Category: QUOTES on SUFFERING

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HOLY WEEK, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MIRACLES, OUR Cross, POETRY, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The HOLY CROSS, The LAST THINGS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION

Quote/s of the Day – 10 July – ‘God hanging from a Cross …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 10 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost and the Solemnity of the Most Precious Blood

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

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

“The Word of the Cross
Look on thy God, Christ hidden in our flesh.
A bitter word, the Cross and bitter sight:
Hard rind without, to hold the heart of Heaven.
Yet sweet it is, for God upon that tree
Did offer up His Life upon that rood
My Life hung, that my Life might stand in God.
Christ, what am I to give Thee for my life?
Unless take from Thy Hands the cup they hold,
To cleanse me with the precious draught of death.
What shall I do? My body to be burned?
Make myself vile? The debt’s not paid out yet.
Whate’er I do, it is but I and Thou,
And still do I come short, still must Thou pay
My debts, O Christ, for debts Thyself hadst none.
What love may balance Thine? My Lord was found
In fashion like a slave, that so His slave
Might find himself in fashion like his Lord.
Think you the bargain’s hard, to have exchanged
The transient for the eternal, to have sold
Earth to buy Heaven? More dearly God bought me!

St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431)
Father of the Church

“He who is immortal, voluntarily shed His Blood.
He who created the Host of Angels,
was bound at the hands of soldiers
and He who is to judge the living and the dead,
was dragged to justice (cf. Acts 10:42; 2 Tm 4:1).
Truth was exposed to false witnesses,
was slandered, struck, covered with spittle,
hung on the Wood of the Cross –
the Lord of Glory (cf. 1 Cor 2:8)
endured every outrage and suffering
without Himself needing these trials. …

So there is nothing surprising about it,
if we submit to even one of these trials,
since such is our condition …
Therefore, we too have to be offended and tempted,
afflicted by the cutting off of our wills.”

St Theodore the Studite (759- 826)
Monk at Constantinople, Father
(Catecheses 1)

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, GOOD FRIDAY, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The REDEMPTION

Thought for the Day – 18 June – The Holy Mass

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Thought for the Day – 18 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Holy Mass

“The Sacrifice of the Mass is the noblest act of our religion.
In it is renewed, in a real but unbloody manner, the Sacrifice of Calvary.

Jesus desired to remain with us throughout the centuries in the Blessed Eucharist as our friend, comforter and spiritual food.
Similarly, not being satisfied with having shed His Precious Blood on the Cross for our Redemption, it was His wish that this sacrificial action should be renewed daily in every corner of the world, in such a way, that everyone could participate in it and benefit from it.
When we are present at Holy Mass, therefore, we should imagine that we are on Calvary at the foot of the Cross on which our Divine Redeemer is voluntarily giving His Life, as an innocent Victim, for our sins.
Let us see Him hanging between earth and sky, a holocaust of propitiation between God and men.
Let us see Him imploring with His dying glance, forgiveness for His executioners and for us sinners.

Let us imagine, moreover, His most Holy Mother as she gazes sorrowfully upon her suffering Son.
With love far greater than that of any other human creature, she offers herself in union with Jesus, for our salvation.

We should make a similar offering when we assist at the Sacrifice of the Altar.
We should sacrifice ourselves along with Jesus.
If we are tormented by sufferings, let us offer them up along with those of Jesus.
If we are troubled by passionate inclinations to sin, let us sacrifice these bravely, along with Jesus and for love of Him.
If we are full of hatred and coldness towards others, let us sacrifice these feelings for love of Jesus, Who forgave everyone who asked and repented and prayed even for His executioners.

Let us remember, that the Sacrifice of the Mass should be our sacrifice too,
It is not only the Priest who offers it but we offer it along with the Priest and with Jesus.
“Receive, O Holy Trinity, this oblation which we make to Thee.”
Let us unite the offering of our entire selves to the Sacrifice of Jesus and we sgall obtain great spiritual benefits.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, INDULGENCES, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, ONE Minute REFLECTION, OUR Cross, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, SAINT of the DAY, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection –13 June – ‘ … Listen to Him …’

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One Minute Reflection –13 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – The Memorial of St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Evangelical Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19

“I have come, not to abolish but to fulfil.” … Matthew 5:17

REFLECTION – “In Him, the promise made through the shadows of prophecy, stands revealed, along with the full meaning of the precepts of the law. He is the One Who teaches the Truth of prophecy, through His Presence and makes obedience to the commandments possible, through grace.
In the preaching of the holy Gospel all should receive a strengthening of their faith. No-one should be ashamed of the Cross of Christ, through which the world has been redeemed.
No-one should fear to suffer for the sake of justice, no-one should lose confidence in the reward that has been promised. The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death. Christ has taken on Himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then, we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won, we receive what He has promised.
When it comes to obeying the commandments or enduring adversity, the words uttered by the Father should always echo in our ears – “This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” … St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermo 51).

PRAYER – May the solemn feast of blessed Anthony, Thy Confessor and Doctor, make Thy Church rejoice, O God, so that, ever sustained by spiritual help, she may deserve to reap everlasting joy. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
MAY the Heart of JESUS in the most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the Tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen. Indulgence 100 Days, Once a day. Raccolta 161 Pius IX, 29 February 1868.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

St Maria Magdalena de’ Pazzi (1566-1607)

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

Posted in OUR Cross, QUOTES on CHILDREN, QUOTES on EDUCATION, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 25 May – St Madeleine Sophie Barat

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Quote/s of the Day – 25 May – St Madeleine Sophie Barat RSCJ (1779-1865) Virgin, Religious, Foundress of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

“Our Lord, Who saved the world,
through the Cross,
will only Work for the good of souls,
through the Cross.”

“God does not ask of us,
the perfection of tomorrow,
nor even of tonight
but only, of the present moment. ”

“More is gained by indulgence,
than by severity.”

“Let us leave acts, not words.
No-one will have time to read us.”

“Give only good example,
to the children;
never correct them,
when out of humour or impatient.
We must win them
by an appeal to their piety
and to their hearts.
Soften your reprimands with kind words;
encourage and reward them.
That is, in short, our way of educating.”

St Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779-1865)

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on BLASPHEMY, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 19 May – The Church

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Quote/s of the Day – 19 May – The Memorial of St Peter Celestine (1210-1296) Pope and Confessor – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11, Matthew 16:13-19

“Upon this rock I will build My Church
and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Matthew 16:18

“Of one Bread did both Peter and Judas partake
and yet, what communion had the believer
with the infidel?
Peter’s partaking was unto life
but that of Judas, unto death.
For that good Bread
was just like the sweet savour.
For as the sweet savour,
so also does the good Bread
give life to the good
and bring death to the wicked.
“For he that eateth unworthily,
eateth and drinketh judgement to himself:” –
judgement to himself,” not to thee.
If, then, it is judgement to himself, not to thee,
bear as one that is good,
with him that is evil,
that you may attain the rewards
of the good,and be not hurled
into the punishment of the wicked.”

“People who associate the name of Christian
with a dishonest life, injure Christ! …
If God’s Name, is blasphemed by bad Christians,
it is praised and honoured,
on the other hand,
by the good:
“For in every place, we are the aroma of Christ”
(2 Cor,14-15).
And it is said in the Song of Songs:
“Your name is oil poured out” (1,3).”

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

(On John 12:1-9 Monday of Holy Week).

“Better that only a few Catholics
should be left,
staunch and sincere in their religion,
than that they should,
remaining many,
desire as it were,
to be in collusion
with the Church’s enemies
and in conformity with the open foes
of our faith.”

St Peter Canisius (1521-1397)
Doctor of the Church

“The path to Heaven is narrow,
rough and full of wearisome
and trying ascents,
nor can it be trodden without great toil
and, therefore, wrong is their way,
gross their error
and assured their ruin,
who, after the testimony
of so many thousands of Saints,
will not learn where to settle their footing!”

St Robert Southwell SJ (1561-1595)
Priest and Martyr

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The HOLY GHOST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 May – I will send him to you. – John16:7

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One Minute Reflection – 15 May – The Fourth Sunday after Easter – James 1:17-21, John 16:5-14 and the Memorial of St John Baptiste de la Salle (1651-1719) “The Father of Modern Education,” Confessor, Priest, Founder

“But I tell you the truth, it is expedient to you that I go; for if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you but if I go, I will send him to you.” – John16:7

REFLECTION – “The Holy Spirit is the wheat that comforts us along the road to the fatherland, the wine that gives us joy in tribulation, the oil that sweetens life’s sorrows. This threefold support, was needed by the apostles who had to go out to preach through the whole world. This is why Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to them. They are filled with Him – filled, so that no impure spirits might gain entrance into them; when a container is completely full, nothing else can enter into it.

The Holy Spirit “will teach you.” (Jn 16,13) so that you can know; he will prompt you. so that you can will. He gives both knowledge and will add to this our “ability,” according to the measure of our strength and we shall be temples of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 6,19).” – St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Franciscan, Doctor of the Church – Sermons

PRAYER – God, Who raised up the holy Confessor John Baptiste for the Christian education of the poor and to strengthen youth in the way of truth and through him, formed a new family in the Church, graciously grant, by his intercession and example, that we, striving to save souls out of zeal for Your glory, may be found worthy to share his heavenly crown. T hrough Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

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

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

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

“Without Me
you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

“Whoever does not gather
with me, scatters.”

Luke 11:23

“We recognise a tree by its fruit
and we ought to be able to recognise
a Christian by his action.
The fruit of faith
should be evident in our lives,
for being a Christian,
is more than making
sound professions of faith.
It should reveal itself
in practical and visible ways.
Indeed, it is better to keep quiet
about our beliefs
and live them out,
than to talk eloquently
about what we believe
but fail, to live by it.”

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

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

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

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

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

St Benedict (c 480-547)

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, GOD ALONE!, OUR Cross, POETRY, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, St PAUL!, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 4 May – ‘You touched me’

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Quote/s of the Day – 4 May – The Memorial of St Monica (322-387) Mother of St Augustine – 1 Timothy 5:3-10, Luke 7:11-16

“My grace is sufficient for thee,
for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses,
so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:7-9

“Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight.
I do not know what there is now for me to do
or why I am still here,
all my hopes in this world being now fulfilled.”

Saint Monica,
on the conversion
of St Augustine

“Our Lord and Saviour lifted up His Voice
and said with incomparable majesty:
“Let all men know, that grace comes after tribulation.
Let them know, that without the burden of afflictions,
it is impossible to reach the height of grace.
Let them know,
that the gifts of grace increase,
as the struggles increase.
Let men take care not to stray and be deceived.
This is the only true stairway to paradise
and without the cross,
they can find no road to climb to Heaven.”

St Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

Late Have I Loved You
By St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

Late have I loved You,
Beauty so ancient and so new,
late have I loved You!
Lo, you were within,
but I outside,
seeking there for You,
and upon the shapely things
You have made
I rushed headlong – I, misshapen.
You were with me
but I was not with You.
They held me back far from You,
those things which would have no being,
were they not in You.
You called, shouted,
broke through my deafness.
You flared, blazed,
banished my blindness.
You lavished Your fragrance,
I gasped
and now I pant for You.
I tasted You
and now I hunger and thirst.
You touched me
and I burned for Your peace.
Amen

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FEBRUARY - THE BLESSED TRINITY (Traditional), GOD is LOVE, GOD the FATHER, OUR Cross, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The HOLY GHOST, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Quote/s of the Day – 30 April – St Catherine of Siena

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Quote/s of the Day – 30 April – The Memorial of St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Virgin, Doctor of the Church

“Enrich your soul in the great goodness of God –
The Father is your Table,
the Son is your Food
and the Holy Spirit waits on you
and then makes His Dwelling in you.”

“Charity is the sweet and holy bond
which links the soul
with its Creator;
it binds God with man
and man with God.”

“It is only through shadows
that one comes to know the light.”

“Start being brave about everything!
Drive out darkness and spread light.
Do not look at your weaknesses.
Realise instead, that in Christ Crucified,
you can do all things.”

“He will provide the way and the means,
such as you could never have imagined.
Leave it all to Him,
let go of yourself,
lose yourself on the Cross
and you will find yourself entirely.”

St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Doctor of the Church

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

Thought for the Day – 11 April – Jesus in Gethsemane

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

Jesus in Gethsemane

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

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

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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

Posted in HOLY WEEK, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 10 April – The Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem

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Thought for the Day – 10 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem

“Imagine the joyful and triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
The cheering crowds line the street along which He approaches, riding upon the foal of an ass.
Palm and olive branches are waved aloft, while groups of children cry out: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest” (Cf Mt 21:9).
In the midst of all this exultation, Jesus appears to be absorbed and detached.
In his representation of this scene, a famous artist painted a large cross in the distance, far beyond the cheering crowd.
The divine vision of Jesus, certainly saw this cross.
He knew that in a few days, He would be arrested as a malefactor and Crucified between two thieves.
The ingratitude of men towards the Divine Redeemer was to go, even to this length.

We also shall have our moments of happiness and of victory in life.
But, like Jesus, we must not trust too much in the joys and conquests of this world.
The warning of the Holy Spirit, that “the end of joy may be sorrow” (Prov 14:13), is unfortunately, only too true.
Earthy happiness lasts for a short time and ends in grief.
So we must seek the true and lasting happiness which comes from Divine grace and from constant conformity with the will of God.
This happiness will never pass away but, will become everlasting in Heaven.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, MODESTY, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 April – ‘We are under an obligation …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 April – Thursday in Passion Week, the Fifth Week of Lent

“Many sins are forgiven her
because she has loved much.”

Luke 7:42

“The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgement
with this generation and condemn it, for they repented …”

Matthew 12:41

“… In the conceitedness of our souls,
without taking the least trouble
to obey the Lord’s commandments,
we think ourselves worthy
to receive the same reward
as those who have resisted sin to the death!”

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

“And when I hear it said,
that God is good and He will pardon us
and then see, that men cease not from evil-doing,
oh, how it grieves me!
The infinite goodness
with which God communicates with us,
sinners as we are,
should constantly make us love and serve Him better
but we, on the contrary,
instead of seeing in His goodness
an obligation to please Him,
convert it into an excuse for sin,
which will, of a certainty,
lead in the end,
to our deeper condemnation.”

St Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)

“We … are under an obligation
to be the light of the world
by the modesty of our behaviour,
the fervour of our charity,
the innocence of our lives
and the example of our virtues.
Thus shall we be able
to raise the lowered prestige
of the Catholic Church
and, to build up again,
the ruins that others by their vices have caused.
Others, by their wickedness,
have branded the Catholic Faith
with a mark of shame,
we must strive,
with all our strength, to cleanse it
from its ignominy
and to restore it
to its pristine glory!”

“The path to Heaven is narrow,
rough and full of wearisome
and trying ascents,
nor can it be trodden without great toil
and, therefore, wrong is their way,
gross their error
and assured their ruin,
who, after the testimony
of so many thousands of Saints,
will not learn where to settle their footing!”

St Robert Southwell SJ (1561-1595)
Priest and Martyr

Posted in "Follow Me", PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TRUTH, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Thought for the Day – 4 April – Putting Christianity into Practice

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

Putting Christianity into Practice

“Imagine what the world would be like, if the Gospel of Christ, were practised in it’s entirety, everywhere and by everybody.
It would not, of course, become another earthly Paradise, because suffering and death are the legacy of sin and Our Lord, did not remove these when He redeemed us but made them a necessary element, in our purification and spiritual elevation.
Nevertheless, the full practice of Christianity would transform the world.
A little reflection will convince us of this.
Men would love God above all things and their neighbours as themselves.
The sincere and ardent love of God, would cause wickedness, brutality and every kind of immorality to disappear.
Love of their neighbour, would make men brothers in reality, so that there would be no more wars nor threats of conflict.
The enormous wealth which is squandered on weapons of destruction, could then be diverted to good works.
There would be no more poverty, because, if men loved one another, those who had more than enough, would give to those in want.
There would be no more prisons, because, there would be no more criminals.
There would be no need for a police force, because, everyone would do his duty of his own accord.
The reign of love, which is the reign of Jesus Christ, would triumph upon earth.
Excessive wealth and the selfish love of ease and pleasure, would disappear on one hand, while, on the other, the extreme need of those who can never be sure of a meal, nor of a roof over their heads, would be palliated, until they had been raised to a standard of living, consistent with the laws of God and with the dignity of men.
The love of our neighbour as ourselves, would solve every individual and social problem in this life.
Men would grow into a vast community of brothers devoid of all barriers of hate, selfishness and greed.
This is not a Utopian dream, because it is the clear teaching of the Gospel.
Jesus did not preach the impossible.
He taught us the standards of the perfect life, which we are all obliged to try and lead.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2021, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – 2 April – ‘ … Anyone who is determined to reach his destination, is not deterred by the roughness of the road …’

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Saturday of the Fourth Week in Lent – 2 April – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – Isaias 49:8-15, John 8:12-20

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” – Psalm 22:1

“I am the light of the world.
He who follows Me
does not walk in the darkness
but will have the light of life. .”

John 8:12

“… . I KNOW MY OWN—by which I mean, I love them—and My own know Me. In plain words, those who love Me are willing to follow Me, for anyone who does not love the Truth has not yet come to know it.

MY DEAR BRETHREN, you have heard the test we pastors have to undergo. Turn now to consider how these words of our Lord, imply a test for yourselves also. Ask yourselves whether you belong to His flock, whether you know Him, whether the Light of His Truth shines in your minds. I assure you, that it is not by faith that you will come to know Him but by love; not by mere conviction but by action. John the evangelist is my authority for this statement. He tells us that anyone who claims to know God without keeping His commandments is a liar. …

AGAIN HE SAYS: My sheep hear My Voice and I know them; they follow Me and I give them eternal life. Shortly before this He had declared – If anyone enters the sheepfold through Me he shall be saved; he shall go freely in and out and shall find good pasture. He will enter into a life of faith; from faith he will go out to vision, from belief to contemplation and will graze in the good pastures of everlasting life.

SO OUR LORD’S SHEEP, will finally reach their grazing ground where all who follow Him, in simplicity of heart, will feed on the green pastures of eternity. These pastures are the spiritual joys of Heaven. There, the elect look upon the face of God with unclouded vision and feast at the Banquet of Life for evermore.

BELOVED …, let us set out for these pastures where we shall keep joyful festival with so many of our fellow citizens. May the thought of their happiness urge us on! Let us stir up our hearts, rekindle our faith and long eagerly for what Heaven has in store for us. To love thus ,is to be already on our way. No matter what obstacles we encounter, we must not allow them to turn us aside from the joy of that Heavenly Feast. Anyone who is determined to reach his destination, is not deterred by the roughness of the road, that leads to it. Nor must we allow the charm of success to seduce us, or we shall be like a foolish traveller who is so distracted by the pleasant meadows through which he is passing, that he forgets where he is going.” St Gregory the Great (540-604) – Pope and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from his Homily 14).

Posted in "Follow Me", franciscan OFM, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, SAINT of the DAY, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 2 April – St Francis of Paola

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 April – The Memorial of St Francis of Paola OM (1416-1507)

“Fix your minds on the Passion
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Inflamed with love for us,
He came down from Heaven
to redeem us.
For our sake, He endured
every torment of body and soul
and shrank from no bodily pain.
He, Himself, gave us an example
of perfect patience and love.
We, then, are to be patient, in adversity!”

“See to it that you refrain from harsh words.
But if you do speak them,
do not be ashamed to apply the remedy
from the same lips, that inflicted the wounds.”

“The recollection of an injury,
is . . . a rusty arrow
and poison for the soul.”

St Francis of Paola (1416-1507)

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Thought for the Day – 30 March – The Hour of Trial

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

The Hour of Trial

“We should meditate on the following passage from The Imitation of Christ.

“Just Father, ever to be praised, the hour is come for Your servant to be tried. Beloved Father, it is right that in this hour Your servant should suffer something for You. O Father, forever to be honoured, the hour which You knew from all eternity is at hand, when, for a short time, Your servant should be outwardly oppressed but inwardly, should ever live with You.

Let him be a little slighted, let him be humbled, let him fail in the sight of men, let him be afflicted with sufferings and pains, so that he may rise again with You in the dawn of the New Light and be glorified in Heaven.”

“Holy Father, You have so appointed and wished it. What has happened is what You commanded. For this is a favour to Your friend, to suffer and be troubled in the world for Your love, no matter how often and by whom, You permit it to happen to him.”

“Grant me, O Lord, the grace to know what should be known, to praise what is most pleasing to You, to esteem that, which appears most precious to You and to abhor what is unclean in Your sight.” (Bk III c 50).

In the light of these reflections, every trial will be bearable and, by the grace of God, even welcome!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/18/thought-for-the-day-18-february-the-hour-of-trial/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/30/thought-for-the-day-30-march-the-hour-of-trial/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, LENT 2022, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, OUR Cross, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 26 March – My Sorrowful Mother,Help Me to Bear My Crosses By St Alphonsus

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Our Morning Offering – 26 March – Saturday of the Third Week of Lent

My Sorrowful Mother,
Help Me to Bear My Crosses
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Doctor of the Church

My sorrowful Mother,
by the merit of that grief
which you felt
at seeing your beloved Jesus
led to death,
obtain for me the grace
to bear with patience,
those crosses which God sends me.
I will be fortunate
if I also shall know how
to accompany you
with my cross until death.
You and Jesus,
both innocent,
have borne a heavy cross
and shall I,
a sinner who has merited hell,
refuse mine?
Immaculate Virgin,
I hope you will help me
to bear my crosses with patience.
Amen

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The PASSION, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 18 March – Privation

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Thought for the Day – 18 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Privation

“Not only did the Saints accept necessary privation with loving submission to God’s will but they imposed voluntary mortifications on themselves.
Some of them were rich and gave everything they had to the poor.
Some were in positions of esteem and honour and went away to look for humiliation and obscurity.
Many scourged themselves, slept on hard boards or upon the bare ground, wore chains or hairshirts upon their bodies and did without food, in order to give it to the poor.

They imitated Jesus in these things.
He also chose to be poor and fasted for forty days in the desert.
He was mocked, scourged, crowned with thorns and burdened with a heavy cross.
When He was dying for us upon that cross, He asked for a drop of water to slake His thirst and was given vinegar and gall instead.
We have great lessons to learn from the privations and sufferings of Jesus and of the Saints.

If,we are not heroic enough to go in search of voluntary want and suffering, we should at least accept fully, the necessary privations and sorrows of this life.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/18/thought-for-the-day-18-march-privation/

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JEALOUSY, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WORD

Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent – 16 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – ‘Now is not the time for rewards …’

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Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent – 16 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – Esther 13:8-11; 15-17, Matthew 20:17-28

“Forsake me not, O Lord, my God, be not far from me! Hasten to help me, O Lord, my salvation!” – Psalm 37:22-23

“Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee
came to Him with her sons …”

Matthew 20:29

“THE SONS OF ZEBEDEE press Christ: ‘Promise that one may sit at Your right side and the other at Your left.’ What does He do? He wants to show them that it is not a spiritual gift for which they are asking and that, if they knew what their request involved, they would never dare make it. So He says: ‘You do not know what you are asking,’ that is, what a great and splendid thing it is and how much beyond the reach even of the heavenly powers. Then He continues: ‘Can you drink the cup which I must drink and be baptised with the baptism which I must undergo?’ He is saying: “You talk of sharing honours and rewards with me but I must talk of struggle and toil. Now is not the time for rewards or the time for my glory to be revealed. Earthly life is the time for bloodshed, war and danger.”

CONSIDER HOW by His manner of questioning He exhorts and draws them. He does not say: “Can you face being slaughtered? Can you shed your blood?” How does He put His question? Can you drink the cup? Then He makes it attractive by adding: which I must drink, so that the prospect of sharing it with Him may make them more eager. He also calls His suffering, a baptism, to show that it will effect a great cleansing of the entire world. The disciples answer him: We can! Fervour makes them answer promptly, though they really do not know what they are saying but still think they will receive what they ask for.

HOW DOES CHRIST REPLY? You will indeed drink My cup and be baptised with My baptism. He is really prophesying a great blessing for them, since He is telling them: You will be found worthy of Martyrdom; you will suffer what I suffer and end your life with a violent death, thus sharing all with Me. But seats at My right and left are not Mine to give; they belong to those for whom the Father has prepared them. Thus, after lifting their minds to higher goals and preparing them to meet and overcome all that will make them desolate, He sets them straight on their request.

THEN THE OTHER TEN became angry at the two brothers. See how imperfect they all are: the two who tried to get ahead of the other ten and the ten, who were jealous of the two! But, as I said before, show them to me at a later date in their lives and you will see,that all these impulses and feelings have disappeared. Read how John, the very man who here asks for the first place, will always yield to Peter when it comes to preaching and performing miracles in the Acts of the Apostles. James, for his part, was not to live very much longer; for from the beginning, he was inspired by great fervour and, setting aside all purely human goals, rose to such splendid heights that he straightway suffered Martyrdom.” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Archbishop of Constantinople, Great Father and Doctor of the Church – An excerpt from Sermon 65 (On Matthew)

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 16 March – The Proof of our Love

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Quote/s of the Day – 16 March – Wednesday of the Second week of Lent – Esther 13:8-11; 15-17, Matthew 20:17-28

“Are you able to drink the cup
that I am to drink?”

Matthew 20:22

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

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

“Only let it be in the name of Jesus Christ,
that I may suffer together with Him!
I endure everything
because He Himself,
Who is perfect man, empowers me.”

St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35–107) Martyr

“Embrace, then, Jesus Crucified,
raising to Him the eyes of your desire!
Consider His burning love for you,
which made Jesus pour out His Blood
from every part of His body!
Embrace Jesus crucified,
loving and beloved and in Him,
you will find true life because He is God made Man.
Let your heart and your soul burn
with the fire of love drawn from Jesus on the Cross!
… You will have no other desire than to follow Jesus!
Run, … do not stay asleep
because time flies and does not wait one moment!
Dwell in God’s sweet love!”

St Catherine of Sienna (1347-1380)
Doctor of the Church

“To labour and to suffer
for the One we love,
is the greatest proof of our love.”

St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the JUDGE, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2022, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 March – . Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?”

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One Minute Reflection – 16 March – Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent – Esther 13:8-11; 15-17, Matthew 20:17-28

“You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” … the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” … Matthew 20:22,28

REFLECTION – “It is our task and, in our case, an obligation, to make of you the object of all our care, our zeal, our ministrations, by word and deed, by warnings, encouragement, admonitions and incitement, (…) so that, in this way, we might insert you into the rhythm of the divine will and face you towards the goal set before us – to give pleasure to God. …

He Who is immortal, voluntarily shed His Blood He Who created the host of Angels, was bound at the hands of soldiers and He Who is to judge the living and the dead, was dragged to justice (cf. Acts 10:42; 2 Tm 4:1). Truth was exposed to false witnesses, was slandered, struck, covered with spittle, hung on the wood of the cross – the Lord of glory (cf. 1 Cor 2:8) endured every outrage and suffering without Himself needing these trials. How could this have happened to Him Who, even as Man, was without sin and Who, to the contrary, snatched us away from the tyranny of the sin through which death came into the world and falsely took possession of our first father?

So, there is nothing surprising about it, if we submit to even one of these trials since such is our condition … Therefore, we too have to be offended and tempted, afflicted by the cutting off of our wills. According to the interpretation of our Fathers, there is in this, a shedding of blood for this is what it means to be a monk. And we must gain the Kingdom of Heaven in that way, by spending our lives in imitation of the Lord. … Apply yourselves zealously to your duties, in the thought that by means of them, far from being slaves of men, you are serving God.” … St Theodore the Studite (759- 826) Monk at Constantinople (Catecheses 1).

PRAYER – Look mercifully upon Your people, we beseech You, O Lord and grant that they whom You command to abstain from food, may also refrain from harmful vices. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, OUR Cross, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 13 March – The Second Sunday of Lent – Let us be Transfigured!

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Quote/s of the Day – 13 March – The Second Sunday of Lent – Let us be Transfigured!

“And when I hear it said,
that God is good and He will pardon us
and then see, that men cease not from evil-doing,
oh, how it grieves me!
The infinite goodness
with which God communicates with us,
sinners as we are,
should constantly make us love and serve Him better
but we, on the contrary,
instead of seeing in His goodness
an obligation to please Him,
convert it into an excuse for sin,
which will, of a certainty,
lead in the end,
to our deeper condemnation.”

St Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)

“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 Charity

“Mortification and suffering
are necessary for two reasons.
They are particularly necessary
because, we are all sinners
and must expiate our sins.
Secondly, they are necessary
because, without penance
and suffering, we become attached
to the world and forget all about Heaven,
which is our real home.
In His love for us, therefore,
God commands us to do penance.
What are we doing in the way of penance?
Let us remember the command of Jesus
and His precursor, St John the Baptist:
“Unless you repent, you will all perish!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 March – Persevere to the end and prefer to die rather than abandon the post to which God has called you!

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One Minute Reflection – 13 March – The Second Sunday of Lent – Daniel 3:47-51, Matthew 17:1-9 and “The Month of St Joseph”

“Lord, it is good for us to be here” – Matthew 17:4

REFLECTION – “Rejoice and be happy! Persevere to the end and prefer to die rather than abandon the post to which God has called you!

But embrace the Cross with patience and hide in God’s breast with your troubles: fix your eyes on the Lamb immolated for your sake and always be content with what God gives you and destines for you. We must act like this because we are sure that God is calling us and has chosen for us ,what will make us the most pleasing in His sight. Thus you will go from light to light and the pains endured for the sake of Jesus Crucified will be delightful to you, whereas the pleasures and consolations of the world ,will become bitter.

You will begin to taste, even in this life, a foretaste of eternal life, for the principal beatitude of the soul in Heaven is to be confirmed forever in the Will of the Father. Thus it tastes the divine sweetness. But it will never taste it in Heaven, if it is not clothed with it on earth, where we are pilgrims and travellers. When it is clothed with it, it tastes God by grace in its troubles; its memory will be full of the Blood of the Lamb without blemish; its mind will be opened and contemplate the ineffable love that God has made known in the Wisdom of His Son and the love it finds in the Holy Spirit’s goodness, casts out self-love and love for created things, to love only God.

So do not be afraid … but suffer with joy, so as to conform yourself to the Will of God.” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the Church (Sermon for the Second Sunday of Lent [20 Feb 1622])

PRAYER – O God, Who tempered the flames of fire for the three young men, mercifully grant that the flames of sin may not burn us, Your servants.
Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, LENT 2022, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS

Ember Saturday in Lent – 12 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – ‘… IF WE ARE STEADFAST …’

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Ember Saturday in Lent – 12 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – 1 Thess. 5:14-23, Matthew 17:1-9

“Behold, O God, our Protector and look upon Your servants.” – Psalm 83:10,9

“This is My beloved Son,
in Whom I am well pleased;
hear Him.”

Matthew 17:5

“THE LORD REVEALS HIS GLORY in the presence of chosen witnesses. His body is like that of the rest of mankind but He makes it shine with such splendour that His face becomes like the sun in glory and His garments, as white as snow.

THE GREAT REASON for this Transfiguration was to remove the scandal of the cCoss from the hearts of His disciples, and to prevent the humiliation of His voluntary suffering, from disturbing the faith, of those who had witnessed the surpassing glory that lay concealed.

WiITH NO LESS FORETHOUGHT He was also providing a firm foundation for the hope of holy Church. The whole body of Christ was to understand the kind of transformation that it would receive as His gift. The members of that body were to look forward to a share in that glory which first blazed out in Christ their head.

THE LORD had Himself spoken of this, when He foretold the splendour of His coming: Then the just will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Saint Paul the Apostle bore witness to this same truth when he said: I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not to be compared with the future glory that is to be revealed in us. In another place he says: You are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.

THIS MARVEL of the TRANSFIGURATION contains another lesson for the apostles, to strengthen them and lead them into the fullness of knowledge. Moses and Elijah, the law and the prophets, appeared with the Lord in conversation with Him. This was in order to fulfill exactly, through the presence of these five men, the text which says: Before two or three witnesses every word is ratified. What word could be more firmly established, more securely based, than the word which is proclaimed by the trumpets of both old and new testaments, sounding in harmony, and by the utterances of ancient prophecy and the teaching of the Gospel, in full agreement with each other?

THE WRITINGS of the two testaments support each other. The radiance of the Transfiguration reveals clearly and unmistakably the One Who had been promised by signs foretelling Him under the veils of mystery. As Saint John says: The law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. In Him the promise made through the shadows of prophecy stands revealed, along with the full meaning of the precepts of the law. He is the One who teaches the truth of prophecy through His presence and makes obedience to the commandments possible through grace.

IN THE PREACHING of the holy Gospel all should receive a strengthening of their faith. No-one should be ashamed of the Cross of Christ, through which the world has been redeemed.

NO-ONE SHOULD FEAR to suffer for the sake of justice; no-one should lose confidence in the reward that has been promised. The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death. Christ has taken on himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won, we receive what He has promised.

WHEN IT COMES to obeying the commandments or enduring adversity, the words uttered by the Father should always echo in our ears: This is my Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear Him.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father, Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermon 51)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, POETRY, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 10 March – Persevere

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 March –Thursday of the First Week of Lent – Ezechiel 18:1-9, Matthew 15:21-28

“You are rewarded,
not according to your work,
or your time
but according to the measure
of your love.”

St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Doctor of the Church

“Then steer your ship with steady arm,
Trust Me and rest your soul.
Your little boat I’ll keep from harm,
I’ll guide it toward its goal. …
Be therefore, steadfast, calm and true,
Your God is at your side.
Through storm and night
He’ll see you through
With conscience as your guide.”

St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross OCD.(1891-1942
Edith Stein
“At the Helm”

“I think He intends to try you
like gold in the crucible,
so as to number you
amongst His most faithful servants.
Therefore, you must lovingly embrace
all occasions of suffering,
considering them
as precious tokens of His love.
To suffer in silence
and without complaint,
is what He asks of you.”

“Go courageously to God,
along the way He has traced out for you,
steadfastly embracing the means
He offers you.”

St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

“When the sister of St Thomas Aquinas
asked him how to become holy,
he replied that it needed only one thing –
a firm act of the will,
for God will certainly supply
the necessary grace.
The grace of God is the principal weapon
upon which we must depend
in order to gain our victory.
We should pray for it humbly and perseveringly.
There will be victors and losers
in the battle for Heaven,
as well as in earthly contests.
We must make sure,
that we are on the winning side!
For this purpose, we should combine
fervent and constant prayer
with generous co-operation
with the grace of God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY GHOST

Quote/s of the Day – 23 February – St Peter Damian

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 February – The Memorial of St Peter Damian (1007-1072) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church

“Those, who do not love
the Cross of Christ,
do not love Christ!”

“The best penance is,
to have patience
with the sorrows God permits.
A very good penance is,
to dedicate oneself to fulfill
the duties of everyday with exactitude
and to study and work,
with all our strength.”

“When you are scorned by others
and lashed by God,
do not despair.
God lashes us in this life
to shield us from the eternal lash
in the next.”

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

“Through a woman, [Eve]
a curse fell upon the earth;
through a woman, [Mary]
there returned to the earth,
a blessing!”

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

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The REDEMPTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 February – ‘ … If then, we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him,…’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 23 February – The Memorial of St Peter Damian (1007-1072) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19

“I have come, not to abolish but to fulfil.” … Matthew 5:17

REFLECTION – “In Him, the promise made through the shadows of prophecy, stands revealed, along with the full meaning of the precepts of the law. He is the One Who teaches the Truth of prophecy, through His presence and makes obedience to the commandments possible, through grace.
In the preaching of the holy Gospel all should receive a strengthening of their faith. No-one should be ashamed of the Cross of Christ, through which the world has been redeemed.
No-one should fear to suffer for the sake of justice, no-one should lose confidence in the reward that has been promised. The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death. Christ has taken on Himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature. If then, we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won, we receive what He has promised.
When it comes to obeying the commandments or enduring adversity, the words uttered by the Father should always echo in our ears – “This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” … St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermo 51).

PRAYER – Grant us, we beseech You, almighty God, to follow the counsel and examples of St Peter, Your Confessor and Bishop, so that by setting earthly goods at naught, we may attain everlasting happiness. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OUR Cross, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, STATIONS of the CROSS, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 22 February – Why Should It Happen to Me?

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Why Should It Happen to Me?

“When Jesus had been scourged and crowned with thorns, He was forced to set out towrds the execution-ground on Calvary, carrying the heavy wooden Cross.
On the way, He met a Cyrenean named Simon, who was probably returning from his work in the fields outsdie the city.
The Jews had realised, that Jesus had lost so much blood, that He was unable to bear the weight any longer.
They felt no compassion for Him but they were anxious to save their victim for the final punishment.
With this in mind, they compelled Simon to carry Jesus’ Cross.
The Cyrenean could have said: “Why pick on me? I am tired and must get home …”
But his eyes met the tired gaze of Our Saviour.
He saw that He was covered with wounds and streaming blood.
Simon was deeply moved and willingly lifted the Cross which he carried to the place of execution (Cf Mt 27:32; Mk 15:21; Lk 23:26).

Picture Jesus, suffering and bleeding on the road to Calvary and Simon removing the Cross from the shoulders of Our Saviour and transferring it to his own.
How can we ever again rebel and complain, when we meet with inconvenience or sorrow?!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/22/thought-for-the-day-22-february-why-should-it-happen-to-me/

Posted in "Follow Me", GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The HEART, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 13 February – The Causes of Discontent

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

The Causes of Discontent

“There are a few people in the world, who are always content.
They walk lightly upon the earth, for their minds are already with God in Heaven and their hearts are united to Him.

Have they any anxieties or disappointments?
They have and they feel them deeply.
But, sorrow can make them bow their heads only for a moment and then, they raise them cheerfully again.
They understand that they are suffering for God, even as they live and work only for Him.
Therefore, their reaction to every sorrow or humiliation, is always the same:
“Deo Gratias!”
If God wants it this way, I must be satisfied too.
May His Holy Will be done in all things.

These people are the Saints who are never lacking in the Church.
The Apostles rejoiced in the insults and ill-treatment they received from the Sanhedrin, “They departed from the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus” (Acts 5:41).

Do we desire to possess also, the only kind of contentment it is possible to have on earth?
Let us do our best to become holy.
That is the only way open to us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/13/thought-for-the-day-13-february-the-causes-of-discontent/