Our Morning Offering – 22 October – Thursday of the Twent Ninth week in Ordinary Time
O Holy Spirit of God By Cardinal Henry Edward Manning (1806-1892)
O Holy Spirit of God, take me as Your disciple; guide me, illuminate me, sanctify me. Bind my hands, that they may do no evil; cover my eyes, that they may see it no more; sanctify my heart, that evil may not dwell within me. Be You my God; be You my guide. Wherever You lead me, I will go; whatever You forbid me, I will renounce; whatever You command me, in Your strength, I will do. Lead me, then, unto the fullness of Your truth. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 21 October – Wednesday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 3:2-12, Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12:2-3, 4,5-6, Luke 12:39-48 and the Memorial of Blessed Karl of Austria (1887 – 1922)
“You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” – Luke 12:40
REFLECTION – “Watch!” Our Saviour gave this warning when He was leaving this world—leaving it, that is, as far as His visible presence is concerned. He looked forward to the many hundred years which were to pass before He came again. He knew His own purpose and His Father’s purpose gradually to leave the world to itself, gradually to withdraw from it the tokens of His gracious presence. He contemplated, as contemplating all things, the neglect of Him, which would spread, even among his professed followers … He foresaw the state of the world and the Church, as we see it this day, when His prolonged absence has made it practically thought, that He never will come back in visible presence.
Today, He mercifully whispers into our ears, not to trust in what we see, not to share in that general unbelief, not to be carried away by the world but to “take heed, watch and pray,” (Lk 21:34.36) and look out for His coming. Surely this gracious warning should be ever in our thoughts, being so precise, so solemn, so earnest.
Our Saviour foretold His first coming, yet He took His Church by surprise when He came; much more will He come suddenly the second time and overtake men, now that He has not measured out the interval before it, as then He did but left our watchfulness to the keeping of faith and love … We are not simply to believe but to watch; not simply to love but to watch; not simply to obey but to watch; to watch for what? for that great event, Christ’s coming … we seem to see a special duty enjoined on us … – most of us have a general idea what is meant by believing, fearing, loving and obeying but, perhaps we do not contemplate or apprehend what is meant by “watching.” – St John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Cardinal, Founder of the Oratory in England, Theologian – Sermon “ Watching ” PPS, t. 4, n° 22
PRAYER – Holy Father, grant me an operative faith, a faith that will move mountains. Enlighten my soul with Your Light, Goodness, Power and Wisdom. Let my faith be an image of You by lively deeds and love and by conforming myself to Your Will in all things. Blessed Karl of Austria, amidst the fineries of your earthly kingship, you longed only to serve the God of all and searched for complete closeness and abandonment to Him, teach us by your prayer, to serve God alone with upright hearts and thus manifest a true faith, through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 21 October – Wednesday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time
Write Your Blessed Name, Upon My Heart By Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
Write Your blessed name, O Lord, upon my heart, there to remain so indelibly engraved, that no prosperity, no adversity shall ever move me from Your love. Be to me a strong tower of defence, a comforter in tribulation, a deliverer in distress, a very present help in trouble and a guide to heaven through the many temptations and dangers of this life. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 20 October – Tuesday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time
Only What You Will or Will Not By Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)
Grant me Your grace, most merciful Jesus, so that it may be with me and work with me and persevere with me to the end. Grant that I may always want and desire that which is most acceptable and pleasing to You. Let Your will be mine and let my will always follow Yours and be in perfect accord with it. Let me always will or not will, the same with You and may I not be able to will or not will anything, except what You will or will not. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 19 October – Monday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 2:1-10, Psalms 100:1-2, 3,4, 4-5, Luke 12:13-21 and the Memorial of St Paul of the Cross CP (1604-1775)
“What shall I do? For I do not have space to store my harvest ” – Luke 12:17
REFLECTION – “What shall I do?” There was a ready response to this: “I will satisfy hungry souls, open up my barns, call in everyone in need… I will speak out words of generosity – all you, who are short of bread, come to me; each according to your needs, take your share of God’s gifts flowing like a public fountain.” Yet you, you foolish rich man, are very far from doing this! And why? Jealous of seeing others enjoy their wealth you give yourself up to wretched calculations – you are not anxious about how to distribute to each according to their need but how to take everything and deprive everyone else, of the profit they might have drawn from it…
So then, my brethren, take care you don’t experience the same fate as that man! If Scripture gives us this example, it is so, that we can avoid behaving in the same way. Imitate the earth! – bear fruit and don’t prove yourself worse than it, soulless as it is. It yields crops, not for it’s own pleasure but to serve you. To the contrary, all the fruit of the kindnesses you show, will be gathered for yourself, since the graces that arise from good works, return to those who bestow them. You have given to the hungry and what you gave, remains with you and even comes back to you, with increase. As the grain of wheat that fell into the earth brings profit to the sower, so the bread given to the hungry, will bring you superabundant profit later on. May the end of all your labours, be for you, the commencement of your sowing in heaven.” – St Basil The Great (329-379) Monk and Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Father and Doctor of the Church – Sermon 6, on Wealth
PRAYER – Almighty God, Your Priest Saint Paul, loved only the cross. May he obtain Your grace for us, so that, inspired with a new courage and the virtue of obedience and sacrifice, by his example, we may take up our cross without flinching. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God now and for all eternity, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 19 October – Monday of the Twenty Ninth week in Ordinary Time and the Memorial of St Paul of the Cross CP (1604-1775)
Oh Jesus, My Love By St Paul of the Cross (1604-1775)
Oh Jesus, my Love, may my heart be consumed in loving Thee. Make me humble and holy; giving me childlike simplicity; transform me into Thy holy Love. O Jesus, life of my life, joy of my soul, God of my heart, accept my heart as an altar, on which I will sacrifice to Thee, the gold of ardent charity, the incense of continual, humble and fervent prayer and the myrrh of constant sacrifices! Amen
And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God, the things that are God’s.” – Matthew 22:20-21
REFLECTION – In an ancient work known as the Incomplete Work on Matthew, an anonymous Ancient Christian Writer (ACW) offers the following insight on these verses from today’s Gospel: “The image of God is not depicted on gold but is imaged in humanity. The coin of Caesar is gold; that of God, humanity. Caesar is seen in his currency; God, however, is known through human beings. And so give your wealth to Caesar but reserve for God the sole innocence of your conscience, where God is beheld. For the hand of Caesar has crafted an image by likenesses and lives each year by renewable decree. However, the divine hand of God has shown His image in ten points.
What ten points? From five carnal ones and five spiritual ones through which we see and understand what things are useful under God’s image. So let us always reflect the image of God in these ways:
I do not swell up with the arrogance of pride; nor do I droop with the blush of anger; nor do I succumb to the passion of avarice; nor do I surrender myself to the ravishes of gluttony; nor do I infect myself with the duplicity of hypocrisy; nor do I contaminate myself with the filth of rioting; nor do I grow flippant with the pretension of conceit; nor do I grow enamoured of the burden of heavy drinking; nor do I alienate by the dissension of mutual admiration; nor do I infect others with the biting of detraction; nor do I grow conceited with the vanity of gossip.
Rather, instead,
I will reflect the image of God in that I feed on love; grow certain on faith and hope; strengthen myself on the virtue of patience; grow tranquil by humility; grow beautiful by chastity; am sober by abstention; am made happy by tranquillity and am ready for death, by practicing hospitality.
It is with such inscriptions that God imprints His coins with an impression made neither by hammer nor by chisel but has formed them, with His primary divine intention. For Caesar required his image on every coin but God has chosen man, whom He has created, to reflect His glory.” (Incomplete Work on Matthew, «Homily 40»)
PRAYER – Lord God, You chose St Luke to reveal the mystery of Your love in his preaching and his writings. Grant, we pray, that we may grow in love for the Holy Face of Christ, His words and His directions, revealed to us in the Gospels, in the example of your saints. Today, on his feast, we especially look to St Luke, to guide, teach and pray for us. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever and ever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 18 October – Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
I Am Not Worthy, Holy Lord
I am not worthy, holy Lord, That Thou shouldst come to me; Speak but the word – one gracious word Can set the sinner free. I am not worthy; cold and bare The lodging of my soul; How canst Thou deign to enter there? Lord, speak and make me whole. Amen
Author – Rev H W Baker (1821–1877), was an English hymn writer.
One Minute Reflection – 17 October – Saturday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 1:15-23, Psalms 8:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, Luke 12:8-12 and the Memorial of St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35 – 107) Father of the Church, Martyr
“The Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” … Luke 12:12
REFLECTION – “All the saints were arrested and brought before the urban prefect at Rome, a man named Rusticus. After they had been arraigned, the prefect said to Justin: (…) “What are the doctrines that you practise ?” “I have tried to become acquainted,” said Justin, “with all doctrines. But I have committed myself to the true doctrines of the Christians (…)” “What belief do you mean?” Justin said: “The belief that we piously hold regarding the God the Christians, whom alone we hold to be the craftsman of the whole world from the beginning and also regarding Jesus Christ, child of God, who was also foretold by the prophets, as one who was to come down to mankind as a herald of salvation and teacher of good doctrines. What I say is insignificant when measured against His Godhead but, I acknowledge the power of prophecy (…), for you must know that in earlier times the prophets foretold His coming among men.”
Rusticus the prefect said: “Tell me, where do you meet, where do you gather together your disciples?” Justin said: “I have been living above the baths of a certain Martinus, son of Timothy (…) Anyone who wished could come to my abode and I would impart to him the words of truth.” “You do admit, then, that you are a Christian?” “Yes, I am”. To Chariton, the prefect, Rusticus said: “Chariton, are you a Christian, too?” “I am,” said Chariton, “by God’s command” (…) “And what are you Evelpistus?” “I too am a Christian. I have been freed by Christ and I share in the same hope by the favour of Christ” (…) “Did Justin convert you to Christianity?” “I have long been a Christian and ever shall be (…) I listened gladly to the teaching of Justin but my Christianity I received from my parents.” (…) Paeon arose and spoke: “I am a Christian also.” The prefect Rusticus said to Liberian: “And what have you to say? Are you a Christian and do you also refuse to be pious?” Liberian said: “Yes, I too am a Christian. I believe in the one, true God and worship Him.”
The prefect turned to Justin: “You are said to be learned and you think you know the true doctrine. Now listen – if you are scourged and beheaded, do you suppose that you will ascend to heaven (…) to receive certain worthy rewards?” “I have confidence that, if I endure all this, I shall possess His mansions. Indeed, I know that for all those who lead a just life, there awaits the divine gift even to the consummation of the whole world (…) I do not think it but I have accurate knowledge of it; I am fully convinced of it.” … Acts of the Martyrdom of Saint Justin and his companions (c 165).
PRAYER – “I am the wheat of God and am ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of God. I long after the Lord, the Son of the true God and Father, Jesus Christ. Him I seek, who died for us and rose again. I am eager to die for the sake of Christ. My love has been crucified and there is no fire in me that loves anything. But there is living water springing up in me and it says to me inwardly, “Come to the Father” Amen – A Martyr’s Prayer – By St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35 – 107) Father of the Church, Martyr
Our Morning Offering – 17 October – Saturday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time
Dear and Sweet Mother Mary By Blessed James Alberione (1884-1971)
Dear and sweet Mother Mary, keep your holy hand upon me; guard my mind, my heart and my senses, that I may never commit sin. Sanctify my thoughts, affections, words and actions, so that I may please you and your Jesus, my God, and reach heaven with you. Jesus and Mary, give me your holy blessing; In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 16 October – Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 1:11-14, Psalms 33:1-2, 4-5,12-13, Luke 12:1-7 and the Memorial of St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690) “Apostle of the Sacred Heart” and St Gall (c 550–c 646) Missionary to Switzerland
“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. ” … Luke 12:1
REFLECTION – “Christ told His friends, that is, His disciples, to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and scribes, meaning, by leaven, their false pretense. Hypocrisy is hateful to God and humanity. It does not bring a reward and it is utterly useless for the salvation of the soul. It is rather the cause of its damnation. Although sometimes it may escape detection for a little while, before long, it is sure to be uncovered and bring disgrace on them. It is like an unattractive woman when she is stripped of that external embellishment which she produced by artificial means.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Known as ‘The Pillar of Faith,”Archbishop of Alexandria (Commentary on Luke, Homily 86)
“How sensible is Our Lord’s warning to us … to be beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy – professing without practising. He warns us against it, as leaven, as a subtle insinuating evil which will silently spread itself throughout the whole character … He warns us that the pretence of religion never deceives beyond a little time … Let us remember, that all who follow God with but a half heart, strengthen the hands of His enemies, … perplex inquirers after truth and bring reproach upon their Saviour’s name …. Woe unto the deceiver and self-deceived! …. God give us grace to flee from this woe while we still have time! Let us examine ourselves, to see if there be any wicked way in us. … And, let us pray God to enlighten us and to guide us and, to give us the will to please Him and the power.” – St John Henry Newman C.Orat (1801-1890)
PRAYER – Lord Jesus Christ, You wondrously revealed all of the deep treasures of Your Heart to St Margaret Mary. May her merits and example win us the grace to love You above all things and in all things so that we may make our abode in Your own Sacred Heart. St Margaret Mary, pray for us that we may live in the Sacred Heart of Christ our Lord and may the prayer of St Gall lead us to be lights of the truth. Through You, Lord Jesus, who live and reign forever, in union with God our Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 16 October – Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time and the Memorial of St Gall (c 550–c 646) Missionary to Switzerland with St Columban
May We Love Only You By St Columban (543-615)
Loving Saviour, be pleased to show Yourself to us who knock, so that in knowing You, we may love only You, love You alone, desire You alone, contemplate only You, day and night and always think of You. Inspire in us the depth of love that is fitting for You to receive as God. So may Your love pervade our whole being, possess us completely and fill all our senses, that we may know no other love but love for You, Who are everlasting. May our love be so great, that the many waters of sky, land and sea cannot extinguish it in us – many waters could not extinguish love. May this saying be fulfilled in us also, at least in part, by Your gift, Jesus Christ, our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 15 October – Thursday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ephesians 1:1-10, Psalms 98:1, 2-3,3-4, 5-6, Luke 11:47-54 and the Memorial of St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church “Doctor of Prayer”
The scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard … lying in wait for him … Luke 11:53-54
REFLECTION – “With a fear mingled with joy I consider it desirable to say something here about the sufferings you endured for my sake, O God of us all! Standing before the tribunal of men You Yourself had created in a nature that was my own You said nothing, You who give us speech; You did not speak aloud, You who create the tongue; You did not shout out, You who shake the earth (…) You did not give up to shame the one who gave You up to the terrors of death; You showed no resistance when You were bound and when You were struck, you were not outraged. When they spat on You, You did not swear back and when they struck You with the fist, You did not tremble. When they taunted You, You were not angered and when they hit You, Your face did not change (…) Far from giving You a moment of respite, O source of life, they at once prepared for carrying the instrument of death. You accepted it graciously, took it gently, hoisted it patiently. You took upon Yourself, like a criminal, the tree of sorrow!” – St Gregory of Narek (c 951-c 1010) Doctor of the Church, Armenian Monk, mystical Philosopher, Theologian and Poet – Book of prayers, no 77
PRAYER – Almighty God, our Father, You sent St Teresa of Jesus to be a witness in the Church to the way of perfection. Sustain us by her spiritual doctrine and kindle in us, the longing for true holiness. Through Christ, our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, God forever. May the intercession of St Teresa be a source of strength, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 15 October – Thursday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time – The Memorial of St Thecla of Kitzengen OSB (Died c 790) Missionary apostle with St Boniface
Eternal God, Our Refuge By St Boniface (672-754) “The Apostle of Germany”
Eternal God, the refuge and help of all Your children, we praise You for all You have given us, for all You have done for us, for all that You are to us. In our weakness, You are strength, in our darkness, You are light, in our sorrow, You are comfort and peace. We cannot number Your blessings, we cannot declare Your love. For all Your blessings, we bless You. May we live as in Your presence, and love the things that You love, and serve You in our daily lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
One Minute Reflection- 14 October – Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 5:18-25, Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6, Luke 11:42-46 and the Memorial of St Fortunatus of Todi (Died 537) Bishop
“Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places.”…Luke 11:43
REFLECTION – “Forms of zeal, taking the appearance of good, are to be met with. There is, for example, the zeal of the Pharisee, strict observers of the outward law. This bitter zeal (…) has its source, not in the love of God and of our neighbour but in pride. Those who are tainted with it are filled with inordinate esteem for their own perfections; they do not conceive of any other ideal than their own; they want to bend everyone to their own way of seeing and doing; hence arise dissensions. This zeal tends to hatred.
See with what acrimony the Pharisees, moved by this zeal, pursue the Lord Jesus, putting insidious questions to Him, setting snares to entrap Him, seeking not to know the truth but to find Christ in fault. See how they press Him, how they try to induce Him to condemn the woman taken in adultery: “Now Moses in the Law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest Thou?” (Jn 8:5). (…) See, too, how they reproach Him for healing on the Sabbath day (Lk 6:7); how they complain of the disciples for rubbing the ears of corn in their hands on the day of rest (Mt 12:2); how they are scandalized at seeing the Divine Master sit down at dinner with the sinners and publicans (Mt 9:2). These are so many manifestation of this bitter zeal into which hypocrisy so often enters.” – Blessed Columba Marmion OSB (1858-1923) Abbot – Good Zeal (Christ the Ideal of the Monk
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, grant that I may believe what I have learned, never presuming to know better than the teachings of Holy Mother Church and that I may put into practice what I believe. Let my commitment be like unto the Bishop, St Fortunatus of Todi, who lived Your Word with joy and great zeal for faith in Christ, Your Son, God with You and the Holy Spirit, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 14 October – Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time
To You, O Master By St Macarius the Wonder-Worker (Died 850)
To You, O Master, who loves all mankind I hasten on rising from sleep. By Your mercy, I go out to do Your work and I make my prayer to You. Help me at all times and in all things. Deliver me from every evil thing of this world and from pursuit by the devil. Save me and bring me to Your eternal kingdom, For You are my Creator, You inspire all good thoughts in me. In You is all my hope and to You I give glory, now and forever. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 13 October – Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 5:1-6, Psalms 119:41, 43,44, 45, 47, 48, Luke 11:37-41 and the 103rd Anniversary of the Last Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima
And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish but inside you are full of extortion and wickedness.”…Luke 11:39
REFLECTION – “If the world that seeks my God were to know, if those learned men who seek for God in science and endless discussion were to know, if people did but know where to find God, how many wars would be prevented, what peace there would be in the world, how many souls would be saved! Unreasoning and stupid that you look for God where He is not! Listen and be filled with awe – God is in our hearts, I know it. God lives in the human heart when this heart lives withdrawn from all that is not Him, when this heart heeds God’s knock at it’s door (Rv 3,20) and, sweeping and cleaning all its rooms, makes itself ready to welcome Him who alone truly satisfies.
How sweet it is to live like this, with God in the heart. What sublime peace to find oneself filled with God!… What little trouble it is, rather it should be said, there is no trouble in doing what He wishes, since we love His will and even pain and suffering are His peace, since we suffer for love. Only God fills the soul and fills it wholly. Let scientists go on asking – Where is God? He is where those clever ones, arrogant in their knowledge, cannot reach.” … Saint Raphael Arnaiz Baron (1911-1938) – Spanish Trappist monk (Spiritual writings)
PRAYER – Lord God, open our hearts to Your Grace, that we may be filled with Your light and overflow with gratitude for Your merciful love. May we love and adore and worship You in return. Although we are sinners, our hearts long to thank You in total trust and humble thankfulness. Grant that by the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Fatima, our Mother, we may grow in holiness. Through Your only Son, our Saviour and Redeemer, with the Holy Spirit, God, forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 13 October – Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time
O God of Our Life By St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church
God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies grey and threatening; when our lives have no music in them and our hearts are lonely and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, run our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; tune our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to your honour and glory. Amen
“This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign but no sign will be given to it, except the sign of Jonah.” … Luke 11:29
REFLECTION – “Bad christians lack faith and do not deny it but they claim to be excused, in that they have no reasons for believing. Because of this there is nothing as common as this speech in the mouths of many people: “If I had witnessed a miracle I should be a saint!”“Evil and unfaithful generation! It seeks a sign!” (Mt 12:39). The wicked look for signs.
What is even more remarkable about this, is that, even though they have seen many taking place daily before their eyes, even though they are, so to speak, entirely surrounded, they never stop looking for more like the scribes and Pharisees; they would like to see them in heaven when they have seen them on earth. But neither the dead raised up during the life of the Saviour, nor the eclipse of the sun at death, make them believers; their envy becomes stronger, their hatred more malicious; each goes as far as raging, yet their unbelief is not healed by it. It used to be like this regarding those who, living badly, wait for miracles in order to believe: “They will not be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead” (Lk 16:31). (…)
All the difficulties that halt unbelievers, all the contradictions they encounter in the dogmas of faith, everything they find apparent contradiction, everything that seems new to them, surprising, contrary to common sense, contrary to reason, inconceivable, impossible, all their arguments, all their so-called demonstrations, all of this, far from shaking me, strengthens me even more, makes me immovable in my religion. (…) Every new doubt is for me, new reason to believe.” … St Claude de la Colombière (1641-1682) “Apostle of Sacred Heart” – Christian Reflections
PRAYER – “Dear Lord! It is just when I am in the world that I have most need of You because You know it is full of snares that the devil has set for me. You must hold my hand, dear Lord, if You will not abandon me. A little of the world is not bad for me; it is even good, for it teaches me how small it is and I feel the greater happiness when I come back to You. But that I may surely do so, You must only loose Your hold a little, that it may not try me too far, You must not entirely leave hold. Do You see dear Lord? I wish to clasp Your hand – do not refuse me!” (I Wish to Clasp Your Hand – Do Not Refuse Me! – Prayer of Eugene de Ferronays)Our Lady Aparecida, Pray for Us!
“Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” – Matthew 22:12
REFLECTION – “But you, my friends, since you have already come into the house of the marriage feast, our holy Church, as a result of God’s generosity, be careful lest, when the King enters, He finds fault with some aspect of your heart’s clothing!
What do we think is meant by the wedding garment, dearly beloved? For if we say it is Baptism or faith, is there anyone who has entered this marriage feast without them? A person is outside because he has not yet come to believe. What then must we understand by the wedding garment but love? That person enters the marriage feast but without wearing a wedding garment, who is present in the holy Church. He may have faith but he does not have love. We are correct when we say that love is the wedding garment because this, is what our Creator Himself possessed, when He came to the marriage feast, to join the Church to Himself. Only God’s Love brought it about, that His Only-Begotten Son, united the hearts of His chosen, to Himself. John says “God so Loved the world that He gave His Only-Begotten Son for us.” – St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Father and Doctor of the Church – (Sermons on the Gospel No 38).
PRAYER – Lord Holy God and Father, open our hearts o Your grace. Let it go before us and be with us. Open our hearts to Your love. Let it be the foundation of our love, let our love be Your love. Stepping in the footsteps of Your Son, in imitation of His Saints as St Alexander Sauli lived, grant that by his intercession, we too may reach Your eternal Feast. Through Jesus our Lord who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 11 October – The Twenty-eighth Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time
Prayer before Holy Mass By St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church
O God, loose, remit and forgive my sins against You. Whether in word, or in deed, or in thought, willingly or unwillingly, knowingly or unknowingly, committed, forgive them all, for You are good and love mankind. And through the prayers of Your most holy Mother, of Your heavenly servants and holy powers and of all the saints who have found favour in Your sight, enable me to receive, without condemnation Your holy and immaculate Body and Your Precious Blood, to the healing of my soul and body and to the driving away of all evil imaginations, for Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever and to ages of ages. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 10 October – “Month of the Most Holy Rosary” – Saturday of the Twenty SeventhWeek in Ordinary Time, Readings:Galatians 3: 22-29, Psalms 105: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, Luke 11: 27-28 and the Memorial of St Paulinus of York (c 584-644) and St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572)
“While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.’” – Luke 11:27
REFLECTION – “Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, “Blessed is the womb that bore you,” he replied, “Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Finally, for his brothers, his relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in him, of what advantage was that relationship? Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good, unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart, than in her flesh.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of Grace – Holy Virginity, 3/
PRAYER – Almighty God and Father, you sent St Paulinus and St Francis Borgia to be Your witnesses and to bring Your Church to the pagans for the salvation of souls. Sustain us by their prayers that by our lives we may lead all to You through Holy Mother Church. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 10 October – “Month of the Most Holy Rosary” – Saturday of the Twenty SeventhWeek in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 3: 22-29, Psalms 105: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, Luke 11: 27-28 and a Marian Saturday
Queen of the Holy Rosary
Queen of the Holy Rosary! Thee as our Queen we greet, And lay our lowly, loving prayers Like roses at thy feet. Would that these blossoms of our souls Were far more fair and sweet.
Queen of the Joyful Mysteries! Glad news God’s envoy bore. The Baptist’s mother thou didst tend; Angels thy Babe adore, Whom with two doves thou ransomest; Lost, He is found once more.
Queen of the Dolorous Mysteries! Christ ‘mid the olives bled, Scourged at the pillar, crowned with thorns, Beneath His Cross He sped Up the steep hill and there once more Thine arms embraced Him–dead!
Queen of the Glorious Mysteries! Christ from the tomb has flown, Has mounted to the highest heaven And sent His Spirit down And soon He raises thee on high To wear thy heavenly crown.
Queen of the Holy Rosary! We, too, have joys and woes. May they, like thine, to triumph lead! May labour earn repose, And may life’s sorrows and life’s joys In heavenly glory close.
Taken from: Cyril Robert – Mary Immaculate: God’s Mother and Mine. Poughkeepsie, New York: Marist Press, 1946
One Minute Reflection – 9 October – Friday of the Twenty Seventh Week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 3:7-14, Psalms 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, Luke 11: 15-26 and the Memorial of Saint Denis of Paris (Died c 258) and Companions, the First Bishop of Paris, Martyr
“When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, ‘I shall return to my home from which I came…” – Luke 11:24
REFLECTION – “The unclean spirit dwelt in us before we believed, before we came to Christ when our soul was still committing fornication against God and was with it’s lovers, the demons. Afterward it said, “I will return to my first husband” and came to Christ, who “created” it from the beginning “in his image.” Necessarily, the adulterous spirit gave up his place when it saw the legitimate husband. Christ received us and our house has been “cleansed” from it’s former sins. It has been “furnished” with the furnishing of the sacraments of the faithful that they who have been initiated know. This house does not deserve to have Christ as it’s resident immediately, unless it’s life and conduct are so holy, pure and incapable of being defiled, that it deserves to be the “temple of God.” It should not still be a house but a temple in which God dwells. If it neglects the grace that was received and entangles itself in secular affairs, immediately, that unclean spirit returns and claims the vacant house for itself. “It brings with it seven other spirits more wicked,” so that it may not be able again to be expelled “and the last state of that kind of person is worse than the first.” It would be more tolerable, that the soul would not have returned to it’s first husband once it became a prostitute, than having gone back after confession, to her husband, to have become an adulteress again. There is no “fellowship,” as the apostle says, “between the temple of God and idols,” no “agreement between Christ and Belial.” – Origen of Alexandria (c 185-253) (Homilies on Exodus, 8)
PRAYER – Lord God, You sent St Denis and his companions to proclaim Your glory to the nations and gave them the fortitude to die for Your sake. Help us, by their exmple, to meet with a like indifference, the triumphs and afflictions this world has to offer. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, one God with You and the Holy Spirit, now and for all eternity, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 9 October – Friday of the Twenty Seventh Week in Ordinary Time and the Memorial of St John Henry Newman C.Orat (1801-1890)
O Heart of Jesus, All Love By St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
O Heart of Jesus all love, I offer You these humble prayers for myself and for all those, who unite themselves with me in spirit to adore You. O holiest Heart of Jesus most lovely, I intend to renew and to offer to You, these acts of adoration and these prayers, for myself, a wretched sinner and for all those, who are associated with me in Your adoration, through all moments which I breathe, even to the end of my life. I recommend to You, O my Jesus, Holy Church, Your dear spouse and our true Mother, all just souls and all poor sinners, the afflicted, the dying and all mankind. Let not Your Blood be shed for them in vain. Finally, deign to apply it in relief of the souls in Purgatory and of these in particular …………………..…. Amen
“Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves…If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit, to those who ask him!” – Luke 11:5,13
REFLECTION – “In one place it is said that the Father “will give good things to those that ask him” (Mt 7:11), elsewhere, that he will “give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him” (Lk 11:13).
From this we learn that those who pray to God with steadfast faith in these promises receive, not only remission of sins but also heavenly gifts of grace. The Lord promised these “good things” not to the righteous but to sinners, saying: “If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him?” (Lk 11:13). Ask then, unremittingly and without doubting, however poor your efforts to gain holiness, however weak your strength, you will receive great gifts, far beyond anything that you deserve. (…)
Struggle to preserve unimpaired the light that shines within your intellect. If passion begins to dominate you when you look at things, this means that the Lord has left you in darkness; He has dropped the reins with which He was guiding you (cf. Jb 30:11) and the light of your eyes is gone from you (cf. Ps 37[38]:10 LXX). Yet even if this happens, do not despair or give up but pray to God with the words of David: “O send out thy light and thy truth” to me in my gloom, “for thou art the salvation of my countenance and my God” (cf. Ps 42[43]:3, 5 LXX).
For “thou shalt send forth thy Spirit and they shall be created and thou shalt renew the face of the earth” (Cf. Ps 103[104]:30 LXX).” – John of Karpathos(Seventh century) Bishop and Monk – One Hundred Texts for the encouragement of the monks in India, nos. 45, 82
PRAYER – Lord God and Father, who entrusted the earth to men and each to the other, grant us the grace this day, to see Your Face in our neighbour and to seek all who need our help. Grant us the grace to work faithfully for Your glory, for the salvation of our souls through the light of faith You have given us. We beg the grace of Your love and mercy and the light of love You send with Your Holy Spirit. May the prayers of Mary our Holy Mother, keep us ever in her guiding care. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 8 October – Thursday of the Twenty Seventh week in Ordinary Time
Eternal Light A Prayer for Enlightenment By St Alcuin of York (735-804)
Eternal light, shine into our hearts, Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil, Eternal Power, be our support, Eternal Wisdom, scatter the darkness of our ignorance, Eternal Pity, have mercy on us; that with all our heart and mind and soul and strength, we may seek Your Face and be brought by Your infinite mercy to Your Holy Presence, through Jesus Christ, our Lord Amen
Our Morning Offering – 7 October – The Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and the Month of the Most Holy Rosary
Excerpt from the Petition to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii also known as Supplication to the Queen of the Holy Rosary By Blessed Bartholomew Longo (1841-1926) Apostle of the Holy Rosary
O Blessed Rosary of Mary, sweet Chain, which binds us to God, Bond of love, which unites us to the Angels, Tower of salvation against the assaults of hell, safe Port in our universal shipwreck, we shall never abandon you. You will be our comfort in the hour of agony. To you, the last kiss of our dying life. And the last word from our lips will be your sweet name, O Queen of the Rosary of Pompeii, O dearest Mother, O Refuge of Sinners, O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted. Be Blessed everywhere, today and always, on earth and in Heaven. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 6 October – Tuesday of the Twenty Seventh week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 1:13-24, Psalms 139:1-3, 13-14, 14-15, Luke 10: 38-42 and the Memorial of St Bruno O.Cart. (c 1030-1101)
“As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak…”– Luke 10:38-39
REFLECTION – “Adopt the habit of conversing one to one with God, familiarly, trustingly and with love, as though with the dearest and most affectionate friend you have. (…)
You are not being asked for a continual application of spirit that makes you forget your duties or even your recreational times. Without neglecting your occupations, you are only being asked to behave with God, in the different circumstances that present themselves, as you act with people who love you and whom you love. Your God is always beside you, not to say within you: “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Whoever wishes to speak to Him has no need of setting up an antechamber, far from it! God wants to see you treat Him without ceremony. Converse with Him about your affairs, projects, annoyances, fears and all that interests you. The essential thing, I repeat, is that you do it without embarrassment and with an open heart. Indeed, God does not speak at all, to the soul that does not speak to Him and who, in consequence, only hears His voice with difficulty, not being accustomed to speak to Him. (…)
It is true that we owe God sovereign respect. But when He favours you with the feeling of His presence and encourages you to speak to Him as to the best of your friends, open your heart freely and with all confidence.” – St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop and Doctor of the Church – To converse with God is both pleasant and easy
PRAYER – Lord God, You called St Bruno to serve You in a life of solitude. Amidst this world’s changes, help us, by his prayers, to set out hearts always on You. Heavenly Father, let me realise that You guide our lives through Your Providence, Your Word and Sacraments. Help me to be obedient to the rules for my state in life and so be obedient to Your will for me. Grant that the prayers of St Bruno may assist us as we strive to grow in humility. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.
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