Quote of the Day – 23 June – The Memorial of St Joseph Cafasso (1811-1860)
“We are born to love,
we live to love
and we will die
to love still more.”
Category: MORNING Prayers
One Minute Reflection – – 23 June – The Memorial of St Joseph Cafasso (1811-1860)
One Minute Reflection – – 23 June – The Memorial of St Joseph Cafasso (1811-1860)
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”…John 20:21
REFLECTION – “Not without a special and beneficial disposition of Divine Goodness have we witnessed new stars rising on the horizon of the Catholic Church: the parish priest of Ars and the Venerable Servant of God, Joseph Cafasso. These two beautiful, beloved, providently timely figures must be presented today; one, the parish priest of Ars, as small and humble, poor and simple as he was glorious and the other, a beautiful, great, complex and rich figure of a priest, the educator and formation teacher of priests, Venerable Joseph Cafasso”….Pope Pius XI
PRAYER – Holy God, may St Joseph Cafasso’s example serve as a reminder to all to hasten towards the perfection of Christian life, towards holiness. In particular, may St Joseph Cafasso, remind priests of the importance of devoting time to the sacrament of Reconciliation and to spiritual direction and to all, the concern we should have for the most deprived. May we find help in his intercession and that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom St Joseph Cafasso was very devoted and whom he called “Our beloved Mother, our consolation, our hope”. St Joseph Cafasso, St John Vianney, please pray for all our priests! We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with You, in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 23 June
Our Morning Offering – 23 June
Wash Me With Your Precious Blood
By St Peter Canisius, S.J. (1521-1597) Doctor of the Church
See, O merciful God, what return
I, Your thankless servant, have made
for the innumerable favors
and the wonderful love You have shown me!
What wrongs I have done, what good left undone!
Wash away, I beg You, these faults and stains
with Your precious blood, most kind Redeemer,
and make up for my poverty by applying our merits.
Give me the protection I need to amend my life.
I give and surrender myself wholly to You,
and offer You all I possess,
with the prayer that You bestow Your grace on me,
so that I may be able to devote and employ
all the thinking power of my mind
and the strength of my body in Your holy service,
who are God blessed for ever and ever.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 22 June – The Memorial of St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431)
Thought for the Day – 22 June – The Memorial of St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431)
Of him, Pope Benedict XVI said:
“In our catechesis on the great teachers of the early Church, we now turn to Saint Paulinus, the Bishop of Nola in southern Italy.
A native of Bordeaux in Gaul, Paulinus became the Roman governor of Campania, where, after encountering the depth of popular devotion to Saint Felix Martyr, he was led to embrace the Christian faith. After the tragic loss of their first child, he and his wife sold their goods and undertook a life of chastity and prayer.
Ordained a priest and then Bishop of Nola, Paulinus distinguished himself by his charity to the poor during the troubled times of the barbarian invasions.
A man of letters and a gifted poet, Paulinus placed his art at the service of Christ and the Church. In his poetry and his vast correspondence, Paulinus expressed his deep faith and his love of the poor.His letters to such contemporary churchmen as Saints Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome and Martin of Tours, reflect his asceticism, his deep sense of the Church’s communion and his cultivation of the practice of spiritual friendship as a means of experiencing that communion within the mystery of Christ’s mystical Body, enlivened by the Holy Spirit.”
Many of us are tempted to “retire” early in life, after an initial burst of energy. Devotion to Christ and His work is waiting to be done all around us. Paulinus’ life had scarcely begun when he thought it was over, as he took his ease on that estate in Spain. “Man proposes, but God disposes.”
The life of Saint Paulinus is one of great accomplishments and positions—none more important than those which began with his baptism into the faith. As with all baptism, Paulinus was made anew, filled with the Holy Spirit and through this rebirth, was able to devote himself to the holy work of God, serving others and bringing many to the faith. Today, we pray for a renewal of our own baptismal promise, awake and alive in our faith!
The Word of the Cross
by Saint Paulinus of Nola
Look on thy God, Christ hidden in our flesh.
A bitter word, the cross, and bitter sight:
Hard rind without, to hold the heart of heaven.
Yet sweet it is; for God upon that tree
Did offer up His life: upon that rood
My Life hung, that my life might stand in God.
Christ, what am I to give Thee for my life?
Unless take from Thy hands the cup they hold,
To cleanse me with the precious draught of death.
What shall I do? My body to be burned?
Make myself vile? The debt’s not paid out yet.
Whate’er I do, it is but I and Thou,
And still do I come short, still must Thou pay
My debts, O Christ; for debts Thyself hadst none.
What love may balance Thine? My Lord was found
In fashion like a slave, that so His slave
Might find himself in fashion like his Lord.
Think you the bargain’s hard, to have exchanged
The transient for the eternal, to have sold
Earth to buy Heaven? More dearly God bought me.
St Paulinus of Nola, Pray for us!
Quote/s of the Day – 22 June – The Memorial of St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431) and St John Fisher (1469-1535) and St Thomas More (1478-1535) Martyrs
Quote/s of the Day – 22 June – The Memorial of St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431) and St John Fisher (1469-1535) and St Thomas More (1478-1535) Martyrs
“To my mind the only art, is the faith
and Christ is my poetry.”
“It is not surprising if, despite being far apart,
we are present to each other and
without being acquainted, know each other
because we are members of One Body,
we have One Head,
we are steeped in One Grace,
we live on One Loaf,
we walk on One Road
and we dwell in the Same House.”
St Paulinus of Nola
St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431)
“A good man is not a perfect man;
a good man is an honest man,
faithful and unhesitatingly responsive
to the voice of God in his life.”
St John Fisher
“I reckon in this realm no one man,
in wisdom, learning
and long approved virtue together,
meet to be matched and compared with him.”
St Thomas More speaking of St John Fisher
“The things we pray for, good Lord,
give us grace to labour for.”
“We cannot go to heaven in featherbeds.”
“One of the greatest problems of our time,
is that many are schooled
but few are educated.”
“If we lived in a state where virtue was profitable,
common sense would make us saintly.
But since we see that avarice, anger,
pride and stupidity commonly profit,
far beyond charity, modesty, justice and thought,
perhaps we must stand fast a little,
even at the risk of being heroes.”
“You wouldn’t abandon ship in a storm,
just because you couldn’t control the winds.”
St Thomas More
One Minute Reflection – 22 June – The Memorial of St John Fisher (1469-1535) and St Thomas More (1478-1535) Martyrs
One Minute Reflection – 22 June – The Memorial of St John Fisher (1469-1535) and St Thomas More (1478-1535) Martyrs
More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much refuse, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by being conformed to his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead…Philippians 3:8-11
REFLECTION – “Although I know well, Margaret, that because of my past wickedness, I deserve to be abandoned by God, I cannot but trust in His merciful goodness. His grace has strengthened me until now and made me content to lose goods, land and life as well, rather than to swear against my conscience. God’s grace has given the king a gracious frame of mind toward me, so that as yet he has taken from me nothing but my liberty. In doing this His Majesty has done me such great good, with respect to spiritual profit, that I trust, that among all the great benefits he has heaped so abundantly upon me, I count my imprisonment the very greatest.
I cannot, therefore, mistrust the grace of God. By the merits of His bitter passion joined to mine and far surpassing in merit for me, all that I can suffer myself, His bounteous goodness, shall release me from the pains of purgatory and shall increase my reward in heaven besides.
I will not mistrust Him, Meg, though I shall feel myself weakening and on the verge of being overcome with fear. I shall remember, how Saint Peter at a blast of wind, began to sink because of his lack of faith and I shall do as he did, call upon Christ and pray to Him for help. And then I trust He shall place His holy hand on me and in the stormy seas, hold me up from drowning.
And finally, Margaret, I know this well, that without my fault He will not let me be lost. I shall, therefore, with good hope commit myself wholly to Him. And if He permits me to perish for my faults, then I shall serve as praise for His justice. But in good faith, Meg, I trust that His tender pity shall keep my poor soul safe and make me commendHhis mercy.
And, therefore, my own good daughter, do not let you mind be troubled over anything that shall happen to me in this world. Nothing can come but what God wills. And I am very sure, that whatever that be, however bad it may seem, it shall indeed be the best.” – from a letter written by Saint Thomas More from prison to his daughter Margaret
PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, You set the perfection of true faith in martyrdom. Strengthen us by the prayers of the martyrs, St Thomas More and St John Fisher , so that our lives may bear witness to the faith we profess. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 22 June – The Memorial of St Thomas More (1478-1535)
Our Morning Offering – 22 June – The Memorial of St Thomas More (1478-1535)
During his address to the Roman Curia on the occasion of the presentation of Christmas greetings, Pope Francis affirmed, “A bit of good humour is very good for us! It will do us much good to pray St Thomas More’s prayer frequently, I pray it every day and it helps me.”
Prayer for Good Humour
By St Thomas More (1478-1535)
Grant me O Lord, good digestion,
and also something to digest.
Grant me a healthy body
and the necessary good humour to maintain it.
Grant me a simple soul that knows
to treasure all that is good
and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil,
but rather finds the means to put things
back in their place.
Give me a soul that knows not boredom,
grumbles, sighs and laments,
nor excess of stress,
because of that obstructing thing called “I.”
Grant me O Lord, a good sense of humour,
Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke
to discover in life a bit of joy,
and to be able to share it with others.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 21 June – The Memorial of St Aloysius de Gonzaga S.J. (1568-1591)
Thought for the Day – 21 June – The Memorial of St Aloysius de Gonzaga S.J. (1568-1591)
Aloysius also volunteered to work at the local hospital. On closer inspection, this was heroic of him since he was very sensitive to disgusting sores and odors. He strove to conquer his inborn squeamishness and attend to the most repulsive cases. A fellow novice, Decio Striverio, remembers approaching a particularly loathsome patient, full of bleeding sores. Aloysius turned completely pale as they approached but as if summoning some hidden strength, his colour returned and he approached the victim as if he were Christ Himself. “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did it for Me.” (Mt. 25:40)
Aloysius worked first at the overcrowded hospital of St Sixtus. He traversed the streets of Rome and carried the ill on his back to the hospital; when there, he undressed and washed the victims, gave them fresh clothing, placed them in a bed and fed them. However, the Jesuit superiors took alarm, as some of the novices started dying. They assigned Aloysius to the hospital of Santa Maria di Consolazione, reserved for non-contagious patients.
While assisting at this hospital, he lifted an unknowingly infected man out of his bed, tended his needs and returned him to his bed. Unfortunately, this act of charity cost Aloysius his life. He received the diagnosis of infection on 3 March 1591, and died on 21 June 1591. He was 23 years old. In a letter addressed to his mother shortly before his death, he wrote, “Our parting will not be for long; we shall see each other again in heaven; we shall be united with our Saviour; there we shall praise Him with heart and soul, sing of His mercies forever, and enjoy eternal happiness.”
Aloysius’ patronage extends foremost over the youth. Thus, artists have made the effort to emphasise his angelic purity, as a role model for chastity. While undoubtedly commendable, the realisation of this virtue in pictorial form often results in a caricature. There is a fine line between heroic purity and honey-dripping effeminacy, at least in artistic terms. Interestingly, St Aloysius is also the patron of AIDS patients and caregivers, due to his compassionate care and ultimate infection of an incurable disease. In the final analysis, the sugarcoated holy card depiction of St Aloysius is misleading, as he possessed ferocious will power. Moreover, one can easily absolve his youthful quirkiness before entering the Jesuits, in light of his large-hearted compassion revealed in the end….(Reference – The Life of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Patron of Christian Youth by Maurice Meschler, S.J.)
Aloysius seems an unlikely patron of youth, in a society where asceticism is confined, to training camps of football teams and boxers and sexual permissiveness has little left to permit. Can an overweight, sin-soaked and air-conditioned society deprive itself of anything? It will, when it discovers a reason, as Aloysius did. The motivation for letting God purify us is the experience of God loving us in prayer. Prayer is our most urgent work!
St Aloysius Gonzaga, help us to pray and please Pray for us all!
Quote of the Day – 21 June – The Memorial of St Aloysius de Gonzaga S.J. (1568-1591)
Quote of the Day – 21 June – The Memorial of St Aloysius de Gonzaga S.J. (1568-1591)
“May the comfort and grace of the Holy Spirit be yours for ever, most honoured lady.
Your letter found me lingering still in this region of the dead but now I must rouse myself to make my way on to heaven at last and to praise God for ever in the land of the living; indeed I had hoped that before this time my journey there would have been over.
If charity, as Saint Paul says, means “to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who are glad,” then, dearest mother, you shall rejoice exceedingly that God in His grace and His love for you, is showing me the path to true happiness and assuring me, that I shall never lose Him.
Take care above all things, most honoured lady, not to insult God’s boundless loving kindness; you would certainly do this, if you mourned as dead, one living face to face with God, one whose prayers, can bring you in your troubles, more powerful aid, than they ever could on earth.And our parting will not be for long; we shall see each other again in heaven; we shall be united with our Saviour; there we shall praise Him with heart and soul, sing of His mercies forever and enjoy eternal happiness.”
– from a letter to his mother by Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
One Minute Reflection – 21 June – The Memorial of St Aloysius de Gonzaga S.J. (1568-1591)
One Minute Reflection – 21 June – The Memorial of St Aloysius de Gonzaga S.J. (1568-1591)
So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy, to suffer dishonour, for the sake of the name...Acts 5:41
REFLECTION – “He who wishes to love God, does not truly love Him, if he has not an ardent and constant desire, to suffer for His sake.”…St Aloysius de Gonzaga (1568-1591)
PRAYER – “O Holy Mary! My Mother; into your blessed trust and special custody and into the bosom of your mercy, I this day and every day and in the hour of my death, commend my soul and body. To you, I commit all my anxieties and sorrows, my life and the end of my life, that by your most holy intercession and by your merits, all my actions may be directed and governed by your will and that of your Son.”… by St Aloysius de Gonzaga (1568-1591)
Our Morning Offering – 21 June – The Memorial of St Aloysius de Gonzaga S.J. (1568-1591)
Our Morning Offering – 21 June – The Memorial of St Aloysius de Gonzaga S.J. (1568-1591)
Prayer of a First Jesuit
By St Peter Faber S.J. (1506-1546)
With great devotion and new depth of feeling,
I hope and beg, O God, that it finally be given to me
to be the servant and minister of Christ the consoler,
the minister of Christ the redeemer,
the minister of Christ the healer,
the liberator, the enricher the strengthener.
To be able through You to help many–
to console, liberate and give them courage;
to bring them light not only for their spirit
but also for their bodies,
and bring as well other helps
to the soul and bodyof each and every one
of my neighbours.
I ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
– from his Memoriale
Feast of Our Lady of Miracles and Memorials of the Saints – 21 June
St Aloysius Gonzaga S.J. (1568-1591) (Memorial)
Madonna of Miracles – Our Lady of Miracles (or Madonna of Miracles) is the patron saint of the town of Alcamo, Italy.
—
St Agofredus of La-Croix
St Alban of Mainz
St Apollinaris of Africa
Bl Colagia
St Corbmac
St Cyriacus of Africa
St Demetria of Rome
St Dominic of Comacchio
St Engelmund
Bl Jacques-Morelle Dupas
St John Rigby
St José Isabel Flores Varela
Bl Juan of Jesus
St Lazarus
St Leutfridus
St Martia of Syracuse
St Martin of Tongres
Bl Melchiorre della Pace
St Mewan of Bretagne
Bl Nicholas Plutzer
St Ralph of Bourges
St Raymond of Barbastro
St Rufinus of Syracuse
St Suibhne the Sage
St Terence
St Ursicenus of Pavia
—
Martyrs of Taw – 3+ saints: Three Christians of different backgrounds who were martyred together – Moses, Paphnutius, Thomas. They were beheaded in Taw, Egypt, date unknown.
Thought for the Day – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18
Thought for the Day – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18
“We are Nothing in Ourselves”
St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)
“When we do nothing to be ashamed of, when everything is going along according to our wishes, we dare to believe that nothing could make us fall. We forget our own nothingness and our utter weakness. We make the most delightful protestations that we are ready to die rather than to allow ourselves to be conquered. We see a splendid example of this in St Peter, who told our Lord that although all others might be scandalised in Him, yet he would never deny Him.
Alas! To show him how man, left to himself, is nothing at all, God made use, not of kings or princes or weapons but simply of the voice of a maidservant, who even appeared to speak to him in a very indifferent sort of way. A moment ago, he was ready to die for Him and now Peter protests, that he does not even know Him, that he does not know about whom they are speaking. To assure them even more vehemently that he does not know Him, he swears an oath about it.
Dear Lord, what we are capable of when we are left to ourselves! There are some who, in their own words, are envious of the saints who did great penances. They believe that they could do as well. When we read the lives of some of the martyrs, we would, we think, be ready to suffer all that they suffered for God; the moment is short lived, we say, for an eternity of reward. But what does God do to teach us to know ourselves or, rather, to know that we are nothing? This is all He does: He allows the Devil to come a little closer to us. Look at this Christian who a moment ago was quite envious of the hermit who lived solely on roots and herbs and who made the stern resolution to treat his body as harshly. Alas! A slight headache, a prick of a pin, makes him, as big and strong is he is, sorry for himself. He is very upset. He cries with pain. A moment ago he would have been willing to do all the penances of the anchorites — and the merest trifle makes him despair!
Look at this other one, who seems to want to give his whole life for God, whose ardour all the torments there are cannot damp. A tiny bit of scandalmongering …. a word of calumny …. even a slightly cold reception or a small injustice done to him …. a kindness returned by ingratitude …. immediately gives birth in him to feelings of hatred, of revenge, of dislike, to the point, often, of his never wishing to see his neighbour again or at least of treating him coldly with an air which shows very plainly what is going on in his heart. And how many times is this his waking thought, just as it was the thought that almost prevented him from sleeping? Alas, my dear brethren, we are poor stuff and we should count very little upon our good resolutions!”
St John Vianney, Pray for us!
Quote/s of the Day – – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18
Quote/s of the Day – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18
“Speaking of: Humility”
“God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble”
James 4:6
“Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues,
hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist,
there cannot be any other virtue,
except in mere appearance.”
“It was pride that changed angels into devils;
it is humility that makes men as angels.”
St Augustine (354-430) Doctor of Grace
“As patience leads to peace
and study to science,
so are humiliations,
the path that leads to humility.”
St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Mellifluous Doctor
“In the difficulties which are placed before me,
why should I not act like a donkey?
When one speaks ill of him – the donkey says nothing.
When he is mistreated – he says nothing.
When he is forgotten – he says nothing.
When no food is given him – he says nothing.
When he is made to advance – he says nothing.
When he is despised – he says nothing.
When he is overburdened – he says nothing.
The true servant of God must do likewise
and say with David:
“Before Thee I have become like a beast of burden.”
St Alphonsus Rodriguez (1532-1617)
“True humility
scarcely ever
utters words
of humility.”
“Humility consists
in not esteeming ourselves above other men
and in not seeking
to be esteemed above them.”
“Humility makes our lives
acceptable to God,
meekness makes us
acceptable to men.”
“If, when stung by slander or ill-nature,
we wax proud and swell with anger,
it is a proof that our gentleness
and humility are unreal
and mere artificial show.”
“The highest point of humility
consists in not merely acknowledging one’s abjection
but in taking pleasure therein,
not from any want of breadth or courage
but to give the more glory to God’s Divine Majesty
and to esteem one’s neighbour,
more highly than one’s self.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of Charity
“The truly humble
reject all praise for themselves
and refer it all to God.”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
One Minute Reflection – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18
One Minute Reflection – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18
Jesus said to his disciples: ” “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”…Matthew 6:1
REFLECTION – “Jesus says, “When you pray, go into your chamber.” Now, what are these chambers but the heart signified in the Psalm where it is said: “The things you say in your hearts, be sorry for in your room.” He then continues: “And closing the doors, pray in secret to our Father.” Our entering the room is not enough if the door is left open to the importunate, for external things enter brazenly in through this door and lay hold on our interior affections. Temporal and visible penetrate through this door, that is, one of the senses, they enter our thoughts and by a swarm of fancies noisily disturb us while engaged in prayer. Therefore, the door must be closed; that is to say, the bodily sense must be resisted, so that a wholly spiritual prayer may be offered to the Father. For this prayer is formed in the depths of the heart where a man prays in secret to the Father. “And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you…”
The Lord does not admonish us to pray but teaches us how to pray, just as the preceding passage does not admonish us to give alms but tells us what our intention ought to be when we are giving them. This is due to the fact that He demands the purity of heart that one can only obtain by a continuous and undivided striving for eternal life through no other motive than a pure love of wisdom…St Augustine (354-430), Father & Doctor of the Church – Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, Bk. II, 3, 11
PRAYER – Lord God, in Your wisdom, You created us, by Your providence You rule us, penetrate our inmost being with Your light, so that our way of life may always be one of faithful service to You, as we follow the way of Your Son. Holy Mother, guide us as you guided Your Son. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18
Our Morning Offering – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18
Litany of Humility
By Servant of God Cardinal Merry del Val (1865-1930)
He was accustomed to recite this prayer daily after the celebration of Holy Mass.
O Jesus meek and humble of heart, Hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver, me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase
and I may decrease,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than I,
provided that I become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 19 June – The Memorial of St Romuald (c 951-1027)
Thought for the Day – 19 June – The Memorial of St Romuald (c 951-1027)
Saint Romuald’s body was buried at the monastery in Paranzo. Three decades later, his incorrupt body was transferred to Fabriano in 1481. Many miracles have been reported at his tombside in the great Cathedral of Fabriano. The Order he founded continues to operate today, with five distinct congregations. The most austere of those, the hermits, continue to live in a manner much like that of Saint Romuald—strict adherence to silence and prayer for the reparation of the sins of mankind.
The quiet and contemplative life of Saint Romuald reminds us, that humility, meekness and a deep desire for the Lord are the hallmarks of our faith. These simple tenets, lived as model for others, are a powerful witness to the depth of our hope and confidence in the Lord, a reminder of our obedience to Him and a powerful call to prayer. When we pray, as Saint Romuald said, our bodies, hearts, souls and minds should be focused solely on God: “Better to pray one psalm with devotion and compunction than a hundred with distraction.”
Prayer is the gauge of our love for God. If we pray, we love Him but if we don’t pray, we do not love Him. It is as simple as that, for surely we want always to speak to the one we love? Let us ask Saint Romuald to obtain for us the grace of prayer and perseverance in prayer, particularly when we find the going hard.
St Romuald, pray for us
Quote/s of the Day – 18 June – The Memorial of St Romuald (c 951-1027)
Quote/s of the Day – 18 June – The Memorial of St Romuald (c 951-1027)
Speaking of: Prayer
“It is better to say
one Our Father fervently
and devoutly
than a thousand,
with no devotion
and full of distraction.”
St Edmund (841-869)
“Sit in your cell as in paradise.
Put the whole world
behind you and forget it.
Watch your thoughts
like a good fisherman
watching for fish.”
St Romuald (c 951-1027)
“Were you to ask,
‘what are the means
of overcoming temptations’,
I would answer:
The first means is prayer;
the second is prayer;
the third is prayer;
and should you ask me,
a thousand times,
I would repeat the same.”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
“When we speak to Jesus
with simplicity and with all our heart,
He does like a mother
who holds her child’s head with her hands
and covers it with kisses and caresses.”
St John Vianney (1786-1859)
“Jesus is waiting
for you
in the chapel.
Go and find Him.”
St Jeanne Jugan (1792-1879) 30 August
“To clasp the hands in prayer
is a beginning of an uprising
against the disorder of the world.”
Karl Barth (1886-1968)
“Friends,
do not be afraid
of silence or stillness.
Listen to God.
Adore Him in the Eucharist.”
Pope Benedict XVI
“Turn your car into a monastery.”
Bishop Robert Barron
“Seek a relationship
when you pray, not answers.
You won’t always find answers
but you will always find Jesus.”
Father Mike Schmitz
One Minute Reflection – 19 June – The Memorial of St Romuald (c 951-1027)
One Minute Reflection – 19 June – The Memorial of St Romuald (c 951-1027)
And we have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, in regard to whatever we ask, we know that, what we have asked him for, is ours...1 John 5:14-15
REFLECTION – “Better to pray one psalm with devotion and compunction than a hundred with distraction.”…St Romuald
PRAYER – Father, through St Romuald You renewed the life of solitude and prayer in your Church. By our prayer and self-denial as we follow Christ our Lord, bring us the joy of heaven. Kindly receive the intercession of St Romuald still, as we beg his prayers for all of your Church. 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
Our Morning Offering – 19 June – Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Our Morning Offering – 19 June – Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Prayer to the Two Loving Hearts
By St John Eudes (1501-1680)
O Jesus, only Son of God, only Son of Mary,
I offer You the most loving Heart
of Your divine Mother
which is more precious
and pleasing to You than all hearts.
O Mary, Mother of Jesus,
I offer you the most adorable Heart
of your well-beloved Son,
who is the life and love and joy of your Heart.
Blessed be the Most Loving Heart
and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ
and the most glorious
Virgin Mary, His Mother,
in eternity and forever.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 18 June – Pope Francis: to love your enemies, prayer is the way
Thought for the Day – 18 June – Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 5:38-42
Pope Francis: to love your enemies, prayer is the way
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
“Pray for the one who hurt me?” the Pope asked. “Yes,” he answered, “because it changes lives.” If we think it is impossible, then pray, the Pope said. Pray every day for the grace to forgive and the grace to love.
“This advice: ‘Be holy, for I the Lord your God, am holy.’ And then: ‘You shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect’,” the Pope remarked. Forgiveness and prayer are the way to do this. “This is the way of holiness,” he said. “If all men and women of the world learned this, there would be no wars, there would not be.”
Wars begin “in bitterness, rancour, the desire for revenge, to make someone pay. But that destroys families, destroys friendships, destroys neighbourhoods, destroys so much,” he said. For Pope Francis, this is why we must pray always for the grace not to hold grudges and for “the grace to pray for our enemies, to pray for the people that do not love us, the grace of peace.”
If we make this our daily prayer, the Pope continued, even just praying one prayer a day for our enemies, this is how we will “win” and make progress “on the path of holiness and perfection.” In the end, “evil is overcome by good,” he said, and “sin is won with generosity.” “Prayer is an antidote against hatred, against wars, these wars that start at home, which start in the neighbourhood, which begin in families,” he said.
The Pope said if he knows that someone wants to hurt him and does not love him, “I pray especially for him.”
“Pray for there to be peace.”
“Prayer is an antidote against hatred.”
Pope Francis 19 February 2017
Quote of the Day – 18 June
Quote of the Day – 18 June – Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 5:38-42
“You don’t love in your enemies
what they are
but what you would have them become,
by your prayers!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor
One Minute Reflection – 18 June
One Minute Reflection – 18 June – Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 5:38-42
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also...”Matthew 5:38-39
REFLECTION – “Whoever keeps the whole Law but falls short in one particular has become guilty in respect to all of it” (Jas 2:10). What is this one law if not true love, perfect charity? It is of this that Saint Paul also said : “For the whole Law is fulfilled in one statement, namely: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself’” (Gal 5:14)…
For true charity is patient in adversity and moderate in prosperity; strong in painful suffering, joyful in good works; completely safe in temptation. It is very gentle among genuine brothers, very patient among the false. It is innocent in the midst of snares, groans in the midst evildoing and breathes naturally in the truth. It is chaste in the married woman, Susannah, in the widow, Anna, in the virgin, Mary (Dn 13:1f.; Lk 2:36). It is humble in Peter’s obedience and free in Paul’s arguments. It is human in the witness of Christians, divine in the forgiveness of Christ. For true charity, beloved brethren, is the soul of the whole of Scripture, the strength of prophecy, the structure of knowledge, the fruit of faith, the wealth of the poor, the life of the dying. So keep it faithfully; cherish it with all your heart and all the strength of your soul (cf Mk 12:30).”…St Caesarius of Arles (470-543), monk and Bishop (Sermons to the people, no. 23, 4-5, which draws its inspiration from Saint Augustine)
PRAYER – King of heaven and earth, Lord God, rule over our hearts this day. Sanctify us and guide our every thought, word and deed according to Your commandments. That we may grow in love, patience, strength, gentleness, forgiveness and all the ways of our guide, Your Son, Jesus Christ our Saviour. Holy Mother Mary, pray for us and keep us ever in your care that we may not go astray. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, one God with You and the Holy Spirit, forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering 18 June – Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year B
Our Morning Offering 18 June – Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year B
Excerpt from Jesus, My Friend
By St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)
O Jesus!
You are my true Friend,
my only Friend.
You take a part in all my misfortunes;
You take them on Yourself;
You know how to change them into blessings.
You listen to me with the greatest kindness
when I relate my troubles to You,
and You have always balm to pour on my wounds.
I find You at all times;
I find You everywhere;
You never go away;
if I have to change my dwelling,
I find You wherever I go.
You are never weary of listening to me;
You are never tired of doing me good.
O Jesus!
Grant that I may die praising You,
that I may die loving You,
that I may die for the love of You.
Amen
Wishing all Dads a Blessed and Happy Father’s Day! – 17 June
Wishing all Dads a Blessed and Happy Father’s Day! – 17 June
Strength of a Mountain
Unknown Author
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it … Dad!
Don’t Forget to Say ‘Happy Father’s Day’ to a Priest this Weekend — and Pray for Him!
A Prayer for All our Fathers and our Priests
God our Father,
we give you thanks and praise
for fathers young and old.
We pray for young fathers,
newly embracing their vocation;
may they find the courage and perseverance
to balance work, family and faith in joy and sacrifice.
We pray for our own fathers,
who have supported and challenged us;
may they continue to lead in strong and gentle ways.
We remember fathers around the world,
whose children are lost or suffering;
may they know that the God of compassion,
walks with them in their sorrow.
We pray for men who are not fathers
but still mentor and guide us,
with fatherly love and advice.
Most importantly, all our Priests,
our spiritual Fathers, who guide,
teach us and lead us to You
and who feed and nourish us
with Your Sacraments.
We remember fathers, grandfathers
and great-grandfathers,
who are no longer with us
but who live forever in our memory
and nurture us with their love.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 17 June – The Memorial of St Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916)
Thought for the Day – 17 June – The Memorial of St Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916)
At the beatification on 22 June 1983, St Pope John Paul II said:
“Brother Albert…reached [the] heights of holiness…by way of love… Adam Chmielowski studied painting and for a number of years engaged in artistic activities before following his vocation, which, after a first attempt in the Society of Jesus, led him to the Third Order Franciscans, from where his Albertine vocation took shape… Brother Albert laid down his life in the service of the very poor and of social outcasts. [He] gave his life completely to Christ. And in Christ [he] discovered the fullness of knowledge, of love and of service….”
Brother Albert confessed: “I look at Jesus in His Eucharist. Could His love have provided anything more beautiful? If He is bread, let us too become bread…let us give ourselves.” Brother Albert did this to the very end, until he died in his “beggars’ refuge” in Krakow in 1916.
On the basis of a new miracle worked by God through the intercession of Brother Albert (beatified 22 June 1983), St Pope John Paul II canonised him only six years later, on 12 November 1989, to the joy of the Polish people and for the consolation of all homeless people, for whom this Polish saint can be a powerful intercessor, just as he was a generous helper to them while on earth.
St Albert Chmielowski, Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 17 June – The Memorial of St Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916)
Quote of the Day – 17 June – The Memorial of St Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916)
“I look at Jesus in His Eucharist.
Could His love have provided
anything more beautiful?
If He is bread, let us too become bread…
let us give ourselves.”
St Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916)
Sunday Reflection – 17 June – Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Sunday Reflection – 17 June – Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
….What happens in Spring? Plants blossom, trees flower. I will ask you some questions. Can a sick tree or plant fully blossom if it is sick? No! Can a tree, a plant which is not watered by rain or artificially, blossom nicely? No. And can a tree and a plant whose roots have been removed or which have no roots flower? No. Without roots, can they flower? No! And this is a message: Christian life has to be a life that must blossom in works of charity, in doing what is good. But if you have no roots, you cannot blossom, and who is the root? Jesus ! If you are not with Jesus, there in the roots, you will not blossom. If you do not water your life with prayer and the sacraments, will you bear Christian flowers? No! Because prayer and the sacraments water the roots and our life blossoms. I hope that your Spring may be bloom beautifully, as blooming as Easter will be; blossoming with good works, virtue and doing good to others. Remember this, this is a very beautiful verse from my country: “What blossoms a tree bears come from what lies underneath it”. Never cut off Jesus’ roots.
During Mass, after breaking the consecrated Bread, that is the Body of Christ, the priest shows it to the faithful, inviting them to participate in the Eucharistic banquet. We know the words that ring out from the sacred altar: “Happy are those who are called to his Supper. This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”. Inspired by a passage in the Book of Revelation — “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9): it says “marriage” because Jesus is the Spouse of the Church — this invitation calls us to experience intimate union with Christ, the source of joy and holiness. It is an invitation which brings happiness and at the same time spurs us to an examination of conscience enlightened by faith.
Although we are the ones who stand in procession to receive Communion; we approach the altar in a procession to receive communion, in reality it is Christ who comes towards us to assimilate us in Him. There is an encounter with Jesus! To nourish oneself of the Eucharist means to allow oneself to be changed by what we receive. Saint Augustine helps us understand this when he talks about the light he received when he heard Christ say to him: “I am the food of strong men; grow and you shall feed upon me; nor shall you convert me, like the food of your flesh, into you but you shall be converted into me” (Confessions VII, 10, 16: pl 32, 742).
Each time we receive Communion, we resemble Jesus more; we transform ourselves more fully into Jesus. As the Bread and the Wine are converted into the Body and Blood of the Lord, so too those who receive it with faith, are transformed into a living Eucharist.
You reply “Amen” to the priest who distributes the Eucharist saying “the Body of Christ”; that is, you recognise the grace and the commitment involved in becoming the Body of Christ. Because when you receive the Eucharist, you become the Body of Christ. This is beautiful; it is very beautiful. As it unites us to Christ, tearing us away from our selfishness, Communion opens us and unites us to all those who are a single thing in Him. This is the wonder of Communion: we become what we receive!
Let us approach the Eucharist: receiving Jesus who transforms us into Him makes us stronger. The Lord is so good and so great!
Pope Francis, General Audience, 21 March 2018
One Minute Reflection – 17 June – The Memorial of St Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916)
One Minute Reflection – 17 June – The Memorial of St Albert Chmielowski (1845-1916)
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.”….Matthew 6:19-21
REFLECTION – Reflecting on his own priestly vocation, St Pope John Paul II wrote in 1996 that Brother Albert had played a role in its formation …..“because I found in him a real spiritual support and example in leaving behind the world of art, literature and the theatre and in making the radical choice of a vocation to the charity” ………..St John Paul speaking of St Albert Chmielowski (Gift and Mystery: On the Fiftieth Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination)
PRAYER – Father of goodness, make me realise and understand that each and all of my brothers represent the face of Jesus and that He is the only way to You for us all! Help me to extend all of myself to my neighbour in loving imitation of Your Son. St Albert Chmielowski, pray for us that we too may be a light in the darkness of this world, to all who call out to us in their pain and suffering. And please pray for us! Amen
Our Morning Offering – 17 June – The Month of the Sacred Heart, Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Our Morning Offering – 17 June – The Month of the Sacred Heart, Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
I Pray You Lord
Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
I pray You Lord,
in Holy Communion,
to give me the grace
of a cheerful heart,
an even temper,
sweetness, gentleness
and brightness of mind,
as walking in Your light
and by Your grace.
I pray You to give me the spirit
of overabundant, ever-springing love,
which empowers and sweeps away,
the vexations of life
by its own richness and strength
and which, above all things,
unites me to You,
who are the fountain
and the centre of all mercy,
loving kindness and joy.
Amen
AnaStpaul 
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