Our Morning Offering – 25 November
Eternal Light, Shine into our Hearts
By St Alcuin of York (735-804)
Eternal Light, shine into our hearts,
Eternal Goodness, deliver us from evil,
Eternal Power, be our support,
Eternal Wisdom, scatter the
darkness of our ignorance,
Eternal Pity, have mercy on us
that with all our heart
and mind
and soul
and strength,
we may seek Thy Face
and be brought,
by Thine Infinite Mercy
to Thy Holy Presence;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 24 November – The Last Sunday after Pentecost – St John of the Cross OCD (1542-1591) Confessor, Doctor of the Church – Colossians 1:9-14; Matthew 24:15-35 – Scripture search here:
“Then the Sign of the Son of Man will appear in Heaven” – Matthew 24:30
REFLECTION – “Would you like to learn that the Cross can be a Sign of the Kingdom? This is the Sign with which the Lord is to come at His Second, glorious Coming! That you might learn just how worthy of veneration the Cross is, He has made it His Title of Glory …
As we know, His First Coming was effected secretly and, that discretion was justified, for He came to seek out what was dead. But this Second Coming is not to happen like that … He will appear suddenly to all and no-one will need to ask if Christ is here or there (Mt 24:26) … we shall not need to investigate, whether Christ is indeed present. What we shall need to discover, is whether He comes with His Cross!
When the Son of Man comes “the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light” (Mt 24:29). The splendour of His Light will be so great that the most brilliant of the stars must dim before it. “Then the stars will fall from the sky … and the Sign of the Son of Man will appear in Heaven.” Do you see the power of this Sign of the Cross? “The sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light” but the Cross will shine, clearly visible, so that you might know that its splendour is greater than that of the sun and the moon. Just as soldiers heave the royal standards to their shoulders at the king’s coming and bear them before him, to announce his arrival, so the cohort of Angels and Archangels, bearing this Sign on their shoulders, will warn us of the arrival of that King, Who is Christ at the Lord’s descent from Heaven! Alleluia!” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Bishop of Constantinople, Great Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon on the Cross and the thief).
PRAYER – O God, Who made blessed John, Thy Confessor and Teacher, an extraordinary lover of perfect self-denial and the Cross, grant that, by continually striving to imitate him, we may reach everlasting glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 24 November – The Last Sunday after Pentecost
Holy God, We Praise Thy Name
By Fr Ignaz Franz Poland (1719-1790) (Attri)
Archbishop of Schlawa, Germany
Holy God, we praise Thy Name.
Lord of all, we bow before Thee.
All on earth Thy sceptre claim;
all in heav’n above adore Thee.
Infinite Thy vast domain,
everlasting is Thy reign.
Hark, the loud celestial hymn,
Angel choirs above are raising.
Cherubim and seraphim,
in unceasing chorus praising,
fill the heav’ns with sweet accord:
Holy, holy, holy Lord.
Holy Father, Holy Son,
Holy Ghost, three we name Thee
While in essence only One,
Undivided God, we claim Thee
and adoring, bend the knee,
while we own the Mystery.
Spare Thy people Lord, we pray,
By a thousand snares surrounded.
Keep us without sin today,
Never let us be confounded.
Lo, I put my trust in Thee,
Never Lord, abandon me.
Fr Ignaz Franz Poland (1719-1790)
Archbishop of Schlawa, Germany, Hymnist, Musician
He also functioned as the Assessor for Theological Affairs at the Apostolic Vicariate. He wrote hymn lyrics and compiled religious music.
Trans. by Fr Clarence A Walworth (1820-1900)
Convert, writer. He was one of the Founders
of the Order of the Paulists in the U.S.A.
Our Morning Offering – 23 November – St Columban (543-615) Abbot, Confessor,
Alone With None but Thee, My God
Attri. St Columban (543-615)
Alone with none but Thee, my God
I journey on my way,
what need I fear when Thou art near,
O King of night and day?
More safe am I within Thy Hand
than if a host should round me stand.
My destined time is known to Thee,
and death will keep his hour;
did warriors strong around me throng,
they could not stay his power.
No walls of stone can man defend
when Thou Thy messenger dost send.
My life I yield to Thy decree
and bow to Thy control
in peaceful calm, for from Thine arm
no power can wrest my soul,
could earthly omens e’er appal
a man that heeds the heavenly call?
The child of God can fear no ill,
His chosen, dread no foe;
we leave our fate with Thee and wait
Thy bidding when to go,
’tis not from chance our comfort springs,
Thou art our Trust, O King of kings.
One Minute Reflection – 22 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Cecilia (Died 3rd Century) Virgin Martyr – Ecclesiasticus 51:13-17; Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“… At midnight, there was a cry made: Behold the Bridegroom cometh. Go ye forth to meet Him.” – Matthew 25:6
REFLECTION – “Up with us then, at last, for Scripture arouses us saying: “Now is the hour for us to rise from sleep” (Rm 13:11). Let us open our eyes to the Divine Light and let us hear, with attentive ears, the warning which the Divine Voice cries daily to us – “Today, if you will hear His Voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps 94:8). And again: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches” (Apoc 2:7). And what does He say? “Come, children, hear Me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Ps 33:12). “Run while you have the light of life , lest the darkness of death overtake you” (Jn 12:35).
And the Lord, seeking His worker among the multitudes to whom He thus cries, says again: “Which of you desires life and would like to see prosperous days? (Ps 33:13) And if, hearing Him you answer, “I am he,” God says to you: if you would have true and everlasting life, “keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek after peace and pursue it” (Ps 33:14-15). And when you have done these things, My Eyes will be upon you and My Ears open unto your prayers. And before you call Me, I shall say to you, “Lo, here I Am” (Is 58:9).
What can be sweeter to us, dearest brethren, than this Voice of our Lord inviting us? Behold in His loving Mercy, the Lord show us the way of life. Let us, therefore, gird our loins with faith and the performance of good deeds and following the guidance of the Gospel, walk in His paths, so that we may merit to see Him Who has called us into His Kingdom (1Thes 2:12). For if we wish to live in the dwellings of His Kingdom, unless we run there with good deeds, we shall not arrive. ” – St Benedict (480-547) Abbot, Founder, Father of Western Monaticism (From the Prologue to the Rule 8-22).
PRAYER – O God, Who gladden us by the annual feast of blessed Cecilia, Thy Virgin and Martyr, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may by virtuous conduct follow her, whom we venerate in this sacred rite. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 22 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” and a Friday of the Passion
By the Merit of the
Precious Blood of Jesus
By Servant of God Pope Pius VII (1742-1823)
Papacy from 1800 to 1823
Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father
Eternal Father!
I offer Thee the merit
of the Precious Blood of Jesus,
Thy well-beloved Son,
my Saviour and my God,
for all my wants,
spiritual and temporal,
in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory
and chiefly for those
who most loved this Precious Blood,
the price of our redemption
and who were most devout
to the sorrows and pains
of most Holy Mary,
our dear Mother.
Glory be to the Blood of Jesus,
now and forever
and throughout all ages.
Amen
Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered
22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month,
under the usual conditions.
Note of Interest: On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner that drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among attendants, which included the French soldiers guarding him, who were awestruck at what had occurred and left records of it.
One Minute Reflection – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Sir ach24:14-1, Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Blessed is the womb that bore you” – Luke 11:27
REFLECTION – “This woman will be the Mother of God, the door to Light, source of Life; she will reduce to oblivion the judgement that weighed on Eve. “The rich among the people seek the face” of this woman, “the kings of the nations shall pay her homage” they shall “ offer gifts”…, yet the glory of the Mother of God is an interior glory: the fruit of her womb.
O woman, so worthy of love, thrice happy, “blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Daughter of David the king and Mother of God, King of the universe, masterpiece in whom the Creator rejoices… you are to be nature’s full achievement. For you, life is not yours; you were not born for yourself alone but your life is to be God’s. You came into the world for Him, you will serve for the salvation of all people, fulfilling God’s design established from the beginning: the Incarnation of the Word and our own divinisation. Your whole desire is to feed on the words of God, to be strengthened by their sap, like “a green olive tree in the house of God,” “like a tree planted by running water,” you are the “tree of life” who “yielded its fruit in due season”…
He Who is Infinite, Limitless, came to dwell in your womb; God, the Child Jesus, was nourished by your milk. You are the ever virginal Doorway of God; your hands hold your God; your lap is a throne raised up above the Cherubim… You are the wedding chamber of the Spirit, the “city of the living God, gladdened by the runlets of the stream”, that is to say, the waves of the Spirit’s gifts. You are “all fair, the Beloved” of God.” – St John Damascene (675-749) Monk, Theologian, Father and Doctor of the Church (Homily on the Nativity of the Virgin # 9).
PRAYER – O God, by Whose will the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, was on this day presented in the temple, grant, we beseech Thee, that by her intercession, we may be found worthy to be brought into the temple of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
One Minute Reflection – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Felix of Valois (1127-1212) Confessor – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14; Luke 12:32-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Sell what you possess and give alms. Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure unfailing in Heaven, where neither thief draws near, nor moth destroys.” – Luke 12:33
REFLECTION – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:3) … Of this generous poverty, the Apostles first, after the Lord, have given us example. Unhesitatingly leaving all they had, at the Voice of the heavenly Master, they were joyfully converted and abandoned the catching of fish, to become fishers of men (Mt 4:18f.). Among the latter, many became like themselves, by imitating their faith; for with those first children of the Church, “the community of believers was of one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). Stripped of all their possessions, they were enriched with eternal goods, thanks to holy poverty. Welcoming the Apostles’ preaching, they rejoiced to have nothing in this world and yet, possess all things in Christ. (2 Cor 6:10).
Hence, the blessed Apostle Peter, when he was going up to the temple and was asked for alms by a lame man, said, “I have neither silver nor gold but what I do have I give you; in the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk” (Acts 3:6)… Peter healed him with a word and he, who did not have a coin with Cæsar’s image upon it, restored upon the man, the Image of Christ. And by the riches of this treasure, not only was that one person aided, whose power of walking was restored but too, the five thousand men who then believed the Apostle’s preaching because of this miracle (Acts 4:4). And Peter, that poor man, who did not have anything to give him, who asked for alms, bestowed so great a gift of Divine Grace that, not content with setting one man upright on his feet, he healed, those many thousands of believers in their hearts, by giving them faith.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 95 2-3).
PRAYER – OGod, Who by heavenly inspiration graciously called forth blessed Felix, Thy Confessor, from the desert to the work of ransoming captives; grant, we beseech Thee, that by his intercession and liberated by Thy grace from the captivity of our sins, we may be led into our heavenly fatherland. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
A prayer of a sinner, trusting in the mercies of God.
The Sixth Penitential Psalm.
Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord:
Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplication.
If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities:
Lord, who shall stand it.
For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness
and because of Thy law,
I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath waited on His word:
my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch, even until night,
let Israel hope in the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy
and with Him plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.
(Eternal rest or “Requiem aeternam”)
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
And may perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.
(Indulgence of 100 Days)
*Psalm 129 in Douay Rheims
One Minute Reflection – 19 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) Widow – Proverbs 31:10-31;, Matthew 13:44-52 – – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field;
he who finds it, hides it and in his joy, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44
REFLECTION – “Let us call to mind that widow who, in her care for the poor, forgot herself, to the point of giving away everything she had to live on, thinking only of the life to come, as our Lord Himself attests. The others gave of their abundance but she – even poorer, perhaps, than many of the poor, for her whole fortune resided in two small coins – she it was, who carried in her heart more wealth than many of the wealthy.
She looked only at the riches of the eternal reward. In her desire for heavenly treasure, she gave up all she possessed, as being goods which come from the earth and return to the earth (Gn 3:19). She gave all she had, in order to possess that which she did not as yet see. She gave away perishable goods, so that she might gain immortal ones. This poor little lady had not forgotten the means foreseen and arranged by our Lord, for acquiring the future reward. Neither, therefore, did the Lord forget her on His part and even now, the Judge of the world has pronounced His sentence – He praises her whom He will crown on the Day of Judgement.” – St Paulinus of Nola (355-431) Bishop, Father of the Church (Letter 34 2-4).
PRAYER – O merciful God, enlighten the hearts of Thy faithful people and through the glorious prayers of blessed Elizabeth, make us look upon worldly prosperity as nought and ever rejoice in heavenly consolation. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 19 November – Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity
ACT of FAITH
O MY GOD,
I firmly believe
that Thou art one God in Three Divine Persons,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
I believe that Thy Divine Son became Man
and died for our sins
and that He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe these and all the truths
which the Holy Catholic Church teaches
because Thou hast revealed them,
Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
Amen
ACT of HOPE
O MY GOD,
relying on Thy almighty power
and infinite mercy and promises,
I hope to obtain pardon of my sins,
the help of Thy grace
and Life Everlasting,
through the merits of Jesus Christ,
my Lord and Redeemer.
Amen
ACT of CHARITY
O MY GOD,
I love Thee above all things,
with my whole heart and soul
because Thou art all-good
and worthy of all love.
I love my neighbour as myself
for the love of Thee.
I forgive all who have injured me
and ask pardon.
of all whom I have injured.
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 18 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Peter and Paul – Apocalypse 21:2-5; Luke 19:1-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“… For this day, I must abide in thy house.” – Luke 19:5
REFLECTION – “The Lord said: “This is My resting place forever” and He “chose Zion as the place where He will dwell.” (Ps 132:14) But the temple is destroyed. Where will God’s eternal throne be? Where will His resting place be forever? Where will His temple be for His dwelling place? The apostle Paul gives us an answer: “You are the temple of God, … the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Cor 3:16). That is the house and temple of God. They are filled with His teaching and His power. They are the dwelling place for the holiness of God’s Heart.
But it is God Who builds this dwelling place. If it were built by human hands, it would not last, not even if it were founded on human teaching. Our fruitless work and our worries, are not enough to protect it. The Lord goes about this in a different way; He did not found it on earth or on moving sand but it rests on the Prophets and the Apostles (Eph 2:20); it is built constantly out of living stones (1 Pet 2:5). It will develop to the ultimate dimension of Christ’s Body. Its construction continues constantly. Many houses go up all around it and they will resemble one another in one big and happy city (Ps 122:3).” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ (Treatise on Psalm 64).
PRAYER – O God, Who for us brings each year, the recurrence of the Consecration day of this Thy holy temple and always brings us back safely to the sacred rites, hear the prayers of Thy people and grant that whoever enters this temple, to pray for blessings, may rejoice in having obtained whatever he sought. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 18 November
The One Thing Necessary
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
O my God,
help me to remember,
that time is short, eternity long.
What good is all the greatness of this world
at the hour of death?
To love Thee, my God
and save my soul is the one thing necessary.
Without Thee, there is no peace of mind or soul.
My God, I need fear only sin
and nothing else in this life,
for to lose Thee, my God, is to lose all.
O my God, help me to remember,
that I came into this world with nothing
and shall take nothing from it, when I die.
To gain Thee, I must leave all.
But in loving Thee,
I already have all good things –
the infinite riches of Christ and His Church in life,
Mary’s motherly protection and perpetual help
and the eternal dwelling place
Jesus has prepared for me.
Eternal Father, Jesus has promised
that whatever we ask
in His Name will be granted us.
In His Name, I pray,
give me a burning faith,
a joyful hope,
a holy love for Thee.
Grant me perseverance in doing Thine will
and never let me be separated from Thee.
My God and my All,
make me a Saint!
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 17 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Gregory Thaumaturgus (c 213-c 270) “the Wonder-Worker,” Bishop, Confessor – 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10; Matthew 13:31-35 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“I will utter things hidden, from the foundation of the world.” – Matthew 13:35
REFLECTION – “In one of the Psalms the Prophet says: “My soul pines for Thy salvation; I hope in Thy Word” (118:1) … Who is expressing this ardent desire if not “the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the people set apart for God” (1 Pt 2:9) each in their own day, in each one of those, who have lived, are living or will live, from humanity’s first beginning until the end of the world? … This is why our Lord Himself, says to His disciples: “Many Prophets and righteous men have wished to see that which you see.” It is their voice, then, we must recognise in this Psalm … Their longing has never come to an end in the Saints, nor does it end even now in “the Body of Christ, the Church” (Col 1:18) until “the Desired of all nations” comes (Hag 2:8) …
So, the beginning of the Church’s era, before the Virgin had given birth, comprised Saints who longed to see Christ’s coming in the flesh and, the period where we are now, following the Ascension, comprises other Saints who long to see the revealing of Christ to judge the living and the dead. From the beginning to the end of time, the Church’s longing has never lost its intensity, excepting only, when our Lord was alive on earth in the company of His disciples.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Father and Doctor of Grace (Discourses on the Psalms Ps 118 No 20).
PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God that the venerable feast of Thy blessed Gregory Confessor and Bishop may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 17 November – Pentecost XXVI
Soul of My Saviour,
Sanctify My Breast
Trans. Attri. to Fr John Hegarty (1752-1834)
Soul of my Saviour,
sanctify my breast;
Body of Christ,
be Thou my saving Guest;
Blood of my Saviour,
bathe me in Thy tide;
Wash me with water
flowing from Thy side.
Strength and protection,
may Thy Passion be;
O Blessed Jesus, hear
and answer me;
Deep in Thy Wounds, Lord,
hide and shelter me;
So shall I never, never,
part from Thee.
Hear me, Lord Jesus,
listen as I pray;
“Lead me from night,
to never-ending day.
Fill all the world,
with love and grace Divine,
And glory, laud and praise,
be ever Thine.”
This Hymn is based on the original Latin text of the Anima Christi. Fr Hegarty is attributed with its translation and/or arrangement.
He was born in County Derry, Ireland, educated at Dublin University and was Ordained in June 1890 and spent most of active apostolic years in Brisbane, Australia. He died aged 82 years.
One Minute Reflection – 16 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) Virgin – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2: Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But the wise took oil in their vessels” – Matthew 25:4
REFLECTION – “It is some great thing, some exceedingly great thing, that this oil signifies. Do you think it might be charity? If we try out this hypothesis, we hazard no precipitate judgement. I will tell you why charity seems to be signified by the oil. The Apostle says, “I will show you a still more excellent way.” “If I speak with the tongue of mortals and of angels but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” This is charity. It is “that way above the rest,” which is, with good reason, signified by the oil. For oil swims above all liquids. Pour in water and pour in oil upon it, the oil will swim above. If you keep the usual order, it will be uppermost, if you change the order, it will be uppermost. “Charity never fails!” … St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor (Sermon 93).
PRAYER – O God, Who prepared a pleasing dwelling place for Thyself in the heart of blessed Gertrude the Virgin, by her merits and intercession, mercifully wipe away all sinful stain from our heart and grant that we may enjoy her companionship. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 16 November – Feast of St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) Virgin
O Sacred Heart of Jesus
By St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)
O Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Fountain of eternal life,
Your Heart is a glowing Furnace of Love.
You are my Refuge and my Sanctuary.
O my adorable and loving Saviour,
consume my heart with the burning fire
with which Your Heart is enflamed.
Pour down on my soul those graces
which flow from Your love.
Let my heart be united with Your Heart.
Let my will be conformed to Your Will in all things.
May Your Will be the Rule of all my desires and actions.
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 15 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8; Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“You are the light of the world.” – Matthew 5:14
REFLECTION – “I shall always love and reverence the Apostles sent by Christ and their successors, in sowing the seed of the Gospel, those zealous and tireless co-operators in propagating the Word, who may justly say of themselves: Let a man so account of us as the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the Mysteries of God. For Christ, like a most watchful and most faithful householder, wished that the Gospel lamp should be lit by such ministers and delegates, with fire sent down from Heaven and once lit, should not be put under a measure but set upon a candlestick, so that it may spread its brightness far and wide and put to flight, all darkness and error, rife among both Jews and Gentiles.
Now it is not enough for the Gospel teacher to be a brilliant speaker in the eyes of the people; he must also be as a voice crying in the desert and endeavour, by his eloquence, to help many to lead good lives, lest, if he omit his duty of speaking, he be called the dumb dog that is not able to bark, spoken of by the prophet. Yes, he should also burn, in such a way, that, equipped with good works and love, he may adorn his evangelical office and follow the leadership of Paul. He indeed was not satisfied with bidding the Bishop of the Ephesians: This command and teach: conduct thyself in work as a good soldier of Christ Jesus but he unflaggingly preached the Gospel to friend and foe alike and, said with a good conscience to the Bishops gathered at Ephesus: You know how I have kept back nothing that was for your good but have declared it to you and taught you in public and from house to house, urging Jews and Gentiles to turn to God in repentance and to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Such should be the shepherd in the Church who, like Paul, becomes all things to all men, so that the sick may find healing in him; the sad, joy; the desperate, hope; the ignorant, instruction; those in doubt, advice; the penitent, forgiveness and comfort and finally, everyone, whatever is necessary for salvation. And so Christ, when He wished to appoint the chief teachers of the world and of the Church, did not limit Himself to saying to His disciples: You are the light of the world but also added these words: A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a measure but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all who are in the house. Those churchmen err, who imagine that it is by brilliant preaching, rather than by holiness of life and all-embracing love, they fulfil their office.” – St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1597) Doctor of the Church (Sermon excerpt).
PRAYER – O God, Who made blessed Albert, ThyBishop and Doctor, eminent in the submission of human wisdom to divine faith, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to follow the path of his teaching that we may enjoy perfect light in Heaven.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 15 November – St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church
Supreme Lord and King of All!
By St Albert the Great (1200-1280)
Universal Doctor of the Church
We pray to Thee, O Lord,
Who art the Supreme Truth,
and all truth is from Thee.
We beseech Thee, O Lord,
Who art the highest Wisdom
and all the wise
depend on Thee, for their wisdom.
Thou are the supreme Joy,
and all who are joyous, owe it to Thee.
Thou art the Light of minds
and all receive their understanding from Thee.
We love, we love Thee above all!
We seek Thee, we follow Thee
and we are ready to serve Thee.
We desire to dwell under Thy Power
for Thou art the King of all!
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 14 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Josaphat Kuncewicz OSBM (1584-1623) Confessor, Archbishop, Martyr – Hebrews 5:1-6, John 10:11-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“ I lay down My Life for My sheep.” – John 10:15
REFLECTION – “The service of the Good Shepherd is Love. That is why Jesus says He “lays down His Life for His sheep.” For we must know what distinguishes Him – the Good Shepherd watches over the needs of His flock, the bad one seeks his own interest. That is what the Prophet said: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who seek only to feed themselves! Should they not feed their flock?” (Ezek 34:2). Those who only use the flock for their own interest are not good shepherds … A good shepherd, in the natural sense, bears with much for the sake of the flock over which he watches, as Jacob testified: “By day the heat consumed me and the cold by night.” (Gen 31:40)…
But the spiritual flock’s salvation, is more important, than even the life of the shepherd. That is why, when the flock is in danger, its shepherd must accept to lose his physical life for the salvation of the flock. The Lord said: “The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep” his physical life in the loving exercise of authority … Christ gave us an example: “He laid down His Life for us – and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.” (1 Jn 3:16).” – St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Dominican Priest and Friar, Theologian, Doctor of the Church (Lectura super Ioannem, X lect 3, 1-20).
PRAYER – Arouse in Thy Church, O Lord, the spirit with which blessed Josaphat, Thy Martyr and Bishop, was filled, when he laid down his life for his flock; so that, by his intercession, we, also moved and strengthened by the same spirit, may not fear to lay down our lives for our brethren. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 14 November – Thursday being the day devoted to the Most Holy Eucharist
Prayer in Adoration of the Sacred Heart
By St Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690)
Visionary and Apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Jesus Christ, my Lord and my God,
Whom I believe to be really present
in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar,
receive this most profound Act of Adoration
to supply for the desire I have,
to adore Thee unceasingly
and in thanksgiving,
for the sentiments of love
which Thy Sacred Heart
has for me in this Sacrament.
I cannot better acknowledge them,
than by offering Thee,
all the Acts of Adoration,
resignation, patience and love
which this same Heart has made
during its mortal life
and which it makes still
and which it shall make eternally in Heaven,
in order that through it,
I may love Thee, praise Thee
and adore Thee worthily,
as much as it is possible for me.
I unite myself to this Divine Offering
which Thou dost make to Thy Divine Father
and I consecrate to Thee,
my whole being,
praying Thee, to destroy in me,
all sin and not to permit
that I should be separated from Thee,
in time and eternally.
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 13 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Didacus de Alcalá de Henares) OFM (c 1400-1463) Confessor – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14; Luke 12:32-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be too.” – Luke 12:34
REFLECTION – “…If, therefore, you wash, by a good life, the filth which has been glued on your heart like plaster, the Divine Beauty will again shine forth in you. It is the same as happens in the case of iron. If freed from rust by a whetstone that which but a moment ago, was black will shine and glisten brightly in the sun. So it is too with the inner man which the Lord calls “the heart.” When he has scraped off the rustlike dirt which dank decay has caused to appear on his form, he will once more recover the likeness of the Archetype (Gn 1:27) and, be good. For what is like to the Good is certainly itself good.
Hence, if a man who is pure of heart sees himself, he sees in himself what he desires and thus, he becomes blessed because, when he looks at his own purity, he sees the Archetype in the image. To give an example. Although men, who see the sun in a mirror, do not gaze at the sky itself, yet they see the sun in the reflection of the mirror, no less than those who look at its very orb. So, He says, it is also with you. Even though you are too weak to perceive the Light itself, yet if you but return to the grace of the image with which you were informed from the beginning, you will have all you seek in yourselves.
…For the Godhead is purity, freedom from passion and separation from all evil. If, therefore, these things be in you, God is indeed in you. Hence, if your thought is without any alloy of evil, free from passion, arid alien from all stain, you are blessed because you are clear of sight.” – St Gregory of Nyssa (c335-395) Bishop, Father of the Church (Brother of St Basil the Great) (Sermons 6 sur les Béatitudes – on the Beatitudes 6).
PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who in Thy wondrous providence, choose the weak things of the world to overcome the strong, mercifully grant unto us Thy humble servants that, by the loving prayers of blessed Didacus, Thy Confessor, we may be found worthy to be raised unto the everlasting glory of Heaven. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 13 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
Lord, Help Me to Live This Day
By St Frances of Assisi (c1181-1226)
Lord, help me to live this day,
quietly, easily.
To lean upon Thy great strength,
trustfully, restfully.
To wait for the unfolding of Thy will,
patiently, serenely.
To meet others,
peacefully, joyously.
To face tomorrow,
confidently, courageously.
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 12 November – St Martin I, Pope (598-655) Martyr – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:16
REFLECTION – “Peter did not say “Thou are a Christ” or “a son of God” but “the Christ, the Son of God.” For there are many christs by grace, who have attained the rank of adoption [as sons] but, [there is] only One ,Who is by nature the Son of God. Thus, using the definite article, he said, THE Christ, THE Son of God. And in calling Him, Son of the LIVING God, Peter indicates that Christ Himself is Life and that death has no authority over Him. And even if the flesh, for a short while, was weak and died, nevertheless, it rose again, since the Word, Who dwelled in it, could not be held under the bonds of death.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Known as “The Pillar of Faith” Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor Incarnationis (Doctor of the Incarnation) (Fragment 190).
PRAYER – Look forgivingly on Thy flock, Eternal Shepherd and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Martin Thy Martyr and Sovereign Pontiff, whom thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 12 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
Daily Prayer to the Most Holy Name
By St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)
Apostle of the Most Holy Name
Jesus,
Name full of glory, grace, love and strength!
Thou art the Refuge of those who repent,
our Banner of warfare in this life,
the Medicine of souls,
the Comfort of those who mourn,
the Delight of those who believe,
the Light of those who preach the True Faith,
the Wages of those who toil,
the Cure of the sick.
To Thou, our devotion aspires;
by Thee, our prayers are received;
we delight in contemplating Thee.
O Name of Jesus,
Thou art the glory
of all the Saints for eternity.
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 11 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Martin of Tours (c316-397) “Martin the Merciful,” Bishop, Confessor, Miracle-Worker. – Sirach 44:16-27; 45:3-20, Luke 11:33-36 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“No man lights a candle and puts it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel but upon a candlestick that they, who come in, may see the light.” – Luke 11:33
REFLECTION – “There must be simplicity in one’s intention and purity in one’s affection. Simplicity seeks God; purity finds Him and savours Him. No good work will be difficult, if you are interiorly free of all disordered affection. If you want only what God wants and that which is useful for your neighbour, you will enjoy interior freedom. If your heart were upright, then every creature would be, for you, a mirror of life and a book full of holy instruction.
There is no creature so small and so base that it does not show, some image of God’s goodness. If you had enough innocence and purity within you, you would see everything without hindrance. A pure heart penetrates Heaven and hell. Each person judges that which is outside, according to that which is within himself. If there is any joy in the world, the pure heart possesses it.” – Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471) (Attrib) The Imitation of Christ (Book II:4)
PRAYER – O God, Who sees that we cannot survive by any power of our own, mercifully grant that, by the intercession of blessed Martin, Thy Confessor and Bishop, we may be made safe from all harm. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 11 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”
My God! I Recommend to Thee …
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
My God! I recommend to Thee,
the souls of my relatives,
my benefactors, my friend, my enemies
and of those, who are in Purgatory on my account.
I recommend to Thee,
the souls of Evangelical labourers,
of Religious and Priests
and especially of those,
who had charge of my soul.
I recommend to Thee,
the souls of those, who were most devout
to the Passion of Our Lord,
to the Blessed Sacrament,
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and to the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the souls, who are most abandoned,
those, who suffer most
and those, who are nearest
to the entrance into Paradise.
Amen
One Minute Reflection – 10 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Andrew Avellino CR (1521–1608) Confessor – Col ossians 3:12-17: Matthew 13:24-30 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Suffer both to grow until the harvest” – Matthew 13:30
REFLECTION – “In today’s Gospel, my friends, we see that when the owner of the field had sowed his seed in good soil, the enemy came while he was sleeping and sowed weeds in it. What this means, is that God created man good and perfect but the enemy came and sowed sin. This was Adam’s downfall and a terrible fall which opened the door to sin in the human heart.
Are you saying that we must exterminate the weeds? “But no,” the Lord replies, “for fear that in pulling up the weeds ,you harm the good seed at the same time. Wait until the harvest.” This is how the human heart must remain until the end – a mixture of good and bad, vice and virtue, light and darkness, good seed and weeds. God did not wish to destroy this mix and refashion a nature in us where there would be nothing but good seed. He wants us to fight, to strive to prevent the weeds from overwhelming us. The devil comes to sow temptation across our path but we are able to overcome it by grace, we can smother the weeds.
Three things are absolutely necessary against temptation – prayer to enlighten us, the Sacraments to strengthen us and vigilance to preserve us. Happy are the souls who are tempted! It is when the devil judges a soul is tending towards union with God that he redoubles his rage.” – St Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) Priest and the Patron of Priests, The Curé d’Ars (The Spirit of the Curé d’Ars, Sermons Conversations).
PRAYER – O God, by his difficult vow to make daily progress in holiness, Thou placed in the heart of blessed Andrew, Thy Confessor, a wondrous longing to ascend unto Thee, grant us, by his merits and intercession, so to become sharers of that same grace that, ever pursuing the more perfect things, we may be happily brought unto the height of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
One Minute Reflection – 9 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour – Apocalypse 21:2-5, Luke 19:1-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“ … He climbed up into a sycamore tree that he might see Him …” – Luke 19:2
REFLECTION – “I’m writing with the desire to see you, a bold and good shepherd, pasturing and guiding the sheep entrusted to you with perfect zeal and thus, imitating the sweet Master of Truth, Who gave His life for us who are His sheep, who have strayed away from the path of grace. True…, we cannot do this without God and we cannot possess God while remaining on earth. But here is a sweet remedy – when our hearts are reduced to nothing and feeling small, we must do as Zacchaeus did. He was not tall and he climbed a tree to see God. This zeal of his, allowed him to hear these sweet words: “Zacchaeus, go home, for I must dine with you today.”
We must do this too, when we are feeling low, when our hearts are constricted and lacking in charity. We must climb the tree of the most holy Cross and there, we shall see, we shall touch God. There we shall find the fire of His inexpressible charity, the love that propelled Him, even to the humiliation of the Cross that raised Him up and made Him desire His Father’s honour and our salvation, with the craving of hunger and thirst… If this is what we want, if our carelessness does not get in the way, we can, in mounting the tree of the Cross, fulfill in ourselves, this word issuing from the mouth of Truth: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all things to Myself” (Jn 12,32 Vg). Indeed, when the soul is thus raised up, it sees the blessings of the Father’s goodness and power…, it sees the mercy and lavishness of the Holy Ghost, that is to say, the inexpressible love holding Jesus bound to the wood of the Cross. Nails and bonds cannot hold Him there, only charity… O climb this most holy tree where hang, the ripe fruits of all the virtues which the Body of the Son of God bears, ardently hasten. Dwell within the holy and sweet love of God. O sweet Jesus, Jesus love.” – St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) (Letter 119, to the prior of the Olivetan Monks).
PRAYER – O God, Who for us bring each year the recurrence of the Consecration day of this Thy holy temple and always bring us back safely to the Sacred Rites, hear the prayers of Thy people and grant that, whoever enters this temple to pray for blessings., may rejoice in having obtained whatever he sought. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
One Minute Reflection – 8 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – The Octave Day of All Saints – Apocalypse 7:2-12; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain… And opening His mouth, He taught them …” – Matthew 5:1-2
REFLECTION – “May it be granted me to sit with Jesus, to sit at His feet on the mountain side and partake of His instruction! When He is in the crowd, He is standing and walking, occupied and wearied and so hard pressed, that neither He, nor His disciples are, as it were, allowed to eat bread, “the bread of life and understanding”,(Mk 6:31) and to drink “the water of wisdom” (Jn 6:35). For this water can only be drunk in a time of leisure and, it is drawn by those who have little to do. For “the well is deep”(Sir 15:3; 38:24) …
Opening His mouth, Jesus speaks to the heart of Jerusalem, talking to her in solitude, or on the mountain and this is what He says: “Happy are the poor in spirit.” He, Who is Happiness speaks of happiness, He Who became poor, of poverty, speaks of repletion, Mercy of mercifulness, He Who is the Purity of hearts speaks of purification of heart, the truly Peaceful of peace-making, the Son by nature speaks of sonship …
“Happy are the poor in spirit.” Wisely indeed, He puts first … that which every man seeks … For who does not wish to be happy? Why do men universally quarrel and fight, bargain, resort to flattery and inflict injuries, on one another? Is it not simply in order to obtain, by fair means or foul… something which promises to make them happy? … So the Teacher of all men … begins by redirecting those who have lost the way… He Who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:16; 6:32; 14:6)… begins with the words: “Happy are the poor in spirit.” – Blessed Isaac of Stella O.Cist. (c1100 – c1170) Cistercian Abbot, Theologian, Philosopher (Sermon 1, for the Feast of All Saints).
PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession, that abundance of Thymercy for which we yearn. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
AnaStpaul 
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