Quote/s of the Day – 14 January – St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church
“The Son of God, is nailed to the Cross but on the Cross, God conquers human death. Christ, the Son of God, dies but all flesh is made alive in Christ. The Son of God is in hell but man is carried back to Heaven!”
(On the Trinity Book II)I
“When I look at Thine heavens, according to my own lights, with these weak eyes of mine, I am certain, with reservation, that they are Thine heavens. The stars circle in the heavens, reappear year after year, each with a function and service to fulfil. And, although I do not understand them, I know that Thou, O God, are in them.”
“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.”
Quote/s of the Day – 10 January – Within the Octave of The Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“We have seen His Star in the East and have come, with gifts, to worship the Lord. Alleluia!”
Matthew 2:2
“Behold, the star which they had seen in the east, went before them until it came and stood over where the Child was…”
Matthew 2:9
“I implore you to live with me and, by believing, to run with me; let us long for our Heavenly Country, let us sigh for our Heavenly Home, let us truly feel that here, we are strangers. What shall we then see? Let the gospel tell us: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. You will come to the fountain, with whose dew you have already been sprinkled. Instead of the ray of Light which was sent through slanting and winding ways, into the heart of your darkness, you will see the Light Itself, in all its purity and brightness. It is to see and experience this Light that you are now being cleansed. … It has been good for us to share the common Light, good to have enjoyed ourselves, good to have been glad together. When we part from one another, let us not depart from Him!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“The obedience of the Star calls us to imitate its humble service: to be servants, as best we can, of the grace which invites all men to find Christ.”
St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church
“… For this day, I must abide in thy house.” Luke 19:5
“But He says to all: “Come down quickly, for the exalted freedom of the spirit cannot be maintained, except through lowly obedience of mind. You must know and love Me, as both God and a human being, higher than all and lower than all! You will savour Me when I raise you up above all things and above yourself to Myself and, when you lower yourself beneath all things and beneath yourself, to Me and for My sake. Then, I will have to come to your house and remain living with you and in you and you with Me and in Me!”
Quote/s of the Day – 8 January – Advice for 2024 from St John of the Cross
“What we need most, in order to make progress, is to be silent before this great God with our appetite and with our tongue, for the language He best hears is silent love.”
“Contemplation is nothing else but a secret, peaceful and loving infusion of God which, if admitted, will set the soul on fire with the Spirit of love.”
“Take God for your spouse and friend and walk with Him continually and you will not sin and will learn to love and, the things you must do, will work out prosperously for you.”
“The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light!”
“Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world, disturb it.”
Lord God, Lift Me Up By St John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Lord God, my Beloved, if Thou art still mindful of my sins and wilt not grant my petitions, let Thy will be done, for this is my main desire. Show Thy goodness and mercy and Thou shalt be known for them. If Thou art waiting for me to do good works and upon their performance, Thou wilt grant my petitions, cause them to be accomplished in me, O Lord! Send also, the punishment for my sins, which is acceptable to Thee. For how will I raise myself up to Thee, born and bred as I am, in misery, unless Thou, O Lord, wilt lift me up with the Hand which made me?! Amen
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Mystical Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 8 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family”– Within the Octave of The Epiphany –Isaias 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Falling down they adored Him” – Matthew 2:11
REFLECTION – “God’s intention was not only to come down to earth but to become known there; not only to be born but to be recognised. In fact, it is with this recognition in mind that we hold this celebration of the Epiphany, the great day of His manifestation. For it was today that the Magi came from the East in search of the Sun of Justice at its rising (Mal 3:20), He of Whom we read: “Behold a Man Whose name is the Orient,” (Zec 6:12 Vul.). Today they have adored the Virgin’s newborn Child, following the guidance of a New Star. What great cause for joy do we not find here, my brethren, as also in those words of the Apostle Paul: “The kindness and generous love of God our Saviour have appeared,” (Tit 3:4)…
What is this you are doing, you Magi? What is this you are doing? Are you adoring an Infant at the breast in a wretched hovel, wrapped in miserable rags? Can a Child such as this really be God? Yet, “The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in Heaven.” (Ps 11:4) while you are looking for Him in a common stable, held in His Mother’s arms! Whatever are you doing? Why are you offering Him gold? Could such a One as this be King? Where, then, is His Royal Court, His Throne, His crowd of courtiers? Can a stable be a palace, a crib a throne, Mary and Joseph members of His Court? How on earth could wise men be so foolish as to adore a Baby, as contemptible by reason of His age, as for the poverty of His Family?
Mad? Yes, they have become so in order to be wise. The Holy Spirit has taught them already what the Apostle Paul would later proclaim: “Whoever would be wise, let him become a fool. For since the world, in all its wisdom, did not come to know God in His Wisdom, it has pleased God to save those who believe, through the foolishness of the Gospel we proclaim, (Cf 1 Cor 1:21)… And so, they prostrate themselves before this poor Child; they do Him homage as to a King; they adore Him as a God. He Who outwardly guided them by a Star, has cast His Light into the interior of their hearts!” – St Bernard (1091-1153) Cistercian Monk, Father and Doctor of the Church (1st Sermon for the Epiphany).
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who by the guidance of a star this day revealed Thy Only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; mercifully grant that we, who know Thee now by faith, may come to behold Thee in glory. Through the same 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).
Quote/s of the Day – 5 January – The Memorial of Saint Syncletica (c320-c400) Virgin, Anchorite, Mystic, Spiritual Guide, Abbess in the Sketic Desert?
“We hold to the Cross as our sail and so we can set a safe course.”
Some sisters asked St Syncletica: ‘What do we have to do to be saved?‘ She heaved a sigh, wept bitterly and then said:
“We all know what we must do to be saved but because of our negligence, we can lose our salvation. Above all and more and more, we should do everything we can to keep the commandment of the Lord – ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and your neighbour as yourself’ (Mt 22:37). So salvation lies in this double love.”
“Just as it is impossible for the grass to grow on the sand, so it is impossible for one who seeks pleasure and superficial conversation, to produce the heavenly fruit. For the Lord says: No-one can serve two masters (Mt 6:24).”
“The more progress the competitors make, the stronger the opponents they fight against …”
(Compiled by Abbot em. Dr Emmeram Kränkl OSB Benedictine Abbey Schäftlarn – for the Katholische SonntagsZeitung).
We know that there is only ONE thing necessary and so, for this New Year, 2024, I wish you only that ONE THING – that HE may fill your heart, your mind, your soul, your whole being, everyday and every moment and then, nothing will be wanting to you, ALL will be yours and even sadness and pain will serve only to unite you more and more closely to our Divine Saviour. And so, abiding in His Sacred Heart, 2024 will be PERFECT!
“We must make our way towards eternity, never regarding what men think of us, or of our actions, studying only to please God.”
St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)
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 Thee, my God and save my soul is the one thing necessary. Without Thee, there is no peace of mind or soul. My God, I need fear only sin and nothing else in this life, for to lose Thee, 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 Thee, I must leave all. But in loving Thee, 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 Thee. Grant me perseverance in doing Thine will and never let me be separated from Thee. My God and my All, make me a Saint! Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 1 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – The Octave Day of the Nativity and the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord – Titus 2:11-15, Luke 2:21 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“His Name was called Jesus”
Luke 2:21
“Born as a Son, led forth as a Lamb, sacrificed as a sheep, buried as a man, He rose from the dead as a God, for He was by nature God and man.
He is all things – He judges and so, He is Law. He teaches and so, He is Wisdom. He saves and so, He is Grace. He begets and so, He is Father. He is begotten,and so, He is Son. He suffers and so, He is Sacrifice. He is buried and so, He is Man. He rises again and so, He is God. This is Jesus Christ, to Whom belongs glory for all ages.”
St Melito of Sardis (Died c180) Bishop, Early Church Father
“If we would God discern The world we must despise, His love and hate must learn, See all things with His eyes. And we must self forgo If God we would attain, His grace must in us grow And ease us from all pain. So shall we sing His praise And be at one with Him, In peace our voices raise In the celestial hymn, That with quadruple harmony And all mellifluous melody, In Heaven resounds eternally.”
Blessed Jan van Ruusbroec (1293-1381)
Mary of Christmas Unknown Author
I know not how, dear Lady love, To offer you my praise, I cannot fashion as I wish The words that I would raise. You stand afar, celestial Queen, The stars are in your crown, They spangle at each gesture’s path And dust upon your gown. Perhaps I might recall the night You knelt beside the crib, The night when doors and casements shut And left a mountain’s rib, Alone, exposed, to hoard you close Beside the new-born Child And seek in Joseph’s kindly eyes For something worldly-mild. To counteract such mundane chill I hereby set my heart, Dim mirror of an Infant’s warmth, Its flaming but a part, A small, sad part of Endless Love That came on Christmas day To show a mother wonder-bright To guide us on our way. Amen.
Thought for the Day –30 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Dissipation
“Imagine the death of the dissipated man. When he reaches the end of his earthly journey, it will seem to him as if he has awakened from a dream. Everything is over now. Gone forever are the objects of desire which he exerted himself so feverishly to acquire. He is alone before God. Money, ease and pleasure, have vanished, like snow melting in the sun.
Please God, we shall never experience this fearful re-awakening. Let us rouse ourselves now, from our spiritual torpor, while there is still time, . May God be our first thought and our first desire. May constant prayer, detachment from the world and steady progress in perfection, win for us the everlasting happiness of Heaven.”
Our Morning Offering – 29 December – St Thomas à Becket (1118-1170) Martyr, Archbishop of Canterbury
Please Lord, Make me Worthy! Prayer of Supplication and Repentance By St Thomas à Becket (1118-1170) Martyr, Archbishop of Canterbury
My Lord, I find it difficult to talk to Thee. What can I say? I, who have turned away from Thee so often with indifference. I have been a stranger to prayer, undeserving of Thy friendship and love. I have been without honour and feel unworthy. I am a weak and shallow creature, clever only in the second-rate and worldly arts, seeking my comfort and pleasure. I gave my love, such as it was, elsewhere, putting service to my earthly King, before my duty to Thee. Please Lord, teach me how to serve Thee with all my heart, to know at last, what it really is, to love, to adore. So that I may worthily minister to Thine Kingdom, here on earth and find my true honour, in observing Thine divine will. Please Lord, make me worthy! Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 21 December – Feast of St Thomas, Apostle of Christ – Ephesians 2:19-22; John 20:24-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Blessed are they who have not seen and yet, have believed.”
John 20:29
“Who is he who overcomes the world? but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
St Ignatius of Antioch (c35–c107) Bishop, Martyr, Apostolic Father
“Let us detach ourselves in spirit from all that we see and cling to that which we believe. This is the Cross which we must imprint on all our daily actions and behaviour.”
St Peter Damian (1007-1072) Doctor of the Church
“If we wish to make any progress in the service of God, we must begin everyday of our life, with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves, in the presence of God, as much as possible and have no other view or end, in all our actions but the Divine honour.”
St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)
“The very prince of the universe, is man; the crowning point of man, is his heart; of the heart, is love and the perfection of love, is charity. That is why the love of God is the goal, the crowning point, the be-all and end-all of the universe.”
Thought for the Day – 18 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Christmas Novena III The Cradle of the Divine Infant Jesus
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,” said Jesus Christ, “for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:3), Before He spoke these words, however, He had taught us the same thing in deed.
In the utter poverty of the stable in Bethlehem, He tells us that riches, honours and human grandeur cannot make us happy. We are entitled to accept these things, if Providence bestows them upon us but, we should not become attached to them. The human heart longs for God. It was not made for the transient pleasures and goods of this life but only for God. In the presence of the Crib, therefore, let us learn to surrender ourselves, heart and soul, to Jesus Christ.
Quote/s of the Day – 16 December – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Matthew 16:24-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
Seeking St John of the Cross
“For he who will save his life, will lose it and he who will lose his life for My sake, will find it. ”
Matthew 16:25
“The one who walks in the love of God seeks neither gain nor reward but seeks only, with the will, to lose self and all things, for God and this loss, the lover judges to be a gain! ”
“O you souls who wish to go on with so much safety and consolation, if you knew how pleasing to God, is suffering and how much it helps, in acquiring other good things, you would never seek consolation in anything; but. you would rather look upon it, as a great happiness, to bear the Cross of the Lord.”
“The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light!”
“Strive to preserve your heart in peace; let no event of this world, disturb it.”
“Happiness is not a destination, it is a method of travel.”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
Thought for the Day – 14 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Consolation from God
“Even men and other creatures, have some power to comfort and console us. The comfort which we receive from them, however, cannot completely satisfy our hearts which were made for God alone. Such consolations, as they can give are short-lived and vanish like snow beneath the sun.
What can men or other worldly creatures give us? They can give us material wealth but this often turns out to be troublesome and vexatious and is too much inferior to the greatness of the human soul, to be able to satisfy it. Worldly honour can intoxicate our pride and self-conceit for a little while but this state of inebriation cannot last very long. We know too well that we are what we are in the sight of God and nothing more. The praise and flattery of other men adds nothing to our statue and only serves as an incentive to idle vanity. Then, there are worldly pleasures, some of which are healthy and commendable but how long do thy last? They are like flowers which open there petals to the morning air and fold them again in the evening. There are unhealthy pleasures too; not only are these passing and perishable like all created things but, they leave behind a sense of nausea and remorse!
Let us seek, before all other joys, the consolation of God. These do not decrease as life goes on but, last forever and are completed in the next life.”
One Minute Reflection – 13 December – Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent, Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God – Feast of St Lucy, Virgin Martyr – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18, 11:1-2; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.” – Matthew 13:44
REFLECTION – “For the man who loves God, it is sufficient to please the One he loves and, there is no greater recompense to be sought, than the loving itself. For love is from God, by the very fact, that God Himself is love. The good and chaste soul is so happy to be filled with Him that it desires to take delight in nothing else. For what the Lord says is very true: – ‘Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.’
What is a man’s treasure but the heaping up of profits and the fruit of his toil? For whatever a man sows, this too will he reap and each man’s gain, matches his toil and where delight and enjoyment are found, there the heart’s desire is attached. Now there are many kinds of wealth and a variety of grounds for rejoicing – every man’s treasure is that which he desires. If it is based on earthly ambitions, its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched!
But those who enjoy the things that are above and eternal, rather than earthly and perishable, possess an incorruptible, hidden store, of which the Prophet speaks: ‘Our treasure and salvation have come, wisdom and instruction and piety, from the Lord: these are the treasures of justice.’ Through these, with the help of God’s grace, even earthly possessions are transformed into heavenly blessings. It is a fact that many people use the wealth, which is either rightfully left to them or otherwise acquired, as a tool of devotion. By distributing what might be superfluous to support the poor, they are amassing imperishable riches, so that what they have discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss. They have properly placed those riches, where their heart is, – it is a most blessed thing, to work to increase such riches, rather than to fear that they may pass away.” – St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Bishop of Rome and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermon 92).
PRAYER – Hear us, O God our Saviour, that, as we rejoice on the feast of blessed Lucy, YThy Virgin and Martyr, so we may grow in love and devotion. Through the same 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).
Quote/s of the Day – 11 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Monday of the Second Week of Advent – 1 Peter 5:1-4, 10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But the God of all grace, Who hath called us into His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little, will Himself perfect you and confirm you and establish you. To Him be glory and empire forever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 5:10-11
“Then go and learn, neither to be moved with injuries nor flatteries. If you die to the world and to yourself, you will begin to live to Christ.”
St Macarius of Egypt (c300-390)
“Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us. He assumed the worse, that He might give us the better; He became poor, that we through His poverty, might be rich.”
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Let us always belong to God, unreservedly and without interruption. May He ever live and reign in our hearts.”
(Letter to Madame de Chantal)
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“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.”
Thought for the Day – 7 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
TRUE WISDOM
“Today, unfortunately, there is too much emphasis set on material science considered in itself and apart from God. Many people do not regard earthly things as steps which enable them to climb towards God but, as objects desirable in themselves which possess the power to satisfy them, both intellectually and sensibly. In fact, they fail to appease their vanity for very long and, if they become attached to them, lead them towards spiritual ruin.
A century ago, the French writer de Maistre, prophesied incalculable evil, if men did not return to the ancient values and subordinate knowledge to goodness once more. Because of science, he said, men would become more barbarous than the barbarians. His words have come true in the past few decades. Unbridled science has brought us two world wars and the weapons which threaten destruction of all!
Let us seek to avert catastrophe in our own individual lives, at least. Knowledge is desirable but only after goodness and humility. Let us remember the words of St Paul in his letter to the Corinthians: “All things are yours and you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s” (1 Cor 3:22-23).”
Thought for the Day – 6 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Word of God
“It is especially important for us to acquire the dispositions necessary to enable us to listen attentively to the Word of God and to put it into practice in our lives. We are all acquainted with the parable of the sower. The seed, of course, represents the Word of God. Some of the seed fell by the wayside and was trampled into the earth or carried away by the birds. Some fell on rocky ground and because of the lack of moisture, it withered away. Some fell among thorns which choked it and prevented it from springing up. Finally, the rest of the seed fell on good ground and yielded fruit more or less abundantly (Mt 13:3-8).
How do we receive the Word of God? Perhaps we are constantly dissipated and distracted? In that case, the Divine seed will not bear fruit but, will be trampled down or wither away. It may be, however, that we hear the Word of God with pleasure and joy until our first enthusiasm is strangled by our fondness for money, ease and earthly pleasures which prevents us from laying up merit for everlasting life.
Let us remember that the Word of God is a very precious gift which ought not to be neglected or abused. Our eternal salvation depends on the manner in which we receive it!”
One Minute Reflection – 3 December –The First Sunday of Advent – St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552) Confessor – Romans 13:11-14; Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Look at the fig tree and all the trees, when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near. So too, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.” – Luke 21:29-31
REFLECTION – “Look at the fig tree and all the trees, when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near. So too, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.” He means that just as the coming of summer is recognised by the fruit on the trees, so is the nearness of the Kingdom of God recognised by the destruction of the world. These words show that the fruit of the world is destruction – it increases only to fall, it produces, only to destroy by its disasters whatever it produces. The Kingdom of God is aptly compared to summer, because it is then that the clouds of our sorrow pass away and the days of life shine with the brightness of the Eternal Sun. …
“Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away.” Nothing among material realities is more lasting than the heavens and the earth and nothing among realities, passes away, as quickly as an utterance. … Therefore, the Lord declares: “Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away.” He means: “Nothing that is lasting in your world lasts for eternity without change and everything that in Me, is perceived as passing away, is kept firm, without passing away. My utterance, which passes away, expresses thoughts that endure without change.” …
Therefore, my friends, do not love what you see cannot long exist. Keep in mind the Apostle John’s precept, in which he counsels us not “to love the world or the things in the world because, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn 2:15). – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermons on the Gospels No 1 )
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who were pleased to gather into Thy Church the peoples of the Indies by the preaching and miracles of blessed Francis, mercifully grant that we, who honour his glorious merits, may also imitate the example of his virtues. 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).
Thought for the Day – 2 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Recollection
“We may imagine that all this applies only to Monks but that is not so. We all need interior recollection and we can find it even during our work and in the midst of turmoil and confusion. If we fail to find it, moreover, it is too bad for us, as The Imitation of Christ warns us. “Peace is not in the heart of the carnal man, nor in the man who is devoted to outward things but, in the fervent and spiritual man” (Bk 1 Ch 6:2).
Let us make sure, therefore, that we shall not be distracted by worldly affairs. In the midst of all our occupations, let us preserve a spirit of detachment and live in the presence of God. May God be our first thought and our first desire and may He be the true goal of all our actions!”
One Minute Reflection – 2 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – St Bibiana (Died c 361) Virgin Martyr – Sirach 51:13-17; Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a treasure, hidden in a field.” – Matthew 13:44
REFLECTION – “Some of the brethren think that they are excluded from the Holy Ghost’s gifts of grace. Because they neglect to practise the commandments, they do not know that he who has an unadulterated faith in Christ, has within himself, the sum total of all the Divine gifts. Since, through our laziness, we are far from having an active love for Him — a love which shows us the Divine Treasures within us — we naturally think that we are excluded from these gifts.
If, as St Paul says: “Christ dwells in our hearts through faith” (Eph 3:17) and, “all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in Him” (Col 2:3), then, all the treasures of wisdom and spiritual knowledge are hidden in our hearts! They are revealed to the heart, in proportion to our purification by means of the commandments. This is the treasure, hidden in the field of your heart which you have not yet found because of your laziness. Had you found it, you would have sold everything and bought that field. But now, you have abandoned that field and give all your attention to the land nearby, where there is nothing but thorns and thistles! It is for this reason that the Saviour says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt 5:8) for He is hidden in the hearts of those who believe in Him.They shall see Him and the riches that are in Him, when they have purified themselves, through love and self-control. And, the greater their purity, the more they will see!” – St Maximus the Confessor (c580-662) Abbot and Theologian (Centuries of love 4:69).
PRAYER – O God, giver of all good gifts, Thou Who in Thy servant, Bibiana, joined the flower of virginity with the palm of Martyrdom, by her intercession unite our hearts to Thee in charity, so that, saved from all dangers, we may obtain the rewards of eternal life. Through the same 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).
Thought for the Day – 1 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Blessedness of the Poor
“We have established the principle that wealth is, in itself, good and is a gift from God but that, “it is good, insofar, as it leads us towards virtue and evil, insofar, as it leads us towards vice” (Summa Contra Gentiles III 134). We must now insist, once more, on the necessity of remaining detached from worldly goods and of concentrating our attention primarily on God. It is an unfortunate fact that only too often, wealth is a spiritual obstacle, for it diverts our attention away from Heaven and towards worldly objects. If this happens, some of its worse results can be the worship of money, the destruction of high ideals, indifference to the poverty of others, the vain and selfish search for happiness on this earth and complete spiritual blindness. This is why it is more difficult for the rich man than for the poor man, to save his soul.
“If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to the poor” (Mt 19:21). This is an evangelical counsel which we may have neither the courage, nor the vocation to pursue. At least, however, let us seek to purify ourselves of all attachments to wealth. If we have riches, moreover, let us do our best to use them as instruments of virtue.”
Quote/s of the Day – 29 November – Vigil of St Andrew Apostle – Ecclesiasticus 44:25-27; 45:2-4; 45:6-9; John 1:35-51 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Jesus turned and saw them following Him and said to them, “What are you looking for?”
John 1:38
“Then, let us run with Him as He presses on to His Passion. Let us imitate those who have gone out to meet Him, not scattering olive branches or garments or palms in His path but spreading ourselves before Him as best we can, with humility of soul and upright purpose. So may we welcome the Word as He comes (Jn 1:9); so may God, Who cannot be contained within any bounds, be contained within us. For He is pleased to have shown us this gentleness, He, Who is gentle and who “rides upon the setting sun” (Ps 56:12) which refers to our extreme lowliness. He is pleased to come and live with us and to raise us up or bring us back to Himself.”
St Andrew of Crete (660-740) Bishop, Father of the Church
“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
“But, [you will tell me], there is so much to do, so many household jobs, so much business in town, in the fields – work everywhere! Do we have to abandon it all, then, so as to think of nothing but God?” No – but these occupations have to be sanctified by seeking God in them and doing them to find Him in them, rather than, to see them done. What our Lord wants, is for us to seek His glory, His Kingdom, His righteousness, before all else and, for this, to make our foundation the interior life, faith, trust, love, religious exercises…, labours and sufferings, with God our Sovereign Lord in view… Once we are firmly set in the search for God’s glory, we can be assured that the rest will follow.”
One Minute Reflection – 26 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Sylvester Gozzolini OSB Silv. (1177– 1267) Priest, Abbot ; – Colossians 1:9-14; Matthew 24:15-35 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light and the stars shall fall from Heaven and the powers of Heaven shall be moved. ” – Matthew 24:29
REFLECTION – “The powers of Heaven will be moved.” What does the Lord mean by the powers of Heaven, if not the Angels and Archangels, Thrones, Dominations, Rulers and Powers? (Col 1:6). At the coming of the severe Judge ,they will appear visibly before our eyes… “Then they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great authority and majesty.” In other words, they are going to see, in power and majesty, Him Whom they chose not to hear in a state of humility … He said these things about the condemned; words of consolation for the elect follow at once: – “When these things begin to take place, look up and lift up your heads because your redemption is drawing near.” Truth is exhorting His elect by saying: “When the disasters of the world become more frequent … let your hearts exult! While the world – which is not your friend, is coming to an end, the redemption you have sought is coming near!”
Those who love God are ordered to rejoice and be merry at the world’s end. They will soon find Him Whom they love, while what they have not loved is passing away. It should be far from the hearts, of all the faithful, who long to see God, to grieve over the disasters of the world, for they know these very disasters are to end. It is written that: “Whoever wishes to be a friend of this world, makes himself an enemy of God (Jas 4:4). Someone who does not rejoice as the end of the world approaches, testifies that he is its friend and this convicts him of being God’s enemy.
Let this be far from the hearts of the faithful, let it be far from those who believe, by their faith that there is another life and who love it by their activities … What is our mortal life except a way? Consider carefully, my friends, what sort of thing it is to grow weary with the exertions of the way and yet, to be unwilling, that the way be ended! … Therefore, my friends, do not love, that which you see cannot long exist!” – St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Great Father and Doctor (Sermons on the Gospel).
PRAYER – Most merciful God, Who when the holy Abbot Sylvester was devoutly meditating upon the vanity of this world beside an open grave, graciously willed to call him into the desert and enrich him with unusual merits, we humbly pray that, following his example, despising the things of earth, we may thoroughly enjoy Thy everlasting presence. 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).
One Minute Reflection – 25 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Catherine of Alexandria (Died c305) Virgin Martyr – Sirach 51:1-8; 5:12, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Watch, therefore because you know not the day, nor the hour.” – 25:13
REFLECTION – “You are one of the virgins who illumine the beauty of your body with the light of the mind, you are all the more fit to be compared with the Church. In the hours of the night, think always on Christ and hope for His coming at every moment. … Christ enters at the open door. He will not fail to do so, for He has promised to enter. Embrace Him, Whom you have sought. Approach Him and be illumined. Hold Him and ask Him not to go away quickly. Beg Him not to depart. For “His Word runs swiftly” (Ps 147:15) and will not be held by the slothful or negligent soul. Let your soul run to His call and follow closely, the sound of His heavenly Voice, for His passing is swift. …
With what ties is Christ to be held? Not by force, not by chains but rather, by the bonds of charity. He is kept and held by the ties of the mind, by the love of the heart. So, if you wish to hold Christ, seek Him continually and fear no fatigue. It is often in pain of body, amid the very hands of the persecutors that Christ may really be found. … In a little while, in a brief moment, when you have escaped the hands of your persecutors and have not succumbed to the powers of the world, Christ will meet you and will not allow you to be tempted further.” – St Ambrose (340-397) Archbishop of Milan, Father and Doctor of the Church (De virginitate, PL 16, 283-286 – The Nun’s Ideals).
PRAYER – O God, Who gave the law to Moses on Sinai’s height and through Thy holy Angels, miraculously placed there, the body of blessed Catherine, Thy Virgin and Martyr, grant, we beseech Thee that by her merits and intercession, we may reach that towering eminence which is Christ our Lord.Through the same 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).
Thought for the Day – 23 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn
“Finally, the Christian will sometimes shed tears of joy. There are some people who are not easily moved. Rigid and inflexible, they proceed in all things, with mathematical precision and cannot be swayed by the promptings of the heart. They are incapable of shedding a tear.
If we love God sincerely, however, we shall have what is called by the Fathers, ‘the gift of tears.’ It is because we know God so little that we love Him so little. If we loved Him fervently, the contemplation of His infinite goodness and mercy, would move us to tears of love and of joy! So it was with the Saints, especially in the presence of the Crucifix and of the Blessed Sacrament and in the presence of the marvels of creation.
We are incapable of shedding tears of love and of joy because we know and love God so little. “Our love and knowledge of God are imperfect” (Summa Theologae I-II q 68 a2), writes St Thomas Aquinas. We are too absorbed in worldly vanities to be capable of such heartfelt joy and love.
Let us meditate more often and love God more fervently and He will grant us ‘the gift of tears!‘”
Quote/s of the Day – 21 November – The Memorial of St Pope Gelasius I (Died 496) Bishop of Rome from 1 March 492 until his death on 19 November 496.
“There are two powers, by which chiefly, this world is ruled – the Sacred authority of the Priesthood and the authority of Kings. And of these, the authority of the Priests is, so much the weightier, as they must render, before the tribunal of God, an account, even for the Kings of men.”
“Grant, we beseech Thee, O Lord that we do not trouble ourselves regarding the contradiction of spurious minds but once that very wickedness has been spurned, let us pray that Thou suffer us, neither to be frightened by the unjust criticisms, nor to be attracted to the insidious flatteries but rather, to love that which Thou dost command …”
(In 1751, Pope Benedict XIV published this Prayer within his Apostolic Constitution “Providas” which exposed the evils of freemasonry.)
Quote/s of the Day – 8 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – The Octave Day of All Saints – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven.”
Matthew 5:12
“Let us listen to the holy Voice of God which summons us from on high, from the holy mountain top. There, we must hasten – I make bold to say – like Jesus, Who is our leader and has gone before us into Heaven. There, with Him, may the eyes of our mind shine with His light and the features of our soul be made new; may we be transfigured with Him and moulded to His image, ever becoming divine, being transformed in an ever greater degree of glory.”
St Anastasius Sinaita (Died 6th Century) Priest and Abbot of St Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai
“The only true riches are those that make us rich in virtue. Therefore, if you want to be rich, beloved, love true riches. If you aspire to the heights of real honour, strive to reach the Kingdom of Heaven. If you value rank and renown, hasten to be enrolled in the heavenly court of the Angels.”
St Pope Gregory III (Died 741)
“Whatever riches and all other transitory things you may possess, you must keep your heart free from the slightest affection for them. Your heart may be surrounded by riches; however, riches must never master your heart! … Do not let that mind which is the likeness of God, cleave to mere earthly goods; let it always be raised above them, not sunk in them.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“Let us not strive for the rewards of Heaven, valuable though they may be but live, so as to please the God of Heaven. If God were not in Heaven, all its beauty, riches and sweetness, would be dull rather than delightful. By faith, we know, God already dwells within us. But in Heaven, we will see God face-to-face. May we so live that one day, we will be in Heaven praising and praying eternally, before our Lord and Saviour!”
Quote/s of the Day – 6 November – Within the All Saints Octave – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in Heaven.”
Matthew 5:12
“ Blessed are they who have not seen and have believed.”
John 20:29
“… A tree is known by its fruit. So those who profess to belong to Christ will be known, by what they do. For the work we are about, is not a matter of words, here and now but depends on the power of faith and on being found faithful, to the end!”
St Ignatius of Antioch (c35–c107) Bishop, Martyr, Apostolic Father
“Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”
Luke 21:28 “Truth is exhorting His elect by saying: “When the disasters of the world become more frequent… let your hearts exult! While the world, which is not your friend, is coming to an end, the redemption you have sought ,is coming near!” Those who love God are ordered to rejoice and be merry at the world’s end. They will soon find Him Whom they love, while what they have not loved is passing away. It should be far from the hearts of all the faithful who long to see God, to grieve over the disasters of a world, for they know, these very disasters, are soon to end. It is written that: “Whoever wishes to be a friend of this world, makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas 4:4).”
St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Confessor, Father and Doctor “Father of the Fathers”
“May Christ be heard in our language, may Christ be seen in our life, may He be perceived in our hearts”
AnaStpaul 
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