PRACTISING CATHOLIC – Page 18

DOMINICAN OP, franciscan OFM, MARIAN QUOTES, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 23 January – The Memorial of St Ildephonsus (607-667), Blessed Henry Suso OP (1295-1366) and St Marianne Cope (1838-1918)

Posted on January 23, 2019January 23, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 23 January – The Memorial of St Ildephonsus (607-667), Blessed Henry Suso OP (1295-1366) and St Marianne Cope (1838-1918)

“Go to Mary and sing her praises
and you will be enlightened.
For it is through her,
that the true Light
shines on the sea of this life.”

St Ildephonsus (607-667)

“Suffering is the ancient law of love;
there is no quest without pain;
there is no lover,
who is not also a martyr.”

Blessed Henry Suso (1295-1366)

“Try to accept what God
is pleased to give you
no matter how bitter –
‘God wills it’,
is the thought
that will strengthen you
and help you over
the hard places
if we wish to be
true children of God.”

“Our dear
heavenly Mother Mary…
how little do our trials
and sorrows appear
when compared
to her bitter sufferings.”

St Marianne Cope (1838-1918)

CATECHESIS, CATHOLIC Quotes, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, SPEAKING of ....., The SIGN of the CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 17 January – The Sign of the Cross

Posted on January 17, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 17 January – Thursday of the First week in Ordinary Time and The Memorial of St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

Speaking of: The Sign of the Cross

“The illusions of this world soon vanish,
especially if a man arms himself with
the Sign of the Cross.
The devils tremble
at the Sign of the Cross of our Lord,
by which He triumphed over
and disarmed them.”

St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

“Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified.
Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers
on our brow and in everything;
over the bread we eat and the cups we drink;
in our comings in and goings out;
before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake;
when we are in the way and when we are still.
Great is that preservative;
it is without price, for the poor’s sake;
without toil, for the sick, since also its grace is from God.
It is the Sign of the faithful and the dread of evils;
for He has triumphed over them in it,
having made a shew of them openly;
for when they see the Cross, they are reminded of the Crucified;
they are afraid of Him, Who hath bruised the heads of the dragon.
Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the Gift
but for this rather honour thy Benefactor.”

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

“The sign of the cross
is the most terrible weapon
against the devil.
Thus the Church wishes not only,
that we have it continually
in front of our minds,
to recall to us
just what our souls are worth
and what they cost Jesus Christ
but also that we should make it
at every juncture ourselves:
when we go to bed,
when we awaken during the night,
when we get up,
when we begin any action,
and, above all,
when we are tempted.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“The cross is the badge that shows who we are –
our speaking, thinking, looking, working,
we are under the sign of the cross,
that is, the love of Jesus, to the end.”

“Making the sign of the cross when we wake up,
before meals, before a danger, to defend against evil,
at night before sleep means to tell ourselves
and others who we belong to, who we want to be.”

Pope Francis

3 Things to Know about the Cross – Fr Mike Schmitz

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One Minute Reflection – 17 January – “If you will, you can make me clean.”…Mark 1:40

Posted on January 17, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 17 January – Thursday of the First week in Ordinary Time – Gospel Mark 1:40–45 and the Memorial of St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”…Mark 1:40

REFLECTION – “It is possible to see leprosy as a symbol of sin, which is the true impurity of heart that can distance us from God. It is not in fact the physical disease of leprosy that separates us from God, as the ancient norms supposed but sin, spiritual and moral evil. The sins that we commit distance us from God and, if we do not humbly confess them, trusting in divine mercy, they will finally bring about the death of the soul. This miracle thus has a strong symbolic value. Jesus, as Isaiah had prophesied, is the Servant of the Lord who “has borne our griefs / and carried our sorrows” (Is 53: 4). In His Passion He will become as a leper, made impure by our sins, separated from God, He will do all this out of love, to obtain for us reconciliation, forgiveness and salvation. In the Sacrament of Penance, the Crucified and Risen Christ purifies us through His ministers with His infinite mercy, restores us to communion with the heavenly Father and with our brothers and makes us a gift of His love, His joy and His peace.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us invoke the Virgin Mary whom God preserved from every stain of sin so that she may help us to avoid sin and to have frequent recourse to the Sacrament of Confession, the sacrament of forgiveness, whose value and importance for our Christian life must be rediscovered today.”…Pope Benedict XVI – Angelus 15 February 2009

PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, we make our prayer to You at morning, noon and evening. Dispel from our hearts, the darkness of sin and bring us to the true light, Christ Your Son. Grant that through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Anthony Abbot, we may deny ourselves and love You above all things. Through Jesus, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen. blessed virgin mary pray for us 17 jan 2019.jpg agostinocarracci_thetemptationofstanthonyabbot-detail-pray-for-us-17-jan-2017-picjpg.jpg

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Our Morning Offering – 14 January – Month of the Holy Name of Jesus

Posted on January 14, 2019January 14, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 14 January – Month of the Holy Name of Jesus

The Golden Arrow

May the most holy,
most sacred,
most adorable,
most mysterious
and unutterable Name of God
be always praised,
blessed,
loved,
adored
and glorified in heaven.
on earth and under the earth,
by all the creatures of God
and by the Sacred Heart
of our Lord Jesus Christ
in the most Holy Sacrament
of the altar.
Amen

This prayer was revealed by Jesus Himself to Sr Marie of St Peter, a Carmelite Nun of Tours in 1843 as a reparation for blasphemy. “This Golden Arrow will wound My Heart delightfully,” He said “and heal the wounds inflicted by blasphemy.”

When it comes to our salvation. the Golden Arrow is no magic bullet. Still it can bring us closer to Christ by helping to make amends for the many insults He suffers on a daily basis. Today, as in Sister Mary’s time, we often read and hear harsh, offensive language about our Lord.
Have you ever noticed how many such abusive comments come especially from those considered most sophisticated in our society? We’ve also seen television shows and movies that attempt to strip away Christ’s Divinity and His Dignity, much as those who jeered at Him during His Passion.
There are also more than a few “smart” people these days who would rather think of our Lord just as some philosopher and leave it at that. This prayer can help us all, provide our Lord with comfort, for these various slings and arrows, He suffers each day!

PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 12 January – St Aelred of Rievaulx OCSO (1110-1167)

Posted on January 12, 2019January 12, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 12 January – 6th day after Epiphany and The Memorial of St Aelred of Rievaulx OCSO (1110-1167)

“Charity may be
a very short word
but with its tremendous
meaning of pure love,
it sums up man’s
entire relation to God
and to his neighbour.”

St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)

Aelred of Rievaulx on Jesus Christ as the model of brotherly love and patience through His forgiveness of persecutors and enemies and His prayer from the cross
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

“The perfection of brotherly love lies in the love of one’s enemies. We can find no greater inspiration for this, than grateful remembrance of the wonderful patience of Christ. He who is more fair than all the sons of men, offered His fair face to be spat upon by sinful men; He allowed those eyes that rule the universe to be blindfolded by wicked men; He bared His back to the scourges; He submitted that head which strikes terror in principalities and powers, to the sharpness of the thorns; He gave Himself up to be mocked and reviled and, at the end, endured the cross, the nails, the lance, the gall, the vinegar, remaining always gentle, meek and full of peace.

In short, He was led like a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb before the shearers, He kept silent and did not open His mouth.

Who could listen to that wonderful prayer, so full of warmth, of love, of unshakeable serenity – Father, forgive them – and hesitate to embrace his enemies with overflowing love? Father, He says, forgive them! Is any gentleness, any love, lacking in this prayer?

Yet He put into it something more. It was not enough to pray for them – He wanted also to make excuses for them. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. They are great sinners, yes but they have little judgement; therefore, Father, forgive them. They are nailing me to the cross but they do not know who it is that they are nailing to the cross – if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory, therefore, Father, forgive them. They think it is a lawbreaker, an impostor claiming to be God, a seducer of the people. I have hidden my face from them and they do not recognise my glory, therefore, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

If someone wishes to love himself he must not allow himself to be corrupted by indulging his sinful nature. If he wishes to resist the promptings of his sinful nature he must enlarge the whole horizon of his love to contemplate the loving gentleness of the humanity of the Lord. Further, if he wishes to savour the joy of brotherly love, with greater perfection and delight, he must extend even to his enemies the embrace of true love.

But if he wishes to prevent this fire of divine love from growing cold because of injuries received, let him keep the eyes of his soul always fixed on the serene patience of his beloved Lord and Saviour.”

This excerpt from the Mirror of Love by Saint Aelred of Rievaulx, abbot (Lib 3, 5: PL 195, 382) focuses on Christ as the supreme model of brotherly love, shown primarily in His love of persecutors and enemies. It is used in the Roman Catholic Office of Readings for Friday of the 1st week in Lent with the accompanying biblical reading taken from Exodus 12: 21-36.

St Aelred, Pray for Us!

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One Minute Reflection – 7 January – Monday after Epiphany – Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Posted on January 7, 2019January 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 7 January – Monday after Epiphany – Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25 and the Memorial of St Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275) “Father of Canon Law”

“…the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light and for those, who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned.”…Matthew 4:16

REFLECTION – “All these things we know to have taken place ever since the three wise men, aroused in their far-off land, were led by a star to recognise and worship the King of heaven and earth. The responsiveness of that star exhorts us to imitate it’s obedience and, as much as we can, to make ourselves servants of that grace which invites us all to Christ. For, whoever lives religiously and chastely in the Church and “sets his mind on the things which are above, not on the things that are upon the earth” (Col 3:2) resembles that heavenly light in a certain sense. So long as he maintains in himself the brightness of a holy life, he points out to many, like a star, the way that leads to God. All having this concern, dearly-beloved… you will shine in the Kingdom like children of light.”…St Pope Leo the Great (400-461) Father & Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – Lord, may the radiance of Your glory, light up our hearts and bring us through the shadows of this world, until we reach our homeland of everlasting light. Grant we pray, that by the intercession of St Raymond of Peñafort , our way may be smoothed and our troubles eased. We ask this through Jesus, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. st raymond of penafort pray for us 7 jan 2019

MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, THE EPIPHANY of the LORD, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, Thomas a Kempis

Sunday Reflection – 6 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Posted on January 6, 2019January 7, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 6 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

“What other people are so fortunate as the Christian people? What creature under heaven is so beloved as a devout soul into whom God comes, in order to feed him with His own glorious Body and Blood? O grace unspeakable, O marvellous condescension, O love without measure, bestowed only on human beings!

There is nothing I can give to the Lord for this grace – this supreme love; nothing acceptable I can offer Him but my heart entirely given to God and closely united to Him. Then, all that is within me will be filled with joy, when my soul is perfectly one with God.

Then He will say to me: “If you will be with Me, I will be with you.” And I will answer Him and say: “Stay with me, Lord, I implore You, for my desire is to be with You.”

This is my whole desire – that my heart be united to You.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

Book 4-Chapter 13 #3
Blessed Sacrament

CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Thought for the Day – 6 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Posted on January 6, 2019January 6, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 6 January – The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord – Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

“They saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage”...Matthew 2:11

The magi find a poor young woman with a poor child wrapped in poor linen bands… and yet, on entering this cave, they feel a joy never experienced before… The divine Infant’s expression lights up, sign of the loving delight with which He welcomes them as the first conquest of His redeeming work. Then the holy kings turn their eyes to Mary, who does not speak, remaining silent, yet her face, reflecting joy and shining with a heavenly sweetness, confirms that she welcomes them and is grateful to them for being the first to recognise her Son for who He is – their Sovereign Lord…

O Child so worthy of our love, I see You lying on the straw in this cave, so poor and despised. Yet faith teaches me that You are my God come down from heaven for my salvation. I acknowledge You as my Sovereign Lord and Saviour, as such I proclaim You, yet I have nothing at all to offer You. I am without love’s gold, since I have given my love to the things of this world – I have only loved my own whim, rather than loving You, so infinitely worthy of love. I am without prayer’s incense since I have lived wretchedly without thinking of You. I have no myrrh of mortification since, so as not to forsake some paltry pleasures, I have so often saddened Your infinite goodness. So what am I to offer You? O my Jesus, I offer You my heart, soiled and naked as it is. Take it and change it, for You have come down to us to wash our guilty hearts with Your blood and so transform us from sinners into saints. O grant me that gold, incense and myrrh that I lack. Grant me the gold of Your holy love; grant me the incense that is the spirit of prayer; grant me myrrh, the willingness and strength to deny myself in all that displeases You…

O holy Virgin, you welcomed those devout magi kings with keen affection and satisfied them. Deign to welcome and comfort me also, I who come, following their example, to visit and offer myself to your Son. i acknowledge you as my lord and saviour - st alphonsus 6 jan 2019

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 4 January – Eucharistic Adoration

Posted on January 4, 2019January 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 4 January – The Memorial of St Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821) and St Manuel Gonzalez Garcia (1877–1940) the “Apostle of the Abandoned Tabernacles”

“God is everywhere, in the very air I breathe,
yes everywhere
but in His Sacrament of the Altar
He is as present actually and really
as my soul within my body;
in His Sacrifice daily offered
as really as once offered on the Cross!”

“Our Lord Himself I saw in this venerable Sacrament . . .
I felt as if my chains fell, as those of St Peter,
at the touch of the Divine messenger.”

“How sweet, the presence of Jesus
to the longing, harassed soul!
It is instant peace and balm to every wound.”

St Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821)

“My faith was looking at Jesus
through the door of that tabernacle,
so silent, so patient, so good, gazing right back at me…
His gaze was telling me much and asking me for more.
It was a gaze in which all the sadness of the Gospels was reflected;
the sadness of ‘no room in the Inn”;
the sadness of those words, “Do you also want to leave me?”;
the sadness of poor Lazarus begging for crumbs from the rich man’s table;
the sadness of the betrayal of Judas,
the denial of Peter,
of the soldier’s slap,
of the spittle of the Praetorium
and the abandonment of all.”

“The Heart of Jesus in the tabernacle looks at me.
He looks at me always.
He looks at me everywhere.
He looks at me as if He doesn’t have
anyone else to look at but me.”

St Manuel Gonzalez Garcia (1877–1940)
“Apostle of the Abandoned Tabernacles”

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, Our MORNING Offering, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering on the Memorial of St Manuel Gonzalez Garcia (1877–1940) the “Apostle of the Abandoned Tabernacles” – 4 January

Posted on January 4, 2019January 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering on the Memorial of St Manuel Gonzalez Garcia (1877–1940) the “Apostle of the Abandoned Tabernacles” – 4 January

St Manuel has written much, 3 volumes full and many prayers and devotions related to Eucharistic Adoration and the Holy Eucharist but thus far, only 1% of his works have been translated from the original Spanish. So today we pray via St John Paul, another great advocate of Eucharist Adoration and the Holy Eucharist.

Prayer for the Spread of Perpetual Adoration
By St Pope John Paul (1920-2005)

Heavenly Father,
increase our faith in the Real Presence of Your Son,
Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.
We are obliged to adore Him,
to give Him thanks
and to make reparation for sins.
We need Your peace in our hearts
and among nations.
We need conversion from our sins
and the mercy of Your forgiveness.
May we obtain this through prayer
and our union with the Eucharistic Lord.
Please send down the Holy Spirit upon all peoples
to give them the love, courage, strength and willingness,
to respond to the invitation to Eucharistic Adoration.
We beseech You to spread Perpetual Adoration
of the Most Blessed Sacrament in parishes around the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.
Amen prayer for the spread of eucharistic adoration by st pope john paul 4 jan 2019

Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament
Help us to spread the glory of Your Son
through Perpetual Adoration.

On 2 December 1981 St Pope John Paul II inaugurated Perpetual
Adoration in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of St Peter’s Basilica with a Mass.
At the end of the Mass following exposition of the Blessed Sacrament he prayed,
in part: (see above) (L’Osservatore Romano, Dec. 14, 1981))

Stay with Us
By St Pope John Paul (1920-2005)

Stay with us today
and stay from now on, everyday,
according to the desire of my heart,
which accepts the appeal of so many hearts
from various parts, sometimes far away…
Stay that we may meet You in
prayers of adoration and thanksgiving,
in prayers of expiation and petition
to which all those who visit this Basilica are invited…
May the unworthy successor of Peter
and all those who take part in the
adoration of Your Eucharistic Presence
attest with every visit and make
ring out again the truth contained in the Apostle’s words:
‘Lord, you know everything.
You know that I love you.’
Amen

CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The HOLY NAME, Uncategorized

JANUARY is the Month of THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS

Posted on January 1, 2019December 31, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Monthly Catholic Devotions:

JANUARY is the Month of THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS

The month of January is dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. “In the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth” (Phil 2:10). Christ’s name is chosen in heaven and the Angel Gabriel announces it when he informs the Blessed Virgin of the incarnation: “Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus”. It is a name that has marvellous implications, for it means “saviour.” The very name bespeaks the magnitude of His mission, His infinite love, a love that will cause Him to offer Himself up for us. 1-january-2018-the-most-holy-name

The name of Jesus is the sweetest of all names and He who bears it is most worthy of all love. He who calls Jesus his friend can be assured that this friend is the most devoted and unselfish of all friends.

Jesus is our all. In His name we may pray to the Father with assurance of being heard. In His name the Church administers all her sacraments. In His name she offers all her prayers and blesses homes, the fields and the sick. In the name of Jesus she casts out evil spirits and at the hour of our death bids us, “Go forth, Christian soul.” She assures us that whoever shall call upon this name will be saved. When our soul has departed this life to seek its eternal home, the Church asks in the name of Jesus, “Eternal rest give unto him, O Lord.”…Dom Benedict Baur O.S.B. (1877-1963)

The very Angels in Heaven bow at the name of Jesus. And even the demons in Hell. Let us do likewise, this old Catholic practice still in use in many countries should be a standard, like the Sign of the Cross.

This month, why not take a few minutes to memorise the Jesus Prayer and pray it during those moments of the day when you are between activities, or travelling, or simply taking a rest? Keeping Christ’s Name always on our lips is a good way to ensure that we draw ever nearer to Him.

THE JESUS PRAYER
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner

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Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) – 30 December

Posted on December 30, 2018December 30, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

30 December – The Fifth Day of the Christmas Octave

“Jesus sleeps”

“Consider that the manger served as Jesus’ cradle, straw was His bed and straw His pillow, so that He was constantly interrupted in His sleep by the hardness and roughness of this little bed. Notwithstanding all of this, the sweet babe, from time to time, slept despite His sufferings. But the sleep of Jesus, differed from other children. The slumbers of other children are useful for the preservation of life but not for the operations of the soul, because, the soul, being buried in sleep along with the senses, cannot work but such was not the sleep of Jesus Christ. Let us ask Him, by the merit of His blessed slumbers, to deliver us from the deadly slumber of sinners, who unhappily sleep in the death of sin, forgetful of God and of His love. Instead we ask for the sleep of the holy spouse, when the soul forgets all earthly things, to attend only to God and to the things that concern the glory of God.
My beloved and holy Infant, in humans sleep is the emblem of death but in You, it is the sign of eternal life because while You are sleeping You merit for me eternal salvation. Make me always love You in this life so that I may breathe forth my soul in Your arms, united to You, sleeping with You forever, without fear of losing You again.”

Scripture

All who keep his commandments abide in him and he in them.
And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.
1 John 3:24

When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Proverbs 3:24

Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
meek and humble of heart,
You offer to those who follow You,
a yoke that is good to bear,
a burden that is light.
Accept, we beg You, our prayer and work of the day
and grant us the rest, we need,
that we may be ever more willing to serve only You.
Save us Lord,
while we are awake,
protect us while we sleep,
that we may keep watch with Christ
and rest with Him in peace,
Amen Alleluia. christmas with st alphonsus-let us ask him by the merits - save us lord -30dec2018

CHRISTMASTIDE!, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, THE HOLY FAMILY - FAMILIAE SANCTAE

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph – 30 December

Posted on December 30, 2018December 29, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph – 30 December

The Feast of the Holy Family is dedicated to the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, commemorating their life together in Nazareth and calling us to focus on Catholic family life. The feast is celebrated on the first Sunday after Christmas since it was placed on the general calendar in 1921 by Pope Benedict XV.

HOLY FAMILY

The Church presents the Holy Family to us as a model for our own family life. Joseph was the head of the Holy Family and provided for Mary and Jesus with the work of his hands. He was obedient to the angel who told him to take Mary as his wife, what to name the new child and again when told to flee with them to Egypt. He taught Jesus the carpentry trade and what it was to be a man in the society in which they lived.

Mary took care of her family in the home. It was she who would have taught Jesus the Scriptures and prayers of their people when he was very young. It was through her example of managing the home, that Jesus would formulate many of the examples he would later use in his teaching. Jesus saw work sanctified through the example of his earthly parents, who did all things well in the ordinary circumstances of daily life.

As far back as St John Chrysostom (347-407), Christians were urged to make of their home a family church in which the family members would find their sanctification. That was to be accomplished by putting Christ at the centre of all individual and family life, by working and praying together, reading the Scriptures and worshipping as a unit. Claudio Coello HOLY FAMILY

In his Apostolic Exhortation, Familiaris consortio, (60) St Pope John Paul said: “Do you teach your children the Christian prayers? Do you prepare them, in conjunction with the priests, for the sacraments that they receive when they are young – Confession, Communion and Confirmation? Do you encourage them, when they are sick, to think of Christ suffering, to invoke the aid of the Blessed Virgin and the saints? Do you say the family Rosary together…? Do you pray with your children, with the whole domestic community, at least sometimes? Your example of honesty in thought and action, joined to some common prayer, is a lesson for life and an act of worship of singular value. In this way you bring peace to your homes: Pax huic domui. Remember, it is thus that you build up the Church.”

In 2002, St Pope John Paul II stated in his Angelus homily of 29 December “Every Christian family is called to show “convincingly that it is possible to live marriage fully in keeping with God’s plan and with the true good of the human person – of the spouses, and of the children who are more fragile” (Novo Millennio ineunte).

“A united family that follows these principles will more easily overcome the trials and difficulties it encounters on its way. In the faithful love of the parents, a gift ceaselessly to foster and safeguard, children can find the best conditions for their growth, helped by Jesus who “increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man” (Lk 2:52).” holy-family10-SIMON VOUET

Catholics are encouraged to learn what the Church teaches about marriage and family life and to avoid those things which run counter to God’s plan. Catholic family life, then, would exclude such acts as artificial contraception, abortion, pre-marital sex, homosexual activity, reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization and divorce.

It is within the family that human life in all its stages is nurtured and protected, where concern for others is learned and where the virtues are developed for the good of the individual, the family, and the society. HOLY FAMILY DEATH OF ST JOSEPH

The Holy Family feast is a good time to remember the family unit and pray for our human and spiritual families. We also may take this feast to reflect on the value and sanctity of the family unit and to evaluate our own family life. What ways may it be improved? What would Jesus, Mary, and Joseph do? Finally, we can use this feast to ask ourselves what are we doing to promote the family within our own cultures, neighbourhoods and communities. (In Conversation with God Vol 1). BEAUTIFUL HOLY FAMILY CHRIST CHILD WITH CROSS

Last year’s post: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/12/31/31-december-feast-of-the-holy-family-and-the-seventh-day-of-the-octave/

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, HYMNS, MORNING Prayers, POETRY, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The CHRIST CHILD, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Thought for the Day – 24 December – Today, the 200th anniversary of the first performance of the beloved carol ‘Silent Night’

Posted on December 24, 2018December 24, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 24 December

Today, the 200th anniversary of the first performance

of the beloved carol ‘Silent Night’

Exactly 200 years ago today, 24 December 1818 — in a little church in what is now Austria, the world heard for the first time a poem set to music that eventually would be hailed as one of the most popular and beloved Christmas carols of all time.

“Silent Night” was sung for the first time that Christmas Eve at a Midnight Mass at St Nicholas Church in Oberndorf, a village in the Austrian Empire. The lyrics were written by a young Catholic priest, Father Joseph Mohr (1792–1848) and the music was composed by his friend, the local organist and schoolmaster, Francis Xavier Gruber (1787–1863). 1024px-Stille_Nacht_Kapelle_Glasfenster_Josef_Mohr

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright,
Round yon Virgin Mother and Child!
Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God, how the light
Radiates love from Thy heavenly face,
At the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth,
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth. Silent Night by Fr Joseph Mohr 1792-1848 24 dec 2018

Fr Joseph Mohr’s final resting place is a tiny Alpine ski resort, Wagrain. He was born into poverty in Salzburg in 1792 and died penniless in Wagrain in 1848, where he had been assigned as pastor of the church. He had donated all his earnings to be used for elder care and the education of the children in the area. His memorial from the townspeople is the Joseph Mohr School located a dozen yards from his grave. The overseer of St Johann’s, in a report to the bishop, described Mohr as “a reliable friend of mankind, toward the poor, a gentle, helping father.”

Many generations of the Mohr family lived in the Lungau region, in the southern part of the Province of Salzburg. The pilgrimage church of St Nicholas in Mariapfarr, the little church where Father Mohr was the curate, is within walking distance of the former home of Joseph’s grandfather. The climate is so invigorating and the Alpine air so clean, the town has become a major vacation destination for Europeans who want to get away from city life. The pilgrimage church where Mohr celebrated Mass is undergoing the restoration of its centuries-old frescos.

The carol is believed to have caused a somewhat miraculous and well-documented Christmas truce during World War I. On Christmas Eve 1914, British and French troops were encamped in trenches in a face-off against German troops in Ypres in Flanders, Belgium. The two sides began singing Christmas carols to each other and “Silent Night” was the only hymn all the combatants knew. Singing it together broke the ice and led to a temporary cease-fire with soldiers from both sides meeting in the middle “No Man’s Land” to trade tobacco and candy, play soccer and sing carols.

An early copy of Silent Night written by Joseph Mohr

As it marks its 200th anniversary, “Silent Night” remains as beloved as ever. I am sure that all of us who attend Midnight Mass tonight, wherever we are in the world, will be singing Silent Night in one of the 300 languages into which it has been translated.

May this Holy Infant so tender and mild, bless us all!

ADVENT, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, The CHRIST CHILD, The NATIVITY of JESUS, The WORD

Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) – Today’s Gospel: Luke 2:1–14

Posted on December 24, 2018December 24, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) – Today’s Gospel: Luke 2:1–14 (Midnight Mass)

Saint Joseph goes to Bethlehem with his holy spouse

“Consider that God had decreed that His Son be born, not in Joseph’s house but in a cavern and stable of beasts, in the poorest and most painful way a child can be born. For this reason, God caused Caesar to publish an edict, by which people were commanded to go and register each member of their family, in their place of origin. When Joseph heard this order, he was agitated and unsure whether or not the Virgin Mother should take the trip with him. But Mary, knowing of his dilemma and being well versed in the prophet, Micheas, responded, “Do not fear, I will go with you and the Lord will assist us.”
She then gathered together the swaddling clothese and the other miserable garments already prepared for the journey and departed with Joseph.
Let us accompany Mary and Joseph, on their journey and await the appearance of the King.
My beloved Redeemer, I know that in this journey, the angels in heaven accompanied You but I also wish to accompany You, O my only love. My soul has become filled with love for You, O my amiable Infant God. Unite and bind me to Yourself.”

Scripture

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.
Luke 2:4-6

Prayer

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen

Advent Action
Today we are also pregnant with the fullness of the Advent season. It is almost time for us to participate in the birthing of the Lord. We ponder, like Mary, in our hearts, what this will mean for our lives. We listen more intently to Scripture to hear the advice and directions that God is giving to us. This day is the change we have been waiting for – this is the day promised us – this is the day which will alter our lives – everything, forever! Lord, grant me the grace to introduce You to the world in the place and time that You have assigned to me. “I will sing praises to my God, all my life long.” (Psalm 146:2) advent with alphonsus - 24 dec 2018 -psalm 146 2 - i will sing praises to my god

ADVENT, DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The CHRIST CHILD, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The INCARNATION, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 23 December – Today’s Gospel: Luke 1:39-45

Posted on December 23, 2018December 23, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 23 December – The Fourth Sunday of Advent – Today’s Gospel: Luke 1:39-45

In those days, Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
Luke 1:39-40

“When the Holy Spirit touches a heart, He puts to flight all tepidity. He loves diligence and promptitude and is the enemy of procrastination and delays in the performance of the divine will… “Mary set out in haste”…

What graces and favours must have descended upon Zechariah’s house when the Virgin entered it? If Abraham received so many graces for having given hospitality to three angels in his tent… what graces and how many heavenly blessings must have descended upon the house of Zechariah into which entered the Angel of the Great Counsel (Is 9:5, Septuagint), that true Jacob and Divine Prophet, the true Ark of the Covenant, Our Lord enclosed within the womb of Mary! Indeed, the whole house was overcome with joy; the infant leapt with joy, the father recovered his speech, the mother was filled with the Holy Spirit and received the gift of prophecy, for on seeing this blessed Lady enter her house she exclaimed: “Who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to visit me?”… And Mary, hearing what her kinswoman, Elizabeth, said in her praise, humbled herself and referred all the glory to God. Then declaring that all her happiness came from the fact that God had looked upon His servant in her lowliness, she intoned that beautiful and wonderful canticle, the Magnificat.

Oh, how overwhelmed with joy we should be when visited by this divine Saviour in the most Blessed Sacrament of the altar and by the interior graces we receive daily through the many inspirations and words He speaks to our hearts!”…St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church

Come, Lord Jesus Come!

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us!

ADVENT, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN QUOTES, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The INCARNATION, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 22 December – – Today’s Gospel Luke 1:46-56 – The Canticle of the Magnificat

Posted on December 22, 2018December 22, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 22 December – – Today’s Gospel Luke 1:46-56 – The Canticle of the Magnificat

Pope Benedict XVI – Encyclical “Deus Caritas Est” 541

Mary’s Magnificat—a portrait, so to speak, of her soul—is entirely woven from threads of Holy Scripture, threads drawn from the Word of God. Here we see, how completely at home Mary is, with the Word of God, with ease she moves in and out of it. She speaks and thinks with the Word of God; the Word of God becomes her word and her word issues from the Word of God. Here we see how her thoughts are attuned to the thoughts of God, how her will is one with the will of God. Since Mary is completely imbued with the Word of God, she is able to become the Mother of the Word Incarnate.

Finally, Mary is a woman who loves. How could it be otherwise? As a believer who in faith thinks with God’s thoughts and wills with God’s will, she cannot fail to be a woman who loves. We sense this in her quiet gestures, as recounted by the infancy narratives in the Gospel. We see it in the delicacy with which she recognises the need of the spouses at Cana and makes it known to Jesus. We see it in the humility with which she recedes into the background during Jesus’ public life, knowing that the Son must establish a new family and that the Mother’s hour will come only with the Cross… At the hour of Pentecost, it will be the disciples who gather around her as they wait for the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:14).

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us!

ADVENT, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL SERMONS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The INCARNATION

Quote of the Day – 22 December – Today’s Gospel Luke 1:46-56

Posted on December 22, 2018December 22, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 22 December – Today’s Gospel Luke 1:46-56

“The exultation of the humble maiden of Galilee,
expressed in the Canticle of the Magnificat,
becomes the song of all humanity,
which sees with satisfaction,
the Lord stoop over all men and all women,
humble creatures and assume them with Him into heaven.”

Pope Francis – Angelus, 15 August 2016

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thought for the day – 21 December – St Peter Canisius and the Hail Mary

Posted on December 21, 2018October 1, 2021 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the day – 21 December – The Memorial of St Peter Canisius S.J. (1521-1597) Doctor of the Church

St Peter Canisius and the Hail Mary
“Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”

On today’s feast of St Peter Canisius S. J., Catholics may wish to thank this Doctor of the Church for giving us the second half of the Hail Mary prayer.

This 16th-century saint, known as the second Apostle of Germany, followed in the giant footsteps of St Boniface, who evangelised Germany a thousand years earlier. He was also quite active at the Council of Trent and wrote much on the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The first half of the Hail Mary, of course, comes from Scripture. What many Catholics don’t know is that the second half of this Catholic prayer is due to the intervention of St Peter Canisius at the Council of Trent. St Peter began adding on to the scriptural part of the Hail Mary the second half of this familiar prayer, “Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death.” It was Trent that officially accepted the prayer and included it in their famous Catechism of the Council of Trent in 1566. hail mary and ave maria -stpetr canisius holy mary - 21dec2018

This learned saint was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI in 1925. He was a holy and learned Jesuit, who wrote catechisms based on Trent’s Roman Catechism, which he helped generate. He also wrote a breviary and many works on Mary.

Saint Peter’s main mission was to counter the Protestant revolt in Germany. He was providentially born just four years after Martin Luther penned his 95 theses. To withstand the errors of the Protestant deformers, St Peter wrote his catechism in 1555, which was called a Summary of Christian Doctrine. This catechism basically enshrined what came to be known as the Counter-Reformation.

St Peter Canisius, Pray for Us!

ADVENT, DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The INCARNATION

Thought for the Day – 20 December – St Bernard “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus.”

Posted on December 20, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 20 December – “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus.” – Today’s Gospel Luke 1:26-38

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Abbot and Doctor of the Church

An excerpt from Homily 4

” In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.”…Luke1:26-31

You have heard, O Virgin, that you will conceive and bear a son – you have heard that it will not be by man but by the Holy Spirit. The angel awaits an answer – it is time for him to return to God who sent him. We too are waiting, O Lady, for your word of compassion, the sentence of condemnation weighs heavily upon us.

The price of our salvation is offered to you. We shall be set free at once if you consent. In the eternal Word of God we all came to be and behold, we die. In your brief response we are to be remade in order to be recalled to life.

Tearful Adam with his sorrowing family begs this of you, O loving Virgin, in their exile from Paradise. Abraham begs it, David begs it. All the other holy patriarchs, your ancestors, ask it of you, as they dwell in the country of the shadow of death. This is what the whole earth waits for, prostrate at your feet. It is right in doing so, for on your word depends comfort for the wretched, ransom for the captive, freedom for the condemned, indeed, salvation for all the sons of Adam, the whole of your race.

Answer quickly, O Virgin. Reply in haste to the angel, or rather through the angel to the Lord. Answer with a word, receive the Word of God. Speak your own word, conceive the divine Word. Breathe a passing word, embrace the eternal Word.

Why do you delay, why are you afraid? Believe, give praise and receive. Let humility be bold, let modesty be confident. This is no time for virginal simplicity to forget prudence. In this matter alone, O prudent Virgin, do not fear to be presumptuous. Though modest silence is pleasing, dutiful speech is now more necessary. Open your heart to faith, O blessed Virgin, your lips to praise, your womb to the Creator. See, the desired of all nations is at your door, knocking to enter. If He should pass by because of your delay, in sorrow, you would begin to seek Him afresh, the One whom your soul loves. Arise, hasten, open. Arise in faith, hasten in devotion, open in praise and thanksgiving.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord, she says, be it done to me according to your word.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us!

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Thought for the Day – 19 December – “You will be speechless….” Origen

Posted on December 19, 2018December 19, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 19 December – “You will be speechless….” Origen

“But now you will be speechless and unable to talk
until the day these things take place,
because you did not believe my words,
which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
Luke 1:20

“You will be speechless… until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words”. Voice and word are not the same thing where we are concerned, since a voice can be heard without it conveying any meaning, without words and the word can likewise be communicated to our minds without a voice, as in the wandering of our thoughts. In the same way, since the Saviour is Word…, John differs from Him in being voice, by comparison with Christ, who is Word. This is what John himself answered to those who asked him who he was: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths’” (Lk 3:4; Jn 1:23).

Perhaps this is the reason – because he doubted the birth of the voice that would reveal the Word of God – why Zachariah lost his voice but recovered it again when that voice was born who is the Word’s forerunner (Lk 1:64). Since, for the mind to be able to grasp the word intended by the voice, we must hear the voice. It is also why, according to the time of his birth, John is slightly older than Christ – for we perceive the voice before the word. Thus John points to Christ since it is with the voice that the Word is made known. Likewise, Christ was baptised by John, who admitted his need of being baptised by Him (Mt 3:14)… In brief, when John pointed to Christ it was as a man pointing to God, the incorporeal Saviour, as a voice pointing to the Word…”…Origen (c.185-253)

Ant. The mouth of Zechariah was opened and he spoke this prophecy:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel.

The Benedictus – Canticle of Zechariah
Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and His forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
He has visited His people and redeemed them.

He has raised up for us a mighty saviour,
in the house of David, His servant,
as He promised by the lips of holy men,
those who were His prophets of old.

A Saviour who would free us from our foes,
from the hands of all who hate us.
So His love for our fathers is fulfilled
and His holy covenant remembered.

He swore to Abraham, our father, to grant us,
that free from fear and safe from the hands of our foes.
we might worship Him in justice and holiness
all the days of our lives, in His Presence.

As for you, little child,
you shall be called the prophet of God, the Most High.
You shall go ahead of the Lord
to prepare His ways before Him,

to make known to His people their salvation,
through forgiveness of all their sins,
the loving kindness of the heart of our God,
who visits us like the dawn from on high.

He will give light to those in darkness,
those who dwell in the shadow of death,
and to guide them into the way of peace.

Glory be to the Father
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever.
Amen

Ant. The mouth of Zechariah was opened and he spoke this prophecy:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel

ADVENT, NOVENAS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, The CHRIST CHILD, The NATIVITY of JESUS, Uncategorized

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Three – 18 December

Posted on December 18, 2018December 17, 2021 by AnaStpaul

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Three – 18 December

Day Three
The Life Of Poverty Which Jesus Led From His Birth.

Reflection:
God so ordained that, at the time when His Son was to be born on this earth, the Roman emperor should issue a decree ordering everyone to go to the place of his origin and there be registered in the census. Thus it came about that, in obedience to this decree, Joseph went to Bethlehem together with his virgin wife when she was soon to have her Child.
Finding no lodging either in the poor inn or in the other houses of the town, they were forced to spend the night in a cave that was used as a stable for animals and it was here that Mary gave birth to the King of heaven. If Jesus had been born in Nazareth, He would also, it is true, have been born in poverty but there He would at least have had a dry room, a little fire, warm clothes and a more comfortable cradle. Yet He chose to be born in this cold, damp cave and to have a manger for a cradle, with prickly straw for a mattress, in order that He might suffer for us.

Let us enter in spirit into this cave of Bethlehem but let us enter in a spirit of lively faith.
If we go there without faith, we shall see nothing but a poor infant
and the sight of this lovely child shivering
and crying on his rough bed of straw may indeed move us to pity.
But if we enter with faith and consider that this Babe is the very Son, God,
who for love of us has come down on earth
and suffers so much to pay the penalty for our sins,
how can we help thanking and loving Him in return?

Prayer:
O Dear Infant Jesus,
how could I be so ungrateful and offend You so often,
if I realised how much You have suffered for me?
But these tears which You shed,
this poverty which you embraced for love of me,
make me hope for the pardon of all the offences
I have committed against You.
My Jesus,
I am sorry for having so often turned my back on You.
But now I love You above all else.
“My God and my all!”
From now on You, O my God,
shall be my only treasure and my only good.
With Saint Ignatius of Loyola I will say to You,
“Give me the grace to love You; that is enough for me.”
I long for nothing else;
I want nothing else.
You alone are enough for me,
my Jesus, my life, my love.
O Mary, my Mother,
obtain for me the grace
that I may always love Jesus
and always be loved by Him. Amen

ADVENT, BREVIARY Prayers, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL SERMONS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The CHRIST CHILD, The INCARNATION, The NATIVITY of JESUS, The WORD

Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787))

Posted on December 18, 2018December 18, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787))

18 December

Jesus made Himself a child to gain our confidence and our love.

“Consider that the Son of God has made Himself little in order to make us great. He has given Himself to us, that we might give ourselves to Him. He has come to show us His love, that we may respond to it by giving Him ours. Let us, therefore, receive Him with affection, let us love Him and call upon Him with all our needs.

“A child gives easily” says St Bernard. Children readily give whatever is asked of them. Jesus came into the world as a child to demonstrate that He was ready and willing to give all. If we wish for light, Jesus has come to enlighten us. If we desire strength, He will strengthen us. If we wish for pardon, He has come to pardon us. In short, He has come to give us all that we need.

O my Jesus, You have descended from heaven to give Yourself entirely to us. How can we turn our backs on You? I have been loved by You and I have also been ungrateful. O my Redeemer, forgive the injuries that I have committed against You.”

Scripture

“It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep….Let us cast off deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light.”
Romans 13:11,12

Prayer

O LORD AND RULER
of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with outstretched arms.

Advent Action
Are we in the core group of Christians who embody and live the purest form of the Gospel? Or do we find ourselves among the masses that acknowledge Jesus, enjoy being Christian but don’t pursue it at any deep level? The two requirements in the Gospel are that we repent and believe. If we repent, we do no wrong and speak no lies. If we believe with all our hearts, we follow the Star to the Manger. Let these last few days be a time when we begin the journey to the Christmas core – to the Christ Child. “Let us make ourselves ready to celebrate Christmas by contemplating Mary and Joseph- Mary, the woman full of grace who had the courage to entrust herself totally to the Word of God; Joseph, the faithful and just man who chose to believe the Lord rather than listen to the voices of doubt and human pride. With them, let us walk together toward Bethlehem.” ...Pope Francis – Angelus, 22 December 2013 o-lord-and-ruler-18-december

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Thought for the Day – 17 December – The Trisagion Chaplet

Posted on December 17, 2018December 17, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 17 December – The Memorial of St John of Matha O.SS.T (1160-1213) – Founder of the Trinitarians

The Trisagion Chaplet

The Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives was founded in France by St John de Matha and St Felix of Valois in 1198. From the very early stages of the of order, the Trinitarians have used a form of prayer based on the Trisagion (sometimes Trisagium or Triagion, from the Greek “three” + ”holy”). This is a Byzantine prayer still used in the Divine Liturgy in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches in praise of the Holy Trinity: its simplest form is “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.”

The Trisagion Chaplet (also called a rosary) has three sets of nine beads each – of course, a rosary can be used too. When reciting the Trisagion Chaplet, each set begins with the Trisagion: “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.” and the Pater Noster. An invocation is said on each of the nine beads: “To you be praise, glory, and thanksgiving forever, blessed Trinity. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of power and might; heaven and earth are full of your glory.” Each set of nine prayers is followed by a Gloria Patri (“Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…”) and the recitation of the chaplet ends with a closing prayer.

Let us Pray!

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Quote of the Day – – 17 December

Posted on December 17, 2018December 17, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 17 December – The Memorial of St John of Matha O.SS.T (1160-1213) – Founder of the Trinitarians and the Devotion to Our Lady of Good Remedy

From the Apostolic Letter “Sacred Vessel of the Holy Trinity” by St Pope John XXIII
(AAS LIII, 1961, 602-604)

The Trinitarian religious whose primary duties are to worship the Triune God with a special devotion, to promote this devotion and to aid the needy and those who suffer by performing works of mercy, have honoured the Virgin Mary – Sacred Vessel of the Holy Trinity – under the title of “Mother of Good Remedy” from the very beginnings of their Order.

Indeed, St John de Matha, their founder and lawgiver, had a great love for the Virgin Mother of God. He founded and spread this holy Order under her protection and bequeathed to his sons and daughters the heritage of a strong Marian devotion. A singular love, for the Mother of God, has flourished among these religious throughout the ages, for she continually healed the sufferings of her suppliants; indeed, it still flourishes among them up to the present day.

The General Chapter of 1959, aware that such traditional devotion had become even stronger in the Order, decided to express the desire of all religious of the Order and to petition the Apostolic See that the glorious Virgin Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Good Remedy, should be declared the principal, heavenly patroness of the Trinitarian Order.

We have willingly decided to grant this request, hoping that the friars of the Order will be inflamed to honour the Virgin Mary under this title with an even more ardent love. We also trust that they, moved by her example, will more intensely commit themselves to bring relief and remedy to the less fortunate. Therefore, after consulting with the Sacred Congregation of Titles, with full knowledge and mature deliberation and with the fullness of our apostolic authority, by virtue of this document, we designate and declare the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Good Remedy, to be forever the heavenly, principal patroness of the whole Order of the Most Holy Trinity, along with St Agnes, virgin and martyr. The celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Good Remedy is to be given all the liturgical honours and privileges which are fittingly accorded to the patrons of religious Orders and Congregations; moreover, we grant the added faculty of celebrating her feast each year on 8 October.

Most powerful Virgin,
we come to you in dangers and adversities.
You are our protection,
you are our refuge,
you are our Mother of Remedy.

ADVENT, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRISTMASTIDE!, NOVENAS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The CHRIST CHILD, The INCARNATION, The NATIVITY of JESUS, Uncategorized

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day One – 16 December

Posted on December 16, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day One – 16 December

DAY ONE
God’s Love Revealed In His Becoming Man.

Reflection:
Because our first parent Adam, had rebelled against God, he was driven out of paradise and brought on himself and all his descendants the punishment of eternal death. But the son of God, seeing man thus lost and wishing to save him from death, offered to take upon Himself our human nature and to suffer death Himself, condemned as a criminal on a cross.

“But, My Son,” we may imagine the eternal Father saying to Him, “think of what a life of humiliations and sufferings You wilt have to lead on earth. You will have to be born in a cold stable and laid in a manger, the feeding trough of beasts.
While still an infant, You will have to flee into Egypt, to escape the hands of Herod.
After Your return from Egypt, You will have to live and work in a shop as a lowly servant,
poor and despised.
And finally, worn out with sufferings, You will have to give up Your life on a cross, put to shame and abandoned by everyone.”
“Father,” replies the Son, “all this matters not. I will gladly bear it all, if only I can save man.”

What should we say if a prince, out of compassion for a dead worm, were to choose to become a worm himself and give his own life blood in order to restore the worm to life? But the eternal Word has done infinitely more than this for us. Though He is the sovereign Lord of the world, He chose to become like us, who are immeasurably more beneath Him than a worm is beneath a prince and He was willing to die for us, in order to win back for us the life of divine grace that we had lost by sin.

When He saw that all the other gifts which He had bestowed on us were not sufficient to induce us to repay His love with love, He became man Himself and gave all of Himself to us.

“The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us;”
“He loved us and delivered Himself up for us.”

O Great Son of God,
You became man in order to make Yourself loved by men.
But where is the love that men give You in return?
You gave Your life blood to save our souls.
Why then are we so unappreciative that,
instead of repaying You with love,
we spurn You with ingratitude?
And I, Lord, I myself more than others have ill treated You.
But Your Passion is my hope.
For the sake of that love which led You to take upon Yourself
human nature and to die for me on the cross,
forgive me all the offences I have committed against You.
I love You, O Word Incarnate;
I love You, O infinite goodness.
Out of love for You, that I could die of grief for these offences.
Give me, O Jesus, Your love.
Let me no longer live in ungrateful
forgetfulness of the love You bear me.
I wish to love You always.
Grant that I may always preserve in this holy desire.
O Mary, Mother of God and my Mother,
pray for me that Your Son, may give me,
the grace to love Him always, unto death.
Amen.

ADVENT, BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The WORD

Sunday Reflections – Gaudete Sunday

Posted on December 16, 2018December 15, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflections – Gaudete Sunday – The Third Sunday of Advent – 16 December 2018 gaudete-sunday

What is special about the Third Sunday of Advent? For much of the Church’s history, this Sunday had a special name: “Gaudete” Sunday. The traditions surrounding this Sunday go back as far as the fourth or fifth century, as does the season of Advent itself. Advent, our preparation for Christmas, was originally a forty-day penitential season like Lent. In fact, since it used to begin on 12 November (just after the Memorial of St. Martin of Tours), it was called “St Martin’s Lent.” “Gaudete Sunday” was the Advent counterpart to “Laetare Sunday,” which marks the mid-point in Lent.

On Gaudete Sunday, the season of Advent shifts its focus. For the first two weeks of Advent, the focus can be summed up in the phrase, “The Lord is coming.” But beginning with Gaudete Sunday, the summary might be, “The Lord is near.” This shift is marked by a lighter mood and a heightened sense of joyous anticipation.

Liturgically, the colours lighten as well. The priest usually wears rose-coloured vestments, a hue seen only on Gaudete Sunday and Laetare Sunday. On this day, we light the third candle of the Advent wreath, which is also rose-coloured, or if you prefer, pink.
The word “Gaudete” is Latin for “Rejoice.” This celebration is a reminder that God who loves us is still in charge and that we await His coming not with fear but with tremendous joy. Today’s Second Reading, from the Letter of St Paul to the Ephesians, reflects this joy: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

THE “O ANTIPHONS” OF ADVENT

The one exception to the audio barrage of so-called ‘Christmas Hymns’ we hear during Advent, is the simple chant “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” This song, with its longing for the coming of the Saviour, genuinely belongs to Advent and not to Christmas.
Its melody is based on Gregorian chant and its verses are all taken from the Church’s “O antiphons.” These antiphons introduce the Magnificat, or Canticle of Mary, in the Evening Prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours from 17 December through 23 December.
Each antiphon begins with a traditional title for Christ.

They are: “O Wisdom,” “O Leader of the House of Israel
[Adonai],” “O Root of Jesse’s Stem,” “O Key of David,” “O Radiant Dawn,” “O King of all the nations,” and finally, “O Emmanuel” which means “God with us.” Each of these traditional titles for the Messiah connects the coming of Christ with the prophetic writings of the Old Testament.

On the last days of Advent, you may wish to add these “O Antiphons” to your
evening prayer, your prayer at table, or your bedtime prayer.

17 DECEMBER
O Wisdom of our God Most High,
guiding creation with power and love:
come to teach us the path of knowledge!
18 DECEMBER
O Leader of the House of Israel,
giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai:
come to rescue us with your mighty power!
19 DECEMBER
O Root of Jesse’s stem,
sign of God’s love for all his people:
come to save us without delay!
20 DECEMBER
O Key of David,
opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:
come and free the prisoners of darkness!
21 DECEMBER
O Radiant Dawn,
splendour of eternal light, sun of justice:
come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.
22 DECEMBER
O King of all nations and keystone of the Church:
come and save man, whom you formed from the dust!
23 DECEMBER
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law:
come to save us, Lord our God!

the o antiphons

ADVENT, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE, The CHRIST CHILD, The INCARNATION

Quote/s of the Day – 15 December – Saturday of the Second week of Advent

Posted on December 15, 2018December 15, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 15 December – Saturday of the Second week of Advent

“Into this world, this demented inn
in which there is absolutely no room for Him at all,
Christ comes uninvited.”

Thomas Merton OCSO (1915-1968)

“At this Christmas, when Christ comes,
will He find a warm heart?
Mark the season of Advent,
by loving and serving the others,
with God’s own love and concern.”

St Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

(Love: A Fruit Always in Season)

ADVENT, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, The WORD

Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori

Posted on December 14, 2018December 14, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori

14 December – Friday of the Second week of Advent

Jesus suffers so much in order to gain our hearts

“Consider that Jesus suffered for our love. During His entire life, He had no other purpose than the glory of God and our salvation. Even though He could have saved us without suffering, He chose to embrace a life of suffering. He was poor, despised and deprived of every comfort, with a death that was more desolate and bitter than any death ever endured by a martyr or penitent. All of this, was done for the sole purpose of helping us understand the greatness of His love for us.

Saint Bonaventure exclaims, ‘It is a wonder to see a God endure such sufferings, shedding tears in a stable, poor in a workshop, languishing on a cross, in short afflicted and troubled His whole life, all because of His love for sinful humanity.'”

Scripture
“I am the Lord your God,
who teaches you to profit,
who leads you in the way you should go.”
Isaiah 48:17

Prayer (St Alphonsus)

“O sovereign God,
help me not to be ungrateful
for all that You have given me.
Help me to die in love with You.
Mary, my hope, help me.
Pray to Jesus for me.”

Advent Action
“O my Lord Jesus, whose love for me has been so great as to bring You down from heaven to save me, teach me, dear Lord, my sin—teach me its heinousness—teach me truly to repent of it—and pardon it in Your great mercy! I beg You, O my dear Saviour, to recover me! Your grace alone can do it. I cannot save myself. I cannot recover my lost ground. I cannot turn to You, I cannot please You, or save my soul without You. I shall go from bad to worse, I shall fall from You entirely, I shall quite harden myself against my neglect of duty, if I rely on my own strength. I shall make myself my centre instead of making it in You. I shall worship some idol of my own framing instead of You, the only true God and my Maker, unless You hinder it by Your grace. O my dear Lord, hear me! I have lived long enough in this undecided, wavering, unsatisfactory state. I wish to be Your good servant. I wish to sin no more. Be gracious to me and enable me to be what I know I ought to be.”…Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

ADVENT, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The WORD

Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori 12 December – Wednesday of the Second week of Advent

Posted on December 12, 2018December 12, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Advent and Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori

12 December – Wednesday of the Second week of Advent

Jesus is charged with the sins of the whole world

“Consider that the divine Word, in taking on the human form, chose not only to take the form of a sinner but also, to bear the sins of all humanity. What must have been the anguish of the heart of the infant Jesus when He discovered that divine justice insisted that He make full satisfaction for each sin! Our Lord once showed to St Catherine of Siena, the hideousness of single venial sin and such was the dread and sorrow of the saint, that she fell senseless to the gound! What then, must have been the suffering of the infant Jesus when He saw before Him, the immense array of all the crimes of history?

My beloved Jesus, I who offended You am not worthy of Your favours. Help me, O Lord, to make that act of contrition, which I now intend to do. You do not deserve to be offended, my Jesus but rather, to be loved. My blessed Redeemer, help me.”

Scripture
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:29

Prayer

O Lord,
we come to You.
We are burdened and struggling.
Our sins afflict and wound You
and ourselves.
We love You Lord Jesus,
our love above all things.
We repent with our whole hearts.
Never permit us to separate
ourselves from You again.
Grant that we may always love You
and sin no more.
O Jesus, our holy Saviour,
in Your gracious kindness,
supply what is wanting in us.
Lift us up on Your wings, O Lord.
Amen

Advent Action
Our Scripture presents us with the anchor that never rusts, the eagle that always carries us, the lamb that lifts our burdens. In the midst of the Advent rush, let us rely on the Lord to renew our strength and to carry our burdens. Let us take a break to turn our hearts each day to Him, to stop and rest and pray, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

advent with st alphonsus - mt 11 29 wed 2nd week take my yoke 12 dec 2018

	MAIN SAINTS & TH… on Saint of the Day – 23 Fe…
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	Santo Aelredus dari… on Saint of the Day – 12 Ja…
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St Ildephonsus (607-667)

Blessed Henry Suso (1295-1366)

St Marianne Cope (1838-1918)

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St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

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

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Pope Francis

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St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)

St Aelred, Pray for Us!

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Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

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St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

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St Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821)

St Manuel Gonzalez Garcia (1877–1940) “Apostle of the Abandoned Tabernacles”

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May this Holy Infant so tender and mild, bless us all!

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Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel! May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen

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Come, Lord Jesus Come!

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us!

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Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us!

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Pope Francis – Angelus, 15 August 2016

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St Peter Canisius and the Hail Mary “Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”

St Peter Canisius, Pray for Us!

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Behold the handmaid of the Lord, she says, be it done to me according to your word.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us!

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Christmas Novena to the Christ Child – Day Three – 18 December

Day ThreeThe Life Of Poverty Which Jesus Led From His Birth.

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THE “O ANTIPHONS” OF ADVENT

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Thomas Merton OCSO (1915-1968)

St Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

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St Manuel Gonzalez Garcia (1877–1940)
“Apostle of the Abandoned Tabernacles”

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen

St Peter Canisius and the Hail Mary
“Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death”

Day Three
The Life Of Poverty Which Jesus Led From His Birth.