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Posted in GOD is LOVE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 1 April – The Passion of Our Lord

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

The Passion of Our Lord

he came to bear the weight of our offences - bacci 1 april 2020

“The Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ is one of the most profound mysteries of our religion.
It is a mystery of infinite goodness and mercy, that, out of love for fallen humanity, the Eternal Word of God, should have assumed a human form and become man, in order to show us the way to Heaven and to enable us, to reach it.
Jesus came amongst us, to instruct us, to call us, to perfection and to give us, an example and the necessary help.
But He did much more than this.
He came also to bear the weight of our offences and to offer Himself, as a spotless victim of love and suffering in expiation of our sins.
All this, seems too great a mystery, almost inconceivable, in fact, until we consider that the charity of God is as infinite as His nature.
This is why, the Saints experienced hours of ecstasy contemplating the Passion and Death of our Divine Redeemer.
Whenever St Gertrude looked upon the figure of Jesus nailed to the Cross, she could not restrain her tears.
She was accustomed to say, that God was specially merciful towards those who meditated on the Passion and Death of Jesus.
St Bernard writes, that even as the rocks were rent asunder at the Death of Our Redeemer, so, our sin-hardened hearts, should feel as if they were breaking, when we meditate on His Sufferings.
Let us meditate, therefore, on the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
If we are sinners, as unfortunately, we all are, we shall we moved to weep for our sins.
If we are imperfect and lukewarm, we shall be set on fire with love and a determination, to requite, as far as possible, the infinite charity of Jesus Christ.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY

Thought for the Day – 31 March – Entertainment and Sport

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

Entertainment and Sport

“It is wrong to imagine that Christianity is a sad and gloomy religion.
Quite otherwise, it is the religion of joy, that is, which comes from God, from the serenity of a sound conscience and from the hope and sure expectation of the immeasurable happiness of heaven, after the trials of this world are over.
Other pleasures are passing and often leave behind disillusionment, boredom and remorse.
The happiness of living a sincere Christian life does not vanish, even in the midst of suffering, for it bestows an inner peace, which nothing else can give.
“The kingdom of God,” says St Paul, “does not consist in food and drink but in justice and peace and joy, in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).
“The fruit of the Spirit,” he says in his letter to the Galatians, “is charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness…” (Gal 5:22).
St John the Apostle, writing to the faithful of his time, encourages them to be joyful with the joy which comes from Jesus Christ.   “These things we write to you that you may rejoice and our joy may be full” (1 Jn 1:4).
It is not contrary to Christian teaching, to indulge in lawful recreation and amusement.
If a bow is drawn too tight, it snaps.
Our physical constitution demands that after our work, we should rest.
Resting does not mean idleness and inactivity but suitable recreation and entertainment.
God, Himself, set aside six days for working and one for repose.
This day of solemn repose, however, should be dedicated in a particular way to God, by the fulfilment of the obligations which the Church prescribes.
But, there is no question of our being forbidden to refresh ourselves, mentally and physically, on this day, by suitable entertainment.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

The image is, of course, our mountain-climbing Blessed,

Pier Giorgio Frassati OP (1901-1925)

entertainment and sport - bacci - 31 march 2020

Posted in GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE

Thought for the Day – 30 March – The Presence of God

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

The Presence of God

“God sees us always, for He is everywhere.
“In Him, we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)
We did not exist and He produced us from nothing, by His omnipotence.
If He did not support us continually, we should return to nothingness, for conservation is a continuous act of creation.
But He has given us immortal souls and has created us for Himself, so that we may serve, enjoy and love Him for all eternity.
We are always in His Presence.
He sees clearly, everything which we think, desire or do, even our most secret hidden actions.
Do we perfectly grasp this tremendous truth?
Are we aware of it, at every moment of our lives and do we make it the guide for our conduct?
If we were to live continually in the Presence of God, our lives would be angelic, rather than human, for we would not allow ourselves to commit even the slightest sin, nor to be guilty of the least thought, word or action, which might offend Him.
The more we fail in our awareness of the Presence of God, the more disordered our actions become.
Let us resolve, therefore, to live continually in the Presence of God and to direct all our thoughts, desires and actions towards Him.“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY

Thought for the Day – 29 March – Jesus Lost in the Temple

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

Jesus Lost in the Temple

The Gospel of St Luke relates that when Jesus was twelve years of age, He went with Mary and Joseph to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pasch.
When the feast was over, Our Lady and St Joseph set out on the return journey and, as was the custom, they went in separate caravans, one being for men and the other for women.
Each believed that the Child Jesus was in the other group but, at the end of the first day’s journey, they failed to find Him in either.
They were stricken with worry and sorrow and returned immediately to Jerusalem, where they searched anxiously for Him.
At last they found Him in the Temple.
There He was, carrying on a discussion in the midst of a gathering of doctors of the Law, who were amazed at the wisdom of His answers.
When the Blessed Virgin gently reproved Him, Jesus replied: “How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Cf Lk 2:41-51)
After this, He went back readily with them to Nazareth “and was subject to them.”
We have a great deal to learn from this chapter of the Gospel.
Above all, let us learn the humility and mildness of Jesus, Who quietly replied, in answer to Mary’s gentle reproach, that it was His special mission to look after the work of His Heavenly Father, for He owed obedience, in the first place, to God and then to men (Cf Acts 5:29).
What is our attitude when we are rebuked or criticised?
Are we humble in the manner of Jesus Christ?
Or, are we angry and resentful?
Let us earnestly examine ourselves in this matter.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on the CHURCH

Thought for the Day – 28 March – Conscience

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

Conscience

“Conscience is the inner judgement of the soul, which keeps us in full conformity with the law of God and the precepts of the Church, by indicating the principles in accordance with which we should act, from moment to moment.
Unfortunately, this judgement is not always enlightened and sincere.
Some people become so broad-minded, that they appear to have no conscience at all.
In their vocabulary, sins become mere acts of folly, scruples become melancholic tendencies which ought to be ignored and our natural weaknesses become necessary handicaps of nature, which we can do nothing to overcome.
As a result, they join their disorderly pleasures and sins of every kind, with the practice of their religion.
They imagine that they will be able to compensate for their offences against God, by their false and superficial sanctimoniousness.
But Jesus tells us: “You are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect (Mt 5:48).
Moreover, He has given us a law to be observed and has instituted the Church to interpret God’s law and to lay down for us, specific standards of behaviour.
Our Lord said to His Apostles and their successors: “He who hears you, hears me” (Lk 10:16).
He warns us that it is not enough to cry: “Lord, Lord! but it is necessary to do the will of His Father Who is in Heaven” (Mt 7:21).
He warns us, moreover, that “everyone who hears these, my words and does not act upon them, shall be likened to a foolish man who built his house on sand” (Mt 7:26).
We must form a reliable conscience in ourselves with the help of the Church’s teaching and the advice of a good Spiritual Director.
Then we must earnestly put it’s dictates into practice.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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

Thought for the Day – 27 March – The Human Soul

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

The Human Soul 

The human body is one of the most wonderful creations of God.
Unlike the bodies of most animals, it does not bend, towards the earth but stands up, towards the sky, in the direction of our true heavenly fatherland.
It communicates with creation outside it, by means of the five senses.
It has contact with other bodies too, as a way of making use of them, when the opportunity arises, by means of the sense of touch.
It has the sense of taste, to distinguish between different flavours and to act as a guide to it’s sustenance.
The sense of smell, enables it to experience perfumes and to avoid unhealthy odours.
By means of hearing and speech, it can communicate with other people, understand their ideas and express it’s own, as well as, listen to the wonderful music of creation.
Lastly, there is sight, the most astounding of the senses, which helps us o see in earthly objects, an enchanting reflection of the eternal Beauty of God.
The scientist is lost in admiration at the perfection of the human body and if his science is also wisdom, he should exclaim:  ‘This is the hand of God!’

Nevertheless, in comparison with the greatness of the human soul, the perfections of the body are quite insignificant.
The soul is like a breath of the Divine Spirit and a ray of the Divine Wisdom.
It is a simple, spiritual and immortal being, which bears in itself, the Image of God.
Unlike the body, it is not tied to this earth but can soar high above it, by means of it’s faculty of thought.
It can investigate the secrets of God’s own nature and is also capable of immense love.
We should indeed be grateful to God for His Infinite Goodness.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HUMAN DIGNITY, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Thought for the Day – 26 March – Why God Created Us

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

Why God Created Us

redeemed us by his precious blood - bacci 26 march 2020

“God is infinitely happy in Himself from all eternity.
He contemplates His own Essence, which contains evey beauty and perfection.
In the inconceivable joy of this contemplation, He generates the substantial image of Himself, which is the Eternal Word, “the brightness of his glory and the image of his substance.” (Heb 1:3)
When He contemplates Himself, in the the Eternal Word, He naturally loves Himself.
This substantial and infinite Love, proceeds from God, as an eternal principle, insofar, as He knows Himself and thence, proceeds from the Father, Who contemplates and the Word, Who is contemplated.
In this mysterious circle of the divine life, God enjoys an eternal, infinite and perfect happiness.
Consequently, He is not in need of anything.
Nevertheless, He wishes to radiate even outside of Himself, the splendour of His power, beauty and goodness.
He created the world and placed man in it, as the sovereign being.
Unfortunately, sin came to disturb our being and to deprive us of the splendour of divine grace and, in this way, it weakened the sovereignty, which God had given us over all other creatures.
But Jesus, the Eternal Word made man, has raised us once more to the supreme dignity of sons of God and heirs of Heaven.
These reflections should arouse immense gratitude to God on our part, because, He gave us life and made us masters of the universe.
They should also make us deeply grateful to Jesus, because, in His infinite mercy, He raised us up after we had fallen and redeemed us, with His own Precious Blood.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 25 March – Mortification and Penance

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

Mortification and Penance

“In Christian teaching, death is the beginning of life.
“Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies,” Jesus said, “it remains alone. But if it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He who loves his life, loses it and he, who hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life everlasting” (Jn 12:24-25).
This paradox of dying to this life in order to live in Heaven, was enacted in a wonderful way in the lives of Jesus and of the Saints.
It must be put into effect in our lives also, if we are to be genuine Christians.
Jesus shed His precious blood for us and His death was the beginning of His triumph.
The Apostles, Martyrs and Saints, gave their lives for Christ and received, as their reward, the happy and eternal life of Heaven.
By dying to our own ego and to our passions, we shall find the true life of Christ.
We must die to ourselves, so that Christ may live in us, as He lived in St Paul.
We must die to pride, so that Christian humility may live in us;
we must die to anger, so that patience may live in us;
we must die to lust, so that purity and innocence may live in us
and, we must die to selfishness, so that charity may live in us.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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

Thought for the Day – 24 March – The Power of God’s Love in the Christian Life

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

The Power of God’s Love in the Christian Life

“Everyday, in the lives of the Saints, was a continual act of love of God.
This was how they became holy.
They loved God intensely all the time.
They loved Him above all things.
Everything which they thought, desired or did, was directed to Him.
Their entire lives were consecrated to Him.
We should all desire to be holy, if we do, we must love God with our whole heart, strength and will.
Not until then, will every action of ours become meritorious.
Holiness is born of the love of God.
Without the love of God, everything is futile and useless; our conversation is so much idle chatter;  our desires are empty dreams which excite us for a while and then dissolve like bubbles of soap;  our actions are unprofitable and our enterprises are not aimed at a true objective;  our achievements can inflate us for a time but they will leave us disillusioned at the hour of death.
The love of God is necessary for us.
He alone is entirely worthy of our affection.
Other loves are passing but, this love is eternal.
Other loves confuse and trouble us but, the love of God gives us peace of soul.
Other loves weaken and vanish with time but, the love of God is the source of all holiness in this life and of eternal happiness in the next.
Why, then, do we not forget our worldly preoccupations?
Let us give our hearts to God forever and we shall be in possession of the one true happiness which never fades.“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Thought for the Day – 23 March – The Christian Formation of Character

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

The Christian Formation of Character

god's grace does not change nature - 23 march 2020 bacci

“Our temperament is often a burden to ourselves and can, at times, be the source of annoyance to others.
If we do nothing about it, it can be the cause of failings or of extremes of behaviour on our part, which we bitterly regret afterwards.
It is necessary, therefore, to form character in accordance with Christian principles.
We are in no danger of losing our individuality, by training our character in this way.
God’s grace does not change nature but elevates and improves it.
It is like a shoot, which we plant in the uncultivated soil of our own being.
The first fruits may be sour but after a while, they grow sweeter, while still preserving the essential taste and aroma of the mother-plant.
St Jerome was a headstrong and austere character and he continued to be so, even after the grace of God had transformed him and made him holy.
But his rugged nature was, at the same time, softened and strengthened by divine grace.
St Augustine had a great intellect and a great heart.
When he abandoned philosophical sophistry and worldly vanity, in order to dedicate these gifts to the service of God, he achieved a profundity of thought, never before attained by Christian wisdom.
We should behave in the same manner.
If we are hot-tempered, we should convert this tendency to anger, into hatred for sin.
If we are enthusiastic by nature, we should turn our enthusiasm into love for God and for our neighbour.
If we are high-spirited and energetic, we should devote ourselves to good works, for our own salvation and to the apostolate of souls.
How far have we advanced in the Christian transformation of our character?
Let us examine our progress and resolve to do better.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

One Minute Reflection – 23 March – “He reveals hidden meanings to little ones”

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One Minute Reflection – 23 March – Monday of the Fourth week of Lent, Readings: Isaiah 65:17-21, Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13, John 4:43-54 and the Memorial of St Rafqa (1832 – 1914)

“Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” … John 4:48

REFLECTION – “Whoever examines the majesty of God will be crushed by his glory” (Prv 25:27 Vg).   God can do works that pass man’s understanding. (…)   Faith is required of you and sincerity of life, not high intelligence, nor penetrating knowledge of the mysteries of God.   If you do not understand nor grasp what is below you, how will you comprehend what is above you?   Be subject to God, submit your feeling to the faith and the light of knowledge will be given to you as much as you need and can use.

Some have grave temptations concerning faith and sacrament, which are not to be imputed to them but rather, to the enemy.   Take no notice, do not argue with your thoughts, nor answer the doubts with which the devil attacks you, believe God’s word, believe His saints and prophets and the wicked enemy will be routed.   It is often most profitable to God’s servant to endure such things.   For the devil does not tempt the infidel or sinner, of whom he has already secure possession but he uses various means to tempt and harass the devout faithful.

Go on then, with simple unquestioning faith and approach the Sacrament with reverent beseeching.   Anything you cannot understand, commit it surely to God who is omnipotent.   God does not deceive you. the over-confident person deceives himself.  God walks in step with the simple ones, He shows Himself to the humble ones, He grants understanding to the little ones, “He reveals hidden meanings to little ones” and hides away His grace from the inquisitive and the proud.   Human reason is feeble and fallible but true faith cannot be deceived.   All use of reason, all human inquiry should walk in the footsteps of faith, it should not go on in front of it nor call it in question.” … Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)- The Imitation of Christ Bk IV #18john 4 48 unless you see signs - human reason is feeble - thomas a kempis 23 march 2020

PRAYER – Teach us Holy Father to do Your will! Grant us Your guiding hand and Your grace, that we may trust You in all things.   Strengthen us by Your grace and give us a heart willing to live by the love of Your Son, who so loved the world that He gave Himself up to death for our sake.   For if we love as He loved, nothing will lead us from You.  Grant that the prayers of our most loving and merciful Mother and the blessed loving faith of St Rafqa, may intercede in our necessities.   We make our prayer through the Christ, our Lord, one God with You and the Holy Spirit, now and for all eternity, amen.MARY HOLY MOTHER OF FAITH PRAY FOR US 23 MARCH 2020

ST RAFQA PRAY FOR US 23 MARCH 2020

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI

Thought for the Day – 22 March – Our Temperament

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

Our Temperament

the four temperaments - bacci 22 march 2020

“Just as every man has his own individual physical characteristics, he also has his own peculiar disposition.
It is our character which distinguishes us and makes us what we are.
Our basic temperament is neither good nor bad in itself.
It is a physical and spiritual disposition which can equally well impel us towards virtue as towards sin.
No two people are exactly alike in character but, it is possible to divide them all into four categories.
It is a rather artificial classification, of course, since everyone shares to a greater or less extent in the attributes proper to each of the categories.

We can broadly distinguish
(1) the sanguine,
(2) the nervous,
(3) the choleric and
(4) the phlegmatic type.

People belong to the first category are jolly folk, lively and intelligent and often impetuous.   They are easily incited to begin aiming at a good or a bad objective but usually, they lack constancy and tenacity of purpose.   Very often they fling themselves enthusiastically into an enterprise but abandon it for want of perseverance.

In the second category, the nervous system is developed to an exceptionally fine degree, in comparison with the other parts of the human organism.   These people are sensitive rather than active.   In their stable moments, they can accomplish a great deal in a very short time.   But, they are easily discouraged.   They are subject to depression and suffer a lot, sometimes purely as the result of a disordered imagination.   They need sympathy and understanding.

The choleric characters are impulsive and passionate. They have tremendous strength of will but this needs to be restrained and diverted into the right channels if it is not to overflow into all sorts of excesses.

The phlegmatic, on the other hand, are dull and apathetic by nature.   They never hurry. They never get excited.   They are cold, calculating and lacking in enthusiasm.   But they are masters of themselves and if they are intelligent and capable, they can do a great deal of work with the minimum effort and emerge successfully from the most difficult situations.

It is very helpful for a man to study and become acquainted with his own character, so that he may be able to form it, as he ought.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE

Thought for the Day – 21 March – Charitable Works

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

Charitable Works

“Christianity is the religion of love.
This is not to say that charity is sufficient, without justice, for there can be no real charity without justice.
But justice cannot always bring us very far.
There are many complex and tragic problems, which justice alone is powerless to solve.
Only Christian love can comfort the human heart and heal some of the deeper wounds of poor suffering humanity.
There is a sense, in which it is true to say, that Christianity is charity.
This is what Jesus meant when He said: “This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn 15:12). “God is love and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16).
Anyone who is without charity is not really a Christian.
Egoism is the absolute negation of Christianity.
The egoist is deaf to human sorrows and loves only himself.
A Christian should love God above all things and his neighbour as himself.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, St JOSEPH

Thought for the Day – 20 March – The Patronage of St Joseph

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

The Patronage of St Joseph

“St Joseph has been proclaimed Patron of the Universal Church, as he was Patron and Head of the Holy Family, from which the Church developed.
Devotion to St Joseph has increased greatly in recent Centuries, so much so, that nowadays, his name is always linked with the names of Jesus and Mary.

St John Chrysostom had already spoken of St Joseph with the utmost veneration.
He interpreted the expression ‘just,’ applied to Joseph in the Gospel (Mt 1:19), as indicating the synthesis of all the virtues.
At a later date, St Bernardine of Siena wrote in praise of the power and holiness of St Joseph and roused the faithful to an increased devotion to the Holy Patriarch.
St Therese of the Child Jesus had great devotion to him and claimed that she invariably received any favour for which she asked, through his intercession.
Many other Saints had the same experience.

We also should have recourse to St Joseph in our spiritual and bodily necessities.
St Joseph had to endure a great deal in order to provide for the wants of the Holy Family and to protect them from the many dangers which threatened them.
For this reason, he is especially attentive to requests of any kind, as long as they are made with a lively faith and submission to the Will of God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING

Thought for the Day – 18 March – Privation

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

Privation

“We must all experience privation, because everybody, has to do without something, in this life.
Some people are never in good health.   Besides their actual sufferings, they have to put up with their inability to work or to enjoy themselves.
Others, have no means of earning their livelihood.   Their lives are a daily battle, not merely against poverty but against squalor and wretchedness.   They have not enough bread to eat, nor have they homes where they and their families, can live.
In families where there is no such want, on the other hand, there may be no peace in the home.
Individuals, too, can lack peace of soul, because they are ridden by false ambition or jealousy.
Other people have a plentiful supply of this world’s comforts but, are destitute of the most necessary thing in life, which is goodness.
They are depressed because they have become slaves to sin.

Is there any remedy for all these privations and sorrows?
Yes! we must embrace our cross.
We must turn confidently to God and ask Him that may be resigned to doing without, those temporal things, of which we are deprived.
We must ask Him for the grace to rise from our sins and climb towards Christian perfection.
There is no use in revolting, nor, in despairing.
There is no real happiness in this world.
If we are vexed and rebellious, our cross grows heavier.
If we accept privation from God’s Hands, we are soon consoled.“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

 

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2020, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Lenten Reflection – 18 March – Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ

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Lenten Reflection – 18 March – Wednesday of the Third week of Lent, Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9, Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20, Matthew 5:17-19

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

“Think not that I have come to abolish the law
and the prophets, I have come,
not to abolish them but to fulfil them.”…Matthew 5:17

wed-of-the-third-week-lent-matthew-5-17-27-march-2019 and 18 march 2020

Daily Meditation:
The law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

“In Him the promise made through the shadows of prophecy stands revealed, along with the full meaning of the precepts of the law.   He is the one who teaches the truth of prophecy through His presence and makes obedience to the commandments possible through grace.
In the preaching of the holy Gospel all should receive a strengthening of their faith.   No-one should be ashamed of the Cross of Christ, through which the world has been redeemed.
No-one should fear to suffer for the sake of justice, no-one should lose confidence in the reward that has been promised.   The way to rest is through toil, the way to life is through death.   Christ has taken on Himself the whole weakness of our lowly human nature.   If then we are steadfast in our faith in Him and in our love for Him, we win the victory that He has won, we receive what He has promised.
When it comes to obeying the commandments or enduring adversity, the words uttered by the Father should always echo in our ears – “This is my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased, listen to Him.” … St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) – An excerpt from Sermo 51the way to rest is through toil the way to life is through death - st pope leo the great 18 march 2020

He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 147:20

Intercessions:
Blessed be God, the giver of salvation, who decreed that mankind should become a new creation in Himself, when all would be made new. With great confidence let us ask Him:
Lord, renew us in Your Spirit.

Lord, You promised a new heaven and a new earth; renew us daily through Your Spirit,
– that we may enjoy Your presence forever in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Help us to work with You to make this world alive with Your Spirit,
– and to build on earth a city of justice, love and peace.
Free us from all negligence and sloth,
– and give us joy in Your gifts of grace.
Deliver us from evil,
– and from slavery to the senses, which blinds us to goodness.
Closing Prayer:

O Sweet Name of Jesus
By Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

O sweet Name of Jesus,
holy above all names
in heaven and on earth
and to which every knee,
both of men and of angels in heaven,
on earth and in hell bends.
You are the Way of the just,
the Glory of the saints,
the Hope of those in need,
the Balm of the sick,
the Love of the devout
and the Consolation
of those that suffer.
O, Jesus be to me a help and a protector
so that Your Name may be blessed for all times.
Ameno sweet name of jesus - thomas a kempis - 6 jan 2018

“Where can we fix our gaze, then, throughout this Lenten journey?
Upon the Crucified One.
Jesus on the cross is life’s compass, which directs us to heaven.
The poverty of the wood, the silence of the Lord, His loving self-emptying,
show us the necessity of a simpler life, free from anxiety about things.
From the cross, Jesus teaches us the great courage involved in renunciation.”

Pope Francis

Basilica of Santa Sabina
Ash Wednesday, 6 March 2019where can we fix our gaze - upon the crucified one - pope francis 18 march 2020

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Thought for the Day – 17 March – The Consolation of Prayer

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

The Consolation of Prayer

if we look for consolation let us look for it before the altar bacci 17 march 2020

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!   My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord.   My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.   Even the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest in which she puts her young – your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God! Happy they who dwell in your house!   Continually, they praise you” (Psalm 83:1-5).

It is in these colourful words that the Psalmist expresses his longing for the house of God, where he can retire to pray and find comfort for his soul.
The Saints also found happiness in long hours of prayer before their Creator.
Any consolation which the world can give us is shadowy and elusive compared with the peace which God gives those, who, in the greatness of their faith and love, shut out all thought of earthly things in order to kneel before His Tabernacle and converse with Him.
If we need consolation, let us look for it before the Altar.
Only there, will our unlimited desire for true and lasting peace find satisfaction.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 16 March – How We Should Pray

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

How We Should Pray

“When Jesus asked us to pray, He promised to answer our prayers.
“Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you” (Mt 7:7).
“If you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you,” (Jn 16:23).
God cannot break His promises.
Why, then, do our prayers often seem to remain unanswered?
There are several reasons but the main one is that which is pointed out by St James.
“You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss” (Js 4:3).
Some people say a few prayers with their lips only but without any real faith or confidence that they will be answered.
Jesus told the heartbroken father who begged Him to free his son from an evil spirit: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him who believes” (Mk 9:22).
Then He healed the unfortunate boy.
It is necessary to have complete confidence if we wish our prayers to be answered.

Other people ask for worldly favours without ever giving a thought to their spiritual welfare.
But Jesus taught us to act otherwise.
“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice and all these things shall be given unto you besides” (Mt 6:33).
There are those who look for favours, such as bodily health or riches which, if they obtained them, could lead to their spiritual destruction.

Sometimes God delays His answer in order to test our faith and perseverance.
It is important that we should pray with a right intention, with faith and perseverance and, with resignation to God’s Will.
We must realise clearly, God will grant us whatever is best for us, at the most suitable moment! Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 15 March – Prayer as a Necessary Means of Salvation

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

Prayer as a Necessary Means of Salvation

“St Augustine calls prayer “the key to Heaven.”
We should acknowledge the infinite goodness of God in giving us such an easy means of salvation, for when He gave us prayer, He gave us the key to His Kingdom of Heaven.
He invites us earnestly to pray.
“Ask and it shall be given you;  seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you” (C. Mt 7:7, Lk 11:9).
“If you ask the Father anything in my name, He will give it to you” (Cf Jn 16:23)
“Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation” (Cf Mt 26:41, Mk 14:38).
When Jesus was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, His Apostles became tired and sleepy.
He rebuked them gently and asked them for the second time to pray, that they might not yield to temptation.
He makes this request of us also.
We grow weary and apathetic as the Apostles did, while the devil is busy with his evil suggestions and the dangers of the world surround us.
We have constant need of the grace of God to prevent us from falling.
Let us pray fervently and bear in mind the advice of St Alphonsus:  “If you give up praying, you will certainly be damned.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

 

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Thought for the Day – 14 March – The Spirit of Prayer

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

The Spirit of Prayer

Our Lord warned His disciples that “They must always pray and not lose heart ” (Luke 18:1).
But how is it possible to pray always?
One might decide that His command was intended for monks and hermits, dedicated to the contemplative life and not for men living in the midst of the daily preoccupations of the world.
But this is not so.
Properly interpreted, Christ’s precept holds good for everybody.
We must pray always in the sense that we must remain always united to God in mind and heart.
“Whether you eat or drink, or do anything else,” says St Paul, “do all for the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31).
“Whatever you do, in word or in work,” he repeats elsewhere, “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col 3:17).
In other words, whatever we are doing, even if it is something very simple, like eating or drinking, we should do it in the name of Jesus and for the glory of God.
Once we understand it in this way, the Gospel precept transforms all our actions into prayer.
The spirit of prayer should accompany us everywhere.
In all our actions and conversations, no matter how far we may travel, we should remain close to Jesus.
One brief act of attentiveness to God, repeated from time to time, is enough to change all our actions and our entire life into a continual prayer.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 13 March – Prayer

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

Prayer

what is prayer - bacci - 13 march 2020

“What is prayer?
It is not simply a request for some favour or grace.
It is much more than this.
It is a raising of the mind and heart to God, in order to adore, praise, love and appease Him.
It is an intimate conversation with God, or with Our Lady, or with any of the Saints.
It is wonderfully consoling to be able to place ourselves quietly in the presence of God and open our hearts to Him.
We can make known to Him our weaknesses, our desires and our resolutions.
We can tell Him how much we long to love Him and to do His will in all things.
We can tell Him how much we need His grace, because we are incapable of achieving anything without Him.
We can tell Him that we long to love, adore and serve Him and to lead others to do likewise.
If we pray in this fashion, we can be sure, that God will hear us.
If He obliges us to wait for an answer, it is because He wishes to test our faith and love.
Even during such a period of trial, our prayers will still reach the throne of God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

it is wonderfully consoling - bacci 13 march 2020

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Thought for the Day – 12 March -Detachment from the World

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

Detachment from the World

“It is very difficult to detach ourselves from worldly affairs and remain always united to God.
Nevertheless, St Ignatius Loyola often exclaimed: “How ugly the earth seems when I look towards Heaven!”
The Saints saw the things of this world in the light of God.
They recognised how insignificant this world is, beside the infinite splendour of God.
They realised that earthly things cannot satisfy the human heart, nor assuage the restlessness of the soul, which was created for God.
We, on the other hand, become too attached to worldly goods.
It may happen that our hearts become absorbed in them.
Let us reflect on the unimportance of this world.
There are myriad of stars in the firmament, many of which are far larger than our earth or sun.
Some, like Andromeda, are 250,000 light years distant from us;  others, like the Triangle, are 280,000 light years away, while still others, are probably much farther.
All obey exactly the plan of their Creator.
How tiny our earth is by comparison!
How insignificant we ourselves are!
Why should we become so attached to the things of this earth?
God alone is great.
He alone should occupy our minds and hearts.
We have been made for Him alone.“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 11 March – The Growth of Jesus

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

The Growth of Jesus

We read, in the Gospel of St Luke, that “Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace before God and men” (2:52).
Jesus as God, was the infinite wisdom of the Father and could not, therefore, advance in wisdom.
He was eternal and could not advance in age.
He was the source and giver of grace, so could not make progress in this regard.
As man, however, Jesus wished that the external development of all His powers should correspond with His advance in age.
He wished to display His wisdom and holiness, in a gradual manner.
He did this, in order to set an example.
The life of a Christian, should be a gradual advance towards God, towards wisdom and holiness.
“You, therefore, are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
Every true Christian aims at making constant progress towards perfection.
The imperfect, must correct their failings and master their evil inclinations.
The lukewarm, must try to be more fervent in prayer and good works.
Those who are good, must try to be better.
Those who are holy, must go on increasing in sanctity (Cf Apoc 22:11).

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SILENCE

Thought for the Day – 10 March – The Hidden Life of Jesus

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

The Hidden Life of Jesus

“It is an amazing thought, that Jesus, the eternal wisdom of the Father, should have chosen to live quietly for thirty years in a carpenter’s workshop, along with his supposed father Joseph.
He could have confounded the philosophers of Greece and Rome with His infinite wisdom.
He could have attracted crowds by His miracles and drawn the attention of the whole world.
But He preferred silence and a busy hidden life.
Why?
Because men needed to learn one thing before anything else.
It was a simple thing but difficult to practise.
It was humility they needed to hear, for humility was to be the foundation of the giant structure which He had come to raise up and whose spire, was to reach to Heaven!
If this edifice, the Church, was to be so high, it’s foundation would have to be very deep.
Let us learn this lesson of humility and silence from the hidden life of Jesus.

The tendency in modern times, even in regard to spiritual projects, is to try and draw attention and admiration.
Perhaps this is why these projects are so often unsuccessful.
Like the seed, thrown by the sower upon the hard ground, they wither away, because, they have no moisture. (Cf Lk 8:6).
Without humility, a great deal of noise can be made but nothing supernatural is achieved.
The first lesson we must learn from Jesus, is the silence and recollection of the interior life.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

 

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Thought for the Day – 9 March – The Obedience of Jesus

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

The Obedience of Jesus

“Many people are anxious to be in a position to give orders but few wish to have to obey them.
This is because there are so few humble men and so many, who love to make a display.
The moral of the Gospel in this regard, is completely opposed to worldly standards.
The Gospel shows us how the Word of God came down from the glory of Heaven in order to become a man like us and to live for thirty years subject to Mary and Joseph.
He became, moreover, “obedient to death, even to death on a cross” (Phil 2:8).
“Therefore, God also has exalted him and has bestowed upon him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess, that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-11).
If we wish to follow Jesus, we must not aim at seeming important but, at becoming humble.
We must not seek to command but to obey.
Then, we shall also be taken up into the glory of God the Father, where we shall be rewarded for our humility and obedience.
If we are placed by Divine Providence in a position of authority, let us accept it as a cross, as St Pius X did when he was elected Pope.
But let us remain essentially humble.
Let us give orders pleasantly and gently and act sternly, only when it is absolutely necessary.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

 

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Thought for the Day – 24 February – Avarice and Ambition

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

Avarice and Ambition

“The unscrupulous businessman and the careerist, have an ugly attitude to life.
The former, is concerned only, with securing the highest possible profits, by any means whatever, licit or illicit.
The accumulation of money and wealth, is like a fever, which torments and brutalises the mind and heart.
It extinguishes all noble human sentiment, moreover, it destroys religion.

Careerism, is a similar kind of viciousness.
The careerist is driven by a mad desire to carve out a career for himself at all costs, even, if he has to make use of lies, adulation and bribery, in the pursuit of his ambition.
His ambition, is to win glory and esteem and to hold the highest and most honourable positions, which, naturally, command the best salaries, as well.

The Gospel is severe in it’s warning to these two classes of people.
“What does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world but suffer the loss of his own soul?” (Mt 16:25).
“Seek the kingdom of God and his justice and all these things shall be given you besides” (Mt 6:33, Lk 12:31).”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 23 February – The Sacrament of Penance

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

The Sacrament of Penance

“Sin is the shipwreck of the soul.
If the sin is serious, it is a fatal shipwreck.
Confession is the only plank to which we can safely cling, if we want to be brought back to the harbour of God’s grace.
Admittedly, in cases of necessity, we can regain God’s friendship equally well, by an act of perfect contrition, along with the intention of going to confession.
But, an act of perfect contrition demands an act of perfect love of God, which is not altogether easy.
There can always be a doubt as to whether we have achieved the necessary degree of perfection.
If, on the other hand, we receive the Sacrament of Penance with the proper dispositions, not only will it give us grace but confidence and peace of mind as well.
This sacrament, has been very appropriately called, the masterpiece of God’s mercy.
What would be our fate, poor sinners that we are, if God had not given the Apostles and their successors in the Priesthood, the sacramental power of forgiving sins?
We should be very grateful to God, for this great gift!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 22 February – Why Should It Happen to Me?

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

Why Should It Happen to Me?

“When we are overtaken by some unexpected misfortune or sorrow, or are forced to undertake an unusually difficult job, we often forget to surrender ourselves into the hands of God and pray for help and peace of mind.
Instead, we feel annoyed and discouraged and give vent to our feelings in a most unchristian manner.
“Why should it happen to me?“
This is the reaction of many people in such cases.
“It had to happen to me!” they say.
They forget that sanctity involves sacrifice, self-denial and resignation to the Will of God.
“The kingdom of heaven has been enduring violent assault and the violent have been seizing it by force,” the Gospel says (Mt 11:12).
In other words, if a man wants to win Heaven, he must be stern with himself and establish control over any perverse tendencies in his own nature.“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

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Thought for the Day – 21 February – Lord, That I May See!

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

Lord, That I May See!

“When Jesus was approaching the gates of Jericho one day, a blind man was sitting on the ground, begging for alms.
He heard the sound of a crowd on the road and asked, what was happening.
He was informed that Jesus was passing.
Then he experienced a sudden upsurge of faith and shouted out: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
The people who were in front, rebuked him and told him to be quiet.
But he cried out in an even louder voice: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!”
Then Jesus stopped and turned towards him.
He gave orders that the man should be brought nearer to Him.
“What wouldst thou have me to do for thee?” He asked.
“Lord,” the blind man replied, “that I may see.”
Merciful, as always, Jesus answered in a tone of command.
“Receive thy sight, thy faith has saved thee.”
Immediately, the blind man was able to see and he followed Our Lord, crying out in praise of God (Lk 18:35-43; Mk 10:46-52).

Read the simple and vivid account of this incident in the Gospel.
Mediate on the infinite goodness of Jesus, Who, is always ready to come to our relief.
Meditate also, on the lively and spontaneous faith of this poor blind man.
If our faith were of the same quality as his, we could obtain everything we asked from God.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on JUSTICE, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 20 February – The Five Tribunals

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

The Five Tribunals

the five tribunals of justice - bacci 20 feb 2020

“We can distinguish five courts of justice, each of which, passes sentence on us.
(1) The first, is the tribunal of public opinion, of which some people are so afraid.
(2) Then, there is our own conscience, which shows, us what we are and what we ought to be.
(3) The third, is the tribunal of Penance, and
(4) the fourth is the civil court.
(5) Lastly, there is the judgement seat of God, before which, we shall have to appear one day with all our sins and our few merits.

Public opinion can be deceived by subterfuge and hyprocisy.
Conscience can be ignored, or, it can become warped or deadened.
The tribunal of Penance, can be misused and we can remain obdurate in our sins.
Civil authority can sometimes be evaded, it is also open to deception and corruption.
But, the tribunal of God is different.
We shall be alone before Him – fraud and deceit will be useless.
There will be no excuses, no defence.
Everything will be clear and His judgement, will be just and unchangeable.
Let us reflect on this while we have time.
Let us adopt the necessary remedies, for soon, there will be no more time!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci