subtle limbs and joints
and made beautiful through its immortal soul,
is now subject to the attack of Satan.
Be pleased Lord
to reconstitute Your work and heal it.
May Your power be glorified
and may the malice of the enemy be stunned.
Amen

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on SIN, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 2 November – “Purgatory”

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

“Purgatory”

“Purgatory is the masterpiece of God’s justice and mercy.
St John tells us in the Apocalypse, that nothing defiled can enter into the Heavenly Jerusalem (Apoc 21:27).

There are very few, however, who are privileged to arrive at the supreme moment of death, still wearing their Baptismal robe of innocence.
Even the just man falls very often as the Holy Spirit warns us (Prov 24:16).
We all possess many failings and have been guilty of many sins, either mortal or venial.
It is true, that we can obtain forgiveness by penance and by receiving the Sacraments but, there still remains the temporal punishment due to our sins.
Neither the small penances imposed by the confessor, nor our own tiny acts of voluntary mortification, are sufficient to satisfy our debt.
We cannot be certain, moreover, that we shall be able, at the hour of our death, to cleanse ourselves of all our sins, by means of one good Confession.
Even if we appear before the judgement seat of God without any grave faults, there will still, unfortunately, be many debts to be paid and many imperfections to be purified.

What then will happen to us?
The justice of God cannot admit us, imperfect and defiled as we are, into the everlasting happiness of the Beatific Vision.
Will He reject us, therefore, even as He rejects those who die in mortal sin and are condemned to eternal punishment?
This is unthinkable, for the mercy of God is as infinite as His justice.
And so, there is Purgatory, where the souls of those who have died in the state of grace but, still scarred with imperfections and burdened with debts to be paid, can find a way of purifying themselves and, of making themselves worthy of an everlasting reward.

Let us thank God for this gift, the last link in the chain of His mercies, which enables us to prepare ourselves for our entry into the Beatific Vision.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on SIN, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Thought for the Day – 29 October – “Mary, Our Hope”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Mary, Our Hope”

“These expressions of confidence in Mary’s powerful intercession, should not lead us astray, however.
They hold good with absolute certainty, only for those who have true devotion to Mary.
Even if they are sinners, such clients of Mary, must have at least the good intention of changing their lives and never offending God again.
Sin and sincere devotion to Our Lady, cannot co-exist!
“Relinquish every intention of sinning.” St Gregory VII wrote to the Princess Matilde, “and you will find Mary more eager to help you than any earthly mother” (Lib 1, Ep 47).

We should ask, furthermore, for spiritual favours first of all.
Later we can ask for temporal favours, if they are to our spiritual advantage.

Finally, if we are to have a true devotion to Mary, we must love and imitate her. as well as pray to her.
Anyone who sincerely tries to do all this, is certain of salvation!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/29/thought-for-the-day-25-october-mary-our-hope-our-life-our-sweetness-and-our-hope/

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Our Morning Offering – 29 October – O Lord, Have Mercy upon Me, a Sinner

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Our Morning Offering – 29 October

O Lord,
Have Mercy upon Me, a Sinner
By St Wulfstan (c 1008–1095)
Bishop of Worcester

O Lord,
have mercy upon me, a sinner.
Establish my heart in Your will.
Grant me true repentance for my sins,
give a right faith
and true charity,
patience in adversity
and moderation in prosperity.
Help me and all my friends and family,
all who ask for and trust in my prayers.
Show mercy to all who have done me good
and helped me to the knowledge of good
and grant everlasting forgiveness
to all who have spoken or thought
evil against me.
To You, my God and to all Your holy ones,
be praise and glory forever,
for all the benefits which You have granted me
and for all Your mercy,
shown to me, a sinner.
Amen

St Wulfstan’s life here:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/19/saint-of-the-day-19-january-saint-wulfstan-c-1008-1095/

Posted in MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION

Thought for the Day – 28 October – “The Refuge of Sinners”

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Thought for the Day – 28 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“The Refuge of Sinners”

“Mary is called, the Star of Sea because, as St Thomas Aquinas says, “even as sailors are guided into port, by means of a star, so Christians are guided towards Heaven, by means of Mary, .” (Opuse, 7).
This absolute guarantee of the protection of our heavenly Mother, should increase our trust in her and lead us to turn towards her in every difficulty and temptation.
It should not, however, result in an unhealthy attitude of spiritual inactivity, a passive dependence on Mary’s favours, without any co-operation on our part.
Such behaviour would be the height of filial ingratitude.
Mary will certainly save repentant sinners who have recourse to her but she cannot pay any attention to hardened sinners, who pray to her with their lips, while their hearts remain steeped in sin.
We must have complete confidence in her but, we must also have a sincere intention of raising ourselves under her protection, from the slavery of sin, to the friendship of God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 26 October – “Deliver Us From Evil”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Deliver Us From Evil”

“When we ask God to deliver us from evil, we should think chiefly of the real evil, which is spiritual.
All other evils are insignificant in comparison with sin, which is an offence committed against God, our only good.
Sin robs us of His grace, which is the supernatural life of the soul, deprives us of His friendship and is an act of ingratitude towards our supreme Benefactor.

When we pray to God to deliver us from evil, we should renew our determination to avoid sin by every means in our power.
Prayer is futile, unless it is accompanied by the resolution never to offend God again.
Our prayers and good resolutions will draw God’s favour and will strengthen our bond of intimacy with Him.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/25/thought-for-the-day-25-october-deliver-us-from-evil/

Posted in CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on EDUCATION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on WISDOM, SAINT of the DAY, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 26 October – St Alfred the Great

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 October – The Memorial of St Alfred the Great (849-899) King

“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.”

“He seemed to me,
a very foolish man
and very wretched,
who will not increase
his understanding
while he is in the world
and ever with
and long to reach
that endless life,
where all shall be made clear.”

“The saddest thing about any man,
is that he be ignorant
and the most exciting thing.
is that he knows it!”

“Ah, what shall I be at fifty,
should nature keep me alive,
if I find the world so bitter
when I am but twenty-five?”

“One God, one law, one element,
And one far-off divine event,
To which the whole creation moves.”

St Alfred the Great (849-899)
King

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 October – ‘Who were these, except people bent over themselves?’

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One Minute Reflection – 25 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Romans 8: 12-17; Psalm 68: 2, 4, 6-7ab, 20-21; Luke 13: 10-17

“But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.” – Luke 13:14

REFLECTION – “The whole human race, like this woman, was bent over and bowed down to the ground. Someone already understands these enemies. He cries out against them and says to God, “They have bowed my soul down.” The devil and his angels have bowed the souls of men and women down to the ground. He has bent them forward to be intent on temporary and earthly things and has stopped them from seeking the things that are above.

Since that is what the Lord says about the woman whom Satan had bound for eighteen years, it was now time for her to be released from her bondage on the sabbath day. Quite unjustly, they criticised Him for straightening her up. Who were these, except people bent over themselves? Since they quite failed to understand the very things God had commanded, they regarded them with earthbound hearts. They used to celebrate the sacrament of the sabbath in a literal, material manner and did not notice it’s spiritual meaning.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father, Doctor of Grace (Sermon 162)

PRAYER – Come to help us in our weakness, God of mercy, forgive the sins of Your people and as nothing we can do is worthy in Your sight, save us through the intercession of the Mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ. May the prayers of all your saints be offered to You on our behalf. We make our prayer through Jesus with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 October – “I have waited, I have waited for the Lord”

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One Minute Reflection – 20 October – “Month of the Most Holy Rosary” – Readings: Romans 6: 12-18; Psalm 124: 1-8; Luke 12: 39-48

“You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” – Luke 12:40

REFLECTION – “The heart’s most effective medicine is patience. According to the words of Solomon: “The gentle man is the physician of the heart.” (Prv 14:30 LXX) So true is this that it uproots not only all the vices of anger, sadness, acedia, vainglory and pride but also that of wantonness, along with them. For, as Solomon says: “In long-suffering is the patience of kings.” (Prv 25:15 LXX) Whoever is always meek and tranquil, is not inflamed by the disturbance of anger, nor consumed by the anguish of acedia and sadness, nor distracted by the emptiness of vainglory, nor lifted up by the swelling of pride. For, “there is much peace for those who love the name of the Lord and for them there is no stumbling block.” (Ps 118:165 Vg) Therefore, it is declared with good reason: “Better is the one who is patient, than the one who is strong and the one who restrains his anger, than the one who captures a city.” (Prv 16:32 LXX)

Until we deserve to acquire this firm and perpetual peace, we shall inevitably be assailed by numerous attacks and frequently repeat this verse with groaning and tears: “I have become wretched and I am afflicted beyond measure. All the day I went about mournfully for my loins are filled with illusions.” (Ps 37:7-8 Vg) … Until a person arrives at this state of purity, he has to be trained frequently by these discrepancies until, confirmed by the grace of God in the purity he is seeking, he is worthy to say in truth: “I have waited, I have waited for the Lord and he turned to me, he heard my plea. He drew me out of the pit of wretchedness and from the mirey bog. He set my feet upon a rock and guided my steps.” (Ps 39:2-3 Vg.) ” – St John Cassian (c 360-435) Church Father, – Founder of Monasteries, Disciple of St John Chrysostom (Sixth conference on chastity; SC 54).

PRAYER – Holy Father, grant me an operative faith, a faith that will move mountains. Enlighten my soul with Your Light, Goodness, Power and Wisdom. Let my faith be an image of You by lively deeds and love and by conforming myself to Your Will in all things. Blessed Mother, you longed only to serve the God of all, teach us by your prayer, to serve God alone with upright hearts and fight by the Truth against all tyranny and evilh, through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE WORLD, ROSARY REFLECTIONS and QUOTES, The ASCENSION of the LORD, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Thought for the Day – 15 October – The Second Glorious Mystery – The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven

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Thought for the Day – 15 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Second Glorious Mystery
The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven

“In the course of our ascent, we must never stop and decide that we have gone far enough!
To stop would inevitably mean going backward.
Jesus and Mary are inviting and encouraging us to go higher and higher.

Have we been purified of sin, the defiler of the soul and the destroyer of human dignity?
Have we an intense horror, even of venial sin, which separates us from God and kills the life of grace?
It is still not enough – we must go higher.

Are we generous and unselfish in the fight to achieve holiness, guarding ourselves against the evil suggestions of the world, the flesh and the devil?
It is still not enough – we must continue to advance.

Do we carry the daily cross which God has entrusted to us and accept the burden with perfect resignation to His Holy Will?
Very good but even this is not enough!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/14/thought-for-the-day-14-october-the-second-glorious-mystery-the-ascension-of-jesus-into-heaven/

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on SIN, ROSARY REFLECTIONS and QUOTES, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 12 October – The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery – The Road to Calvary

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery
The Road to Calvary

“The Moment soon pases.
The executioners urge Jesus forward once more, towards the place of execution.
His strength is exhausted and He stumbles several times beneath the weight of the Cross.
Each time, however, He rises, covered with blood and dust and again, embraces the Cross.

How often we also fall!
Sometimes because of the weight of our cross, we fall in discouragement or in despair.
On these occasions, let us look towards the divine Sufferer and embrace our cross again, for it is the ladder by which we must ascend to Heaven.

Sometimes, it is sin which causes us to fall.
If we have yielded to the violence of temptation, let us look towards Jesus, just the same.
He Who loved us so much on the way to Calvary and on the tree of the Cross, is certainly ready to forgive and comfort us.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/11/thought-for-the-day-11-october-the-fourth-sorrowful-mystery-the-road-to-calvary/

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The LAST THINGS

Quote/s of the Day – 8 October – St Bridget

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 October– The Memorial of St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303 – 1373)

“O Lord, make haste
and illumine the night.
Say to my soul
that nothing happens
without You permitting it
and that nothing of what You permit,
is without comfort.”

“O Mary,
you give assistance
to everyone endeavouring
to rise to God!”

“There is no sinner in the world,
however much at enmity with God,
who cannot recover God’s grace,
by recourse to Mary
and by asking her assistance.”

“Let everyone who has
the grace of intelligence,
fear that because of it,
he will be judged more heavily,
if he is negligent.”

St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303 – 1373)

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – – 8 October – ‘If it neglects the grace …’

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One Minute Reflection – – 8 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Joel 1: 13-15; 2: 1-2; Psalm 9: 2-3, 6 & 8-9; Luke 11: 15-26

“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came…” – Luke 11:24

REFLECTION – “The unclean spirit dwelt in us before we believed, before we came to Christ when our soul was still committing fornication against God and was with its lovers, the demons. Afterward it said, “I will return to my first husband,” and came to Christ, who “created” it from the beginning “in his image.” Necessarily the adulterous spirit gave up his place when it saw the legitimate husband.

Christ received us and our house has been “cleansed” from its former sins. It has been “furnished” with the furnishing of the Sacraments of the faithful, that they who have been initiated know. This house does not deserve to have Christ as its resident immediately, unless its life and conduct are so holy, pure and incapable of being defiled, that it deserves to be the “temple of God.” It should not still be a house but a temple in which God dwells. If it neglects the grace that was received and entangles itself in secular affairs, immediately, that unclean spirit returns and claims the vacant house for itself. “It brings with it seven other spirits more wicked,” so that it may not be able again to be expelled “and the last state of that kind of person is worse than the first.” It would be more tolerable that the soul would not have returned to its first husband once it became a prostitute, than having gone back after confession to her husband, to have become an adulteress again. There is no “fellowship,” as the Apostle says, “between the temple of God and idols,” no “agreement between Christ and Belial.” – Origen of Alexandria (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Exegist, Writer, Apologist, Father (Homilies on Exodus, 8)

PRAYER – Lord God and Father, who entrusted the earth to men and each to the other, grant us the grace this day, to see Your Face. Grant us the grace to work faithfully for Your glory, for the salvation of our souls through the light of faith and by the grace which You have given us. We beg the grace of Your love and mercy and the light of love You send with Your Holy Spirit. May the prayers of Mary our Holy Mother, keep us ever in her guiding care. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Thought for the Day – 6 October – The Fourth Joyful Mystery – The Purification of Our Lady and The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple

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Thought for the Day – 6 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Fourth Joyful Mystery
The Purification of Our Lady and
The Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple

“Then Joseph and Mary carried the Infant Jesus to the Temple to offer Him to God and to buy Him back as their first-born Son, with the price paid by the poor, namely, with a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons.
Let us reflect on this new act of humility on the part of the Holy Family.
In spite of the supreme dignity which had been accorded them, they submitted quietly to the law which bound those in poverty and in sin.
We, who are so fond of money and of ostentation, have much to learn from this scene.
Jesus, the God-Man, is purchased back as a sinner for two for two young pigeons.
Mary, the Immaculate Virgin and Mother and Joseph, the holiest and noblest of men, make themselves subject to the law of sin.
We can derive from this, lessons in humility and in detachment from the goods of this world.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/06/thought-for-the-day-6-october-the-fourth-joyful-mystery-the-purification-of-our-lady-and-the-presentation-of-the-child-jesus-in-the-temple/

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 2 October – Our Guardian Angels

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

Our Guardian Angels

“The realisation that our Guardian Angel is always close at hand, should be a warning to us.
It should prevent us from doing anything displeasing to God.
Would we venture to do anything unbecoming in the presence of our Father or Mother, or of anyone for whom we have any regard?
Definitely not and still less, should we dare to perform an evil action in the presence of our Angel, to whom we owe such gratitude and in the presence of God, our Creator, Lord and Redeemer, Who could, at any moment, snap the thread which binds us to life and plunge us into eternity.

Furthermore, when pride convinces us that we are of some importance, let us turn to our Angel and pray for the virtue of humility.
When we begin to seethe with anger and long to utter words which are harsh and injurious, let us ask our Angel to pray on our behalf, for the gift of Christian gentleness.
When the devil fills our minds with impure images and thoughts, let us ask our Angel to beseech God to give us the Christian fortitude to resist temptation and to imitate his angelic purity.

Finally, when tepidity is sapping the vigour of our interior life, let us pray to our Guardian Angel in the hope of obtaining a share in his intimate union with God.

Let us pray the Guardian Angel prayer or at least say:
“My Guardian Angel enlighten me.
My Guardian Angel help me.
My Guardian Angel, protect me.”
Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/02/thought-for-the-day-2-october-our-guardian-angels/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, The HEART, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 29 September – The Death of the Sinner

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

The Death of the Sinner

“The Sinner must also die.
For him death is really terrible.
Imagine him lying on his deathbed, instinctively aware, that his life is over.
The past will rise up to reproach him, a past full of sin and of ingratitude towards his Creator and Redeemer.
The plans which he has centred around profit, ambition and honour, will have vanished like smoke.
His friends, will have either deserted him, or will be at hand, to utter useless words, which will have no power to comfort him.
Now he must stand alone, alone before God!

What will happen, at that moment?
Perhaps, despair will overcome his soul, as it overcame the soul of Judas?
Perhaps, the innumerable graces which he has despised, will tip the balance of Divine Justice towards the abyss of damnation?
Or, will a final ray of mercy pierce his tired mind, burning with remorse, so that, with it’s last throb, his poor heart will torn towards God and implore His pardon?
Who can say?
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

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 25 September – The Crucifix

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

The Crucifix

“The Crucifix is the open book in which men can read of God’s infinite love for them.
The Saints wept before the Crucifix because they realised that the sufferings and death of the Redeemer were the result of sin and so, they learned to avoid sin at all costs.
They meditated on the last words of Jesus dying on the Cross, words which so clearly illustrate His infinite mercy towards us.

We should follow the example of the Saints in this devotion.
Let the Crucifix be the most precious object in our homes and let us love to hold it in our hands.
Let it recall for us, the tragedy of Mount Calvary, when Jesus was stripped of His garments and nailed to the Cross, was raised up to suffer indescribable agonies, forgave His executioners and forgave us our sins, pardoned the penitent thief and bequeathed to us the last treasured possession which was left to Him, His most holy Mother.

Let us weep for sins and increase in love for our divine Redeemer.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/04/thought-for-the-day-4-august-the-crucifix/

Posted in "Follow Me", CONFESSION/PENANCE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 24 September – The Sacrifices of Life

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

The Sacrifices of Life

“When we say that we must be prepared to make any sacrifice, even to die, rather than offend God and risk eternal damnation, we mean exactly what we say.
“If thy right eye is an occasion of sin to thee,” Jesus says in the Gospel, “pluck it out and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee that one of thy members should perish than that thy whole body should be thrown into hell. And if thy right hand is an occasion of sin to thee, cut it off and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee that one of thy members should be lost, than thy whole body shuld go into hell” (Mt 5:29-30).

We are prepared to do all this when there is a question of preserving mortal life; we are prepared to undergo an amputation in order to avoid death.
Are we prepared to do as much for eternal salvation?

Sometimes, when we wish to set ourselves free from the danger of sin, we must deprive ourselves of things that are dear to us; we must suppress our natural instincts and affections and we must impose on ourselves severe penances and bodily mortifications.
All this is demanded from us by Jesus in these words which seem hard and almost cruel but are none other than a just and necessary commandment.
In certain grave cases, heroism is necessary for all – now is the time of heroes!
Are we courageous for Christ and for eternal life with Him?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/09/03/thought-for-the-day-3-september-the-sacrifices-of-life/

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on The SOUL

Thought for the Day – 22 September – Word and Example

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Thought for the Day – 22 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Word and Example

“We should give good example everywhere and in every way, at home and in the Church, in the company of those who are subordinate to us and of those who have authority over us, in speech and in dress, by moderation in our eating habits and in the furnishings of our house, by the pictures which we hang in our rooms and by the books and magazines which we read.
We should be particularly careful to keep, in safe custody, those books and journals which are necessary to us for purposes of study but could be an occasion of sin for others.

Our whole demeanour should radiate goodness.
Let us remember the words of St James: “He who causes a sinner to be brought back from his misguided way, will save his soul from death and, will cover a multitude of sins” (Is 5:20).
By saving the souls of others, we save our own!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/25/thought-for-the-day-25-april-word-and-example/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, STATIONS of the CROSS, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – ‘The death of death is there and the life of life….’

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

“How precious the gift of the Cross,
how splendid to contemplate!
In the Cross there is no mingling of good and evil,
as in the tree of paradise;
it is wholly beautiful to behold
and good to taste.
The fruit of this tree is not death but life,
not darkness but light.
This tree does not cast us out of paradise
but opens the way for our return.”

St Theodore the Studite (750–826)


“Let us then learn from the Cross of Jesus our proper way of living.
Should I say ‘living’ or, instead, ‘dying’?
Rather, both living and dying.
Dying to the world, living for God.
Dying to vices and living by the virtues.
Dying to the flesh, but liv­ing in the spirit.
Thus in the Cross of Christ, there is death
and in the Cross of Christ there is life.
The death of death is there and the life of life.
The death of sins is there and the life of the virtues.
The death of the flesh is there and the life of the spirit.”

St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)

“There is no better wood
for feeding the fire of God’s love
than the wood of the Cross.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“We ought to glory in nothing
other than, the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! …”

St Paul of the Cross CP (1604-1775)

A Prayer to Seek the Consolation of the Cross
By St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

Jesus, love of my soul,
centre of my heart!
Why am I not more eager to endure pains
and tribulations for love of You,
when You, my God,
have suffered so many for me?
Come, then, every sort of trial in the world,
for this is my delight, to suffer for Jesus.
This is my joy, to follow my Saviour
and to find my consolation
with my Consoler on the Cross.
This is my happiness,
this my pleasure:
to live with Jesus,
to walk with Jesus,
to converse with Jesus,
to suffer with and for Him,
this is my treasure.
Amen

St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-september-the-blessed-cross-of-christ/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Thought for the Day – 13 September – Sin

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

Sin

In that we prefer our own wayward whims to the law of God, sin is an abuse of liberty.
It is a revolt against right reason, the dictates of which, we refuse to obey.
It is an offence against our Creator and Redeemer, whose commandments we despise and whose redeeming grace, we reject by our actions.
It is moreover, an act of supreme folly, for it extinguishes, not only the supernatural splendour of grace but, also, the natural light of reason.
Through sin, man is brutalised and experiences in himself, as his first punishment, the confusion of his whole being.

In practice, the sinner denies God, Who has created and redeemed him.
He upsets the natural order of things and is violently separated from the source of all truth, beauty and goodness.   As a result, he experiences, in himself, the hell which he has constructed with his own hands – a hell of emptiness, disgust and remorse.
Unless the helping hand of God reaches out to rescue him from the abyss, all this is simply a bitter foretaste of eternal despair.
God, as St Augustine has written, has ordained from all eternity, that every dissolute soul will be it’s own punishment.
For the sinner, hell begins on this earth!   There can be no peace for the wicked.

When we realise, the gravity, stupidity and dire consequences of sin, it seems impossible, that a rational being, enlightened and enriched by divine grace, should continue to sin.
Nevertheless, sad experience teaches us that the lives of individuals, families and human society in general, are often distorted by this evil, which is the root of all other evils.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 13 September – ‘But only say the word …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 13 September – Readings: Timothy 2: 1-8; Psalm 28: 2, 7-9; Luke 7: 1-10

“Lord, … I am not worthy
to have you enter
under my roof…
but only say the word …”

Luke 7:6,7

‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

Luke 18:13

“’You can make me clean.’”

Matthew 8:2

“Christ is the artist,
tenderly wiping away
all the grime of sin
that disfigures the human face
and restoring God’s image
to its full beauty.”

St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395)
Father of the Church

“What are you afraid of, you men of little faith?
That He will not pardon your sins?
But with His own hands He has nailed them to the cross.
That you are used to soft living
and your tastes are fastidious?
But He knows the clay of which we are made (Gn 2:7).
That a prolonged habit of sinning binds you like a chain?
But the Lord loosens the shackles of prisoners.
Or perhaps that angered by the enormity
and frequency of your sins,
He is slow to extend a helping hand?
But where sin abounded,
grace became superabundant (Rom 5,20).
Are you worried about clothing
and food and other bodily necessities
so that you hesitate to give up your possessions?
But He knows that you need all these things (Mt 6,32).
What more can you wish?
What else is there to hold you back
from the way of salvation? ”

St Bernard (1091-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor of the Church

“Aspire to God with short
but frequent outpourings of the heart,
admire His bounty,
invoke His aid,
cast yourself in spirit at the foot of His Cross,
adore His goodness,
treat with Him of your salvation,
give Him your whole soul –
a thousand times in the day.”

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

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SIN, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 6 September – Pride is Robbery!

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Thought for the Day – 6 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) (Apologies for the late post – the usual South African problem to blame – Power Cuts! 🙄)

Pride is Robbery!

“When we are proud, we steal from God!
Everything which we are and have, both in the natural and supernatural order, is a gift from God.
Therefore, when we claim the credit for ourselves, we take from Him that which really belongs to Him.
“What hast thou that thou hast not received.” asks St Paul. “And if thou has received it, why do thou boast as if thou had not received it?” (1 Cor 4:7).

Pride is a very grave sin, therefore.
According to Sacred Scripture, “pride is the reservoir of sin, a source which runs over with vice” (Ecclus 10:15).
“The beginning of pride,” says the same Book of Ecclsiasticus, “is man’s stubbornness in withdrawing his heart from his Maker” (10:14).
It is worth meditating on these words, for because of this sin “God sends unheard-of afflictions and brings men to utter ruin” (Ecclus 10:15).
As St Augustine points out, the first sin was one of pride and it changed an angel into a demon. (In Ps 18:15).

When we reflect on the matter, it becomes quite clear, that pride is the basis of every sin (Ibid).
When man disobeys the law of God, he prefers sin to God.
Sin, therefore, is always an act of rebellion against God.
It is as if we were to say to Him: “I prefer to obey my own caprice, rather than to obey Your will.”
In this sense, it is true to state, that every sin is founded on pride and involves a turning away from God.
But, when we turn away from our Creator and Redeemer, where are we to go?
“Lord,” let us say with St Peter, “to whom shall we go? Thou has the words of everlasting life …” (Jn 6:69).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on JEALOUSY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 September – JEALOUSY/ENVY!

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Readings: Colossians 1: 24 – 2: 3; Psalm 62: 6-7,9; Luke 6:6-11

JEALOUSY/ENVY!

“Stretch forth your hand.”

Luke 6:10

“While the withered hand was restored,
the withered minds of the onlookers were not.
… Are you debating what you will do?
Worship Him as God.
Worship the Wonder-worker.
Worship One who worked good things
on behalf of another.”

St Athansius (297-373)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“And I became their abomination
because there was no jealousy in me.
Because I continually did good
to every man
I was hated.
And they surrounded me
like mad dogs (Ps 22[21]:17)
those, who in stupidity,
attack their masters.
Because their mind is depraved
and their sense is perverted.”

Odes of Solomon
(Hebrew Christian text from
the beginning of the 2nd century)
No 28

“Jealousy has no limit;
it is an evil that continually endures
and a sin, without end.
The lies of jealousy
burn hotter in proportion
to the increasing success
of the person who is envied.”

St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200- c 258)
Bishop, Martyr, Father of the Church

“ It is ever thus,
the more you envy your brother,
the greater good you confer upon him.
God, who sees all,
takes the cause of the innocent in hand
and, irritated by the injury you inflict,
deigns to raise up him
whom you wish to lower
and will punish you
to the full extent of your crime.”

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

“To harbour no envy,
no anger,
no resentment
against an offender
is still not to have charity for him.
It is possible, without any charity,
to avoid rendering evil for evil.
But to render, spontaneously, good for evil –
such belongs to a perfect spiritual love.”

St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662)
Father of the Church

“The soul that loves Jesus Christ
does not envy the great ones of this world
but only those,
who are greater lovers of Jesus Christ.”

St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church