Thought for the Day – 30 June – “The Last Day of Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Devotion to the Sacred Heart
“We should have a very high regard for devotion to the Sacred Heart. We should excite in our hearts, acts of love, which will compensate, in some way, for the infinite love which Jesus has for us.
Finally, we should try and make our lives correspond with our love by emulating, as far as possible, the holy and immaculate life of Jesus Christ. It is not a waste of time to constantly think to ourselves, “What would Jesus do in this situation?”
Ejaculation: May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be everywhere, known and loved! Amen”
Thought for the Day – 29 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
St Peter, Prince of the Apostles St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles
“Jesus was walking one day along the shoe of the Sea of Galilee, when He saw two fishermen casting their nets into the water. He approached them and said: “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mk 1:17). These two fishermen were brothers named, Simon and Andrew. The divine Master won their hearts immediately, so that they left their boat and their nets and followed Jesus. Simon was later called Peter and became the leader of the Apostles.
Peter’s generosity and great love for Jesus are evident in the pages of the Gospel. When Our Lord foretold the institution of the Blessed Eucharist, many of His disciples were scandalised and left Him. “Do you also wish to go away?” Jesus asked His Apostles. St Peter answered Him without delay. “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou has the words of everlasting life and we have come to believe and to know, that Thou are the Christ, the Son of God” (Jn 6:69). On another occasion, Jesus asked His disciples – “Who do men say the Son of Man is?” The Apostles hesitated and began to suggest the names of various Prophets. But St Peter was inspired to make the reply: “Thou are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Then Our Lord appointed him Head of the Church. “Blessed are thou, Simon Bar-Jona … thou are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell, shall not prevail against it. And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Mt 16:15-19). By these words there was instituted the loftiest and most ancient of the dynasties, the Papacy. The successor of St Peter will rule the Church to the end of time and no power, neither persecution nor heresy, neither human tyranny nor false civilisation, will ever succeed in destroying this citadel of truth and goodness!”
St Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles
“St Paul was by nature, fiery and zealous. Once he discovered the truth, he was ready to die for it. Originally he was convinced that Judaism contained the whole truth and, for this reason he hated the Christians, whom he regarded as a sect which had corrupted the sacred Hebrew tradition. The deacon Stephen was the first victim of his persecuting zeal. As he was being stoned and beaten to death this saintly young man prayed for his persecutors. It may be that in this moment his eyes, shining with faith and love, encountered those of the man who hated him. Soon afterwards, Saul (this was Paul’s real name), left Jerusalem for Damascus, carrying letters investing him with new powers for the persecution of the infant Church. On the way, this headstrong but sincere enemy of Christianity was suddenly dazzled by a light from Heaven. He fell to the ground and heard a mysterious voice saying: “Saul, Saul, why do thou persecute me?” Terrified he answered: “Who are thou, Lord?” “I am Jesus,” the voice said, “whom thou are persecuting” (Acts 9:1-15). From that day, Saul was changed completely. Under the influence of divine grace, he became the Apostle to the Gentiles.
Before he set out on his missionary journeys, Paul wet apart into the desert of Arabia (Cf Gal 1:17), where, he remained sometime in prayer and recollection. Then he went to Jerusalem to pay homage to the Prince of the Apostles, St Peter (Gal 1:18). After this, he began his apostolic travels, in the course of which, he encountered all kinds of hardships and dangers. The Jews frequently hunted him, in order to put him to death. He was often cruelly scourged and flung into prison and, several times, he was shipwrecked and had miraculous escapes from death (CF 2 Cor 11:23-27). He bore everything joyfully however, in order to prove his liove for Jesus Christ. Charity was always his main incentive. “The love of Christ impels us” (2 Cor 5:14). Charity, he said himself, “Believes all things, hopes all things,edues all things” (Cf 1 Cor 13:4-13). His charity was so great, that he could truthfully say: “Who is weak and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble and I am not inflamed?” (2 Cor 11:29).
St Paul could make this claim because his heart had become identified with the Heart of Jesus. Therefore, he could say: “It is now no longer I that live but Christ lives in me,” (Gal 2:20) and: “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain,” (Phil 1:21) and: “I am hard pressed from both sides, desiring to depart and to be with Christ, a lot by far the better; yet, to stay on in the flesh is necessary, for your sake” (Phil 1:23-24).
Let us meditate on this ardent love of God. Let us cast aside our coldness and indifference and ask St Paul, to set us on fire with divine charity.” Amen
Thought for the Day – 28 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Blessed are the Poor
“Blessed are the rich.” This, is the judgement of the world. But Jesus says: “Blessed are you poor” (Lk 6:20). Whom are we to believe? Naturally, we must believe Jesus. A certain amount of confusion could arise, however, in our understanding of this maxim. It becomes clear from the context of St Luke and still clearer in the words of St Matthew, who writes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Mt 5:3). It is necessary, therefore, as St Jerome and others have commented, to be poor in our detachment from our possessions.
If a poor man longs for riches and envies and hates the wealthy because of their possessions, he is NOT poor in spirit. So he cannot receive the blessing of which Our Lord spoke. In the same way, a rich man may be attached to his great wealth. Perhaps he aims at nothing else but to increase it and, because he is thinking of it all the time, neglects his duty to God and to his neighbour. Above all, love of riches may causes him to be lacking in justice and charity. The behaviour of such a man is contrary to the law of God! Meditate carefully on this point and do not neglect to make, whatever resolutions, seem necessary.”
Thought for the Day – 27 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Depending Always on Jesus
“Virtue is difficult and life holds more trials than consolations. Sometimes, we feel discouraged because virtue seems impossible and we fall so often, in spite of our best resolutions or because, our cross seems too heavy and we feel that we are overburdened.
Where will we find comfort in our sufferings and strength in our weakness? “Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). Go to Jesus and depend always on Him.
Difficulties will be overcome, the cross will grow lighter, the pain will be less severe, if we rely always on Jesus. Isaias, the Prophet, placed these words on the lips of God: “I have made you and I will bear-I will carry and I will save” (Is 46:3). At that time, Jesus had not yet come; He was not yet present among us with His doctrine, with His consoling spirt and with His Divine Eucharist. Now things are different; we have Emmanuel, God with us! Why, therefore, do we not allow ourselves to be carried by Him? It is necessary for us to allow ourselves to be “Carried by the grace of God,” (Bk II, Ch 9) as The Imitation of Christ puts it.
If God is with us, who or what can prevail against us?
We must, as St Francis de Sales writes, lean on the arm of Jesus, as the child leans securely on the arm of it’s mother. “It matters little,” he adds, “where she walks, on a grassy plain or on a steep path surrounded by precipices.” She, is his mother and she carries him; that is enough to make him happy and content. We must trust Jesus in this way, relying always on His support in joy and in sorrow, in moments of trial and in moments of satisfaction, in life and in death. Let us not be afraid; Jesus is better and stronger than our earthly mother. If He guides and supports us, we can be sure of Heaven, no matter what happens!”
Thought for the Day – 26 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Only Remedy for All Our Ills
“The first stage consists in doing God’s Will generously on all occasions. Will God give us a little happiness and satisfaction in the present life? Let us accept whatever He allows us without becoming excessively attracted by it. Let us never lose our hearts in earthly pleasures but let us preserve them intact for Jesus. Then the joys and the honours of this world will not disturb our souls, nor keep them apart from God.
Will God send us suffering and privation? Let us accept these with resignation to His holy Will. Our final end, which is eternal life, can be achieved equally well by means of joy or sorrow, as long as we accept everything from God’s Hands and offer it back to Him in accordance with His Will.
Let us remember, that we have to do the Will of God in any case, whether willingly or unwillingly. The only difference is that if we do it willingly, we shall gain peace and merit in the sight of God. If we do it unwillingly, we can expect no reward and shall increase the weight of sin upon our shoulders.”
Thought for the Day – 25 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Power of God’s Love in the Christian Life
“The love which we have for God, our Creator, Redeemer and Benefactor, should not be merely sentimental. It must be effective. When love is sincere, it is active. It is not enought to say: I love You, O my God. We must show by our actions, that we love Him. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven,” Jesus tells us, “but he who does the will of my Father in heaven, shall enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 7:21). Our love must be active, therefore. Moreover, we must avoid and detest sin because it is an offence against God and, we must strive to become holy. This involves sacrifice but sacrifice is the touchstone of love. Anyone in love, is not afraid of sacrifice – in fact, he looks for it, in order to prove his love. Charity, like faith, is a lifeless thing, if it is not accompanied by actions (Cf Js 2:17). We must love God by doing everything for love of Him. God will repay us generously, ot only in the next life but even in the present. Even on earth, the only real happiness, is that whch comes from Him.”
Thought for the Day – 24 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Mortification and Penance
“Our Lord reiterates many times, the command to do penance. “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mt 4:17). He even insists on penance as a necessary condition for salvation. “Unless you repent, you will all perish in the same manner” (Lk 13:3). It is a stern command and it may even seem cruel to some. Why does the infinitely good God, Who is our loving Father, wish us to impose penances and sufferings on ourselves? The answer is simple. God makes us suffer and do penance because He knows that it is necessary for our salvation. It is because He loves us and desires our welfare.
Mortification and suffering are necessary for two reasons. They are particularly necessary because, we are all sinners and must expiate our sins. Secondly, they are necessary because, without penance and suffering, we become attached to the world and forget all about Heaven, which is our real home. In His love for us, therefore, God commands us to do penance.
The Saints were gluttons for penance and mortification and went as far as imposing on themselves, sufferings which horrify us today. What are we doing in the way of penance? Let us remember the command of Jesus and His precursor, St John the Baptist: “Unless you repent, you will all perish!” (Ibid).”
Thought for the Day – 23 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Progress in the Love of God
“The entire Christian system is based on the love of God. This, is “the greatest and first commandment” (Mt 22:38) of Jesus, from which the second commandment, to love our neighbour, naturally flows. A man who does not observe this first commandment is not a Christian, whereas a man who endeavours to increase, everyday, his love for God, is a saint. There are may grades of ascent in this love but, the basic step is indicated in the words of our Divine Master: “He who has my commandments and keeps them, he is is who loves me” (Jn 14:15,21).
The love of God should not consist of an empty and ineffective sentimentality but, should comprise, a sincere determinations to please God by carrying out His will, without reserve and by becoming more closely united to Him, by the help of His holy grace. Progress in the love of God is divided by the masters of the spiritual lfe into three stages: (1) the period of purification; (2) the period of illuminations and; (3) the period of union with God. We may have advanced no farther than the first stage because there is still so much to be purified in our souls. Nevertheless, let us ask God’s grace, to help us to begin this work immediately!”
Thought for the Day – 22 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Revealed in the Gospel
“If we meditate on the pages of the Gospel, we shall find that they are vibrant with the infinite love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Let us, in imagination, enter the cave of Bethlehem and kneel before the crib where the Divine Infant is lying. Darkness is all around, darkness over the earth, darkness in the minds and hearts of the majority of men. But, now, the heavens open and from the brightness the voices of angels ring out, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among men of goodwill.” Who is this infant? He is the Eternal Word, the substantial image of God, Who, for love of us, has been made man. He is the Infinite One Who has willed to unite Himself with the finite, in order to lift us towards Himself. This little heart is throbbing like that of any baby but, in this throb, is expressed the love of the God-Man. It is a profound mystery, that God should have loved man so much, that He became a tiny infant. Yet, He did this so that we might love Him more easily and in order to show us His own immeasurable love. There is about this Infant, a fascination, at once human and divine, which compels us to love Him, even as Mary, Joseph and the simple shepherds loved Him. He is asking us for love, adoration and complete surrender. Can we refuse Him?
Now let us take ourselves in imagination to Calvary and kneel at the foot of the Cross. The heart which began to beat with the sacred love in the manger at Bethlehem, has given everything for us, has poured forth it’s precious blood for our salvation and, has bestowed on us, as a final gift, the Blessed Mother of God. Now, this heart is consumed with love for us and ceases to beat only when it has give us everything. “It is consummated” (Jn 19:30). At Bethlehem we have experienced a joyful ecstasy of love. Here, at the foot of the Cross, we should experience a deep sorrow, which will cause us to weep for our sins and to transform our lives after the model of Jesus Christ.”
Thought for the Day – 21 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
St Aloysius Gonzaga
“St Aloysius Gonzaga is one of the outstanding models of holy purity, for young and old alike. We are told, that when he was nine years of age and went to the City of Florence, he went to the Church of the Annunziata, to pray before the picture of our Blessed Lady. It was then, that he experienced the ardent desire to consecrate himself to God. He was the eldest son of Prince Ferdinand de Gonzaga and, therefore, heir to his father’s title. But, from this moment, he was determined to spend his life in the service of God. He made a vow of perpetual chastity and placed himself under the protection of the Blessed Virgin.
Now, his life became a continual ascent towards perfection. Hs chastity, which he had offered to Our Lady, remained spotless until his death. The spirit of evil could make no headway against his angelic virtue. This was a grace which he merited as a result of his prayers and penances. He often spent three or four hours, kneeling in prayer and contemplation. Even at night, he rose from his bed, in order to pray. His mind and heart where in Heaven, rather than upon earth. His prayer was an intimate conversation with Jesus, Mary and the Saints. Innocent though he was, he practised servere mortifications. Believing himself to be a great sinner, he scourged his body until his blood flowed freely and deprived himself of food and sleep.
Do we wish to preserve our purity and to become saints? If so, let us remember that without prayer and mortification, this is impossible. Jesus said to His disciples “that they must always pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1) “Pray” He said again, “that you may not enter into temptation” (Lk 22:40) and further, “Unless you repent, you will all perish” (Lk 13:5).”
Thought for the Day – 20 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Storms of Life
“At other times however, the tempest will come from outside ourselves and will have a shattering effect on our spiritual life. It may be some insult which has seriously wounded us. There may be somebody near to us who has grown quite insufferable. Or perhaps suffering will come to us in the guise of illness, disgrace or loss of our dear ones. We shall feel lonely and abandoned in the midst of the storm. To whom shall we have recourse in our hour of need? Shall we turn to our fellow-men? Perhaps there will be nobody able to understand us perfectly, or, if there is somebody who sympathises with us,he may be able to do nothing for us, save to utter a few kind words.
Let us turn, therefore, to Jesus on the Cross and to Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist. The Crucifix will teach us how to suffer with resignation and with love. Before this mystery of infinite love, all our anguish and unrest, will give way to a Christian acceptance of suffering.
If this is not enough, let us turn to Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist. Let us invite Him into our hearts to calm the tempest and to give us His divine grace, which will conquer every temptation and heal every wound.”
Thought for the Day – 19 June– Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Confidence in the Providence of God
“An excessive pre-occupation with worldly affairs may often be responsible for our lack of perfect confidence in God. We worry about tomorrow and about our many material need. But Jesus has warned us about this. “Do not be anxious for your life,” He said, “what you shall eat, nor yet for your body, what you shall wear … Look at the birds of the air – they do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much more value than they? … Consider how the lilies of the field grow, they neither toil nor spon, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory, was arrayed like one of these. But, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which flourishes today but tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more you, O you of little faith! Therefore, do not be anxious … But seek first the kingdom of God and his justice and all these things shall be given ou besides. Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow will have anxieties of its own. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Cf Mt 6:25-34).
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And yet, not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s leave. But, as for you, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore, do not be afraid!” (Cf Mt 10:29-31).”
Thought for the Day – 18 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Belonging Entirely to God
“Let us reflect on the extent to which God is deserving of all our love. He is our Creator, our final end and our Redeemer. Jesus was not satisfied with giving us part of Himself but He gave us Himself completely. Although, as God He was infinite, He could not have given us more.
One drop of Hs Precious Blood or a solitary tear, would have sufficed to redeem us from our sins. But He shed His Blood to the last drop and gave His life for us. Better still, He willed to remain amongst us in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist as our constant spiritual nourishment. What more could He have done in order to merit our love?”
Thought for the Day – 17 Juner– Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The “Our Father”
“Our Lord exhorted His disciples on many occasions to pray often and with confidence, if they wished to be heard. Everything which they asked His heavenly Father, in His name, He said, they would obtain. Ask, He said and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you. Finally, He insisted that we ought to pray and never to give up. In other words, life can be a continuous prayer if we offer to God all our thoughts, words and actions.
The ideal Christian prayer is to do the will of God at all times from the motive of pure love. The Apostles, however, who had not made that much progress in the spiritual life, asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (Lk 11:1). It was then that Our Lord composed the most beautiful of prayer, the “Our Father” (Mt 6:9-13). When we recite it, we speak to God, in the words of Jesus Christ Himself and unite our weak voices, with the powerful voice of the Son of God! We address the Eternal God, moreover, by the name of Father. Even in the Old Testament, God is often referred to in this way. Then, however, He figured as the Father of the chosen people, whereas now, He is the Father of all. He is our Father, the Father of all mankind and of all races, whom He has willed to redeem from the slavery of sin. The term “Our Father” has taken on a new and fuller meaning. Our weak prayer becomes united to that of Jesus, our first-born Brother and to the prayers of the Apostles, Martyrs, Virgins and Confessors, who form and have formed, throughout the centuries, the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church. We need no longer feel that we are on our own, for through the Communion of Saints, our entreaties are joined to those of the entire Church, militant, suffering and triumphant. We can be confident, therefore, that our prayer will be heard!”
Thought for the Day – 16 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Unless You Turn and Become Like Little Children, You Will Not Enter into the Kingdom of Heaven”
“At the beginning of their ministry, before they had been strengthened and enlightened by the Holy Spirit, the Apostles were as ambitious as most other men. One day, the mother of John and James, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and asked Him, if her two sons could have precedence over the other Apostles and sit on the highest thrones in His kingdom, one at His right hand and the other at His left. Jesus disapproved of this desire to predominate. “Whoever wishes to become great among you,” He said, “shall be your servant and, whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; even as the Son of Man has not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:26-28).
On another occasion, the Apostles came to Jesus and asked Him, which of them would be the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. Jesus’ only answer was to call a little child and to place him in the centre of the group. “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whoever, therefore, humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3-4).
This is the lofty teaching of the Gospel. If we wish to be great and pleasing in the eyes of God, we must be unimportant in our own regard and in our relations with men. The Gospel involves an overthrow of human values. Anyone who makes himself insignificant, will become great. Anyone who tries to make himself out to be a great man, becomes of little account in the eyes of God. “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (Cf Js 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). If we wish to please the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the first thing we must do, is become as little children. In other words, we shall have to suppress our ambition and vanity and destroy our self-love, so that, the Sacred Heart may fill our hearts with the love of God alone!”
Thought for the Day – 15 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Steadfastness in Suffering
“We are all obliged to suffer in soul and body. Suffering begins at birth and ends at death. “The whole life of a Christian is a cross,” (Sermon 31) says St Augustine. For this reason, we have to develop the virtue of patience. “Let patience have it’s perfect work,” says St James, “that you may be perfect and entire” (Js 1:4). If we are to be perfect, we must accept suffering and trials from the hands of God and offer them to Him in a spirit of harmony with His holy will. In this way, all our actions become valuable, for they are acts of reparation and of love, which will be rewarded in Heaven. Both our joys and our sorrows are sanctified, if we offer them to God, Who arranges everything for our own good. The Saints longed to suffer because, they loved God and knew that suffering is the only true way in which we can prove our love. Suffering is the best medicine for the soul, for when it is endured with patience, it purifies us and prepares us for Heaven. “If God does not punish you for our sins,” says St Augustine, “it is a sign that you are no longer counted among His sons” (De Pastoribus liber unus, c 5). “Whom the Lord loves, he chastises,” St Paul writes “and, he scourges every son whom he receives” (Heb 12:6).
Suffering is, in fact, a gift from God. It reminds us that we have not been created for this world but for Heaven, in preparation for which, we must carry our cross with patience in the footsteps of Jesus. No matter what we do, we must suffer. Either we bear trials patiently and gain an increase of merit, or we rebel against them and gain no merit at all. When we suffer, let us think of the two thieves, both of whom were tortured in the same way. But the good thief accepted his torments with patience in reparation for his sins and was saved, while the bad thief, rebelled against his sufferings and was most probably damned forever!”
Thought for the Day – 13 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
St Anthony
“On the 13th of June in the year 1231, a crowd of children set out from the nearby Convent of Arcella and entered Padua crying out: “The Saint is dead!” The entire City was -plunged into mourning because it’s Saint was dead.
Anthony had traversed Italy, converting heretics, recalling innumerous sinners to repentance, working miracles and giving peace to souls and to strife-torn cities. Soon he had felt that his young life was already running out as the result of these labours and austerities and he had determined to hide himself in a little Franciscan Monastery at Camposampiero near Padua. In order to shelter himself from the world ,as far as possible, he built a little cell in the bifurcation of the branches of a giant walnut tree. Here he spent his last days in prayer and contemplation, joining with the birds in their songs of praise to God. He was no longer a man but an angel in human form. Crowds of the faithful flocked around the tree to hear, once again, the voice of the Saint calling on them to practise virtue and to follow the road to Heaven.
It was in this little nest, at only thirty six years of age, that his life slowly flickered out, consumed, not so much by disease as by a burning love for God and for his fellowman.
Let us pray that we may obtain a spark of this love, which will detach us from the world, cause us to belong entirely to God and make us generous apostles in our work for the salvation of souls. Jesus, my God, I love You above all things. Amen.”
Thought for the Day – 12 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
“All Generations Shall Call Me Blessed”
‘A Jewish girl, poor in this world’s goods but rich in virtue, arrived after a long and difficult journey at a village in the hills of Judea, called Hebron. There, she paid a visit to her cousin, Elizabeth. When Elizabeth saw the girl, she was immediately enlightened by the Holy Spirit with the knowledge, that her visitor, was the Mother of God. “How have I deserved,” she cried out, “that the mother of my Lord, should come to me?” (Lk 1:43). At these words, Mary looked up towards Heaven and gave spontaneous expression to a hymn of humble acknowledgement to God, Who had “regarded the lowliness of His Handmaid” (Lk 1:48). Then she made a solemn prophecy, which would surely have assured the cynical intellectuals and nobles of the land but, which history has wonderfully fulfilled. “Behold” she said, “all generations shall call me blessed” (ibid). We can testify today, that this miracle came to pass. All the nations have paid reverence to the Jewish girl, who became the Mother of God and our Mother, the Queen of Heaven and earth, the comforter of the afflicted, the conqueror of Satan and the invincible Guardian of the Church. From the engravings in the Catacombs, to the celestial Madonnas of the Angelico, from the rudimentary sculpture of Roman art, to the prayerful statues on the pinnacles of more modern Cathedrals, the image of Mary has shone as a beacon of hope for all generations. Men bow before her and ask for light, for comfort and for pardon. “If anyone follows Mary,” says St Bernard, “he will not lose his way; if anyone pray to her, he will not despair; if anyone thinks of her, he will not sin; if anyone reaches out to her, he will not fall; if anyone places himself under her protection, he need have no fear; if anyone places himself under her leadership, he will never give up; if anyone pays homage to her, he is certain to reach his destination safely”(Homil Missus est 2:17).”
Thought for the Day – 11 June – Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Learn From Me, For I Am Meek and Humble of Heart”
“It is very easy to be gentle and humble when everything is going well for us. It is difficult, however, when we meet humiliation, misunderstanding or opposition. We need to be well advanced in perfection, if we are to have mildness and humility of heart, like that of Jesus.
We can only reach this state of perfection by prayer, sacrifice and character formation. Pride, self-love and the desire to excel, are the evil effects of our corrupted nature. St Francis de Sales jestingly remarked that self-love dies three days after us. It is difficult to remove it completely from our character and to put, in it’s place, the love of God and of our neighbour but, this operation is necessary, if we are to obtain Christ-like humility and gentleness of heart. God, not our own ego, should be the centre of our lives, He should be the focal point of all our thinking. Let us beseech God for this grace and try and behave in this fashion on all occasions.
When we encounter lack of sympathy, coldness or injustice on the part of our fellowmen, we should try and avoid becoming annoyed or discourage. The testimony of a sound conscience before God, is all that should concern us. We should offer everything else to God, whether it is joy or sorrow, praise or criticism. We shall be rewarded with peace of soul.”
Thought for the Day – 10 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Sacred Heart of Jesus Surmounted by a Flaming Cross
“This flaming Heart surmounted by a Cross represents, not only the infinite love of Jesus, the obedient victim of love but indicates also, that if we wish to follow our divine Redeemer as far as Heaven, our true country, we must follow Him along the path of love and of the Cross. There is only one way of perfection and that is, the way of the Cross.
Jesus has told us this and has set us an example. “If anyone wishes to come after me,” He said, “let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23). He gave us an example by allowing Himself, innocent as He was, to be burdened with our sin. He staggered as far as Calvary beneath the weight of the Cross and there, He shed His Precious Blood to the last drop.
We must take the road of the Cross also. If we do not love our own cross, we do not love the Cross of Jesus. The Saints looked for humiliation and suffering in order to prove their love for Jesus. We must, at least, accept with resignation, those sufferings and humiliations which Providence has allowed to us.
We must embrace our cross daily and carry it with faith and love in the footsteps of Jesus. The Cross is the standard of Christ – it is the ladder which leads us to Heaven. If anyone does not want to have anything to do with it, he does not want to have anything to do with Jesus!”
Thought for the Day – 9 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Crown of Thorns Which Surrounds the Sacred Heart
“There are many ways of showing our love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of making reparation for our sins and for the sins of mankind. We can console ourselves with the reflection, that by these acts of love and reparation, we are removing the thorns which encircle and pierce the Heart of Jesus. The simplest ways of doing this, are by prayers, aspirations and expressions of love, directed towards the adorable Heart of our Redeemer and, by visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In silence and recollection, before the Tabernacle, we shall feel the Heart of Jesus, beating with love and, shall offer in return, for His infinite love, the affection of our poor hearts.
We can also receive Holy Communion in reparation. When Jesus is in us and we are in Jesus, it will be easier and more pleasant, to offer Him our love and expiation. We can make reparation also, by practising the devotion of the First Fridays of the month. This pious practice, so pleasing to the Heart of Jesus, aims at being a mass offering of love and reparation, for the sins of the entire human race.”
Thought for the Day – 8 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Our Response to the Love
of the Sacred Heart
“We owe an immense debt of satisfaction and expiation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the many sins with which we have repaid Hs graces. Let us picture the divine Redeemer, kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane, while His divine vision pierces the centuries and sees the sins and atrocities of men. He sees the offences of each one of us! He groans and perspires blood, then he offers Himself as an innocent victim for us all. This was an act of infinite love, which cost the life of the God-Man in the most atrocious way.
What must our reaction be? Shall we continue to sin and remain cold? The Passion of Jesus demands our participation in His sufferings, not only in reparation for our own sins but also, in expiation of the sins of others. Let us look around us and see how many men are so indifferent and wicked, as if Jesus had never come to save us, had never shed His Precious Blood for us and, had never loved us with an infinite love. At this spectacle, the Saints inflicted penances on themselves, in order to offer to Jesus, a return of love and reparation for sin.”
Thought for the Day – 7 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Promises Made to Those Who Practise Devotion to the Sacred Heart
“When Jesus appeared to St Margaret Mary Alacoque and commanded her to propagate the worship of His Sacred Heart, He promised very special blessings to those who would be truly devoted to His Sacrd Heart and spread this devotion among others. “I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life…consolation in all their trouble…peace in their families…blessings on all their undertakings.”
These promises are an inducement to us, to love Jesus and to spread devotion to His Sacred Heart.
Our Divine Saviour, is not content with having loved us so much during His mortal life and given us His Precious Blood, the Blessed Eucharist and His most Holy Mother, for our salvation. He sees that His infinite love is not returned as it ought to be and seems to exercise a gentle pressure, in order to compel us to love Him. “Behold this Heart which has so loved men that It spare nothing…to prove to them It’s love. And, in return, I receive from the greater part of men, nothing but ingratitude, by the contempt, irreverence, sacrileges and coldness with which they treat Me in this Sacrament of Love.”
“I thirst, I burn with a consuming desire for men’s love and I find none to quench this thirst, according to My wish, by making any return of love.”
Thought for the Day – 6 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Feast of Corpus Christi
“Human words cannot express the beauty ad depth of the passage from the Gospel which the liturgy of the Holy Mass offers for our meditation. It is the passage in which Jesus promises the institution of the Blessed Eucharist.
“ For my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, abideth in me and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that eateth this bread, shall live forever.” (Jn 6:56-59)
No human being could have visualised or uttered such words. Only the God-Man could have spoken them.
Even outside the Eucharist, God communicates with us, descending with His grace into our souls. We feel that He is present, we experience His supernatural influence and inspiration, His appeals to us to do good. But in the Eucharist, we have far more than this. We have the God-Man as the food of our souls, through which we live His own life, so that, like St Paul, it is no longer we who live but Christ Who lives in us.
This intimate and mysterious union has been compared with the unfathomable union in which the Son of God, lives the life of His heavenly Father because. by means of the Eucharist, we should live the supernatural life of Jesus. A a result of this transformation, there can be no further place in us for sin, nor for disordered affectations and desires but only for virtue and for God.”
Thought for the Day – 5 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Sacred Heart and the Holy Viaticum
“We should particularly ask the Sacred Heart for the grace to die a good death, strengthened by the Holy Viaticum. Let us picture ourselves in this final hour. The world is fading away and nothing remains of the honours, successes and pleasures of our passing life. There will remain only two things – on one side, the merits which we have obtained by our prayers, penances and good works; on the other side, the sum total of our sins and ingratitude to God. May Jesus come, at this moment, into our poor hearts, which is trembling for our sins and lacking in virtue. May the Holy Viaticum come to strengthen us. May the white Host bear with it, forgiveness, hope and the purifying flame of love.
Then, the infinite love of the Heart of Jesus will be mingled with th weak limited love of our hearts. It will waft us into a state of everlasting happiness, where, to love, is to possess, the boundless joy of God.
Thought for the Day – 4 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Blessed Eucharist
“By means of this wonderful gift, we can live the life of Jesus Himself.
It is Our Lord Himself, Who says to us: “As the living Father has sent me and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats me, he also shall live because of me” (Jn 6:58). In other words, as He draws His divine and human life from the Father and lives by means of Him, to Whom as God, He is substantially united and equal, so anyone who partakes of the Eucharist, is united closely to Jesus, lives His life and is transformed by His supernatural grace. When Holy Communion is received, therefore, as it ought to be and as the Saints received it, it leads to the mysterious union of which St Paul speaks: “To me to live is Christ” (Phil 1:21). “It is now no longer I that live but Christ, lives in me” (Gal 2:20).
The effect of Holy Communion on us, should be similar to that of a graft upon a tree, whose life is thereby transformed and which begins to produce the fruit of the new shoot instead of the old trunk. We should no longer live the life of the old man but, that of the new, which is Jesus. We ought, therefore, to produce His divine fruits. Our actions will have a supernatural value because they are performed in Jesus and through Jesus. We should be very grateful to the Sacred Heart of Jesus for this gift of His infinite love and goodness. We should approach Holy Communion with humility, love and complete self-surrender. Our hearts should be fused in the Heart of Jesus and our love should be fused in His infinite love.”
Thought for the Day – 3 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Revealed in the Gospel
“The whole life of our Saviour was motivated by love for us, from the moment of birth to the moment of death. Let us recall to mind, an incident of particular significance; Jesus was at the gate of Nain when a funeral procession came out from the City. The only son of a poor widow had died. He was all that she had in life. The Heart of Jesus was moved with compassion. He stopped the procession, recalled the young man to life and restored him to his mother.
Once, when Jesus was preaching in the desert, He was surrounded by a multitude who had followed Him there, without giving thought to material necessities. His Heart was touched by th sight of this hungry crowd. “I have compassion on the crowd,” (Mk 8:2) He said and performed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves.
One day, Jesus saw a poor woman in tears who was surrounded by a group of men who were planning to stone her. She was an adulteress and this was the penalty commanded by the law of Moses. But Jesus looked into the soul of the unfortunate woman and saw, that she was repentant. He looked into the hearts of the men who had condemned her and saw, that they were full of evil. “Let him who is without sin among you,” He said, “be the first to cast a stone at her.” At this, her accusers went away. Jesus turned to the woman, “has no-one condemned thee,” He asked her. “Neither will I condemn thee. Go thy way and from now on, sin no more” ((Jn 8:1-2).
Let us recall the touching parables of the prodigal son and the lost sheep. Let us recall all these pages in which the human-divine love of Jesus is forcefully shown and we shall feel eager to return such great love, to weep for our sins and to live entirely for Jesus, as He lived entirely for us.
Thought for the Day – 2 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Necessity of Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
“It is necessary to develop and meditate on these words of Pius XI, (see Part One) from which, it is clear, that the cult of the Sacred Heart, not only contains the synthesis of Christianity, the religion of love but, contains the most effective guide to the knowledge, love and imitation of Jesus Christ. From the first moment of His life, when He was an infant in the cold, damp cave of Bethlehem, to the final moment, when He breathed His last upon the Cross, the Heart of Jesus was overflowing with love for us. We can learn from this, to know our Divine Saviour better, so that appreciating more fully His infinite love for us, we shall feel an upsurge of gratitude and, of love. We shall feel determined to live entirely for Him, as He lived entirely for us, to obey His commandments with generosity and, to imitate His example with the assistance of His grace. This should be the result of our devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, especially during this month, which is consecrated to Him.
O my Jesus, You Who are Love itself, enkindle in my heart the divine fire which consumed and transformed the Saints!”
Thought for the Day – 1 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Devotion to the Sacred Heart
“When we consider it under it’s fundamental aspect as the cult of the love of God, rather than of the Incarnate Word, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is as old as Christianity, even though it is only in recent centuries, that it has assumed it’s present symbolism. “He who does not love, does not know God,” says St John, “for God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). “And we have come to know,” he continues “and have believed, the love that God has in our behalf. God is love and he who abides in love, abides in God and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16). This cult of the love of God, particularly of the love of God made man, vibrates throughout the pages of the Gospel and of the writings of the Apostles, especially of St John and of St Paul.
In the works of the Fathers, there are references to the Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, from which flowed all the infinite graces of the Church for our redemption. We are reminded of this in the Encylical, Haurietis Aquas, published by Pope Pius XII in the year 1956. But the specific cult of the love of God, as symbolised by the Heart of Jesus, was explicitly approved by the Church after Jesus Himself appeared in the year 1674 to St Margaret Mary Alacoque and showed her His Heart on fire with love for men.”
Thought for the Day – 22 May – “Mary’s Month” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth
“Towards the close of his life, St Paul wrote to his well-beloved disciple, St Timothy: “As for me, I am already being poured out in sacrifice and the time of my deliverance is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. For the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will give to me in that day; yet, not to me only but, also to those who love his coming” (2 Tim 4:6-8).
After all his apostolic labours and difficulties and, after a lifetime of boundless love, St Paul could confidently say, that he would receive the crown which he had earned. When the Blessed Virgin came to the end of her earthly pilgrimage, during which she had lovingly worked and suffered so much for Jesus, she could have expected, with even greater certainty, to receive the crown of glory, which she had merited. She was the noblest and holiest of creatures, because, she was the Mother of the eternal Word of God made man. Therefore, her reward had to be greater than that of any other creature. She was the Mother of the King of Angels and of Saints, of Heaven and earth. As such, it was her place to rule over them all. Seated at the right hand of her divine Son, she has glory and power, which none other could possess. The Church, therefore, invokes her under the title of Queen of Angels and of Saints, Queen of Apostles, Queen of Virgins, of Confessors and of Martyrs, Queen of Heaven and of earth. When our Holy Father, Pius XII, solemnly proclaimed her Queenship, in the year 1954, he was only giving voice to the general consensus of tradition, of the Liturgy and of the belief of all the faithful (Cf Encyclical, Ad Coeli Reginum, 11 Oct 1954).
It should be very encouraging to all of us to know that we have so powerful a Queen in Heaven, whose privilege it is, to dispense God’s graces. She has crushed the poisonous head of Satan. Now, she is able and eager to help us, her loyal sons and servants, to resist temptation, to frustrate the schemes of our deadly enemy and to perfect ourselves in virtue. Amen.”
AnaStpaul 
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