Category: MORNING Prayers

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS

One Minute Reflection – 11 January

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 11 January

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 Churchlet us strive - st frances de sales - 11 jan 2018
“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. Amenlet us especially regret - st john of the cross - 11 jan 2018

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Our Morning Offering – 11 January

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 11 January

The Universal Prayer
Pope Clement XI

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.excerpt from the universal prayer - pope clement XI - 11 jan 2018

Posted in DEVOTIO, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, NOTES to Followers, NOVENAS, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Announcement of Novenas: ST FRANCIS de SALES – begins 15 January ST PAUL – begins 16 January ST JOHN BOSCO – begins 22 January

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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.ANNOUNCING A NOVENA TO ST FRANCIS DE SALES BEGINS 15 JAN - 10 JAN 2018

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!ANNOUNCING A NOVENA TO ST PAUL - BEGINS 16 JAN - 10 JAN 2018

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…announcing a novena to st don bosco - begins 22 jan - 10 JAN 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 10 January – The Memorial of St Peter Orseolo (928–987)

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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.

St Peter Orseolo, Pray for us!st peter orseolo - pray for us - 10 jan 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PERSECUTION

Quote/s of the Day – 10 January – Speaking of Persecution

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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) -1975know how to accept reproach - bl pope paul vi - 10 jan 2018

“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 Lovelet us not forget - st oscar romero - 10 jan 2018

“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.”

St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)there is no evil - st john paul - 10 jan 2018

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 January – The Month of the Most Holy Name

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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 14:13-14john 14 - 13-14 - 10 jan 2018

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 Churchthe holy name of jesus is first of all - st al[honsus - 10 jan 2018

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! Amenname above all names - 10 jan 2018

 

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY NAME

Our Morning Offering – 10 January – The Month of the Most Holy Nam

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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.
Amenprayer to the holy name by st bernardine of siena no 2 - 10 jan 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 9 January – The Memorial of St Adrian of Canterbury (c 635-710)

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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?

St Adrian of Canterbury, pray for us!st adrian of canterbury pray for us - 9 jan 2018

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 9 January – “Speaking of Conversion”

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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 & Martyrdo not have - st ignatius of antioch - 17 oct 2017

“God loves each of us
as if there were
only one of us.”

St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Churchgod loves each of us as if - st augustine - 9 jan 2018

“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 Christwithout the way there is no going - thomas a kempis - 9 jan 2018

“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 theologianbelief is a wise wager - blaise pascal - 9 jan 2018

“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)the catholic church - g k chesterton - 9 jan 2018

“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.”

Pope Francis (24 May 2016)holiness cannot be bought - pope francis - 9 jan 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 January – Gospel Mark 1:21-28 – Pope Benedict on the “Messianic Secret”

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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)for the moment - pope benedict - 9 jan 2018

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.holy mary mother of god pray for us - 9 jan 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 9 January

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Our Morning Offering – 9 January

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.radiating christ - bl john henry newman - 9 jan 2018

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.when the song of the angels is stilled - 8 jan 2018

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, SACRAMENTS, SAINT of the DAY

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!

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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!goodbye christmastide 8 jan 2018- for this he bore our body - st basil the great

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?

the holy spirit

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 2013remember and celebrate our baptism day - 8 jan 2018

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 8 January – The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 January – The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

“Dearly Beloved, each word and deed of Our Saviour Jesus Christ
is for us a lesson in virtue and piety.
For this end also did He assumed our nature,
so that every man and every woman,
contemplating as in a picture the practice of all virtue and piety,
might strive with all their hearts to imitate His example.
For this He bore our body, so that as far as we could,
we might repeat within us, the manner of His life.
And so, therefore, when you hear mention of some word or deed of His,
take care not to receive it simply as something that incidentally happened
but raise your mind upwards towards the sublimity of what He is teaching
and strive to see what has been mystically handed down to us”

St Basil the Great (329-379) Father & Doctor of the Churchdearly beloved - st basil the great - 8 jan 2018

“Today let us do honour to Christ’s baptism
and celebrate this feast in holiness.
Be cleansed entirely and continue to be cleansed.
Nothing gives such pleasure to God as the conversion and salvation of men,
for whom His every word and every revelation exist.
He wants you to become a living force for all mankind, lights shining in the world.
You are to be radiant lights as you stand beside Christ, the great light,
bathed in the glory of Him who is the light of heaven.
You are to enjoy more and more, the pure and dazzling light of the Trinity,
as now you have received – though not in its fullness – a ray of its splendour,
proceeding from the one God, in Christ Jesus our Lord,
to whom be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen”

St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390)
Father & Doctor of the Church – from a sermon on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lordtoday let us do honour - st gregory of nazianzen - 8 jan 2018

“O Lord, wishing to fulfill all things
that You ordained before the ages,
You received the servants of Your mystery,
from among the Angels, Gabriel,
from among Men, the Virgin,
from among the Heavens, the Star
and from among the Waters, the Jordan,
in which You washed away the sin of the world,
O our Saviour, glory to You.”

St John Damascene (675-749) Doctor of the Churcho lord wishing to fulfil all things - st john damascene - 7 jan 2018

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 January – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

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One Minute Reflection – 8 January – Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

You cannot have forgotten that all of us, when we were baptised into Christ Jesus, were baptised into his death.   So by our baptism into his death we were buried with him, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glorious power, we too should begin living a new life…Romans 6:3-4romans 6 3 - 8 jan 2018

REFLECTION – “The purpose of Christ’s existence was precisely to give humanity God’s life and His Spirit of love, so that every person might be able to draw from this inexhaustible source of salvation.   This is why St Paul wrote to the Romans that we were baptised into the death of Christ in order to have His same life as the Risen One.” …Pope Benedict XVI Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord 2013the purpose of christs existence was precisely...- pope benedict 2013 - 8 jan 2018

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, I pray to live each day in Your shadow, protected by Your mercy, living out my Baptismal Vows and following Your Son on my journey home to You. Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us, that we may faithfully live as true Christians each moment of our lives, amen.luke-3-22.- 9 jan 2016

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, HYMNS, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 8 January – The Baptism of the Lord

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Our Morning Offering – 8 January – The Baptism of the Lord

God in flesh made manifest
By Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885)
(nephew of the great lake-poet, William Wordsworth)

Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to You we raise,
manifested by the star
to the sages from afar;
branch of royal David’s stem,
in Your birth at Bethlehem.

Manifest at Jordan’s stream,
Prophet, Priest and King supreme;
and at Cana, wedding guest,
in Your Godhead manifest,
You revealed Your power divine,
changing water into wine.

Manifest in making whole
weakened body, fainting soul;
manifest in valiant fight,
quelling all the devil’s might;
manifest in gracious will,
ever bringing good from ill.
Anthems be to Thee addressed.
God in man made manifest.god in flesh made manifest - c wordsworth - 8 jan 2018

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, POETRY, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, SAINT of the DAY, THE EPIPHANY of the LORD

The Solemnity of Epiphany – 7 January 2018 – T S Eliot’s “The Journey of the Magi”

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The Solemnity of Epiphany – 7 January 2018 – T S Eliot’s “The Journey of the Magi”

The Journey of the Magi

A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.’
And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
and running away and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.
Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information and so we continued
And arriving at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you might say) satisfactory.

All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This:  were we led all that way for
Birth or Death?   There was a Birth, certainly
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different;  this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

t s eliot
excerpt from t s eliot's journey of the magi
Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The CHRIST CHILD

Sunday Reflection – 7 January 2018 – The Feast of Epiphany

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Sunday Reflection – 7 January 2018 – The Feast of Epiphany

Each Sunday towards the end of Mass, we come to the altar rail, receive Holy Communion, return to our seats and sit or kneel quietly for a while in contemplation.   But in these quiet moments after we have received Communion, what prayers do we offer up?  Perhaps we don’t pray at all but in those quiet moments our thoughts turn to other things, like Sunday lunch or a planned visit to visit the grandchildren after Mass.

I recently came across this wonderful article, written by a priest.  He writes:

“A few years ago it became evident to me that my prayers after distributing Holy Communion to my congregation were wholly inadequate.   As I sat on my seat on the altar I was finding it extremely difficult to express into words, what this moment meant to me.   Looking through my book collection I read all the prayers I could get my hands on but none seemed to be what I was looking for, so I gave up in frustration.   However, each day I would pray to Mary our Blessed Mother asking her to teach me how to express my innermost feelings to the Lord.   Sometime later I was preaching a retreat to a group of nuns when one of the elderly nuns came to visit me and said she felt she had a problem concerning her prayers after receiving Holy Communion.   Feeling I had at last found a kindred spirit, I asked her what she usually prayed and she replied, ‘I don’t pray anything, I just sit in silence and allow Him to love me and to teach me to love Him.’   At that moment I realised that Mary had indeed answered my prayers.

“I just sit in silence and allow Him to love me and to teach me to love Him.”

What a simple, but moving description of what this moment means to us all.

“Above all, let us pray Him to draw us to Him and to give us faith.   When we feel that His mysteries are too severe for us and occasion us to doubt, let us earnestly wait on Him for the gift of humility and love.    Those who love and who are humble will apprehend them, carnal minds do not seek the and proud minds are offended at them but while love desires them, humility sustains them.

Let us pray Him to give us an earnest longing after Him – a thirst for His presence – an anxiety to find Him – a joy on hearing that He is to be found, even now, under the veil of sensible things – and a good hope that we shall find Him there.

Blessed indeed are they who have not seen and yet have believed.   They have their reward in believing, they enjoy the contemplation of a mysterious blessing, which does not even enter into the thoughts of other men and while they are more blessed than others, in the gift vouchsafed to them, they have the additional privilege of knowing that they are vouchsafed it.”….Blessed John Henry Newman  (1801-1890) – Parochial & Plain Sermons, Vol. VI, no. 11let us pray him to give us - bl john henry newman - 7 jan 2018

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL SERMONS, SAINT of the DAY, The CHRIST CHILD

Thought for the Day – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ Excerpt from Pope Francis Homily for Epiphany 2017

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Thought for the Day – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Excerpt from Pope Francis Homily for Epiphany 2017

The Magi thus personify all those who believe, those who long for God, who yearn for their home, their heavenly homeland.   They reflect the image of all those who in their lives have not let their hearts be anaesthetised.
A holy longing for God wells up in the heart of believers because they know that the Gospel is not an event of the past but of the present.   A holy longing for God helps us keep alert in the face of every attempt to reduce and impoverish our life.   A holy longing for God is the memory of faith, which rebels before all prophets of doom.   That longing keeps hope alive in the community of believers, which from week to week continues to plead: “Come, Lord Jesus”.
We want to worship.   Those men came from the East to worship and they came to do so in the place befitting a king:  a palace.   This is significant.   Their quest led them there, for it was fitting that a king should be born in a palace, amid a court and all his subjects. For that is a sign of power, success, a life of achievement.   One might well expect a king to be venerated, feared and adulated.   True, but not necessarily loved.   For those are worldly categories, the paltry idols to which we pay homage:   he cult of power, outward appearances and superiority.   Idols that promise only sorrow, enslavement, fear.

It was there, in that place, that those men, come from afar, would embark upon their longest journey.   There they set out boldly on a more arduous and complicated journey. They had to discover that what they sought was not in a palace but elsewhere, both existentially and geographically.   There, in the palace, they did not see the star guiding them to discover a God who wants to be loved.   For only under the banner of freedom, not tyranny, is it possible to realise that the gaze of this unknown but desired king does not abase, enslave, or imprison us.   To realise that the gaze of God lifts up, forgives and heals.   To realise that God wanted to be born where we least expected, or perhaps desired, in a place where we so often refuse him.   To realise that in God’s eyes there is always room for those who are wounded, weary, mistreated, abandoned.   That His strength and His power are called MERCY.   For some of us, how far Jerusalem is from Bethlehem!for only under the banner of freedom - pope francis 2017 - 7 jan 2018

Herod is unable to worship because he could not or would not change his own way of looking at things.   He did not want to stop worshipping himself, believing that everything revolved around him.   He was unable to worship, because his aim was to make others worship him.   Nor could the priests worship, because although they had great knowledge, and knew the prophecies, they were not ready to make the journey or to change their ways.

The Magi experienced longing, they were tired of the usual fare.   They were all too familiar with, and weary of, the Herods of their own day.   But there, in Bethlehem, was a promise of newness, of gratuitousness.   There something new was taking place.   The Magi were able to worship because they had the courage to set out.   And as they fell to their knees before the small, poor and vulnerable Infant, the unexpected and unknown Child of Bethlehem, they discovered the glory of God.and as they fell - pope francis - epiphany 2017 - 7 jan 2018

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The CHRIST CHILD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

“If we approach with faith,
we too will see Jesus….;
for the Eucharistic table
takes the place of the crib.
Here the Body of the Lord is present,
wrapped not in swaddling clothes
but in the rays of the Holy Spirit.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Churchif we approach with faith - st john chrysostom - 7 jan 2018

“Truth, by which the world is held together,
has sprung from the earth,
in order to be carried in a woman’s arms.”

St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Churchtruth, by which the world - st augustine - 7 jan 2018

“Today the Magi gaze in deep wonder at what they see:
heaven on earth,
earth in heaven,
man in God,
God in man,
one whom the whole universe cannot contain
now enclosed in a tiny body.
As they look, they believe and do not question,
as their symbolic gifts bear witness:
incense for God,
gold for a king,
myrrh for one who is to die.”

St Peter Chrysologus (406-450) Doctor of the Churchtoday the magi gaze in deep wonder - st peter chrysologus - 7 jan 2018

“What are you doing, O Magi?
Do you adore a little Babe, in a wretched hovel,
wrapped in miserable rags?
Can this Child be truly God? …
Are you become foolish, O Wise Men …
Yes, these Wise Men have become fools
that they may be wise!”

St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Doctor of the Churchwhat are you doing o magi - st bernard - 7 jan 2018

“It is no magic formula He brings
because He knows that the salvation
He offers must pass through human hearts.
What does He first do?
He laughs and cries and sleeps defenceless,
as a baby, though He is God incarnate.
And He does this,
so that we may fall in love with Him,
so that we may learn to take Him in our arms….”it is no magic formula he brings - st josemaria - 7 jan 2018

“As you kneel at the feet of the child Jesus
on the day of His Epiphany
and see Him a king bearing none
of the outward signs of royalty,
you can tell Him:
“Lord, take away my pride;
crush my self-love,
my desire to affirm myself
and impose myself on others.
Make the foundation of my personality
my identification with you.”

St Josemaria Escriva (1902-1975)
Christ is passing by, 31as you kneel at the feet of the child jesus - st josemaria - 7 jan 2018

“As pilgrims of faith, the Wise Men themselves
became stars shining in the firmament of history
and they show us the way.
The saints are God’s true constellations,
which light up the nights of this world,
serving as our guides.
Saint Paul, in his Letter to the Philippians,
told his faithful that they must shine like stars in the world.”

Extract from the Homily of His Holiness Benedict XVI
Vatican Basilica, Sunday, 6 January 2013benedict-on-epiphany.7 jan 2018

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

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One Minute Reflection – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

…..and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage... Matthew 2:11matthew-2-11

REFLECTION – “For by gold the power of a king is signified, by frankincense the honour of God, by myrrh the burial of the body and accordingly they offer Him, gold as King, frankincense as God, myrrh as Man.”…St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Churchfor by gold - st john chrysostom - 7 jan 2018

PRAYER – Lord, God, teach us to see the living presence of Your Divine Son in the Eucharist.   Make our faith so vivid that we will gladly come to encounter Jesus in every Mass.   May we follow in faith and trust, Your bright Light, which shines forever on our paths.   Holy Christ Child, intercede for us, amen.epiphany-feast - 8 jan 2018

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

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Our Morning Offering – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Traditional Epiphany Prayer

Lord Jesus
may Your light shine on our way,
as once it guided the steps of the Magi:
that we too may be led into Your presence
and worship You,
the Child of Mary,
Mother of God,
the Word of the Father,
the King of nations,
the Saviour of mankind;
in union with Your heavenly Father
and the Holy Spirit,
You are One God
forever and ever, amen.epiphany prayer - 7 jan 2018

 

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, SAINT of the DAY

Blessing of a Home at Epiphany – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

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Blessing of a Home at Epiphany – 7 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Priest:  Peace be to this house.
All:  And to all who live here.

Priest:  Bless, O Lord, Almighty God,
this home, that in it there may be health,
chastity, strength of victory, humility,
goodness, and industry,
a fullness of law and the action of graces
through God the Father and the Son
and the Holy Spirit and that this blessing
may remain on this home
and on those who frequent it.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen..

After the blessing,
the initials of the Magi
(traditional names: Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar) but which can also be interpreted to mean Christus Mansionem Benedicat, which means ” May Christ bless this house”
are written with chalk over the main door way of the house, like this:
20 + C + M + B + 18
(the + is the Cross of our Salvation; the “18” stands for 2018;
change the year accordingly).house-blessing-7 jan 2018

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, SAINT of the DAY

The Solemnity of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ – 7 January: God reveals Himself to us

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The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ
God reveals Himself to us04_Adoration_of_the_Magi_by Botticelli.jpg-800x500640px-Adoration_of_the_Magi_Tapestry_detailsolemnity of epiphany

The Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ is one of the oldest Christian feasts, though, throughout the centuries, it has celebrated a variety of things.   Epiphany comes from a Greek verb meaning “to reveal” and all of the various events celebrated by the Feast of the Epiphany are revelations of Christ to man.
Like many of the most ancient Christian feasts, Epiphany was first celebrated in the East, where it has been held from the beginning almost universally on 6 January.   Today, among Eastern Catholics, the feast is known as Theophany—the revelation of God to man.
Epiphany originally celebrated four different events, in the following order of importance- the Baptism of the Lord, Christ’s first miracle, the changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana, the Nativity of Christ and the visitation of the Wise Men or Magi.   Each of these is a revelation of God to man – at Christ’s Baptism, the Holy Spirit descends and the voice of God the Father is heard, declaring that Jesus is His Son,  at the wedding in Cana, the miracle reveals Christ’s divinity,  at the Nativity, the angels bear witness to Christ and the shepherds, representing the people of Israel, bow down before Him and at the visitation of the Magi, Christ’s divinity is revealed to the Gentiles—the other nations of the earth.
Eventually, the celebration of the Nativity was separated out, in the West, into Christmas and shortly thereafter, Western Christians adopted the Eastern feast of the Epiphany, still celebrating the Baptism, the first miracle and the visit from the Wise Men.   Thus, Epiphany came to mark the end of Christmastide—the Twelve Days of Christmas (celebrated in the song), which began with the revelation of Christ to Israel in His Birth and ended with the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles at Epiphany.
Over the centuries, the various celebrations were further separated in the West and now the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the Sunday after today and the wedding at Cana is commemorated on the Sunday after the Baptism of the Lord.

EPIPHANY CUSTOMS:
Giving of Gifts:  In many parts of Europe, the celebration of Epiphany is at least as important as the celebration of Christmas. While in England and her historical colonies, the custom has long been to give gifts on Christmas Day itself, in Italy and other Mediterranean countries, Christians exchange gifts on Epiphany—the day on which the Wise Men brought their gifts to the Christ Child.

Blessing of our Homes:  the blessing of homes, on whose lintels are inscribed the Cross of salvation, together with the indication of the year and the initials of the three wise men (C+M+B), which stands for Caspar, Melchior and Balthassar (the traditional names of the 3 Magi) but which can also be interpreted to mean Christus Mansionem Benedicat, which means ” May Christ bless this house” written in blessed chalk.   We put 20 + C + M + B + 18, using the initials of the Magi and the year, so that our coming and going would be in search of the Truth.   We are called to remember, each time we enter and leave our homes, that we are in search of Christ, that our mission is to find Him and follow Him.
In the absence of a priest the family gathers around the crib with lighted candles and prays:
Leader: “Peace be to this house and to all who dwell here, in the name of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Reader: When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
The word of the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God
All: Lord God of heaven and earth, You revealed Your only begotten Son to every nation by the guidance of a star.
Bless this house and all who live here and all who visit.
May we be blessed with health, kindness of heart, gentleness and the keeping of your law.
Fill us with the light of Christ, that our love for each other may go out to all.
Grant that we may always remain true to our mission of seeking and preaching
the most Holy Name of Jesus, our Lord.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.Three Kingsepiphany trad imageepiphany 2.EPIPHANY

Posted in franciscan OFM, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 6 January – The Memorial of Sts André Bessette C.S.C. (1845-1937) and St Charles of Sezze O.F.M. (1613-1670)

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Thought for the Day – 6 January – The Memorial of Sts André Bessette C.S.C. (1845-1937) and St Charles of Sezze O.F.M. (1613-1670)

Both the Saints whose Memorials we celebrate today, lived their lives as simple porters, gardeners and the like.   But they both lived their lives in total charity and love of God.    And they are both saints.   They fulfilled their tasks with love and utter commitment to God their Father.   And through their faithfulness to these little things, God rewarded them with great things.

Since God through the Holy Spirit is the giver of charity and since true charity is beyond the capacity of human nature left to its own devices, God can give it without reference to natural gifts like intelligence.   And this seems true in the case of the uncharitable:  there are plenty of examples of intelligent people who lack charity—the “evil genius” is a standard literary character for a reason.   (Br. Bonaventure Chapman, OP)  But today also offers us a positive example of two men graced with charity which is love and is not love both question and answer and the new commandment given us.   What more is needed by the grace of God?

St André Bessette and St Charles of Sezze, Pray for us!st andre bessette pray for us -6 jan 2018st charles of sezze pray for us - 6 jan 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 6 January – The Memorial of Sts André Bessette C.S.C. (1845-1937)

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 January – The Memorial of Sts André Bessette C.S.C. (1845-1937)

“It is with the smallest brushes
that the Artist paints
the best paintings.”it is with the smallest brushes - st andre bessette - 6 jan 2018

“There is so little distance
between heaven and earth
that God always hears us.
Nothing but a thin veil
separates us from God.”there is so little distance - st andre bessette - 6 jan 2018

“When you say to God, ‘our Father’,
He has His ear right next to your lips.”

St André Bessette (1845-1937)when you say to god - st andre bessette - 6 jan 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 January – The Memorial of Sts André Bessette C.S.C. (1845-1937) and St Charles of Sezze O.F.M. (1613-1670)

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One Minute Reflection – 6 January – The Memorial of Sts André Bessette C.S.C. (1845-1937) and St Charles of Sezze O.F.M. (1613-1670)

When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home…..Matthew 1:24matthew 1 - 24 - 2018

REFLECTION – “When you invoke St Joseph, you don’t have to say much.
Say, “if you were in my place, St Joseph, what would you do? Well, pray for this on my behalf.”……..St André Bessettewhen you invoke st jospeh - st andre bessette - 6 jan 2018

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, You constantly provide us with examples of holy life. St André Bessette and St Charles of Sezze were both wonderful examples of service, as was St André’s  hero, the Foster Father of Your Divine Son, St Joseph.   May they be intercessors and examples to me, to give to You my all.   St André Bessette, St Charles of Sezze and St Joseph. Pray for us, amen!st andre bessette pray for us -6 jan 2018-no. 2

ST CHARLES OF sezze pray for us no 2 - 6 jan 2018st joseph pray for us - 6 jan 2018

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY NAME

Our Morning Offering – 6 January – Month of the Most Holy Name

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Our Morning Offering – 6 January – Month of the Most Holy Name

O Sweet Name of Jesus
By Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

O sweet Name of Jesus,
holy above all names
in heaven and on earth
and to which every knee,
both of men
and of angels in heaven,
on earth and in hell bends.
You are the the Way of the just,
the Glory of the saints,
the Hope of those in need,
the Balm of the sick,
the Love of the devout
and the Consolation
of those that suffer.
O, Jesus be to me a help
and a protector
so that Your Name
may be blessed for all times.
Amen

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) CRSA …(Manualis Parvulorum XIII)

o sweet name of jesus - thomas a kempis - 6 jan 2018

Posted in EUCHARISTIC Adoration, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Thought for the Day – 5 January – The Memorial of St John Neumann (1811-1860) – An Adorer of the Blessed Sacrament

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Thought for the Day – 5 January – The Memorial of St John Neumann (1811-1860) – An Adorer of the Blessed Sacrament

St John Nepomucene Neumann (1811–1860), Bishop of Philadelphia from 1852–1860, was graced with an intense devotion to Our Lord in the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist.   His personal experience as a boy in Bohemia (modern Czech Republic), then as a priest in the United States and finally as a Redemptorist — a spiritual son of the incomparable Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) (Founder of the Redemptorists and Doctor of the Church) — impelled him to promote prolonged prayer before the Blessed Sacrament exposed in the monstrance.   No sooner had he become bishop of Philadelphia than he sought to introduce the Quarant’ Ore, or Forty Hours Devotion, already practised for three hundred years in Europe.

The good priests of Philadelphia were, for the most part, opposed to the introduction of the Forty Hours Devotion, fearing that, given the prevailing climate of violent anti-Catholicism nurtured by the Know Nothing Movement, it might exacerbate hostilities against the Church and even expose the Most Holy Sacrament to profanation.

Bishop Neumann had very nearly renounced his project when, overcome by exhaustion late one night, he fell asleep while writing at his desk.   A burning candle ignited the papers lying before him.   He awoke to smoke rising from the incinerated papers.   One document alone remained unscathed;  it was the letter he had written to propose the Forty Hours Devotion.   Bishop Neumann fell to his knees to give thanks for having been preserved from harm and, as he did so, he experienced a kind of locution.   God spoke to him inwardly saying,  “As the flames are burning here without consuming or injuring this writing, so shall I pour out My grace in the Blessed Sacrament without prejudice to My honour.   Therefore, do not fear profanation and do not hesitate any longer to carry out your designs for My glory.”

Convinced by this sign, Bishop Neumann overrode the objections of his clergy and initiated the celebration of the Forty Hours at the First Diocesan Synod of Philadelphia in April 1853.   The Church chosen for the first Forty Hours was that of Saint Philip Neri.   It was the latter saint who had, in fact, introduced the Quarant’ Ore to the city of Rome. Bishop Neumann astonished — and edified — his clergy and faithful by spending the greater part of the three days on his knees before the Blessed Sacrament in Saint Philip Neri Church.   There was no anti-Catholic backlash.   Great crowds of the faithful came, by day and by night, to adore Our Lord exposed to their gaze in the Sacrament of the Altar.

Bishop Neumann carried out his original inspiration by organising the Forty Hours Devotion in the entire diocese of Philadelphia in such a way that each parish would celebrate it in turn during the course of the year.   He edited a booklet to facilitate the worthy celebration of the Quarant’ Ore and secured indulgences for the faithful who would participate in the devotion.   So successful was the Forty Hours in the diocese of Philadelphia that it spread from there to other dioceses of the United States.   In 1866 at the Plenary Council of Baltimore the Forty Hours Devotion was ratified for the whole country.

One of the conclusions of the 2005 Vatican Synod on the Eucharist was the recommendation that the Forty Hours Devotion be reinvigorated and reintroduced everywhere in the Church.   This, of course, is fully consonant with the repeated exhortations to Eucharistic adoration of St Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

Saints John and Alphonsus
Saint John Neumann left, among his personal writings, a prayer that, by its language and tenderness, is reminiscent of the outpourings of his spiritual father, Saint Alphonse Liguori, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. It reveals something of the soul of Bishop Neumann:

How much do I love You,
O my Jesus!
I wish to love You with my whole heart,
yet I do not love You enough.
I have but one desire,
that of being near You,
in the Blessed Sacrament.
Thou art the sweet Bridegroom of my soul.
My Jesus, my love, my all,
gladly would I endure
hunger, thirst, heat and cold
to remain always with You
in the Blessed Sacrament.
Amenhow much do I love You O my Jesus - st john neumann - prayer to jesus in the holy eucharist - 5 jan 2018- NO 2

ST JOHN NEUMANN, PRAY FOR THE GROWTH OF EUCHARISTIC ADORATION, PRAY FOR HOLY MOTHER CHURCH, PRAY FOR US ALL!st john neumann - pray for us - 5 jan 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote of the Day – 5 January – The Memorial of St John Neumann (1811-1860)

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Quote of the Day – 5 January – The Memorial of St John Neumann (1811-1860)

“Everyone who breathes, high and low,
educated and ignorant, young and old,
man and woman, has a mission, has a work.
We are not sent into this world for nothing;
we are not born at random;
we are not here, that we may go to bed at night
and get up in the morning, toil for our bread,
eat and drink, laugh and joke,
sin when we have a mind
and reform when we are tired of sinning,
rear a family and die.
God sees every one of us,
He creates every soul . . .
FOR A PURPOSE.
He needs, He deigns to need, every one of us.
He has an end for each of us.
We are all equal in His sight and we are placed
in our different ranks and stations,
not to get what we can out of them for ourselves
but to labour in them for Him.
As Christ has His work, we too have ours –
as He rejoiced to do His work,
we must rejoice in ours also.”

St John Neumann (1811-1860)everyone who breathes - st john neumann - 5 jan 2018

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 January – The Memorial of St John Neumann (1811-1860)

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One Minute Reflection – 5 January – The Memorial of St John Neumann (1811-1860)

And now these three remain:  faith, hope and love.   But the greatest of these is love….1 Corinthians 13:13

REFLECTION – “But to accomplish his task, love was necessary.   And love meant giving; love meant effort;  love meant sacrifice.   And in his sacrifice, Bishop Neumann’s service was complete.   He led his people along the paths of holiness.   He was indeed an effective witness, in his generation, to God’s love for His Church and the world.”…Blessed Pope Paul VI at the Canonisation of St John Neumann 19 June 1977but to accomplish - bl pope paul VI on st john neumann - 5 jan 2018

PRAYER – Holy Father, You brought St John Neumann to the new world to show Your ways and lead all to You.   By Your grace, may we all learn to live such zealous and loving lives!   Grant Lord that St John Neumann, by the living power of his example and by the intercession of his prayers, may assist us and intercede to help us, today and forever.  We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.st john neumann pray for us - 2017-5 jan