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Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 11 August –The Attitude of Charity to Sin“ – Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity”

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Thought for the Day – 11 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Attitude of Charity to Sin
“Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity”

Anything which offends God, is necessarily a source of sorrow, to the charitable, for as charity consists in loving God above all things for His Own sake and, is accompanied by a yearning desire to see Him honoured, more and more, that, which detracts from His honour, cannot cause charity any satisfaction.
On the contrary, it pains charity which pain corresponds to the offence committed against God.
Do I share this personal sorrow and pain, when any wrong is done to His Divine Majesty, or is it a matter of comparative indifference to me?

The Saints would gladly have given their lives to prevent sin.
It was intensely painful to them to think how continually God is offended. Many Saints laid down their lives to prevent sin from being committed.
The Saints all devoted themselves, with generous self-sacrifice, to the furtherance of God’s glory and, the hindrance of sin against Him. By prayer, by active zeal, by word, by work and by personal penance, the Saints fought against iniquity.
What do I do to prevent all the sin and vice in this wicked world?

Above all, the Saints feared and dreaded any sin in themselves. They avoided with the utmost care anything which could lead to sin. No spectacle, however magnificent, no honour, however brilliant, no pleasure however intense, caused them anything but disgust and horror, if it was in any way mingled with iniquity.
Is this true in my case? Do I relish things questionable or dangerous, or perhaps not altogether unmixed with positive sin!

Posted in "Follow Me", CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on MEEKNESS, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, SELF-DISTRUST

Thought for the Day – 9 August – The Meekness of Charity“ – Charity is not provoked to anger”

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Thought for the Day – 9 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Meekness of Charity
“Charity is not provoked to anger”

One of the strongest instincts of human nature is the instinct of self-defence. In some, it is almost irresistible. The desire to return blow for blow, within due bounds, is a reasonable and lawful impulse and is prompted by the duty we owe to ourselves.
Yet, there is no tendency more likely to lead to sin if it is indulged! There is no tendency more prone to set aside prudence, justice and, above all, charity.
Am I one of those natures, ready to take up arms in my own defence, at the slightest provocation?

The instinct of self-defence is always prone to mislead us, due to our excessive self-love. We imagine we have been attacked, when in fact, nothing of the sort is the case. We see a slight or insult, when none was intended. We do not keep in mind how simple the true explanation may really be. We become angry, long for revenge and are carried beyond all bounds, by our wounded self-love. We say and do what we bitterly regret afterwards, alienating others from us and offending God by our angry words.
How often, alas, I have done this!

How is this evil to be remedied?
By charity and nothing else.
If God were more prominent in our hearts, if we loved God more and ourselves less, if our ambition were to promote His honour and not our own, we should not indulge in these outbursts of intemperate or bitter words. Instead, we should not be easily provoked or become angry. We should take a gentle view of what has been done or we should accept the injury or unkindness done to us and offer it up for our sins in union with the supreme charity of Christ our Lord!

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Thought for the Day – 8 August – The Self-Sacrifice of Charity“ – Charity seeketh not her own”

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Thought for the Day – 8 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Self-Sacrifice of Charity
“Charity seeketh not her own”

In all the affairs of life, men may be divided into two classes.
First, those whose eye is always fixed upon some advantage to themselves.
Second, those who devote themselves, without thought of self, to the work in which they are engaged and whose object is to carry the work through, even at the cost of suffering and humiliation to themselves.
When I look at my life and the motives which guide it, do I recognise, in myself, the sacrifice of self which is the essence of charity?

What reveals this spirit in my life?
Not zeal, for there is a zeal which is nothing but a disguised form of self-seeking.
Not activity, for an active nature rejoices in being employed.
Not a strong interest in the work – perhaps the pious work in which I am engaged.
All these maybe mere counterfeits. The real test is the willingness that the work should prosper independently of myself; a preference for its success, rather than my success, even though, I myself am thrust out of it; a readiness to disappear if by this, I am able do anything to help the good cause.
Am I willing and true enough, to stand this first test?

Yet this is not enough. I must not be satisfied with a general willingness to obliterate myself, especially where this is, perhaps impossible. If my motives are pure, I must also be ready to be taken down, humbled, misjudged, or disparaged. I must be prepared to accept all the blame of failures and, to see others reap the praise of success and further, I must know this is done to me through God’s grace!
Rather, I must rejoice in this as a good sign.
Can I stand this second test?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMAN DIGNITY, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on VANITY, SELF-DISTRUST

Thought for the Day – 7 August – The Lowliness of Charity“ – Charity is not puffed up”

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Thought for the Day – 7 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Lowliness of Charity
“Charity is not puffed up”

One of the great dangers of prosperity is that it so often produces a fatal exaltation of self. We are flattered by others and we begin to think that we are persons of importance.
Those around give way to us, listen to us when we speak, respect our opinion. From this, in our folly, we fancy ourselves distinguished and eminent and expect to be treated accordingly.
This temper, if it exists in us, shows that we are very deficient in true charity, for charity is never puffed up with a high estimate of self.

How does charity prevent this self-conceited pride and arrogance? Humility seems to be the proper virtue by which it is to be met. Humility is, indeed more obviously its opposite but charity, is equally a remedy for pride and arrogance. For charity is an emptying-out of self to give place to God alone.
True charity ignores self, despises self and is, therefore, quite incompatible with the temper which is nothing else than a magnifying of self and an ignoring of God. Which of the two tendencies is the stronger in my heart?

We are not likely to arrive at a true estimate of ourselves, unless others treat us as we deserve. How are we to know what our deserts may be? Our idea of our own deserts will be regulated by the degree of our charity. Those who esteem God the most and esteem themselves the least, consider themselves worthy only to be trampled underfoot and spat upon.
How should I appreciate such treatment? Would my charity enable me to rejoice in it, as suitable indeed for one like myself?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on Will (Sensual or Inferior)

Thought for the Day – 6 August – The Reasonableness of Charity“ – Charity does not deal perversely”

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Thought for the Day – 6 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Reasonableness of Charity
“Charity does not deal perversely”

Perversity generally results from an overwhelming self-love. We all dislike children who seem to take pleasure, in doing a thing, just because it is opposed to the wishes or orders of those set over them. Those who are perverse, may have clear motives set before them and may know that, a certain course of action is their duty and in their interest, yet, they set that course of action aside ,for some folly of their own. In their hearts, they perceive the folly more clearly and would see it to be folly, if they were not blinded by the deceptive mist of their own self-will.
Is perversity an element which enters into my actions, from time to time?

Opposed to perversity, is docility in those who obey and reasonable conduct, in those who have to act for themselves. How we love the docile! Even if we are not docile ourselves, others are dear to us, if they can be easily guided.
We also love reasonable men who take a common sense view of things and we renounce crotchety and misguided theories, invented by unreasonable people. Even in the natural order, such reasonable men win our regard and esteem. We esteem them even more, when they are influenced to it by the love of God.

Charity includes all possible reasonableness and docility. No-one can ever accuse charity of eccentric action, or of running counter to others, unnecessarily. On the contrary, its great aim is to yield to others and to carry out their will, as far as right reason will allow. Charity will relinquish what it thinks best, to please another, unless, serious harm seems likely to result therefrom. Such pliability and consideration for the opinion of others, is one of the marks of love of God, as opposed to the pertinacity and perversity resulting from self-will.
Am I perverse or run counter to others unnecessarily?

Posted in "Follow Me", CATECHESIS, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, GOD the FATHER, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on MEDITATION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, St Francis de Sales, The TRANSFIGURATION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – Listen to Him!

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 August – The Transfiguration of the Lord – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“This is My beloved Son;
in Whom I Am well pleased,
listen to Him.”

Matthew 17:5

“I Am the Light of the world.
Whoever follows Me
will never walk in darkness
but will have the Light of Life.”

John 8:12

“Let us listen to the holy Voice of God
which summons us from on high,
from the holy mountain top.
There, we must hasten – I make bold to say –
like Jesus, Who is our leader
and has gone before us into Heaven.
There, with Him, may the eyes of our mind
shine with His light and the features of our soul
be made new; may we be transfigured with Him
and moulded to His image,
ever becoming divine,
being transformed in an ever greater degree of glory.”

St Anastasius Sinaita (Died 6th Century)
Priest and Abbot

“At His Transfiguration
Christ showed His disciples,
the splendour of His Beauty,
to which He will shape and colour,
those who are His :
‘He will reform our lowness
configured to the Body of His Glory.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor of the Church

“ It is necessary, therefore, to obey
the Eternal Father by following Our Lord
in order to hear His Word.
And behold, how we are taught that all
persons, whatever their condition may be,
must pray and meditate,
for it is there, principally,
where this Divine Master speaks to us.
… But, it will not do us any good to listen,
if we do not DO what He says to us,
observing His commandments
and His wishes faithfully,”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on VICE, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 5 August – The Contentedness of Charity“ – Charity envieth not”

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Thought for the Day – 5 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Contentedness of Charity
“Charity envieth not”

Envy is the vice which begrudges happiness, liberty, riches, success, or some other good. to another. Envy is pained at seeing another in possession of that which the envious man desires himself to have but cannot obtain. Envy is a mean and contemptible vice. What difference can it make to us that others should succeed and be happy? If they shared our misfortunes, we would be no better off.
Examine whether envy lurks in your heart?

Envy is a vice which utterly destroys the peace of he who harbours it. He is always uneasy and unites the longing for that which he cannot have, with a hatred of those who are enjoying it. This double worm gnaws unceasingly at his heart.
In our own interest, there is scarcely any vice which is such folly to harbour. Envy is also especially displeasing to God and hateful in His sight because, it challenges His goodness and rebels against, a state of things, which He has ordained or permitted.

How different is the spirit of charity!
It takes pleasure in the pleasure of others, it rejoices in their success and is happy in seeing them happy. It wishes for nothing which others have and which is out of its own reach, for it recognises the wise Providence of God in all happenings and, therefore, is perfectly satisfied with everything and has no wish to see itself exalted and others depressed, as envy does.
In view of the greater successes of others, is my spirit one of envy or one of charity?
Do I rejoice in them or do I feel vexed and annoyed?

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, St Francis de Sales, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 August – Obedience

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” –Dedication of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows – Dedication of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Snows – Sirach 24:14-16: Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here:

“Rather blessed are those
who hear the Word of God
and keep it.’”

Luke 11:28

“Little children follow and obey their father.
They love their mother.
They know nothing of covetousness,
ill-will, bad temper, arrogance and lying.
This state of mind opens the road to Heaven.
To imitate our Lord’s own humility,
we must return to the simplicity
of God’s little ones.”

St Hilary (315-368)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“If anyone comes to Me
without hating his father
and mother, wife and children,
brothers and sisters
and even his own life,
he cannot be My disciple.”

Luke 14:26

“ … For his brothers
His relatives according to the flesh
who did not
believe in Him,
of what advantage was that relationship?
… Even her maternal relationship
would have done Mary no good,
unless she had borne Christ
more happily in her heart,
than in her flesh.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father & Doctor of Grace

“Obedience is a short cut to perfection.”

St Philip Neri (1515-1595)

“Let us then depart, let us depart from Egypt,
let us approach Our Lord,
let us make provision of good works;
let the feet of our affections be bare,
let us clothe ourselves with innocence,
let us not be satisfied with crying for mercy,
let us go forth from Egypt, let us delay no longer.
The hour is come to arise from sleep,
since we know that He receives sinners;
the Angels await our repentance,
the Saints pray for it!”

St Francis de Sales 91567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Thought for the Day – 4 August – The Kindness of Charity, “Charity is kind”

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Thought for the Day – 4 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Kindness of Charity
“Charity is kind”

All appreciate kindness and are drawn towards those who are kind. Even natural kindness is very precious and beautiful. Kindness is one of the marks of a noble and generous character.
We feel the lack of kindness most keenly, when we believe others have not been kind to us. Yet, we overlook our own many acts of unkindness to others.
Should I not reproach myself for omitting many little acts of kindness which I might have done?
Should I not reproach myself for sometimes being positively unkind?

Natural kindness is a sort of foundation for supernatural kindness but the two are very distinct from each other.
Natural kindness has some natural motive – our own inclinations, love for the individual to whom we are kind, or a natural benevolence.
Supernatural kindness always has a supernatural motive and is directed to the glory of God. It is kindness to others for Christ’s sake and for the others’ sake, chiefly as they are His brethren and friends and, therefore, ours.
Do I seek to supernaturalise the kindnesses I do for others, to earn an eternal reward, by means of them?

If we are kind to others for God’s sake, He will be kind to us in our turn. Yet, our kindness must not have any advantage to ourselves, for, its chief motive, is to be the kindness of charity. We must not only have love of God in our hearts but, we also must have the thought of God present to us.
The kind action must be done because it is a happiness to please Him, Who is, in Himself, so kind and good. Does my kindness stand this test?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The FOUR CARDINAL VIRTUES: JUSTICE, PRUDENCE, TEMPERANCE, FORTITUDE

Thought for the Day – 3 August – The Patience of Charity – “Charity is patient”

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Thought for the Day – 3 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Patience of Charity
“Charity is patient”

Patience consists in supporting (without murmuring or complaint), injuries hardships, ill-treatment, whether they are deserved or undeserved.
It is thus, a most difficult virtue and cannot be practiced in its perfection, except by those who have attained a high degree of charity.
We are naturally eager to defend ourselves, resentful when accused, angry when some wrong is done us and anxious to take revenge on our impugner. Yet, all this is forbidden by patience and is inconsistent with charity!
Can I stand this test?

Every form of patience is especially difficult for some people. Active, energetic, eager natures, cannot endure to be thwarted or contradicted. Even being kept waiting irritates them. For them, a careful practice of patience is necessary,, if they are to rise high in virtue. They must begin by suppressing the outward expressions. This will help them overcome the internal movement of impatience. They must school themselves carefully in little things with a persevering determination to conquer their natural inclination towards impatience, or they will offend continually against charity.

Patience, like all the virtues, brings its own reward. How much the impatient suffer when corrected!
The inward struggle and desire to be rid of the obstacle in their path, or the person who hinders and annoys them, is painful to them. How they chafe under the restraint which hampers their activity! On the contrary, how full of tranquil peace is one, who allows nothing to make him impatient and who, takes everything as coming from God.
Do I act that way?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The SIGN of the CROSS

Thought for the Day – 2 August – Charity in Our Actions

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Thought for the Day – 2 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

Charity in Our Actions

We have seen that charity must influence all our actions if they are to be meritorious in the sight of God. However, this does not mean that the conscious motive of promoting God’s glory must be present in our every thought but, we should aim for this end. The Saints always had God before their eyes. Their every movement and every act, however trifling, was done with the intention to please Him. Ordinary Christians can attain this only after long years practicing a close union with God. They must begin by offering up their actions to Him from time to time and by renewing the offering as often as they can. Am I striving to do this? Am I advancing in this practice of charity?

One thing we must always remember. We must always offer our actions to God when we rise in the morning. We should make the Sign of the Cross, repeat some little ejaculation consecrating the day to God. Here is an example.
“O my God, I offer Thee all my actions, thoughts, words, deeds and sufferings of this day in union with those of Thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I say this little prayer intending that it will last throughout the day, even though I may forget it.
I will also pray that all I do may be influenced by it.

This single offering can scarcely continue to have any controlling power over our actions, unless it is renewed. Its influence fades away. We not only forget it but we also become so absorbed in our various occupations that we are in danger of ceasing to do them, in any sense, for God. It is necessary to renew the intention to do all for God and, to renew it frequently.
Do I renew my intentions at Holy Mass, when I say grace at meals, when the Angelus rings or the clock strikes, at mid-day and in the evening, and at other times?

Posted in 7 GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST: Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence, Strength, Knowledge, Piety, Fear, CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, FEBRUARY - THE BLESSED TRINITY (Traditional), I BELIEVE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The HOLY GHOST, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Thought for the Day – 1 August – The Spirit of Charity

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Thought for the Day – 1 August – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Spirit of Charity

The spirit of charity is none other than the Holy Spirit of God, the Third Person of the Ever-Blessed Trinity. He not only is the Spirit of Charity but Charity itself. The personal Love of the Eternal Father for His Co-Equal Son is identical with the Holy Ghost, Who proceeds from the Father and the Son. All these Persons are consubstantial and co-equal, united together by Infinite Love. This Infinite Love is itself One of the Divine Persons. Adore this Mystery and pray for the humble faith which believes what it cannot comprehend.

It is from and through the Holy Ghost that the Charity of God is imparted to us. The Charity of God is poured into our hearts by the Holy Ghost. When we receive the gift of supernatural charity, we also receive, into our hearts, the Holy Spirit Himself, Who is actually present with us. His presence produces all the graces which flow from His seven-fold gifts.
Reflect on the exceeding honour we thus enjoy and pray that you may never grieve the Holy Ghost by your want of charity.

Charity is also mentioned as the first and foremost of the fruits which the Holy Spirit causes to ripen in our hearts.
“The fruits of the Spirit are charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continence, and chastity.” (Galatians 5:22,23) All these fruits are but the effects of charity. Charity brings joy because it unites us to God. It brings peace because it prevents our will from rebelling against His.
Pray that the Holy Ghost may impart these fruits of His presence to you; above all, the charity whence the rest proceed.

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 31 July – Humility in Heaven

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Thought for the Day – 31 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month
Today is the Last Meditation

Humility in Heaven

Is there any place for humility among the Saints in Heaven? Or is it, like faith and hope, a virtue limited to this vale of tears? It might seem that in Heaven, there are no motives for humility – no sins, no imperfections, no defects of any kind, for which to humble ourselves. Yet, only in Heaven will our humility be perfected, for only in Heaven shall we have a thorough knowledge of God and a thorough knowledge of ourselves. This knowledge will make us recognise, even more than ever, our own nothingness and God’s Infinite Perfections. Our recognition of this, will make us forget ourselves, as we never can do on earth, therefore, God will be all in all to us.

Will this appreciation of our own nothingness be painful?
No, it will be a source of eternal joy!
For then we shall be able to rejoice in God. Our happiness will be unclouded by any interfering thought of self. Our admiration of His perfect Beauty will absorb all our faculties. Our absolute dependence upon Him, will be the truest independence. It will make us conformed to the Image of the Son of God, the chief glory, in Whose Sacred Humanity will be the result of its dependence on His Divine Nature.

Hence, in Heaven, the Angels and Saints are represented as casting down their crowns before the Throne of God, as falling on their faces and crying continually, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, God of hosts.”
If the highest dignity and greatest joy of the Saints, is to be prostrate before the Throne of God, we can never humble ourselves enough on earth, since those acts of humility will make our life like the life of Heaven and will fill us with a joy which will be a foretaste of the joy of the redeemed.

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MEEKNESS, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 30 July – The Fruit of Humility

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Thought for the Day – 30 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

The Fruit of Humility

There is nothing which gives such a solid peace as humility. At the beginning it is difficult and we smart under the wounds which our pride has to suffer before it can be destroyed in ourselves.
But a holy perseverance in the practice of humility will spread over the soul such a sweet and calm tranquility that even in this life, the soul begins to taste the joys of the heavenly paradise. Troubles, disappointments, unkindness, injustice, insults, do not disturb the quiet happiness of one, who is really humble. One who is truly humble appreciates, continually, the truth of our Lord’s Words:
“Learn of Me, for I Am meek and humble of heart and you shall find rest for your souls. … For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Humility is also the best possible safeguard against the attacks of the devil. The humble man can say, as our Lord did: “The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me.”
Or as Saint Martin said when dying: “Why art thou here, O evil one? No malice wilt thou find in me.”
Nor has the devil any chance of success in tempting the humble. Their continual disposition is one of dependence on God and, therefore, no temptation has power to lead them astray.

Humility is also the root, from whence all the other virtues spring.
A humble man is always charitable – for he never thinks of himself but always, of doing something for God.
For the same reason, he is full of zeal, he is prudent – for he always relies on God, never on himself; he is a man of prayer because he looks to God for everything; he is pure in heart because he never, in anything, desires to please himself but always to please God.
Are these points of humility to be found in me?

Posted in APRIL -MONTH of the RESURRECTION and the BLESSED SACAMENT, CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on SUFFERING, St Francis de Sales, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The RESURRECTION, The SECOND COMING, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 30 July – Heaven

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Quote/s of the Day – 30 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Abdon and St Senen (Died c250) Martyrs – 2 Corinthians 6:4-10; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward
will be great in Heaven.”

Matthew 5:12

“I know a man in Christ—
whether he was in or outside the body,
I do not know, God knows—
who was snatched up to the third heaven. . .
and heard secret words,
words which it is not granted to man to utter.”

2 Corinthians 12:2-4

“Our Lord Jesus Christ
Has appeared to us from the bosom of the Father.
He has come and drawn us out of the shadows
And enlightened us with His joyful Light.

Day has dawned for humankind,
Cast out the power of darkness.
For us, a Light from His Light has arisen
That has enlightened our darkened eyes.

Over the world He has made His glory arise
And has lit up the deepest depths.
Death is no more, darkness has ended,
The gates of hell are shattered.

He has illumined every creature,
All the shades from times long past.
He has brought about salvation and given us Life;
Next He will come in glory.

Our King is coming in His great glory:
Let us light our lamps
and go out to meet Him (Mt 25,6);
Let us be glad in Him, as He has been glad in us
And gives us gladness, with His glorious Light.

My friends, arise! make yourselves ready
To give thanks to our Saviour King,
Who will come in His glory and make us joyful
With His joyous Light in the Kingdom.”

St Ephrem (306-373)
Father of the Church
(Hymn I on the Resurrection)

“You will begin to taste, even in this life,
a foretaste of eternal life,
for the principal beatitude of the soul in Heaven,
is to be confirmed forever in the Will of the Father.
Thus, it tastes the divine sweetness.
But it will never taste it in Heaven,
if it is not clothed with it on earth,
where we are pilgrims and travellers.
When it is clothed with it, it tastes God
by grace in its troubles; its memory will be full
of the Blood of the Lamb without blemish;
its mind will be opened and contemplate
the ineffable love that God has made known
in the Wisdom of His Son and the love it finds,
in the Holy Spirit’s goodness, casts out self-love
and love for created things, to love only God.
So do not be afraid … but suffer with joy,
so as to conform yourself to the Will of God.””

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

“Let us not strive for the rewards of Heaven,
valuable though they may be
but live, so as to please the God of Heaven.
If God were not in Heaven,
all its beauty, riches and sweetness,
would be dull rather than delightful.
By faith, we know, God already dwells within us.
But in Heaven, we will see God face-to-face.
May we so live that one day,
we will be in Heaven praising
and praying eternally,
before our Lord and Saviour!”

St Jane Frances de Chantal VHM (1572-1641)

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, INGRATITUDE, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, St PAUL!

Thought for the Day – 29 July – Models of Humility: The Saints

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Thought for the Day – 29 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Models of Humility:
The Saints

Some Saints excelled in one virtue, some in another but all were pre-eminent in humility.
The heroes of the Church of God, whether under the Old or the New Dispensation, were marked off from the heroes of paganism by their humility. Thus, Abraham described himself as dust and ashes. Job, in the presence of God, expressed his abhorrence of himself. David, when visited by the Hand of God, thanks Him for having humbled him. Daniel declares that to him belongs shame and confusion of face.
If, even without the example of Jesus and Mary before them, these Saints were so humble, what ought you to be? !

The Saints of the New Testament are still more conspicuous for their humility. Saint Paul believed and declared himself to be the chief of sinners. Saint Bernard expressed his astonishment that God should work miracles by the hands of one so vile as he. Saint Dominic, before entering a City, used to pray that he might not bring down judgements upon it for his sins.
Saint Philip Neri used to invent ingenious methods of drawing down ridicule upon himself!
Saint Francis Borgia, when someone by accident, spat in his face, merely remarked that he could not have found a more suitable place to spit upon.
Compare the humility of these saints with your pride and humble yourself before God.

The Saints were not exaggerated in their sentiments. They said, with truth that, if God had given to the greatest of sinners the graces given to them, they might perhaps have been far holier than they.
Think of the graces given you. How often you have abused and rejected them!
If the Saints could lament over graces lost, how ought you to humble yourself for your ingratitude?

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, IMMACULATE HEART PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 28 July – Models of Humility: The Blessed Virgin

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Thought for the Day – 28 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Models of Humility:
The Blessed Virgin

No-one of all the children of Adam ever approached the Blessed Virgin Mary in humility. What had she to make her humble? She had no sin or imperfection for which to humble herself before God. Yet the greatest of sinners never humbled himself as did Mary. How was this? It was because no-one, save she, ever recognised her own nothingness in God’s sight. This is the surest basis for humility.
We are so wanting in humility because we do not recognise our utter insignificance and the absence of any good in us, save that which, is the gift of God.

Thus, it was that, because Mary had a right to the highest place, she always sought the lowest.
This is the law, which everywhere prevails. Those who deserve the lowest place, seek the highest and those who deserve the highest, seek the lowest. The enemies of God do not like to lower themselves. But, His friends recognise the lowest place as the place most suitable for them
Am I, in this respect, one of God’s friends or one of His enemies?

Mary’s humility was also the result of her desire to be like to her Divine Son in all things.
When she saw Him stoop from the highest Heaven to earth, she longed to stoop to the very dust. She placed herself in spirit beneath the feet of all and, would have placed herself lower still, if it had been possible.
For what humiliation could even Mary endure which was in any way comparable to that of her Son?
If Mary, then, is my Queen and Mother, I will seek to imitate her in this. If the Immaculate Mother of God loved to humble herself, how much more should I, who am but a miserable worm of earth?

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MEEKNESS, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, St Francis de Sales

Quote/s of the Day – 28 July – ‘… He who humbles himself,shall be exalted.’

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Quote/s of the Day – 28 July – Pentecost X – 1 Corinthians 12:2-11; Luke 18:9-14 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Everyone who exalts himself,
shall be humbled
and he who humbles himself,
shall be exalted.”

Luke 18:14

“The most perfect degree of humility
is to take pleasure in contempt and humiliations.
Contempt suffered patiently,
is worth more before God,
for love of Him, than
a thousand fastings and disciplines.”

“Let us not lower our eyes
without humiliating the heart , at the same time;
let others not think
we want the last place,
without truly desiring it!”

“Humility makes our lives,
acceptable to God,
meekness, makes us
acceptable to men.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

Posted in ACT of LOVE, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, Our MORNING Offering, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of PETITION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, St Francis de Sales, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR

Our Morning Offering – 28 July – O Love Eternal! An Act of Love

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Our Morning Offering – 28 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Pentecost X

O Love Eternal!
An Act of Love
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church
(From his “A Treatise on the Love of God”)

O Love Eternal,
my soul needs and chooses Thee eternally!
Ah, come Holy Ghost
and inflame our hearts with Thine Love!
To love — or to die!
To die — and to love!
To die to all other love
in order to live in Jesus’ Love,
so that we may not die eternally
but that we may live in Thine Eternal Love,
O Saviour of our souls,
we eternally sing,
“Live, Jesus! Jesus, I love!
Live Jesus, Whom I love!
Jesus, I love, Jesus Who lives
and reigns forever and ever.”
Amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on HUMILITY

Thought for the Day – 27 July – Models of Humility: Jesus Christ

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Thought for the Day – 27 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Models of Humility:
Jesus Christ

When we compare the humility of Jesus Christ with that which is possible to ourselves, it seems as though the virtue in us, does not deserve the same name, for He, Who was Omnipotent God lowered Himself to become the lowliest of men. Such an act of humility was an Infinite abasement of Himself and had an Infinite value in the sight of God.
The Divine Word submitted to the obliteration of all His Glory and Majesty when He became man. This was humility indeed!
But what is our humility? Simply placing ourselves in a position which more nearly approaches that which we deserve to occupy!
When I humble myself, I simply divest myself of the false position of seeming to have any virtue, or dignity, or claim to honour, of my own.

Even when He had lowered Himself to the nature of man, He was not satisfied but He needed to seek out every kind of contempt and insult.
He was regarded as a madman, as possessed with a devil, as a wine-bibber, as an impostor, as a leader of sedition, as a fool, as a criminal and as a blasphemer. All this He took upon Himself, of His own accord and deemed an honour!
Is it not strange that I should shrink from sharing that whicvh the Son of God chose as the fitting treatment of His Human Nature?

He did more than this.
He so identified Himself with human sin that He is said, by the Apostle, to have been made sin for our sakes and, by this means, He was able to find a fresh motive for humbling Himself, as being laden with sin in the sight of His Heavenly Father.
If He, the Spotless Lamb, thus sought out motives of humiliation, how is it that I,, on the contrary, seem to avoid all which humbles me?

Posted in HUMILITY-Fr Richard Clarke, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JUDGING, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE

Thought for the Day – 26 July – Humility in Prayer

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Thought for the Day – 26 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

HUMILITY
Meditations for a Month

Humility in Prayer

We are all anxious that God should hear and grant our prayers. He is always ready to do so. The obstacles are always on our side and one of the chief of these is a want of humility.
If God resists the proud, He is not likely to hear their prayers; hence, one of the first prerequisites of ssuccess in my prayers, is that I should humble myself before God. Then and not until then, will my prayer reach the ears of the Most High.
“The prayer of him, who humbleth himself, pierces the clouds.”

One of the most dangerous forms of pride is a contempt for others and one which we maybe very prone to manifest, without realisng its ruinous effects upon our prayers.
When the self-complacent Pharisee thanked God that he was not like the poor publican, he probably was quite unconscious of the offensiveness of his prayer to God. Pride blinded him.
So it often blinds us and we little think that when in prayer, we secretly congratulate ourselves on being free from certain faults which we see in our neighbours and, all the while, we are displeasing God by thus harshly judging others! How would He hear our prayers unmder these conditions!

How are we to be humble in prayer?
We should be humble in prayer by dwelling upon our own miseries and the good points we see in those around us or which we should see, if our own pride did not make us blind to others’ superiority to us and, the fact that, the graces God has liberally bestowed upon us, make our ingratitude and our want of correspondence to them, all the more culpable!

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, franciscan OFM, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), QUOTES on WISDOM, The HEART, THE SPIRITUAL COMBAT - Fr Lorenzo Scupoli, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 26 July – Let us Pray!

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 July – St Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Grandmother of Jesus.

St Anne, through her constant prayer,
received, the Mother of God
and then, became the Grandmother of God!

“Let my prayer come
like incense before Thee, O Lord.”

Psalm 140:2

“Exercise your soul!
Use keeps metal brighter
but disuse produces rust.
… So “No-one lights a candle
and puts it under a bushel
but upon a candlestick
that it may give light.”
For of what use is wisdom, if it fails
to make those who hear it wise?”

St Clement of Alexandria (c150-c215)
Father of the Church

“God accepts our desires as though
they were of great value.
He longs ardently for us
to desire to and love Him.
He accepts our petitions for benefits,
as though we were doing Him a favour.
His joy in giving,
is greater than ours in receiving.
So let us not be apathetic in our asking,
nor set too narrow bounds to our requests;
nor ask for frivolous things
unworthy of God’s greatness.”

St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Arm yourself with prayer
instead of a sword;
be clothed with humility
instead of fine raiment.”

St Dominic OP (1170-1221)

“In prayer, the soul cleanses itself from sin,
charity is nourished,
faith is strengthened,
hope made secure;
the spirit rejoices,
the soul grows tender
and the heart is purified,
truth discovers itself,
temptation is overcome,
sadness takes to flight,
the senses are renewed,
failing virtue is made strong,
tepidity disappears,
the rust of sin is rubbed away.
In it are brought forth,
lively flashes of heavenly desires
and in these fires,
burns the flame of Divine love.
Great are the excellences of prayer,
great its privileges.
The heavens open before it
and unveil therein, their secrets
and to it, are the ears of God ever attentive.”

A Golden Treatise of Mental Prayer
Download the book, “A Golden Treatise of Mental Prayer”

St Peter of Alcantara (1499-1562)

“When you pray, let it be your intention
to will God’s Will alone and not your own,
as well in asking as in obtaining that is,
pray because God Wills you to pray
and desire to be heard, insofar and, no farther,
than He Wills. Your intention, in short,
should be to unite your will to the Will of God
and not to draw His Will to yours.
And this because, your will, being infected
and ruined by self-love, often errs
and knows not what to ask but the Divine Will,
being always united to ineffable goodness,
can never err.”

Dom Lorenzo Scupoli OSM (c1530-1610)

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on MERIT, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN

Thought for the Day – 25 July – The All-Importance of Charity

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Thought for the Day – 25 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The All-Importance of Charity

“If I have not charity, I am nothing.”
These are the words of Holy Scripture inspired by God Himself.
Unless we are united to God by the habit of supernatural charity, unless we love Him before all else, for His Own sake, with a supreme and unselfish love, we are not children of God but aliens.
Unless we do these things, we have no inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven, we can earn no merit before God and, all that we do, has no beauty in His Sight. All our actions, however noble and generous, do not really please Him, or deserve grace in this life ,or glory in the next.

Moreover, unless there is at least an initial element of charity in our actions, they will not help us in any way on the road to Heaven.
Acts of faith and hope, although they maybe performed by one who has not perfect charity, contain an unformed and rudimentary element of charity.
They are the germ or bud from which charity may afterwards spring and, in this way, they lead to charity. In themselves, faith and hope gain no merit, unless they are the actions of one who already has charity in his heart.

Even if we have the habit of charity and are in a state of grace, our actions are not meritorious before God, unless they are done from a motive of charity.
Charity must in some way influence faith and hope, if not with a present thought of God, yet, with the golden light of our love for Him lighting them up. Without this, they may count for nothing, or at most, merit only a natural reward. If I give money purely out of natural compassion and pity, I gain a temporal but not, an eternal reward.
How careful I must be to offer to God each act of charity to men!

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Thought for the Day – 24 July – Charity and Self-love

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Thought for the Day – 24 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

Charity and Self-love

If charity really promotes our highest interests and, even in its most disinterested form, ministers to our good, how is it that it is so often compared with self-love?
When we speak of self-love, we do not mean the true love of self which is identical with charity. We mean the love of our lower self. We mean the choice of some immediate good instead of the far higher and nobler good which we shall secure by sacrifice of the lower good. Self-love is the love of the child for the unwholesome sweets which it knows will produce sickness on the morrow.
How often my self-love has led me to grasp at the passing enjoyment instead of the solid happiness, I should have gained, by renouncing it.

Self-love does a still more mischievous work.
It leads us to thrust ourselves into a position we know is a false one, in order to gratify our desire for independence and for liberty. Self-love hates subjection and is thus diametrically opposed to charity which loves to be subject.
Self-love hates the lowest place or humble work and yearns after notoriety or prominence.
Charity appreciates the nothingness of self and desires that God should be all in all!

Self-love, again, cannot endure any sort of reproof or correction. It rebels against those things and longs to revenge itself. It is thus, no true love of self, for he who really loves himself, or rather, who finds his highest happiness in preferring God to self, welcomes anything which tends to lower self and to make God the exclusive object of his love.
Thus, in hating self, he loves self with a true self-love and will reach charity.
Is this my relationship to self?

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, St PAUL!

Thought for the Day – 23 July – The Disinterestedness of Charity

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Thought for the Day – 23 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

The Disinterestedness of Charity

Charity is a love of God for His Own sake.
In its perfection, it banishes self altogether.
It does not turn the mind to self or to that which self desires. It thinks only of God, His greatness and His goodness. It seeks to promote His honour and His glory, simply for the sake of promoting the honour and glory of One so infinitely worthy of our love and homage, quite independently of any reward or gain which is to accrue to ourselves thereby.
Is this the nature of my love of God?

Yet, if “charity begins at home” and we, necessarily as rational beings, seek that which is good for ourselves, how is this disinterested love possible?
It is possible because, those who possess it, find their highest and purest happiness in this forgetfulness of self. In their very neglect of the interests of self, they are actually procuring, for themselves, the greatest of all rewards — the joy which comes of loving and serving God, simply and solely, for His Own sake.

Do those who have this charity in their hearts seek, at the same time, the eternal blessedness of Heaven?
Some Saints (like Moses and Saint Paul), in an ecstasy of love, protested that they would willingly forfeit the prospect of their own eternal happiness, if by doing so, they could promote the glory and honour of God!
They did not mean thereby, to relinquish the hope of Heaven but, that their Heaven was formed in this highest love and any happiness, save this, was as nothing in their eyes.
The highest charity indeed, includes a longing after the Beatific Vision but this is secondary to the absorbing love of God simply for His Own sake and, as He alone is so, worthy of our love.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, St Francis de Sales, St JOSEPH, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 23 July – Being servants

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 July – The Memorial of St Apollinaris (1st Century) Bishop Martyr, Disciple of St Peter – 1 Peter 5:1-11, Luke 22:24-30

“Let him who is greatest among you,
become as the youngest
and he who is the leader,
as the servant.”

Luke 22:25

“Abide in Me and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
unless it abide in the vine,
so neither can you,
unless you abide in Me.”

John 15:4

“O my Lord, what a price Thou paid
to ransom my useless service! …
What a way Thou has, full of love,
of gentleness and of kindness,
to win back and submit this rebellious servant,
by triumphing over evil through good,
by confounding my pride with Thy humility,
by filling this ungrateful person, with Thy kindness! This! This is howThy Wisdom triumphed!”

Blessed Guerric of Igny (c1080-1157)
Cistercian Abbot

“True humility consists in persuading
and convincing oneself
that without God, we are insignificant
and despicable
and, in accepting to be treated as such!”

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

If, when stung by slander
or ill-nature,
we wax proud
and swell with anger,
it is a proof that our gentleness
and humility
are unreal
and mere artificial show!”

“How faithful in humility was the great Saint
we are celebrating!
That cannot be said in all its perfection,
for, in spite of what he was,
in what poverty and lowliness he lived,
all the days of his life – a poverty and lowliness
beneath which. he kept hidden and concealed,
his great virtues and dignity! …
Truly, I am free of doubt that the Angels came,
beside themselves with admiration, rank upon rank,
to behold and wonder at his humility,
while he sheltered that dearest Child
in the poor workshop where he worked at his employment,
so as to feed the little Boy and the Mother entrusted to him.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St Alphonsus de Liguori,

Our Morning Offering – 23 July – O God of Love,

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Our Morning Offering – 23 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” –

O God of Love,
Give Me Thy Love and Thy Grace
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

O God of Love,
Thou art and shall be forever,
the only delight of my heart
and the sole object of my affections.
Since Jesus said:
‘Ask and you shall receive,’
I do not hesitate to say:
‘Give me Thy Love and Thy Grace.’
Grant that I may love Thee
and be loved by Thee.
I want for nothing else.
Amen

Posted in CHARITY - Fr Richard Clarke SJ, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD

Thought for the Day – 22 July – Charity, a Supreme Love

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Thought for the Day – 22 July – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

CHARITY
Meditations for a Month

Charity, a Supreme Love

Charity does not exist within the soul of anyone who does not love God above all things. If some created being has the first place in our heart and God only the second, then, we are the enemies, not the friends of God. He must have all our heart or none!
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart and thy whole soul.”
If, any person or thing, hinders this supreme love for God, we must avoid it at any cost. If this is impossible, we must pray earnestly that we may never fall into the terrible misfortune of loving the creature more than the Creator, Who is God, blessed forever.

This, however, does not mean that we must have a stronger feeling of love for God than for some loved object upon earth. We cannot always control our feelings. We are creatures of sense and our senses and imagination have great power over us.
Nor does it mean that the love of God is to swallow up the love of created things. This is impossible.
Nor, again, does it mean, there must be no possible circumstances which we can imagine, wherein we could not promise to choose God, however violent the temptation might be.
It simply means that, as I am now and under the present circumstances, I would give up anything rather than mortally offend God.

This supreme love of God includes a conviction that God is our best friend and, therefore, He will never ask of us what is beyond our power. He will provide an escape from every temptation, however violent.
Hence, I will have no fear about the future. God will never ask of me what He does not give me strength to perform!

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St Alphonsus de Liguori,, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 22 July – Penitance

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Quote/s of the Day – 22 July – St Mary Magdalen (1st Century) Penitent – Song 3:2-5; 8:6-7, Luke 7:36-50.

“She began to bathe His feet with her tears
and wiped them with the hair of her head
and kissed His feet
and anointed them with ointment.”

Luke 7:38

“Remember not our former iniquities,
let Thy mercies speedily prevent us,
for we are become exceeding poor.
Help us, O God, our Saviour
and for the glory of Thy Name, O Lord,
deliver us and forgive us our sins,
for Thy Name’s sake.”

Psalm 78:8-9

“Let us then, my brethren, endure in hope.
Let us devote ourselves, side-by-side with our hoping,
so that the God of all the universe,
as He beholds our intention,
may cleanse us from all sins,
fill us with high hopes from what we have in hand
and grant us the change of heart which saves.
God has called you and you have your calling!”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Prayer, appeases the anger of God;
He pardons the sinner
when he prays with humility.”

St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1455)

“We must be very sorry for faults
with a repentance which is strong,
constant, tranquil
but not troubled, unquiet or fainthearted.”

(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 9, Chapter 7).

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

In conclusion, let us say this prayer of St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787):
“My soul, look at this Crucified Man …
see how the arms extend to embrace you,
how the head bows forward
to give you the kiss of peace.
See how His side is open to receive you.
What have you to say?
Such a good and loving God deserves to be loved.
O my Jesus!
Adorable Jesus!
O Love of my soul!
How can I ever forget Thee?
How can I ever love anything
apart from Thee!
O suffering Jesus,
may the memory of Thee ever remain
in my heart!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in ACT of CONTRITION, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, St Alphonsus de Liguori,, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 22 July – Act of Contrition and Repentance By St Alcuin

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Our Morning Offering – 22 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – St Mary Magdalen (1st Century) Penitent

Act of Contrition and Repentance
By St Alcuin of York (c735-804)
Father of the Church

Almighty and merciful God,
Fountain of all Goodness,
Thou knows the thoughts of our hearts.
We confess that we have sinned against Thee
and done evil in Thy Sight.
Wash us from the stains of our past sins
and give us grace and power
to put away all hurtful things.
Deliver us from the bondage of sin
that we may bring forth
worthy fruits of repentance.
Amen