Category: MEDITATIONS – ANTONIO CARD BACCI

Posted in CONTEMPLATIVE Prayer, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD

Thought for the Day – 7 December – The Contemplative and the Active Life

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Thought for the Day – 7 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Contemplative and the Active Life

“We ought not to imagine that contemplation is a privilege exvclusive to Monks and Nuns.
In fact, it belongs to all Catholics.
It is the privilege of the peasant, artisan, or clerk, who, on his way home from work, pays a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.
“Here I am, my God,“ anyone of them may say.
“I am very tired.
Please give me some rest for my soul.
I am weary and worried, both in body and in soul.
I wish to love You more and to be faithful to You, until I die.
I wish to think only of You but there are so many other things which I must think about.
I have so many temptations and disturbances, which cause me to forget You and which often lead me into evil.
O God, be the light of my soul, the peace of my heart, the divine strength of my weak will. …”
Murmuring words like these, they listen to God and seem to see Him bending down towards them.

Then there is the student who has spent the day pouring over books, searching for the truth.
He goes into the Church for a moment and kneels down.
His mind is full of the tumult of thoughts, calculations and problems, never completely answered or explained in the books, written by men.
He asks God for the light which he has not found, for the answer which he has not discovered, for the peace and calm, which only He can give.

At least for a moment, all these workers and students are contemplatives.
They have left behind the noise of the world, in order to listen to the Voice of God.
But this Voice, which does not speak in words but in silence and in peace, is the Voice of contemplation.
Prayer comes afterwards, when God makes His presence felt in the soul.
In this way, no matter who or what we are, we should all be contemplatives.
In other words, we should seek, in quiet conversation with God, the truth and tranquiliity which the world cannot give us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SUFFERING

Thought for the Day – 6 December – The Blessedness of Those Who Suffer Persecution

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Thought for the Day – 6 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of Those Who Suffer Persecution

“It would seem impossible, that suffering and persecution, could bring us happiness.
Yet, we have our Lord’s assurance for it.
“Blessed are they who suffer persecution for justice’s sake,” He says, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men reproach you and persecute you and, speaking falsely, say all manner of evil against you, for MY sake. Rejoice and exult for your reward is great in heaven” (Mt 5:9-12).

Not only is this true of persecution borne in defence of the Faith and of the Church but, it is equally true of any kind of trouble and suffering as long as it is endured for the love of God.
“Rejoice,” writes St Peter, “insofar as you are partakers of the sufferings of Christ, that you may also rejoice with exultation in the revelation of his glory” (1 Peter 4:13).

“It is good for us now and then,” The Imitation of Christ assures us, “to have some troubles and adversities, for oftentimes, they make a man enter into himself, that he may know that he is an exile and place not his hopes in anything of the world.
It is good for us sometimes, to suffer contradictions and to allow people to think ill and slightingly of us, even when we do and mean well.
These are often helps to humility and rid us of vainglory.
For then we more earnestly seek God to be witness of what passes within us, when outwardly, we are slighted by men and incur their discredit” (Bk 1 c 12).

This is a repetition of the teaching of Jesus Christ, Who said: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23).

The happiness which our Lord promises us, is that which results from our own self-renewal and from the acceptance of our cross.
This happiness, is not easy to acquire because, our selfish and sensual impulses, as well as the insults of others, seem to be forever stirring up a nest of vipers inside us.
Too often, our hearts are overflowing, not with happiness but, with rebelion.
How can we remedy this?
There is only one way.
We must love God so much, that we are prepared to endure everything willingly, for love of Him.
Those who suffer are blessed, therefore, only on one condition, namely, on condition that they suffer for love of God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SIN, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Thought for the Day – 5 December – The Blessedness of the Peracemakers

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Thought for the Day – 5 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of the Peracemakers

“The spirit of peace pervades the Gospel.
When Jesus is born, choirs of angels sing above the stable in Bethlehem: “Glory to God in the highest ad on earth, peace among men of good will” (Lk 2:14).
When our Saviour has risen gloriously from the dead, He appears to His disciples and greets them with the words: “Peace be to you.”
Finally, when He is departing from this earth, He leaves his peace to His followers as their inheritance. “Peace I leave with you,” He says to them, “my peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled or be afraid” (Jn 14:27).

Exactly what is the peace of Jesus Christ?
It is much different from worldly peace, presuming that the world can give some kind of peace.
St Paul says of the Saviour that “he himself is our peace” (Eph 2:14).
How are we to understand what is meant by this?
The Apostle himself explains when he writes: “Having been justified by faith, let us have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1).
Jesus Christ, therefore, is our peacemaker.
He has shouldered our iniquities and has offered Himself to the Father as a victim of expiation and of reconciliation.
It is at the price of Christ’s precious blood, that we have regained peace with God and freedom from our sins.
This is the peace which our Lord has given us.
Let us remember, however, that if we return to the slavery of sin, we shall lose at once, the jewel of peace which Jesus Christ has bestowed on us.
“There is no peace to the wicked” (Isa 48:22).
We have experienced on many occasions how true this is.
Sin destroys peace of soul because it deprives us of Jesus, without Whom, peace cannot survive.
Let us resolve, therefore, to remain always close to our Lord and far from sin.
Then only shall we be able to preserve our peace of mind in the midst of temptations and of earthly sorrows.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The BEATITUDES, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 4 December – The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart

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Thought for the Day – 4 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of the Pure of Heart

“Blessed are the pure of heart,” says Jesus in the beatitudes, for they shall see God (Mt 5:8) .
“The sensual man,” adds St Paul, “does not perceive the things that are of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:14).

How true this is.
When the flesh gains control over the spirit and our lower instincts enslave the intellect, we are overcome by confusion and spiritual blindness.
No longer can we see God’s reflection in created things, no longer do we hear His Voice.
Impurity and sensuality, lead to disregard for the law of God, whereas purity of heart, make it easy for us to love His law.

One day, as was his custom, St Joseph Cafasso went to the prison to visit the convicts.
Among them there was a hardened old sinner, who was interested, neither in God, nor in confessing his sins.
The Saint met him and tried to persuade him to kneel down and make his Confession.
“I do not believe in God,” replied the old man.
The Saints simply looked at him, “Kneel down,” he said, “confess your sins and afterwards, you will believe.”
It turned out as he had predicted.
The old crime-hardened sinner told his sins, wept for them and became a new man.
It was as if the scales had fallen from his eyes, which now saw God clearly once more!
Through the forgiveness of his sins, he found again the way of supernatural love.

We should be grateful to God that we are not in the same state as this poor prisoner was but, it is probable, that we have often been disturbed by impure suggestions.
On these occasions, we may have lost sight of God and our high and pure ideals, may have suffered an eclipse.
We must preserve our chastity, however,
With this purpose in view, we should renew our good resolutions in the presence of God and should constantly implore His grace and the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, The BEATITUDES, The GOOD SHEPHERD

Thought for the Day – 3 December – The Blessedness of the Merciful

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Thought for the Day –32 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of the Merciful

“Let us meditate now on the mercy of God, which is infinite even as His justice is infinite.
“His mercy” says St Thomas Aquinas, “does not subtract from His justice but is, the fullness and the perfection of that justice.”(Summa Theologiae, I, q.21, a.2 ad2).
All the merits which we can acquire in the sight of God, derive from His gratuitous gift of grace.
God’s mercy and justice, therefore, are fused together in a wonderful harmony, which claims our gratitude and fidelity.

References to the mercy of God are numerous in Sacred Scripture.
“You Lord, are good and forgiving,” says the Psalmist, “abounding in kindness to all who call upon you” (Ps 85:5).
“Blessed be the Lord,” we read elsewhere, “my rock, … my refuge and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer ….” (ps 143:2).
“Goodness and kindness follow me, all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come” (Ps 22:6)

When we leave the Old Testament and open the Gospel, we discover that it is a record of the goodness and mercy of God.
We have only to recall Christ’s forgiveness of the Magdalen when she wept at His feet for her faults; the merciful judgement which He passed on the poor adulteress; His loving glance in the direction of St Peter who had denied Him; the grace so miraculously granted to St Paul on the road to Damascus and, the parables of the good Samaritan, the prodigal son and the good shepherd who went in search of the lost sheep.
Finally, there are the consoling words to the repentant thief: “This day thous shalt be with me in paradise.”
When we read this chronicle of infinite goodness and mercy, we should experience a boundless hope and confidence.
It does not matter how great our sins, or our ingratitude, may have been.
Once we have repented, God is ready to forgive us and to receive us with open arms!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The BEATITUDES, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The REDEMPTION

Thought for the Day – 2 December – The Thirst for Justice

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Thought for the Day – 2 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Thirst for Justice

“Jesus commands us, in the Beatitudes, to seek justice, that is perfection in the fulfilment of our obligations to God, to ourselves and, to our neighbour.
He commands us, to hunger and thirst for this justice, which is identical to holiness.

When Christ tells us to hunger and thirst for justice, He imposes on us, the obligation of doing our very best to acquire the virtue of Christian justice, which is the sythesis of all the virtues.
We must be aware, therefore, of laziness, apathy, tepidity, or mediocrity, for our advance in spiritual perfection, must be continuous.
There must be no hesitation or backsliding.
The high target which God has set for us, demands hard work and boundless generosity on our part.
Jesus Christ loved us so much that He gave Himself entirely for us and shed His Precious Blood to the last drop, for our Redemption.
How can we possibly be niggardly or half-hearted in our relatioas with Him?

Whenever God’s cause is at stake, whether in our efforts to achieve our own spiritual perfection or in the fulfilment of our obligations towards our neighbour, we should never refuse anything but, should display absolute dedication to God and to our fellowman.
“Let us hunger,” said St Catherine of Siena, “for God’s honour and for the salvation of souls” (Vrev di perfezioe, p81).
The hunger and thirst for justice, nourished by the love of God and of our neighbour, should exclude all mediocrity and selfishness from our lives.
It should urge us on, as it did the Saints, towards the highest pinnacles of sanctity.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The BEATITUDES, The FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES: JUSTICE, PRUDENCE, TEMPERANCE, FORTITUDE, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN

Thought for the Day – 1 December – The Blessedness of Those who Hunger and Thirst for Justice

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Thought for the Day – 1 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of Those
who Hunger and Thirst for Justice

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice” says Jesus Christ, “for they shall be satified” (Mt 5:6).
These words oblige us to seek justice in our actions, if we desire the happiness which Our Lord promised to the just.

We must understand, of course, what is intended here by the word “justice.”
It may be interpreted in two ways.
According to its most common meaning, justice is the cardinal virtue which obliges us to give every man his due.
Often in Sacred Scripture, however, the word is synonymous with perfection or holiness; that is, it is the synthesis of all the virtues.
It is in this sense, that Jesus employs the term when He says: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his justice and all these things shall be given you besides” (Mt 6:33).

In its fullest sense then, justice embraces our relations with God, with ourselves and with our neighbour.
In the first place, we must be just towards God and, therefore, in accordance with the Gospel precepts, we must “render to God the things that are God’s” (Mt 22:21).
Since everything belongs to God, our Creator and Redeemer, we must offer everything to Him, including ourselves, all that we are and all that we possess.
We have only obligations in regard to God and no rights because, we have received everything from Him.
We oughts to obey Him, therefore, as our supreme lawgiver.
We ought to adore Him and to love Him, with a greater love than we have for any creature or for ourselves because, He is the highest good, which merits all our love and which alone, can satisfy us.
We should express our love, moreover, by our actions and by the complete dedication of ourselves to His honour and glory.

Justice, then, is in fact, Christian perfection and is the synthesis of all the virtues.
That great pagan writer, Cicero, had already perceived this, when he wrote that “piety is the foundation of all the virtues” (Pro Plancio, 12:29) and that “piety is justice in regard to God” (De natura deorum, I, 4).
Justice in our relations with God, demands, that we adore, love and obey Him.
In this way, we lay the basis of all the virtues. “”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The BEATITUDES

Thought for the Day – 30 November – The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn

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Thought for the Day – 30 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of Those Who Mourn

“Blessed are they who mourn” (Mt 5:5), says Jesus Christ, in direct contrast to the opinion of the world, which believes, that happiness is to be found in merrymaking.
Who is correct?
The Gospel does not forbid us to rejoice, indeed, a blessing was given to the wedding celebration in Cana.
This, however, was a manifestation of good and honest joy.
It is the immoderate revelling of irresponsible worldlings and sinners, which is condemned in the Gospel.
God does not promise these any of His consolations but, only remorse and perhaps despair.
On the other hand, those who suffer are called blessed by Jesus Christ, Who has promised to console them.
The consolations which they will receive are those which spring from their repentance, from the forgiveness which they obtain for their sins and from the expectation of everlasting life, which is promised to those who choose the royal road of the Cross.
They will also enjoy, the consolations of contemplation and of the love of God.

The Catholic sheds tears of sadness, of repentance and of joy.
He is sometimes sad because he is sensitive to the evil which exists in the world.
When he sees so many of his fellowmen going from sin to sin, on the downward slope towards damnation, he is saddened and longs to remedy this situation, as much as possible, by prayer, good example and penance.

Perhaps you are indifferent to the evil which is being perpetrated in the world?
Perhaps nothing has power to upset you, apart from yur own petty troubles and frustrated ambitions?
This kind of sadness is not pleasing to God.

Another motive for sadness, is the great physical and moral suffering which afflicts so many of our brethren.
We should be generous in tendering whatever assistance we can, generous also in our understanding and in our sympathy.
Very often, a single gesture of compassion towards a man who is suffering, is of greater value than a substantial alms, which is offered with coldness and indifference.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The BEATITUDES, The HOLY GHOST

Thought for the Day – 29 November – The Blessedness of the Meek

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Thought for the Day – 29 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of the Meek

“Charity, as St Thomas Aquinas says, is the source of all the virtues (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q 157, a 2).
This includes meekness, or that quality of moderation by which a Christian ought to govern his passions, especially anger and keep them subject to the control of reason.
This virtue is opposed to pride and to vanity, in that these passions, when wounded, culminate in outbursts of anger and in quests for revenge.

Meekness is not simply a form of apathy or of good natured affability.
On the contrary, it is based both on humility and on fortitude.
It feels insults and ingratitude and does not remove the suffering which accompanies them but it demands the heroism of silence and of charitable behaviour towards those who hurt us.
For this reason it is not identical with weakness but, requires spiritual fortitude because, it makes a man complete master of himself (Cf Summa Theologiae II-II, 1 157 a 4).
Anger is not always sinful, as the Holy Spirit indicates (Ps 4-5).
If it remains subject to the control of reason and of charity, indeed, it is only a reaction against evil and can exist alongside Christian meekness.
It is fatal, however, to allow anger to become blind and tyrannical, for it will then betray a man into hatred and vengefulness.
It will grow noisy and vulgar, give scandal to others and leave, in the soul, a sense of restlessness and of vexation (Cf St Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life, Bk III, ch 9).
“If the Holy Spirit may be called, the peace of the soul, uncontrolled anger may be called, its disturber. Nothing is more hostile than anger to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us” (St John Climacus Scala Paradisi p 286).

Let us resolve never to allow ourselves to be led away by immoderate anger but, to preserve, at all times, our meekness and peace of soul.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The BEATITUDES

Thought for the Day – 28 November – The Blessedness of the Poor

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Thought for the Day – 28 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Blessedness of the Poor

“Blessed are the poor in spirit” said Jesus, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:3).
We should take care to have a proper understanding of the meaning of these words.
Catholic perfection does not actually consist in being poor.
A man can be poor, even voluntarily so, without being vittuous and without receiving any blessing thereby.
“Christian perfection,” explains St Thomas Aquinas, “does not especially consist in voluntary poverty, which is only an instrument of perfection.
Therefore, it cannot be said that where there is greater poverty there is greater sanctity.
The highest perfection can co-exist with great wealth, for we read that Abraham was wealthy and God said to him, ‘Walk in my presence and be perfect‘” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q 185, a 6 ad 1).

Perfection then, does not consist in poverty as such but, in detachment from worldly possessions.
Whether we are rich or poor, we must have this detachment, if we wish to be true followers of Christ.
It was God Who created the fruits of the earth and gave them to men.
When He had created them, He was pleased with His Work and declared, that all things were good.
Evil consists in the abuse of these goods, which, in themselves, are intended to be aids to perfection.
It is necessary, therefore, to preserve the proper hierarchical order of all that is good.
We must guard against riveting our ambitions on earthly objects, as if tbey were capable of constituting the goal of our lives.

God has given us these things as possessions, not as ends in themselves.
He has ordered us to be masters of the world, not it’s slaves.
Detachment is essential but not a complete surrender of our possessions.
The latter was never commanded but simply indicated, as an evangelical counsel of perfection.
The observance of this counsel, however, is valueless, if it is not accompanied by detachment.
Worldly possessions, such as money, are good servants but bad masters!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The REDEMPTION

Thought for the Day – 27 November – The Salvation of Souls

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Thought for the Day –27 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Salvation of Souls

“We have only to look around us to realise the sad state of the greater part of human society.
Men may be divided into three principal categories – the evil, the indifferent and the good.
The evil are very numerous.
The Holy Spirit tells us that the number of fools is infinite (Eccles 1:15).
Now, the greatest and most real folly, is sin because, sin offends God, our supreme good, our Creator and Redeemer and because, it endangers the salvation of the soul.
Nevertheless, countless sins are committed.
There is an immense number of people who commit sin not merely through human frailty but who have abandoned God absolutely by denying or insulting Him and by striving to eradicate Him from the consciousness of their fellow-men.
Their God is themselves!

The second group is that of the indifferent, those for whom God, religion and the supernatural are quite unimportant.
They are content to lead materialistic lives without any thought of eternity.
It is enough for them to be able to live, make money and to enjoy themselves.
Nothing else matters.
Their God is the world and its goods!
The number of such people is increasing at an alarming rate.

Lastly, there are the good people who desire to become more and more perfect.
Unfortunately, there are very few of these now and one would like to see them displaying greater generosity and enthusiasm for the salvation of those around them.

To which group do you belong?
Perhaps you have not yet made up your mind completely to dedicate yourself to the pursuit of sanctity?
Perhaps you are still wavering between the alternatives of good and evil?
Anyone who remains inactive, becomes an accomplish!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 26 November – The Glory of God

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Thought for the Day – 26 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Glory of God

“The whole of creation manifests the glory of God.
The grass on the field, the trees of the forest, the insects and birds of the air, the creatures on the earth and in the sea, the stars in the sky – they all speak to us of the power and beauty of the Creator.
You also were created by and for God, Who is the beginning and end of all things.
In all thoughts, actions and affections, therefore, you should seek the Glory of God.
God, indeed, has no need of your small contribution to enhance His Glory.
His Glory is complete and perfect in Himself, in Heaven and in Hell, God does not need you but you need God.
It is your strict obligation, not only to proclaim the Glory of God but, also to work for its triumph in yourself and in all things.

The man who loves God above all things, seeks only His Glory.
The man who loves himself more than he loves God, however, seeks his own petty worldly glorification and strays away from the main road of life, which should lead him towards God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY

Thought for the Day – 25 November – The Storms of Life

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Thought for the Day – 25 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Storms of Life

“The Evangelist describes how Jesus got into a boat one day, along with His Apostles and set out across the lake of Genesareth.
Suddenly a great storm arose, so furious, that the waves covered the tiny vessel and threatened to submerge it.
The Apostles were terrified and turned to Jesus but, He was asleep.
They woke Him, crying out: “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
He sat up and said to them: “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”
Then, He rebuked the wind and the sea and immediately all was calm again.
His followers were astonished.
“What manner of man is this,” they asked one another, “that even the wind and the sea obey him?” (Mt 8:23-26; Mk 4:36-49; Lk 8:22-25).

We also are often subjected to the tempests of life.
Sometimes, these storms, are purely interior, as when our lower impulses threaten to overcome our good resolutions and to submerge our purity of soul.
In these serious crises, we should turn humbly and fervently to Jesus for help.
Sometimes perhaps, Jesus will seem to be asleep and deaf to our anguished entreaties.
But it is never so!
He simply wishes to test us, as He tested His Apostles on the lake of Genesareth.

We must persevere.
We must tell Him that we do not wish to lose His grace, that we do not wish to fall into sin but desire to go on loving Him.
If our prayers are humble and insistent, we may rest assured, that after our moment of trial, Jesus Christ will speak to us.
At the sound of His Voice, the tempest will be stilled and there will come, a great calm.
Then, we shall experience the peace, which only God can give.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 24 November – The Most Terrifying Passage in the Gospel

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Thought for the Day – 24 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Most Terrifying Passage
in the Gospel

“The Teaching of Jesus Christ, bears the stamp of gentleness and kindness towards humanity, especially sinners.
There is, however, one passage in the Gospel which inspires real dread.
Let us quote it in full:

“When the Son of Man shall come in his majesty and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory and before him will be gathered, all the nations and he will separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats and he will set the sheep on his right hand but the goats, on the left.
Then the king will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come, blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; naked and you covered me; sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me… ‘Then he will say to those on his left hand, ‘Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you did not give to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take me in; naked and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
Then they also will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick or in prison and did not minister to thee?’
Then he will answer them saying, ‘Amen I say to you, as long as you did not do it for one of these least ones, you did not do it for me.’
And these will go into everlasting punishment.” (CF Mt 25:31-46).

These are terrifying words, in the light of which each one of us has something with which to reproach himself!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, I BELIEVE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on NATURE - GOD'S CREATION, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Thought for the Day – 23 November – Have We Ever Abandoned Jesus?

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Thought for the Day – 23 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Have We Ever Abandoned Jesus?

“St John the Evangelist relates how, after the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, Jesus Christ wished to make the people understand that He would give men bread which would be infinitely more precious; namely Himself, the Bread of Life, the Living Bread that has come down from Heaven.
Since the crowd which surrounded Him still failed to understand, He added, “I Am, the Living Bread that has come down from Heaven. If anyone eat of this Bread, he shall live forever and the Bread that I will give, is my Flesh for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51).

At this stage, however, the Jews began to argue with one another, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus endeavoured to remove all doubt by His reply, “Unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you shall not have life in you… He who eats My Flesh and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him. As the living Father has sent me and as I live because o the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of me” (Cf Jn 6:48-58).

When they had heard these words in which Jesus foretold the sublime miracle of the Blessed Eucharist, some of the disciples began to murmur among themselves.
“This is a hard saying. Who can listen to it?” (Jn 6:61).
When Jesus saw that some of His closest followers were drawing away from Him, He turned to the twelve Apostles, “Do you also wish to go away?” He asked.
It was then that Simon Peter made his memorable reply, “Lord, to whom shall be go? Thou hast the words of everlasting life.” (Jn 6:68-69).

We also may experience, at times, a sense of uncertainty concerning the words of Jesus Christ.
There are such tremendous mysteries in the Christian religion.
But, a religion which contained no mysteries could scarcely be true.
There are mysteries of nature surrounding us and within us.
How can we imagine that there are no mysteries in God, the supreme and most perfect Being?
Could it be possible for our petty intellects fully to comprehend God in Himself and in His revelation?
Let us bow our heads, therefore, before the mysteries of the Divinity.
Let us adore God and repeat with St Peter: We cannot go away from You, O God because You have the words of everlasting life.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in ABOUT Antonio Bacci, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on MORALS, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 17 November – The Infiltration of the Cinema, Radio, Television [Internet]

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Thought for the Day – 17 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Influence of the Cinema,
Radio, Television, [Internet]

“It is an unfortunate but undeniable fact, that man often employs new inventions and discoveries for evil, rather than for good purposes.
The gifts of God ought to bring us closer to Him but, too often, they become, through our own fault, the means of separating ourselves further from Him.
Everything is good and not only whatever God has created but also, whatever we, ourselves produce by a proper use of the facultis with which our Creator has endowed us.

“Every creature of God is good,” says St Paul, “and nothing is to be rejected…” (1 Tim 4:4).
These words are still true of the countless inventions of our own era.
The cinema, radio, television, [internet], are essentially good because they are gifts which God has brought into being through the agency of human intelligence and perseverance.
But what use have we been making of them?
Take, for instance, the cinema.
It must be admitted that there are very few films today which are edifying or spiritually helpful.
Most are positively bad and dangerous, especially to certain branches of the community.
Moreover, as Pope Pius XI warned us, in his Encyclical, Vigilanti Cura, on this subject in 1936, many films, which would otherwise be quite harmless, are rendered dangerous because they are interspersed with various kinds of immorality.

Since the greatest evil for a Christian is the loss of God and this inevitably follows, the loss of grace and of the Faith, we must observe the following safeguards in our approach to the cinema:
(1)We must stay away from any film which might represent a proximate occasion of mortal sin;
(2) We must avoid films which are opposed to morals or to the Faith and must see that our families and dependents, do likewise;
(3) We may attend films which are good or merely entertaining.
It is better, however, not to go to the cinema too regularly, for to do so, would be a waste of time and could expose us to unforeseen risks.
In any case, there are many other amusements, preferably open-air, which are much more beneficial to soul and body.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Note: We are definitely capable of updating the wise words of dear Cardinal Bacci to accommodate the current era and infiltration of the above evils into virtually every moment of our lives – on our phones and computers.

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on MORALS, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Thought for the Day – 16 November – Evil Literature

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Thought for the Day – 16 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Evil Literature

“As far back as 1886, Pope Leo XIII in his Encyclical, Pergrata Nobis, deplored the extent to which evil literature was perverting morals and insidiously attacking the Faith.
Elsewhere, he wrote: “Everyday we see new falsehood emerging with unbelievable audacity, both in large volumes and in pamphlets, periodicals and in newspapers of every kind” (AL 1883 p 262).
“The yellow press is like a poison which diffuses itself everywhere” (AL1893, p 340).
“The enemies of the Church employ it as the most powerful weapon with which to combat Her.
Their evil and disturbing publications are, unfortunately, restrained, neither by law, nor by public opinion” (AL 1882)
“We perceive, with the utmost sorrow, books and newspapers, which seem to have been compiled in order to sneer at virtue and exalt the vilest indecencies” (AL 1888 p 396).

The solemn warning of Leo XIII, has been repeated over and over again by his successors.
His Holiness, Pope Pius XII, went so far as to declare that today, the propagation of evil has been turned into an industry.
The unhealthy curiosity of a great many people, especially of the young, is exploited in order to sell indecent publications, which are devoid of any literary value.

In every bookstall are displayed, gaudy magazies which attrract the eye of the passer-by.
If he is already the victim of vicious habits, he is provided with a further incentive towards evil, or, if he is young and innocent, the dangerous disturbance which he experiences, may be the beginning of an ultimate surrender to his lower instincts.

Since it is obvious, therefore, that the printing press has become one of the most powerful means of diffusing good and evil among individuals and families, let us examine our own attitude towards it.
What kind of books and newspapers do we read?
Do we support good or evil literature?
Our reading, like our friends, shows what we are.
If we read worldly, frivolous, or even evil publications, we are injected, perhaps unconsciously, with a subtle spiritual poison.
The results may be disastrous!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Thought for the Day – 15 November – Conversation with God and with Men

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Thought for the Day – 15 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Conversation with God and with Men

“Let us recall again the sentence in which The Imitation of Christ paraphrases an idea of Seneca (Epistulae morales ad Lucilinum, 7) “As often as I habe been amopngst men, I have returned less a man” (Bk 1 cj XX, v 2).
The writer goes onto explain what he means by this, “It is easier to keep silence altogether, than not to fall into excess in speaking. No man can safely speak but he who loves silence!” IIbid).

We have all experienced how true it is that when we are frequently in the company of others, we become easily absorbed in matters which are spiritually advantageous, neither to ourselves, nor to our neighbour.
If the people with whom we associate were holy, this would not happen.
It is always edifying to hold conversation with a Saint.
After such a conversation, we go away better Christians than we were beforehand.
“Nobody,” writes Tertullian, “is wiser, more faithful and nobler, than the Christian” (De Praescriptione Haereticorum, 3).

Unfortunately, Saints are rare, whereas evil men are common and idle and foolish men more common still.
“Walk with wise men and you will become wise but the companion of fools, will fare badly” (Prov 13:20).

This does not mean that we should all become hermits, for that is a lofty vocation to which only a few are called.
But, it remains true, that constant chatter with other men is both a waste of time and harmful.
So-called society life is dissipating and disedifying.

Converse with men, when it is necessary, when it is useful and when it is polite to do so.
At such times, let your speech be simple and good and your behaviour edifying.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 14 November – Good Example

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Thought for the Day – 14 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Good Example

“The Saints achieved a great deal by preaching and by conversation but, they achieved far more by good example.
The spiritual power of personality touched even the most hardened sinners.

It is said of St Romuald, that everyone who visited him, experienced great interior happiness.
His appearance alone was enough to cheer them!
He was so detached from himself and from the things of the world and, so absorbed in God, that he was always smiling.

The Cure d’Ars, too, converted more people by the unseen impact of his personal holiness, than by the simple sermons which he delivered to the crowds gathered about him.

Unfortunately, quite the opposite influence is exerted by hardened sinners and by self-centred worldlings and, even greater damage is done by those who are immersed in soul-destroying sensuality.
The latter exhale the breath of death and the familiarity of their friendship, perverts and corrupts those, with whom they come in contact.

Examine your behaviour at home and in society, for it affects, not only your own spiritual welfare but, that of your neighbour as well.
Good example is the most effective sermon and it is a sermon, which all of us can and should deliver!

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – ‘ O sweet and precious wood …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – The Memorial of St Serapion of Algiers OdeM (c 1179–1240) Mercadarian Priest and Martyr

“How precious the gift of the Cross,
how splendid to contemplate!
In the Cross there is no mingling of good and evil,
as in the Tree of Paradise;
it is wholly beautiful to behold
and good to taste.
The fruit of this Tree is not death but life,
not darkness but light.
This Tree does not cast us out of Paradise
but opens the way for our return.”

St Theodore the Studite (750–826)
Father, Abbot, Theologian, Writer

“O sweet and precious wood,
the perfect image of the
Wood on which my beloved Jesus died,
through you, I hope
to ascend to eternal happiness!”

St Serapion of Algiers (c 1179–1240)
Martyr

“There is no better Wood
for feeding the fire of God’s love
than the Wood of the Cross.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour Crucified.”

St Serafino of Montegranaro (1540-1604)

“The Crucifix is the open book
in which men can read
of God’s infinite love for them.
The Saints wept before the Crucifix
because they realised
that the sufferings and death
of the Redeemer were the result
of sin and so, they learned
to avoid sin at all costs.
… Let the Crucifix be
the most precious object in our homes
and let us love to hold it in our hands.
Let us weep for sins
and increase in love
for our divine Redeemer.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 13 November – Almsgiving and Simplicity

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Thought for the Day – 13 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Almsgiving and Simplicity

“Some people are so afraid of poverty, that they rarely give alms.
Let them meditate on these words of St Cyprian of Carthage: “You are afraid that if you begin to engage in too many charitable enterprises, your substance will be dissipated and you will be reduced to poverty.
Have confidence and do not be afraid” (De Opere at elemosynis, 9-10),

That fortune, will never be exhausted, he assures us, from which the possessor draws frequently, in order to relieve Christ’s poor or to perform an act of religion.
He does not assure us of this on his own authority, he says but bases his promises on the evidence of Sacred Scripture.

Speaking through the medium of Solomon, the Holy Spirit says: “He who gives to the poor, suffers no want but he who ignores them, gets many a curse” (Prov 28:27).
In other words, the avaricious and self-centred man, is more likely to be reduced to poverty, than the kind and bountiful man.

St Paul says much the same under the influence of diving inspiration.
“He who provides the sower with seed, will both give you bread to eat and will multiply your seed and will increase the growth of the fruits of your justice, that being enriched in all things, you may contribute with simplicity of purpose” (2 Cor 9-10).
“The administration of this service,” he adds, “not only supplies the wants of the saints but, overflows also, in much gratitude to the Lord” (Ibid 9-12).
The poor thank God for the alms which we give them and our prosperity increases as a result.

In the Gospel, Our Lord reproaches men for their niggardliness and lack of confidence.
“Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What are we to put on?’ (for after all these things, the Gentiles seek), for your Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and his justice and all these things shall be given you besides” (Mt 6:31).
The man who aims at doing justice, therefore, will not go in want.
When the Day of Judgement comes, moreover, he has Our Lord’s promise, that he will be given a share in the Kingdom, for the sake of which, he performed his charitable actions.

“You are afraid,” says St Cyprian, “that your substance will be exhausted, if you take from it, in order to give in charity. You do not realise, wretched man, that while you are afraid of losing your substance, you are losing life itself!
While you are carefully guarding against the diminution of your possessions, you do not see, that you, yourself, are diminishing.
You love money more than life!
While you are afraid of expending your wealth for the sake of spiritual gain, you are ruining yourself, for the sake of your possessions!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Thought for the Day – 12 November – Daily Progress

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Thought for the Day – 12 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Daily Progress

“Everyday of our lives should be a further step towards perfection.
Holiness should be our goal in life.
If we set before ourselves any illusory targets at which to aim, we are making a serious mistake and shall have cause, in the end, to appreciate the truth of the prophet’s warning: “You have sowed much and brought in little” (Agg 1:6).
Jesus Christ, moreover, has given us this commandment: “You are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).

The ideal is high, certainly and, it is impossible for human resources but Jesus assures us, that nothing is impossible with God (Cf Lk 18:27).
We can do nothing without God’s help but, with His grace, we can do everything.
“I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).

Naturally, we cannot hope to accomplish everything in one day.
We should desire to reach the highest possible level of perfection and not to be discouraged by the many difficulties which we are sure to encounter on the way.
But, it would be presumptuous to expect to achieve perfection in a single moment.

The road to sanctity is long and arduous.
It is essential to stride this path resolutely and with complete confidence in God.
We should go forward with enthusiasm, not depending on our own poor resources but, on divine grace.

This is a matter of life and death and here we speak of eternal life.
If we cease to advance and fall into indolence and inactivity, God will leave us to ourselves and we shall be lost!
A man who is not advancing in the spiritual life must lose ground sooner or later because, he is not obeying the command of Jesus Christ.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MERIT, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on VIRTUE, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY

Thought for the Day – 11 November – Sensitiveness

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Thought for the Day – 11 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Sensitiveness

“A single severe glance from our employer or superior, is enough to make us anxious.
If it is accompanied by a word of rebuke, we are thoroughly upset.
Why should this be so?
It is because we are lacking in the fundamental virtue of humility.
We want to keep up appearances and to be held in high regard.
If we are frustrated in this ambition, we suffer inwardly.

All this is quite natural but, on this natural foundation, we must build the virtue of humility and the desire to serve God alone.
If we possess this virtue, we shall continue to be sensitive to insults and humiliations but our suffering will be sanctified and will be meritorious in the sight of God.

We are all pleased when we are praised by others and are hurt when we are criticised because our natural inclinations are never destroyed.
Our sensitivity, however, can be moderated and brought under the control of right reason, whose guide should be the rule of virtue.
It is worth reflecting on what The Imitation of Christ has to say in this regard.

“Whenever a man desires anything inordinately, straight away, he is disquieted within himself.
The proud and the covetous are never at rest; the poor and the humble in spirit, pass their life in abundance of peace.
The man who is not yet perfectly dead to self, is soon tempted and overcome in little and paltry things.
He that is weak in spirit and in a certain manner, as yet carnal and inclined to things of sense, cannot, without difficulty, sever himself wholly from earthly desires.
And, therefore, he is often sad when he does withdraw himself and besides, he is easily moved to anger if anyone thwart him
And, if he has pursued his inclination, forthwith he is burdened with remorse of conscience, for having gone after his passion, which helped him not at all, to the peace he looked for.
It is by resisting the passions, therefore and not by serving them, that true peace of heart is to be found.
Peace, therefore, is not in the heart of the carnal man, nor in the man who is devoted to outward things but, in the fervent and spiritual man” (Bk 1 Ch 6).

“Continual peace dwells with the humble but in the heart of the proud, is frequent envy and indignation” (Ibid Ch 7, V3).

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on BAD CONVERSATION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR

Thought for the Day – 10 November – Prayer, Work and Leisure

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Thought for the Day – 10 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Prayer, Work and Leisure

“The pattern of our lives should be a combination of prayer, work and leisure.
There should be no room, however, fpr idleness.

Prayer: Prayer is most essential.
The life of a Catholic should be a continual prayer.
As Jesus commanded, we “must always pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1).

How can we achieve this?
St Paul has told us, “Whatever you do in word or in work,” he says, “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him” (Col 3:17).
If we follow his instructions, our lives will really be a prayer.
Before we begin our day’s work, we shall turn to God and offer Him our labours and our difficulties.
During our work, we shall raise our minds to God, from time to time, as Jesus, Mary and Joseph must have done, in the home and in the workshop at Nazareth.
Whenever we speak, we should remember that we are in the Presence of God.
Then our conversation and our behaviour will be free from defect and will edify those who are with us.
The grace of God can illumine the most ordinary conversations and actions, which are in themselves, quite indifferent.
It is enough to live in a spiritual atmosphere of our own and on this earth.

If we can aspire to such a spiritual height, then our work will become a prayer pleasing to God, whether it is mental or manual, we shall be no longer working alone but Jesus Christ will be working with us, by His grace.
This is the way the Saints worked and this is how their lives were a prayer.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in ACT of PERFECT CONTRITION, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, I BELIEVE!, INDULGENCES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HERESY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 9 November – INDULGENCES

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Thought for the Day – 9 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

INDULGENCES

“Indulgences are among the means by which we can help to satisfy the Divine Justice for our own offences and for those of the faithful depared.

Unfortunately, very few Christians understand the true nature of indulgences.
As a result, they neglect to fulfil the conditions necessary to gain them.

Canon Law defines an indulgence as “the remission in the sight of God of the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven, which, the proper ecclesiastical authority concedes from the treasury of the Church, for the living, by way of absolution and for the dead, by way of suffrage” (Canon 911).
The main requirement is to be in the state of grace, which sinners can attain by means of the Sacrament of Penance, or by an Act of PERFECT CONTRITION.
If properly made, Confession takes away sin and eternal punishment but, not temporal punishment.
This may be cancelled by means of penance, prayer and good works.
In the early days of the Church, the penitential system was most severe (I wish it were so again!)
According to the degree of gravity, different sins drew penances of days, weeks or months of fasting on bread and water.
As times changed, the Church reduced these penalties and granted indulgences instead.

What we may ask, is the theological basis for these indulgences?
It is the spiritual treasury which is at the disposal of the Church, made up of the infinite merits of our Redeemer and added to, by the merits of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints.
These merits are communicated to us by the Church by reason of the consoling Dogma of the Communion of Saints, according to which, the Church Militant, Suffering and Triumphant, constitutes one Mystical Body of which Jesus Christ is the Head.

The Church has power to dispose of this immense treasure by reason of the injunction given to her by her Founder, when He said to St Peter: “Whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19).
There are no reservations – the injunction applies, not only to sin but, also to its punishment.
It is clear that indulgences are not merely a dispensation from the penitential discipline in the eyes of the Church, as certain heretics held and still hold but also, in the sight of God.
Indulgences reflect, both the mercy and the justice of God.
They reflect His justice because complete satisfaction is rendered by the merits of Jesus Christ.
They reflect His mercy because these merits are applied to us poor sinners and also, by way of suffrage, to the souls of our departed friends.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 8 November – They Advantages of Devotion to the Souls in Purgatory

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Thought for the Day – 8 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Advantages of Devotion
to the Souls in Purgatory

“As Sacred Scripture says, it is a holy and wholesome thought, to pray for the dead (2 Mac 12:46).
Besides being profitable to them, however, it is profitable to ourselves too.
There are two reasons for this:
(a) Devotion to the Faithful Departed reminds us, that even venial sin, carelessness and tepidity, will one day be punished with terrible severity.
As a result, we are encouraged in our efforts to lead better lives;
(b) In the second place, we all know, that the souls in Purgatory are holy and are already in the antechamber of Paradise, which they yearn to reach but from which they are kept far apart, by the imperfections which they have still to purify.
If we can help them by our prayers to enter Heaven, even a little earlier than they had expected, they will certainly intercede for us with God at all times and, especially at the moment of death.
In their gratitude, they will implore for us,. all the graces of which we stand in need.
“Whatever we do for the departed souls,” says St Ambrose, “redounds to our own benefit; after death it will be restored to us with interest!”

While we are assisting our dear ones to ascend ,as soon as possible, into the everlasting happiness of Heaven, it is comforting to know, that one day, their patronage will enable us to join them there.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 7 November – How We Can Help the Faithful Departed

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Thought for the Day – 7 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

How We Can Help the Faithful Departed

“We have a natural obligation to help the faithful departed, for they are our fellow-men.
Are we capable of watching another human being in agony, without feeling pity for him?
If there is some way in which we can help him, moreover, ought we not to do so?
The Holy Souls are in agony, however, they are on fire with the love of God, yet cannot be united to Him.
We have a means of helping them through our prayers and good works.

There is a further obligation on us, arising from our religion.
They have been redeemed, like ourselves, by the Blood of Christ and God has told us that the same degree of mercy, will one day be shown to us, which we have shown to others.
The time will come when we also shall find ourselves in Purgatory and shall be in need of prayer.
If we remember the dead now, they will be in a position, one day, to do the same for us.
Blessed are the merciful, Jesus says, for they will obtain mercy.

When we appear before the judgement seat of God in order to account for the way in which we have spent our lives, He will count as done to Himself, whatever we have done to the poor, hungry and ill-clad.
Only if we have been merciful towards them, will He receive us into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Otherwise, He will send us away, accursed, for all eternity.
Now the Souls in Purgatory are more unfortunate than those who are poor, hungry and homeless in this world.
They hunger for God, they are full of regret for the sins which they have committed and they languish far from the eternal home, to which they belong.

Finally, we have a duty in justice, to help their souls.
Some of them are our parents, brothers, sisters, friends and benefactors.
Perhaps they are suffering now because they loved us too much because they wished to make money for us or because, they were led astray by our bad example!
It is not only charity, therefore but justice, which obliges us to pray for them.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DOCTRINE, DOGMA, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, ON the SAINTS, PURGATORY, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The HOLY SOULS

Thought for the Day – 6 November – The Communion of Saints and the Souls in Purgatory

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Thought for the Day – 6 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Communion of Saints
and the Souls in Purgatory

“The Communion of Saints is one of the most consoling Doctrines of our religion.
This Dogma assures us, that the Church Militant, Suffering and Triumphant, is one family, whose members are bound together by the bonds of divine charity.
As the Saints in Heaven love and pray for us and for the Souls in Purgatory, so the suffering souls love and intercede for us and so, we should love and pray for them too.
This is a triple harmony of love and prayer, a hymn which rises to the throne of God, from our place of pilgrimage, from the region of expiation, where the separated souls are aflame with the desire to be united with their Creator and from the joyful choirs of Heaven.
The result is the pouring of divine grace on ourselves and on the Souls in Purgatory.

The souls of the dead, therefore, whether they are among the blessed in Heaven, or are expiating their sins in Purgatory, are united to us in that they love us and pray for us.
Between them and us, there is a real but invisible link, an exchange of thought, of affections and of prayer.
There are all the elements of a true and lasting friendship.

This is a very consoling realisation.
We have not lost our dear ones, who have gone to God.
They are looking down on us, thinking of us and waiting for us.
We, in our turn, can think of them, love them still and pray for them, always.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 5 November – The Consolations of the Suffering Souls in Purgatory

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 5 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Consolations of the
Suffering Souls in Purgatory

“The following is an excerpt from a book by a spiritual writer named, Father Alberione:

“There is suffering in Purgatory and there is suffering in Hell but there are essential difference between one and the other.
Hell is eternal, while Purgatory is temporal.
In Hell, there is no hope of salvation, whereas in Purgatory, there is the certainty of future happiness in Heaven.
Hell is the lasting state of a soul rejected by God, while Purgatory is the temporary state of a soul loved and awaited by God in Heaven.
In Hell, suffering is without hope and altogether unprofitable but in Purgatory, the purpose of suffering, is to become worthy of entering Heaven.
Hell is a place forever cursed by God, whereas Purgatory is a place which He has blessed.
Hell is governed by the stern and exacting justice of God, whereas Purgatory is under the dominion of the divine justice, which seeks to be merciful.
Hell is the abode of the damned.
Purgatory is the abode of the saved and this earth is the abode of those who are still uncertain of salvation.”

The writer goes onto examine the three main reasons why there is joy in Purgatory, even in the midst of the most dreadful torments.
The first reason is that the suffering souls are sure of eternal salvation.
They are confirmed in grace and it is impossible for them to sin any more.
No Saint on earth had this wonderful certitude, which makes the sufferings of Purgatory seem desirable to those confined there.

In the second place, these souls recognise their own imperfection and need of purification, therefore, they are glad to suffer in order to become worthy, at last, of the happiness of God’s company.

The third source of consolation, is their ardent love of God.
Love does not measure or feel sacrifices; it even desires them because it knows that they are a necessary means of achieving an intimate union with the beloved.
It is the greatness of their love for the Supreme Good, which makes it a joy for the suffering souls, to suffer for His sake and for the purpose of being united with Him.

If only we could love God as they love Him, we should avoid and abhor the least imperfection.
We should accept ,with perfect resignation, the sorrows and trials of this life, as a means of making reparation for our sins and, we should pray often for these suffering souls, so that they might at last, fulfil their intense desire to be united with their Infinite Good.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 4 November – More About the Sufferings of Purgatory

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 4 November – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

More About the Sufferings of Purgatory

“Apart from the physical pain which we have considered in the preceding meditation, the souls in Purgatory suffer a much greater torment, which theologians call “the pain of loss.“
St John Chrysostom writes, that the pain of loss, which is the unsatisfied yearning to be united with the Supreme Good, is a far more agonising torment, than the flames of a hundred hells!
This is because, the souls in Purgatory, having been set free from the bodily confinement which prevented them from seeing the Eternal Truths in all their clarity, now experience an unceasing and irresistible need, to be united with God.
Being aware of their own imperfection, however, they undergo a terrible anguish at their inability to satisfy this burning desire.
They love God with an immense love and long to enjoy His intimate friendship but, they realise, that they will be rejected by His divine justice as long as they have not perfectly expiated their faults.

If we would have a faint idea of the cruel agony of this unsatisfied desire, let us recall the keen anguish experienced by the Saints, whenever they remembered the sins which they had committed before their conversion.
They shed tears of repentance before the Crucifix and inflicted terrifying penances upon themselves in reparation for their misdeeds.

What are we doing in order to avoid offending God and to wash away our past transgressions?
Let us remember, that the divine justice must be satisfied, either in this life, or in the next.
If we fail to make satisfaction now, we shall do so with much greater suffering in Purgatory, where we shall no longer have the benefit of the Sacraments and of Indulgences.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci