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Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thought for the Day – 12 September – The Power of Mary

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

The Power of Mary

“O Mary, my powerful and merciful Mother, my soul is constantly troubled by temptations.
I am standing on the edge of the chasm.
I promise to place myself, at once, under your maternal protection.
Grant that I may never fall into sin again.
Cast your merciful eyes upon me and save me when I am tempted.
Grant that temptations may never again endanger the purity of my soul, by obtaining for me from God, a lively spirit of faith, a burning love fo Him and for you, a constant watchfulness over my senses and over worldly dangers and the gift of fervent and persevering prayer, in union with you and your divine Son, Jesus, Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CATECHESIS, GOD is LOVE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on SIN, The INCARNATION

Thought for the Day – 11 September – The Incarnation

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

The Incarnation

“By means of the Incarnation, God comes to man so that man may return to God.
God created man by an act of love to display and to diffuse, His infinite goodness.
But this relationship of love was disrupted by sin.
Love became fear, on the part of man and it became justice, on the part of God.

The love of God is infinite, however and cannot decrease.
No sooner had man fallen, than God promised our first parents, that He Himself, would come to save them.
As soon as man had lost the white robe of grace, the Lord mercifully promised that He would come to restore it.
But how?
He could have sent an Angel to lead erring man back to the fold and to teach him the way of virtue, which leads to Heaven.
That would have been a great act of love and mercy.
But, an Angel is a finite being, whereas, the love of God has no limit.
For this reason, He was not satisfied to send an Angel.

We can see, furthermore, another explanation of the great mystery of the Incarnation.
God infinitely loved man, who was the work of His omnipotence.
Precisely because He loved him, He wished to be loved by him in return.
But because the spirit of man is united to matter, he does not see God, except through the works of His creation.
He sees Him, as it were, “through a mirror in an obscure manner,” (1 Cor 13:12) and not face-to-face.
He does not love God, therefore, as he would if he could see Him in all His beauty.
He would need to see Him and to know Him better, before he could love Him more.
So God made Himself small by becoming man.
“Human wisdom often asks,” writes Bossuet, “why God came on earth.”
To this I reply: “He came to be lobed by men.“
“God was great,” writes St Bernard, “so great as to demand to be adored. Now He has become small, so that He may be better loved.”
God became, like us, a child.
“The goodness and kindness of God, our Saviour appeared,” (Titus 2:4) says St Paul.
But Jesus was not satisfied merely to become like us, to enlighten us with His doctrine and to enrich us with the abundance of His graces and gifts.
He also gave Himself to us by dying on the Cross and remaining with us in the Blessed Sacrament.
How could we fail to return such love!?“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The HOLY GHOST

Thought for the Day – 10 September – The Creation

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

The Creation

“God is infinitely perfect in Himself and has, therefore, no need of creatures of His eternal happiness.
He knows Himself fully and this act of knowing, is not transient but substantial and eternal.
It is the perfct image of His own Essence, the Word which expressed His Divine Infinity.

Knowing Himself in the infinite depths of His truth, beauty and goodness, God naturally loves Himself.
This love, also substantial and external, is the Holy Spirit, Who proceeds, not only from the Father but also from the Word, since God loves Himself because He knows Himself perfectly.
The happiness of God, as St Gregory Nazianzen writes, is not a solitary state of beatitude.
He has within Himself, the Word, His consubstantial Son, in Whom is reflected the perfection of His nature and to Whom, He repeats from eternity: “You are my son; this day I have begotten you” (Ps 2:7).
Moreover, in an act equally substantial and infinite, He pours forth His love, the Holy Spirit.
Because, He is infinitely happy and perfect in Himself, God wished to manifest His perfection and to communicate His happiness to others.
According to St Thomas Aquinas, the only reason why God has created, is to manifest His glory and to share His happiness.
Creation is, therefore, an act of love.
“I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore, have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee” (Jer 31:3).
“God,” says St Irenaeus, “did not create man because He had need of him but because, He wished to have creatures on whom He could shower His gifts.”
That is why Sacred Scripture tells us that “the Lord has made everything for His own ends” (Prov 16:4).

Turning over these reflections in our minds, we should make an act of profound humility before God and acknowledge that we are nothing without Him.
We should express our deep gratitude to God for our very existence and for all the other gifts with which He has enriched us.

Finally, we should pay Him the tribute of our love, which should be expressed in a practical manner, as well as verbally, by complete and constant fidelity to His commandments.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 9 September – The Two Standards

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

The Two Standards

“The well-known meditation of St Ignatius in his Spiritual Exercies on the two standards, remains applicable to our times.
We need only glance at the world to see, that it contains two different kinds of people – the good and the bad, the enemies of Christ and His faithful followers.
But, there is also a third group, those who are indifferent and apathetic, those who think of their own comfort and convenience and of nothing else!
When one considers it, it is plain that those people who think only of themselves – and their number seems to grow every year – belong to the rearguard of those, who fight beneath the banner of Satan.
That man is an enemy of Christ, who has no generosity, no spirit of sacrifice, no desire to combat the evil which threatens to submerge the world.
“He who is not with me, is against me,” (Mt 12:30) said Jesus.
He who thinks only of his own convenience and remains indifferent to the spread of evil, is not worthy of Jesus.
One cannot be indifferent when faced with the alternative between good and evil because, indifference is tantamount to a betrayal.
“The Christian,” writes Tertullian, “is another Christ!”

The fact that we are Christians imposes on us, the obligation to fight openly and courageously under the Standard of Christ.
The battle must be waged on two fronts.
On one side, the struggle is internal.
We must resist our rebellious inclinations and self-centred egoism.
At the same time, we must make a constant effort to advance in Christian perfection.
On the second front, the struggle is external.
It is not sufficient to sanctify ourselves but, we must try to sanctify others.
When we consider the sacrifices made in the cause of evil by the enemies of Christ, how can we remain indifferent?
We should work with zeal and with the help of God’s grace, to achieve our own sanctification and the reign of Christ in the universe.
We should examine what we have already done and resolve to be more determined in our future efforts!“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in HOLY ORDERS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SIN, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Thought for the Day – 8 September – The Heart of Judas

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

The Heart of Judas

“The human heart is a mystery, the depths of which, it is difficult to sound.
We do not even understand ourselves.
The heart of man can soar to the loftiest heights of goodness or descend to unimaginable depths of evil.
Examples of the sublime heights to which men can rise, are provided by the lives of the Saints, who loved God so much, that they were on fire with charity and wished to abide forever in Him, “It is now no longer I that live,” said st Paul “but Christ lives in me” (1 Gal 2:20).

The heart of Judas, is a particularly deep mystery.
We read in the Gospel that Jesus called together His disciples in the upper room to celebrate His last Pasch with them.
Among them was Judas.
Jesus loved men so much, that He wished to remain with them, really and truly for all time, even after His approaching death.
“Having loved his own, who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1).
When the meal was over, Jesus took bread and, lifting up His eyes to Heaven, He said: “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then He took the chalice, blessed it and turning towards the Apostles said these words: “All of you drink of this; for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is being shed for many.”
Then He added: “Do this in remembrance of me.”
In this way, Jesus instituted the Blessed Eucharist, which St Thomas Aquinas describes as Christ’s greatest miracle (Opsculum 57, Officium de festa Corporis Christi).
Furthermore, He raised His disciples, including Judas, to the sublime dignity of the Priesthood and bestowed on them, the power to do what He had just done.
One might say, that the infinite generosity of Jesus Christ, was exhausted at that moment.
He could not give anything more because, at that moment, He had given us Himself!

It was in this solemn moment, in which He received Jesus into his soul and was at the same time raised to the dignity of the Priesthood, that Judas finally decided to carry out his plan to sell his Master for thirty pieces of silver and to hand Him over to those who wished to kill Him.
How sin can degrade a human being!“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in FRUITS of the SPIRIT, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 7 September – The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

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

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

“Today’s subject for meditation is the parable of the barren fig tree in the Gospel of St Luke.
“A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard and he came seeking fruit thereon and found none. And he said to the vine-dresser, ‘Behold, for tree years now, I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and I find none. Cut it down, therefore; why does it still encumber the ground?’ But he answered him and said, ‘Sir, let it alone this year too, till I dig around it and manure it. Perhaps it may bear fruit but, if not, then afterwards thous shalt cut it down'” (Lk 13:6-9).

Perhaps Jesus has come many times to us also, looking for the fruit of our good works and has found none.
Perhaps, He has continued to bestow favours and blessings upon us and, perhaps, He has waited many years for us to correspond with His grace by performing acts of penance and of expiation.

We may have made good resolutions many times but, what became of them?
Temptations of various kinds may have caused us to neglect these resolutions, which remained like branches without any fruit.
We must remember, that although God is infinitely good and merciful, He is also, infinitely just.
The day could come when He might say: “Cut it down. Why does it still encumber the ground?”
In that case, what would become of us?

An episode described in the Gospel of St Mark, should induce serious reflection.
Jesus was walking from Bethany to Jerusalem and grew hungry on the way.
He saw a fig tree beside the road but, on inspection, found that it was barren.
“And He said to it: ‘May no fruit ever come from thee henceforth forever!’
“And immediately, the fig tree withered up.”
His disciples, we are told, were amazed when they saw this happening (Cf Mt 21:18-20).

How terrible, if God should ever pronounce this severe condemnation upon us!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST

Thought for the Day – 6 September – “To be Silent, to Adore and to be Happy”

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

“To be Silent, to Adore
and to be Happy”

“When Rosmini was seriously ill and in danger of death, he was visited by his admirer and friend, Manzoni, who found him in so serious a condition, that he could only breathe with difficulty.
In his shaking hands he clutched a Crucifix.
“Are you suffering much?” Manzoni asked, as he bent over him.
The sick man gazed at his friend and a wan smile passed over his face.
Then the great writer asked him to give him some advice by which he would remember him.
Rosmini looked at his Crucifix and whispered: “Be silent, adore and be happy.”

To be silent:
It is very difficult for a man to remain silent when he is suffering great physical pain or when he is slandered, envied or misunderstood.
On such occasions, one’s blood begins to boil and bitter remarks come easily to the tongue.
But what good does it do?
It may be some relief to our feelings but, usually, it will only make matters worse by aggravating our trouble.
Let us be silent and offer our sufferings to Jesus, Who suffered for us, more than we could ever suffer.
Let us atone for our sins by silently offering our sorrows and disappointments to God.
Any other gift which we give to God is nothing more than restitution for all He has given us; but, when we offer our sufferings, we give Him something which is truly our own because, it is we ourselves, who suffer.
Suffering endured without complain is a most acceptable gift to God, Who grants us, in return, peace and resignation.”

To be continued …

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on DOUBT, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Thought for the Day – 5 September – I Am Not Able

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

I Am Not Able

“Often, when the violence of our passions threatens to overcome all our powers of resistance, we are tempted to say: “Lord, I am not able; I cannot go any further. Why are You not helping me? Why have you abandoned me?”
This is a trick of the devil, to make us give up the fight, to make us believe, that God has deserted us and that we must, inevitably, give into temptation!

This is the last stratagem of the devil, when he sees that he cannot persuade us in any other manner.
But, the Lord addresses to us, the reproof which he addressed to St Peter, who, when walking on the water, doubted for an instant and then, felt himself going under.
“O thou of little faith, why did thou doubt?” (Mt 14:31).
In such a situation, we must strengthen our faith, our love and our dedication to Jesus Christ.
Then, the Lord will extend His helping hand to us, as He did to Peter.
He will give us the spiritual tranquillity, which only grace and Christian fortitude can offer.

Let us recall how this happened in the temptations in our past life.
When we were strong and generous with Jesus, we implored His help with faith and perseverance and emerged victorious from the fray.
Then, we experienced the heavenly joy which only God can give.
Why can we not always do the same?
We must never say: “I am not able!”
We are poor and weak but, with the grace of God, we can overcome all obstacles.
As St Paul says, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on INDIFFERENCE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 4 September – Holy Indifference

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

Holy Indifference

“That is not indifference towards what is good or towards God.
That kind of indifference, is the apathy and negligence which distracts us from striving to reach our final end, by advancing in sanctity.

The holy indifference which we should all have, or endeavour to have, is described by St Ignatius in his book on the Spiritual Exercises.
It is a virtue, which renders us indifferent towards all creatures because, we see them only as means which will help or hinder us on the path to sanctity.
Therefore, we must be indifferent towards sickness and health.

“Grant to me, O Lord,” we should pray, “that which pleases You most.

Perhaps You know, that health could be a grave danger to me, that it could lead me into offending You, or that, at least, it could make me too attached to the things of this world.
If this is so, send me whatever illness You will.
I will accept them from Your hands, as a gift of Your mercy and goodness and I will try to sanctify myself by means of them.”
Nature rebels at this thought, yet, I must not listen to the promptings of nature but, to the inspirations of grace.

On the other hand, You may see, that my good health would add to Your glory and help me to grow in sanctity and to be useful in the Apostolate.
Grant health to me, if it is Your will to do so.
I will accept it from Your hands and I will use it, solely for Your glory.”

A man who is capable of such high spirituality, will not be shaken by the fury of human passion but, will remain always calm and attentive to the demands of grace.
He will surrender himself completely to the will of God, in all the circumstances of his life.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION

Thought for the Day – 3 September – Falling into Sin

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Thought for the Day – 3 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Falling into Sin

“The just man falls seven times,” says the Book of Proverbs (24:16).
Unfortunately, we have all experienced how true this is.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves” (Cf 1 Jn 1:8).

We fall often in many ways – in though, in speech, in action and by omission.
Sometimes, we fall in a moment of weakness or of impatience, at other times, we sin by an act of premediated malice.
“Watch and pray,” Our Lord warns us, “that you may not enter into temptation” (Mt 26:41).

Our Lord also said that we “must always pray and not lose heart” (Lk 18:1).
In other words, we should have a spirit of prayer which is based on the love of God and keeps us close to Him.
It is only when we are united to God, that temptation cannot hurt us and we are protected by His grace, from falling into deliberate sin.

It is idle to protest that this would require the virtue of an achorite and that we are entangled in all kinds of other business.
Virtue is necessary for everybody, not only for anchorites.
“The kingdom of heaven has been enduring violent assault and the violent have been seizing it by force” (Mt 11:12).
In order to attain to the kingdome of God, therefore, we have to do violence to our corrupted nature.
A life of solitude is not essential for prayer, however.
One can be busy from morning till night and pray continuously, so that his work is offered to God and done for the love of God.
In this way, work becomes prayer and will save us from falling into sin.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD

Thought for the Day – 2 September – Intimacy with Jesus

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

Intimacy with Jesus

“In his memoirs written while in exile, Napoleon says: “Many have desired and endeavoured to be obeyed, revered and honoured by all; only Jesus Christ has demanded this because He is God.”

“As the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you,” we read in the Gospel of St John.
“Abide in my love” (Jn 15:9).

Jesus, therefore, asks each of us, not only to love Him but, to remain intimately united to Him in love.
He has a perfect right to demand this because, as God, He is our Creator and as God-Man, He is our Redeemer, Who ,out of love for us has given Himself entirely.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Thought for the Day – 1 September – The Problem of Evil – Part One

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

The Problem of Evil – Part One

“In his second letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul speaks of the Anti-Christ, “the man of sin … the son of perdition, who opposes and is exalted above all that is called God…” “Already,” he says, “the mystery of iniquity is at work” (Cf 2 Thess 2:3-7).
From the beginning of the Church’s history until the present time, it has always been the same.

There always have been and always will be, men who do evil, not from human weakness but, from motives of malice, so diabolical as to present something of a mystery to us.
These can be called Anti-Christ because, they seem to be incarnations of the devil, the spirit of iniquity.
They delight in spreading error, in corrupting minds and, in persecuting the Church.
They are steeped in all kinds of baseness and nothing pleases them better, than to succeed in inducing the young and the innocent, to follow them in their sinful ways.
For this purpose, they employ all the advantages of modern technical progress has to offer – the press, the cinema, the radio and television.
In short, they use God’s gifts in their commercialisation of sin, in order to draw souls away from Him.

The realisation of this terrifying fact, provokes two questions.
(1) How can such evil be permitted by God, Who made man for Himself and redeemed him with the Blood of His only-begotten Son?
(2) What steps can we take to control this alarming and unversal deluge of evil?”

To be continued …..

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on PATIENCE

Thought for the Day – 31 August – Patience

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Thought for the Day – 31 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Patience

“Patience may be external or internal.
Both are necessary aspects of the same virtue.
External patience consists in refraining from outbursts of anger and from sarcastic comments – in short, from all words and actions which might give offence to others.
It is easy to be patient when our affairs are running smoothly and everybody is being nice to us.
It is quite another matter, when we come up against difficulties or find that we are being slighted or insulted.
It is difficult to remain silent when our pride has been wounded and it requires the virtue of a saint to be able to smile at our tormentors.
It took St Francis de Sales years of spiritual conflict before he achieved this kind of perfection.

How far can we claim to have succeeded in acquiring this virtue?
We should always remember that temperamental explosions are unworthy of a rational being.
The only proper course when we have been offended is to state our case clearly and calmly, though generally it is more heroic to remain silent.
Impatience is futile because it cannot remedy the situation and often harmful, because it upsets us and only produces bitterness.
Acts of impatience, moreover, are a source of bad example to others.
“The quick-tempered man,” says Sacred Scripture, “makes a fool of himself” (Prov 14:17).
“The patient man,” it adds,. “shows much good sense but, the quick-tempered man displays folly at it’s height” (Ibid 14:19).

If we live in the presence of God, we shall learn to be calm and self-controlled in all circumstances.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY GHOST, The WILL of GOD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 31 August – “… The Light of the Only-begotten has Shone on Us …”

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Quote/s of the Day – 31 August – Monday of the Twenty Second week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Psalms 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, Luke 4:16-30

“… The Light of the Only-begotten has Shone on Us …”

“He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free.”

Luke 4:18

“This, beloved, is the way in which we found our salvation,
Jesus Christ, the High Priest who offers our gifts,
the patron and helper in our weakness (Heb 10:20; 7:27; 4:15).
It is through Him, that we look straight at the heavens above.
Through Him, we see mirrored, God’s faultless
and transcendent countenance.
Through Him, the eyes of our heart were opened.
Through Him, our unintelligent and darkened mind shoots up into the light.
Through Him, the Master was pleased to let us taste
the knowledge that never fades,
He who is “the radiance of His splendour,
who towers as much above the angels,
as the title He has inherited, is superior to theirs.”

St Pope Clement I (c 35 – c 99)

“For what reason did God send Him to preach to the poor?
“To preach release to captives.”
We were the captives.
For many years Satan had bound us
and held us captive and subject to himself.
Jesus has come
“to proclaim release to captives and sight to the blind.”
By His word and the proclamation of His teaching,
the blind see.”

Origen (c 185-253)

“On each occasion I say:
‘Lord, Thy will be done!
It’s not what this, or that one, wants
but, what You want me to do.’
This is my fortress,
this is my firm rock,
this is my sure support.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor

“He did not treat us as our sins deserved.
For we are now sons of God.
How do we show this?
The only Son of God died for us,
so that He might not remain alone.
He who died as the only Son,
did not want to remain as the only Son.
For the only Son of God made many sons of God.
He bought brothers for Himself by His blood,
He made them welcome by being rejected,
He ransomed them by being sold,
He honoured them by being dishonoured,
He gave them life by being put to death.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Bishop, Great Western Father and Doctor of Grace

An excerpt from his Sermon 171

“You have the words of eternal life”

John 6:68

“These words surely make quite obvious to us
the necessity for sitting at the feet of Christ,
taking Him as our one and only teacher
and giving Him our constant and undivided attention. …
Keeping with their guide was the Israelites’ salvation then,
just as not leaving Christ is ours now.
… We will stay with You always and hold fast to Your commandments.
We will receive Your words without finding fault,
or thinking Your teaching hard,
as the ignorant do but thinking rather:
“How sweet are Your words to my throat!
Sweeter to the mouth are they, than honey or the honeycomb!”

“Our lives are all controlled by the Spirit now
and are not confined to this physical world
that is subject to corruption.
The light of the Only-begotten has shone on us
and we have been transformed into the Word,
the source of all life.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“He is the one who teaches
the truth of prophecy
through His presence
and makes obedience
to the commandments possible,
through grace.”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Heal us Lord God
Prayer of St Albert of Trapani O.Carm. (c 1240-1307)

O my God,
You have created the human race
by Your wonderful power.
It is an act of Your clemency that has called us
to share Your glory and eternal life.
When the first sin condemned us to suffer death,
out of Your goodness,
You wished to redeem us
through the blood of Your Son,
To unite us to You through our faith
and Your great mercy.
You have brought us back
from the shame of our sin,
You have veiled our dishonour
in the brightness of Your glory.
Look now and see that what You have created,
giving it subtle limbs and joints
and made beautiful through its immortal soul,
is now subject to the attack of Satan.
Be pleased Lord
to reconstitute Your work and heal it.
May Your power be glorified
and may the malice of the enemy be stunned.
Amen

St Albert of Trapani (c 1240-1307)

“Even to the present time
I have not stopped speaking to all men
but many are deaf and obstinate in response.
… He who possesses my words
yet spurns them,
earns his own judgement on the last day.”

Thomas á Kempis (1380-1471)

The Imitation of Christ

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SLOTH, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on TIME

Thought for the Day – 30 August – Perseverance

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

Perseverance

“He who has persevered to the end,” Jesus tells us, “will be saved” (Mt 10:22; 24:13).
Elsewhere He says that “no-one, having put his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the kingdome of God” (Cf Lk 9:62).
It is necessary, therefore, to persevere in goodness, if we wish to be saved.

It is easy to begin but, it is difficult to continue.
In a moment of fervour, perhaps, you promised to be holy.
Maybe some misfortune came your way, such as the loss of someone very dear to you and you were moved to meditate upon the vanity of earthly things and promised to dedicated yourself entirely to God.
In that moment, you experienced the truth of the words of Ecclesiastes, summarised in The Imitation of Christ: “Vanity of vanities and all is vanity but, to love God and serve Him alone” (Bk 1, c 1:4).

Unfortunately, your good resolutions wore away with time.
You may have been swept away once more by the deceptive pleasures of this world.
Or perhaps, your charity grew cold and in your tepidity, you gave into the violent onslaught of temptation.

Christian perseverance has three main enemies.
(1) Firstly, there is time, which slowly consumes this virtue.
You must conquer time by resolving to begin the battle anew every morning of your life.
(2) Then there is the devil, who goes about, as St Peter warns us, like a lion in search of his prey (Cf 1 Peter 5:8).
You must resist him by the strength of your faith.
(3) Finally, there is spiritual sloth, which easily invades the soul.
You must take your cue from St Paul’s exhortation: “My beloved brethren, be steadfast and immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor 15:58).

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on The SOUL, QUOTES on VIRTUE

Thought for the Day – 29 August – The Interior Life

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

The Interior Life

“Human life is threefold.
First, there is the physical life, that is, the life of the body animated by the soul.
Then, there is the intellectual life, through which the soul searches for truth and controls the powers of the body.
Finally, there is the supernatural life, which leads us towards Christian perfection and unites us to God, the source of goodness and happiness.

These three levels of life are all good in themselves but, form a hierarchy in which the primacy is held by the spiritual life.
Physical life is a gift from God but, must remain subordinate to the spiritual life.
If it were given precedence over reason and over the natural and divine law, our proper scale of values, would be upset and we should fall prey to a host of sinful inclinations.
The same applies to the intellectual life.
God endowed us with intelligence to enable us to know the truth, explore the secrets of the universe and use them for our own welfare.
If the intellect fails to ascend to the knowledge of God from it’s knowledge of worldly objects and ceases to be inspired by a high regard for virtue, it’s achievements can lead eventually to death and destruction.

The supernatural life, which is nourished by Divine grace, perfects man.
All our physical powers and spiritual faculties, should be dominated by this life, which Jesus Christ came into the world to bring to us.
We can have this life, if we obey His commands, control our passions, pray fervently, resign ourselves to His will and perform all our actions for love of Him.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 28 August – The Sons of God

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

The Sons of God

“In the beginning of his Gospel, St John speaks of the eternal nature of the Son of God, the Word through Whom all things were created and Who became man to enlighten and redeem the world, which was wallowing in ignorance and sin.
Unfortunately, he adds, instead of welcoming Him, the world rejected Him but, he goes on to say that “to as many as received him, he gave the power of becoming the sons of God” (Cf. John 1:1-12).
These words are a summary of the history of Christianity and, indeed, of the human race, for Jesus Christ was to be a “sign that shall be contradicted” (Lk 2:34).
On our side, there have always been the children of the world, those who ignore or openly combat Christ; on the other, the children of God,the thousands who acknowledge Christ as the Hope of salvation and the Light of the world and adore and love Him as God.

To which side do I belong?
Perhaps I am convinced that I have never attacked or rejected Christ.
But, in effect, I did so every time I committed a deliberate sin, for I put my own caprice before His will.
God’s grace in me was weakened by venial sin, or extinguished altogether by mortal sin.
As a result, I cased to be a child of God and became a child of Satan.
In losing Jesus, I forfeited all real happiness in this world AND in the next!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on INDIFFERENCE, QUOTES on MORTAL SIN, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on VIRTUE, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior)

Thought for the Day – 27 August – Those Who Will to be Damned

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

Those Who Will to be Damned

“There are many who are so steeped in vice that they never think of eternity and seek their happiness in sinful and worldly pleasures.
They have grown deaf to God’s voice, although He instils in them remorse and restlessness and invites them by good inspirations, to return to His merciful embrace.
They are deaf, too, to the voice of conscience, which, in spite of their degradation, cannot fail to make them feel the attractiveness of virtue and their great need of their Creator.
They are fundamentally unhappy, doubly so because, in this life “there is no peace to the wicked” (Is 48:22) and, in the next life, they will be damned forever.
Only a miracle of divine grace can save them from the abyss into which they have voluntarily precipitated themselves.

There are others who want to have their heaven both in this world and in the next.
They oscillate uncertainly, between good and evil, today being full of good resolutions and tomorrow giving way to sin because virtue seems to demand too many sacrifices.
They would like to be good but they will not take the necessary trouble.

Indecisive and lukewarm, they think that they can serve God and the devil at the same time!
Naturally, this is impossible, as Christ has told us, “No man can serve two masters … You cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt 6:24).
If people of this kind will not make up their minds, they are running the risk of eternal damnation.

To what category do you belong?
Think about this and make a firm decision.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on INNOCENCE

Thought for the Day – 26 August – Two Paths to Heaven

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

Two Paths to Heaven

“The first road to Heaven is the way of innocence.
There are some generous souls who preserve, until the end of life, their original baptismal purity.
St Aloysious Gonzaga never ceased to repent of two small faults for which he could hardly be held responsible since he committed them in the ignorance of ealy childhood.
Having lived like an angel in human form, he died with a smile on his lips, murmuring that he was happy to be going to Heaven at last.

In more recent times, there was the lovable boy Saint Dominic Savio.
On the day of his first Holy Communion, he made the resolution “Death rather than sin,” a resolution to which he remained faithful throughout his innocent young life.

Throughout it’s history, the Church could boast of many other members like these, who reflected the absolute purity and perfection of it’s divine Head and Founder.
It should be our desire to possess this innocence, so that we may be pure and holy in the sight of God and may remain always close to Him.
Sin is ugly.
It deprives us of God, our only true good and makes us unhappy because, the sinner can never be at peace.
It makes us restless and remorseful during life and when we come to die, unless God’s mercy intervenes, it causes us to despair of salvation.
Let us jealously guard our state of innocence, keeping it intact by fervent prayer and meditation.“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 25 August – Pride is Robbery!

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

Pride is Robbery!

“When we are proud, we steal from God!
Everything which we are and have, both in the natural and supernatural order, is a gift from God.
Therefore, when we claim the credit for ourselves, we take from Him that which really belongs to Him.
“What hast thou that thou hast not received.” asks St Paul. “And if thou has received it, why do thou boast as if thou had not received it?” (1 Cor 4:7).

Pride is a very grave sin, therefore.
According to Sacred Scripture, “pride is the reservoir of sin, a source which runs over with vice” (Ecclus 10:15).
“The beginnong of pride,” says the same Book of Ecclsiasticus, “is man’s stubbornness in withdrawing his heart from his Maker” (10:14).
It is worth meditating on these words, for because of this sin “God sends unheard-of afflictions and brings men to utter ruin” (Ecclus 10:15).
As St Augustine points out, the first sin was one of pride and it changed an angel into a demon. (In Ps 18:15).

When we reflect on the matter, it becomes quite clear, that pride is the basis of every sin (Ibid).
When man disobeys the law of God, he prefers sin to God.
Sin, therefore, is always an act of rebellion against God.
It is as if we were to say to Him: “I prefer to obey my own caprice, rather than to obey Your will.”
In this sense, it is true to state, that every sin is founded on pride and involves a turning away from God.
But, when we turn away from our Creator and Redeemer, where are we to go?
“Lord,” let us say with St Peter, “to whom shall we go? Thou has the words of everlasting life …” (Jn 6:69).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL

Thought for the Day – 24 August – Christian Joy

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

Christian Joy

“Christianity is neither sad nor pessimistic.
On the contrary, it is the harbinger of “great joy,” (Lk 2:10) to quote the expression used by the Angels when they announced to the shepherds, the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

Obviously, this joy is something quite distinct from sensible pleasure.
It is the spiritual happiness which accompanies an innocent life, sorrow for sin, or suffering bravely borne for the love of God.

Any other form of earthly happiess can never be more than a partial and transitory pleasure, capable of satisfying the human heart completely.
When Christianity urges us to be detached from worldly objects, however, it does not condemn the joys of the present life.
The historian Tacitus, was very far from the truth when, in the description in his Annals of the burning of Rome at the time of Nero, he accused the Christians of hating the human race, although not of having set fire to the city.
Although the teaching of Christianity is preoccupied with the joys of Heaven, it does not frown upon legitimate worldly pleasures.

Jesus “went about doing good and healing all who were in the power of the devil” (Acts 10:38).
He loved to give joy to others and sanctified the marriage feast of Cana by His presence and by working His first miracle there.
He restored happiness to the widow of Naim, by raising her son to life and to Martha and Mary, by giving them back their brother, Lazarus, who had been dead for four days.
He spent His entire life giving happiness to others.

There is only one kind of merriment which Christianity cannot countenance and that is, the inordinate pleasure which leads to sin, or, is the result of sin.
This kind of pleasure has no kinship with spiritual joy.
It is a momentary exaltation, which soon disappears and leaves behind disillusionment and remorse.
It leads inevitably to sorrow; this is a chastisement from God which can only become meritorious if it is offered up in expiation.
“The end of joy may be sorrow,” says the Book of Proverbs (14:13)
For this reason, let us seek spiritual joys, not those which lead to sin, nor those, which are the result of sin.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 23 August – The Surest Way to Avoid Sin

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

The Surest Way to Avoid Sin

“The surest way of never offending God, is to love Him.
If we love God sincerely, it will be impossible for us to offend Him.
“Love,” says St Paul, “is the fulfilment of the Law,” (Rom 13:10) and charity “is the bond of perfection” (Col 3:14).
If all our actions are inspired by the love of God, it will not matter how insignificant they are, for they will be pleasing to Him and will gain merit for ourselves.
Then it will be impossible for us to sin.

If most of our actions, on the other hand, are dictated by an inordinate attachment to creatures and to ourselves, they will certainly not lead us to God.
Our hearts need love and cannot live without it.
But whom shall we love if we do not love God, Who is our Creator and Redeemer?
We shall find love or a moment in beauty, in goodness and in pleasure but, it will soon pass away and leave us with empty hearts.
God is our highest good and only He can fully satisfy our hearts.
But He wishes us to belong completely to Himself.

Our hearts are too tiny to be divided between God and creatures.
We must belong entirely to God.
If we love Him sincerely, all created things will form a ladder, which will help us to ascent to Him.
Let us love God and remain united to Him in all our actions.
Then sin will never find it’s way into our souls.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUEENSHIP of MARY

Thought for the Day – 22 August – The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth

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Thought for the Day – 22 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary
as Queen of Heaven and Earth

“When the Virgin Mary was borne into Heaven, soul and body, by the Angels, she was received with great rejoicing by the entire company of the blessed.
A halo of light surrounded her, as her Divine Son, Jesus Christ, placed her on His right hand and proclaimed her Queen of Heaven and Earth.
It was fitting that this supreme dignity should have been accorded her, for she was the beloved daughter of the Eternal Father, the Immaculate spouse of the Holy Spirit and the Mother of God, the Word made man and the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

Mary is Queen of the Angels because, even though she is inferior to them, by reason of her human nature, she is superior to them, by reason of her dignity as Mother of God.
What Angel could say to the Incarnate Word: “You are my son?”
What Angel could command Him, as she could, in her role of Mother?

Mary has yet another claim to her title which no Angel could ever have.
She participated in the Passion of her Son Jesus,offering herself along with Him, as a victim of expiation.
She made a contribution, in the supernatural order of the Redemption, which neither Angel nor Saint, could have made.
With Jesus, through Jesus and in Jesus, she is the co-redemptrix of the human race.
Let us bow low before such greatness and join with the choirs of the blessed, in paying homage to her.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DEVOTIO, HOLY COMMUNION, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Thought for the Day – 21 August – Frequent Communion

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Thought for the Day – 21 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Frequent Communion

“Even as our bodies need their daily sustenance of good to restore the energy which they have lost, so it is with out souls.
The nourishment of the soul, is the grace of God.
There is no better way of acquiring and increasing this grace, than by Holy Communion because, Communion gives us Jesus Himself, Who is the origin of grace.
Spiritual perfection consists in union with God.
We can achieve perfect union with God in Holy Communion, by means of which, we live the life of Jesus.
“He who eats me, he also shall live because of me.” (Jn 6:58)

Anyone who loves Jesus fervently, receives Holy Communion everyday.
If a man does not do this, it is a sign that he does not love Jesus perfectly.

The early Christians were “continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread in their houses;” (Cf Acts 2:46) in other words, they received Communion everyday.
It was Jesus, in the Blessed Eucharist Who nourished their faith and gave them the strength to endure Martyrdom.
This custom prevailed in many places up to the time of St Jerome and St Augustine, who wrote “This is your daily bread; receive it daily in order to benefit daily from it” (De Verbo Domini, Serm 28).
To those who believe that they were unworthy to receive everyday, St Ambrose said: “A man who is unworthy to receive everyday, will still be unworthy in a year’s time” (Bk 5, De Sacramentis, c 4).

We should not stay away from daily Communion because of our unworthiness, nor because of our lapses into sin.
“Because I am always sinning,” said St Ambrose, “I am always in need of medicine” (Ibid).
Humility is the basic virtue necessary in a Christian but it should not be a reason for abstaining from Holy Communion.
St Thomas Aquinas commented that, although it may be pleasing to God to stay away from Holy Communion out of humility, He is far better pleased with the love and confidence of a soul, which receives Him. (Cf Summa Theologiae, III, q 8, a 10 ad 3).

The Church, like Jesus, desires us to receive Communion daily, although it only binds us under pain of sin, to receive once a year during Paschaltide, in accordance with the decree of Innocent III, which was confirmed by the Council of Trent.
We are also required to receive the Blessed Eucharist, if we are in danger of death.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 20 August – Confidence in the Providence of God

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Thought for the Day – 20 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Confidence in the Providence of God

“Sometimes we grow discouraged and lose confidence in God.
This may be the result of sickness, or of misfortune, or of misundstanding on the part of others.
At any rate, on such occasions, we may feel as if we have been forgotten by God.

Jesus Christ willed to endure a trial of this nature when He was hanging upon the Cross, derided and jeered at by those whom He had come to redeem.
“My God. my God,” He cried, “why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46).
In the Garden of Gethsemane, however, He had already seen, in a terrifying vision, the sins and acts of ingratitude of the human race.
He had begged His Father, to take away from Him, the chalice of suffering which had ben offered to Him but, He had added immediately: “Yet not my will but thine be done” (Lk 22:62).

We must behave in the same manner.
Whether it is a physical or moral anguish which torments us, we must gaze upon the Crucifix and remember that Jesus suffered much more in obedience to the will of His Heavenly Father.
We must never lack confidence in Divine Providence and resignation to the will of God.
In the mysterious designs of God for us, this evil which we experience, is intended for our own good.
It may have been sent to ennoble us or to purify us or to give us an opportunity of making reparation for our sins.

God has endowed suffering with a very purposeful mission n the world.
It should have the effect of making us detached from earthly things and more preoccupied with spiritual matters.
Let us trust in God, then and remember the words of the Holy Spirit: “Has anyone hoped in the Lord and been disappointed?” (Ecclus 2:10).

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on HUMAN DIGNITY

Thought for the Day – 19 August – Divine Providence

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Thought for the Day – 19 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Divine Providence

“The Book of Wisdom, speaks to us of Divine Providence.
“Your providence, O Father, guides… (14:3). You love all things that are and loathe nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned (11:24). God … is the guide of Wisdom and the director of the wise. For both we and our words, are in his hand …” (7:16).
Wisdom “reaches from end to end mightily and governs all things well” (Wisd 8:1).
The Lord of all, shows not partiality … because he, himself, made the great, as well as the small and he provides for all alike (Wisd 6:8).
You have disposed of all things by measure and number and weight” (Wis 11:21).

We have only to look around us and to think about ourselves, in order to understand the truth of these words from Sacred Scripture.
We need only consider a few of the outstanding elements in the universe – the sun, which rises and sets with such perfect regularity and the myriads of the stars, clusters of planets and solar systems, ranging the vast spaces of the firmament.
Then there are the smaller objects of creation which nonetheless, proclaim the greatness of Divine Providence – from the invisibly tiny insects, each with it’s own independent existence, to the flowers which draw their nourishment from the earth and the birds, for whose sustenance, God provides all that is necessary.

Lastly, there is the human body, that masterpiece of harmony.
The eyes, ears and other organs, display, in a marvellous manner, the wisdom of the Creator.
The soul, too, is the living image of God.
It transcends the limits of space and time by the speed of it’s thought, continually discovers new secrets of the universe by means of it’s intellectual power and is capable of willing, commanding and loving.

When confronted with so much order and beauty and goodness, we can only bow down and adore, the Providence of God!“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Thought for the Day – 18 August – Renouncing All Things

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Thought for the Day – 18 August – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Renouncing All Things

renouncing all things - bacci 18 aug 2020

“If we want God to take possession of our souls, we must drive out every inordinate affection to earthly things.
It is not possible for God to dwell within us, if we are still attached to sin or preoccupied with worldly aims.

God should reign supreme in us and inspire all our desires and actions.
This can never happen if we retain an attachment to deliberate sin, even if it is not grave sin.
In the case of venial sin, it is not so much the sin which prevents God from ruling us absolutely, as the attachment to sin.

It is possible for anybody to fall through human weakness, “for the just man falls seven times and rises again” (Prov 24:16).
It is when we remain willingly in the state of sin, that we offend God and weaken our faith and charity.
At such times, it is as if Jesus were asleep within us, as He slept in the boat during the storm on the lake of Galilee, when the terrified Apostles cried out:   “Lord save us! We are perishing!” (Mt 8:25).
We must keep ourselves free from all trace of sin, if we wish to remain intimately united with God and to be governed only by Him!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 18 August – “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” – John 14:6

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Quote/s of the Day – 18 August – Tuesday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Ezekiel 28: 1-10, Responsorial Psalm Deuteronomy 32:26-27ab, 27cd-28, 30, 35cd-36ab, Matthew 19:23-30

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”

John 14:6

john 14 6 i am the way the truth and the life 18 aug 2020 STD

“Through Him, our gaze
penetrates the heights of heaven
and we see, as in a mirror,
the most holy face of God.
Through Christ, the eyes of our hearts are opened
and our weak and clouded understanding,
reaches up toward the light.”

Saint Pope Clement I (c 35-99)
Apostolic Father, Bishop of Rome and Martyr

through him our gaze penetrates the heights of heaven - st pope clement 1 17 may 2019

“Let us listen to the Lord:
“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6).
If you are looking for the Truth,
follow the Way which is also the Truth.
This is where you are going and it is how you go.
It is not by another thing that you go to something;
it is not by anything else that you come to Christ;
it is through Christ that you come to Christ.
How to Christ through Christ?
To Christ God through Christ man;
through the Word made flesh,
to the Word who was with God, from the beginning;
through what we have eaten to what the angels eat daily.
In fact it is what is written:
“He gave them bread from heaven; man ate the bread of angels” (Ps 77[78]:24-25).
What is the bread of angels?
“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was in God and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1-3). How has man eaten the bread of angels?
“And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”

Saint Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

let-us-listen-to-the-lord-i-am-the-way-and-the-truth-st-augustine-10-may-2020 and 10 aug 2020 st lawrence

“The love of Jesus is noble and generous,
it spurs us onto do great things
and excites us to desire always,
that which is most perfect.
Love will tend upwards
and is not to be detained by things beneath.
Love will be at liberty
and free from all worldly affections…
for love proceeds from God
and cannot rest but in God above all things created.
The lover flies, runs and rejoices,
he is free and not held.
He gives all for all and has all in all,
because he rests in one sovereign Good above all,
from Whom all good flows and proceeds”

Thomas à Kempis,
The Imitation of Christ,
Book III, Chapter V, 3-4

the love of jesus - st john 27 dec 2019 thomas a kempis

“Do everything
out of love for God,
for God,
with God,
to get to God.”

Blessed Maria Rosa Flesch (1826-1906)

do-everything-out-opf-love-for-god-for-god-with-god-to-get-to-god-blmaria-rosa-flesch-19-june-2020-sacred-heart and 9 july 2020

“Life has only one face – LOVE.”

Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro (1936-1964)

life-has-only-one-face-love-bl-benedetta-porro-23-jan-2020 and 6 july 2020

“Catholics are part of the Church Militant.
They struggle and they suffer for the triumph of Christ.
They must never lose sight of their Divine Model,
so that their trials will be turned into joy.”

Saint Pius X (1835-1914)

catholics are part of the church militant - st pius X 10 july 2020

“Love infinitely,
the most sweet Lord Jesus Christ,
do everything for Him alone
and spend your life,
in works of mercy and of love.”

Blessed Marija of Jesus Crucified Petković (1892-1966)

love infinitely the most sweet lord jesus christ - bl marija of jesus crucified opetkovic 9 july 2020

“Since the death of Christ,
almost every century
has seen the persecution of Christians,
there have always been heroes
and martyrs who gave their lives –
often in horrible ways –
for Christ and their faith.
If we hope to reach our goal some day,
then we, too, must become heroes of the faith.”

Blessed Franz Jägerstätter (1907-1943)
Martyr of Conscientious Objection

we-need-no-rifles-or-pistols-for-our-battle-bl-franz-jagerstatter-21-may-2020 and 10 july 2020

“If a boat is running with the stream,
it has little need of the pull of the oars,
nor of the guidance of the helm.
It’s passage is smooth and peaceful.
The same applies to those
who place absolute confidence in God
in their journey through life.
… Why should I worry,
when I know that whatever God
has in store for me, is for my own good?
… There is no need to be disturbed.
Everything must be accomplished for God,
with God and in God and,
with complete abandonment to His will.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

entrusting ourselves to god bacci 16 july 2020

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY

Thought for the Day – 16 August – Work and Worry

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Work and Worry

work and worry - bacci 16 aug 2020

“When we recite the Lord’s Prayer, we say with confidence “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
This does not mean, however, that we renounce, in a spirit of fatalism, all right to action and initiative on our part.

“Faith,” says St James, “unless it has works, is dead in itself” (Js 2:17-26).
The same applies to charity (Js 2:13-17).

Faith and charity, must be accompanied by action, which should always be inspired by the interior life.
But our external activity should never be allowed to quench the flame of the divine life within us.
If this should happen, our labour would grow sterile and would receive no blessing from God.

We should work hard but should always act as if death might come at any moment.
In other words, we should not become completely absorbed in our work but should keep before our minds, the ideals of the glory of God, our own sanctification and the salvation of our neighbour.
If our efforts seem to be successful, we should thank God.
But, if all our work appears to be in vain, we should thank Him just the same, for such things happen with God’s permission.
Providence often guides events in it’s own way for the promotion of God’s glory and for our greater good, which can be achieved through our humiliation, as well as through our success.

If our spiritual outlook is in conformity with these principles, we shall be able to preserve our peace of mind, no matter how busy we may be.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, THE ASSUMPTION

Thought for the Day – 15 August – The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

The Assumption of
the Blessed Virgin Mary

“It is generally believed that Our Blessed Lady died, since she would not have wished to escape death anymore than her divine Son did.
Our Lord, however, had see her sharing in His agony and death upon Mount Calvary and He willed that her own death would be so peaceful as hardly to justify the name.

The just die, in the love of God and the Martyrs died, for the love of God.
But Mary died, consumed by the love of God.
It was not disease which brought an end to her life but love.
Her love for Jesus, was more ardent and more perfect, than that of any other creature.
She loved Him, when she held Him in her arms in the stable at Bethlehem, when she fled with Him into Egypt and, when she offered Him in the temple to His heavenly Father.
She loved Him, when she found Him after He had been lost and when she looked after Him in their home at Nazareth.
She loved Him, as she followed Him to His death on Calvary.
She loved Him, in the joy of His Resurrection and, subsequently, of His Ascension into Heaven.
Jesus desired her to remain on earth for a while, to comfort the infant Church and to initiate the loving patronage which she would exercise over it, in Heaven.
Her love grew, from day to day, until it entirely consumed her and her Immaculate Heart could no longer contain it.
Mary fulfilled, in a most perfect manner, the Creator’s command to His creatures, to love Him with all their hearts and with all their strength.
Consequently, her love reached such a peak, that her soul, in it’s final ecstasy, glided from her body.

Let us ask our Mother, Mary, to help us to die with the love and grace of God in our hearts and, with the names of Jesus and Mary on our lips.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci