Quote/s of the Day – 15 January – The Feast of Our Lady of Banneux – “Speaking of Mary”
“That one woman is both mother and virgin, not in spirit only but even in body. In spirit she is mother, not of our Head, who is our Saviour Himself—of whom all, even she herself, are rightly called children of the Bridegroom— but plainly she is the mother of us, who are His members because by love, she has co-operated, so that the faithful, who are the members of that Head, might be born in the Church. In body, indeed, she is the Mother of that very Head”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Seek refuge in Mary because she is the city of refuge. We know that Moses set up three cities of refuge for anyone who inadvertently killed his neighbour. Now the Lord has established a Refuge of Mercy, Mary, even for those who deliberately commit evil. Mary provides shelter and strength for the sinner.”
St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church
”Let not that man presume to look for mercy from God, who offends His Holy Mother!”
St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)
“Just as there is not one among all the Blessed who loves God as Mary does, so there is no one, after God, who loves us as much as this most loving Mother does. Furthermore, if we heaped together all the love that mothers have for their children, all the love of husbands and wives, all the love of all the angels and Saints for their clients, it could never equal Mary’s love for even a single soul.”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church (The Glories of Mary)
“Only after the Last Judgment will Mary get any rest; from now until then, she is much too busy with her children.”
“To serve the Queen of Heaven, is already to reign there and to live under her commands, is more than to govern.”
St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)
”To desire grace, without recourse to the Virgin Mother, is to desire to fly without wings!”
Ven Servant of God Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
“I come to alleviate sufferings…. I am the Virgin of the Poor….. I am the Mother of the Saviour, the Mother of God. Pray very much.”
Our Morning Offering – 15 January – The Feast of Our Lady of Banneux
Prayer to Our Lady of Banneux Our Lady of the Poor and Queen of Nations
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
lead us to Jesus, Source of grace.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, save all nations.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, relieve the sick.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, alleviate suffering.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, pray for each one of us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we believe in you.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, believe in us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, we will pray hard.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor, bless us.
Blessed Virgin of the Poor,
Mother of the Saviour,
Mother of God, we thank You.
Mary Virgin of the Poor,
You lead us to Jesus,
source of grace
and you come to alleviate our suffering.
We implore you with confidence,
help us to folow your Son with generosity
and to belong to Him unreservedly.
Help us to welcome the Holy Spirit
Who guides and sanctifies us.
Obtain us the grace to look like Jesus everyday
so that our life will glorify the Father
and contribute to the salvation of all.
Amen.
The 104th WORLD DAY of PRAYER for MIGRANTS and REFUGEES – 14 January 2018
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
“Welcoming, protecting, promoting and integrating migrants and refugees”
Dear brothers and sisters!
“You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34).
Throughout the first years of my pontificate, I have repeatedly expressed my particular concern for the lamentable situation of many migrants and refugees fleeing from war, persecution, natural disasters and poverty. This situation is undoubtedly a “sign of the times” which I have tried to interpret, with the help of the Holy Spirit, ever since my visit to Lampedusa on 8 July 2013. When I instituted the new Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, I wanted a particular section – under my personal direction for the time being – to express the Church’s concern for migrants, displaced people, refugees and victims of human trafficking.
Every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed and rejected strangers of every age (Matthew 25:35-43). The Lord entrusts to the Church’s motherly love every person forced to leave their homeland in search of a better future. This solidarity must be concretely expressed at every stage of the migratory experience – from departure through journey to arrival and return. This is a great responsibility, which the Church intends to share with all believers and men and women of good will, who are called to respond to the many challenges of contemporary migration with generosity, promptness, wisdom and foresight, each according to their own abilities.
In this regard, I wish to reaffirm that “our shared response may be articulated by four verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate”.
Considering the current situation, welcoming means, above all, offering broader options for migrants and refugees to enter destination countries safely and legally. This calls for a concrete commitment to increase and simplify the process for granting humanitarian visas and for reunifying families. At the same time, I hope that a greater number of countries will adopt private and community sponsorship programmes, and open humanitarian corridors for particularly vulnerable refugees. Furthermore, special temporary visas should be granted to people fleeing conflicts in neighbouring countries. Collective and arbitrary expulsions of migrants and refugees are not suitable solutions, particularly where people are returned to countries which cannot guarantee respect for human dignity and fundamental rights. Once again, I want to emphasise the importance of offering migrants and refugees adequate and dignified initial accommodation. “More widespread programmes of welcome, already initiated in different places, seem to favour a personal encounter and allow for greater quality of service and increased guarantees of success”. The principle of the centrality of the human person, firmly stated by my beloved Predecessor, Benedict XVI, obliges us to always prioritise personal safety over national security. It is necessary, therefore, to ensure that agents in charge of border control are properly trained. The situation of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees requires that they be guaranteed personal safety and access to basic services. For the sake of the fundamental dignity of every human person, we must strive to find alternative solutions to detention for those who enter a country without authorisation.
The second verb – protecting – may be understood as a series of steps intended to defend the rights and dignity of migrants and refugees, independent of their legal status. Such protection begins in the country of origin and consists in offering reliable and verified information before departure, and in providing safety from illegal recruitment practices. This must be ongoing, as far as possible, in the country of migration, guaranteeing them adequate consular assistance, the right to personally retain their identity documents at all times, fair access to justice, the possibility of opening a personal bank account, and a minimum sufficient to live on. When duly recognised and valued, the potential and skills of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are a true resource for the communities that welcome them. This is why I hope that, in countries of arrival, migrants may be offered freedom of movement, work opportunities and access to means of communication, out of respect for their dignity. For those who decide to return to their homeland, I want to emphasise the need to develop social and professional reintegration programmes. The International Convention on the Rights of the Child provides a universal legal basis for the protection of underage migrants. They must be spared any form of detention related to migratory status, and must be guaranteed regular access to primary and secondary education. Equally, when they come of age they must be guaranteed the right to remain and to enjoy the possibility of continuing their studies. Temporary custody or foster programmes should be provided for unaccompanied minors and minors separated from their families. The universal right to a nationality should be recognised and duly certified for all children at birth. The statelessness which migrants and refugees sometimes fall into can easily be avoided with the adoption of “nationality legislation that is in conformity with the fundamental principles of international law”. Migratory status should not limit access to national healthcare and pension plans, nor affect the transfer of their contributions if repatriated.
Promoting essentially means a determined effort to ensure that all migrants and refugees – as well as the communities which welcome them – are empowered to achieve their potential as human beings, in all the dimensions which constitute the humanity intended by the Creator. Among these, we must recognise the true value of the religious dimension, ensuring to all foreigners in any country the freedom of religious belief and practice. Many migrants and refugees have abilities which must be appropriately recognised and valued. Since “work, by its nature, is meant to unite peoples”, I encourage a determined effort to promote the social and professional inclusion of migrants and refugees, guaranteeing for all – including those seeking asylum – the possibility of employment, language instruction and active citizenship, together with sufficient information provided in their mother tongue. In the case of underage migrants, their involvement in labour must be regulated to prevent exploitation and risks to their normal growth and development. In 2006, Benedict XVI highlighted how, in the context of migration, the family is “a place and resource of the culture of life and a factor for the integration of values”. The family’s integrity must always be promoted, supporting family reunifications – including grandparents, grandchildren and siblings – independent of financial requirements. Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees with disabilities must be granted greater assistance and support. While I recognise the praiseworthy efforts, thus far, of many countries, in terms of international cooperation and humanitarian aid, I hope that the offering of this assistance will take into account the needs (such as medical and social assistance, as well as education) of developing countries which receive a significant influx of migrants and refugees. I also hope that local communities which are vulnerable and facing material hardship, will be included among aid beneficiaries.
The final verb – integrating – concerns the opportunities for intercultural enrichment brought about by the presence of migrants and refugees. Integration is not “an assimilation that leads migrants to suppress or to forget their own cultural identity. Rather, contact with others leads to discovering their ‘secret’, to being open to them in order to welcome their valid aspects and thus contribute to knowing each one better. This is a lengthy process that aims to shape societies and cultures, making them more and more a reflection of the multi-faceted gifts of God to human beings”. This process can be accelerated by granting citizenship free of financial or linguistic requirements, and by offering the possibility of special legalisation to migrants who can claim a long period of residence in the country of arrival. I reiterate the need to foster a culture of encounter in every way possible – by increasing opportunities for intercultural exchange, documenting and disseminating best practices of integration, and developing programmes to prepare local communities for integration processes. I wish to stress the special case of people forced to abandon their country of arrival due to a humanitarian crisis. These people must be ensured adequate assistance for repatriation and effective reintegration programmes in their home countries.
In line with her pastoral tradition, the Church is ready to commit herself to realising all the initiatives proposed above. Yet in order to achieve the desired outcome, the contribution of political communities and civil societies is indispensable, each according to their own responsibilities.
At the United Nations Summit held in New York on 19 September 2016, world leaders clearly expressed their desire to take decisive action in support of migrants and refugees to save their lives and protect their rights, sharing this responsibility on a global level. To this end, the states committed themselves to drafting and approving, before the end of 2018, two Global Compacts, one for refugees and the other for migrants.
Dear brothers and sisters, in light of these processes currently underway, the coming months offer a unique opportunity to advocate and support the concrete actions which I have described with four verbs. I invite you, therefore, to use every occasion to share this message with all political and social actors involved (or who seek to be involved) in the process which will lead to the approval of the two Global Compacts.
Today, 15 August, we celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. The Holy Mother of God herself experienced the hardship of exile (Matthew 2:13-15), lovingly accompanied her Son’s journey to Calvary and now shares eternally His glory. To her maternal intercession we entrust the hopes of all the world’s migrants and refugees and the aspirations of the communities which welcome them, so that, responding to the Lord’s supreme commandment, we may all learn to love the other, the stranger, as ourselves.
Vatican City, 15 August 2017 – Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thought for the Day – 14 January – The Memorial of Blessed Peter Donders C.Ss.R. (1807-1887)
Blessed Peter is a sure sign of God grace and providence. The old saying “God works in strange and wondrous ways” are proved in Peter’s life.
Although all the odds were against Blessed Peter, he struggled on, always trusting, believing and loving our most gracious and loving God and the Church. He gave his life to Him who gives us life. Peter gave all he had to God and his children, working tirelessly in extremely difficult conditions to improve the lives of the poor and the sick, the lepers and all the extremely underprivileged, who did not even display gratitude for his work.
In the end, he died of leprosy but he joined his suffering to all those he had worked so tirelessly for, choosing to spend his last days with them in the leper colony and now he is honoured in the halls of the Saints, his light never to be dimmed.
What a lesson Blessed Peter is for us all – we who so easily bemoan the so-called hardships of our lives! Blessed Peter Donders was happy to lose his life for Christ’s sake. So also should we.
Blessed Peter Donders, pray to God for us, that we may learn gratitude, that we may learn generosity, kindness, justice and love.
Sunday Reflection – 14 January – The Shepherd Gathers Us
Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, Carrying them in his bosom, leading the ewes with care….Isaiah 40:11
Jesus promised that whenever a group of people gather in prayer, He will be there with them. The early church took that promise literally. The first disciples had been used to having Jesus physically among them and then, after His Ascension, they often struggled to know what Jesus would want them to do. However, they had a simple formula for every occasion and difficulty – Jesus’ invitation to gather in His Name. They would gather around the Word and the breaking of the bread and, there, let Jesus make His presence felt and effect through them what they could not otherwise accomplish themselves.
As Christians today, we still need to take that same promise literally. Christian life is not sustained only by private acts of prayer, justice and virtue. It is sustained in a community, by gathering ritually around the Word of God and through the breaking of the bread. However, it is important to understand, that this kind of gathering is not simply a social one capable only of doing what social gatherings can do. To gather around the Word of God and the breaking of the bread is a ritual gathering and ritual brings something that normal social gatherings does not – namely, transformative power beyond what can be understood and explained through the physical, psychological and social dynamics that are present.
Lord, You invite me to be part of Your flock. Remind me of that when I am tempted to go off on my own.
Quote/s of the Day – 14 January -Speaking of the Holy Eucharist from the Fathers of the Church
“Calling her children about her, she [the Church] nourishes them with holy milk, that is, with the Infant Word… The Word is everything to a child – both Father and Mother, both Instructor and Nurse. “EAT MY FLESH,” He says, “AND DRINK MY BLOOD.” The Lord supplies us with these intimate nutriments. He delivers over His Flesh and pours out His Blood and nothing is lacking for the growth of His children. O incredible mystery!” (Instructor of Children 1:6:42,1,3)
St Clement of Alexandria (c 150-216) Church Father
“The flesh feeds on THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, so that the SOUL TOO may fatten on God.” (Resurrection of the Dead 8:3)
“The Sacrament of the Eucharist, which the Lord commanded to be taken at meal times and by all, we take even before daybreak in congregations… … We take anxious care lest something of our Cup or Bread should fall upon the ground…” (The Crown 3:3-4)
Tertullian (c 155-250) Church Father
“You see how the ALTARS are no longer sprinkled with the blood of oxen but consecrated BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST.” (Homilies on Joshua 2:1)
“You are accustomed to take part in the divine mysteries, so you know how, when you have received THE BODY OF THE LORD, you reverently exercise every care lest a particle of it fall and lest anything of the consecrated gift perish…. how is it that you think neglecting the word of God a lesser crime than neglecting HIS BODY?” (Homilies on Exodus 13:3)
Origen (c 185-254) Church Father
“If Christ Jesus, our Lord and God, is Himself the High Priest of God the Father; and if He offered HIMSELF as a SACRIFICE to the Father and if He commanded that this be done in commemoration of Himself – then certainly the priest, who imitates that which Christ did, TRULY FUNCTIONS IN PLACE OF CHRIST.” (Letters 63:14)
One Minute Reflection – 14 January – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples and he looked at Jesus as he walked and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus…John 1:35-37
REFLECTION – “If, then, you seek to know what path to follow, take Christ because He is the way.” …St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – Holy Lord God, grant that we may live constantly in Your presence. Grant that we may possess a spirit of joy and gladness because of the firm knowledge that You are always with us and in You and through You and with You, the extraordinary is commonplace! And turn around Lord and call us, for we are behind You. Be with us Lord, always, we pray! Amen
Our Morning Offering – 14 January – 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Prayer before Mass By St Ambrose (340-397) Father & Doctor of the Church
Lord Jesus Christ,
We approach Your banquet table
as saints and sinners
and dare not rely on our own worth,
but only on Your goodness and mercy.
Gracious God of majesty and awe,
We seek Your protection,
We look for Your healing.
We appeal to You, the fountain of all mercy.
Lord Jesus Christ, eternal king,
crucified for us, look upon us with mercy
and hear our prayer, for we trust in You.
Merciful Father, purify us in body and soul
and make us worthy to taste the Holy of Holies.
May Your body and blood,
which we intend to receive,
unworthy as we are,
be for us the remission of our sins,
the washing away of our guilt,
the end of our evil thoughts
and the rebirth of our better instincts.
May it incite us to do the works pleasing to You
and profitable to our health in body and soul
and may it deliver us from evil. Amen
Thought for the Day – 13 January – The Memorial of St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
It was in reading the Holy Scriptures that St Hilary discovered the greatness of God and the sublimity of the Church and Christian teachings. The Scriptures is not just a revered book to be placed on our shelves in a place of honour it is to be read, to be studied and reflected upon. It leads not only to faith and holiness of life but also to the Kingdom of God itself. So we learn that Christ said His coming would bring not peace but a sword (see Matthew 10:34). The Gospels offer no support for us if we fantasise about a sunlit holiness that knows no problems. Christ did not escape at the last moment, though He did live happily ever after—after a life of controversy, problems, pain and frustration. Hilary, like all saints, simply had more of the same.
All-powerful God, as Saint Hilary defended the divinity of Christ Your Son, give us a deeper understanding of this mystery and help us to profess it in all truth.
Quote/s of the Day – 13 January – The Memorial of St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
“The privilege of our Church is such that it is never stronger than when it is attacked, never better known than when it is accused, never more powerful than when it appears forsaken.” (Treatise on the Trinity)
“The Church is the Ship outside which it is impossible to understand the Divine Word, for Jesus spoke from the boat to the people gathered on the shore.”
“No matter how sinful one may have been, if he has devotion to Mary, it is impossible that he be lost.”
“I am well aware, almighty God and Father, that in my life, I owe you a most particular duty. It is to make my every thought and word speak of You.”
“It is the Father from whom everything that exists has been formed. He is in Christ and through Christ the source of all things. Moreover, His being is in Himself and He does not derive what He is from anywhere else, but possesses what He is from Himself and in Himself. He is infinite because He Himself is not in anything and all things are within Him, He is always outside of space because He is not restricted; He is always before time because time comes from Him…. But, God is also present everywhere and is present in His entirety wherever He is. Thus, He transcends the realm of understanding, outside of whom nothing exists and of whom eternal being is always characteristic. This is the true nature of the mystery of God; this is the name of the impenetrable nature in the Father.” (Treatise on the Trinity)
St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 13 January – The Memorial of St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
Then he said, ‘In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven…Matthew 18:3
REFLECTION – “Little children follow and obey their father. They love their mother. They know nothing of covetousness, ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and lying. This state of mind opens the road to heaven. To imitate our Lord’s own humility, we must return to the simplicity of God’s little ones. – St Hilary
PRAYER – Give us the grace, almighty God, to become as innocent and obedient to You as little children. Teach us neither to question, nor fear, for it is our total trust of You that we will reach our heavenly home. Grant that the intercession of St Hilary we may achieve such innocence, through Christ our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 13 January – The Memorial of St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368) Father & Doctor of the Church
O Holy Trinity! For Perseverance In the One True Faith By St Hilary of Poitiers
Father, keep us from vain strife of words.
Grant to us constant profession of the Truth!
Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith
so that we may hold fast to that
which we professed when we were baptised
in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
that we may have You for our Father,
that we may abide in Your Son
and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 12 Jan – The Memorial of St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167) “St Bernard of the North”
Although St Aelred lived a millennium ago, his life and writings have a distinctively contemporary feel. An extremely competent administrator of Rievaulx, a vast Yorkshire abbey in Northern England, yet even more a spiritual father to hundreds of men, had we met Aelred we would identify him with Pope John XXIII or Carlo Martini, the archbishop of Milan, Italy. Like these beloved shepherds of the modern church, Aelred loved his flock and was much loved in return. As I was walking around the cloisters, he said, all the brothers were sitting together. And in the whole throng I could not find one whom I did not love and by whom I was not loved.
As a writer, too, Aelred seems to address our modern concerns and sensibilities. In his teaching that the interior life is communal—that we move from self and sin to find God in community—we might imagine we are hearing Father Henri Nouwen or Dorothy Day. Consider, for example, Aelred’s reflections on how spiritual friendship leads us to Christ:
It is no small consolation in this life to have someone who can unite with you in an intimate affection and the embrace of a holy love. Someone in whom your spirit can rest, to whom you can pour out your soul, to whose pleasant exchanges, as to soothing songs, you can fly in sorrow. To the dear breast of whose friendship, amidst the many troubles of the world, you can safely retire. A person who can shed tears with you in your worries, be happy with you when things go well, search out with you the answers to your problems, whom with the ties of charity you can lead into the depths of your heart. A person who, though absent in body, is yet present in spirit, where heart to heart you can talk to him, where the sweetness of the Spirit flows between you, where you so join yourself and cleave to him that soul mingles with soul and two become one.
And so praying to Christ for your friend and longing to be heard by Christ for your friend’s sake, you reach out with devotion and desire to Christ Himself. And suddenly and insensibly, as though touched by the gentleness of Christ close at hand, you begin to taste how sweet He is and to feel how lovely He is. Thus from that holy love with which you embrace your friend, you rise to that love by which you embrace Christ. (LoyolaPress)
May all our friendships lead us to Christ! St Aelred, Pray for us!
“Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit and raises man to Heaven.”
St Ephrem of Syria (306-373) Father & Doctor of the Church
“When we pray, the voice of the heart must be heard more than proceedings from the mouth.”
St Bonaventure (1217-1274) Doctor of the Church
“We do not have to talk very much in order to pray well. We know that God is there, in His holy tabernacle; let us open our hearts to Him; let us rejoice in His Presence – this is the best prayer.”
St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) Patron of Priests
“Without Prayer nothing good is done. God’s works are done with our hands joined and on our knees. Even when we run, we must remain spiritually kneeling before Him.”
Blessed Luigi Orione (1872-1940)
“You go to pray; to become a bonfire, a living flame, giving light and heat.”
“You don’t know how to pray? Put yourself in the presence of God and as soon as you have said, ‘Lord, I don’t know how to pray!’ you can be sure you have already begun.”
Our Morning Offering – 12 January – Month of the Holy Name of Jesus
The Golden Arrow
May the most holy,
most sacred,
most adorable,
most mysterious
and unutterable Name of God
be always praised,
blessed,
loved,
adored
and glorified in heaven.
on earth and under the earth,
by all the creatures of God
and by the Sacred Heart
of our Lord Jesus Christ
in the most Holy Sacrament
of the altar.
Amen
This prayer is said to have been revealed by Jesus Himself to a Carmelite Nun of Tours in 1843 as a reparation for blasphemy. “This Golden Arrow will wound My Heart delightfully,” He said “and heal the wounds inflicted by blasphemy.”
One Minute Reflection – 12 January – The Memorialsof St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167) and St Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700)
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 – “It seems to me, that we do not pay enough attention to prayer, for unless it arises from the heart, which ought to be its centre, it is no more than a fruitless dream. Prayer ought to carry over into our thoughts, our words and our actions…..It is true that all I have ever desired most deeply and what I still most ardently wish, is that the great precept of the love of God, above all things and of the neighbour as oneself, be written in every heart.”… St Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700)
“Charity may be a very short word but with its tremendous meaning of pure love, it sums up man’s entire relation to God and to his neighbour.”…St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)
PRAYER – Loving Father, grant me the grace to strive after perfect love. Help me to bring forth frequent acts of love towards my neighbour, which flow from You, the summit of my prayer and the teacher of all that is good and in this, to grow each day in love for You and for all your creatures….St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167), St Marguerite Bourgeoys Pray for us, amen.
Thought for the Day – 11 January – The Memorial of St Theodosius the Cenobiarch (423-529 died aged 106)
Today is the Memorial of St Theodosius the Cenobiarch who was a Monk, an Abbot and a Founder. Roughly translated, cenobitical means “people who have a life in common,” and refers to the monks who joined Saint Theodosius’ community. These monks, of many nationalities, devoted themselves to the Lord but did not remain in seclusion . Rather, they socialised and interacted with the outside world, most particularly in the form of charitable and hospitable works, which was a new approach to monasticism at that time!
To his monastery were annexed three infirmaries: one for the sick, the gift of a pious lady in that neighbourhood; the two others St Theodosius built himself, one for the aged and feeble, the other for such as had been punished with the loss of their senses, or by falling under the power of the devil.
All succours, spiritual and temporal, were afforded in these infirmaries, with admirable order, care, and affection. He erected also several buildings for the reception of strangers, in which he exercised an unbounded hospitality, entertaining all that came, for whose use there were one day above a hundred tables served with provisions – these, when insufficient for the number of guests, were more than once miraculously multiplied by his prayers.
The monastery itself was like a city of saints in the midst of a desert and in it reigned regularity, silence, charity, and peace. The monks passed a considerable part of the day and night at their devotions in the church and at the times not set apart for public prayer and necessary rest, everyone was obliged to apply himself to some trade or manual labour.
It has always been recognised that love of neighbour is part of the love of God and the great saints have lived this, helping the sick, the poor and the needy without expecting any return. Monasteries were the first hospitals where the sick were cared for, free of charge and where the goodness of God was shown in countless ways. St Theodosius the Cenobiarch was a leader in his time and in ours – we can do no less than he did!
Quote/s of the Day – 11 January – Speaking of Worry
“Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.”
John 14:1-4
“Where there is charity and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is neither anger nor vexation. Where there is poverty and joy, there is neither greed nor avarice. Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt.”
St Francis of Assisi (1181/82 – 1226)
“I will not mistrust Him, Meg, although I shall feel myself weakening and on the verge of being overcome with fear. I shall remember how St 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.”
St Thomas More (1478-1535) (Letter to his daughter, Meg, from his prison cell.)
“It will be quite enough to receive the evils that come upon us from time to time, without anticipating them by the imagination.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“Hold your eyes on God and leave the doing to Him. That is all the doing you have to worry about.”
St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)
“Lay all your cares about the future trustingly in God’s Hands and let yourself be guided by the Lord just like a little child.”
St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942)
“Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:6-7
“Do not worry about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Enough then, of worrying about tomorrow. Let tomorrow take care of itself. Today has troubles enough of its own….Matthew 6:34
REFLECTION – “Let us strive to make the present moment beautiful!”…St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“Let us especially regret the smallest amount of time that we waste or fail to use in loving God.”..St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – Lord God, help me to remember that yesterday is gone forever and tomorrow may never come. Let me live in the present and strive to do Your will. Let me abandon myself to Your divine guidance and Your providence in all things. Amen
I believe, O Lord but may I believe more firmly
I hope but may I hope more securely,
I love but may I love more ardently
I sorrow but may I sorrow more deeply.
I adore You as my first beginning;
I long for You as my last end;
I praise You as my constant benefactor;
I invoke You as my gracious protector.
By Your wisdom direct me,
by Your righteousness restrain me,
by Your indulgence console me,
by Your power protect me.
I offer You, Lord,
my thoughts to be directed to You,
my words, to be about You;
my deeds, to respect Your will,
my trials to be endured for You.
I will whatever You will,
I will it because You will it,
I will it in the way You will it,
I will it for as long as You will it.
Lord, enlighten my understanding, I pray:
arouse my will,
cleanse my heart,
sanctify my soul.
May I weep for past sins,
repel future temptations,
correct evil inclinations,
nurture appropriate virtues.
Give me, good ‘God,
love for You, hatred for myself,
zeal for my neighbour,
contempt for the world.
May I strive to obey superiors,
to help those dependent on me,
to have care for my friends,
forgiveness for my enemies.
May I conquer sensuality by austerity,
avarice by generosity,
anger by gentleness,
lukewarmness by fervour.
Render me prudent in planning,
steadfast in danger,
patient in adversity,
humble in prosperity.
Make me, O Lord, attentive at prayer,
moderate at meals,
diligent in work,
steadfast in intent.
May I be careful to maintain interior innocence,
outward modesty,
exemplary behavior,
a regular life.
May I be always watchful in subduing nature,
in nourishing grace,
in observing Your law,
in winning salvation.
May I learn from You
how precarious are earthly things,
how great divine things,
how fleeting is time,
how lasting things eternal.
Grant that I may prepare for death,
fear judgment,
flee hell,
gain paradise.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Announcement of Novenas: ST FRANCIS de SALES – begins 15 January ST PAUL – begins 16 January ST JOHN BOSCO – begins 22 January
to ST FRANCIS de SALES CO OM OFM Cap (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church – begins 15 January. St Francis de Sales is the Patron of Devotion so if there’s a Saint who might know what a Devout Heart is, it’s going to be him. St Alphonsus Liguori said that the most useful practice of a Novena is to make up our minds at the beginning of the Novena to correct some fault we have been accustomed to commit. Let us ask St Francis de Sales to stir our hearts toward greater devotion and love for God.
to ST PAUL – begins 16 January – We pray in honour of the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul on 25 January. St Paul is the MOST NEGLECTED IN PRAYER by Catholics – come on folks let us pray for zeal, for courage, for perseverence, for strength, for LOVE of God and neighbour, in fact we can pray to ST PAUL FOR ALL our needs!
to ST JOHN BOSCO “Don Bosco” (1815-1888) “Father and Teacher of the Youth”– He was a follower of the spirituality and philosophy of Saint Francis de Sales, Bosco was an ardent Marian devotee of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title Mary Help of Christians. He later dedicated his works to De Sales when he founded the Salesians of Don Bosco – begins 22 January. St John Bosco is the Patron of Christian apprentices, editors, publishers, schoolchildren, young people, magicians, juvenile delinquents. Choose ALL young people or your own children. Or simply Pray the 9 days for your own growth in love of our Mother, the Help of Christians or our own growth in faith and sanctity.
Don’t forget to pray Novenas each day for nine straight days…
Thought for the Day – 10 January – The Memorial of St Peter Orseolo (928–987)
Like St Thomas More, St Peter Orseolo took his success very lightly and had a secret hunger in his heart for closeness to God. He was somehow touched by the wonder of God, as are all great solitaries and that wonder drove him into the wilderness where he could be alone with God. His example said a great deal to the people of his age and very much to this current time, pointing the way to the reality of God and the magnitude of eternal life and the complete worthlessness of worldly achievements.
Quote/s of the Day – 10 January – Speaking of Persecution
“Know how to accept reproach which the world often unjustly hurls against the messenger of the Gospel, the groan of the poor, the candid voice of the child, the thoughtful cry of youth, the complaint of the tired worker, the lament of the suffering and the criticism of the thinker. Never be afraid.”
Blessed Pope Paul VI (1897-1978) -1975
“Let us not forget: we are a pilgrim church, subject to misunderstanding, to persecution but a church that walks serene, because it bears the force of love.”
St Oscar Romero (1917-1980) The Violence of Love
“There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already borne for us and does not now bear with us. And on the far side of every cross we find the newness of life in the Holy Spirit, that new life which will reach its fulfillment in the resurrection. This is our faith. This is our witness before the world.”
One Minute Reflection – 10 January – The Month of the Most Holy Name
And whatever you ask in my name, I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it…John 14:13-14
REFLECTION – The Holy Name of Jesus is, first of all, an all-powerful prayer. Our Lord Himself solemnly promises, that whatever we ask the Father in His Name, we shall receive. God never fails to keep His word. Each time we say “Jesus,” it is an act of perfect love, for, we offer to God, the infinite love of Jesus………….St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – Lord God, grant me the courage to confess my faith in the Name above all names and proclaim each moment the Holy Name of Your Son, thus giving You honour and glory. Jesus Name above all Names, be my standard and my beacon! Amen
Our Morning Offering – 10 January – The Month of the Most Holy Name
Prayer to the Holy Name By St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)
Jesus,
Name full of glory,
grace, love and strength!
You are the refuge of those who repent,
our banner of warfare in this life,
the medicine of souls,
the comfort of those who morn,
the delight of those who believe,
the light of those
who preach the true faith,
the wages of those who toil,
the healing of the sick.
To You our devotion aspires;
by You our prayers are received;
we delight in contemplating You.
O Name of Jesus,
You are the glory of all the saints for eternity.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 9 January – The Memorial of St Adrian of Canterbury (c 635-710)
Though Saint Adrian turned down a papal request to become Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope Saint Vitalian accepted the rejection on the condition that Adrian serve as the Holy Father’s assistant and adviser. Adrian accepted but ended up spending most of his life and doing most of his work in Canterbury.
Thanks to his leadership skills, the facility became one of the most important centers of learning. The school attracted many outstanding scholars from far and wide and produced numerous future bishops and archbishops.
Adrian taught at the school for 40 years. He died there, probably in the year 710 and was buried in the monastery. Several hundred years later, when reconstruction was being done, Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state. As word spread, people flocked to his tomb, which became famous for miracles. So St Adrian spent most of his time in Canterbury after all, not as bishop but as abbot and teacher.
Often the Lord has plans for us that are obvious only on hindsight. How often have we said no to something or someone only to end up in much the same place anyway. The Lord knows what’s good for us. Can we trust Him?
Quote/s of the Day – 9 January – “Speaking of Conversion”
“Do not have Jesus Christ on your lips and the world in your heart.”
“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.”
“It is not that I want merely to be called a Christian but to actually BE ONE. Yes, If I prove to be one, then I can have the name!”
“Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”
St Ignatius of Antioch (37-105) Bishop & Martyr
“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Without the Way, there is no going, Without the Truth, there is no knowing, Without the Life, there is no living.”
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) The Imitation of Christ
“Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists.“
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662)
French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Catholic theologian
“The Catholic Church is the only thing which saves a man from the degrading slavery of being a child of his age”
“To become a Catholic is not to leave off thinking but to learn how to think.”
G K Chesterton (1874-1936)
“Holiness cannot be bought. Neither can it be earned by human strength. No, “the simple holiness of all Christians, ours – the kind we are called to every day, can only be attained with the help of four essential elements: courage, hope, grace and conversion.”
One Minute Reflection – 9 January – Gospel Mark 1:21-28 – Pope Benedict on the “Messianic Secret”
” I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him…Mark 1: 24-26
REFLECTION – “For the moment, Jesus does not want anyone outside the restricted group of His disciples to know that He is the Christ, the Son of God. This is why He often admonishes the apostles and the sick people whom He heals to not reveal His identity to anyone. Not only does Jesus chase demons out of people, freeing them from the worst slavery but He prohibits the demons themselves from revealing His identity. Christ insists on this secret because the fulfilment of His mission is at stake, on which our salvation depends.”…Pope Benedict XVI (Angelus 1 Feb 2009)
PRAYER – O Lord, You who came to save us, teach us all to live and breathe our love for You and Your teachings. Help us all to realise and give thanks for Your love for us. our life of pain and sorrow, lived to save us, is our only guide. Through Mary, Your holy and loving Mother and our Mother, grant us courage and gratitude, amen.
Radiating Christ By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Dear Jesus,
help me to spread Your fragrance wherever I go.
Flood my soul with Your spirit and life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly,
that my life may only be a radiance of Yours.
Shine through me and be so in me,
that every soul I come in contact with
may feel Your presence in my soul.
Let them look up and see no longer me
but only Jesus!
Stay with me
and then I shall begin to shine as You shine,
so to shine as to be a light to others.
The light, O Jesus, will be all from You,
none of it will be mine.
It will be You, shining on others through me.
Let me thus praise You the way You love best,
by shining on those around me.
Let me preach You without preaching,
not by words but by my example,
by the catching force of the sympathetic influence of what I do,
the evident fullness of the love my heart bears to You.
Amen.
Note: the Prayer above has become known as the prayer of St Mother Teresa but it was written by Blessed John Henry and adopted by St Mother Teresa and her Sisters of Charity and is recited daily by them. It is sometimes called the “Fragrance” Prayer.
And today, as Christmastide has gone and we race onward to “radiate Christ” let us pray too, to this beautiful Poem, “When the Song of the Angels is Stilled.”
When the Song of the Angels Is Stilled Poem by Howard Thurman (1899-1981)
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.
Thought for the Day – 8 January 2018 – Christmastide ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord – Remembering and Celebrating our Baptisms – Adding a new date to our Calendars!
Today’s feast of the Baptism of the Lord ends the Christmas season and invites us to think of our Baptism. Jesus willed to receive the baptism preached and administered by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. It was a baptism of penance: all those who approached it expressed the desire to be purified from sin and, with God’s help, committed themselves to begin a new life.
We understand then the great humility of Jesus, He who had not sinned, put himself in the queue with the penitents, mixing among them, to be baptised in the waters of the river. What humility Jesus has! And, by doing so, He manifested what we celebrated at Christmas: Jesus’ willingness to immerse Himself in the river of humanity, to take upon himself the failures and weaknesses of men, to share their desire of liberation and to overcome all that distances one from God and renders brothers strangers. As at Bethlehem, along the banks of the Jordan God keeps His promise to take charge of the human being’s fate and Jesus is the tangible and definitive sign of it. He took charge of all of us, He takes charge of all of us, in life, in the days.
The feast of Jesus’ Baptism invites every Christian to remember his own Baptism. I can’t ask you the question if you remember the day of your Baptism, because the majority of you were babies, like me…. However, I can ask you another question? Do you know the date on which you were baptised? …And if you don’t know the date or have forgotten it, when you go home ask your mother, your grandmother, your uncle, your aunt, your grandfather, your godfather, your godmother – what was date?
And we must always have that date in our memory, because it’s a date of celebration,it’s the date of our initial sanctification; it’s the date in which the Father gave us the Holy Spirit who pushes us to walk, it’s the date of the great forgiveness. Don’t forget: what’s the date of my Baptism?
We invoke the maternal protection of Mary Most Holy so that all Christians can understand increasingly the gift of Baptism and commit themselves to live it with coherence, witnessing the love of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. – Pope Francis, Angelus Address, 7 January 2018
So let us do exactly this, this is a date in need of remembrance and celebration, this date of our new birth – I am certainly going to do this for all my family.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Jesus’ solidarity with us “Jesus shows His solidarity with us, with our efforts to convert and to be rid of our selfishnesss, to break away from our sins in order to tell us that if we accept Him in our life He can uplift us and lead us to the heights of God the Father. And Jesus’ solidarity is not, as it were, a mere exercise of mind and will. Jesus truly immersed himself in our human condition, lived it to the end, in all things save sin and was able to understand our weakness and frailty. For this reason He was moved to compassion, He chose to “suffer with” men and women, to become a penitent with us. This is God’s work which Jesus wanted to carry out: the divine mission to heal those who are wounded and give medicine to the sick, to take upon himself the sin of the world.” ….. From Homily of Pope Benedict XVI on feast of the Baptism of the Lord 2013
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