One Minute Reflection – 20 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 14: 21 – 15: 1; Exodus 15: 8-9, 10 and 12, 17; Matthew 12: 46-50
“And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Behold my mother and my brothers!” – Matthew 12:49.
REFLECTION – “.“His Mother is the whole Church, since it is she, who, by God’s grace, gives birth to Christ’s members, that is to say, those who are faithful to Him. Again, His Mother is every holy soul who does the Father’s will and whose fruitful charity is made known in those, to whom she gives birth for Him, “until he has been formed in them” (cf Gal 4:19)…St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church – Sermon 72
PRAYER – Almighty Father, You made us Your children, You called us from all ages and You formed us by Holy Mother Church. Grant, we pray, that by Your grace, we may be ever faithful to her and be guided by Your Holy Spirit of love. O God may YourMother and ours and Your holy Angels and Saints intercede for us that, being made imitators of the Lord’s Passion, we may merit to be co-heirs of His Kingdom. Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 20 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Our Lord, King of all! By St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church
We pray to You, O Lord, who are the supreme Truth, and all truth is from You. We beseech You, O Lord, who are the highest Wisdom, and all the wise depend on You for their wisdom. You are the supreme Joy, and all who are happy owe it to You. You are the Light of minds and all receive their understanding from You. We love, we love You above all. We seek You, we follow You, and we are ready to serve You. We desire to dwell under Your power for You are the King of all. Amen.
Thought for the Day – 18 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Intimacy with Jesus
“The union of love which should exist between Jesus and ourselves, is modelled on the mysterious union between Jesus and His Heavenly Father.
(1) This intimacy between ourselves and Jesus should be, first of all, in the mind. Our thoughts will be good when we think like God and with the mind of Jesus, “Who is the true light that enlightens every man who comes into the world” (Jn 1:9). If we stray away from that light, darkness overwhelms us, even as it pervaded the earth during the agony of Jesus Christ. Our intelligence is a ray of light which comes from God, we should take care not to allow this ray to be separated from its divine source. This heavenly ray always shone on the faces of the saints because they were clean of heart and close to God. That is how we should all be.
(2) In the second place, we should be united intimately with Jesus in our sentiments. “Have this mind in you which was also in Jesus Christ” (Phil 2:5) says St Paul. Our love must not be abstract or partial but must be all-absorbing. Jesus calls us friends and friendship unites two hearts as one. We must give ourselves completely to Jesus without reserving anything for ourselves. True holiness is found when God and man are united like two faithful constant friends.
(3) In the third place, there must be intimacy in action. It is not possible for a man who truly loves God to do anything which would offend Him. Jesus compares the love which we should have for Him with the love which He has for His Heavenly Father, so we should model our lives continuously on the life of Jesus. Jesus must work in us, as He did in St Paul and all the Saints.
St Francis de Sales writes, that Jesus should always be in our minds, in our hearts, in our eyes and on our tongue. We should be living images of Jesus and we must, therefore, live and act for Him, with Him and in Him.”
Thought for the Day – 17 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Entrusting Ourselves to God
“Sometimes the cross seems too heavy. Physical or moral sufferings may give rise to a feeling of rebellion, or temptations may grow so strong that I feel overwhelmed and unable to experiece the supernatural influence of God’s grace.
At such times, I should remember the words of Jesus: “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light” (Mt 11:28).
If I leave myself entirely in God’s hands, my cross will become lighter. My worries and woes, will be easier to bear and, I shall not be excessively elated by worldly pleasures.
All the Saints had perfect TRUST in God. Therefore, they were always content.”
Quote/s of the Day – 17July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 12: 37-42; Psalms 136: 1 and 23-24, 10-12, 13-15; Matthew 12: 14-21
“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen”
Matthew 12:18
“He cries out, saying: See, I am with you all the days of this age. He is Himself the shepherd, the high priest, the way and the door, and has become all things at once for us.”
St Athanasius (297-373) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Loving You, O God, brings its own reward here on earth, as well as the eternal reward of heaven. By becoming mirrors of Your love, by wearing the mask of Your likeness and by allowing You to make us perfect, we can know the joy of heaven, even while we abide here on earth.”
William of St Thierry O.Cist (c 1075 – c 1148)
“The life of the body, is the soul, the life of the soul, is Christ.”
St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Evangelical Doctor of the Church
“Who is like You, Who founded heaven and earth …, You, Who will Your delight to be with the children of humankind? How great You are, King of kings and Lord of Lords, Who rule the stars and set Your Heart on humankind!”
St Gertrude the Great of Helfta (1256-1301)
“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
Thought for the Day – 16 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Holiness
“In a radio message which he broadcast on the occasion of the Beatification of Pope Innocent XI, the Supreme Pontiff, Pius XII, defined holiness as “the intimate awareness of loyal subjection to God, Who is adored and loved, as the beginning, end and norm of every thought, affection, word and action.”
Let us meditate on this definition, which helps to shed some light on the true nature of sanctity. A holy man must always have a keen awareness of his own dependence upon God, his Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier and his hoped for reward and happiness in the next life. This awareness must be vivid, for it should not be possible for it to be obscured by worldly distractions or obliterated by sensual allurements. It should be active, so that it may not be a merely theoretical acknowledgement of our dependence which leads to nothing more than lip-worship; on the contrary, it must be capable of transforming our lives into an act of obedience and of love. Finally, it should be a faithful awareness, a complete and voluntary subjection to God, which is the driving force behind all our words and actions and, which inspires us alike, in joy and in sorrow, in victory and in defeat. If we wish to be perfect Christians, we must cultivate this kind of consciousness of our dependence upon God.”
Thought for the Day – 15 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Life of Fervour
“God is our Creator and absolute Master, Whom the Angels adore and irrational creatures obey. His greatness demands that we should offer all our activities to Him in a spirit of fervent and loving dedication. Since we have received everything from Him, we have many reasons for loving Him. By the work of redemption, God became our Friend and our Brother and the Victim of Expiation for our sins. How could we remain indifferent and ungrateful when we remember the favours which we have received . Love desires love in return and God loves us so much that He became man and shed His Blood for us. Moreover, He immolates Himself continually on our behalf, in the Sacrifice of the Eucharist. Finally, our fervour should be increased, by the reflection, that God has reserved for us, an everlasting reward, His own Beatific Vision.
All these considerations should help us to increase the fervour of our love. Then our actions will form a ladder of ascent to God, by means of which, we shall become intimately united to Him.
Thought for the Day – 11 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Following Jesus
“When we have renounced ourselves and have embraced our cross with resignation and love, we must follow Jesus. We must follow Him in a special way as the infallible Teacher of truth. The teachings of men cannot satisfy our intellects. Still less, can they satisfy our hearts. What they teach is either incomplete or false. This is proved by the fact that the doctrines of mean have succeeded and replaced one another, down through the centuries while “the word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 1:25).
The teaching of Christ produces an extraordinary renovation in the individual, in the family and in society. It is this renewal which we call Christianity and Christian civilisation. There is a wide chasm between paganism and Christianity. This gulf would be even wider, only for the fact that Christianity has not yet been fully put into practice throughout the universe. There is only one reform necessary. This is to realise the Christian ideal everywhere. We must begin by carrying it out ourselves. Let us follow Jesus, Who is saying to us: “I am the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6). “He who follows Me does not walk in darkness” (Jn 8:12).
Let us follow our divine Master and we shall be sure that we are travelling towards Heaven!”
Quote/s of the Day – 11 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Amos 7: 12-15; Psalms 85: 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 (8); Ephesians 1: 3-14; Mark 6: 7-13
“He began to send them out two by two”
Mark 6:7
“Love one another as I have loved you”
John 15:12
“My brothers, Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it and by your progress in it, make your ascent together.”
St Fulgentius of Ruspe (460-533)
“Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Wearied, it is not tired. Pressed, it is not straitened. Alarmed, it is not confused but like a living flame, a burning torch, it forces its way upward and passes unharmed through every obstacle.”
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
“We are born to love, we live to love and we will die, to love still more.”
One Minute Reflection – 11 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Amos 7: 12-15; Psalms 85: 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 (8); Ephesians 1: 3-14; Mark 6: 7-13
“He began to send them out two by two” – Mark 6:7
REFLECTION – “Dearly beloved brethren, our Lord and Saviour teaches us, sometimes by His words and sometimes by His actions. His actions themselves are commandments, for when He does something without saying anything, He shows us how we must act. So here, He is sending His disciples out, two by two to preach because there are two commandments of love – love of God and of neighbour. The Lord sent His disciples to preach, two by two, to suggest to us without saying it, that the person who does not have love for the other, must absolutely not take on the ministry of preaching!
It is very good that He “sent them in pairs before him to every town and place he intended to visit.” (Lk 10:1) For the Lord comes after His preachers because preaching is a prerequisite – the Lord comes to dwell in our soul when the words of exhoration have come as a forerunner and have caused us to welcome the truth in our soul. That is why Isaiah said to the preachers: “Prepare the way of the Lord! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!” (Isa 40:3) And the psalmist also told them: “Prepare the way for him who rises up to the west.” (Ps 67:5 Vulgate) The Lord rises up to the west [the lying down of the sun] because in lying down in His Passion, He showed Himself in greater glory in His resurrection. He rose up to the lying down because in rising, He trampled underfoot the death that He suffered. Thus, we prepare the way for Him who rises up to the lying down, when we preach His glory to your souls, so that when He comes after, He might enlighten them by the presence of His love.” – St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Father and Doctor of the Church – Homilies on the Gospel, 17,1-3
PRAYER – Human weakness finds its anchor in You, Lord and our faith is built on You as on a rock. Supported by the teachings, lives and prayers of our fathers, Your Apostles, may we always answer Your call and live in ever-closer union with You. And may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother and all your Angels, Martyrs and Saints, pray for Holy Mother Church and for us all. Through Christ, our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spiirt, God forever and ever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 10 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: enesis 49: 29-32; 50: 15-26a; Psalm 105: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7; Matthew 10: 24-33
“Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.” – Matthew 10:29
REFLECTION – “In this passage, Jesus demonstrates His foresight in all things. The word “without” refers, not to will but to foreknowledge. Some things happen because of His direct will but some happen, merely with His approval and consent. And so, on the literal level, He is showing the subtlety of His foresight and His previous knowledge of events.
On the spiritual level, however, a sparrow falls to the ground when it looks at what is below it and falls to earth, ensnared by the vices of the flesh, given up “to dishonourable passions.” It loses its freedom together with its honour. For a sparrow is either borne always upward, or else it comes to rest by alighting on mountains or hills (the hills are metaphors for Scripture). And such a person is one who has been raised aloft by the Word but has his mind on earthly concerns.” – Origen Adamantius (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Exegist, Writer, Apologist, Father (Fragment, 212.)
PRAYER – Loving Father, grant me to have a true fervour in Your service. Let me never tire of following Your Son’s example and avoiding evil. Teach me to reside in total peace in Your wisdom and power and thus to trust You above all. Grant that by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin our Mother and Saints Rufina and Secunda, we may grow in holiness and attain our eternal home with You. We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Thought for the Day –9 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Putting Christianity into Practice
“Imagine what the world would be like, if the Gospel of Christ, were practised in it’s entirety, everywhere and by everybody. It would not, of course, become another earthly Paradise, because suffering and death are the legacy of sin and Our Lord, did not remove these when He redeemed us but made them a necessary element, in our purification and spiritual elevation. Nevertheless, the full practice of Christianity would transform the world. A little reflection will convince us of this. Men would love God above all things and their neighbours as themselves. The sincere and ardent love of God, would cause wickedness, brutality and every kind of immorality to disappear. Love of their neighbour, would make men brothers in reality, so that there would be no more wars nor threats of conflict. The enormous wealth which is squandered on weapons of destruction, could then be diverted to good works. There would be no more poverty, because, if men loved one another, those who had more than enough, would give to those in want. There would be no more prisons, because, there would be no more criminals. There would be no need for a police force, because, everyone would do his duty of his own accord. The reign of love, which is the reign of Jesus Christ, would triumph upon earth. Excessive wealth and the selfish love of ease and pleasure, would disappear on one hand, while, on the other, the extreme need of those who can never be sure of a meal, nor of a roof over their heads, would be palliated, until they had been raised to a standard of living, consistent with the laws of God and with the dignity of men. The love of our neighbour as ourselves, would solve every individual and social problem in this life. Men would grow into a vast community of brothers devoid of all barriers of hate, selfishness and greed. This is not a Utopian dream, because it is the clear teaching of the Gospel. Jesus did not preach the impossible. He taught us the standards of the perfect life, which we are all obliged to try and lead.”
One Minute Reflection – 9 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 46: 1-7, 28-30; Psalms 37: 3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40; Matthew 10: 16-23
“Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be, therefore, wise as serpents and simple as doves.” –Matthew 10:16
REFLECTION – “I urge you, by the grace in which you are clothed, to press on in your race and urge everyone to be saved. Assert your office with all the diligence of flesh and spirit. Give your attention to unity, for there is nothing better. carry your brethren as the Lord also carries you. Patiently, bear with them all in love, as indeed you do bear with them. Devote yourself to unceasing prayer. Ask for greater understanding than you have. Be watchful, possessing a wakeful spirit. Speak to each one individually, concerning God’s way. “Bear the infirmities” (cf Mt 8,17) of each as a perfect athlete. Where there is more toil, there is greater gain. If you only love the good disciples, this wins you no advantage. Rather, subdue by meekness the more annoying. Not every wound is cured by the same salve. Ease sharp pains with a hot compress. In everything “be wise as serpents” and always “harmless as doves”. You who are of flesh and spirit, humour those things visibly present before you but pray, too, that what is invisible may be manifested to you, so that you may lack nothing and may abound in every spiritual gift.
As pilots invoke the winds and tempest-tossed mariners call for haven, this season invites you to return to God. Be temperate, as God’s athlete. The prize is incorruption and life eternal… It is the part of a great athlete to suffer blows and to conquer. It is above all for God’s sake we ought to endure all things, that He too, may endure us. Become more zealous than you are already. Consider the times. Look for Him Who is above all times, Who is timeless, invisible but made visible for our sakes – He Who, beyond the touch of our hands, beyond suffering, yet knew the Passion for our sakes and endured every suffering.” – St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108) Father of the Church, Martyr, Bishop – Letter to St Polycarp (69-155) Bishop and Martyr), 1-3 ; SC 10
PRAYER – Father of all holiness, guide our hearts to You. Keep in the light of Your truth, all those You have freed from the darkness of unbelief. May our lives be the source of enlightenment to others and our faith and love every remain strengthened by Your grace. Listen to the prayers of our Blessed Mother on our behalf, as we long for our eternal home. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen
Thought for the Day – 8 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Living the Gospel
“The Gospel teaches perfection. It teaches the perfection of the interior life, as well as the exterior life, of private, as well as of domestic and social life. There is no problem in the universe, which has not been solved in the Gospel. In regard to the spiritual life, its command is clear. “You are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with they whole mind … Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Mt 22:37, Mk 12:30, Lk 10:27). “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12). “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23). “Blessed are the poor in spirit … the clean of heart … the peacemakers …” (Mt 5:3-10). “If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to the poor and thou shall have treasure in heaven” (Mt 19:21). “Our Father who art in heaven … thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10). “Father … not my will but thine be done” (Lk 22:42). Anyone who identifies himself with these maxims, rises above the level of a man, to that of an angel. His interior life soars to such a peak, that he seems to be leading a heavenly, rather than an earthly existence. If he is living the Gospel, moreover, his external behaviour will be a faithful mirror of his interior life, for it is not enough to say “Lord, Lord” but a man must also do the will of the Father (Cf Mt 7:21). A man’s domestic and social life, will follow the pattern of his private life.
When he has reached the summit of perfection, an invisible force will emanate from him, the force of good example. This force will transform everything, within him and around him. Like Mary and the Saints, he will become the loyal and powerful co-worker of Christ in the redemption of the human race and in the Christian transformation of society. Redemption and restoration, can come only through the Gospel. Other theories are always bound up with and impeded by, human egoism. The doctrine of the Gospel is reinforced by the love of God and our neighbour. In the Gospel, public and private justice is transformed into the charity of Christ which cannot be impeded by any earthly difficulty, nor by any human barrier, not even by death. “Who shall separate us from the charity of Christ?” (Rom 8:35) asks St Paul. Let us meditate on this.”
Quote/s of the Day – 8 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 44, 18-21, 23b-29, 45: 1-5; Psalms 105: 16-17, 18-19, 20-21; Matthew 10: 7-15.
Obedience
“Go and from now on, sin no more”
John 8:11
“You are my friends, if you do the things that I command you.”
John 15:14
“I have chosen you and have appointed you, that you should go and should bring forth fruit and your fruit should remain, says the Lord.”
John 15:16
“Let it be understood, that those who are not found living as He taught, are NOT Christian- even though they profess with the lips, the teaching of Christ.”
St Justin Martyr (c 100-165) Father of the Church
“It is not that we keep His commandments first and that then He loves but, that He loves us and then we keep His commandments. This is that grace which is revealed to the humble but hidden from the proud.”
“Neither do I condemn you but, having been made secure concerning the past, be on your guard in the future. I, for My part, will not condemn you, I have blotted out what you have done; keep what I have commanded, that you may gain what I have promised.”
One Minute Reflection – 8 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 44, 18-21, 23b-29, 45: 1-5; Psalms 105: 16-17, 18-19, 20-21; Matthew 10: 7-15.
“As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” – Matthew 10:7
REFLECTION – “Do you perceive the unparalleled magnificence of their ministry? Do you comprehend the dignity of the Apostles?! They are not authorised to speak of things perceivable by the senses. They do not repeat what Moses said or the prophets before them. Rather, they spoke of new and strange things. Moses and the prophets spoke of temporal promises of an earthly land. The Apostles proclaimed the Kingdom of Heaven and all that this implies.
Not only does the loftiness of their message characterise them as greater but so does the lowly nature of their obedience. They were not reluctant nor irresolute, like those who came before. Instead, warned as they were of perils, wars and intolerable evils, they receive His commands with simple obedience. They immediately became heralds of the coming Kingdom.” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Bishop, Father, Doctor – The Gospel of Matthew: Homily, 32.
PRAYER – Holy God and Almighty Father, we are the disciples of Your Son as we follow Him home to You. As He taught His Apostles, so they have passed their learning onto us and we reach out in love and obedience for the Kingdom of Heaven. Grant us we pray, the strength and love to imitate Jesus Our Lord in all things and to daily, pick up our cross with joy and commitment. May the Blessed Virgin, be a constant protection and assistance in our times of struggle and may all your Angels and Saints and Martyrs, pray for us, through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God for always and forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 7 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Salvation of Souls
“We have only to look around us to realise the sad state of the greater part of human society. Men may be divided into three principal categories – the evil, the indifferent and the good. The evil are very numerous. The Holy Spirit tells us that the number of fools is infinite (Eccles 1:15). Now, the greatest and most real folly, is sin because, sin offends God, our supreme good, our Creator and Redeemer and because, it endangers the salvation of the soul. Nevertheless, countless sins are committed. There is an immense number of people who commit sin not merely through human frailty but who have abandoned God absolutely by denying or insulting Him and by striving to eradicate Him from the consciousness of their fellow-men. Their God is themselves!
The second group is that of the indifferent, those for whom God, religion and the supernatural are quite unimportant. They are content to lead materialistic lives without any thought of eternity. It is enough for them to be able to live, make money and to enjoy themselves. Nothing else matters. Their God is the world and its goods! The number of such people is increasing at an alarming rate.
Lastly, there are the good people who desire to become more and more perfect. Unfortunately, there are very few of these now and one would like to see them displaying greater generosity and enthusiasm for the salvation of those around them.
To which group do you belong? Perhaps you have not yet made up your mind completely to dedicate yourself to the pursuit of sanctity? Perhaps you are still wavering between the alternatives of good and evil? Anyone who remains inactive, becomes an accomplish!”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 41: 55-57; 42: 5-7a, 17-24a, Psalms 33: 2-3, 10-11, 18-19, Matthew 10: 1-7
“Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority … “
Matthew 10:1
“Speak Lord for your servant hears.”
1 Samuel 3:10
“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) Father and Doctor of the Church
“He wants you to become a living force for all mankind, lights shining in the world. You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the Great Light, bathed in the glory of Him who is the Light of Heaven.”
St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church
“What a tragedy, how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!”
One Minute Reflection – 7 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 41: 55-57; 42: 5-7a, 17-24a, Psalms 33: 2-3, 10-11, 18-19, Matthew 10: 1-7
“Go rather to the lost sheep”– Matthew 10:6
REFLECTION – “Christ came in search of the one sheep that was lost (Mt 18:12). It was for this sheep that the Good Shepherd, promised from eternity, was sent in time, for this one that He was born and given. This sheep is one alone, taken out from among the Jews and from peoples … taken out of all nations; one in its mystery, many in persons; according to its body by nature, one according to its spirit by grace, in short, a single sheep and a multitude without number. That is why He Who came to seek the one sheep was sent “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Mt 15:24) … Now, whoever the Shepherd acknowledges as His own “no-one can take them out of his hands” (Jn 10:28). For no-one can force the powerful, deceive wisdom, or destroy charity.
That is why He speaks with confidence when He says: “Father, I have lost none of those you have given me” (cf. Jn 17:11-12) … And so, He was sent as truth for the deceived, path for the straying, life for the dead, wisdom for the ignorant, medicine for the sick, ransom for captives and food for those dying of hunger. In the person of all these, it could be said, that He was sent to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” that they might not be lost forever. – Blessed Isaac of Stella O.Cist. (c 1100 – c 1170) – Sermon 35
PRAYER – Holy God and Almighty Father, we are the disciples of Your Son as we follow Him home to You, grant us we pray, the strength and love to imitate Him in all things and to daily, pick up our cross with joy and commitment. May the Blessed Virgin, be a constant protection and assistance in our times of struggle and may all your Angels , the Apostles and Saints and Martyrs, pray for us, through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God for always and forever, amen.
Thought for the Day – 6 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
A Ladder Ascending to God
“Let us lower our eyes and observe the world around us. Here again, everything speacks to us of God, for everything is a reflection of His power and goodness. From the tiny flowers which opens its perfumed petals to the dawn and closes them again to the sunset, as if in an an act of self-effacement before its Creator, to the pines and cedars of the forest, all nature seems to send up a hymn of praise and thanksgiving to God. We are surrounded by marvels but the greatest of them all is man, the lord of the universe. The beauty and order which we admire in creatures are concentrated in him; the eye, the ear and the tongue are among the extraordinary gifts which his body has received from God.
But, when we pass from the body to the soul, that spiritual flame which God has kindled in us, we we have reached an object of wonder, far surpassing the splendour of material things. A mind which is capable of thought and reasoning and a heart which is capable of love, belong, not merely to this world but are a living image of our Creator. It is for Him, therefore, that the intellect should function; it is He, that the heart should love!”
Quote/s of the Day– 6 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 32: 23-33, Psalms 17: 1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15, Matthew 9: 32-3
We are not without a Shepherd!
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours. All mine are yours and all yours are mine and I am glorified in them. … Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
John 17:9-11
“This, beloved, is the way in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the High Priest who offers our gifts, the patron and helper in our weakness (Heb 10:20; 7:27; 4:15). I t is through Him, that we look straight at the heavens above. Through Him, we see mirrored, God’s faultless and transcendent countenance. Through Him, the eyes of our heart were opened. Through Him, our unintelligent and darkened mind shoots up into the light. Through Him, the Master was pleased to let us taste the knowledge that never fades,”
St Pope Clement I (c 35 – c 99)
“The mark of Christ’s sheep is their willingness to hear and obey, just as disobedience is the mark of those who are not His. We take the word ‘hear’ to imply obedience to what has been said.”
St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, are my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, You are my portion, You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605)
And if by chance you do not know Where to go in quest of Me, Do not go far My Face to see, Searching everywhere high and low, But in yourself must seek for Me.
For, soul, in you I am confined, You are My dwelling and My home; And if one day I chance to find Fast-closed the portals of your mind I ask for entrance when I come.
Oh, do not seek me far away, For, if you would attain to Me, You only need My Name to say And I’ll be there, without delay. Look in yourself to seek for Me!”
One Minute Reflection – 6 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 32: 23-33, Psalms 17: 1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15, Matthew 9: 32-38 and the Memorial of St Maria Goretti
“And seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them because they were distressed and living like sheep without a shepherd.” – Matthew 9:36
REFLECTION – “Look around you, my brethren, on every side … Look around, I say and answer why it is that there is so much change, so much strife, so many parties and sects, so many creeds? because men are dissatisfied and restless; and why restless, with everyone his psalm, his doctrine, his tongue, his revelation, his interpretation? they are restless because they have not found … It has not yet brought them into the Presence of Christ, in which “is fulness of joy” and “pleasure for evermore” (Ps 16[15]:11).
Had they been fed with the bread of life (Jn 6:35) and tasted of the honeycomb, their eyes, like Jonathan’s (1 Sam 14:27), had been enlightened, to acknowledge the Saviour of men but having no such real apprehension of things unseen, they have still to seek and are at the mercy of every rumour from without.
O sad and pitiable spectacle, when the people of Christ wander on the hills as “sheep which have no shepherd;” and instead of seeking Him in His ancient haunts and His appointed home, busy themselves in human schemes, follow strange guides, are taken captive by new opinions, become the sport of chance, or of the humour of the hour, or the victims of self-will, are full of anxiety and perplexity,and jealousy and alarm, “tossed to and fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive;” (Eph 4:14) —and all because, they do not seek the “one body” and the “one Spirit,” and the “one hope of their calling,” the “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all,” (Eph 4:5-6) and “find rest for their souls” (Mt 11:29)! – St John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Cardinal, Founder of the Oratory in England, Theologian, Writer, Poet, Hymnist – Sermon “Invisible Presence of Christ” Sermons on Subjects of the Day, no 21
PRAYER – True Light of the world, Lord Jesus Christ, as You enlighten all men for their salvation, give us grace, we pray, to herald Your coming, by preparing Your ways of justice and of peace. We lift our hearts and eyes in prayer and beg of You that we may always offer You the souls of those in need of You. And may the prayers of Bl At Maria Goretti, strengthen us on our journey. Who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 5 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 28: 10-22a, Psalms 91: 1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab, Matthew 9: 18-26 and the Memorial of St Anthony Mary Zaccaria CRSP (1502-1539)
“The girl is not dead but sleeping” – Matthew 9:24
REFLECTION – “Let us consider, dear friends, how the Master is continually proving to us, that there is to be a resurrection, of which He made the Lord Jesus Christ the first fruits, when He raised Him from the dead.
Let us observe, dear friends, the resurrection that is regularly taking place. Day and night show us a resurrection – night falls asleep, day arises; day departs, night comes on. Let us take the crops – how and in what way does the sowing take place? The sower goes out and sows each seed in the ground. They fall into the ground dry and bare, and decay; – then from their decay, the greatness of the Master’s providence raises them up, and from a single grain, many spring up and bear fruit…
Do we, then, regard it as a great and marvellous thing, for the Creator of all things, to bring about the resurrection of those who have served Him with holiness in the assurance of a good faith?… With this hope, then, let our souls be bound to Him, that is faithful, to His promises and upright in His judgements. He, Who has commanded us not to lie will much more not lie Himself. For nothing is impossible to God except lying (Jn32:17; Lk 1:37; 6,18).
So let faith in Him be rekindled in us and let us understand, that all things are possible to Him. With His majestic Word He constituted all things and with a Word, He can overturn them…when He pleases and as He pleases, He will do everything and none of the things He has decreed will pass away. All things are in His sight and nothing has escaped His Providence.” – St Pope Clement I (c 35-c 99) Pope from about 90 to 99 – Letter to the Corinthians, §24-28 ; SC 167
PRAYER – Almighty Lord and God, protect and strengthen us by Your power throughout this day, even as You have enabled us to begin it. By Your grace, may the our faith be our guide and let our every thought, word and deed aim at doing Your will and what is pleasing in Your sight. Grant that by the prayers of Saint Anthony Zaccaria, we may ever turn our eyes and hearts to our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him, Your divine Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 2 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 23: 1-4, 19; 24: 1-8, 62-67, Psalms 106: 1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5, Matthew 9: 9-13
“It is not the healthy who are in need of the physician but those who are sick”
Matthew 9:12
“… Veiled in a human body, He was able to communicate with humans. He who wanted to assist the guilty hides the fact that He is a Judge. He who did not deny dignity to faithful servants, conceals his Lordship. He who desired the weak to be embraced by a parent’s love, covers His Majesty.”
St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Doctor of Homilies” Father and Doctor of the Church
” Indeed, the instant you say: “I have sinned against the Lord”, the response is given you: “Your sins are forgiven” (Mt 9:2). … Only do not keep away, or distance yourself, from He who has chosen you to sing and pray but all your life long, remain close to Him, either through pure confidence, or by a holy audacity and courageous confession.”
John of Karpathos (7th Century) Bishop
“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
“Even if we are unfaithful servants and are covered with the leprosy of sin, let us go to Him and He will heal us. Even if we have deserved Hell a thousand times, let us shed tears of repentance at His feet as Magdalen did and, He will give us His forgiveness and His peace.”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Lord Jesus Christ,Son of God, Have Mercy on me, a sinner.”
Thought for the Day – 1 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Passion of Our Lord
“The Crucifix is a simple meditation manual, open and intelligible to all, even to the most illiterate. Anyone who turns to it, can study the sorrowful gaze of Jesus, His heart pierced with love for men. His head crowned with thorns, His hands and feet transfixed with nails which support His divine body, streaming blood and writhing in anguish. The Crucifix should be dear and sacred to every Catholic. It should stand at the head of his bed, hang around his neck and hold a prominent position in his place of work or study.
Above all, however, the Crucifix should have its place in the heart of every fervent Catholic. At every moment of his life, in time of sadness and of joy, he should remember, that God became man and suffered and died for him. He should remember also, that this implies an obligation on his part, to work, suffer and die, for the love of God alone.
Many people meditate on the Crucifix. They kiss it and claim to love it. But while they love the Crucifix, they have no love for their particular cross, which they try, by every means in their power, to fling far away from them. Now, it is very certain, that anyone who does not love his own cross, does not really love the Crucifix, for Jesus has told us that, “if anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mt 16:24).”
Quote/s of the Day – 1 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 22: 1b-19 Psalms 115: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9,: Matthew 9: 1-8
And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: “Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee.”
Matthew 9:2
“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he hath sent.”
John 6:29
“Let us become like Christ, since Christ became like us. He assumed the worse, that He might give us the better; He became poor, that we through His poverty, might be rich.”
St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Have faith and the One you cannot see, is with you.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Be joyful and keep your faith and your creed.”
St David of Wales (c 542-c 601) Bishop
“Rest is in Him alone. Man knows no peace in the world but he has no disturbance when he is with God.”
St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Mellifluous Doctor
Quote/s of the Day – 30 June – “The last day of the Month of the Sacred Heart”
“ For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.”
Matthew 6:21
“We, Christians, are the true Israel which springs from Christ, for we are carved out of His Heart, as from a Rock!”
St Justin Martyr (100-165) Father of the Church and Martyr
“How good and pleasant it is to dwell in the Heart of Jesus! Who is there who does not love a heart so wounded? Who can refuse a return of love to a Heart so loving? Amen.”
St Bernard (1090-1153) Mellifluous Doctor
“By giving yourself to God, you not only receive Himself in exchange but, eternal life as well!”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“Where is the heart that loves? On the thing it loves. Therefore, where our love is, there our heart is held captive. It cannot leave it; it cannot be lifted higher, it cannot go either to the right or the left; see, it is fixed. Where the miser’s treasure is, there is his heart and where our heart is, there is our treasure.”
St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
“The well-being of souls is only in Christ. Therefore, let the love of Jesus be our perfection and our profession, let us light our hearts from the eternal flames of love that radiate from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.”
Thought for the Day – 29 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
St Peter, Prince of the Apostles St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles
“Jesus was walking one day along the shoe of the Sea of Galilee, when He saw two fishermen casting their nets into the water. He approached them and said: “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mk 1:17). These two fishermen were brothers named, Simon and Andrew. The divine Master won their hearts immediately, so that they left their boat and their nets and followed Jesus. Simon was later called Peter and became the leader of the Apostles.
Peter’s generosity and great love for Jesus are evident in the pages of the Gospel. When Our Lord foretold the institution of the Blessed Eucharist, many of His disciples were scandalised and left Him. “Do you also wish to go away?” Jesus asked His Apostles. St Peter answered Him without delay. “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou has the words of everlasting life and we have come to believe and to know, that Thou are the Christ, the Son of God” (Jn 6:69). On another occasion, Jesus asked His disciples – “Who do men say the Son of Man is?” The Apostles hesitated and began to suggest the names of various Prophets. But St Peter was inspired to make the reply: “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Our Lord appointed him Head of the Church. “Blessed are thou, Simon Bar-Jona … thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell, shall not prevail against it. And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Mt 16:15-19). By these words there was instituted the loftiest and most ancient of the dynasties, the Papacy. The successor of St Peter will rule the Church to the end of time and no power, neither persecution nor heresy, neither human tyranny nor false civilisation, will ever succeed in destroying this citadel of truth and goodness!”
St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles
“St Paul was by nature, fiery and zealous. Once he discovered the truth, he was ready to die for it. Originally he was convinced that Judaism contained the whole truth and, for this reason he hated the Christians, whom he regarded as a sect which had corrupted the sacred Hebrew tradition. The deacon Stephen was the first victim of his persecuting zeal. As he was being stoned and beaten to death this saintly young man prayed for his persecutors. It may be that in this moment his eyes, shining with faith and love, encountered those of the man who hated him. Soon afterwards, Saul (this was Paul’s real name), left Jerusalem for Damascus, carrying letters investing him with new powers for the persecution of the infant Church. On the way, this headstrong but sincere enemy of Christianity was suddenly dazzled by a light from Heaven. He fell to the ground and heard a mysterious voice saying: “Saul, Saul, why do thou persecute me?” Terrified he answered: “Who are thou, Lord?” “I am Jesus,” the voice said, “whom thou are persecuting” (Acts 9:1-15). From that day, Saul was changed completely. Under the influence of divine grace, he became the Apostle to the Gentiles.
Before he set out on his missionary journeys, Paul wet apart into the desert of Arabia (Cf Gal 1:17), where, he remained sometime in prayer and recollection. Then he went to Jerusalem to pay homage to the Prince of the Apostles, St Peter (Gal 1:18). After this, he began his apostolic travels, in the course of which, he encountered all kinds of hardships and dangers. The Jews frequently hunted him, in order to put him to death. He was often cruelly scourged and flung into prison and, several times, he was shipwrecked and had miraculous escapes from death (CF 2 Cor 11:23-27). He bore everything joyfully however, in order to prove his liove for Jesus Christ. Charity was always his main incentive. “The love of Christ impels us” (2 Cor 5:14). Charity, he said himself, “Believes all things, hopes all things,edues all things” (Cf 1 Cor 13:4-13). His charity was so great, that he could truthfully say: “Who is weak and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble and I am not inflamed?” (2 Cor 11:29).
St Paul could make this claim because his heart had become identified with the Heart of Jesus. Therefore, he could say: “It is now no longer I that live but Christ lives in me,” (Gal 2:20) and: “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain,” (Phil 1:21) and: “I am hard pressed from both sides, desiring to depart and to be with Christ, a lot by far the better; yet, to stay on in the flesh is necessary, for your sake” (Phil 1:23-24).
Let us meditate on this ardent love of God. Let us cast aside our coldness and indifference and ask St Paul, to set us on fire with divine charity.” Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 29 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
“Look at the holy Apostles. It was by sinful jealousy that Peter was subjected to tribulation, not once or twice but many times; it was in that way, that he bore his witness before leaving us for his well-earned place in glory. And Paul, because of jealousy and contention, has become the very type of endurance rewarded. … In him we have one of the greatest of all examples of endurance. … [And] we too, are in the same arena and have the same conflict before us.”
St Pope Clement I of Rome (c 35-99)
Letter to the Corinthians, 5-7
“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
“Peter and Paul are our teachers – they learned the way of life fully from the One Teacher of all and continue to teach us today.”
St Bernard (1091-1153) Mellifluous Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 29 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Readings: Acts 12:1-11, Psalm 34:2-9, 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18, Matthew 16:13-19
“Upon this rock I will build my church” – Matthew 16:18
REFLECTION –“Though the earth and all who dwell in it quake, I have set firm its pillars” (Ps 74[75],40). All the Apostles are pillars of the earth but, at their head, the two whose feast we are celebrating. They are the two pillars who support the Church with their teaching, their prayer and the example of their steadfastness. The Lord Himself strengthened these pillars. For at first they were weak, completely incapable of supporting either themselves or others. And in this, the Lord’s great design appears – if they had always been strong, people could have thought their strength came from themselves. That is why the Lord wanted to show, what they were capable of, before strengthening them, so that all might know their strength came from God… Peter was thrown to the ground by the voice of a mere servant… and the other pillar was very weak too: “I was once a blasphemer and persecutor and an arrogant man” (1Tm 1,13)…
Hence, we ought to praise these Saints with all our heart – our fathers who bore such trials for the Lord’s sake and who persevered with such determination. It is nothing to persevere in joy, happiness and peace. But this is what is great – to be stoned, scourged, struck for Christ (2Cor 11,25) and in all this, to persevere with Christ. With Paul it is a great thing to be cursed and to bless, to be persecuted and to endure, to be slandered and to console, to be like the world’s rubbish and to draw glory from it (1Cor 4,12-13)… And what shall we say of Peter? Even if he had undergone nothing for Christ, it would be sufficient to celebrate him today in that he was crucified for him… He well knew where, He Whom he loved, He whom he longed for was…: his cross has been his road to heaven.” – St Aelred of Rielvaux (1110-1167), Cistercian Monk – Sermon 18, for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul – PL 195, 298
PRAYER – Almighty ever-living God, You give us the great joy of devoting this day to the honour of the great Apostles Peter and Paul. Grant Your Church may follow their teachings fully because these are the men who first taught us to worship You in Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.
AnaStpaul 
You must be logged in to post a comment.