Our Morning Offering – 30 September – Memorial of St Jerome (347-419) Father and Doctor
A light for our Path
By St Jerome
O Lord,
You have given us Your word
for a light to shine upon our path,
grant us so to meditate on that word
and follow its teaching,
that we may find in it,
the light that shines more and more
until the perfect day.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 29 September – The Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael
“Michael is the one who fights against the devil, he protects us against the serpent that seduces us, that makes us fall and then accuses us before God, claiming us as his own. Michael, was asked by the Lord to fight the devil” and he helps us resist temptation on our earthly journey toward heaven.
Gabriel is the one who “brings the good news”, he’s the one who announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist and to Mary and Joseph, the birth of Jesus. Gabriel too accompanies us and helps us on our journey when we ‘forget’ the Gospel. He reminds us that “Jesus came to save us.”
Raphael, meanwhile, “walks with us taking care of us on our journey and helping us not take the wrong steps.”
These are our companions, at our service and at God’s service.
Let us Pray:
“Michael: Help us in our battle – each of us has a battle to fight in our lives;
Gabriel: Bring us news, bring us the good news of salvation;
Raphael: Take us by the hand and lead us forward without taking the wrong turns.
Always walking forward, but with your help!
Amen”
Pope Francis – 29 September 2017 – Santa Marta
Quote/s of the Day – 29 September – The Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael
“You should be aware, that the word “angel”,
denotes a function, rather than a nature.
Those holy spirits of heaven,
have indeed always been spirits.
They can only be called angels,
when they deliver some message.
Moreover, those who deliver messages
of lesser importance are called angels
and those who proclaim messages
of supreme importance are called archangels.”
“Angels take different earthly forms
at the bidding of their master, God.
They thus reveal themselves to human beings
and unveil the Divine Mysteries to them”
Our Morning Offering – 29 September – The Feast of Sts Michael, Gabriel and Raphael
Prayer to St Michael
St Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle,
be our defense against the wickedness
and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him we humbly pray
and do thou o’ prince of the Heavenly Host,
by the power of God,
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl throughout the world,
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
Prayer to St Gabriel
O God, who from among all Your angels
chose the Archangel Gabriel
to announce the mystery of the Incarnation,
mercifully grant that we who solemnly
remember him on earth,
may feel the benefit of his patronage in heaven,
with Jesus who lives and reigns forever and ever.
Amen
Prayer to the Archangel Raphael
Glorious Archangel St Raphael,
great prince of the heavenly court,
you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace.
You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air,
consoler of the afflicted and refuge of sinners.
I beg you, assist me in all my needs
and in all the sufferings of this life,
as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels.
Because you are the “medicine of God”,
I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul
and the ills that afflict my body.
I especially ask of you the great grace of purity
to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
On The Memorial of St Simón de Rojas O.SS. (1552-1624) known as “Father Ave Maria” and the “Apostle of the Ave Maria”, we learn a little from St Louis.
How do I find the Grace of God?
TO FIND THE GRACE OF GOD, WE MUST DISCOVER MARY
(Excerpt from The Secret of Mary by St Louis Marie de Montfort)
The difficulty, then, is how to arrive at the true knowledge of the most holy Virgin and so find grace in abundance through her. God, as the absolute Master, can give directly Hhat he ordinarily dispenses only through Mary and it would be rash to deny that He sometimes does so. However, St Thomas assures us that, following the order established by His divine Wisdom, God ordinarily imparts His graces to men through Mary . Therefore, if we wish to go to Him, seeking union with Him, we must use the same means which He used in coming down from heaven to assume our human nature and to impart His graces to us. That means was a complete dependence on Mary His Mother, which is true devotion to her.
28. Chosen soul, this devotion consists in surrendering oneself in the manner of a slave to Mary and to Jesus through her and then performing all our actions with Mary, in Mary, through Mary and for Mary. Let me explain this statement further.
29. We should choose a special feast day on which to give ourselves. Then, willingly and lovingly and under no constraint, we consecrate and sacrifice to her unreservedly our body and soul. We give to her our material possessions, such as house, family, income, and even the inner possessions of our soul, namely, our merits, graces, virtues and atonements. Notice that in this devotion we sacrifice to Jesus through Mary all that is most dear to us, that is, the right to dispose of ourselves, of the value of our prayers and alms, of our acts of self- denial and atonements. This is a sacrifice which no religious order would require of its members. We leave everything to the free disposal of our Lady, for her to use as she wills for the greater glory of God, of which she alone is perfectly aware.
30. We leave to her the right to dispose of all the satisfactory and prayer value of our good deeds, so that, after having done so and without going so far as making a vow, we cease to be master over any good we do. Our Lady may use our good deeds either to bring relief or deliverance to a soul in purgatory, or perhaps to bring a change of heart to a poor sinner.
31. By this devotion we place our merits in the hands of our Lady but only that she may preserve, increase and embellish them, since merit for increase of grace and glory cannot be handed over to any other person. But we give to her all our prayers and good works, inasmuch as they have intercessory and atonement value, for her to distribute and apply to whom she pleases. If, after having thus consecrated ourselves to our Lady, we wish to help a soul in purgatory, rescue a sinner, or assist a friend by a prayer, an alms, an act of self-denial or an act of self-sacrifice, we must humbly request it of our Lady, abiding always by her decision, which of course remains unknown to us. We can be fully convinced that the value of our actions, being dispensed by that same hand which God himself uses to distribute His gifts and graces to us, cannot fail to be applied for His greatest glory.
Act of Consecration to Mary
By St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)
I, N…., a faithless sinner-
renew and ratify today in thy hands,
Immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism;
I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works,
and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom,
to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life
and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.
In the presence of all the heavenly court,
I choose thee this day, for my Mother and Mistress.
I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave,
my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior
and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future,
leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me
and all that belongs to me, without exception,
according to thy good pleasure,
for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity.
Amen
“One cannot contemplate Mary
without being attracted by Christ
and one cannot look at Christ
without immediately perceiving
the presence of Mary.”
“Those who would receive Christ and bring Him forth must become like her . . .
her soul was virginal, so well cut loose from everything of earth,
so humble before God, that He could wholly fill her.”
(D Aemiliana Löhr, The Mass Through the Year)
Thought for the Day – 28 September – The Memorial of St Simón de Rojas O.SS. (1552-1624) known as “Father Ave Maria” and the “Apostle of the Ave Maria”
The subject of this article lived in a time of great saints, great Spanish saints, so it is not surprising that he is little known. St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) who founded the Jesuits and wrote the Spiritual Exercises, St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) who reformed the Carmelites and wrote The Interior Castle and St John of the Cross who wrote The Ascent of Mount Carmel and The Dark Night of the Soul (1542-1591), all lived during the lifetime of St Simon de Rojas. While they focused on the spiritual formation of souls, St Simon focused on organising the laity to play a more active role in performing the corporal works of mercy.
In the year 1552 there was a Catholic couple deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary: Constanza and Gregorio. They lived in Valladolid about 100 miles north of Avila in the kingdom of Castile. On 28 October 1552, they welcomed their son, Simon de Rojas, into the world and had him baptised.
The boy, a slow learner, also had a speech impediment but at the age of only 14 months he spoke his first two words. Not surprisingly they were “Ave Maria.” Eventually this boy would become a priest and become known as “Fr Ave Maria” because he repeated those words so frequently throughout the day.
His studies and activities revolved around Mary, the Mother of God. He frequently visited Marian shrines, making his life’s goal to imitate her virtues and to sing her praises and to contemplate the Virgin’s mysterious relationship with the Triune God.
While at the University of Salamanca, about 60 miles southwest of Valladolid, he studied the life of Mary and her cooperation with the Blessed Trinity in order to save humanity through her beloved Son.
Like many saints who lived before him and after him, Simon realised the important role that Mary played and continues to play in salvation history. He, like Pope St John Paul II (1920-2005), held up the motto, Totus Tuus, as a model for giving oneself totally to Mary for the greater glory of God. Only then could a person be intimately close to Christ and through Him be close to God the Holy Spirit and God the Father.
Nearly 100 years before the time of St Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716), Simon taught that for anyone to be surrendered to God, he must first become a slave of Mary. Hence, on 14 April 1612, he founded the Congregation of the Slaves of the Sweet Name of Mary. Their mission was to praise the Blessed Virgin Mary by their service to the poor.
Centuries before the Second Vatican Council encouraged the participation of the laity in the work of the Church, this congregation was for the laity. Any person regardless of wealth, education, or social standing was welcome to join the congregation. Persons from all walks of life joined in this work, including the king and his children who consecrated themselves to serving the poor.
To assist the members of the congregation in their spiritual formation, he wrote The Greatness of Prayer. Being a great contemplative, he deeply yearned to have others join this dimension of the spiritual life which is the foundation of any works of mercy. Such works of the congregation included helping the poor, ransoming captive, and nursing the sick. In short, the members were dedicated to assisting any marginalised members of society and thereby bringing them closer to Christ by being channels of His grace.
Dear St Simon de Rojas, help us by your intercession to obtain the divine graces of Marian contemplation. May we imitate her love, prayer, and devotion to the Blessed and Holy Trinity. By the merits of these graces may we also love our neighbour, especially the most destitute by not only giving alms but also giving our love, sharing our faith and lifting them up. Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 28 September – Today’s Gospel: Luke 9:18-22
“With regard to doing the will of the Lord,
even if someone should be scandalised by what we do,
we must not let that hamper our freedom of action.”
“We are not drawn to God
by iron chains
but by sweet attractions
and holy inspirations.”
“If we follow, the Voice of God,
we shall be brought on,
step by step,
into a new world,
of which, before,
we had no idea.”
One Minute Reflection – 28 September – Today’s Gospel: Luke 9:18-22 – Friday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time and the Memorial of St Simón de Rojas O.SS. (1552-1624) known as “Father Ave Maria” and the “Apostle of the Ave Maria”
And he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”...Luke 9:20
REFLECTION – “In fact, there are two ways of “seeing” and “knowing” Jesus one – that of the crowd – is more superficial, the other – that of the disciples – more penetrating and genuine. With His twofold question: “What do the people say?” and “who do you say that I am?”, Jesus invited the disciples to become aware of this different perspective. The people thought that Jesus was a prophet. This was not wrong but it does not suffice, it is inadequate. In fact, it was a matter of delving deep, of recognising the uniqueness of the person of Jesus of Nazareth and His newness. This is how it still is today, many people draw near to Jesus, as it were, from the outside….Let us make Peter’s answer our own…..
Today too, as in Jesus’ day, it does not suffice to possess the proper confession of faith – it is always necessary to learn anew from the Lord the actual way in which He is Saviour and the path on which we must follow Him. Indeed, we have to recognise that even for believers, the Cross is always hard to accept.”…Pope Benedict XVI – 29 June 2007
PRAYER – Lord God, You hold out the Light of Your Word to those who do not know You. Strengthen in our hearts, the faith You have given us and the Credo we profess, so that no trials may quench the fire Your Spirit has kindled in us. May the intercession of St Simon de Rojas, grant us the grace of following the way of the Cross, to stand beneath it with our Mother, the Mother of God, Ave Maria! We make our prayer through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 28 September – The Memorial of St Simón de Rojas O.SS. (1552-1624) known as “Father Ave Maria” and the “Apostle of the Ave Maria”
The Hail Mary/Ave Maria
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Áve María, grátia pléna,
Dóminus técum.
Benedícta tū in muliéribus,
et benedíctus frúctus véntris túi, Iésus.
Sáncta María, Máter Déi,
óra pro nóbis peccatóribus,
nunc et in hóra mórtis nóstrae. Ámen.
Our petitionary payer to the Holy Mother of God, was commonly added to the prayers of the Church, around the time of the Council of Trent. The Dutch Jesuit, St Petrus Canisius (1521-1597) Doctor of the Church, is credited with adding in 1555 in his Catechism the sentence:
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death,
amen.
Eleven years later, the sentence was included in the Catechism of the Council of Trent of 1566. The “Catechism of the Council of Trent” says that to the first part of the Hail Mary, by which “we render to God the highest praise and return Him most gracious thanks, because He has bestowed all His heavenly gifts on the most holy Virgin … the Church of God has wisely added prayers and an invocation addressed to the most holy Mother of God … we should earnestly implore her help and assistance, for that she possesses exalted merits with God and that she is most desirous to assist us by her prayers, no one can doubt without impiety and wickedness.”
The Hail Mary is the central part of the Angelus, a devotion generally recited thrice daily by Catholics, at 06.00, 12.00 and 18.00.
On account of its connection with the Angelus, the Ave Maria was often inscribed on bells.
The Hail Mary is the essential element of the Rosary, of course, for those followers who are not yet Catholics:
The Rosary consists traditionally of three sets of five Mysteries, each mystery consisting of one “decade” or ten Ave Marias. The 150 Ave Marias of the Rosary thus echo the 150 psalms. These meditate upon events of Jesus’ life during his childhood (Joyful Mysteries), Passion (Sorrowful Mysteries), and from his Resurrection onwards (Glorious Mysteries). Another set, the Luminous Mysteries, is of comparatively recent origin, having been proposed by St Pope John Paul II in 2002.
Each of these Mysteries is prayed as a decade (a unit of ten), consisting of one Our Father (Pater Noster or The Lord’s Prayer), ten Hail Marys, and one ‘Glory Be’ (Gloria Patri) (Doxology) and the Fatima Prayer “O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell and lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.”
The restatement of the prayers locks one into fixed language, having the effect of freeing the conscious mind so that the recitation may come more from the heart and not the head.
Pope Paul V (1550-1621) said that “the Rosary is a treasure of graces … Even for those souls who pray without meditating, the simple act of taking the beads in hand to pray is already a remembrance of God – of the supernatural”.
Thought for the Day – 27 September – The Memorial of St Vincent de Paul C.M. (1581-1660)
It is not enough to love God if my neighbour does not love Him.
“Our vocation is to go and enflame the heart of men, to do what the Son of God did, He who brought fire into the world to set it alight with His love. What else can we wish for, than for it to burn and consume all things?
Thus it is true that I have been sent not only to love God but also to make men love Him.
It is not enough to love God if my neighbour does not love Him. I must love my neighbour as the image of God and the object of His love and do everything so that in their turn men love their Creator who knows and considers them as His brothers, whom He has saved, I must obtain that they love each other with mutual love, out of love for God who loved them to the point of abandoning to death His very Son. So that is my duty. Now, if it is true that we are called to bear God’s love near and far, if we must set nations alight, if our vocation is to go and spread this divine fire in the whole world, if it is so, my brothers, if it is really so, how must I myself burn of this divine fire!
How can we give love to others, if we do not have it among us? Let us look if it is so, not generally but if each one has it within himself, in due amount, because if love is not on fire in us, if we do not love each other as Jesus Christ loved us and if we do not act as He did, how can we hope to spread such love throughout the world? You cannot give what you do not have. The precise duty of charity consists in doing to others what you reasonably would like done to yourself. Do I really behave towards my neighbour as I wish he would towards me?
Let us look at the Son of God. Only our Lord can be so taken by love for creatures so much as to leave His Father’s throne and take a body subject to infirmity. And why? In order to establish among us, with His word and example, the love of our neighbours. This is the love that led Him to the Cross and accomplished the wonderful work of our redemption. If we had a little of such love, would we stay here with folded arms? Oh! no, love can not remain barren, it urges us to obtain salvation and relief for others.”
Prayer for Vocations
By St Vincent de Paul
O Lord,
send good workers to Your Church,
but may they be good!
Send good missionaries
to work in Your vineyard,
labourers, O my God,
such as they ought to be:
utterly detached from themselves,
their own comfort,
and worldly goods.
Let them even be few in number,
provided that they are good.
O Lord, grant this grace
to Your Church.
Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 27 September – The Memorial of St Vincent de Paul C.M. (1581-1660)
“Perfection consists in one thing alone,
which is doing the will of God.
For, according to Our Lord’s words,
it suffices for perfection to deny self,
to take up the cross and to follow Him.
Now who denies himself and takes up his cross
and follows Christ better than he who seeks
not to do his own will but always that of God?
Behold, now, how little is needed to become as Saint?
Nothing more than to acquire the habit of willing,
on every occasion, what God wills.”
“…We have all been called by God to work on a masterpiece!”
“Extend your mercy towards others,
so that there can be no one in need
whom you meet without helping.
For what hope is there for us if God
should withdraw His Mercy from us?”
“With renewed devotion, then,
we must serve the poor,
especially outcasts and beggars.
They have been given to us
as our masters and patrons.”
“It is not enough to give soup and bread.
This the rich can do.
You are the servant of the poor,
always smiling and good-humoured.
They are your masters, terribly sensitive
and exacting master you will see.
And the uglier and the dirtier they will be,
the more unjust and insulting,
the more love you must give them.
It is only for your love alone,
that the poor will forgive you the bread you give to them.
“Go to the poor – you will find God!”
One Minute Reflection – 27 September – Today’s First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2–11 – Thursday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year B – The Memorial of St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
What has been is what will be and what has been done is, what will be done..Ecclesiastes 1:9
REFLECTION – “Free your mind from all that troubles you; God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this (choice) without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God because he sees that you do not honour Him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in Him, I beg you and you will have the fulfilment of what your heart desires.”….St Vincent de Paul
PRAYER – Father, You endowed St Vincent de Paul with the spirit of an apostle to give himself to the poor and to the training of priests. Give us, good Lord, a share of the same spirit, that we may love what he loved and do as he taught. Fill us with hope and total trust and abandonment to Your Holy Providence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. St Vincent de Paul, pray for us, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 27 September – The Memorial of St Vincent de Paul C.M. (1581-1660)
Let Thou Thyself O Lord,
Be Thine Eternal Thanksgiving!
By St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
O Saviour,
Who gave us the law
to love our neighbour as ourselves,
Who practised it,
in such a perfect fashion, towards men.
Let Thou Thyself, O Lord,
Be Thine eternal thanksgiving!
O Saviour, how happy I am
to be in the state of loving my neighbour!
Grant me the grace
to acknowledge my good fortune,
to love this blessed state
and to ensure that this virtue,
may be revealed now,
tomorrow and always.
Amen.
Thought for the Day – 26 September – The Memorial of Blessed Louis Tezza M.I. (18 41-1923
Blessed Louis Tezza’s message can be readily understood in the light of the gospel. Jesus had a special concern for the sick, and furthermore he identified personally with his suffering brothers: “I was sick and you visited me. In so far as you this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me” (Mt.25.40)
Blessed Louis was chosen by God not only to live this charism of mercy for the sick but to spread it through the founding of the Institute of the Daughters of S. Camillus, an institute dedicated to care for human life from the moment of conception to natural death. He showed every Christian how to act in the face of suffering – to care and alleviate and especially to value it for one’s own sanctification and the redemption of others.
Fr Louis encourages us to believe in and operate in accordance with God’s plan for each one of us. The cornerstone of his existence was obedience to God . He was constantly seeking the will of God and striving to carry it out in his life. He could see God’s plan in the signs of the times, the ordinary events of life, in the decisions of his superiors and he was convinced that these had to be followed no matter what the cost in personal sacrifice.
He leaves each one of us today with this personal challenge, in the hope that we will make it our own:
“God’s invitation to become saints is for all, not just a few.
Sanctity therefore must be accessible to all.
In what does it consist? In a lot of activity? No.
In doing extraordinary things? No, this could not be for everybody and at all times.
Therefore, sanctity consists in doing good, and in doing this “good” in whatever condition and place God has placed us.
Nothing more, nothing outside of this”.
“Blessed Luigi Tezza, glorious example of a life totally dedicated to the exercise of charity and mercy towards those who suffer in body and spirit. For them he founded the Institute of the Daughters of St Camillus, whom he taught to practice an absolute confidence in the Lord. “The will of God! Behold my only guide”, he exclaimed, “the only goal of my desires, for which I wish to sacrifice everything”. In his confident abandonment to the will of God, he took as his model the Blessed Virgin Mary, tenderly loved and contemplated particularly in the moment of the “fiat” and in her silent presence at the foot of the Cross.”… (St Pope John Paul at the Beatification of Blessed Louis) Vatican.va
Quote/s of the Day – 26 September – The Memorial of Blessed Louis Tezza M.I. (1841-1923) and Blessed Pope Paul VI (1897-1978)
“God’s invitation to become saints
is for all, not just a few.
Sanctity, therefore, must be accessible to all.
In what does it consist?
In a lot of activity? No.
In doing extraordinary things?
No, this could not be for everybody and at all times.
Therefore, sanctity consists in doing good
and in doing this “good” in whatever condition
and place God has placed us.
Nothing more, nothing outside of this”
“No matter where you are
or where you may be working,
make sure the world,
will be renewed, upon contact with you.”
“Somebody should tell us,
right at the start of our lives, that we are dying.
Then we might live life to the limit,
every minute of every day.
Do it! I say.
Whatever you want to do, do it now!
There are only so many tomorrows.”
“Every mother is like Moses.
She does not enter the promised land.
She prepares a world she will not see.”
“If you want peace, work for justice.”
“… The Blessed Sacrament,
which is in the tabernacle,
is the living heart
of each of our churches.”
“Christ is truly the Emmanuel,
that is, God with us, day and night,
He is in our midst.
He dwells with us full of grace and truth.
He restores morality, nourishes virtue,
consoles the afflicted, strengthens the weak.”
“Every theological explanation…
must firmly maintain that in objective reality,
independently of our mind,
the bread and wine have ceased to exist after the consecration,
so that the adorable body and blood of the Lord Jesus
from that moment on,
are really before us.
under the sacramental species of bread and wine”.
“This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace,
continues uninterruptedly, from the consent,
which she loyally gave, at the Annunciation
and which she sustained, without wavering beneath the Cross,
until the eternal fulfilment of all the elect.
Taken up to heaven, she did not lay aside this saving office
but by her manifold intercession, continues to bring us
the gifts of eternal salvation. By her maternal charity,
she cares for the brethren of her Son,
who still journey on earth, surrounded by dangers and difficulties,
until they are led into their blessed home.
Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church
under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress and Mediatrix.
This, however, is so understood,
that it neither takes away anything from,
nor adds anything to,
the dignity and efficacy of Christ the one Mediator.”
Lumen Gentium, 62
One Minute Reflection – 26 September – The Memorial of Blessed Louis Tezza M.I. (1841-1923) and Blessed Pope Paul VI (1897-1978)
…and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal....Luke 9:2
REFLECTION – “This is the mission of the Church, inseparably united to her Lord. Indeed it is Baptism that makes us missionaries. A baptised person who does not feel the need to proclaim the Gospel, to proclaim Jesus, is not a good Christian.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 15 July 2018.
PRAYER – O God of love, You sent Your beloved Son to the world to proclaim the Good News of Salvation, to heal every illness and to cure all infirmity of body and soul. Help us to continue the mission of the merciful Christ in the service towards our neighbour, preaching the Gospel and offering our help in whatever way we can. May the example of charity of Blessed Louis Tezza and Blessed Pope Paul VI, teach us how to love and serve You especially in those who suffer. Through their intercession,grant us the grace to go forth in love. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 26 September – The Memorial of Blessed Pope Paul VI (1897-1978) and Blessed Louis Tezza M.I. (1841-1923)
Make Us Worthy, Lord
By Blessed Pope Paul VI
Make us worthy, Lord,
to serve our fellow-men
throughout the world
who live and die
in poverty and hunger.
Give them through our hands,
this day, their daily bread,
and by our understanding love,
give peace and joy.
Amen
Quote of the Day – 25 September – Today’s Gospel: Luke 8:19-21 and The Memorial of St Vincent Strambi C.P. (1745-1824)
“… how can anyone put on Jesus Christ
and imitate His example,
if he does not study this Jesus,
who must inspire and perfect our faith?
He must run the race to which he is challenged,
the glorious race in which,
he overcomes the enemy of the human family
and follows the way of the cross.
Under the lordly banner of that cross,
he will attain eternal life.”
(from his first Pastoral Letter as Bishop)
“I would sacrifice everything,
sooner than disobey the orders,
of the Vicar of Jesus Christ.”
(Said by St Vincent when all Bishops in the provinces annexed to France in 1808 were threatened with exile and the confiscation of their property if they refused to take the oath of allegiance to Napoleon. He was arrested.)
One Minute Reflection – 25 September – Today’s Gospel: Luke 8:19-21 – Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year B and the Memorial of St Vincent Strambi C.P. (1745-1824)
But he said to them, “My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it.”...Luke 8:21
REFLECTION – “Look upon the face of the Crucified, who invites you to follow Him. He will be a Father, Mother–everything to you.”….St Paul of the Cross C.P. (1694-1775)
PRAYER – Jesus, our Lord and our God, only You are the best Shepherd of Your Church and we, the sheep of Your flock, who follow You and hear and do Your Word. Support with grace those who are responsible for the fate of Your fold, so that following the example of St Vincent Maria Strambi, they devote all their powers and talents to service to the Church. In God, our Father we pray through You who live in union with Him and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ages and ages. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 25 September
O my God, all is Good if it comes from You
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
O my God,
I will put myself without reserve,
into Your hands.
Wealth or woe, joy or sorrow,
friends or bereavement,
honour or humiliation,
good report or ill report,
comfort or discomfort,
Your presence
or the hiding of Your countenance,
all is good if it comes from You,
You are wisdom and You are love –
what can I desire more?
You have led me in Your counsel
and with glory You have received me
What have I in heaven
and apart from You,
what want I upon earth?
My flesh and my heart fail
but God is the God of my heart
and my portion forever.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 24 September – The Memorial of Bl Anton Martin Slomsek (1800-1862)
“Teacher and educator, writer and poet, biographer and critic,
lover of his mother tongue and fighter for national equality,
patriot, speaker and preacher, ecumenical worker
and theological teacher of the Slovene people,
priest and bishop.
Slomsek’s personality is like a mosaic,
each stone has its own colour, its own function and size
but all together provide the image of a saint,
that is a person who is open to the breath of the Holy Spirit,
who prophetically understands the signs of the time and responds to them,
who understands how to use all natural and supernatural means
to realise the kingdom of God on earth.”Dr Franc Kramberger, Bishop of Maribor, Slovenia, 1999
“Only with a sound formation can men and women be prepared to build a world that is open to the perennial values of truth and love.”
St John Paul at the Beatification of Bl Anton (Sunday, 19 September 1999)
Quote/s of the Day – 24 September – Today’s Gospel: Luke 8:16–18 – Monday of the Twenty fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year B
“No one after lighting a lamp, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light.”…Luke 8:16
“Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips
and the world in your heart?”
“Christianity is not,
a matter of persuading people
of particular ideas
but of inviting them,
to share in the greatness of Christ.”
“A Christian is not his own master,
since all his time belongs to God.”
“We recognise a tree by its fruit
and we ought to be able to recognise
a Christian by his action.
The fruit of faith should be evident in our lives,
for being a Christian is more than making
sound professions of faith.
It should reveal itself in practical and visible ways.
Indeed it is better to keep quiet about our beliefs
and live them out,
than to talk eloquently about what we believe
but fail to live by it.”
“Christianity is not a matter of persuading people of particular ideas
but of inviting them to share in the greatness of Christ.
So pray that I may never fall into the trap of impressing people
with clever speech but instead, I may learn to speak with humility,
desiring only to impress people with Christ Himself.”
“Labour together with one another;
strive in company together;
run together; suffer together; sleep together;
and awake together,
as the stewards and associates
and servants of God.
Please Him under whom you fight
and from whom you receive your wages.
Let none of you be found a deserter.
Let your baptism endure as your arms;
your faith as your helmet;
your love as your spear;
your patience as a complete panoply.
Let your works be the charge assigned to you,
that you may receive a worthy recompense.
Be long-suffering, therefore, with one another,
in meekness, as God is towards you.
May I have joy of you for ever!
Give.” … (St Ignatius of Antioch: The Epistles)
“Pray without ceasing on behalf of other men…
For cannot he that falls, rise again?”
One Minute Reflection – 24 September – Today’s Gospel: Luke 8:16–18 – Monday of the Twenty fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year B
“No one after lighting a lamp, covers it with a vessel, or puts it under a bed but puts it on a stand, that those who enter may see the light.”…Luke 8:16
REFLECTION – “Christ,” wrote a Father of the Church, (Saint John Chrysostom), “has left us in this world to be like lamps…, to act like leaven…, to become seed, to bear fruit.” If our lives were to have this kind of impact, we would not need to open our mouths. Words would be unnecessary if we could show our works. There wouldn’t be a single pagan left if we were truly christians.
We should avoid making the mistake of thinking that the apostolate consists, in the witness of a few pious practices. We are christians, you and I but at the same time and without resolution of continuity, we are citizens and fellow-workers at very clear obligations, which we are to carry out in an exemplary fashion if we want to become holy once and for all. It is Jesus Christ who urges us: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then set it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand , where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5:14-16)….Saint Josémaria Escriva de Balaguer (1902-1975) Homily in Amigos de Dios
“All of us who have received Baptism, pray that the Holy Spirit help us not to fall into these bad habits that cover the light and that He help us to carry forward, the light we received freely, that light of God that does so much good – the light of friendship, the light of meekness, the light of faith, the light of hope, the light of patience, the light of goodness.”…Pope Francis – Santa Marta, 19 September 2016
PRAYER – Lord, be the beginning and the end of all that we do, all that we say, in every moment be our Light. Prompt our actions with Your grace and complete them with Your all-powerful love. May we always seek Your Face in every circumstance, in every moment, so that Your Light may become our life. Blessed Anton Martin Slomsek, you lived your life in the Presence of the Holy Face of Christ our Lord, please intercede for us and for all the world. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 24 September – Monday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year B
May We Seek Your Face
By Pope Benedict XVI
Lord Jesus, grant us restless hearts,
hearts which seek Your Face.
Keep us from the blindness of heart
which sees only the surface of things.
Give us the simplicity and purity
which allow us to recognise
Your presence in the World.
When we are not able to accomplish great things,
grants us the courage
which is born of humility and goodness.
Impress Your Face on our hearts.
May we encounter You along the way
and show forth Your image
to the world.
Amen
Sunday Reflection – 23 September – Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B and the Memorial of St Padre Pio (1887-1968)
“It is easier for the earth to be without the sun than without the Mass.”
From a letter to Annita Rodote on 25 July 1915 on how to attend Mass:
“The Divine Master calls the church the house of prayer. In order to avoid irreverence and imperfections I exhort you in the Lord to:
Enter the church in silence and with great respect. Take the holy water and make the sign of the cross carefully and slowly.
Before God in the Blessed Sacrament genuflect devoutly. At your pace, kneel down and render to Jesus the tribute of you presence.
Confide to Him all your needs and those of others. Speak to Him with filial abandonment. Be very composed when standing up, kneeling down and sitting.
Carry out every religious act with the greatest devotion. Be modest in your glance. Don’t turn you head here and there to see who enters and leaves.
Don’t laugh. Don’t speak to anybody, except when requested for charity or other strict necessity.
Say the words distinctly, observe the pauses and never hurry. Behave in such a way that all those present are edified by you.
Don’t leave without asking Jesus for His blessing and forgiveness for your shortcomings. Leave the church recollected and calm.”
Thought for the Day – 23 September – Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B and The Memorial of St Padre Pio (1887-1968)
Miracles happened every day of Padre Pio’s life. Like other wonder-workers such as Francis of Paola (1416-1507), Pio freely contradicted inviolable laws of nature. He appeared in two places at the same time to help people in trouble. He summoned friends by mental telepathy or by causing them to smell the scent of violets, which was associated with his presence. He read people’s thoughts and used that special knowledge to tease them . He dumbfounded people in the confessional by describing all their sins in detail. He accurately predicted future events, including his own death. He healed people of deafness, blindness and incurable diseases. And for fifty years he bore Christ’s wounds on his body and suffered enormously because of them.
How do we understand the appearance of such a “medieval” figure in our contemporary world? Perhaps we should not be surprised that God acts dramatically to get our attention when we lose sight of spiritual realities. God sent Padre Pio to us as a light to challenge the darkness of the mid-twentieth century and to offer hope to a world racked by depression and war.
Quote/s of the Day – 23 September – Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B and The Memorial of St Padre Pio (1887-1968)
“Do not fear! Jesus is more powerful than all hell.”
“Do not be daunted by the cross.
The surest test of love consists in suffering for the loved one
and if God suffered so much for love,
the pain we suffer for Him becomes as lovable as love itself.”
“The greater your sufferings, the greater God’s love for you.”
“God will never permit anything,
to happen to us, that is not for our greater good.”
“The storms that are raging around you,
will turn out to be for God’s glory,
your own merit
and the good of many souls.”
“In all the free time you have,
once you have finished your duties of state,
you should kneel down and pray the Rosary.
Pray the Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament
or before a crucifix.”
“Do you not see the Madonna always beside the Tabernacle?”
“Listen to the Mass, the way the Virgin Mary, stood at .. Calvary..”
“We have close to us, an angelic spirit,
who never leaves us for an instant,
from the cradle to the grave,
who guides and protects us,
like a friend or a brother.”
“When you gossip about a person it means
that you have removed the person from your heart.
But be aware, when you remove a man from your heart,
Jesus also goes away from your heart with that man.”
One Minute Reflection – 23 September – Today’s Gospel: Mark 9:30–37
– Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B and the Memorial of St Padre Pio (1887-1968)
“If any one would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”…Mark 9:35b
REFLECTION – “The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self:
there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection, except at the price of pain.”………St Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968)
PRAYER – “And you, Blessed Padre Pio, look down from heaven upon us assembled …today. Intercede for all those who, in every part of the world, are spiritually united … and raise their prayers to you. Come to the help of everyone; give peace and consolation to every heart. Amen!” – from the homily of St Pope John Paul II at the Beatification of Padre Pio
Our Morning Offering – 23 September – The Memorial of St Padre Pio (1887-1968)
Stay With Me, O Lord
St Padre Pio (1887-1968)
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life
and without You I am without fervour.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light
and without You I am in darkness.
Stay with me, Lord,
so that I hear Your voice and follow You.
Stay with me, Lord,
for I desire to love You very much
and always be in Your company.
Stay with me, Lord,
if You wish me to be faithful to You.
Stay with me, Lord, as poor as my soul is,
I want it to be a place of consolation for You,
a nest of Love.
Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late
and the day is coming to a close
and life passes, death, judgement
and eternity approach.
It is necessary to renew my strength,
so that I will not stop
along the way and for that, I need You.
It is getting late and death approaches,
I fear the darkness, the temptations,
the dryness, the cross, the sorrows.
O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!
Stay with me tonight, Jesus,
in life with all its dangers, I need You.
Let me recognise You as Your disciples did,
at the breaking of the bread,
so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light
which disperses the darkness,
the force which sustains me,
the unique joy of my heart.
Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death,
I want to remain united to You,
if not by Communion, at least by grace and love.
Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for,
Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will,
Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You
and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.
With a firm love, I will love You
with all my heart while on earth
and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity.
Amen
NOVENA to St Padre Pio/St Pius of Pietrelcina – DAY NINE – 22 September
St Padre Pio you have said:
How fortunate we are to be slaves of this great God who submitted Himself to death for us.
Let us Pray:
Gracious God,
You generously blessed Your servant, Padre Pio, with the gifts of the Spirit.
You marked his body with the five wounds of Christ Crucified,
as a powerful witness to the saving Passion and Death of Your Son
and as a stirring inspiration to many people,
of Your infinite mercy, forgiveness and love.
In the confessional, Padre Pio laboured endlessly for the salvation of souls.
Through his powerful intercession,
many who suffered were healed of sickness and disease.
Endowed with the gift of discernment, he could read people’s hearts.
With dignity and intense devotion, he celebrated daily Mass,
inviting countless men and women to a greater union with Jesus Christ,
in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
His life was a celebration of love for You
and an oblation of himself in gratitude to You.
We pray that You will bless us too
with total love and thanksgiving.
Through the intercession of Saint Pio,
we confidently beseech You to to grant us the grace of
………………… (state your petition here).
Help us to imitate his example of prayerful holiness and compassion,
so that we, too, may faithfully follow the Risen Lord
and one day rejoice in the Kingdom,
where You live and reign forever and ever.
Amen
AnaStpaul 
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