Category: ONE Minute REFLECTION

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 September – ‘… And it isn’t enough to love, we must prove it.’

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One Minute Reflection – 9 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary ” – Readings: Colossians 3: 12-17; Psalm 150: 1b-2-6
Luke 6:27-38

“If you love those who love you, what reward will you have? For even sinners love those who love them.” – Luke 6:33

REFLECTION – “You have heard that it was said: You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: Love your enemies, … pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:43-44). No doubt, we don’t have any enemies in Carmel but there are feelings. One feels attracted to this Sister, whereas with regard to another, one would make a long detour in order to avoid meeting her. And so, without even knowing it, she becomes the subject of persecution. Well, Jesus is telling me that it is this Sister who must be loved, she must be prayed for, even though her conduct would lead me to believe that she doesn’t love me: “If you love those who love you, what reward will you have? For even sinners love those who love them.”

And it isn’t enough to love, we must prove it. We are naturally happy to offer a gift to a friend; we love especially to give surprises, however;,this is not charity, for sinners do this too. Here is what Jesus teaches me also: “Give to everyone who asks of you and from him who takes away your goods, ask no return.” Giving to all those who ask is less sweet than offering oneself by the movement of one’s own heart. … Although it is difficult to give to one who asks, it is even more so, to allow one to take what belongs to you, without asking it back! O Mother, I say it is difficult, I should have said that this seems difficult, for the yoke of the Lord is sweet and light (Mt 11:30). When one accepts it, one feels its sweetness immediately and cries out with the Psalmist: “I have run the way of your commandments when you enlarged my heart.” (Ps 119[118],32) It is only charity that can expand my heart. O Jesus, since this sweet flame consumes it, I run with joy in the way of Your new commandment (Jn 13:34).” – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897) Carmelite, Doctor of the Church – Autobiographical Manuscript C, 15v° – 16r°

PRAYER – Almighty Lord and God, protect us by Your power and love throughout this day, even as You have enabled us, in Your love to begin it. Do not let us turn aside to any sin but let our every thought, word and deed be done in love for You and Your creatures, our neighbour. Teach us to love as You have loved us and may our Sorrowful and Holy Mother, show us the way. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who loved us to the end, with the Holy Spiriti, God now and for all eternity, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The NATIVITY of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection –8 September – ‘The only Mother worthy of the One who created her.’

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One Minute Reflection –8 September – Feast of theNativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Readings: Micah 5:1-4a or Romans 8:28-30, Psalms 13:6, 6, Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son – Matthew 1:23

REFLECTION – “Come, you nations; come, all peoples of every race and language, every age and rank. Joyfully let us celebrate the nativity of the whole world’s joy! If even the pagans honour the birthday of their king … what ought not we to do to honour that of the Mother of God, through whom all humanity has been transformed and the pain of Eve, our first mother, has been turned to joy? For Eve heard God’s sentence: “You will bring forth children in pain” (Gn 3:16) but Mary: “Rejoice, most highly favoured … the Lord is with you” (Lk 1:28). …

Let all creation celebrate and sing the holy childbirth of a holy woman, for she has brought a lasting treasure into the world. … Through her, the creative Word of God has been united to the whole creation and we celebrate the ending of human barrenness, the ending of the sickness that kept us from possessing all our good. … Nature has given way to grace … As the Virgin Mother of God had to be born of barren Anna, so nature remained without fruit until grace had produced its own. It was to open the womb of its mother, she who would give birth to “The Firstborn of all creation” in whom “all things hold together” (Col 1:15,17).

O blessed couple, Joachim and Anna! All creation owes you thanks; through you it has offered the Creator the best of all His gifts: a Mother worthy of veneration, the only Mother worthy of the One who created her. ”- St John Damascene (675-749) Monk, Theologian, Father and Doctor of the Church – Homily on the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, 1-2 (cf SC 80, p. 48)

PRAYER – Lord God, the day of our salvation dawned when the Blessed Virgin gave birth to Your Son. As we celebrate her nativity, grant us Your grace and Your peace. Through Christ, our Lord, Your Son in union with the Holy Spirit. Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 September – ‘A model is given to you. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 7 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Readings: Colossians 2: 6-15; Psalm 145: 1b-2, 8-9-11; Luke 6: 12-19

“Jesus departed to the mountain to pray and he spent the night in prayer to God”– Luke 6:12

REFLECTION – “So the Lord prays, not to entreat for Himself but to intercede for me. Although the Father placed all things in the power of His Son, yet the Son, in order to fulfill the form of a man, thinks that the Father must be entreated for us because He is our Advocate. If He is an Advocate, He must intercede on account of my sins.

It says, “He passed the whole night in prayer.” A model is given to you. A form is prescribed which you must imitate. Unless I am mistaken, it is nowhere found that He prayed with the Apostles. Everywhere He entreats alone, for human prayers do not grasp the counsels of God, nor can anyone share with Christ in the inward mysteries.” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan, Father, Doctor of the Church – (Exposition on the Gospel of Luke, 5.)

PRAYER – Our Father who art in heaven, almighty and eternal God, teach us to pause often during our active lives and recollect ourselves. Let us put away the problems of life and commune with You in prayer and meditation. Mary, Holy and Sorrowful Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, teach us the how to pray and how to imitate your courage and strength in silence. Pray for us that we may be inspired to turn to our God for strength, in this vale of tears. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and Advocate, with the Holy Spirit, one God now and for all eternity, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ENVY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 September – There was a man whose right hand was withered. – Luke 6:6

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One Minute Reflection – 7 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Readings: Colossians 1: 24 – 2: 3; Psalm 62: 6-7,9; Luke 6:6-11

“On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching and there was a man whose right hand was withered. ” – Luke 6:6

REFLECTION – “ The miracle sometimes converts to faith those who had disbelieved the word but the Pharisees watched Him to see if He would heal on the Sabbath. The nature of an envious person is such, that he makes the praises of others food for his own disease and is wickedly maddened by their reputation. Once more He spoke thus; “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” And why did He do this? Perhaps it might be to move the cruel and unpitying Pharisee to compassion. The man’s malady [his withered hand] perhaps might shame them and persuade them to dispel the flames of their envy.

This question is most wise indeed and a most suitable statement to meet their folly. If it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath and nothing prevents the sick being pitied by God, cease picking up opportunities for fault-finding against Christ and bringing down on your own head, the sentence which the Father has decreed against those who dishonour the Son. You have heard the Father where He says of the Son by the voice of David, “I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him.” But, if it is not lawful to do good on the Sabbath and the law forbids the saving of life, you have made yourself an accuser of the law.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father and Doctor of the Church. Doctor of the Incarnation (Known a\s the Pillar of Faith) – (Commentary on Luke, Homily 23)

PRAYER – God of mercy and love, You offer all peoples the dignity of sharing in your life. Rule over our hearts and bodies this day. Sanctify us and guide our every thought, word and deed, my our hands be held out to our neighbour in imitation of Your love and mercy. By the intercession of Mary the Sorrowful Mother of Our Lord Jesus Christ and our Mother, strengthen us to love each other as brothers and sisters. 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.

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 September – ‘ … For the body’s Architect and Artisan came to him …’

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One Minute Reflection – 5 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Readings: Isaiah 35: 4-7a; Psalm 146: 7-10 (1b); James 2: 1-5; Mark 7: 31-37 and the Memorial of St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1455) Bishop

“And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears and, after spitting. touched his tongue.” – Mark 7:33

REFLECTION – “Divine Strength came down, which we humans cannot touch; it covered itself with a palpable body so that the poor might touch it and, in touching Christ’s Humanity, might perceive His Divinity. The deaf-mute sensed that his ears and his tongue were being touched with fingers of flesh. Through those palpable Fingers, he perceived the intangible Divinity when the bonds of his tongue were broken and the closed doors of his ears opened. For the body’s Architect and Artisan came to him and with a gentle word, without pain, He created openings in deaf ears. Then, too, the mouth, that had been closed and until then, incapable of giving birth to a word, brought forth, into the world, the praise of Him who thus caused its sterility to bear fruit.

In the same way, the Lord made paste with His saliva and spread it over the eyes of the man born blind (Jn 9:6), so we might understand that, like the deaf-mute, He was lacking something. An inborn imperfection in our human dough was removed thanks to the leaven that comes from His perfect body …. To complete what was missing in these human bodies of ours, He gave something of Himself, just as He gives Himself to be eaten [in the Eucharist]. By this means, He causes our deficiencies to disappear and raises the dead, so that we might recognise that, thanks to His body in which “the fullness of deity resides” (Col 2:9), the deficiencies in our humanity are brought to completion and true life is given to mortals by this Body in which true life resides.” – St Ephrem (c306-373) Deacon in Syria, Father and Doctor of the Church – Sermon “On our Lord,” 10

PRAYER – Almighty and merciful God, open the ears and eyes of our hearts and fill us with Your grace. May we follow You in holiness all the days of our lives. Grant we pray, that as You brought Your Saints and Martyrs to overcome fearlessly, the persecutions of Your people, that we too may remain invincible under Your protection and by their prayers, be strengthened against the snares of the enemy. St Lawrence Justinian, pray for us in these times of evil! Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Posted in BAPTISM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 September – ‘ … An unending Sabbath,… ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 5 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Readings: Colossians 1: 21-23; Psalm 54: 3-4, 6 and 8; Luke 6: 1-5 19-21

“The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.” … Luke 6:5

REFLECTION – “Now we are in the time of grace revealed to us, the observance of the Sabbath, which was previously symbolised by resting on a single day, has been brought to an end, where the faithful are concerned. For in this time of grace, Christians observe an unending Sabbath, provided, that all the good they do is done in hope of the rest to come and provided, they don’t boast about the good they do as though it were a good belonging to them rather than having received it.

So, when they understand and receive the Sacrament of Baptism as a Sabbath, that is to say, as the Lord’s resting in the tomb (Rm 6:4), Christians rest from their former works to walk, from henceforward, in a new life, recognising that God acts within them. It is God who both works and rests together, on the one hand granting His creatures the guidance they need and, on the other, rejoicing in Himself in everlasting tranquillity.

God was neither worn out by creating the world, nor recovered His strength by ceasing to create but He wished to invite us, by these words of His Scripture, “God rested on the seventh day” (Gn 2:2) – to long for this rest, by giving us the command to make this day holy.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace – Genesis according to the literal sense, 4, xiii/24-xiv/25

PRAYER – Holy God, Almighty Father, You taught us to honour Your holy day and the day of rest. In Your divine Son, Whom You gave to us as our brother and glorified by His Resurrection, You showed us the way to our eternal life. As His glorified body shines anew, we rejoice in our future life with Him and embrace His day as our own, each Sunday renewing His Resurrection and each day of our lives. We run forward to sing Your glory together with our Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin and most Sorrowful Mary, to eternity, through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FASTING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 September – ‘… The absolute demand of the precept….’

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One Minute Reflection – 3 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary” – Readings: Colossians 1: 15-20; Psalm 100: 1b-2-5; Luke 5: 33-39

“Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?” – Luke 5:34

REFLECTION – “We had left Syria for the Province of Egypt, anxious to learn there, the teachings of the old Monks and were astonished by the great warmth with which we were received.

Contrary to what we had been taught in the Monasteries of Palestine, they did not observe the Rule of waiting for the hour appointed for the meal but, except on Wednesday and Fridays, wherever we went, the fast was broken. One of the elders, from whom we asked why the daily fasts were so easily set aside among them, replied: “My fast is always with me but you, whom I shall shortly be refreshing, I cannot keep with me unceasingly. So the fast, although useful and necessary, is nevertheless the voluntary offering of a gift, whereas the fulfilment of a work of charity, is the absolute demand of the precept. That is why, receiving Christ in you, it is He whom I sustain and, having given you refreshment, I shall be able, by a stricter fast, to pay back in myself, the humanity that I have shown you for Christ’s sake. In fact “the friends of the bridegroom cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them,” but when he has departed, then they can do so.” – St John Cassian (c 360- c 435) Monk, Founder of Monasteries – Institutes

PRAYER – God our Father, Your rule is a rule of love, Your providence is full of mercy for Your people. Through the intercession of Your |Angels and Saints and the Most Sorrowful Mother of Your Son, that we may be granted the spirit of wisdom and understanding in Your Word. Grant that by the light of the Your Word made flesh, we may know our eternal home and strive to attain eternal joy there with You. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 September – “thou shalt catch men.” – Luke 5:10

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One Minute Reflection – 2 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of Mary” – Readings: Colossians 1: 9-14; Psalms 98: 2-3ab, 3cd-4-6; Luke 5: 1-11

“Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” – Luke 5:10

REFLECTION – “I am greatly indebted to God who has granted me so great a grace that “many peoples” have been born anew to God through me …. “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” … This is how I want to “wait for the promise” of Him Who never fails us, as He assures us in the Gospel: “They will come from East and West and will sit at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” So we are confident that believers will come from the whole world.

That is why we should apply ourselves diligently to the catch, as we ought to do, following the exhortation and teaching of the Lord Who said: “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” And again, He said through the prophets: “Look! I will send many fishermen and hunters.” That is why it was so important to cast our nets, so that “a great number [of fish],” “a crowd” of people might be caught for God and, that everywhere, there might be Priests according to the word of the Lord: “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And, behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” – St Patrick (c 386-461) Bishop – Confession, 38-40 (SC 249)

PRAYER – Lord, my God, You chose us from the foundations of the world to be Your children. We pray that our courage may not fail us as we strive to live in obedience to Your commandments and by our lives spread Your holy Word. We ask too for courage, as we are attacked from all sides, in our struggle home to You. Grant that through the prayers of our Sorrowful Mother, we may fight unto death for Your love and the glory of Your Kingdom. Through our Lord, Jesus, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 31 August – ‘ … What is impossible to the person who believes? …’

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One Minute Reflection – 31 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart” – Readings: Thessalonians 5: 1-6, 9-11; Psalms 27: 1, 4, 13-14; Luke 4: 31-37

And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” – Luke 4:36

REFLECTION – “God’s word is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword.” (Heb 4:12). It acts in the creation of the world, in the world’s operation and in its redemption. For what is more effective and stronger? “Who can tell the mighty deeds of the Lord, or proclaim all his praises?” (Ps 106:2).

The Word’s effectiveness manifests itself in its works; it also manifests itself in preaching. The Word does not return to God without having produced its effect but, all to whom it is sent, benefit from it (Isa 55:11). It is “effective and sharper than any two-edged sword” when it is received with faith and love. What is impossible to the person who believes, what is difficult to the person who loves? When the Words of God ring out, they pierce the believer’s heart like “sharp arrows of a warrior.” (Ps 120:4) They enter the heart like spears and settle in its most intimate depths. Yes, this Word is sharper than a two-edged sword, for it is more incisive than any other strength or power, more subtle than every subtlety of the human genius, sharper than every learned perception by the human word.” – Baldwin of Forde O.Cist ( c 1125– 1190) – Cistercian Abbot, Bishop, then Archbishop of Canterbury – Homily 6 on Heb 4:12 ; PL 204, 451-453

PRAYER – God our Father, Your rule is a rule of love, Your providence is full of mercy for Your people. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of the Word made flesh and His Immaculate Mother, grant the spirit of wisdom and understanding in Your Word, Your Son Jesus Christ. Grant that by the light of His Resurrection we may know our eternal home and strive to attain eternal joy there with You. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in CARMELITES, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 August – ‘Seek for nothing … [save] love of Jesus’

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One Minute Reflection – 17 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart” – Readings: Judges 6: 11-24a; Psalm 85: 9-14; Matthew 19: 23-30

“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive back a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29

REFLECTION – “Seek for nothing, desiring to enter for love of Jesus, with detachment, emptiness and poverty in everything in this world. You will never have to do with necessities greater than those to which you made your heart yield itself – for the poor in spirit are most happy and joyful in a state of privation and he who has set his heart on nothing, finds satisfaction everywhere.

The poor in spirit (Mt 5:3) give generously all they have and their pleasure consists in being thus deprived of everything for God’s sake and out of love to their neighbour … Not only do temporal goods – the delights and tastes of the sense – hinder and thwart the way of God but spiritual delights and consolations also, if sought for or clung to eagerly, disturb the way of virtue.” – St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Carmelite, Doctor of the Church – Spiritual maxims, nos. 352, 355,356, 364; 1693 edition

PRAYER – Father of might and power, every good and perfect gift comes to us from You. Implant in our hearts the love of Your Name and Your creatures. Increase our zeal for Your service by following behind Your Son with determination and joy. Nourish in us what good and tend it with watchful care. Grant that the prayers and caring love of the Blessed Virgin, our Mother, may help us to follow Jesus our Saviour unreservedly and thus attain eternal life. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ON the SAINTS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on POVERTY, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 August – “If you would be perfect … ” Matthew 19:21

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One Minute Reflection – 16 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart” – Readings: Judges 2: 11-19; Psalm 106: 34-7, 39-40, 43ab and 44; Matthew 19: 16-22

“If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.” – Matthew 19:21

REFLECTION – “After his parents’ death … when Anthony was about eighteen or even twenty years old …) he went into the Church when it happened that the Gospel was being read,and he heard the Lord saying to the rich man: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.” It was as if the passage were read on his account. Immediately Antony went out from the Lord’s house and gave to the townspeople the possessions he had from his forebears. And selling all the rest that was portable, when he collected sufficient money, he donated it to the poor, keeping a few things for his sister.

But when, entering the Lord’s house once more, he heard in the Gospel the Lord saying, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow” (Mt 6:34), he could not remain any longer but going out he gave those remaining possessions also to the needy. Placing his sister in the charge of respected and trusted virgins, and giving her over to the convent for rearing, he devoted himself from then on to the discipline rather than the household, giving heed to himself and patiently training himself ….

He worked with his hands, though, having heard that “he who is idle, let him not eat” (2 Thess 3:10). And he spent what he made partly for bread and partly on those in need. He prayed constantly, since he learned that it is necessary to “pray unceasingly” (Lk 21:36) in private. For he paid such close attention to what was read that nothing from Scripture did he fail to take in, rather, he grasped everything and in him the memory took the place of books. … All those then, who were from his village and those good people with whom he associated, seeing him living thus, used to call him ‘God-loved‘, and some hailed him as ‘son‘, some as ‘brother‘.” – St Athanasius (297-373) Bishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor of the Church – Life of Saint Anthony, the Father of Monks, 2-4

PRAYER – Lord God, You filled the Saints with strength and courage and gave them the knowledge of unity with You. Grant, we pray, that in imitation of them, we may defend the Catholic faith and renew all things in Christ, Your Son. Help us Holy Father, to follow the example of the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of Your Son and all Your Saints and finally inherit eternal life ,with Youts. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, GOD the FATHER, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on NATURE - GOD'S CREATION, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 August – “Let the children come to me” – Matthew 19:14

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One Minute Reflection – 14 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Joshua 24: 14-29; Psalm 16: 1-2a and 5-8, 11; Matthew 19: 13-15

“Let the children come to me, do not prevent them” – Matthew 19:14

REFLECTION – “God is the source and origin of all things and because it is in Him that, as it is written, “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28), it is most certainly, also from Him that we possess all the love with which we love our children. The whole universe and all humankind are offspring of their Creator and so, by means of the love that causes us to love our children, He wants us to comprehend how much He loves His own children. Since it is written that: – “the invisible attributes of God have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made” (Rm 1:20), so He has wanted to make us understand His love for us, through the love He makes us have for our own works. And just as it is written that He wanted “all fatherhood in heaven and on earth to take its name from him” (Eph 3:15), so He has wanted us to recognise in Him a father’s love towards us.

What am I saying? A father’s? His love is far greater than a father’s, as these words of our Saviour in the Gospel prove: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” for the life of the world (Jn 3:16). And the Apostle Paul also says: “God did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all. How will he not also give us everything else along with him?” (Rm 8:32). – Salvianus of Marseilles (c 400-c 480) Priest, Abbot, Ecclesiastical writer – Of God’s Government.

PRAYER – God almighty Father, grant that we may be instruments of welcome and of that love with which Jesus, Your Son, embraces the littlest ones. May we be a society of love and of holy parenting of all children, especially those most in need. Holy Mother, teach us and guide us in prayer and love of God and neighbour. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on MARRIAGE, MARRIED LOVE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 August – ‘God makes two, one and one, two … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 13 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Joshua 24: 1-13; Psalm 136: 1-3, 16-18, 21-22 and 24; Matthew 19: 3-12 and the Memorial of St Radegunde (c 518-587

And the two shall become one flesh – Matthew 19:5

REFLECTION – “Woman is not independent of man or man of woman in the Lord” (1 Cor 11:11) … Man and woman walk hand in hand to the Kingdom. Christ calls both man and woman, at one and the same time without distinction, united by God and joined together by nature, giving them a share in the same actions and tasks, in wonderful harmony. Through the marriage bond, God makes two, one and one, two in such a way, that another self is discovered, without loss of individuality or mingling in duality.

But why does God appeal thus to man and and to woman through the images He gives of His Kingdom? (cf. Lk 13:18-21). Why does He suggest such greatness by means of seemingly weak and inadequate examples? Oh my brethren! a priceless mystery is hidden under this poverty. As the Apostle Paul says: “This is a great mystery but I speak in reference to Christ and His Church” (Eph 5:32).

These parables suggest humanity’s greatest goal – man and woman have brought an end to the lawsuit against the world, a lawsuit that dragged on for centuries. The first man, Adam and first woman, Eve, are led from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to the fire … of the Gospel …. Mouths sickened by the fruit of the poisoned tree are healed by the fiery taste of the tree of salvation, of that tree tasting of fire, which inflames consciences frozen by the former tree. Here nakedness makes no difference and no longer inspires shame, for man and woman are fully clothed in forgiveness.” – St Peter Chrysologus (406-450) Bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church – Sermon 99 ; PL 52,477

PRAYER – Almighty Father, let Your light so penetrate our hearts and minds, that walking by Your commandments, we may always follow You, our teacher and our guide. Grant that the prayers of St Radegunde may continue to strengthen us. Through Jesus our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PEACE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 12 August – Forgive and be at peace

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One Minute Reflection – 12 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Joshua 3: 7-10a, 11, 13-17; Psalms114: 1-6; Matthew 18: 21 – 19: 1 – Memorial of St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253) and St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641

“Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times but seventy times seven.” – Matthew 18:21-22

REFLECTION – “He is our peace, for He has made both one. Since we think of Christ as our peace, we may call ourselves true Christians, only if our lives express Christ by our own peace. As the Apostle says: He has put enmity to death. We must never allow it to be rekindled in us in any way but, must declare, that it is absolutely dead. Gloriously has God slain enmity, in order to save us, may we never risk the life of our souls by being resentful or by bearing grudges. …

No, since we possess Christ who is peace, we must put an end to this enmity and live as we believe He lived. He broke down the separating wall, uniting what was divided, bringing about peace by reconciling in His single person, those who disagreed. In the same way, we must be reconciled not only with those who attack us from outside but also with those who stir up dissension within; flesh then will no longer be opposed to the spirit, nor the spirit to the flesh. Once we subject the wisdom of the flesh to God’s law, we shall be re-created as one single man, at peace. Then, having become one instead of two, we shall have peace within ourselves.

Now peace is defined as harmony among those who are divided. When, therefore, we end that civil war within our nature and cultivate peace within ourselves, we become peace. By this peace we demonstrate that the name of Christ, which we bear, is authentic and appropriate.

When we consider that Christ is the true light, having nothing in common with deceit, we learn that our own life also must shine with the rays of that true light. Now these rays of the Sun of Justice are the virtues which pour out to enlighten us so that we may put away the works of darkness and walk honourably as in broad daylight. When we reject the deeds of darkness and do everything in the light of day, we become light and, as light should, we give light to others by our actions. If we truly think of Christ as our source of holiness, we shall refrain from anything wicked or impure in thought or act and thus show ourselves to be worthy bearers of His Name. For the quality of holiness is shown, not by what we say but by what we do in life.” – St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–C 395) – Bishop and Father of the Church – Excerpt from his treatise, On Christian Perfection

PRAYER – Holy God, grant we pray, Your Holy Spirit of love and divine grace to grow ever more in faith and love. . By our prayers and love for You and our neighbour, may we merit Your divine assistance. Lord Jesus, help us to dwell often on the manner in which we are following You. Let us strive each day to become more and more like You in all things and, to become beacons of Your Light, to all the world. St Clare of Assisi, and St Jane Frances de Chantal, you who were lights to all, pray for us,amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 August – Walking in His ways … St Augustine

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One Minute Reflection – 10 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, Readings: Second Corinthians 9:6-10, Psalms 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9, John 12:24-26

“Whoever serves me must follow me,and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honour whoever serves me.” – John 12:26

REFLECTION – “Christ’s servants are those who look out for His things rather than their own. “Let him follow me” means “Let him walk in my ways and not in his own,” as it is written elsewhere. For if he supplies food for the hungry, he should do so in the way of mercy, not to brag about it. He should be looking for nothing else there but to do good and not letting his left hand know what his right hand does. In other words, any work of charity should be utterly devoid of any thought of “what’s in it for me.” The one who serves in this way serves Christ and will have it rightly said to him, “Inasmuch as you did it unto one of the least of those who are mine, you did it unto me.” And the one who serves Christ in this way, will be honoured by His Father with the peculiar honour of being with His Son and having nothing lacking in his happiness ever again. And so, when you hear the Lord saying, “Where I am, there shall also my servant be,” do not think merely of good bishops and clergy. But you yourselves should also serve Christ in your own way by good lives, by giving to the poor, by preaching His name and doctrine as best as you can too. Every father [or mother] too will be filling an ecclesiastical and episcopal kind of office by serving Christ in their own homes when they serve their families, so that they too may be with Him forever.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church – Tractates on the Gospel of John, 51.

PRAYER – Lord God, You inspired St Lawrence with so ardent a love that his life was renowned for the service of Your people and his death for the splendour of his Martyrdom. Help us to love what he loved and to live as he showed us. St Lawrence, Martyr for Christ and His Church, pray for us. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever amen.

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 August – The coin in the fish’s mouth – Matthew 17:27

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One Minute Reflection – 9 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart” – The Memorial of St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) – Readings: Deuteronomy 10: 12-22; Psalm 147: 12-15, 19-20; Matthew 17: 22-27

“But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you …” – Matthew 17:27.

REFLECTION – “This coin was not in Jesus’ house but happened to be in the mouth of a fish in the sea. This too, I think, was a result of God’s kindness. It was caught and came up on the hook belonging to Peter, who was the fisher of men. That which is figuratively called a fish was caught, in order that the coin, with the image of Caesar, might be taken from it, that it might take its place among those which were caught by them who have learned to become fishers of men. Let him, then, who has the things of Caesar render them to Caesar, that afterwards he may be able to render to God the things of God.

But since Jesus is the image of God the unseen and did not have the image of Caesar (for there was nothing in Him that had anything to do with the prince of this world), He, therefore, took the image of Caesar from a suitable place, in the sea, so as to pay it to the kings of the earth, as the contribution of Himself and His disciple. Jesus did this so that those, taking the half-shekel, might not suppose Jesus to be in debt either to them, or to the kings of the earth. For He paid the debt, one He had never taken on, or possessed, or used to buy anything, or made His personal possession, to prevent the image of Caesar ever being alongside the image of the invisible God” – Origen Adamantius of Alexandria (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Exegist, Writer, Apologist, Father – Commentary on Matthew.

PRAYER – Almighty and merciful God, by Your grace, St John Vianney was remarkable for his zeal as priest and shepherd. Help us, by his example and prayers, to win our brethren for Christ by our love and to share with them in eternal glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, St PETER!, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 August – “’… Out of all the world, Peter alone was chosen …’

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One Minute Reflection – 5 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 20: 1-13; Psalm 95: 1-2, 6-9; Matthew 16: 13-23 – The Memorial of the Dedication of Mary Major, Our Lady of the Snows

“Upon this rock I will build my church” – Matthew 16:18

REFLECTION – “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. Thus, even though there are many priests and shepherds among the people of God, Peter governed them all in person while Christ also governs them in the capacity of Head…

The Lord asks all the Apostles what people think of Him and they all say the same thing so long as they are making known the doubts deriving from human ignorance. But when the Lord demands to know what the disciples themselves think, the first to confess the Lord is he who is the first in dignity of the Apostles. As he had said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God”, Jesus answers him: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my heavenly Father.” That is to say: blessed are you because my Father taught this to you. Earthly opinion has not led you astray but it is heavenly inspiration that has instructed you. It is not flesh and blood that enabled you to discover me but He whose only Son I am.

“And so I say to you”, that is to say: – just as My Father has manifested My divinity to you, so I am making known your superiority to you. “You are Peter,” namely – I am the unshakeable Rock, the Cornerstone Who makes two peoples one (Eph 2,14), the Foundation, other than which, no-one can lay any other (1Cor 3,11). But you also, you are rock since you are impregnable by My Strength and what I have by virtue of My Power, you have, in common with Me by the fact, that you participate in it. “On this rock I will build my Church”… On the firmness of this foundation, He says, will I build an everlasting temple and My Church, whose summit is to reach to heaven, will be raised on the strength of that faith.” – St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father and Doctor of the Church’s Unity 4th Sermon for the Anniversary of his Ordination ; PL 54, 14a ; SC 200

PRAYER – Forgive the sins of Your people Lord and since of ourselves, we are unable to do what pleases You, lead us on the way of salvation by the prayers of Mary, the Immaculate Mother of Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, 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, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 August – Lord, save me!

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One Minute Reflection – 93August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 12: 1-13; Psalm 51: 3-7, 12-13; 14: 22-36

“But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me.” – Matthew 14:30

REFLECTION – “When Peter courageously moves across the sea, his feet are unsteady but his love grows strong …; his feet sink down but he clings to Christ’s hand. Faith upholds him, so long as he feels the waves making way. Troubled by the storm, he takes heart in his love for the Saviour. Peter walks across the sea borne up, more by love, than by his feet. …
He pays no attention to what his feet are treading on; all he sees are the footprints of Him whom he loves. He saw his Lord from his position of safety in the boat and, led by love, climbed down into the sea. He no longer sees the sea but Jesus alone.
But no sooner is he troubled by the strength of the wind and overcome by the storm, than fear begins to overshadow his faith … the water vanishes from beneath his feet. Faith weakens and the water with it. Then he cries out: “Lord, save me!” And ,at once, Jesus, stretching out His hand, saves him and says: “O man of little faith, why did you doubt? Is your faith so small that you were unable to press on towards me? Why didn’t you have sufficient faith to reach your end by relying on it? From now on keep this in mind- that it was only this faith that was holding you up above the waves.”

And so, my brethren, Peter doubts for an instant; he is about to drown but he is saved by calling on the Lord. …) Now, this world is a sea, whose waves are stirred up by the devil and where temptations increase the number of shipwrecks. We can only be saved by calling on the Lord, Who reaches out His hand to catch us. So let us continually cry out to Him!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace – Appendix no. 192 , attributed sermon; PL 39, 2100

PRAYER – Lord our God, the Light and Creator of Light, grant that faithfully pondering on all that is holy, we may ever live in the splendour of Your presence. May we live in Your Presence, withstand the winds of the world and grow daily in faith. By the help and intercession of athe loving and Immaculate Heart of Mary You may never permit us to separate ourselves from You and thus we may come, to completion in You, Through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 August – ‘ … How pleased He is, by believers’ devotion to Him.’

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One Minute Reflection – 2 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 11: 4b-15; Psalm 81: 12-17; Matthew 14: 13-21- and the Memorial of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Churc

“He … saw a great multitude and had compassion on them and healed their sick.” – Matthew 14:14

REFLECTION – “Matthew relates more fully [than Mark] how he took pity on them. He says: “And he had compassion on them and cured their sick.” This is what it means really to take pity on the poor and on those who have no-one to guide them – to open the way of truth to them by teaching, to heal their physical infirmities , . and to make them want to praise the divine generosity by feeding them, when they are hungry, as Jesus did. …

But Jesus tested the crowd’s faith and having done so he gave it a fitting reward. He sought out a lonely place to see if they would take the trouble to follow Him. For their part, they showed how concerned they were for their salvation by the effort they made in going along the deserted road, not on donkeys or in carts of various kinds but on foot.

In return, Jesus welcomed those weary, ignorant, sick and hungry people, instructing, healing and feeding them as a kindly Saviour and physician and so, letting them know how pleased He is, by believers’ devotion to Him.” – St Bede the Venerable (673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church – Commentary on Saint Mark’s Gospel, 2 ;

PRAYER – Forgive the sins of Your people Lord and since of ourselves, we are unable to do what pleases You, lead us on the way of salvation in Your divine Son who lives in us and gives us life. May the prayers of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and most zealous Saint Alphonsus Liguori, help us to constantly meditate on Your eternal sustenance. Through, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 1 August – “I am the bread of life” John 6:35

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One Minute Reflection – 1 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Exodus 16: 2-4, 12-15; Psalms 78: 3-4, 23-24, 25, 54 (24b); Ephesians 4: 17, 20-24; John 6: 24-35

They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”…John 6:34-35

REFLECTION – Christ is “the bread of life” for those who believe in Him: to believe in Christ is to eat the bread of life, to possess Christ within one, is to possess eternal life…
“I am the bread of life,” He says; “your fathers ate manna in the wilderness and they are dead” (Jn 6,48f). By this is to be understood ,spiritual death. Why are they dead? Because they believed in what they saw and did not understand what they could not see… Moses ate manna, Aaron ate it and many others, too, who pleased God and are not dead. Why are they not dead? Because they understood, in a spiritual fashion, they were spiritually hungry, they tasted the manna spiritually, so that they might be spiritually satisfied. “This is the bread that came down from heaven: whoever eats it will never die” (v.50).
This manna – that is to say, Christ, who Himself spoke like this…, was prefigured by the manna but was able to do more than manna could. For manna could not, of itself, prevent dying spiritually… But the righteous saw Christ in the manna, they believed in His coming and Christ, of whom manna was the symbol, grants to all who believe in Him that they should not spiritually die. Hence He says: “This is the bread come down from heaven; whoever eats it will never see death.” Here on earth, here now, before your eyes, your eyes of flesh: here is to be found the “bread from heaven” (v.51). The “bread of life” we spoke of a moment ago is now called “living bread.” Living bread because it contains, within itself, the life that abides and can deliver from spiritual death and bestow life. First He said: “Whoever eats it will never die” now he speaks clearly, concerning the life He gives: “Whoever eats this bread will live for ever” (v.58). Archbishop Baldwin of Canterbury (c 1125-1190) Cistercian – The Sacrament of the Altar II

PRAYER – Forgive the sins of Your people Lord and since of ourselves, we are unable to do what pleases You, lead us on the way of salvation in Your divine Son who lives in us and gives us life. May the prayers of Mary, His Mother help us to constantly meditate on His eternal sustenance. He is our food, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, SAINT of the DAY, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection 31 July – ‘ Christ’s Martyr before Christ’s Passion …’

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One Minute Reflection 31 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” and the Memorial of Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) – Readings: Leviticus 25: 1, 8-17; Psalm 67: 2-3, 5, 7-8; Matthew 14: 1-12

“This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” – Matthew 14:2

REFLECTION – “This was John’s greatness, in virtue of which, he reached such heights of greatness among the great, that he crowned his great and countless virtues… with the greatest of all the virtues – humility. Reckoned as he was the highest of all, he freely and with the greatest devotion, preferred to himself the Most Lowly One—and, he put Him before himself to such an extent, as to declare himself unworthy to take off his shoes (Mt 3,11).

Let others wonder that he was foretold by prophets, that he was promised by an angel and … that he came of so holy and noble parents, even though aged and sterile… that he preceded the coming of the Redeemer… and prepared His way in the desert, that he converted the hearts of fathers to their sons and of sons to their fathers, (Lk 1,17) that he merited to baptise the Son, to hear the Father and to see the Holy Spirit (Lk 3,22) and finally,, that he strove for the truth even to death and, so that he might go before Christ also to the lower regions, was Christ’s Martyr before Christ’s Passion. Let others, I say, wonder at these things…

What is set before us, brethren, not only to be wondered at but also to be imitated, is the virtue of his humility, by which he refused to be regarded as greater than he was, although he could have been… For as a faithful “friend of the Bridegroom”, (Jn 3,29) a lover more of the Lord than of himself, he wished that he himself might “diminish” in order that Christ might “grow” (v.30) and made it his business to increase Christ’s glory by means of his own diminution. Before St Paul, he made his own in act and in truth, those words of the Apostle: “We do not preach ourselves but the Lord Jesus Christ” (2Cor 4,5).” – Blessed Guerric of Igny (c 1080-1157) Cistercian Abbot of Igny – 3rd Sermon for the Nativity of John the Baptist

PRAYER – Almighty God, grant that the example of Your saints may spur us on to perfection, so that we, who are celebrating the feast of St Ignatius, may follow him step-by-step in his way of life to reach You in heaven. Grant us the grace, by his intercession, to find our treasure in Your divine Son, through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for always and forever, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FRIENDSHIP, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 July – “… I speak not here of that simple love of charity …”

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One Minute Reflection – 29 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Memorial of St Martha – Readings: Exodus 40: 16-21, 34-38; Psalms 84: 3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11; John 11: 19-27

“Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” – John 11:5

REFLECTION – “Love everyone with a great, charitable love but have no friendship except for those that communicate with you in the things of virtue. … If this communication be in the sciences, the friendship is certainly very commendable but still more so, if it be in virtues, in prudence, discretion, fortitude and justice. Should your mutual and reciprocal communications relate to charity, devotion and Christian perfection, O God, how precious will this friendship be! It will be excellent because it comes from God; excellent, because it tends to God; excellent because its very bond is God; excellent, because it shall last eternally in God. Oh, how good it is to love on earth as they love in heaven;and to learn to cherish one another in this world, as we shall do eternally in the next!

I speak not here of that simple love of charity which we must have for all but, of that spiritual friendship, by which two, three or more souls communicate one to another their devotion and spiritual affections and make themselves have but one spirit. (Cf. Acts 4:32) Such happy souls may justly sing: “Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Ps 132[133]:1). … I consider all other friendships as but so many shadows in comparison with this one … For Christians who live in the world and desire to embrace true virtue, it is necessary to unite themselves together by a holy and sacred friendship. By this means, they encourage, assist and conduct one another to good deeds … Surely no-one can deny, that our Lord loved Saint John, Lazarus, Martha and Magdalen with a more sweet and most special friendship, for Scripture tells us so.” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of Charity the Church – Introduction to the Devout Life, III, 19 (trans. John Ryan)

PRAYER – Almighty ever-living God, Your Son graciously came as a guest to the home of St Martha and was the friend of her family. Martha in her sorrow was moved to declare her total faith in Him, grant we pray, that in our trials and sorrows, we too may prove our love for You. By her prayers give us grace to serve Christ faithfully in our brethren and bring us to Your home in heaven. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 July – “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field ….” – Matthew 13:44

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One Minute Reflection – 28 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 34: 29-35; Psalms 99: 5, 6, 7, 9; Matthew 13: 44-46

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again and out of joy, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44

REFLECTION – “It was Christ who was present to all those to whom, from the beginning, God communicated His Speech and Word. If anyone, therefore, reads the Scriptures with attention, he will find, in them, an expression of Christ and a foreshadowing of this new calling. For Christ is the treasure which was hidden in the field, that is, in this world (Mt 13:38) – a treasure hidden in the Scriptures, since it was alluded to by means of symbols and parables which, humanly speaking, could not be understood prior to the fulfilment of prophecy, that is to say, before the coming of the Lord. That is why it was said to Daniel the prophet: ” Keep secret the message and seal the book until the end of time ” (12:4) … And Jeremiah also says, “In the last days they shall understand these things.” (23:20) …

When read by Christians, the Law is a treasure, hidden beforehand in a field, but brought to light and interpreted by the Cross of Christ. It shows forth the Wisdom of God and makes known His intentions with regard to our salvation; it prefigures the Kingdom of Christ and preaches, by anticipation, the Good News of our inheritance of the holy Jerusalem. It proclaims beforehand, that those who love God shall advance even to hearing and seeing His Word and, that they will be glorified by this Word …

Thus it was, that the Lord explained the Scriptures to His disciples, after his Resurrection from the dead, proving to them, by their means, that “it was necessary the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory” (Lk 24:26). So if anyone should likewise read the Scriptures, that person will become a perfect disciple, “like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom things both new and old.” (Mt 13:52). – St Irenaeus of Lyons ((130-202) Bishop, Martyr, Theologian – Against the Heresies, IV, 26 ; SC 100

PRAYER – Remember Lord, Your solemn Covenant, renewed and consecrated by the Blood of the Lamb, so that Your people may obtain forgiveness for their sins and continued growth by grace. May the Blessed Virgin, the Mother of Christ, our Treasure, intercede for our salvation. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ Your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God with You Father, now and forever, amen.

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 27 July – ‘ … So from now on, run well …’

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One Minute Reflection – 27 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 33: 7-11; 34: 5b-9, 28; Psalms 103:6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13; Matthew 13: 36-43

“Then the righteous shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” – Matthew 13:43

REFLECTION – “In your imagination see our Lord Jesus Christ seated on a throne of glory; beside Him stand the seraphim, cherubim and each angelic order, serving Him with fear and trembling. Then those who will have finished the combat, without allowing themselves to be drawn by any worldly pleasures or seduced by the attractions of this vain world, will hear the blessed voice of the Master. “Then, he says, “the righteous will shine like the sun” (Mt 13:43) when they have come from east and west, north and south to take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (cf. Mt 8:11) in an indescribable joy (cf. 1 Pt 1:8), when our King and Lord, will distribute gifts according to their merits. Ah! my brothers and children. ah! how great and beautiful is the glory which the thrice blessed will enjoy and the saints who practised asceticism! Yes, most certainly, each will receive the blessings promised, according to the degree to which they have pleased God. …
So from now on, run well (cf. Gal 5:7) and may the devil not bewitch you (cf. Gal 3:1) nor hinder you! … May mercy, peace, charity, freedom from envy, from jealousy and ostentation come upon you, docility, friendly speech, solidarity, compassion towards each other, humility. Live like this, act like this, praying, too, with all your heart for my humble self that I may not be thrown into the eternal fire. May we all escape it, having been judged worthy of the kingdom of heaven, in Christ Himself, our God, to whom belongs all glory, honour, adoration, magnificence, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, world without end. Amen.” … St Theodore the Studite (759-826) Monk and Theologian – Catechesis 42

PRAYER – All-powerful and ever-living God, splendour of true light and never-ending day, chase away the night of sin and fill our minds with the glory of Your coming. Take away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh, help us in our battle with sin and the devil. By our prayers, Your holy Sacraments and the strength of the Holy Spirit, may we be ever vigilant of the evil one. By our Baptism in Your Son, we are Your children, grant us Your protection. Kindly listen to the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints and Angels, whose prayers we beg, through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY GHOST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 26 July – ‘… It draws all the dough to itself … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 26 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 32: 15-24, 30-34; Psalms 106: 19-20, 21-22, 23; Matthew 13: 31-35 and the Memorial of Saints Anne and Joachim – Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Grandparents of Jesus

“Until the whole was leavened” – Matthew 13:33

REFLECTION – “If someone kneads bread without mixing leaven into it, they may well apply themselves to the task, knead and work at it, the dough will not rise and cannot be used as food. But when leaven has been mixed in, it draws all the dough to itself and makes it all rise, as in the parable the Lord applied to the Kingdom… It is the same with meat – no matter how much care you take, if you neglect to put in salt to preserve it,… it will smell badly and become inedible
In the same sort of way, imagine the whole of humanity as meat or dough and that the divine nature of the Holy Spirit is salt and leaven from another world. If the heavenly leaven of the Spirit and good salt of the divine nature… are not added to our lowly human nature and mixed into it, the soul will never lose its bad odour of sin and will not rise by losing the heaviness and impurities of the “leaven of wickedness” (1Cor 5,7)…

If a soul only relies on its own strength and thinks itself able to achieve complete success of itself, without the help of the Holy Spirit, it is greatly deceived. It is not made for the dwelling places of Heaven nor made for the Kingdom… If sinful man does not draw near to God, does not renounce the world, does not await in hope and patience a good that is foreign to its own nature, namely, the strength of the Holy Spirit; if the Lord does not instil His own divine life from on high into that soul, that person will never taste the true life… On the other hand, if he has received the Spirit’s grace, if he does not turn away from it, if he does not offend Him by his negligence and wrongdoing, if, after persevering a long time like this in the fight, he does not “grieve the Spirit” (Eph 4,30), he will have the happiness of winning eternal life.” – Attri to St Macarius of Egypt (c 300-390) Monk

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

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, I BELIEVE!, MIRACLES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on FAITH, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 July – ‘ … We are preferred to them … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 25 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Feast of St James the Greater – Reaqdings: Second Kings 4: 42-44; Psalms 145: 10-11, 15-16, 17-18; Ephesians 4: 1-6; John 6: 1-15

When they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: , “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” – John 6:14

REFLECTION – “Governing the entire universe is a greater miracle than feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread, yet no-one marvels at it. People marvel at the feeding of the five thousand not because this miracle is greater but because, it is out of the ordinary. Who is even now providing nourishment for the whole world if not the God Who creates a field of wheat from a few seeds? Christ did what God does. Just as God multiplies a few seeds into a whole field of wheat, so Christ multiplied the five loaves in His Hands. For there was power in the Hands of Christ. Those five loaves were like seeds, not because they were cast on the earth but because, they were multiplied by the One who made the earth.

This miracle was presented to our senses, in order to stimulate our minds… and so make us marvel at “the God we do not see because of his works, which we do see” (Rom 1,20). For then, when we have been raised to the level of faith and purified by faith, we shall long to behold, though not with our eyes, the invisible God Whom we recognise through what is visible. This miracle was performed for the multitude to see; it was recorded for us to hear. Faith does for us, what sight did for them. We behold with the mind what our eyes cannot see and we are preferred to them because of us, it was said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (Jn 20,29). – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace – Homilies on Saint John’s gospel, 24, 1.6.7.

PRAYER – Lord our God, You accepted the sacrifice of St James, the first of Your Apostles to give his life for Your sake. May Your Church find strength in his martyrdom and support in his constant prayer. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. St James the Greater, Apostle of Christ, Pray for us! Amen

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 July – “Until the harvest” – – Matthew 13:30

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

“Suffer both to grow until the harvest” – – Matthew 13:30

REFLECTION – “Nor must one imagine that the Body of the Church, just because it bears the name of Christ, is made up during the days of its earthly pilgrimage, only of members conspicuous for their holiness, or, that it consists only of those whom God has predestined to eternal happiness. It is owing to the Saviour’s infinite mercy, that place is allowed in His Mystical Body here below, for those whom, of old, He did not exclude from the banquet (cf. Mt 9:11). For not every sin, however grave it may be, is such as of its own nature to sever a man from the Body of the Church, as does schism or heresy or apostasy. Men may lose charity and divine grace through sin, thus becoming incapable of supernatural merit and yet, not be deprived of all life, if they hold fast to faith and Christian hope and if, illumined from above, they are spurred on, by the interior promptings of the Holy Spirit to salutary fear and are moved to prayer and penance for their sins.

Let everyone then abhor sin, which defiles the mystical members of our Redeemer but,, if anyone unhappily falls and his obstinacy has not made him unworthy of communion with the faithful, let him be received with great love and let eager charity see in him a weak member of Jesus Christ. For, as the Bishop of Hippo remarks –
“it is better to be cured within the Church’s community than to be cut off from its Body as incurable members. As long as a member still forms part of the Body, there is no reason to despair of its cure; once it has been cut off, it can be neither cured nor healed.’”- Venerable Pius XII (1876-1958) – Pope from 1939 to 1958 – Encyclical – Mystici Corporis Christi, 1943

PRAYER – All-powerful and ever-living God, splendour of true light and never-ending day, chase away the night of sin and fill our minds with the glory of Your coming. Take away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh, help us in our battle with sin and the devil. By our prayers, Your holy sacraments and the strength of the Holy Spirit, may we be ever vigilant of the evil one. Hear the prayers of our Queen and Mother, the Blessed Virgin of Mercy on our behalf dear Lord. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 July – ‘… Hold fast until the harvest’ – St Augustine

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One Minute Reflection – 23 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 20: 1-17; Psalms 19: 8, 9, 10, 11; Matthew 13: 18-23

“A hundred or sixty or thirtyfold”- Matthew 13:23

REFLECTION – “ The sowing was carried out by the Apostles and prophets, yet it is the Lord Himself who sows. The Lord Himself is the One present in them, since it is the Lord Himself Who did the reaping. For without Him they are nothing, whereas, without them, He remains unmoved. As He said to them: “Without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15,5). And so what does Christ say as He sows among the gentiles? “A sower went out to sow” (Mt 13,3). In another text reapers were sent out to reap but here, the sower goes out to sow and does not complain of his labour. For what, indeed, does it matter if some seed falls on the path, or rocky ground, or among thorns? If He were to let Himself be discouraged by these arid terrains, He would make no progress towards the good soil!…

Now this has a bearing on ourselves – are we that pathway, those rocks, those weeds? Do we want to be good soil? Let us prepare our hearts to yield thirty, sixty, a hundred, a thousandfold. Thirtyfold or a thousandfold – in each case, it is a question of wheat and nothing but wheat. Do not let us any longer be on that path where our sowing is trampled by passers-by and our enemy lays hold of us like a bird. Further, those rocks or that shallow soil, cause seeds that are unable to endure the heat of the sun, to shoot up too quickly. And most especially – not those weeds, the lusts of this world, a focus for wrongdoing. For what, indeed, could be worse than applying all our efforts to a life that hinders us from attaining life? What more miserable than to cultivate our lives in order to lose life? What could be sadder, than to avoid death only to fall into the power of death? Let us cut off the thorns, prepare the soil, receive the seed, hold fast until the harvest and long to be taken into the barn.” – St Augustine (354-430) – Sermon 101; PL 38, 605

PRAYER – A pure heart create for me O God, put a steadfast spirit within me! (Ps 50[51]) Lord God, bestow a full measure of Your grace to us. Keep us within in the path of Your commandments, help us to work on the earth of our souls, rooting out the weeds and casting forth the stones of malice. Grant that by the prayers of our Blessed and Merciful Mother, we may succeed in attaining sanctity. Through Christ, our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God, forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 July – ‘… Have patience, that you may touch Me in My Beauty.’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 July –“Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Feast of St Mary of Magdala – Readings: Song of Solomon 3:1-4, Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9, John 20:1-2, 11-18

“Whom do you seek?” – John 20:15

REFLECTION – “Only the hearing that catches the Word possesses the truth … “Do not touch me,” says the Lord. He meant: – depend no longer on this fallible sense, put your trust in the Word, get used to faith. Faith cannot be deceived. With the power to understand invisible truths, faith does not know the poverty of the senses; it transcends even the limits of human reason, the capacity of nature, the bounds of experience. Why do you ask the eye to do what it is not equipped to do? And why does the hand endeavour to examine things beyond its reach? What you may learn from these senses is of limited value. But faith will tell you of Me without detracting from My greatness. Learn to receive with greater confidence, to follow with greater security, whatever faith commends to you.

“Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father.” As if, after He had ascended, He wished to be, or could be, touched by it! And yet, He could be touched but by the heart, not by the hand – by desire, not by the eye; by faith, not by the senses. “Why do you want to touch Me now?” He says … “Do you not remember that, while I was still Mortal, the eyes of the disciples could not endure, for a short space, the glory of My Transfigured Body that was destined to die? I still accommodate Myself to your senses by bearing this form of a servant (Phil 2:7) which you are accustomed to seeing. But this glory of Mine is too wonderful for you … Defer your judgement, therefore, … With its fuller comprehension, faith will define it more worthily and more surely … They, therefore, will touch Me worthily, who will accept Me as being seated with the Father (Mk 16:19; Ps 110[109]:1), no longer in lowly guise but in My own flesh, transformed with heaven’s beauty. Why wish to touch what is ugly? Have patience, that you may touch Me in My Beauty.” – St Bernard (1091-1153) – Cistercian Monk and Doctor of the Church – Sermons on the Song of Songs, no. 28, 9-10

PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ made Mary of Magdala the first herald of Easter joy. Grant that, following her example and helped by her prayers, we may, in this life, proclaim the living Christ and come to see Him reigning with You in glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.