DOCTORS of the Church – Page 34

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 February –The ‘… Mother of God is our Mother! …’

Posted on February 3, 2024February 1, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 3 February – Saturday of the Blessed Virgin (Salve Sancta Parens) – Sirach 24:14-16; Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed is the womb
which bore Thee ”

Luke 11:27

“Mary, having merited to give flesh
to the Divine Word
and thus, supply the price
of our redemption
that we might be delivered
from eternal death, therefore,
she is more powerful
than all others,
to help us gain eternal life.”

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

“The very fact
that God has elected her,
proves, that none was ever
holier than Mary;
if any stain had disfigured her soul,
if any other virgin
had been purer and holier,
God would have selected her
and rejected Mary.”

St Jacob of Sarug (c 451-521)

“This woman will be the Mother of God,
the door to light, source of life.
She will reduce to oblivion the judgement
that weighed on Eve.
Daughter of David the king and Mother of God,
King of the universe, masterpiece
in whom the Creator rejoices…
thou art to be nature’s full achievement.
For thou life is not thine,
thou were not born for thyself alone
but thou life is to be God’s.
thou came into the world for Him,
thou will serve for the salvation of all people,
fulfilling God’s design, established from the beginning …”

St John Damascene (675-749)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“For whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven,
he is my brother and sister and mother.”
“These words were directed at us, not at Our Lady.
Not only was she the Immaculate Mother of Jesus Christ
but, she performed lovingly, on all occasions,
the Will of the heavenly Father.
She did His Will, in poverty and obedience,
in exile and on Mount Calvary.
Therefore, she was God’s Mother in the spiritual,
as well as, in the physical sense of the word,
insofar, as she was constantly united to Him
by a bond of love and of conformity with His desires.
Christ’s words indicate, that Mary’s perfect
and continuous acceptance of God’s Will,
was even more pleasing to God,
than the dignity of the divine Motherhood.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mother of Salvation,
Blessed Lady
By St Anselm (1033-1109)
Magnificent Doctor
Marian Doctor

Mother of Salvation,
Blessed Lady,
you are the Mother of Justification
and those who are justified;
the Mother of Reconciliation
and those who are reconciled;
the Mother of Salvation
and those who are saved.
What a blessed trust
and what a secure refuge!
The Mother of God is our Mother.
The Mother of the One
in Whom alone, we hope
and Whom alone, we fear,
is our Mother! …
The One Who partook of our nature
and by restoring us to life,
made us children of His Mother,
invites us by this grace, to proclaim
that we are His brothers and sisters.
Therefore, our Judge, is also our Brother.
The Saviour of the world, is our Brother.
Our God has become –
through Mary – our Brother!
Anen

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One Minute Reflection – 3 February – “Blessed is the womb that bore Thee ” – Luke 11:27

Posted on February 3, 2024February 3, 2024 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 February – “The Month of the Most Holy and Blessed Trinity” – Saturday of the Blessed Virgin (Salve sancta parens) – Sirach 24:14-16; Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed is the womb that bore Thee ” – Luke 11:27

REFLECTION – “Once indeed, God ejected the mortals and first parents of the human race from the paradise of Eden, when they had drunk deeply from the wine of disobedience and had become so affected by the hangover of sin, through the intoxication of that transgression which led to the sleepiness of the mind’s eye. …

Then Adam and Eve, the founders of our race, exclaimed with a loud voice in great rejoicing: “Blessed are you, O daughter, who bore for us the penalties of the commands that had been broken. When you had gained a mortal body from us, you gave birth to a covering of immortality for us. You repaid us ,so that it might be well with us, since you received birth from our loins. From beyond the grave, you have called us back to our ancient seat: we closed paradise for ourselves but you made open the way of the Tree of Life. Through our actions, sadness came forth from happiness; through you, even more joyful things have returned, from sorrow. In what possible way could you be acceptable to death, O Immaculate one? You are the bridge of life and the ladder to Heaven: you are a boat over the sea of death, reaching to immortality.”

But the woman herself, as she did not shrink from the truth, said: “Into Your hands, my Son, I commend my spirit. Receive this soul which is dear to You, which You have preserved free from any sin. I hand over my body, not to the earth but to You. Take me to Yourself, that where You are, You, the Child of my womb, so there I also may be Your companion. I am hastening to You, Who have often come to me on this side of that long distance.”

When she had said this, she heard in reply: “Come to My rest, My blessed Mother: arise, come, My Beloved, most blessed among all women. Behold, the winter is ended. You are all fair, My Beloved and there is no spot of stain found in you: the odour of your ointments are more precious than all other aromas.” – St John Damascene (675-749) Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from his Homily 9: On the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

PRAYER – Grant us, Thy servants, O Lord God, we beseech Thee, to enjoy lasting health of mind and body and, by the intercession of glorious and blessed Mary, ever Virgin, may we be delivered from present sorrow and partake, to the full, of eternal happiness.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 February – ‘… What shall we give Him? …’

Posted on February 2, 2024August 18, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 2 February – The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, Candlemas – Malachias 3:1-4, Luke 2:22-32 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The day will come when this Child
will no longer be offered in the Temple,
nor in Simeon’s arms
but outside the City
in the arms of the Cross.
The day will come when He
will not be redeemed
by the blood of a sacrifice
but redeem others ,
with His own Blood. …”
That will be the evening sacrifice;
this is the morning sacrifice;
this one is the happiest
but that one is the most complete;
for this one was offered
at the time of birth
and that one will be offered
in the fullness of time,..”

“But what shall we offer, brothers,
what shall we give Him
for all the benefits He has given us?
He offered the most precious Victim
He possessed for our sake;
in truth, He could not have had
anything more precious.
So let us, too,
do what we can,
let us offer Him the best we have,
that is to say, ourselves!
He offered Himself,
so who are you,
to hesitate to offer yourself?”

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

“Let us try and live like Simeon,
with our minds and hearts turned towards Jesus.
Let us think chiefly of Him,
love Him, above everything else
and work only for Him.
Then our death will be as beautiful as his.
In fact, we shall be even more fortunate,
for we can go further than receiving Jesus into our arms.
We shall be able to receive Him into out hearts.
He will be at hand to give us the supernatural strength
which we shall need on our great journey into eternity.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/02/02/quote-s-of-the-day-2-february-carrying-jesus/

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Our Morning Offering – 2 February – Candlemas

Posted on February 2, 2024February 1, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 2 February – The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, Candlemas

Candlemas
By John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
The Oratory, 1849.

The Angel-lights of Christmas morn,
Which shot across the sky,
Away they pass at Candlemas,
They sparkle and they die.

Comfort of earth is brief at best,
Although it be divine;
Like funeral lights for Christmas gone,
Old Simeon’ s tapers shine.

And then for eight long weeks and more,
We wait in twilight grey,
Till the High Candle sheds a beam
On Holy Saturday.

We wait along the penance-tide
Of solemn fast and prayer,
Whilst song is hushed and lights grow dim,
In the sin-laden air.

And while the sword in Mary’s soul
Is driven home, we hide
In our own hearts and count, the wounds
Of passion and of pride.

And still, though Candlemas be spent
And alleluias o’er,
Mary is music in our need.
And Jesus, Light in store.

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Thought for the Day – 29 January – “The Difference between –Placing ourselves in God’s Presence and Staying in God’s Presence” by St Francis de Sales

Posted on January 29, 2024January 28, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 29 January – The Feast of St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop, Confessor – Doctor of the Church: Doctor Caritatis (Doctor of Charity) “The Gentle Christ of Geneva” and “The Gentleman Saint.”

“The Difference between –
Placing ourselves in God’s Presence and
Staying in God’s Presence”

From a letter of St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
to St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)
dated 16 January 1610

“Staying in God’s Presence and placing ourselves in God’s Presence are, to my mind, are two different things.

In order to place ourselves in His presence, we have to withdraw our soul from every other object and make it attentive to that Presence at this very moment, as I have explained in the book.[Introduction to the Devout Life]
But once we are there, we remain there, as long as, either out intellect or our will, is active in regard to God.
We look either at Him, or at something else, for love of Him; or, not looking at anything at all, we speak to Him; or again, without either looking at Him or speaking to Him, we just stay there where He has placed us, like a statue in its niche.
And if, while we are there, we also have some sense that we belong to God and that He is our All, then we must certainly thank Him for this.

If a statue which had been placed in a niche, in some room, had the ability to speak and were asked “Why are you there?” it would answer, “Because my master, the sculptor, has put me here.”
“Why do you not move out?”
“Because he wants me to be perfectly still.”
“What use are you there? What do you gain by staying like this?” “I’m not here for my own benefit but to serve and obey the will of my master.”
“But you do not see him.”
“No but he sees me and is pleased that I am here where he has put me.”
“But would you not like to be able to move about and to get closer to him?
“No, not unless he ordered me to.”
“Is there not anything at all which you wish then?”
“No because I am where my master put me and all my happiness lies in pleasing him.”

Dear daughter, what a good way of praying and what a fine way of staying in God’s Presence – doing what He wants and accepting what pleases Him!
It seems to me that Mary of Bethany was a statue in her niche when, without saying a word, without moving and perhaps, even without looking at Him, she sat at Our Lord’s feet and listened to what He was saying.
When He spoke, she listened; whenever He paused, she stopped listening but always, she was right there (Lk 10:39).
A little child who is at its mother’s breast when she has fallen asleep, is really where it belongs and wants to be, even though neither of them makes a sound.

O my daughter, how I enjoy talking with you about these things!
How happy we are when we want to love Our Lord!
Let us really love Him, my daughter and let us not start examining in detail what we are doing, for love of Him, as long as we know that we never want to do anything except for love of Him.

For my part, I think we remain in God’s Presence, even while we are asleep because we fall asleep in His sight, as He pleases and according to His will and He puts us down on our bed, like a statue in its niche; when we awake, we find Him still there, close by. He has not moved, nor have we – evidently, we have stayed in His Presence but with our eyes closed in sleep.”

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Quote/s of the Day – 25 January – Conversion

Posted on January 25, 2024January 23, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 25 January – Feast of the Conversion of St Paul, Apostle

“O my brethren, if only we wanted to,
if only we all wanted to perceive
our soul’s paralysis in all its depth!
Then we would see
that it is lying on a stretcher of sins,
deprived of strength.
Christ’s action within us,
would be a source of light
and we would understand
that each day He sees our lack of faith,
harmful as it is, that He draws us
towards healing remedies
and sharply presses our rebellious wills.
“My son” He says, “your sins are forgiven you.”

St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450)
“Golden Words”
Father & Doctor of the Church

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

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

“When it is dark,
we do not see how dusty and dirty
our house is.
Only when the place
is flooded with sunlight,
do we realise its awful condition.
So, we need the light of God’s grace
to show us the real state of our soul
and to induce us
to clean up our hearts!”

St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)
Evangelical Doctor of the Church

“I see clearly with the interior eye,
that the sweet God loves, with a pure love,
the creature that He has created
and has a HATRED for nothing but SIN,
which is more opposed to Him,
than can be thought or imagined.”

St Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)

“A person who is conscious of his misery,
can certainly have great confidence in God.
In fact, he cannot have true confidence in Him,
without this consciousness of his misery.
This knowledge and acknowledgement
of our misery, leads us to the presence of God.”

“Let us then depart, let us depart from Egypt,
let us approach Our Lord,
let us make provision of good works;
let the feet of our affections be bare,
let us clothe ourselves with innocence,
let us not be satisfied with crying for mercy,
let us go forth from Egypt, let us delay no longer.
The hour is come to arise from sleep,
since we know that He receives sinners;
the Angels await our repentance,
the Saints pray for it!”

St Francis de Sales 91567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

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One Minute Reflection – 25 January – ‘… He is there and … He is also here? …’

Posted on January 25, 2024January 23, 2024 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 25 January – Feast of the Conversion of St Paul , Apostle, Acts 9:1-22, Matthew 19,27-29.

“He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” – Acts 9:4.

REFLECTION – “How can we show that He is there and that He is also here? Let Paul answer for us, who was previously Saul. First of all, the Lord’s own Voice from Heaven shows this: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Had Paul climbed up to Heaven then? Had Paul even thrown a stone at Heaven? It was Christians he was persecuting, them he was tying up, them he was dragging off to be put to death, them he was everywhere hunting out of their hiding places and never sparing, when he found them. To him the Lord said, “Saul, Saul.” Where is He crying out from? Heaven. So He’s up above. “Why are you persecuting Me?” So He’s down below.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 122).

PRAYER – O God, Who taught the whole world by the preaching of Thy blessed Apostle Paul, grant, we beseech Thee that we, who today celebrate his conversion, may draw closer to Thee, by way of hia 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).

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One Minute Reflection – 24 January – ‘ … In the Kingdom these relationships are transcended …’

Posted on January 24, 2024January 22, 2024 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 24 January – St Timothy (1st Century) Disciple of St Paul, Bishop and Martyr – 1 Timothy 6:11-16, Luke 14:26-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“If anyone comes to Me, without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:26

REFLECTION – “On another occasion, the Lord says, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, and wife and children and brothers and sisters and even his own soul, cannot be my disciple.” As a rule, this is more upsetting to the mind of new Christians, who are eager to begin at once, to live in accordance with the precepts of Christ. To those who do not fully grasp its meaning, it would seem contradictory…. He has condescended to call His disciples to the eternal Kingdom. He also called them brothers. In the Kingdom these relationships are transcended because, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, neither male nor female, neither slave nor freeman but Christ, is all things and in all.” The Lord says, “For in the resurrection, they will neither be married nor marry but will be as the Angels of God in Heaven.”

Whoever wishes to prepare himself now, for the life of that Kingdom, must not hate people but those earthly relationships, through which the present life is sustained, the temporary life that begins at birth and ends with death. Whoever does not hate this necessity, does not yet love that other life, in which there will be no condition of birth and death, the condition which makes marriages natural on earth.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop, Father, Doctor of Grace (Sermon on the Mount,15).

PRAYER – Be mindful of our weakness, Almighty God and because the burden of our sins weighs heavily upon us, may the glorious intercession of blessed Timothy, Your Martyr and Bishop, sustain us. 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).

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Quote/s of the Day – 22 January – ‘… Always persevere …’

Posted on January 22, 2024January 20, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 22 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – St Vincent of Saragossa (Died 304) Protomartyr of Spain and St Anastasius the Persian (Died 628) Martyr – Wisdom 3:1-8; Luke 21:9-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And you shall be hated by all men,
for My Name’s sake.”

Luke 21:17

“The fruits of the earth
are not brought to perfection immediately
but by time, rain and care.
Similarly, the fruits of men ripen
through ascetic practice,
study, time, perseverance,
self-control and patience.”

St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

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

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

“Love consists,
not in feeling great things
but, in having great detachment
and in suffering for the Beloved.”

St John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Doctor Mysticus

“Now, you must always persevere
in firmly placing all your trust in our Lord,
in the troublesome business you have in hand.
It will give you a fine opportunity
of laying a good foundation of submission
to God’s will and peace of soul.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

Excerpt from the Prayer
to the Five Wounds of Jesus
By St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)

I pray Thee, O most gentle Jesus,
that having redeemed me
by Baptism from original sin,
so now, by Thy Precious Blood,
which is offered and received,
throughout the world,
deliver me from all evils,
past, present and to come.
And by Thy most bitter Death,
give me a lively faith,
a firm hope
and perfect charity,
so that I may love Thee
with all my heart and all my soul
and all my strength.
Make me firm and steadfast in good works
and grant me perseverance in Thy service,
so that I may be able to please Thee always.
Amen.

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One Minute Reflection – 22 January – O strong love of God!

Posted on January 22, 2024January 20, 2024 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – St Vincent of Saragossa (Died 304) Protomartyr of Spain and St Anastasius the Persian (Died 628) Martyr – Wisdom 3:1-8; Luke 21:9-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Resolve, therefore, in your hearts, not to meditate beforehand, how you are to make your defence. For I Myself, will give you utterance and wisdom …” – Luke 21:14-15

REFLECTION – “O strong love of God! I really think, nothing seems impossible, to one who loves. O happy soul which has obtained this peace, from its God! For it has become mistress over all the trials and perils of the world. If only it can serve its good Spouse and Lord, it fears none of them – and, with good reason … Think of something which occurs to me now and which, is applicable to those who are naturally pusillanimous and have little courage … Although, in actual fact, their soul has been raised up to this state, the weakness of their nature makes them afraid. We must be on the watch, or this natural weakness, will deprive us of a great crown. When you find yourselves as pusillanimous as this, my daughters, have recourse to faith and humility and do not fail to go forward with faith, for nothing is impossible to God (Lk 1:37). He has thus been able to give many holy Saints, the courage to endure all the cruel tortures which they had resolved to suffer for His sake!

It is of this resolution and this free-will that the soul wishes to make Him Master, though He has no need of our efforts. Indeed, His Majesty is pleased that His works should shine forth in those who are weak, since in these, there is more scope for His power and, for the fulfilment of His desire, to grant us favours…

Pay no heed to the arguments adduced by your mind and your own weakness – this weakness will only grow, if you begin to imagine, what will and what will not happen …This is no time to think about your sins, leave them alone, humility is out of place now, it comes at the wrong time… Be assured that the Lord never forsakes those who love Him and risk everything for His sake!” – St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582) Carmelite, Doctor of the Church (Conceptions of the Love of God Ch 3:4-6).

PRAYER – Give heed to our humble prayers, O Lord, that we who know we are guilty of our own sin, may be saved by the intercession of Thy blessed Martyrs Vincent and Anastasius.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).

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Quote/s of the Day – 21 January – It is in the heart …

Posted on January 21, 2024January 19, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 21 January – St Agnes (c 291- c 304) Virgin and Martyr – Romans 12:16-21; Matthew 8:1-13 – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy
to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word
and my servant will be healed.”

Matthew 8:8

“By viewing himself as unworthy,
he showed himself worthy,
for Christ to come,
not merely into his house
but also into his heart.”

“For the Master of humility,
both by word and example,
sat down also, in the house
of a certain proud Pharisee, Simon
and although He sat down in his house,
there was no place in his heart.
For in his heart.
the Son of Man could not lay His head.”

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

“To receive the grace of God
into our hearts,
we ought to empty them
of our own glory.”

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

“Keep your heart in peace
and let nothing trouble you,
not even your faults.
You must humble yourself
and amend them peacefully,
without being discouraged or cast down,
for God’s dwelling, is in peace.”

St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

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Our Morning Offering – 21 January – Give me Thyself, O My God

Posted on January 21, 2024January 19, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 21 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – The Third Sunday after Epiphany

Give me Thyself, O My God
By St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

Give me Thyself, O my God,
give Thyself to me.
Behold I love Thee
and if my love is too weak a thing,
grant me to love Thee more strongly.
I cannot measure my love, to know
how much it falls short of being sufficient
but let my soul hasten to Thine embrace
and never be turned away,
until it is hidden in the secret shelter
of Thine presence.
This only do I know,
that it is not good for me
when Thou art not with me,
when Thou art only outside me.
I want Thee in my very self.
All the plenty in the world
which is not my God,
is utter want!
Amen

AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on THE WORLD, St PAUL!, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 20 January – Faith in Christ Jesus

Posted on January 20, 2024January 18, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 20 January – St Fabian, Pope and St Sebastian, Martyrs – Hebrews 11:33-39, Luke 6:17-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“They were stoned,
they were sawed asunder,
they were tempted,
they were put to death by the sword.
They went about in sheepskins
and goatskins, destitute,
distressed, afflicted –
of whom the world was not worthy –
wandering in deserts, mountains, caves
and holes in the earth.
And all these, approved by the testimony
of faith, were found in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Hebrews 11:37-39

“And all who wish to live
piously in Christ Jesus,
will suffer persecution.”

2 Timothy 3:12

“What is the surest kind of witness?
“Anyone who acknowledges that Jesus Christ
came among us in the flesh” (cf 1 Jn 4:2)
and who keeps the commands of the Gospel…
How many there are, each day,
of these hidden martyrs of Christ
who confess the Lord Jesus!
… So be faithful and courageous
in interior persecutions,
so that you may also win
the victory in exterior persecutions.”

St Ambrose (340-397)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Do not love your life in this world!
If you truly love yourselves,
do not thus love your life
and then, you will save your life!”…

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

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Quote/s of the Day – 19 January – ‘In the hours of the night, think always on Christ …’

Posted on January 19, 2024February 11, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 19 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – St Marius and Family of Persia, (Died c 270) Martyrs – Hebrews 10:32-38, Matthew 24:3-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Tell us when shall these things be?
and what shall be the sign of Thy Coming
and of the consummation of the world? ”

Matthew 24:3

“Watch, therefore because you know not
the day, nor the hour.”
Matthew 25:13

“ 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. …”

St Ambrose (340-397)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“… In fact, according to the merit
and fervour of each one,
there is a frequent and familiar advent of the Lord
that, in this intermediary period,
between His First and Last Coming,
models us on one and prepares us to the other.
The Lord comes to us now,
so that His First Coming to us, may not be in vain
and that the Last One, may not be that of wrath.
Through His Present Coming, in fact,
He works at reforming our pride,
in the image of the humility of His first advent,
to then remodel our humble body,
in the image of the glorified body He will show us,
when He will return. This is why we should desire
and fervently ask this personal coming –
which gives us the grace of this first advent
and promises us the glory of the last. …”

Bl Guerric of Igny (c1080-1157)
Cistercian Abbot

(2nd sermon for Advent, 2-4)

Grant Me, My God
By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Angelic Doctor, Common Doctor

Make my heart watchful, O God,
so that no vain thoughts may distract it from Thee.
Make it noble,
so that it may never be seduced by any base affection.
Make it steadfast,
so that troubles may not dismay it.
Make it free,
so that it may not yield to the onslaughts of passion.
Grant me, my God,
the intelligence, to understand Thee,
the love, to seek Thee,
the wisdom, to find Thee,
words, to please Thee,
the perseverance, to wait faithfully for Thee
and, the hope of embracing Thee, at last.
Grant that I, a repentant sinner,
may bear Thy chastisements with resignation.
Poor pilgrim which I am,
may I draw on the treasury of Thine grace
and may I one day,
be eternally happy with Thee in Heavnely glory!
Amen.

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One Minute Reflection – 19 January – The Third coming …

Posted on January 19, 2024January 17, 2024 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 19 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family”– St Marius and Family of Persia, (Died c270) Martyrs – Hebrews 10:32-38, Matthew 24:3-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“For yet a very little while and He, Who is to come, will come …” – Hebrews 10:37

REFLECTION – “ It is only right, my brothers, to celebrate our Lord’s coming with all possible devotion, so greatly does His comfort gladden us… and His love burn within us. But do not just think about His first coming, when He came “to seek and save the lost” (Lk 19:10); think, too, of that other coming when He will come to take us with Him. I should like to see you constantly occupied in meditating on these two comings… “resting among the sheepfolds” (Ps 67:14), for they are the two arms of the Bridegroom, in which the Bride of the Song of Songs took her rest: “His left arm is under my head and His right arm embraces me” (2:6)…

But, there is a third coming between the two, to which I have just referred and those who know of it, can rest in it, for their greater happiness. The other two are visible but this one is not. In the first, “ the Lord has appeared on earth and has spoken to us” (Bar 3:38)… in the last, “all mankind shall see the salvation of God” (Lk 3:6; Is 40:5)… But the one that comes between them is secret – it is that in which the elect alone see the Saviour within themselves and their souls find salvation.

In His first coming, Christ came in our flesh and in our weakness; in His coming in the midst of time, He comes in Spirit and power; in His final coming, He will come in His glory and majesty. But it is by the strength of the virtues that we attain to glory, as it is written: “The Lord, the King of armies, He is the King of glory” (Ps 23:10) and, in the same book: “That I may see Thy power and Thy glory” (Ps 62:3). And so, the second coming is like a road leading from the first to the last. In the first, Christ has been our Redemption; in the last, He will appear as our Life; in His coming between, He is our Rest and our Consolation!” – St Bernard (1091-1153) Cistercian Monk, The Last Father and Mellifluous Doctor of the Church (Sermons 4 and 5 for Advent).

PRAYER – O Lord, hear Thy people as they humbly pray, in union with the patronal intercession of Thy Saints that Thou wouldst grant us to enjoy peace, during our life on earth and to find help for life eternal. 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).

DOCTORS of the Church, INDULGENCES, Our MORNING Offering, PARTIAL Indulgence, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St Alphonsus de Liguori,

Our Morning Offering – 19 January – Indulgenced Act of Reparation

Posted on January 19, 2024August 1, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 19 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” –

Act of Reparation
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Indulgence of 3 Years – Once a Day

O Jesus, my Saviour and Redeemer,
Son of the living God,
behold we kneel before Thee and offer Thee our reparation;
we would make amends,
for all the blasphemies uttered against Thy Holy Name,
for all the injuries done to Thee in the Blessed Sacrament,
for all the irreverence shown toward Thine Immaculate Virgin Mother,
for all the calumnies and slanders, spoken against Thy Spouse,
the Holy Catholic and Roman Church.
O Jesus, Who hast said:
“If you ask the Father anything in My Name, He will give it you,”
we pray and beseech Thee,
for all our brethren who are in danger of sin;
sheld them from every temptation to fall away from the true faith;
save those who are even now standing on the brink of the abyss;
to all of them, give light and knowledge of the truth,
courage and strength, for the conflict with evil,
perseverance in faith and active charity!
For this do we pray, most merciful Jesus,
in Thy Name, unto God the Father,
with Whom Thou livest and reignest
in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
world without end.
Amen.

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Quote/s of the Day – 18 January – ‘Peter alone was chosen to stand at the head …’

Posted on January 18, 2024January 16, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 18 January – Feast of the Chair of the Apostle, St Peter at Rome – 1 Peter 1:1-7, Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:16

“Upon this rock
I will build My Church”

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

“He gave way to sin so that,
remembering his own failure
and the kindness of the Lord,
he might testify to others,
a grace of philanthropy in accord
with the divine design conceived by God.
The fall had been permitted to the one
who was going to see himself
entrusted with the Church,
the Pillar of the Church,
the Harbour of the Faith;
the fall had been permitted to Peter,
the Doctor of the Universe,
in order that, the forgiveness received,
might remain the foundation of love for others.”

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

“Nothing escaped the Wisdom and Power of Christ,
the elements of nature lay at His service,
spirits obeyed Him, Angels served Him. …
And yet, out of all the world,
Peter alone was chosen to stand at the head,
for the calling of all the peoples
and the oversight of all the Apostles
and Fathers of the Church.”

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

CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, St PAUL!, St PETER!, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 January – ‘… [Thou] didst boldly set up the trophy of the Cross of Christ, upon those Roman walls …’

Posted on January 18, 2024January 16, 2024 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 18 January – Feast of the Chair of the Apostle, St Peter at Rome – 1 Peter 1:1-7, Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And I say to thee: That thou art Peter and upon this rock, I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” – Matthew 16:18

REFLECTION – “When the twelve holy Apostles had received from the Holy Ghost the power to speak all languages, they divided the regions of the earth amongst themselves, as fields for their Gospel labours. Then was Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, sent to the Capital City of the Roman Empire that he might make the Light to shine, from the head, to the whole body of the civilised nations. At that time, what nation was there which had no representative in Rome? What nations would be ignorant of what Rome had learned?

Here were to be refuted the theories of philosophers, here dissolved the vanities of earthly wisdom, here overthrown the worship of devils, here destroyed the impiety of every sacrilege; here, where superstitious zeal had collected all the error and vanity of the world. Therefore, to this City, O most blessed Peter, thou dost not fear to come and, while thy companion in glory, the Apostle Paul, is still occupied with the government of other Churches, thou dost enter this forest of savage beasts, this deep and turbulent ocean, with more boldness than when thou didst walk upon the water!

Thou hadst already taught those, of the circumcision who had been converted, thou hadst founded the Church of Antioch, the first that bore the noble name of Christian; thou hadst published the law of the Gospel throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia and, thou didst not fear for the difficulty of thy work, nor turn back because of thine old age but didst boldly set up the trophy of the Cross of Christ, upon those Roman walls, where the Providence of God had appointed the throne of thine honour and the glorious scene of thy passion.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon on the Feast of St Peter’s Chair at Rome).

PRAYER – O God, Who together with the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven didst bestow on thy blessed Apostle Peter the pontifical power of binding and loosing, grant that by the aid of his intercession, we may be released from the bonds 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).

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Our Morning Offering – 18 January – O Prince of the Apostolic Senate!

Posted on January 18, 2024January 16, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 18 January – Feast of the Chair of St Peter at Rome

O Prince of the Apostolic Senate!
Hymn to the Prince of the Apostles
By St Peter Damian (1007-1072)
Cardinal Bishop of Ostia
Doctor of the Church

O Prince of the Apostolic Senate!
Herald of our Lord!
First Shepherd of the Faithful!
watch over the Flock intrusted to thee.

Lead us through verdant pastures,
feeding us with the nourishment of the Word
and lead us, thus fed, into the heavenly fold,
whither thou hast already gone.

To thee, Peter, have been delivered
the Keys of heaven’s gate
and all things, both in Heaven and on earth,
acknowledge thy authority.

Tis thou that choosest the City
where is to be established the Rock of the True Faith,
the foundation of the building,
on which the Catholic Church stands immoveable.

Thy shadow, as thou passest by, heals the sick
and Tabitha, who made garments for the poor,
was raised to life
at thy bidding.

Bound with two chains,
thou wast set free by an Angel’s power;
he bids thee put on thy garments and thy sandals
and lo! the prison door is opened.

To the Father unbegotten
and to the Only-Begotten Son
and to the co-equal Spirit of them both,
be praise and kingly highest power.
Amen.

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Quote/s of the Day – 16 January – Thou art the Christ

Posted on January 16, 2024January 14, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 16 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – 1 Peter 5:1-4, 10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:16

Blessed are they who have not seen
and have believed.”

John 20:29

“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!”
Luke 21:8

“[Christ speaks:]
I became useless to those who knew Me not,
because I shall hide Myself,
from those who possessed Me not.
And I will be with those who love Me. …
I arose and am with them
and will speak by their mouths.
For they have rejected those who persecute them
and I threw over them, the yoke of My love. …
Then I heard their voice
and placed their faith in My Heart.
And I placed My Name upon their forehead (Rv 14,1)
because they are free and they are Mine!”

Odes of Solomon
(Hebrew Christian text from the beginning
of the 2nd century) N° 42)

“Grace is given,
not to those who speak [their faith]
but to those, who live their faith!”

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

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on the CHURCH, St PETER!, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 January – “Upon this rock I will build My Church” – Matthew 16:18

Posted on January 16, 2024January 14, 2024 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 16 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – Saint Pope Marcellus I (Died 309) – 1 Peter 5:1-4, 10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Upon this rock I will build My Church” – Matthew 16:18

REFLECTION – “Brothers, when it comes to fulfilling my duties as Bishop, I discover that I am weak and slack, weighed down by the weakness of my own condition, while at the same time, I want to act generously and courageously. However, I draw my strength from the untiring intercession of the almighty and eternal Priest, Who, like us but equal to the Father, lowered His divinity to the level of man and raised humankind to the level of God. The decisions He made, give me a just and holy joy. For, when He delegated many shepherds to care for His flock, He did not abandon watching over His beloved sheep. Thanks to that fundamental and eternal assistance, I in turn, have received the protection and support of the Apostle Peter, who also does not abandon his function. This solid foundation, on which the whole of the Church is built, never grows tired of carrying the whole weight, of the building which rests on it.

The firmness of faith, for which the first of the Apostles was praised, never fails. Just as everything which Peter professed in Christ remains, so that which Christ established in Peter, remains… The order willed by God’s Truth remains. Saint Peter perseveres in the solidity which he received; he has not abandoned the governance of the Church which was placed in his hands. That, my brothers, is what that profession of faith, inspired by God the Father, obtained in the heart of the Apostle. He received the solidity of a rock which no assault can shake. In the entire Church, Peter says everyday: “Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon on the anniversary of his Consecration as Bishop).

PRAYER – O Lord, we beseech Thee, graciously hear the prayers of Thy people, that we may be helped by the merits of blessed Marcellus, Thy Pope and Martyr, whose sufferings we celebrate. 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).

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Our Morning Offering – 16 January – My Most Sweet Lord

Posted on January 16, 2024January 14, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 16 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family”

My Most Sweet Lord
Morning Offering
Of St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

My most sweet Lord,
I offer and consecrate to Thee.
this morning
all that I am and have –
my senses,
my thoughts,
my affections,
my desires,
my pleasures,
my inclinations,
my liberty.
In a word,
I place my whole body and soul
in Thy Hands.
Amen.

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

Posted on January 14, 2024January 13, 2024 by AnaStpaul

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.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/01/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-january-st-hilary-2/

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

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One Minute Reflection – 14 January – Why did our Lord change water into wine as His first Sign? – St Ephrem

Posted on January 14, 2024January 12, 2024 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 14 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family”– Second Sunday after the Epiphany and the Feast day of St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church – Romans 12:6-16; John 2:1-11 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“This, the first of His Signs, Jesus worked at Cana in Galilee and manifested His Glory and His disciples believed in Him…” – John 2:11

REFLECTION – “Why did our Lord change water into wine as His first Sign? It was to show how God, Who transforms nature into something else, also works His transformation in the womb of the Virgin. In the same way, as the crown of His miraculous deeds, Jesus opened a tomb to make known His freedom, with regard to the death, which is hungry to swallow up everything.

To both authenticate and confirm, the twofold reversal of nature, brought by His Birth and His Resurrection, Jesus changed water into wine, without in any way altering the stone water-jars. This was the symbol of His own Body, miraculously conceived and wonderfully created in a virgin, without the working of a man… Contrary to their normal use, the jars… brought new wine into the world, without ever repeating the same miracle again. In the same way the Virgin conceived and brought Emmanuel into the world, (Is 7,14) without afterwards conceiving again. The miracle of the stone water-jars was that what was small, became great, sparseness was changed into superabundance, plain water into sweet wine… In Mary, on the other hand, the greatness and glory of the Godhead changed its appearance to take on the aspect of weakness and humiliation.

Those jars were used for the Jewish purifications; into them our Lord poured His teaching: He demonstrated that He came according to the Law and the prophets but with the purpose of changing them all, through His teaching, as the water became wine… «The Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ» (Jn 1,17). The bridegroom who lived in Cana, invited the Bridegroom from Heaven and the Lord, Who was ready for that wedding, answered His invitation. Those seated at table invited Him, Who sets worlds in His Kingdom and He sent them a wedding gift, able to delight them… They had no wine, even of an ordinary sort, He poured a little from His own abundance for them. In return for their invitation, He Himself, invited them to His own wedding!” – St Ephrem (306-373) Deacon in Syria, Father and Doctor of the Church (Commentary on the Diatessaron, 5, 6f).

PRAYER – O God, Who gave to Thy people blessed Hilary, as a minister of salvation, grant we beseech Thee that we, who cherished him on earth as a teacher of life, may be found worthy to have him as an intercessor in Heaven. 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).

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Our Morning Offering – 14 January – In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost By St Hilary

Posted on January 14, 2024January 12, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 14 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – Second Sunday after the Epiphany and the Feast day of St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church

In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost
By St Hilary (315-368)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Father, keep us from vain strife of words.
Grant to us constant profession of the Truth!
Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith
so that we may hold fast to that
which we professed
when we were Baptised
in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost,
that we may have Thou for our Father,
that we may abide in Thy Son
and in the fellowship of the Holy Ghost.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Amen

Against SNAKE BITES / POISON, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOUT, KNEE PROBLEMS, ARTHRITIS, etc, Of LAWYERS & CANON Lawyers, Attorneys, Solicitors, Barristers, Notaries, Para-Legals, Of the SICK, the INFIRM, All ILLNESS, PATRONAGE - of MOTHERS, MOTHERHOOD, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 14 January – St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church, “Doctor of the Divinity of Christ”

Posted on January 14, 2024January 13, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 14 January – St Hilary (315-368) Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church, Writer, Philosopher, Theologian, Preacher, Defender of the Faith, Doctor of the Divinity of Christ, Miracle-worker. The “Hammer of the Arians” and “Athanasius of the West.” Patronages – against rheumatism, against snakes and snakebites, children with learning impediments, children learning to walk, lawyers, mothers, of the sick, of La Rochelle and Poitiers in France,4 Cities in Italy. Also known as – Ilario di Poitiers, Malleus Arianorum.

The Roman Martyrology reads yesterday, 13 January the day of his death: “At Poitiers, in France, the birthday of St Hilary, Bishop and Confessor of the Catholic Faith which he courageously defended and for which he was banished for four years to Phrygia, where, among other miracles, he raised a man from the dead. Pope Pius IX declared him a Doctor of the Church. His festival is celebrated on the 14th day of this Month.”

This staunch defender of the Divinity of Christ was a gentle and courteous man, devoted to writing some of the greatest theology and was like his Master in being labeled a “disturber of the peace.” In a very troubled period in the Church, his holiness was lived in both scholarship and controversy.

Raised a pagan, he was converted to Christianity when he met his God of nature in the study of Sacred Scriptures. His wife was still living when he was chosen, against his will, to be the Bishop of Poitiers in France. He was soon involved in the immense fight against what became the scourge of the 4th Century, -Arianism which denied the Divinity of Christ.

The heresy spread rapidly. St Jerome said “The world groaned and marvelled to find that it was Arian.” When Emperor Constantius ordered all the Bishops of the West to sign a condemnation of Athanasius, the great Defender of the Faith in the East, Hilary refused and was banished from France to far off Phrygia. Eventually he was called the “Athanasius of the West.”

While in Phrygia, however, he continued to govern his Diocese, as well as writing two of the most important of his contributions to theology. While there, he was invited by some semi-Arians (hoping for reconciliation) to a Council the Emperor called to counteract the Council of Nicea. But Hilary predictably defended theTruth of the Church and when he sought public debate with the heretical bishop who had exiled him, the Arians, dreading the meeting and its outcome, pleaded with the Emperor to send this troublemaker back home to the small Town of Poitiers, where his enemies hoped he would fade into obscurity. Hilary was welcomed by his people but he continued the fight against the heretics without ceasing.

While Hilary closely followed the great St Athanasius, in exegesis and Christology respectively, his work shows many traces of vigorous independent thought. St Jerome and others consider our St Hilary as the first Catholic Hymnist. Hilary is the pre-eminent Latin writer of the 4th Century (before Sts Ambrose and Augustine) and his works continue to be highly influential. Remember this Hymn we prayed yesterday for the Octave of the Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord:

Jesus Refulsit Omnium
Jesus, Light of All the Nations
By St Hilary (315-368)
Father & Doctor of the Church
Doctor of the Divinity of Christ

Jesus, the merciful Redeemer of all nations,
shone forth on this day;
let the faithful of every race
celebrate Him in their songs of praise.

A Star, shining in the heavens,
announces His Birth;
it leads the way
and guides them to His Crib.

Prostrating, they adore the Infant
wrapped in swaddling clothes;
they confess Him to be the true God,
offering Him their mystic gifts.

Thirty years of His life had passed
and He, the infinitely pure God,
seeks the laver of baptism.

John, the favoured Baptist
trembles as he bends the head of Jesus
beneath the waters–that Jesus whose Blood
was to purify the whole earth from its sins.

The Divine Voice of the Father is heard from Heaven,
bearing testimony to His Son
and the Holy Ghost, too, is present,
the Giver of holy grace.

We beseech Thee in humble supplication,
O Jesus! protect Thy people;
we ask it of Thee by the power Thou didst show
when Thou didst command
the water to be changed into wine.

May praise, honour and all power
be to the Trinity forever and forever.
Amen

(Verses 4-6 omitted on the image).
I could not find the name of the Translator of this version of this Hymn, often referred to as “the oldest” Christmas Hymn.

More:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/saint-of-the-day-13-january-st-hilary-of-poitiers-315-368-father-doctor-of-the-church/

Saint Hilary in glory surrounded by Angels by Correggio (c1489–1534)

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Quote/s of the Day – 13 January – The Baptism of the Lord

Posted on January 13, 2024January 12, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 13 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – Octave Day of Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6, John 1:29-34 –

“I saw the Spirit coming down as a dove
from the Heaven and He remained upon Him.”

John 1:32

“Jesus rises from the waters – the world rises with Him.
The heavens, like Paradise with its flaming sword,
closed by Adam for himself and his descendants,
are rent open. The Spirit comes to Him as to an equal,
bearing witness to His Godhead.
A Voice bears witness to Him from Heaven,
His place of origin.
The Spirit descends in bodily form like the Dove
which, so long ago, announced the ending of the flood
and so, gives honour to the Body, Who is One with God.”

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

“Christ was born of the Holy Spirit
and, since it was fitting,
that He should fulfill all justice,
He entered into the waters of baptism
to sanctify them.
When He left the Jordan,
He was filled with the Holy Spirit,
Who had descended upon Him,
in the form of a dove.
As the Evangelist tells us:
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit,
returned from the Jordan.”

St Gaudentius of Brescia (Died 410)

BAPTISM, CATECHESIS, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The BAPTISM of the LORD, The HOLY GHOST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 January – ‘ … Make ready then the vessel of your soul that you may become a son of God … ‘

Posted on January 13, 2024January 11, 2024 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 13 January – Octave Day of Epiphany – Isaias 60:1-6, John 1:29-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And I knew Him not but He who sent me to Baptise with water said to me: He upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, He it IS, Who Baptises with the Holy Spirit. And I saw and I gave testimony that this is the Son of God.” – John 1:33-34

REFLECTION – “Jesus Christ was the Son of God, yet He preached not the Gospel before His Baptism. If the Master Himself followed the right time in due order, ought we, His servants, to venture out of order? From that time Jesus began to preach (Matthew 4:17) , when the Holy Ghost had descended upon Him in a bodily shape, like a Dove, (Luke 3:22) not that Jesus might see Him first, for He knew Him even before He came in a bodily shape but, that John, who was Baptising Him, might behold Him. For I, says he, knew Him not but He that sent me to Baptise with water, He said to me, upon Whomsoever you shall see the Spirit descending and abiding on Him, that is He (John 1:33).

If you too have unfeigned piety, the Holy Ghost comes down on you also and a Father’s Voice sounds over you from on high — not, ‘This is My Son’ alone because ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.’ To Him belongs the ‘IS’ since He is always the Son of God – but to you, has now been made, since you have not the sonship by nature but receive it by adoption. He eternally ‘IS’ but you receive the grace progressively.

Make ready then the vessel of your soul that you may become a son of God and an heir of God and joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17); if, indeed, you are preparing yourself that you may receive; if you are drawing near in faith that you may be made faithful; if of set purpose, you are putting off the old man!” – St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Bishop of Jerusalem, Father and Doctor of the Church (Catechetical Lecture 3: 14-15).

PRAYER – O God, Whose Only-begotten Son appeared in the substance of our flesh, grant, we pray Thee that we, who acknowledge His outward likeness to us, may deserve to be inwardly refashioned in His Image. 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).

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Our Morning Offering – 13 January – Jesus Refulsit Omnium – Jesus, Light of All the Nations By St Hilary

Posted on January 13, 2024January 11, 2024 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 13 January – “The Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and of the Holy Family” – The Eighth Day, The Octave of the Epiphany