Category: DOCTORS of the Church

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, GOOD FRIDAY, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, LENTEN THOUGHTS, MIRACLES, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The LAST THINGS, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 23 October – The Most Holy Redeemer

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 October – Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer

“I did not come to condemn the world
but to save the world.”

John 12:47

“Come along then, every human family,
full of sin as you are
and receive the forgiveness of your sins.
For I Myself, am your forgiveness,
I am the Passover of salvation,
the Lamb slain for your sakes,
your redemption, life and resurrection;
I am your Light, your Salvation and your King.
It is I, who lead you to the heights of heaven,
I, who will raise you up;
it is I, who will bring you to see the Father
who is from all eternity;
it is I, who will raise you up
by My all-powerful Hand.”

St Melito of Sardis (Died c 180)
Bishop, Apologist

Paschal Homily

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

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

“The light of Christ
is an endless day
that knows no night.”

“Our Saviour’s passion
raises men and women
from the depths,
lifts them up from the earth
and sets them in the heights.”

St Maximus of Turin (? – c 420)

“As they were looking on,
so we too gaze on His wounds as He hangs.
We see His blood as He dies.
We see the price offered by the Redeemer,
touch the scars of His Resurrection.
He bows His head, as if to kiss you.
His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you.
His arms are extended, that He may embrace you.
His whole body is displayed for your redemption.
Ponder how great these things are.
Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind –
as He was once fixed to the cross,
in every part of His body for you,
so He may now be fixed in every part of your soul.”

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

“Mount Calvary is the mount of lovers.
All love that takes not it’s beginning
from Our Saviour’s Passion is frivolous and dangerous.
Unhappy is death without the love of the Saviour,
unhappy is love without the death of the Saviour!
Love and death are so mingled
in the Passion of Our Saviour
that we cannot have the one in our heart without the other.
Upon Calvary one cannot have life without love,
nor love without the death of Our Redeemer.”

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

“Yes, my gentle Redeemer,
let me say it,
You are crazy with love!
Is it not foolish for You
to have wanted to die for me?
But if You, my God,
have become crazy with love for me,
how can I not become crazy with love for You?”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

Prayer Before The Crucifix – The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
By St Vincent Strambi (1745-1824)

Jesus, by this Saving Sign,
bless this listless soul of mine.
Jesus, by Your feet nailed fast,
mend the missteps of my past.
Jesus, with Your riven hands,
bend my will to love’s demands.
Jesus, in Your Heart laid bare,
warm my inner coldness there.
Jesus, by Your thorn-crowned head,
still my pride till it is dead.
Jesus, by Your muted tongue,
stay my words that hurt someone.
Jesus, by Your tired eyes,
open mine to faith’s surprise.
Jesus, by Your fading breath,
keep me faithful until death.
Yes, Lord, by this Saving Sign,
save this wayward soul of mine.
Amen

“He perspired blood in the Garden of Gethsemane,
He was betrayed by Judas,
denied by Peter and, abandoned by the Apostles,
He was bound like a criminal,
insulted, scourged, crowned with thorns, condemned to death
and burdened with a cross;
finally, when He arrived at Calvary,
He was nailed to the gibbet,
where He shed His Precious Blood
and gave His life for our redemption.
Such was the extent of Jesus’ infinite love for us.
“Calvary” writes St Francis de Sales,“is the school of love.”
The Saints were moved to tears
by the strange spectacle of God-made-man,
dying on the Cross for men.
What is our reaction?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, INCORRUPTIBLES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 October – ‘… Even so, the time is very near for each of us … ‘ St Augustine Luke 12:54-59

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One Minute Reflection – 23 October – Friday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 4:1-6, Psalms 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, Luke 12:54-59 and the Memorial of Blessed John Angelo Porro OSM (1451-1505)

“You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”… Luke 12:56

REFLECTION – “The gospel tells us that some people were rebuked by the Lord because, clever as they were at reading the face of the sky, they could not recognise the time for faith when the kingdom of heaven was at hand. It was the Jews who received this reprimand but it has also come down to us. The Lord Jesus began His preaching of the gospel with the admonition: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 4:17). His forerunner, John the Baptist, began his in the same way: “Repent,” he said, “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt 3:2). Today, for those who will not repent at the approach of the kingdom of heaven, the reproof of the Lord Jesus is the same…
As for when the end of the world will be, that is God’s concern… Even so, the time is very near for each of us, for we are mortal. There are hazards all around us. We should be in less danger from them were we made of glass. What more fragile than a vessel of glass? And yet it can be kept safe and last indefinitely. Of course it is exposed to accidents but it is not liable to old age and the suffering it brings. We, therefore, are the more frail and infirm. In our weakness we are haunted by fears of all the calamities that regularly befall the human race and if no such calamity overtakes us, still, time marches on. We may evade the blows of fortune but shall we evade death? We may escape perils from without but shall we escape what comes from within us? Now, suddenly, we may be attacked by any malady. And if we are spared? Even so, old age comes at last and nothing will delay it.”… St Augustine (354-430) – Father & Doctor of the Church – Sermon 109

PRAYER – Lord God, You fill us with Your grace and teach us true faith. Strengthen in our hearts that faith that no trials may quench the fire, that we may seek Your face in every moment and accept AND LIVE all of Your will. Send us Your Spirit to keep the fire blazing. By the inspiration and prayers of Blessed John Angelo Porro, may we grow in sanctity and may the humble love and intercession of Mary Mother of our faith, be our succour. Through Jesus Your Son our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The HOLY GHOST, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 22 October – “I have come to set the earth on fire!” Luke 12:49

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Quote/s of the Day – 22 October – Thursday of the Twent Ninth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 3:14-21, Psalms 33: 1-2, 4-5,11-12, 18-19, Luke 12:49-53

“I have come to set the earth on fire!”

Luke 12:49

“And I will ask the Father
and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth,
which the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows it.
But you know it,
because it remains with you
and will be in you.”

John 14:16-17

“His action is preceded
by the beaming rays of His light and knowledge.
He comes with the truth of the real Protector;
for He comes to save, to lead, to teach, to counsel,
to strengthen, to console,
to illumine in the first place the mind of the person
who receives Him
and through that person‘s works,
the minds of others.”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Go Forth, Set the World on Fire”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“A Son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
is a man on fire with love,
who spreads it’s flames wherever he goes.
He desires mightily and strives by all means possible,
to set the whole world on fire with God’s love.
Nothing daunts him,
he delights in privations,
welcomes work,
embraces sacrifices,
smiles at slander
and rejoices in suffering.
His only concern
is how he can best follow Jesus Christ
and imitate Him in working,
suffering and striving constantly
and single-mindedly,
for the greater glory of God
and the salvation of souls.”

St Anthony Mary Claret (1807-1870)

For St John Paul II Quotes here:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/22/quote-s-of-the-day-22-october-st-john-paul-the-great/

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 20 October – “Open the door to him at once … ” Luke 12:36

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Quote/s of the Day – 20 October – Tuesday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 2:12-22,Psalms 85:9-10,11-12, 13-14, Luke 12:35-38

“Open the door to him at once
when he comes and knocks.”

Luke 12:36

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice
and opens the door,
[then] I will enter his house
and dine with him and he with me.”

Revelations 3:20

“Find Jesus at the door of your heart
and you will discover paradise.”

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

“Let your door stand open
to receive Him,
unlock your soul to Him,
offer Him a welcome in your mind
and then you will see
the riches of simplicity,
the treasures of peace,
the joy of grace.
Throw wide the gate of your heart,
stand before the sun of the everlasting light.”

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

“Christ is both the way and the door.
Christ is the staircase and the vehicle …”

St Bonaventure (1221-1274)
Seraphic Doctor

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 October – “What shall I do?” Luke 12:17

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One Minute Reflection – 19 October – Monday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 2:1-10, Psalms 100:1-2, 3,4, 4-5, Luke 12:13-21 and the Memorial of St Paul of the Cross CP (1604-1775)

“What shall I do? For I do not have space to store my harvest ” – Luke 12:17

REFLECTION – “What shall I do?” There was a ready response to this: “I will satisfy hungry souls, open up my barns, call in everyone in need… I will speak out words of generosity – all you, who are short of bread, come to me; each according to your needs, take your share of God’s gifts flowing like a public fountain.” Yet you, you foolish rich man, are very far from doing this! And why? Jealous of seeing others enjoy their wealth you give yourself up to wretched calculations – you are not anxious about how to distribute to each according to their need but how to take everything and deprive everyone else, of the profit they might have drawn from it…

So then, my brethren, take care you don’t experience the same fate as that man! If Scripture gives us this example, it is so, that we can avoid behaving in the same way. Imitate the earth! – bear fruit and don’t prove yourself worse than it, soulless as it is. It yields crops, not for it’s own pleasure but to serve you. To the contrary, all the fruit of the kindnesses you show, will be gathered for yourself, since the graces that arise from good works, return to those who bestow them. You have given to the hungry and what you gave, remains with you and even comes back to you, with increase. As the grain of wheat that fell into the earth brings profit to the sower, so the bread given to the hungry, will bring you superabundant profit later on. May the end of all your labours, be for you, the commencement of your sowing in heaven.” – St Basil The Great (329-379) Monk and Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Father and Doctor of the Church – Sermon 6, on Wealth

PRAYER – Almighty God, Your Priest Saint Paul, loved only the cross. May he obtain Your grace for us, so that, inspired with a new courage and the virtue of obedience and sacrifice, by his example, we may take up our cross without flinching. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God now and for all eternity, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HYPOCRISY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 October – “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ” … Luke 12:1

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One Minute Reflection – 16 October – Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 1:11-14, Psalms 33:1-2, 4-5,12-13, Luke 12:1-7 and the Memorial of St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) “Apostle of the Sacred Heart” and St Gall (c 550–c 646) Missionary to Switzerland

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ” … Luke 12:1

REFLECTION – “Christ told His friends, that is, His disciples, to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and scribes, meaning, by leaven, their false pretense.
Hypocrisy is hateful to God and humanity. It does not bring a reward and it is utterly useless for the salvation of the soul. It is rather the cause of its damnation.
Although sometimes it may escape detection for a little while, before long, it is sure to be uncovered and bring disgrace on them. It is like an unattractive woman when she is stripped of that external embellishment which she produced by artificial means.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Known as ‘The Pillar of Faith,”Archbishop of Alexandria (Commentary on Luke, Homily 86)

“How sensible is Our Lord’s warning to us … to be beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy – professing without practising. He warns us against it, as leaven, as a subtle insinuating evil which will silently spread itself throughout the whole character …
He warns us that the pretence of religion never deceives beyond a little time …
Let us remember, that all who follow God with but a half heart, strengthen the hands of His enemies, … perplex inquirers after truth and bring reproach upon their Saviour’s name ….
Woe unto the deceiver and self-deceived! ….
God give us grace to flee from this woe while we still have time!
Let us examine ourselves, to see if there be any wicked way in us. …
And, let us pray God to enlighten us and to guide us and, to give us the will to please Him and the power.” – St John Henry Newman C.Orat (1801-1890)

PRAYER – Lord Jesus Christ, You wondrously revealed all of the deep treasures of Your Heart to St Margaret Mary. May her merits and example win us the grace to love You above all things and in all things so that we may make our abode in Your own Sacred Heart. St Margaret Mary, pray for us that we may live in the Sacred Heart of Christ our Lord and may the prayer of St Gall lead us to be lights of the truth. Through You, Lord Jesus, who live and reign forever, in union with God our Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on The SOUL, SAINT of the DAY

Quotes of the Day – 15 October – St Teresa of Jesus of Avila

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Quotes of the Day – 15 October – The Memorial of St Teresa of Jesus of Avila OCD (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church – “Doctor of Prayer”

“There is more value
in a little study of humility
and, in a single act of it,
than in all the knowledge
in the world.”

“You ought to make every effort
to free yourselves,
even from venial sin
and to do
what is most perfect.”

“There are more tears
shed over answered prayers,
than over unanswered prayers.”

“The surest way to determine.
whether one possesses the love of God,
is to see, whether he or she loves his or her neighbour.
These two loves are never separated.
Rest assured, the more you progress
in love of neighbour,
the more your love of God will increase.”

“Remember that you have only one soul;
that you have only one death to die;
that you have only one life. . . .
If you do this,
there will be many things
about which you care nothing.”

“There is no such thing
as bad weather.
All weather is good
because, it is God’s.”

St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of Prayer

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HOLY WEEK, HOLY WEEK 2019, LENTEN THOUGHTS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, POETRY, QUOTES for CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The PASSION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 October – The scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard … Luke 11:47-54

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One Minute Reflection – 15 October – Thursday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 1:1-10, Psalms 98:1, 2-3,3-4, 5-6, Luke 11:47-54 and the Memorial of St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church “Doctor of Prayer”

The scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard … lying in wait for him … Luke 11:53-54

REFLECTION – “With a fear mingled with joy I consider it desirable to say something here about the sufferings you endured for my sake, O God of us all!
Standing before the tribunal of men You Yourself had created
in a nature that was my own
You said nothing, You who give us speech;
You did not speak aloud, You who create the tongue;
You did not shout out, You who shake the earth (…)
You did not give up to shame
the one who gave You up to the terrors of death;
You showed no resistance when You were bound
and when You were struck, you were not outraged.
When they spat on You, You did not swear back
and when they struck You with the fist,
You did not tremble.
When they taunted You, You were not angered
and when they hit You, Your face did not change (…)
Far from giving You a moment of respite,
O source of life,
they at once prepared for carrying
the instrument of death.
You accepted it graciously,
took it gently,
hoisted it patiently.
You took upon Yourself, like a criminal,
the tree of sorrow!” – St Gregory of Narek (c 951-c 1010) Doctor of the Church, Armenian Monk, mystical Philosopher, Theologian and Poet – Book of prayers, no 77

PRAYER – Almighty God, our Father, You sent St Teresa of Jesus to be a witness in the Church to the way of perfection. Sustain us by her spiritual doctrine and kindle in us, the longing for true holiness. Through Christ, our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, God forever. May the intercession of St Teresa be a source of strength, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 15 October

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St Teresa of Jesus of Avila OCD (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church (Memorial)
Biography here:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/10/15/saint-of-the-day-15-october-st-teresa-of-jesusof-avila-1515-1582-doctor-of-the-church/
AND:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/15/saint-of-the-day-15-october-saint-teresa-of-avila-ocd-1515-1582/
AND Excerpt of Pope Benedict’s Catechesis on St Teresa:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/15/saint-of-the-day-15-october-st-teresa-of-avila-of-jesus-1515-1582-doctor-of-the-church/

St Antiochus of Lyon
St Aurelia of Strasbourg
St Callistus of Huesca
St Cannatus of Marseilles
Bl Cipriano Alguacil Torredenaida
St Euthymius the Younger
Bl Josefa Martínez Pérez
St Leonard of Vandoeuvre
Bl Narcis Basté y Basté
Bl Pere Verdaguer Saurina
Bl Ramón Esteban Bou Pascual
St Sabinus of Catania
St Severus of Trier
St Thecla of Kitzengen OSB (Died c 790)
St Willa of Nonnberg
—
Martyrs of Cologne: A group of 360 Christian soldiers martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian and Maximian. They were martyred in 303 outside the city walls of Cologne, Germany.

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Cipriano Alguacil Torredenaida
• Blessed Josefa Martínez Pérez
• Blessed Narcis Basté y Basté
• Blessed Pere Verdaguer Saurina
• Blessed Ramón Esteban Bou Pascual

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HYPOCRISY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on PURITY of INTENTION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SILENCE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 14 October – Faith, Love, Justice – Luke 11:42

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 October – Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 5:18-25, Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6, Luke 11:42-46

“But woe to you Pharisees!
For you tithe mint and rue and every herb
and neglect justice and the love of God.”

Luke 11:42

“Christianity is not a matter
of persuading people of particular ideas
but of inviting them to share
in the greatness of Christ.
So pray, that I may never fall into the trap,
of impressing people,
with clever speech but instead,
I may learn, to speak with humility,
desiring only to impress people,
with Christ Himself.”

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

“Mint and dill and cumin are only spices for food
but are not themselves, substantial food.
What substantive food would mean in conversion,
would be that which is necessary
for the justification of our souls—faith and love—
unlike these legalisms,
which are more like condiments and flavourings.
It is as if, a meal might be thought to consist,
more of condiments and flavourings,
than the food itself.
The seriousness of judgement is neglected,
while great attention is given to minor matters.”

Origen (c 185-253)
Priest, Theologian, Father

“You hide your heart from man –
hide it from God if you can.
… Where will you go?
Where will you flee?
Do you want to hear some advice?
If you want to flee from Him – flee to Him.
Flee to Him by Confessing, not from Him, by hiding,
for you cannot hide but you can Confess.
Tell Him. “You are my refuge” (Ps 32[31]:7)
and let there be nursed in yo,
the love that alone leads to life.”

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

“It is clear, my brethren,
that we live outside ourselves,
we are forgetful of ourselves
whenever we fritter our lives away
in empty pursuits or distractions,
decked out with trifles.
That is why Wisdom
is more concerned to invite us
to the house of repentance
than the house of feasting,
that is to say to call back into himself,
the man outside himself …”

Blessed Isaac of Stella O.Cist (c 1100 – c 1170)
Sermon 2 for All Saints, 13-20

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Mormning Offering – 13 October – St Augustine’s O God of Our Life

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Our Morning Offering – 13 October – Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time

O God of Our Life
By St Augustine (354-430)
Father & Doctor of the Church

God of our life,
there are days
when the burdens we carry
chafe our shoulders
and weigh us down;
when the road
seems dreary and endless,
the skies grey and threatening;
when our lives
have no music in them
and our hearts are lonely
and our souls have lost their courage.
Flood the path with light,
run our eyes
to where the skies are full of promise;
tune our hearts to brave music;
give us the sense of comradeship
with heroes and saints of every age;
and so quicken our spirits
that we may be able
to encourage the souls of all
who journey with us on the road of life,
to your honour and glory.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 11 October – The Wedding garment – Matthew 22:1-14

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One Minute Reflection – 11 October – The Twenty-eighth Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Readings: Isaiah 25:6-10, Psalms 23:1-3, 34, 5, 6, Philippians 4:12-14,19-20, Matthew 22:1-14 and the Memorial of St Alexander Sauli CRSP (1534-1592) Bishop “The Apostle of Corsica”

“Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” – Matthew 22:12

REFLECTION – “But you, my friends, since you have already come into the house of the marriage feast, our holy Church, as a result of God’s generosity, be careful lest, when the King enters, He finds fault with some aspect of your heart’s clothing!

What do we think is meant by the wedding garment, dearly beloved? For if we say it is Baptism or faith, is there anyone who has entered this marriage feast without them? A person is outside because he has not yet come to believe. What then must we understand by the wedding garment but love? That person enters the marriage feast but without wearing a wedding garment, who is present in the holy Church. He may have faith but he does not have love. We are correct when we say that love is the wedding garment because this, is what our Creator Himself possessed, when He came to the marriage feast, to join the Church to Himself. Only God’s Love brought it about, that His Only-Begotten Son, united the hearts of His chosen, to Himself. John says “God so Loved the world that He gave His Only-Begotten Son for us.” – St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Father and Doctor of the Church – (Sermons on the Gospel No 38).

PRAYER – Lord Holy God and Father, open our hearts o Your grace. Let it go before us and be with us. Open our hearts to Your love. Let it be the foundation of our love, let our love be Your love. Stepping in the footsteps of Your Son, in imitation of His Saints as St Alexander Sauli lived, grant that by his intercession, we too may reach Your eternal Feast. Through Jesus our Lord who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 11 October – St John Chrysostom’s Prayer before Holy Mass

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Our Morning Offering – 11 October – The Twenty-eighth Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time

Prayer before Holy Mass
By St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor of the Church

O God, loose, remit and forgive
my sins against You.
Whether in word, or in deed, or in thought,
willingly or unwillingly,
knowingly or unknowingly, committed,
forgive them all,
for You are good and love mankind.
And through the prayers of Your most holy Mother,
of Your heavenly servants and holy powers
and of all the saints
who have found favour in Your sight,
enable me to receive, without condemnation
Your holy and immaculate Body
and Your Precious Blood,
to the healing of my soul and body
and to the driving away of all evil imaginations,
for Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
now and forever
and to ages of ages.
Amen

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN QUOTES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 October – “Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.” Luke 11:28

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One Minute Reflection – 10 October – “Month of the Most Holy Rosary” – Saturday of the Twenty SeventhWeek in Ordinary Time, Readings:Galatians 3: 22-29, Psalms 105: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, Luke 11: 27-28 and the Memorial of St Paulinus of York (c 584-644) and St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572)

“While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’” – Luke 11:27

REFLECTION – “Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, “Blessed is the womb that bore you,” he replied, “Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”

Finally, for his brothers, his relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in him, of what advantage was that relationship? Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good, unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart, than in her flesh.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of Grace – Holy Virginity, 3/

PRAYER – Almighty God and Father, you sent St Paulinus and St Francis Borgia to be Your witnesses and to bring Your Church to the pagans for the salvation of souls. Sustain us by their prayers that by our lives we may lead all to You through Holy Mother Church. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 8 October – ‘Immortality is given to the one who perseveres …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 October – Thursday of the Twenty Seventh week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 3:1-5, Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:69-70, 71-72,73-75, Luke 11:5-13

“I tell you, if he does not get up
to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him
whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
And I tell you, ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and it will be opened to you.”

Luke 11:8-9

“Immortality is given to the one who perseveres;
everlasting life is offered;
the Lord promises His Kingdom.”

St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200- c 258)
Bishop and Martyr

“Patience is the companion of wisdom.”

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

“And so it happened
that the woman who stayed behind to seek Christ,
was the only one to see Him.
… At first she sought
but did not find
but when she persevered,
it happened that she found
what she was looking for. …
And so Mary, once addressed by name,
recognises who is speaking.
She immediately calls Him Rabboni,
that is to say, teacher,
because the One whom she sought outwardly,
was the One who inwardly
taught her to keep on searching.”

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

“We must pray incessantly,
for the gift of perseverance.”

St Philip Neri (1515-1595)

“In prayer one must hold fast and never let go,
because the one who gives up, loses all.
If it seems that no-one is listening to you,
then cry out even louder.
If you are driven out of one door,
go back in by the other.”

St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)

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

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 October – God does not speak at all, to the soul that does not speak to Him

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One Minute Reflection – 6 October – Tuesday of the Twenty Seventh week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 1:13-24, Psalms 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15, Luke 10: 38-42 and the Memorial of St Bruno O.Cart. (c 1030-1101)

“As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak…”– Luke 10:38-39

REFLECTION – “Adopt the habit of conversing one to one with God, familiarly, trustingly and with love, as though with the dearest and most affectionate friend you have. (…)

You are not being asked for a continual application of spirit that makes you forget your duties or even your recreational times. Without neglecting your occupations, you are only being asked to behave with God, in the different circumstances that present themselves, as you act with people who love you and whom you love. Your God is always beside you, not to say within you: “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Whoever wishes to speak to Him has no need of setting up an antechamber, far from it! God wants to see you treat Him without ceremony. Converse with Him about your affairs, projects, annoyances, fears and all that interests you. The essential thing, I repeat, is that you do it without embarrassment and with an open heart. Indeed, God does not speak at all, to the soul that does not speak to Him and who, in consequence, only hears His voice with difficulty, not being accustomed to speak to Him. (…)

It is true that we owe God sovereign respect. But when He favours you with the feeling of His presence and encourages you to speak to Him as to the best of your friends, open your heart freely and with all confidence.” – St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop and Doctor of the Church – To converse with God is both pleasant and easy

PRAYER – Lord God, You called St Bruno to serve You in a life of solitude. Amidst this world’s changes, help us, by his prayers, to set out hearts always on You. Heavenly Father, let me realise that You guide our lives through Your Providence, Your Word and Sacraments. Help me to be obedient to the rules for my state in life and so be obedient to Your will for me. Grant that the prayers of St Bruno may assist us as we strive to grow in humility. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, franciscan OFM, GOD the FATHER, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 October – ‘… What love!’ – Matthew 21:42

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One Minute Reflection – 4 October – Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Readings: Isaiah 5:1-7, Psalms 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20, Philippians 4:6-9, Matthew 21:33-43 and the Memorial of St Francis of Assisi OFM (c 1181–1226)

“By the Lord has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes” … Matthew 21:42

REFLECTION – “Christ has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Cor 5:18) Saint Paul thus brings out the greatness of the apostles, by showing us the ministry that was entrusted to them and at the same time, he shows us the love with which God loved us. After people refused to listen to Him who had been sent to them, God did not let His anger burst forth, He did not reject them. He persisted in calling them to Himself through the apostles. Who would not marvel at so much solicitude?

They killed the Son who had come to reconcile them, who was the only Son and of the same nature as the Father. The Father did not turn away from the murderers, He did not say: “I sent them my Son, and they, not satisfied with not having listened to Him, put Him to death and crucified Him. So now, it is only just that I abandon them.” He did the opposite. And after Christ had left earth, it is we, His ministers, who have the responsibility to replace Him. “He has given us the ministry of reconciliation. I mean that God, in Christ, was reconciling the world to himself, not counting men’s transgressions against them.”

What love! going beyond all words and intelligence! Who was it had been insulted? God Himself! And who takes the first step towards reconciliation? He Himself (…) If God had wanted to make us give an account, we would truly be lost since “all died” (2 Cor 5:14). But in spite of our many sins, He did not strike with His vengeance but He even reconciled us to Himself. Not satisfied with taking away our debt, He even considered it to be nothing. In the same way, we have to forgive our enemies if we ourselves want to obtain this generous forgiveness: “He has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” … St John Chrysostom (345-407) Father and Doctor – Homily 11 on the Second Letter to the Corinthians, 4-5

PRAYER – All highest, glorious God,
cast Your light into the darkness of our hearts,
give us true faith, firm hope,
perfect charity and profound humility,
so that with wisdom,
courage and perception, O Lord,
we may do what is truly Your holy will.
Amen. By St Francis of Assisi

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, The HOLY GHOST, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 3 October – I Believe

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 October – Saturday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17, Psalms 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130, Luke 10:17-24

“I Believe”

“Whoever serves me must follow me,
so as to be with me
wherever I am…”

John 12:26

“But it is God,
who establishes us, with you in Christ
and has anointed us,
by putting his seal on us
and giving us his Spirit in our heart,
as a first instalment.”

St Paul
2 Corinthians 1:21

“Remember, then, that you received a spiritual seal,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of knowledge and reverence,
the spirit of holy fear.
Keep safe what you received.
God the Father sealed you,
Christ the Lord strengthened you
and sent the Spirit into your hearts
as the pledge of what is to come.”

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

“Faith is to believe
what you do not see;
the reward of this faith,
is to see what you believe.”

“A person can do other things against his will
but belief is possible,
only in one who is willing.”

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

“If you wish to enter into life,
keep My commandments.
If you will know the truth,
believe in Me.
If you will be perfect,
sell all.
If you will be My disciple,
deny yourself.
If you will possess the blessed life,
despise this present life.
If you will be exalted in heaven,
humble yourself on earth.
If you wish to reign with Me,
carry the Cross with Me.
For only the servants of the Cross
find the life of blessedness
and of true light.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
The Imitation of Christ Chapter 56

“If God had a wallet,
your picture would be in it.”

G K Chesterton (1874-1936)

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ANGELS, The WORD

Quotes of the Day – 2 October – Holy Guardian Angels

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Quotes of the Day – 2 October – The Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

“See, I am sending an angel before you,
to guard you on the way
and bring you to the place
I have prepared.
Give heed to him
and hearken to his voice.
Do not rebel against him,
for he will not forgive your sin.
My authority is within him.”

Exodus 23:20-21

“Beside each believer
stands an Angel
as protector and shepherd,
leading him to life.”

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

“If we detect an angel,
by the effect he is producing,
let us hasten to pray,
since our heavenly guardian
has come to join us.”

St John Climacus (579-649)
Father of the Church

“Each man has a angel guardian
appointed to him….
Angel guardians are given to man also
as regards invisible and secret things,
concerning the salvation
of each one in his own regard.
Hence, individual angels are appointed
to guard individual men.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Angelic Doctor

“The first thing about the Angels
which we ought to imitate,
is their consciousness
of the Presence of God.”

“What joy it is to know
that when we go out of the house,
we are never alone en route.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/02/quote-s-of-the-day-2-october-the-memorial-of-the-holy-guardian-angels/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HYMNS, I BELIEVE!, MARIAN QUOTES, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on VOCATIONS, SAINT of the DAY, VOCATIONS

Quote/s of the Day – 1 October – St Romanos the Melodios & St Thérèse of the Child Jesus

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Quote/s of the Day – 1 October – Thursday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Job 19:21-27, Psalms 27:7-8, 8-9, 13-14, Luke 10:1-12 and The Memorial of St Romanos the Melodios (c 490-c 556) and St Thérèse of the Child Jesus/Lisieux OCD (1873 – 1897) Doctor of the Church

“We implore You,
O All-Holy, Long-Suffering
Life and Restoration,
Source of goodness,
look down from heaven
and visit all those
who ever trust in You;
rescue our life, Lord,
from all constraint and affliction,
and, in the faith of truth, guide us all.
At the prayers of the
Immaculate Mother of God and Virgin,
Save your world
and those in the world
and spare us all,
You who, for us,
became man without change,
only Lover of mankind.”

St Romanos the Melodios (c 490-c 556)
(On the Life of Christ, Feast of the Presentation of the Lord)

“Our vocation, yours and mine,
is not to go harvesting in the fields of ripe corn,
Jesus does not say to us;
“Lower your eyes, look at the fields and go and reap them,”
our mission is still loftier.
Here are Jesus’ words: “Lift up your eyes and see….”
See how in My Heaven there are places empty,
it is for you to fill them! …
each one of you is my Moses praying on the mountain (Ex 17:8f),
ask Me for labourers and I shall send them,
I await only a prayer, a sigh from your heart!”

“Prayer is an aspiration of the heart.
It is a simple glance directed to Heaven.
It is a cry of gratitude and love
in the midst of trial as well as joy.”

“She is more mother
than Queen.”

“It is not Death that will come to fetch me,
it is the good God.
Death is no phantom, no horrible specter,
as presented in pictures.
In the catechism it is stated,
that death is the separation of soul and body, that is all!
Well, I am not afraid of a separation
which will unite me to the good God forever.”

“Let us go forward in peace,
our eyes upon heaven.
the only one goal of our labours.”

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/01/quote-s-of-the-day-1-october-the-memorial-of-st-therese-of-lisieux-o-c-d-1873-1897-doctor-of-the-church/
AND:
“In the Heart of the Church, I Will Be Love”
https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/01/thought-for-the-day-1-october-in-the-heart-of-the-church-i-will-be-love/

St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873 – 1897)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 1 October – St Thérèse’s Morning Offering

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Our Morning Offering – 1 October – Thursday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time and the Memorial of St Thérèse of the Child Jesus/Lisieux O.C.D. (1873 – 1897) Doctor of the Church

Morning Offering
By St Thérèse of the Child Jesus

O my God!
I offer Thee all my actions of this day
for the intentions and for the glory
of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart,
my every thought,
my simplest works,
by uniting them to It’s infinite merits
and I wish to make reparation for my sins,
by casting them into the furnace of It’s Merciful Love.
O my God!
I ask Thee for myself
and for those whom I hold dear,
the grace to fulfil perfectly Thy Holy Will,
to accept for love of Thee,
the joys and sorrows of this passing life,
so that we may one day be united together
in Heaven for all Eternity.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 1 October

Posted on by AnaStpaul

St Thérèse of Lisieux/St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face/The Little Flower O.C.D. (1873 – 1897) Doctor of the Church (Memorial)
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/01/saint-of-the-day-st-therese-of-lisieux-o-c-d-1873-1897-doctor-of-the-church/

St Aizan of Abyssinia
St Albaud of Toul
Bl Andrew Sushinda
Bl Antoni Rewera
St Aretas of Rome
St Bavo of Ghent
Bl Cecilia Eusepi
Bl Christopher Buxton
St Crescens of Tomi
St Dodo
Bl Dominic of Villanova
Bl Edward James
St Evagrius of Tomi
St Fidharleus
Bl Gaspar Fisogiro
St Gregory the Illuminator
St John Kukuzelis
Bl John Robinson
Blessed Juan de Palafox Mendoza (1600–1659)
His Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/01/saint-of-the-day-1-october-blessed-juan-de-palafox-mendoza-1600-1659/
St Julia of Lisbon

Blessed Luigi Maria Monti CFIC “Sons of the Immaculate Conception” (1825-1900)
About Blessed Luigi:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/10/01/saint-of-the-day-1-october-blessed-luigi-maria-monti-1825-1900/

St Maxima of Lisbon
Bl Nikita Budka
St Piaton of Tournai
St Priscus of Tomi
Bl Ralph Crockett
Bl Robert Widmerpool
Bl Robert Wilcox
St Romanos the Melodist (c 490-c 556)
St Sazan of Abyssinia
St Verissimus of Lisbon
St Virila
St Wasnulf
—
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Carmelo Juan Pérez Rodríguez
• Blessed Higinio Mata Díez
• Blessed Juan Mata Díez
• Blessed Álvaro Sanjuán Canet
• Blessed Florencia Caerols Martínez

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ON the SAINTS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, SAINT of the DAY, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 30 September – St Jerome

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Quote/s of the Day – 30 September – The Memorial of St Jerome (347-419) Father and Doctor, “The Man of the Bible”

A Light for Our Path
By St Jerome

O Lord,
You have given us Your word
for a light to shine upon our path,
grant us so to meditate on that word
and follow its teaching,
that we may find in it,
the light that shines more and more
until the perfect day.
Amen

“Let sleep find you holding your Bible
and when your head nods,
let it be resting on the sacred page.”

“Someone who shows no clemency,
who is not clothed with the bowels of mercy and tears,
no matter what sort of student he is in spirituality,
such a one does not fulfil the law of Christ.”

“Instead of speaking saintly words,
we must act them.”

“If Christ did not want to dismiss the Jews
without food in the desert,
for fear that they would collapse on the way,
it was to teach us,
that it is dangerous
to try to get to Heaven,
without the Bread of Heaven.”

“You say in your book that while we live,
we are able to pray for each other
but afterwards, when we have died,
the prayer of no person for another, can be heard.
But if the apostles and martyrs,
while still in the body, can pray for others,
at a time, when they ought still be solicitous,
about themselves,
how much more will they do so,
after their crowns, victories and triumphs?”
(St Jerome from ‘Against Vigilantius,’ 406)

St Jerome wrote to Augustine in 418:
“You are known throughout the world;
Catholics honour and esteem you
as the one who has established anew the ancient Faith.”

Many more here:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/09/30/quotes-of-the-day-30-september-st-jerome-speaking-of-holy-scripture/

Quote/s of the Day – 30 September – Memorial of St Jerome (347-419) Father and Doctor

Quote/s of the Day – 30 September – The Memorial of St Jerome (347-419) Father and Doctor

St Jerome (343-420)
“The Man of the Bible”
Father and Doctor of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 September – ‘Human obligation?’ Luke 9:62

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 30 September – Wednesday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Job 9:1-12, 14-16, Psalms 88:10-11, 12-13, 14-15, Luke 9:57-62 and the Memorial of St Jerome (347-419) Father and Doctor

“Jesus said to him, “No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” … Luke 9:62

REFLECTION – “The man said, “Allow me first to go and bury my father.” The Lord replied, “Let the dead bury their dead but go and preach the kingdom of God.” Another man said, “Let me first arrange my affairs at home.” He rebuked him with a stern threat, saying, “No man, putting his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” A person who wishes to become the Lord’s disciple must repudiate a human obligation, however honourable it may appear, if it slows us, ever so slightly, in giving the wholehearted obedience we owe to God.” … St Basil the Great (329-379) – Concerning Baptism

PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, You endowed Saint Jerome with a deep reverence and understanding of Holy Scripture, which he loved with all his heart. Sustain us evermore with Your word and teach us by their precepts. Help us to follow each word which Jesus, Your Son, our Redeemer, uttered that we may find therein the source of life. May the prayers of St Jerome assist us in our love and faithfulness. We ask this through Jesus our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, Amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, Our MORNING Offering, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS

Our Morning Offering – 30 September – What Can I Say, Merciful Lady? by St Anselm (1033-1109)

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Our Morning Offering – 30 September – The Last day of the Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Wednesday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time

What Can I Say, Merciful Lady?
St Anselm (1033-1109)
Doctor of the Church

My most merciful Lady,
what can I say about the fountains
that flowed from your most pure eyes
when you saw your only Son before you,
bound, beaten and hurt?
What do I know of the flood
that drenched your matchless face,
when you beheld your Son, your Lord
and your God,
stretched on the cross without guilt,
when the flesh of your flesh
was cruelly butchered by wicked me?
How can I judge what sobs
troubled your most pure breast
when you heard,
“Woman, behold your son,”
and the disciple,
“Behold, your Mother,”
when you received as a son
the disciple in place of the Master,
the servant for the Lord?
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 30 September

Posted on by AnaStpaul

St Jerome (Memorial) (347-419) Father and Doctor
St Jerome, here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/09/30/saint-of-the-day-30-september-st-jerome-347-419-father-and-doctor-of-the-church-2/
AND:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/09/30/saint-of-the-day-30-september-st-jerome-347-419-father-and-doctor-of-the-church/

St Amato of Nusco (c 1003-1093) Bishop
St Antoninus of Piacenza
St Castus of Piacenza
St Colman of Clontibret
St Desiderius of Piacenza
St Enghenedl of Anglesey
St Eusebia of Marseilles
Bl Frederick Albert
Saint Gregory the Illuminator (c 257 – c 331)
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/09/30/saint-of-the-day-30-september-saint-gregory-the-illuminator-c-257-c-331/

St Honoratus of Canterbury
St Ismidone of Die
Bl Jean-Nicolas Cordier
St Laurus
St Leopardus the Slave
Bl Ludwik Gietyngier
St Midan of Anglesey
St Simon of Crépy
St Ursus the Theban
St Victor the Theban
—
Martyrs of Valsery Abbey: An unknown number of Premonstratensian monks at the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Valsery, Picardie, France who were martyred by Calvinists. They were martyred in 1567 at Valsery, Pircardy, France

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, The LAST THINGS

Quote/s of the Day – 29 September – The Archangels

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 29 September – The Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

“You should be aware that the word “angel”
denotes a function rather than a nature.
Those holy spirits of heaven
have indeed always been spirits.
They can only be called angels
when they deliver some message.
Moreover, those who deliver messages
of lesser importance, are called angels
and those who proclaim messages
of supreme importance,
are called Archangels.”

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

“Angels take different earthly forms
at the bidding of their master, God.
They thus reveal themselves to human beings
and unveil the Divine Mysteries to them.”

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

“God loves in the Seraphim, as charity,
knows in the Cherubim, as truth,
is seated in the Thrones, as equity,
reigns in the Dominions, as majesty,
rules in the Principalities, as principle,
guards in the Powers, as salvation,
acts in the Virtues, as strength,
reveals in the Archangels, as light,
assists in the Angels, as piety.”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor

“God is humanity’s universal teacher and guardian
but His teaching to humanity,
is mediated by angels.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Angelic Doctor

“The powers of hell will assail the dying Christian
but his angel guardian will come to console him.
His patrons and St Michael,
who has been appointed by God
to defend his faithful servants,
in their last combat with the devils,
will come to his aid.”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on INNOCENCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 September – ‘… Being like-minded with Him and anxious to walk in His steps.’ – Luke 9:48

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 28 September – Monday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Job 1:6-22, Psalms 17:1, 2-3, 6-7, Luke 9:46-50 and The Memorial of Blessed Bernardine of Feltre OFM (1439-1494)

“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me and whoever receives me, receives him who sent me, for he who is least among you all, is the one who is great.” … Luke 9:48

REFLECTION – “The passion and lust of pride attacked some of the holy apostles. The mere argument about who of them was the greatest is the mark of an ambitious person, eager to stand at the head of the rest. Christ, who did not sleep, knows how to deliver. He saw this thought in the disciple’s mind, springing up, in the words of Scripture, like some bitter plant. He saw the weeds, the work of the wicked sower. Before it grew up tall, struck its root down deep, grew strong and took possession of the heart, He tears up the evil by the very root. In what way does the Physician of souls amputate pride’s passion? How does He deliver the beloved disciple from being the prey of the enemy and from a thing hateful to God and man? “He took a child,” it says, “and set it by him.” He made the event a means of benefiting both the holy apostles themselves and us their successors. This illness, as a rule, preys upon all those who are in any respect superior to other people.

What kind of type and representation did He make the child He had taken? He made the child a representation of an innocent and humble life. The mind of a child is empty of fraud and his heart is sincere. His thoughts are simple. He does not covet rank and does not know what is meant by one man being higher than another is. Christ brought forward the child as a pattern of simplicity and innocence and set him by Him. He showed him as in an object lesson, that He accepts and loves those who are like the child. He thinks they are worthy of standing at His side, as being like-minded with Him and anxious to walk in His steps.” … St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father and Doctor of the Church – Commentary on Luke, Homily 54

PRAYER – Lord God, You hold out the Light of Your Word to those who do not know You. Strengthen in our hearts, the faith You have given us and the Credo we profess, so that no trials and pride may quench the fire Your Spirit has kindled in us. May the intercession of Blessed Bernardine of Feltre, grant us the grace of following the way of the Cross, to stand beneath it with our Mother, the Mother of God, Ave Maria! We make our prayer through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 26 September – The language of the Cross

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 26 September – Saturday of the Twenty Fifth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ecclesiastes 11:9–12:8, Psalms 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14,17, Luke 9:43-45

“Let these words sink into your ears:
the Son of Man is about to be delivered
into the hands of men.”

Luke 9:44

“The language of the cross
is foolishness to those who are perishing
but to us, who are being saved,
it is the power of God”

1 Corinthians 1:18

“We give glory to You, Lord,
who raised up Your Cross to span the jaws of death
like a bridge by which souls might pass
from the region of the dead to the land of the living. ..
You are incontestably alive.
Your murderers sowed Your living body in the earth
as farmers sow grain but it sprang up
and yielded an abundant harvest of men
raised from the dead.”

St Ephrem (306-373)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“On the cross, Christ
effected a great exchange.
There the purse
containing the price
to be paid for us,
was opened.”

“Great thing is the knowledge of the crucified Christ.
How many things are enclosed inside this treasure!
Christ crucified!
Such is the hidden treasure of wisdom and science.
Do not be deceived, then, under the pretext of wisdom.
Gather before the covering and pray, that it may be uncovered.
Foolish philosopher of this world, what you are looking for is worthless…
What is the advantage of being thirsty, if you despise the source? …
And what is His precept but that we believe in Him and love each other?
In whom? In Christ crucified.
This is His commandment – that we believe in Christ crucified …
But where humility is, there is also majesty,
where weakness is, there shall one find power,
where death is, there shall be life as well.
If you wish to arrive at the second part, do not despise the first!“

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

“Christ, who is your life, is hanging before you,
so that you may look at the Cross, as in a mirror.
There you will be able to know, how mortal were your wounds,
that no medicine other, than the Blood of the Son of God, could heal.
If you look closely, you will be able to realise,
how great your human dignity and your value are….
Nowhere other than looking at himself,
in the mirror of the Cross,
can man better understand how much he is worth”

(Sermones Dominicales et Festivi III, pp. 213-214)

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

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

St Francis of Paola OM (1416-1507)

“Jesus will be in agony
even to the end of the world;
we must not sleep
during that time”

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
(Pensées, 553)

“My beloved Redeemer,
how much did it cost You to raise me from the ruin,
which I brought on myself through my sins?
What can I do without Your grace?
I can do nothing but pray
that You will help me
but even this prayer comes
from the merits of Your suffering and death!
O my Jesus, help me!”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most zealous Doctor

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, SACRED HEART QUOTES, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – – 25 September – And Peter answered, The Christ of God. Luke 9:20

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 25 September – Friday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, Psalms 144:1, 2, 3-4, Luke 9:18-22

“Then he said to them,
But who do you say that I am?”
And Peter answered,
The Christ of God.”

Luke 9:20

“If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.”
Jesus turned, and seeing her he said,
“Take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well.”
And instantly the woman was made well.”

Matthew 9:21-22

“It is I, be not afraid”

John 6:20

“What determines that the gifts of God dwells in us,
is the measure of each one’s faith.
Because, it is to the extent that we believe
that the enthusiasm to act is given us.
And so, those who act,
reveal the measure of their faith
proportionate to their action,
they receive their measure of grace
according to what they have believed. …”

St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662)
Monk and Theologian

“I believe
though I do not comprehend
and I hold by faith,
what I cannot grasp
with the mind.”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor

“Believing is
an act of the intellect
assenting to the divine truth,
by command of the will,
moved by God through grace.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus
Doctor Communis

“O Heart of love,
I put all my trust in Thee,
for I fear all things,
from my own weakness,
but I hope for all things,
from Thy Goodness.”

St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)

“Faith is that which makes us believe
from the depths of our souls…
all the truths that our religion teaches us,
all that the Gospel holds
and all that the Church sets before us.
The just man lives truly by this faith (Rom 1:17),
for it replaces for him,
the greater part of his natural senses.
It so transforms all things,
that the senses are of little use to the soul,
which through them is only deceived,
whilst faith shews it realities.
Where the eye sees but a poor man,
faith sees Jesus (Mt 25:40).”

Bl Charles Eugène de Foucauld of Jesus OCSO (1858-1916)