Category: QUOTES on the CHURCH

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2022, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The WORD

First Sunday of Lent – 6 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – ‘ … He could have kept the devil from Himself but …’

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First Sunday of Lent – 6 March – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers

“You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” – Psalm 90:1

“At that time, Jesus was led into the desert
by the Spirit, to be tempted by the devil.”

Matthew 4:1

“HEAR O GOD, my petition, listen to my prayer. Who is speaking? An individual, it seems. See if it is an individual: – I cried to you from the ends of the earth while my heart was in anguish. Now it is no longer one person, rather, it is one in the sense that Christ is One and we are all His Members. What single individual can cry from the ends of the earth? The one who cries from the ends of the earth is none other than the Son’s Inheritance. It was said to Him: Ask of me and I shall give you the nations as your inheritance and the ends of the earth as your possession. This Possession of Christ, this Inheritance of Christ, this Body of Christ, this One Church of Christ, this Unity that we are, cries from the ends of the earth! What does it cry? What I said before: Hear, O God, my petition, listen to my prayer; I cried out to you from the ends of the earth. That is, I made this cry to You from the ends of the earth; that is, on all sides.

Why did I make this cry? While my heart was in anguish. The speaker shows that he is present among all the nations of the earth in a condition, not of exalted glory but of severe trial.

OUR PILGRIMAGE ON EARTH cannot be exempt from trial. We progress by means of trial. No-one knows himself except through trial, or receives a crown except after victory, or strives except against an enemy or temptations.

THE ONE WHO CRIES from the ends of the earth is in anguish but is not left on his own. Christ chose to foreshadow us, who are His Body, by means of His body, in which He has died, risen and ascended into Heaven, so that the Members of His Body may hope to follow where their Head has gone before.

HE MADER US ONE WITH HIMSELF,when He chose to be tempted by Satan. We have heard in the Gospel how the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Certainly Christ was tempted by the devil. In Christ you were tempted, for Christ received His flesh from your nature but by His own Power gained life for you; He suffered insults in your nature but by His own Power gained glory for you; therefore, He suffered temptation in your nature, but by His own Power gained victory for you!

IF IN CHRIST, we have been tempted, in Him we overcame the devil. Do you think only of Christ’s Temptations and fail to think of His Victory? See yourself as tempted in Him and see yourself as victorious in Him. He could have kept the devil from Himself but if he were not tempted, he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Father, Doctor of Grace (“In Christ we suffer temptation and in Him we overcame the devil.” – An excerpt from his Commentary on the Psalms, Psalm 60).

Posted in GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MODESTY, ON the SAINTS, POETRY, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, THE EPIPHANY of the LORD, The FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES: JUSTICE, PRUDENCE, TEMPERANCE, FORTITUDE

Quote/s of the Day – 21 February – St Robert Southwell

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Quote/s of the Day – 21 February – St Robert Southwell SJ (1561-1595)

“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!”

“Christianity is warfare
and Christians are spiritual soldiers.”

“Not where I breathe
but where I love,
I live.”

“When Fortune smiles,
I smile to think,
how quickly she will frown.”

“Where sin was hatched,
let tears now wash the nest.”

“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
nd assured their ruin,
who, after the testimony
of so many thousands of Saints,
will not learn where to settle their footing!”

“The Epiphany”
By St Robert Southwell SJ (1561-1595)
Martyr

To blaze the rising of this glorious sun
A glittering star appeareth in the east
Whose sight to pilgrim toil three sages won
To seek the light they long had in request,
And by this star to nobler star they pace
Whose arms did their desired sun embrace.

Still was the sky wherein these planets shined
And want the cloud that did eclipse their rays,
Yet through this cloud their passage they did find,
And pierced these sages’ hearts by secret ways,
Which made them know, the Ruler of the skies
By Infant tongue and looks of babish eyes.

Heaven at her light, earth blusheth at her pride
And of their pomp these peers ashamed be,
Their crowns, their robes, their train they set aside
When God’s poor cottage, clouts and crew they see,
All glorious things their glory now despise
Since God contempt doth more than glory prize.

Three gifts they bring, three gifts they bear away,
For Incense, Myrrh and Gold, Faith, Hope and Love
And with their gifts the givers’ hearts do stay,
Their mind from Christ, no parting can remove,
His humble state, His stall, His poor retinue
They fancy more than all their rich revenue.

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 15 February – MARTYRDOM

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Quote/s of the Day – 15 February – The Commermoration of Sts Faustinus and Jovinus (Died c 120) Martyrs

MARTYRDOM

“Heretics or schismatics,
being placed outside the Church
and cut off from unity and charity,
even though, one should be slain
for the name of Christ,
he could not be crowned in death.”

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

“There are also some among the heretics who …
flatter themselves with claims of martyrdom …
But not all ,who submit their bodies to suffering,
even to flames, are to be considered
as having as having shed their blood for their sheep;
rather, they may have shed it
against the salvation of their sheep,
for the Apostle says:
“If I should deliver my body to be burned
and have not charity, it profits me nothing”
(1 Corinthians 13:3).
And how can he have
the faintest charity in him
who, though shown to be at fault,
yet has no love for that unity
which the Lord chose to recommend?
Indeed, so long as you remain
outside the Church
and severed from the fabric of unity
and bond of charity,
you will be punished
with everlasting chastisement,
even if you were burned alive
for the sake of Christ

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

“Without the Cup of the Lord
preserving the holy bond of love,
even if a man should deliver his body
to be burned, he gains nothing!”

St Fulgentus of Ruspe (c 462 – 533)

“We should not forget,
that the devil has his martyrs
and that he infuses into them
a false constancy.
It is not the punishment
but the cause,
that makes the Martyr;
that is – the confession
of the True Faith.”

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 February – ‘ … We really are first to receive a denarius … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 15 February – “Month of the Most Blessed Trinity” – the Commemoration of Sts Faustinus and Jovinus – 1 Cor. 9:24-27; 10:1-5, Matthew 20:1-16

“When evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the labourers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last even to the first.’” – Matthew 20:8

REFLECTION – The last ones, receiving the generosity of the Master instead of troubles, are first to receive their reward, since all those, after the Lord’s coming, have become — through Baptism and the union with the Spirit — “sharers in God’s nature” and are called sons of God. For the prophets too have become sharers in the Spirit but not in the same way as the faithful, since the Holy Spirit is ,in some way, like a leaven for the souls of the faithful and changes the entire man to another condition of life. And so, we have become “participants in God’s nature” and openly we cry “Abba, Father.” The more ancient peoples did not receive the same grace. So Paul too says, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear but you received the Spirit of sonship.” The ancients then received a spirit of slavery without the honour of adoption. Since, therefore, we really are first to receive a denarius, we must, of necessity, be said to be honoured above the rest!” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor of the Incarnation of the Church (Fragment 226).

PRAYER – O God, Who gladden us each year by the feast of Your holy Martyrs, Faustinus and Jovinus, graciously grant that, as we rejoice in their merits, we may be inspired by their example. 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, GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, Holy Name PRAYERS, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY NAME

Our Morning Offering – 10 February – The One Thing Necessary By St Alphonsus

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Our Morning Offering – 10 February

The One Thing Necessary
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

O my God,
help me to remember,
that time is short, eternity long.
What good is all the greatness of this world
at the hour of death?
To love You, my God
and save my soul is the one thing necessary.
Without You, there is no peace of mind or soul.
My God, I need fear only sin
and nothing else in this life,
for to lose You, my God, is to lose all.
O my God, help me to remember,
that I came into this world with nothing
and shall take nothing from it, when I die.
To gain You, I must leave all.
But in loving You,
I already have all good things,
the infinite riches of Christ and His Church in life,
Mary’s motherly protection and perpetual help
and the eternal dwelling place
Jesus has prepared for me.
Eternal Father, Jesus has promised
that whatever we ask
in His Name will be granted us.
In His Name, I pray,
give me a burning faith,
a joyful hope,
a holy love for You.
Grant me perseverance in doing Your will
and never let me be separated from You.
My God and my All,
make me a Saint!
Amen

Posted in DEVOTIO, DOCTORS of the Church, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on ZEAL, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 6 February – Religion and Devotion

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

Religion and Devotion

“Religion, should not be a cold, mehcanical practice of obedience to the commandments of God and the precepts of the Church.
Deep spiritual devotion and supernatural charity are necessary, as well as religion.
In other words, religion should not be merely external but, should spring from the mind and heart, this is devotion, which is the spirit of religion.
“Devotion,” wites Aquinas, “seems to be the determination to give one’s self readily to the service of God” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q 82, a 2, ad 1).
But this determination should be loving and effective because, as St Thomas also observes, “charity generates devotion” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q 82, a 2, ad 2).

St Francis de Sales analysed and expanded these ideas.
“True and living devotion,” he writes, “presupposes the love of God – indeed, it really is a true love of God… but a love… which has reached that height of perfection at which it not only causes us to act but, to act zealously, frequently and promptly…” (Introduction to the Devout Life, Bk I, C 1).
He continues: “Since devotion consists in an unique degree of charity, it not only makes us prompt, active and zealous in the observance of all the divine commands but, incites us, furthermore, to perform readily and lovingly, as many good works as we can… even if they are only recommended or suggested” (Ibid).
From this solid and sincere devotion flows, that taste for divine things, that inner gentleness and peace of spirit which the Saints enjoyed, even in the midst of sorrow and disillusionment.
It is the spontaneous homage of the mind and heart, that God wants most of all.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Part One here:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/06/thought-for-the-day-6-february-religion-and-devotion/

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on VIRTUE, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 February – ‘ … It depends on your own wills …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 February – The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – Readings: Colossians 3:12-17, Matthew 13:24-30

“A sower went out to sow”

Matthew 13:30

“Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?
How then has it weeds?”

Matthew 13:27

“It is better to be cured
within the Church’s community
than to be cut off from its Body
as incurable members.
As long as a member still forms
part of the Body,
there is no reason to despair of its cure;
once it has been cut off,
it can be neither cured nor healed.”

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

“Brethren, the just man shall scarcely be saved.
What, then, will become of the sinner?”

St Arsenius s the Great (c 354-c 449)

“… [The Kingdom of God] … is within you.
That is, it depends on your own wills
and is in your own power,
whether or not you receive it.
Everyone, that has attained
to justification, by means of faith in Christ
and decorated by every virtue,
is counted worthy,
of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“And like the little grain of mustard seed …
we should set it in the garden of our soul,
all weeds being pulled out
for the better feeding of our faith.
Then shall it grow and …
through the true belief of God’s word …
we shall be well able to command
a great mountain of tribulation
to void from the place
where it stood in our hearts,
whereas with a very feeble faith
and faint, we shall scarcely
be able to remove a little hillock.”

St Thomas More (1478-1535)

“My child, it is indeed
the Voice of God you have heard.
He has given you a great grace
in thus calling you into His one true Church.
While you live,
never cease to thank Him
and bless Him for it.”

St John Francis Régis (1597-1640)

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 1 February – St Ignatius of Antioch

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Quote/s of the Day – 1 February – The Memorial of St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35– c 107) Bishop and Martyr

“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.”

“Wherever the Bishop shall appear,
there let the multitude also be;
even as, wherever Jesus Christ is,
there is the Catholic Church.”

(St Ignatius is also responsible
for the first known use of the Greek word ‘katholikos’ or Catholic, meaning “universal”, “complete” and “whole” to describe the Church.)

“He who died in place of us,
is the one object of my quest.
He who rose for our sakes,
is my one desire.”

“My dear Jesus, my Saviour,
is so deeply written in my heart,
that I feel confident,
that if my heart were to be cut open
and chopped to pieces,
the name of Jesus would be found
written on every piece.”

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/17/quote-s-of-the-day-17-october-eucharist-st-ignatius-of-antioch/

St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35–c 107)
Bishop, Martyr, Father

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, OUR Cross, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 January – ‘… Let us awaken Christ, so as to continue our journey on a peaceful sea.’ – St Augustine

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One Minute Reflection – 30 January – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany – Romans 13:8-10, Matthew 8:23-27

“There came a great calm” – Matthew 8:26

REFLECTION – “Christ’s sleep is the symbol of a mystery. The ship’s passengers represent souls traversing the life of this world, on the wood of the cross. In addition, the ship is the symbol of the Church. Indeed, truly… the heart of each member of the faithful, is a ship sailing across the sea: – it cannot sink, provided the spirit engages in good thoughts.

Has someone insulted you? It is the wind beating against you. Have you become angry? It is the swell mounting. Does temptation arise? It is the wind blowing. Is your soul troubled? It is the waves rising up… Awaken Christ and let Him speak to you. “Who, then, is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Who is He? “His is the sea for he has made it;“ all things were made by him” (Ps 95[94],5; Jn 1,3). So imitate the winds and the sea, obey your Creator. The sea shows itself to be docile to Christ’s Voice and do you remain deaf? The sea obeys, the winds drop and do you continue to blow? What are we trying to say by this? Speaking, getting upset, plotting revenge – isn’t this continuing to blow and not wanting to give way before Christ’s Word? When your heart is stirred up do not allow yourself to be swamped by the waves!

If, nevertheless, the wind blows us over – for we are only human – and if it stirs up the bad feelings in our hearts, let us not despair. Let us awaken Christ, so as to continue our journey on a peaceful sea.” – St Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo, Great Western Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church (Sermon 63).

PRAYER – O God, You Who know that our human frailty cannot stand fast against the great dangers that beset us, grant us health of mind and body, that with your help we may overcome what we suffer on account of our sins. 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 CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 27 January – St John Chrysostom

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Quote/s of the Day – 27 January – The Memorial of St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church, Bishop, Confessor.

“The waters have risen
and severe storms are upon us
but we do not fear drowning,
for we stand firmly upon a rock.
Let the sea rage,
it cannot break the rock.”
Let the waves rise,
they cannot sink the Boat of Jesus.”

“Let the world be in upheaval.
I hold to His Promise
and read His Message,
that is my protecting wall and garrison.
What Message?
“Know that I am with you always,
until the end of the world!”

“Prayer is the place of refuge
for every worry,
a foundation for cheerfulness,
a source of constant happiness,
a protection against sadness.”

“If you cannot find Christ
in the beggar at the Church door,
you will not find Him in the Chalice.”

“When you are weary of praying
and do not receive,
consider how often
you have heard a poor man calling
and have not listened to him.”

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

Posted in "Follow Me", PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PRAYER, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 26 January – No small matter

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 January – The Memorial of St Polycarp (c 69 – c 155) Martyr and Apostolic Father of the Church,

“We are treated as deceivers and yet, are truthful,
as unrecognised and yet, acknowledged,
as dying and behold we live,
as chastised and yet, not put to death,
as sorrowful yet, always rejoicing,
as poor yet, enriching many,
as having nothing and yet, possessing all things.”

2 Corinthians 8-10

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

St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

“If the Church stays silent
in the face of what is happening,
what difference would it make,
if no church were ever opened again?”

“We are not dealing with a small matter
but the great (apocalyptic)
life and death struggle has already begun.
Yet in the midst of it, there are many,
who still go on living their lives
as though nothing had changed … “

Blessed Franz Jägerstätter (1907-1943)
Martyr

St Polycarp:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/02/23/quote-s-of-the-day-23-february-the-memorial-of-st-polycarp-c-69-c-155-martyr-and-father-of-the-church/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES on the CHURCH, St PETER!, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 18 January – Chair of St Peter

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Quote/s of the Day – 18 January – Feast of the Chair of St Peter, Readings: 1 Peter 5:1-4, Matthew 16:13-19

“You are the Messiah,
the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:16

“And so I say to you,
you are Pter and upon this rock
I will build my church
and the gates of the
netherworld shall not
prevail against it.”

Matthew 16:18

“I decided to consult the Chair of Peter,
where that faith is found
exalted by the lips of an Apostle;
I now come to ask for nourishment
for my soul there,
where once I received the garment of Christ.
I follow no leader save Christ,
so I enter into communion with Your beatitude,
that is, with the Chair of Peter,
for this I know, is the rock
upon which the Church is built.”
(cf Le lettere I, 15, 1-2)

St Jerome (343-420)
Father & Doctor od rhw Church

“Yes, the Apostle chosen
to be His co-worker,
merited to share,
the same Name as Christ.
They built the same Building together –
Peter does the planting,
the Lord gives the increase
and it is the Lord, too,
Who sends those,
who will do the watering (cf 1 Cor 3:6f).”

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

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on CHILDREN, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 14 January – St Hilary

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 January – The Memorial of St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church

“The privilege of our Church is such that
it is never stronger
than when it is attacked,
never better known
than when it is accused,
never more powerful
than when it appears forsaken.”

(Treatise on the Trinity)

“The Church is the Ship
outside which
it is impossible to understand
the Divine Word,
for Jesus spoke from the boat
to the people gathered
on the shore.”

“No matter how sinful
one may have been,
if he has devotion to Mary,
it is impossible that he be lost.”

“Little children follow
and obey their father.
They love their mother.
They know nothing of covetousness,
ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and lying.
This state of mind,
opens the road to Heaven.
To imitate our Lord’s own humility,
we must return to the simplicity
of God’s little ones.”

St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368)
Father & Doctor of the Church

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/13/quote-s-of-the-day-13-january-st-hilary-2/

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The DIVINE INFANT, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Quote/s of the Day – 29 December – St Thomas à Becket (1118-1170) Martyr

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Quote/s of the Day – 29 December – The Fifth Day of the Octave of Christmas and the Memorial of St Thomas à Becket (1118-1170) Martyr, Archbishop of Canterbury

“… No matter who plants or waters,
God gives no harvest
unless what he plants
is the faith of Peter
and unless he himself.
assents to Peter’s teaching.”

“Those who tread among serpents
and along a tortuous path,
must use the cunning of the serpent.”

“If all the swords in England
were pointed against my head,
your threats would not move me.”

St Thomas à Becket (1118-1170)
Martyr, Archbishop of Canterbury

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/12/29/quote-s-of-the-day-29-december-st-thomas-a-becket-1118-1170/

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, POETRY, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, St PAUL!, St PETER!, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The REDEMPTION

Quote/s of the Day – 14 December – St Venantius Fortunatus

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 December – The Memorial of St Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 – c 609)

“On whose dear arms, so widely flung,
The weight of this world’s ransom hung,
The price of humankind to pay
And spoil the spoiler of his prey
All hail, O Cross, our only hope!”

“There are the gates of our true country,
the two lights of the immense world.
There Paul’s voice is heard like thunder;
there Peter withholds or hurls the bolt .
The former opens the hearts of men,
the latter opens Heaven.
Peter is the Foundation-stone,
Paul the Architect of the temple
where stands the Altar
by which God is propitiated.
Both together form a single Fountain,
which pours out its healing
and refreshing waters.”

St Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 – c 609)
“The Troubadour of Christ”


Posted in "Follow Me", ADVENT REFLECTIONS, BAPTISM, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 December – “A pure way will be there, called the holy way”

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One Minute Reflection – 5 December – “Month of the Immaculate Conception” and The Second Sunday of Advent – Readings: Baruch 5: 1-9; Psalm 126: 1-6; Philippians 1: 4-6, 8-11; Luke 3: 1-6

“Prepare the way of the Lord” – Luke 3:4

REFLECTION – “Let the desert and the parched land exult! Let the arid ground rejoice and bloom. Let it bloom with abundant flowers” (Is 35:1). What the inspired Scriptures usually call ‘desert’ and ‘waste,‘ is the Church of the pagans. She already existed in former times among the peoples but had not received her mystical Spouse from Heaven, I mean the Christ … Christ came to her, however. Captivated by her faith, He enriched her from the divine river that streams from Him – streams because it is the “fountain of life, stream of delight” (Ps 36[35]:10.9) … At His Presence, the Church ceased to be parched and arid, she encountered her Spouse, brought into the world countless children and was adorned with mystical flowers. …

Isaiah continues: “A pure way will be there, called the holy way” (v. 8). This pure way is the power of the Gospel entering into our lives or, to put it another way, the purifying power of the Spirit. For the Spirit removes the stain imprinted on the human soul, delivers us from our sins and enables us to rise above our uncleanness. Thus, this road is very rightly described as holy and pure, for it cannot be reached by anyone who has not been purified. Indeed, no-one is able to live according to the Gospel who has not first been purified by holy Baptism, no-one, therefore, can do so without faith. …
Only those delivered from the devil’s tyranny can lead the glorious life the prophet describes with these images: “No lion will be there nor beast of prey” (v. 9) on that pure way. Indeed, in former times such fierce beasts, as is the devil, that inventor of sin, used to attack earth’s inhabitants together with the evil spirits. But he was crushed by Christ, driven far away from the flock of believers and stripped of the dominion he used to wield over them. That is why, redeemed by Christ and brought together in faith, they will walk united in heart along this pure way (v. 9). Forsaking their former ways “they will return to Zion,” that is, the Church, “with everlasting joy” (v. 10) that has no end, whether on earth or in Heaven and they will glorify God their Saviour. – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Bishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor of the Church (On Isaiah, III, 3).

PRAYER – Almighty and merciful God, let neither our daily work nor the cares of this life prevent us from hastening to meet your Son. Teach us Holy Father God, silence and solitude, to hear and learn, then lead us into the company of Your Son, as He comes to save us! And may His Mother and ours, the most pure Virgin Mary be our intercessor and advocate. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 1 December – ‘… Some, who do not draw near to the feet of Jesus, are not healed

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One Minute Reflection – 1 December – Wednesday of the First Week of Advent – Readings: Isaiah 25: 6-10a; Psalm 23: 1-6; Matthew 15: 29-37

“And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed …, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet and he healed them…” – Matthew 15:30

REFLECTION – “Again Jesus went up on the mountain where He sat down. Not only people who were healthy but also those suffering from various disorders, went up on the mountain where Jesus was sitting. Think of this mountain to which Jesus went up and sat down, as the Church. It has been set up through the word of God, over the rest of the world and all sorts of people come to it. To this assembly have come, not only the disciples, as if they were leaving behind the multitudes, as they did in the case of the Beatitudes. Rather, there are great crowds here, many of whom are deaf or suffer from many afflictions. Look at the crowds who come to this mountain where the Son of God sits. Some of them have become deaf to the things that have been promised. Others have become blind in soul, not looking toward the true light. Others are lame and not able to walk according to reason. Others are maimed and unable to work profitably. Each of these who are suffering in soul, from such things, go up, along with the multitudes, into the mountain, where Jesus sits.

Som,e who do not draw near to the feet of Jesus, are not healed. But those, who are brought by the multitude and cast at His feet, are being healed. Even those who come only to the edges, just the extremities of the Body of Christ, who feel themselves unworthy to obtain such things, are being healed. So now you come into the congregation of what is more commonly called the Church. See the catechumens? They are, as it were, cast in the far side or back of those who are the extreme end of the Body, as if they were coming merely to the feet of the Body of Jesus—the Church. They are coming to it with their own deafness and blindness and lameness and crookedness. In time, they will be cured,according to the Word. Observing this, you would not be wrong in saying, that these people have gone up with the multitudes into the Church, up to the mountain, where Jesus sits and have been cast at His feet and are being healed. And so the multitudes are astonished at beholding the transformations that are taking place. They behold those who are being converted from such great evils to that which is so much better.” – Origen Adamantius of Alexandria (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Exegist, Writer, Apologist, Father – (Commentary on Matthew, 11).

PRAYER – Prepare our hearts, we pray, O Lord our God, by Your divine power, so that at the coming of Christ Your Son we may be found worthy of the banquet of eternal life and merit to receive heavenly nourishment from His hands. Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

Posted in ABOUT Antonio Bacci, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on MORALS, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 17 November – The Infiltration of the Cinema, Radio, Television [Internet]

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

The Influence of the Cinema,
Radio, Television, [Internet]

“It is an unfortunate but undeniable fact, that man often employs new inventions and discoveries for evil, rather than for good purposes.
The gifts of God ought to bring us closer to Him but, too often, they become, through our own fault, the means of separating ourselves further from Him.
Everything is good and not only whatever God has created but also, whatever we, ourselves produce by a proper use of the facultis with which our Creator has endowed us.

“Every creature of God is good,” says St Paul, “and nothing is to be rejected…” (1 Tim 4:4).
These words are still true of the countless inventions of our own era.
The cinema, radio, television, [internet], are essentially good because they are gifts which God has brought into being through the agency of human intelligence and perseverance.
But what use have we been making of them?
Take, for instance, the cinema.
It must be admitted that there are very few films today which are edifying or spiritually helpful.
Most are positively bad and dangerous, especially to certain branches of the community.
Moreover, as Pope Pius XI warned us, in his Encyclical, Vigilanti Cura, on this subject in 1936, many films, which would otherwise be quite harmless, are rendered dangerous because they are interspersed with various kinds of immorality.

Since the greatest evil for a Christian is the loss of God and this inevitably follows, the loss of grace and of the Faith, we must observe the following safeguards in our approach to the cinema:
(1)We must stay away from any film which might represent a proximate occasion of mortal sin;
(2) We must avoid films which are opposed to morals or to the Faith and must see that our families and dependents, do likewise;
(3) We may attend films which are good or merely entertaining.
It is better, however, not to go to the cinema too regularly, for to do so, would be a waste of time and could expose us to unforeseen risks.
In any case, there are many other amusements, preferably open-air, which are much more beneficial to soul and body.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Note: We are definitely capable of updating the wise words of dear Cardinal Bacci to accommodate the current era and infiltration of the above evils into virtually every moment of our lives – on our phones and computers.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on HERESY, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TIME

Quote/s of the Day – 9 November – The Church

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Quote/s of the Day – 9 November – Feast Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour in the Lateran – Gospel: John 2:13-22

“Zeal for your house will consume me.”

John 2:17

“Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?
How then has it weeds?”

Matthew 13:27

“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!”

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

“…The great movement of apostasy being organised in every country for the establishment of a One-World Church which shall have neither dogmas, nor hierarchy, neither discipline for the mind, nor curb for the passions and which, under the pretext of freedom and human dignity, would bring back to the world (if such a Church could overcome) the reign of legalised cunning and force and the oppression of the weak and of all those who toil and suffer. […] Indeed, the true friends of the people are neither revolutionaries, nor innovators – they are traditionalists.”

“Truly we are passing through disastrous times,
when we may well make our own,
the lamentation of the Prophet:
“There is no truth,and there is no mercy
and there is no knowledge of God in the land” (Hosea 4:1).
Yet in the midst of this tide of evil,
the Virgin Most Merciful rises before our eyes
like a rainbow, as the arbiter of peace
between God and man.”

St Pius X (1835-1914)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 November – ‘ … The true Temple, also contains buyers and sellers … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 9 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” –Feast Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour in the Lateran and the Memorial of Blessed Gabriel Ferretti OFM (1385-1456) – Gospel: John 2:13-22

“He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area… ” – John 2:15

REFLECTION – “The Apostle Paul says: “The Temple of God, which you are, is holy” (1 Cor 3:17), that is to say – all you who believe in Christ, believing even to loving. … All who thus believe are the living stones of which God’s temple is built (1 Pt 2:5), they are like the imperishable wood of which the Ark was built that the flood could not overwhelm (Gn 6:14). This temple – the people of God, human persons themselves – is the place where God answers those who pray. People who pray to God outside this temple cannot have their prayers, for the peace of the Jerusalem above answered, even though they are answered regarding particular material things that God grants, even to pagans. … But it is an altogether different thing to have one’s prayers answered in the matter of eternal life. This is only granted to those who pray inside God’s temple.

For someone who prays within God’s Temple prays within the peace of the Church, in the unity of Christ’s Body, since the Body of Christ is built up of the multitude of believers spread over all the world. … And someone who prays in the peace of the Church, prays “in spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:23) of which the former Temple was only a symbol.

In fact, it was for our instruction that our Lord cast out of the temple those men who were only seeking their own interest and who only went there to buy and sell. If that first temple had to undergo this purification, then it is clear, that the Body of Christ too, the true Temple, also contains buyers and sellers among those who pray there, that is to say, people only seeking “their own interests and not those of Jesus Christ” (Phil 2,21). … But the time will come when the Lord will cast out all those sinners.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, North Africa, Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church (Sermon on Psalm 130, # 1-2)

PRAYER – Almighty God, as we recall with joy, the Dedication of this house of Yours on each recurring anniversary, listen to Your people’s prayer and grant that our worship here may be a sincere and holy service, honouring Your Name and bringing us the fullness of redemption. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, Gerard MANLEY HOPKINS SJ, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN POETRY, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MODESTY, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, SACRED HEART QUOTES, SAINT of the DAY, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – Jesuits

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – The Memorial of All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds

“Hate what the world seeks
and seek, what it avoids.”

“God’s love calls us to move beyond fear.
We ask God for the courage
to abandon ourselves unreservedly,
so that we might be moulded
by God’s grace,
even as we cannot see
where that path may lead us.”

“Act as if everything depended on you;
trust as if everything depended on God.”

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

I Beg of You, My Lord
By St Peter Faber (1506-1546)

I beg of You, my Lord,
to remove anything which separates
me from You
and You from me.
Remove anything that makes me unworthy
of Your sight,
Your control,
Your reprehension;
of Your speech and conversation,
of Your benevolence and love.
Cast from me every evil
that stands in the way of my seeing You,
hearing, tasting, savouring and touching You,
fearing and being mindful of You,
knowing, trusting, loving and possessing You;
being conscious of Your Presence
and, as far as may be, enjoying You.
This is what I ask for myself
and earnestly desire from You.
Amen

“What a tragedy,
how many souls
are being shut out of heaven
and falling into hell,
thanks to you!”

St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

“This death … has already levelled
his bow to strike me.
Is it not prudent to prevent its stroke,
by dying now to the world,
that at my death,
I may live to God?”

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)

“We ought to instruct with meekness
those whom heresy has made bitter and suspicious
and has estranged from orthodox Catholics,
… Thus, by whole-hearted charity and goodwill,
we may win them over to us in the Lord.”

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

“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 Burning Babe,

As I in hoary winter’s night
stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat
which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view
what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright
did in the air appear;
Who, scorchëd with excessive heat,
such floods of tears did shed
As though His floods should quench His flames
which with His tears were fed.
Alas, quoth He but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts
or feel my fire but I!
My faultless breast the furnace is,
the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire and sighs the smoke,
the ashes shame and scorns;
The fuel justice layeth on
and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought
are men’s defiled souls,
For which, as now on fire I am
to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.
With this He vanished out of sight
and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I called unto mind
that it was Christmas day.

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

“When He takes away
what He once lent us,
His purpose is to
store our treasure elsewhere,
more safely and bestow on us,
those very blessings,
that we ourselves
would most choose to have.”
(From A Letter to His Mother)

St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591)

“The Catholic religion was the religion of your forefathers
and the only one Jesus Christ founded; –
the one which He promised would endure
till the end of time.
It is in the Catholic religion alone
that you can save your soul.”

“How long are you going to be deaf to His call?
Or are you going to lose your soul,
which Jesus Christ bought at the price
of His Precious Blood?”

St John Francis Régis SJ (1597-1640)

“… Make use of Our Lord
as an armour which covers [us] all about,
by means of which [we] shall resist
every device of [our] enemies.
You shall then be my Strength, O my God!
You shall be my Guide,
my Director,
my Counsellor,
my Patience,
my Knowledge,
my Peace,
my Justice
and my Prudence.”

“He promises to be [our] strength,
in proportion to the trust
which [we] place in Him.”

St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682)
“Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

The May Magnificat
By Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (1844-1889)

May is Mary’s month and I
Muse at that and wonder why:
Her feasts follow reason,
Dated due to season-

Candlemas, Lady Day:
But the Lady Month, May,
Why fasten that upon her,
With a feasting in her honour?
Ask of her, the mighty Mother:
Her reply puts this other
Question: What is Spring?
Growth in everything-
All things rising, all things sizing
Mary sees, sympathising
With that world of good,
Nature’s motherhood.

Well but there was more than this:
Spring’s universal bliss
Much, had much to say
To offering Mary May.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 26 October – ‘Such then is the mustard seed … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 26 October – Readings: Romans 8: 18-25;p Psalm 126: 1-5, Luke 13:18-21 and the Memorial of St Alfred the Great (849-899)

“When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and ‘the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.’” – Luke 13:19

REFLECTION – “It is up to us to sow this mustard seed in our minds and let it grow within us into a great tree of understanding reaching up to Heaven and elevating all our faculties; then it will spread out branches of knowledge, the pungent savour of its fruit will make our mouths burn, its fiery kernel will kindle a blaze within us, enflaming our hearts and the taste of it, will dispel our unenlightened repugnance.
Yes, it is true: a mustard seed is indeed an image of the Kingdom of God.

Christ is the Kingdom of Heaven.
Sown like a mustard seed in the garden of the Virgin’s womb, He grew up into the Tree of the Cross, whose branches stretch across the world. Crushed in the mortar of the Passion, its fruit has produced seasoning enough for the flavouring and preservation of every living creature, with which it comes in contact.
As long as a mustard seed remains intact, its properties lie dormant but when it is crushed, they are exceedingly evident.
So it was with Christ, He chose to have His Body crushed because He would not have His Power concealed.
Christ became all things in order to restore all of us in Himself. The Man Christ received the mustard seed, which represents the Kingdom of God; as Man He received it, though as God He had always possessed it. He sowed it in His Garden, that is in His Bride, the Church. The Church is a garden extending over the whole world, tilled by the plough of the Gospel, fenced in by stakes of doctrine and discipline, cleared of every harmful weed by the labour of the apostles, fragrant and lovely with perennial flowers, virgins’ lilies and martyrs’ roses set amid the pleasant verdure of all. who bear witness to Christ and the tender plants of all, who have faith in Him.
Such then is the mustard seed which Christ sowed in His Garden. When He promised a Kingdom to the Patriarchs, the seed took root in them; with the Prophets it sprang up; with the Apostles it grew tall; in the Church it became a great tree putting forth innumerable branches laden with gifts. And now you too must take the wings of the Psalmist’s Dove, gleaming gold in the rays of divine sunlight and fly to rest forever among those sturdy, fruitful branches. No snares are set to trap you there; fly off, then, with confidence and dwell securely in its shelter.” – St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) Doctor of Homilies (Sermon 98.)

PRAYER – True light of the world, Lord Jesus Christ, as You enlighten all men for their salvation, give us grace, we pray, to herald Your coming by preparing the ways of justice and of peace. Help us Lord, that we may sprout and bear fruit, fitting to grow and be a home of comfort to our neighbour. By the prayers of St Alfred the Great, may we too be beacons of Your Light and of the glory of Your Kingdom. Through Jesus our Lord, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 20 October – The First Part of the “Our Father”

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Thought for the Day – 20 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The First Part of the “Our Father”

“Our second aspiration is: “Thy kingdom come.”
It is true, that God reigns over Heaven, earth and the infernal regions.
Everything is subject to His Will – the sun, the stars, the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea and the tiniest insects carry out His commands.
Even the demons of Hell, who He has condemned to eternal punishment, are obedient to His Will.
But what about the human race?

Man possesses the precious but dangerous privilege of free will. which he has power to abuse by rebelling against God.
We should pray that the sovereignty of God may be triumphant in all hearts, beginning with our own and, that all men may willingly subject themselves to His commandments and to His grace.
This is the only way in which they can find peace.
“Take my yoke upon you and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29).

We should pray, moreover, for the Church, which is the kingdom of God upon earth.
We should pray for her peaceful victory over her enemies, who persecute her and impede her work for the salvation of souls.
We should love the Church even as we love Jesus Christ, for the Church is His handiwork and the fruit of His Precious Blood.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/19/thought-for-the-day-19-october-the-first-part-of-the-our-father/

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on TRUTH, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 27 September – St Vincent de Paul

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Quote/s of the Day – 27 September – 27 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary” – St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

“The Church teaches us,
that mercy belongs to God.
Let us implore Him,
to bestow on us the spirit
of mercy and compassion,
so that we are filled with it
and may never lose it.
Only consider how much we ourselves,
are in need of mercy.”

“Humility and charity
are the two master-chords –
one, the lowest;
the other, the highest;
all the others are dependent on them.
Therefore, it is necessary, above all,
to maintain ourselves in these two virtues,
for observe well,
that the preservation of the whole edifice
depends on the foundation and the roof!”

“Humility is nothing but truth
and pride is nothing but lying!” …

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

MANY MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/27/quote-s-of-the-day-27-september-st-vincent-de-paul-2/

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on WISDOM, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 September – ‘… He gives light to all in the house …’

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One Minute Reflection – 20 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary” – Readings: Ezra 1: 1-6; Psalm 126: 1b-6; Luke 8: 16-18

“No-one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed, rather, he places it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light.” – Luke 8:16

REFLECTION – “The Lamp set upon the Lampstand is Jesus Christ, the true Light from the Father, the Light that enlightens every man who comes into the world. In taking our own flesh, He has become and is rightly called, a Lamp, for He is the connatural Wisdom and Word of the Father. … He is lifted up and resplendent among the nations, through the lives of those who live virtuously, in observance of the commandments. So He gives light to all in the house (that is, in this world), just as He Himself, God the Word, says – no-one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. Clearly He is calling Himself the Lamp, He who is by nature God and became flesh according to God’s saving purpose. …

Lamp-like indeed, He alone dispelled the gloom of ignorance and the darkness of evil and became the Way of salvation for all men. Through virtue and knowledge, He leads to the Father those who are resolved to walk by Him, Who is the way of righteousness, in obedience to the divine commandments. He has designated holy Church the Lampstand, over which the Word of God sheds Light through preaching and illumines with the rays of truth, whoever is in this house which is the world and fills the minds of all men with divine knowledge.

This Word is most unwilling to be kept under a bushel; it wills to be set in a high place, upon the sublime beauty of the Church. …” – St Maximus of Turin (? – c 420) Bishop and Father of the Church – (An excerpt from An Inquiry Addressed to Thalassius)

PRAYER – Lord, be the beginning and the end of all that we do, all that we say, in every moment be our Light. Prompt our actions with Your grace and complete them with Your all-powerful love. May we always seek Your Face in every circumstance, in every moment, so that Your Light may become our life. Holy and Mother, you lived your life in the Presence of the Holy Face of Christ our Lord, please intercede for us and for all the world. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in DOCTRINE, I BELIEVE!, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – St Pius X and St Gregory the Great

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary”

“Truly we are passing through disastrous times,
when we may well make our own,
the lamentation of the Prophet:
“There is no truth,and there is no mercy
and there is no knowledge of God in the land” (Hosea 4:1).
Yet in the midst of this tide of evil,
the Virgin Most Merciful rises before our eyes
like a rainbow, as the arbiter of peace
between God and man.”

“…The great movement of apostasy being organised in every country for the establishment of a One-World Church which shall have neither dogmas, nor hierarchy, neither discipline for the mind, nor curb for the passions and which, under the pretext of freedom and human dignity, would bring back to the world (if such a Church could overcome) the reign of legalised cunning and force and the oppression of the weak and of all those who toil and suffer. […] Indeed, the true friends of the people are neither revolutionaries, nor innovators – they are traditionalists.”

“I accept with sincere belief,
the doctrine of faith
as handed down to us
from the Apostles,
by the orthodox Fathers,
always in the same sense
and with the same interpretation.”

St Pope Pius X (1835-1914)

MORE HERE;
https://anastpaul.com/2020/08/21/quote-s-of-the-day-21-august-st-pope-pius-x/

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

SOME QUOTES HERE

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – St Pope Gregory the Great!

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Thought for the Day – 1 September – The Problem of Evil

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

The Problem of Evil 

“In his second letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul speaks of the Anti-Christ, “the man of sin … the son of perdition, who opposes and is exalted above all that is called God…” “Already,” he says, “the mystery of iniquity is at work” (Cf 2 Thess 2:3-7).
From the beginning of the Church’s history until the present time, it has always been the same.

There always have been and always will be, men who do evil, not from human weakness but, from motives of malice, so diabolical as to present something of a mystery to us.
These can be called Anti-Christ because, they seem to be incarnations of the devil, the spirit of iniquity.
They delight in spreading error, in corrupting minds and, in persecuting the Church.
They are steeped in all kinds of baseness and nothing pleases them better, than to succeed in inducing the young and the innocent, to follow them in their sinful ways.
For this purpose, they employ all the advantages of modern technical progress has to offer – the press, the cinema, the radio and television.
In short, they use God’s gifts in their commercialisation of sin, in order to draw souls away from Him.

The realisation of this terrifying fact, provokes two questions.
(1) How can such evil be permitted by God, Who made man for Himself and redeemed him with the Blood of His only-begotten Son?
(2) What steps can we take to control this alarming and universal deluge of evil?

St Augustine answers the first question by pointing out, that the infinite and good God created us without any assistance from ourselves, but does not will to save us without our co-operatikon, since He has endowed us with the gift of liberty.
Moreover, He prefers to draw good from evil, rather than to prevent the evil itself.

We must answer the second question ourselves, remembering that we have a serious obligation to combat evil in ourselves and in our fellow-men.
What have we done up to now and what do wqe propose to do in the future?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 August – ‘The daughter of the Canaanite woman …’

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One Minute Reflection – 4 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 13:1-2.25-33.14,1.26-29.34-35.; Psalms 106: 6-7ab, 13-14, 21-23; Matthew 15: 21-28 and the Memorial of St Dominic de Guzman OP(1170-1221)

“ My daughter is tormented by a demon” – Matthew 15:22

REFLECTION – “This Gentile Canaanite woman no longer needs healing herself, since she confesses Christ as Lord and Son of David. But, she begs for help for her daughter, that is to say, for the crowd of Gentiles held captive under the domination of unclean spirits. Our Lord is silent, preserving for Israel with His silence, the honour of salvation. … Bearing in Himself the mystery of the Father’s Will, He answers that He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel so that it might be clearly seen, that the daughter of the Canaanite woman, is a symbol of the Church. … This does not mean that salvation was not to be given to the gentiles but that our Lord had come “to His own and His own people” (Jn 1:11) and was waiting for the first fruits of faith from the people from whom he had come forth; the rest would be saved later through the preaching of the Apostles. …

And so that we might understand that the Lord’s silence was due to consideration of the times and not to any obstacle placed by His own will, He added: “Woman, your faith is great!” What He meant was, that this woman, who was already sure of her salvation, had – what is better still – faith in the gathering together of the Gentiles at the approaching time, when, through their faith, they would be set free like this young girl from all domination by unclean spirits. Indeed, confirmation of this came about: following the prefiguration of the Gentiles in the Canaanite woman’s daughter, people who were prisoner to all kinds of different illnesses, were brought to the Lord by the crowds on the mountain (Mt 15:30). These were unbelievers, that is to say sick, who were led by believers to adoration and worship and to whom, salvation was given, that they might comprehend, study, praise and follow God.” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Doctor of the Divinity of Christ – Commentary on Saint Matthew’s Gospel, 15 ; SC 258

PRAYER – Lord God, You gave St Dominic to the Church as a great preacher of the Truth. We pray that he will help us in these times, our times of lies, ruled by the evil one, by his merits, his teachings and his unfailing prayer. Through Jesus the Christ, Our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God now and for all eternity, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 24 July – The Mystical Body

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Quote/s of the Day – 24 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 24: 3-8; Psalms 50: 1b-2, 5-6, 14-15; Matthew 13: 24-30

“Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field?
How then has it weeds?”

Matthew 13:27

“Every kingdom devided
against itself
is laid waste.”

Luke 11:17

“No-one can have God as his father,
if he does not have the Church as his mother…
The Lord warned us of this when He said:
“Whoever is not with me, is against me
and whoever does not gather together with me, scatters.”
The person who breaks the peace and concord of Christ,
acts against Christ;
the person who gathers together,
outside of the Church,
scatters the Church of Christ.”

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

“It is better to be cured within the Church’s community
than to be cut off from its Body as incurable members.
As long as a member still forms part of the Body,
there is no reason to despair of its cure;
once it has been cut off,
it can be neither cured nor healed.”

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

“And so we pray,
that, by the same grace,
which made the Church Christ’s Body,
all its members may remain firm
in the unity of that Body,
through the enduring bond of love.”

St Fulgentius of Ruspe (c 462 – 533)
Bishop, Father of the Church

“For nothing more glorious,
nothing nobler,
nothing surely, more honourable
can be imagined, than to belong
to the One, Holy Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church,
in which we become members of one Body
as venerable as it is unique;
are guided by one supreme Head;
are filled with one divine Spirit;
are nourished during our earthly exile
by one doctrine and one heavenly Bread,
until at last, we enter into
the one, unending blessedness of heaven.
But lest we be deceived,
by the angel of darkness,
who transforms himself into an angel of light,
let this be the supreme law of our love –
to love the Spouse of Christ,
as Christ willed her to be
and as He purchased her with His Blood.”

Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
“Mystici Corporis Christi” 1943

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on TRUTH, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Thought for the Day –9 July – Putting Christianity into Practice

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Thought for the Day –9 July – 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