Quote/s of the Day – 14 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Vigil of the Assumption – Ecclesiasticus 24:23-31, Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Rather, blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it.”
Luke 11:28
“A person who wishes to become the Lord’s disciple must repudiate a human obligation, however honourable it may appear, if it slows us, ever so slightly, in giving the wholehearted obedience we owe to God.”
St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
“To arrive at the knowledge of the Truth, there are many paths – the first is humility, the second is humility and the third is humility.”
“Humility is a very strange entity. The moment we think we have it, we have already lost it!”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace)
“If you seek an example of humility, look upon Him Who is Crucified, although He was God, He chose to be judged by Pontius Pilate and put to death. … If you seek an example of obedience, imitate Him Who was obedient to the Father “even to death” (Phil 2:8). “For just as through the disobedience of one person, Adam, the many were made sinners, so through the obedience of One, the many will be made righteous” (Rom 5:19). . If you seek an example of contempt for earthly things, imitate Him Who is “King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Tm 6:15), “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3). On the Cross He was stripped naked, ridiculed, spat upon, bruised, crowned with thorns, given to drink of vinegar and gall.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Angelic Doctor of the Church
“To find the Saviour outside obedience, is to lose Him altogether.”
“When God puts inspirations into a heart, the first He gives is obedience.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
Our Morning Offering – 21 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” and the Day of the Passion
A Prayer of the Passion By St Melito of Sardis (Died 180) Bishop of Sardis, Apologist, Father
Lord Jesus Christ, You were bound as a ram, You were shorn like a lamb, You were led to the slaughter like a sheep, You bore the wood of the Cross on Your shoulders, You were led up the hill of Calvary, You were displayed naked on the Cross, You were nailed to the bitter Cross by three spikes, You delivered Your last Seven Words from the Cross You died on the Cross, with a shout of victory, You were buried in noble Joseph’s rock-hewn tomb, By Your boundless suffering on our behalf, fix our eyes unceasingly on Your broken Body and the Blood that poured from Your Hands, Feet and Side. By the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that renews each day Your Sacrifice of the Cross on our Altars, apply the merits of the Cross to all humanity and, especially to those who worship it daily and who offer themselves back to You, our great High Priest and perpetually Intercessor, before the Eternal Throne of God. You live and reign, through all the ages of ages. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 14 July – St Bonaventure (1221-1274) – Seraphic Doctor of the Church, Confessor, Friar of the Friars Minor Order of St Francis, Bishop, Cardinal, Theologian, Philosopher, Writer, Mystic, Preacher, Teacher. One of the eaqrly Biographers of St Francis.
St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Bishop and Cardinal, Doctor of the Church By Fr Francis Xavier Weninger SJ (1805-1888)
Practical Lessons on the life of this great Doctor
I. THE LOVE AND DEVOTION OF ST BONAVENTURE to the Passion and Death of our Lord, was great beyond description. He meditated upon them daily. The Crucifix was continually before his eyes and before it, he said his prayers, either prostrate on the ground or on bended knees.
I hope that you are not among those who are ashamed to keep an image of Christ in their room! – As in that case, I must remind you of the saying of our Lord, that, on the Judgement-day, He will be ashamed of those,, who on earth, are ashamed of Him. I will suppose, therefore, that you have a Crucifix in your room but why do you so seldom prostrate yourself before it? Why do you so seldom meditate on the Passion and Death of the Saviour? Is this a sign of love and gratitude towards Him? If any human being had suffered, for love of you, only half what Christ the Lord suffered, or, if he perhaps had died to save you from death, how would you feel towards him? And why have you not the same feelings towards your Redeemer?
Endeavour, at least, to show greater love for Him in future. Let no day pass without praying before the Crucifix, raise your eyes to it sometimes during the day and manifest, by short prayers and pious ejaculations, your love and devotion towards your suffering Saviour, for example: “With my whole heart I love Thee, O Jesus and, it is bitter grief to me that I have offended Thee, O merciful God!” Or “Cleanse my soul with Thy Precious Blood.” Or, “Jesus Christ, Who didst die for me upon the Cross, have mercy on me!”
II. ST BONAVENTURE VERY SELDOM received Holy Communion or said Mass, without shedding tears. Love to the Saviour in the most Holy Sacrament thus moved his heart.
How great is your devotion and love for the Blessed Sacrament, especially at the times when you receive it? How much time do you give to prayer before and after Holy Communion? Do you purify your soul from every stain by a sincere Confession? Do you adorn it with virtues that it may be a worthy dwelling for so great a Guest, as the only Son of the Almighty? Do you appear with due reverence at the table of the Lord? How much time do you give to thanksgiving after your dear Saviour has come to you and what is your devotion during the same? Examine yourself on these points and correct yourself where you have been negligent.
Before all things, however, take care that you never receive your Lord while in mortal sin, “For” says St James of Nisibis (Died 338) “this is a crime that cannot be excused,” a crime, the wickedness of which is so great, that it deserves no pardon, when committed voluntarily, as it offends Christ our Lord above all others. You know, you believe that He Whom you receive is not only your Saviour but also your Judge, Who has power to condemn you. Before Him you will soon appear to receive your sentence for all Eternity. How dare you, therefore, receive Him unworthily, when you know that you thus draw upon yourself, the wrath of your Judge and render yourself deserving of everlasting punishment?! Is there any crime, any blasphemy, which can be compared with this? And does there exist a punishment great enough to atone for so horrible an offence towards our dear Lord? “Woe to him, eternal woe, who dares to go unworthily to the table of the Lord,” says the Venerable Bede.
“Judas, the traitor, was the first to go to Holy Communion in mortal sin. What happened to him is known to you. At the moment he committed the Sacrilege, the devil took possession of him and incited him to betray his Lord. Guard yourself that you may not imitate his wickedness! otherwise, you will receive the same punishment. Let no one dare to approach the table of the Lord like Judas,” says St John. Chrysostom.
Our Morning Offering –10 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus”
I Rise In God’s Strength An Old Morning Prayer (Excerpt) From The Blossoms of the Cross — 1894 The Sisters of St Joseph
I rise In God’s strength, In God’s power, In the Agony of Christ, In the Cross of Christ, In Christ’s Precious Blood, These will sustain me against my enemies, visible and invisible. I rise in the blessing of Christ which my dearest Jesus left to the whole world. Protect me, All-Holy Trinity, God the Father, Who created me, God, the Son, Who redeemed me in His Precious Blood, God, the Holy Ghost, Who sanctified me in Holy Baptism. God, the Father, I give myself to Thee! God, the Son, I commend myself to Thee! God, the Holy Ghost, teach me! Mary, Mother of God, assist me! All you Saints of God, pray for me! All you Holy Angels, protect me! The Cross of Christ preserve me! Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 9 July – St John Fisher (1469-1535) Martyr, Bishop and St Thomas More (1478-1535) Martyr, Confessor
“I reckon in this realm, no one man, in wisdom, learning and long approved virtue together, meet to be matched and compared with him.”
St Thomas More speaking of St John Fisher
“Penance is a needful thing to the sinner, who desires to recover health of his soul. And, in doing penance, there be three things to be considered: serious compunction of heart, confession of mouth and satisfaction by deed.”
“Beware of those prophets who speak unto you and deceive you! They prophecy nothing but the imaginations and forgings of their own minds and not the truth of Holy Scripture!”
St John Fisher (1469-1535)
Give Me Thy Grace, Good Lord! A Prayer of Hope By St Thomas More (1478-1535)
Give me Thy grace, good Lord. To set the world at naught. To set the mind firmly on Thee and not to hang upon the words of men’s mouths. To be content to be solitary. Not to long for worldly pleasures. Little by little, utterly to cast off the world and rid my mind of all its business. Not to long to hear of earthly things but that the hearing of worldly fancies, may be displeasing to me. Gladly to be thinking of God, piteously to call for His help. To lean into the comfort of God. Busily to labour to love Him. To know mine own vileness and wretchedness. To humble myself under the mighty Hand of God. To bewail my sins past, for the purging of them, patiently to suffer adversity. Gladly to bear my purgatory here. To be joyful in tribulations. To walk the narrow way that leads to life. To bear the Cross with Christ. To have the last thing in remembrance. To have ever before mine eyes, my death that is ever at hand. To make death no stranger to me. To foresee and consider, the everlasting fire of Hell. To pray for pardon before the Judge come. To have continually in mind, the Passion that Christ suffered for me. For His benefits, unceasingly to give Him thanks. To buy the time again, that I before have lost. To abstain from vain conversations. To shun foolish mirth and gladness. To cut off unnecessary recreations. Of worldly substance, friends, liberty, life and all, to set the loss at naught, for the winning of Christ. To think my worst enemies, my best friends, for the brethren of Joseph could never have done him so much good with their love and favour, as they did him, with their malice and hatred. These minds are more to be desired of every man, than all the treasures of all the princes and kings, Christian and heathen, were it gathered and laid together, all in one heap. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 4 July – St Andrew of Crete (c660-c740) Bishop, Father of the Church
“But Jesus he delivered up to their will.” Luke 23:25
“Then, let us run with Him as He presses on to His Passion. Let us imitate those who have gone out to meet Him, not scattering olive branches or garments or palms in His path but spreading ourselves before Him as best we can, with humility of soul and upright purpose. So may we welcome the Word as He comes (Jn 1:9); so may God, Who cannot be contained within any bounds, be contained within us. For He is pleased to have shown us this gentleness, He, Who is gentle and who “rides upon the setting sun” (Ps 56:12) which refers to our extreme lowliness. He is pleased to come and live with us and to raise us up or bring us back to Himself
“We are celebrating the Feast of the Cross which drove away darkness and brought in the light… Had there been no Cross, Christ could not have been Crucified. Had there been no Cross, Life Itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if Life had not been nailed to it, there would be no streams of immortality, pouring from Christ’s side – Blood and Water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be cancelled, we should not have obtained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life and the Gates of Paradise would not stand open. Had there been no Cross, death would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled… The Cross is called Christ’s glory; it is saluted as His triumph, through the Word which unites to God!”
“… The design of the Redeemer of our race was to bring about a birth and, as it were, a new creation to replace the one that went before. Therefore, just as in Paradise, He had taken a little clay out of the pure and spotless earth, to fashion the first Adam (Gn 2,7), so, at the moment of bringing about His Own Incarnation, He made use of another earth, so to speak, namely, this Pure and Immaculate Virgin, chosen from among all other beings He had created. It is in her that He, Adam’s Creator, has remade us in our very substance and became a new Adam (1Cor 15,45) that the old might be saved by the new and eternal.”
“Today the Virgin is born, tended and formed and prepared for her role as Mother of God, who is the universal King of the ages. … Therefore, let all creation sing and dance and unite, to make worthy contribution to the celebration of this day. … Let everything, mundane things and those above, join in festive celebration. Today, this created world is raised to the dignity of a holy place for Him, Who made all things. The creature is newly prepared to be a Divine Dwelling Place for the Creator.”
St Andrew of Crete (660-740) Bishop, Father of the Church
Thought for the Day – 1 July – “The Feast and Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Passion of Our Lord
“Meditation on the Passion of Jesus” writes St Albert the Great, “is more profitable than fasting on bread and water or than scourging ourselves.”
This is because, when we meditate with love and gratitude on the Passion of our Redeemer, we have the experience of being transformed and set aglow with charity. We realise the truth of St Paul’s words, “The sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that will be revealed in us” (Rom 8:18)).
Let us cast ourselves, therefore, into the merciful arms of God and be prepared to suffer everything, even death, for the love of Jesus.”
Quote/s of the Day – 1 July – “The Feast and Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus”
“Embrace, then, Jesus Crucified, raising to Him the eyes of your desire! Consider His burning love for you which made Jesus pour out His Blood from every part of His body! Embrace Jesus Crucified, loving and beloved and in Him, you will find true life because He is God made Man. Let your heart and your soul burn with the fire of love drawn from Jesus on the Cross! … You will have no other desire than to follow Jesus! Run, … do not stay asleep because time flies and does not wait one moment! Dwell in God’s sweet love!”
St Catherine of Sienna (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church
“If a man finds it very difficult to forgive injuries, let him look at a Crucifix and think that Christ shed all His Blood for him and not only forgave His enemies but, even prayed His Heavenly Father, to forgive them too. Let him remember, that when he says the Pater Noster, everyday, instead of asking pardon for his sins, he is calling down VENGEANCE UPON HIMSELF!”
St Philip Neri (1515-1595)
“The Saviour has instituted the most glorious Sacrament of the Eucharist, which truly contains His Body and His Blood, so that, whoever eats it will live forever. Therefore, those who receive it frequently, with devotion, strengthen their spiritual life and well-being, to such an extent, that it is almost impossible for them to be poisoned by any kind of evil attachment.”
(Introduction to the Devout Life, Part II, Chapter 20)
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 1 July – “The Feast and Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – Hebrews 9:11-15, John 19:30-35 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But one of the soldiers opened His side with a lance and immediately there came forth, Blood and water.” – John 19:34
REFLECTION – “Take thought now, redeemed man and consider how great and worthy is He, Who hangs on the Cross for you… Arise, then, beloved of Christ! Imitate the dove ‘that nests in a hole in the cliff’ (Jr 48:28), keeping watch at the entrance ‘like the sparrow that finds a home’(Ps 84:4). There, like the turtledove, hide your little ones, the fruit of your chaste love. Press your lips to the Fountain, draw water from the wells of your Saviour; for this is the spring flowing out of the middle of paradise, dividing into four rivers, inundating devout hearts, watering the whole earth and making it fertile.
Run with eager desire to this Source of Life and Light, all you who are vowed to God’s service. Come, whoever you may be and cry out to Him, with all the strength of your heart. O indescribable Beauty of the most high God and purest Radiance of Eternal Light! Life that gives all life, Light that is the Source of every other light, preserving, in everlasting splendour, the myriad flames that have shone before the throne of Your Divinity from the dawn of time!
Eternal and inaccessible Fountain, clear and sweet stream, flowing from a hidden spring, unseen by mortal eye! None can fathom Your depths nor survey Your boundaries, none can measure Your breadth, nothing can sully Your purity. From You flows ‘the river which gladdens the city of God’ (Ps 46:5) and makes us cry out with joy and thanksgiving, in hymns of praise to You, for we know, by our own experience, that ‘with You is the Source of Life and in Your Light we see light’ (Ps 36:10).” – St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Doctor of the Church (The Tree of Life, 29-30, 47, – Breviary)
PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who made Thine Only-begotten Son the Redeemer of the world and, willed to be reconciled by His Blood, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to worship in this Sacred rite the price of our salvation and to be so protected, by its power against the evils of the present life on earth, that we may enjoy its everlasting fruit in Heaven. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Aspiration:Precious Blood, ocean of Divine Mercy, Flow upon us.
One Minute Reflection – 13 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus” – The Feast of St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Cpmfessor, Evangelical Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“I have come, not toabolishbut to fulfil.” … Matthew 5:17
REFLECTION – “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) Father and Doctor of the Church (An excerpt from Sermo 51).
PRAYER – May the solemn feast of blessed Anthony, Thy Confessor and Doctor, make Thy Church rejoice, O God, so that, ever sustained by spiritual help, she may deserve to reap everlasting joy. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
MAY the Heart of JESUS in the most Blessed Sacrament be praised, adored and loved with grateful affection, at every moment, in all the Tabernacles of the world, even to the end of time. Amen. Indulgence 100 Days, Once a day. Raccolta 161 Pius IX, 29 February 1868.
Our Morning Offering – 17 May – The Vigil of the Ascension
Glory, Honour and Praise, To Our Lord Jesus Christ! A devout Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ, to be said both Morning and Evening By St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) Doctor of the Church (From His “A Brief Christian Doctrine”)
GLory, Honour and Praise Be, May all the world adore Thee, blessed be Thy Holy Name, Who for us sinners, vouchsafest to be born of a humble Virgin and blessed be Thine infinite goodness, Who died upon the Cross for our Redemption. O Jesu, Son of God and Saviour of mankind, have mercy upon us and so dispose our lives here, by Thy Grace that we may, hereafter, rejoice with Thee forever in Thy Heavenly Kingdom, Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 28 April – St Paul of the Cross (1604-1775) Confessor, Founder
“Happy the soul which detaches itself from its own pleasure, from its own will, from its own understanding. A sublime lesson is this and God will teach it, to all those who place their happiness in the Cross of Jesus Christ.”
“Whatever may happen to us, we ought not to be disturbed. Let us calmly and quietly say: ‘the will of God be done’– let us leave all to God – the Lord be blessed forever – what He wills, I will, in time and in eternity.”
Quote/s of the Day – 22 April – St Pope Soter (Died c174) Martyr and St Pope Caius I (Died 296) Martyr – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11, Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:16
“Then go and learn, neither to be moved with injuries nor flatteries. If you die to the world and to yourself, you will begin to live to Christ.”
St Macarius of Egypt (c 300-390)
“He who abides in Me and I in Him, the same bears much fruit”
John 5:5
“We are preserved in being, if we grow onto Him and cling fast to the holy commandment, which has been handed down to us and, if we are eager to keep the blessing of nobility, that is to say, if we never consent, in any way, to “grieve the Holy Spirit” (Eph 4:30), Who has come to dwell in us and, through Whom, we believe, God has made His home in us. … For just as the vine-stock supplies and distributes, the virtue of its own inherent natural quality to the shoots, so, too, the Only-Begotten Word of God, implants, in His people, a sort of affinity with His own nature and that of the Father. By the gift of the Spirit, they are united with Him by every kind of holiness. He nourishes them, so that they become devout and He moves them to knowledge of all virtue and good works.”
St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Let us detach ourselves in spirit from all that we see and cling to that which we believe. This is the Cross which we must imprint on all our daily actions and behaviour.”
One Minute Reflection – 21 April – “The Month of the Resurrection” – – The Memorial of St Anselm (1033-1109) Bishop, Confessor, Magnificent and Marian Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but upon a candlestick …” – Matthew 5:15
REFLECTION – “Brethren, the Apostles are lamps enabling us to wait for the coming of Christ’s Day. Our Lord tells them: “You are the light of the world.” And since they cannot believe themselves to be a light, like that of which it is said: “He was the true Light Who enlightens everyone” (Jn 1:9), He at once teaches them what that true light is. Having declared to them: “You are the light of the world,” He continues: “No-one lights a lamp to put it under a bushel basket.” I have called you lights, He says but I must clarify – you are only lamps. So do not give in, to the stirrings of pride, if you do not want to see this wick burning out. I am not putting you under the bushel basket but on the lampstand to cast light over everything with your rays.
What sort of candlestick is this that bears such a light? I will teach you. Be lamps yourselves and you will have a place on this lampstand. Christ’s Cross is one great lampstand. Whoever wants to shine out should not be ashamed of this wooden candlestick. Listen to me and you will get the point – the candlestick is the Cross of Christ…
“So will your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify” Glorify whom? Not yourself, since to seek your own glory is to want to be extinguished! “Glorify your heavenly Father.” Yes, that they may glorify Him, your heavenly Father, when they see your good works… Listen to the Apostle Paul: “May I never glory except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (Gal 6:14).” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 289, 6 PL 38, 1311-1312).
PRAYER – O God, Who didst give blessed Anselm to be Thy people’s minister in eternal salvation, grant we pray, that we, who have him for teacher of life here on earth, may also deserve now that he is in Heaven, to have him for an advocate. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Quote/s of the Day – 18 April – “The Month of the Resurrection” – Tuesday in the Second Week of Easter – 1 John 5:4-10, John 20. 19-31 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“My Lord and my God.”
John 20:28
“Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?”
Matthew 20:22
“Embrace, then, Jesus Crucified, raising to Him the eyes of your desire! Consider His burning love for you which made Jesus pour out His Blood from every part of His body! Embrace Jesus Crucified, loving and beloved and in Him, you will find true life because He is God made Man. Let your heart and your soul burn with the fire of love drawn from Jesus on the Cross! … You will have no other desire than to follow Jesus! Run, … do not stay asleep because time flies and does not wait one moment! Dwell in God’s sweet love!”
St Catherine of Sienna (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church
“Alas, how the faith of Jesus’ Apostles is shaken after His Crucifixion! Assembled in a room with closed doors, they are filled with fear. Then Jesus enters, stands in their midst and greets them: ‘Peace be with you.’ … Without the presence of our Saviour, they felt timid and lacked strength. Such is the case when one is without God. They were afraid. Like a ship tossed in a storm without a pilot, such was this poor boat. Our Lord appears to His disciples to bring relief to their fear.”
Thought for the Day – 16 April – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Three Grades of Perfection – The Third Grade
“The Third Grade of perfection consists in preferring suffering to pleasure, humiliation to honours and the cross, to an easy life. By these means, we imitate Christ better and show our love for Him. The way of the cross, is the way of Jesus and is the only path to holiness. It is easier for those who walk this path to be detached from sin and from the world and to remain close to Jesus. This is the way which the Saints chose.
In which grade of perfection are we? Even if we are still far from the peak of the third grade of perfection, we should, nevertheless, work hard to reach it, It is particularly essential that we should stand firm in the first grade of being faithful to the motto of St Dominic Savio: “Death rather than sin!”
Look on thy God, Christ hidden in our flesh. A bitter word, the Cross and bitter sight: Hard rind without, to hold the heart of Heaven. Yet sweet it is, for God upon that tree Did offer up His Life upon that rood My Life hung, that my Life might stand in God. Christ, what am I to give Thee for my life? Unless take from Thy Hands the cup they hold, To cleanse me with the precious draught of death. What shall I do? My body to be burned? Make myself vile? The debt’s not paid out yet. Whate’er I do, it is but I and Thou, And still do I come short, still must Thou pay My debts, O Christ, for debts Thyself hadst none. What love may balance Thine? My Lord was found In fashion like a slave, that so His slave Might find himself in fashion like his Lord. Think you the bargain’s hard, to have exchanged The transient for the eternal, to have sold Earth to buy Heaven? More dearly God bought me!
St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431) Father of the Church
Faithful Cross! Above All Other By St Venantius Fortunatus (c 530 – c 609)
Faithful Cross! above all other, one and only noble tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit thy peer may be; sweetest wood and sweetest iron, sweetest weight is hung on thee.
Bend thy boughs, O tree of glory! Thy relaxing sinews bend; for awhile the ancient rigour that thy birth bestowed, suspend and the King of heavenly beauty gently on thine arms extend.
Praise and honour to the Father, praise and honour to the Son, praise and honour to the Spirit, ever Three and ever One: One in might and One in glory while eternal ages run.
In Your Hour of Holy Sadness By St Bernard (1090-1153) Father & Doctor of the Church
In Your hour of holy sadness could I share with You, what gladness should Your Cross to me be showing. Gladness past all thought of knowing, bowed beneath Your Cross to die! Blessed Jesus, thanks I render that in bitter death, so tender, You now hear Your supplicant calling, Save me Lord and keep from falling from You, when my hour is nigh. Amen.
“When you are alone in your room, take your Crucifix, kiss Its Five Wounds reverently, tell It to preach you a little sermon and then listen to the words of eternal life that It speaks to your heart. Listen to the pleading of the Thorns, the Nails, the Precious Blood. Oh, what an eloquent sermon!”
Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 7April – Good Friday – The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St John 18:1-40.19:1-42 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Jesus Nazarenus, Rex Judeaorum – Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.” John 19:19
GOOD FRIDAY No Other Redemption St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“HERE, THEN, ARE THE CAUSES of the death of Jesus Christ – the first is that He was Saviour, Holy and King; the second, that He wished to redeem those who acknowledge Him, which is what the word “Jews” means which Pilate had written on the standard of the Cross.
When God withdrew His people from slavery in Egypt to lead them to the Promised Land under the command of that great captain, Moses, a strange misfortune occurred. Small serpents came out from the earth and overran the desert where the poor Israelites were. Their bite, though apparently not very painful, was certainly very dangerous. It was so venomous that all those bitten would surely have died if, in His goodness and infinite Providence, God had not provided a remedy.
Moved by the sight of this pitiable misfortune, Moses spoke to God and asked for some remedy against it. The Lord commanded him to make a brass serpent and to place it on a tall pole, promising, that those bitten by the small serpents would be cured, by gazing upon it. Moses promptly did this, enjoining those bitten to cast their eyes on the brass serpent mounted on the pole. Those who did so were immediately cured. Those unwilling to gaze upon it died, for there was no other means of escaping death than that which was ordained by God Himself. “Oh! How good was the God of Israel” [Ps. 72 (73):1], said a great Saint, “to provide Moses with such a remedy for his people’s cure!” – (Sermon for Good Friday, 25 March 1622).
“HE DIED, THEN.
But although He died for us and was lifted up on the Cross, those who refuse to look upon Him, will surely die, for there is no other redemption but in this Cross. O God, how spiritually beneficial and profitable is a consideration of Thy Cross and Passion! Can we contemplate our Saviour’s humility on the Cross without becoming humble and having some affection for humiliations? Can we see His obedience without being obedient? Certainly not! No-one has ever looked upon Our Lord Crucified and remained dead or sick. On the other hand, all who have died have done so because they were unwilling to gaze upon Him, just as the Israelites died who were unwilling to gaze upon the serpent which Moses had raised upon the pole.” – ( Sermons of St Francis de Sales for Lent).
One Minute Reflection – 7 April – Good Friday – The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to St John 18:1-40.19:1-42 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And bearing His own Cross, He went forth to the place which is called Calvary but in Hebrew Golgotha.” – John 19:17
REFLECTION – “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwell in the land of gloom, a Light has shone” (Is 9:1), the Light of Redemption. When they saw that the tyrant, death, was wounded to death, this people came out from darkness to Light; from death they passed to Life.
The wood of the Cross bears Him Who made the universe. Undergoing death for my life, He Who bears the universe is fastened to the tree as one dead. He Who breathes Life into the dead, gives up the spirit on the tree. The Cross brings no shame to Him at all but, like a trophy, confirms His complete victory. Like a just Judge He is seated on the Throne of the Cross. The Crown of Thorns He wears on His brow, confirms His victory – “Take courage, I have conquered the world and the prince of this world, by taking away the sin of this world” (Jn 16:33; 1:29).
That the Cross stands for victory, the stones themselves cry out (cf Lk 19:40), those stones of Calvary where Adam, our forefather, was buried, according to an old tradition held by our fathers. “Adam, where are you?” (Gn 3:9), Christ cries out again from the Cross. “I am seeking for you there and, that I might find you, I stretched out my Hands on the Cross. I turn my outstretched Hands to the Father in thanksgiving for having found you, then I turn them also to you to welcome you. I have not come to judge your sin but to save you out of My Love for humankind (cf Jn 3,17). I have not come to curse you for your disobedience but to bless you, by My obedience. I will shelter you with My Wings, you will find refuge in My shade; My Faithfulness will cover you with the shield of the Cross and you will no more fear the terror of the night (cf Ps 90:1-5) because you will know day without setting (Wsd 7:10). I will seek out your life, concealed in darkness and the shadow of death (Lk 1:79). I will take no rest until, humbled and having descended even to hell to search for you, I have led you back to Heaven.” – St Germanus of Constantinople (c 640-733) Bishop, Father (In Domini corporis supulturam ; PG 98, 251-260).
PRAYER – Deliver us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, from all evils, past, present and to come and by the intercession of the blessed and glorious ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God and of the Holy Apostles, Peter and Paul and of all the Saints, mercifully grant peace in our days, that through the assistance of Thy mercy we may be always free from sin and secure from all disturbance. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen. Faithful Cross! above all other, One and only noble Tree! None in foliage, none in blossom, None in fruit thy peer may be. Sweetest wood and sweetest iron, Sweetest weight is hung on thee. (Antiphons).
Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 4 April – Tuesday in Holy Week
“There is no salvation except in this Cross” St Francis de Sales
TUESDAY IN HOLY WEEK Obedience St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“MISERABLE PEOPLE, what do you mean by asking our dear Saviour and Master, to descend from this gibbet? He will certainly not do so, for as St Paul says, He humbled Himself, obediently accepting even death, death on a Cross.
He mounted the Cross through obedience and died on it through obedience.
All those who are willing to be saved through the Cross, will find salvation there. But those who desire to be saved without it, will perish miserably. There is no salvation, except in this Cross.” – (Sermons of St Francis de Sales for Lent).
Quote/s of the Day – 3 April – Monday in Holy Week – Isaias 50:5-10, John 12:1-9 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The house was filled with the odour of the ointment.”
John 12:3
“As you know, as long as perfume is preserved inside its flask, it keeps its fragrance but, as soon as is poured out or emptied, it spreads out its fragrant scent. Even so, as long as our Lord and Saviour reigned with His Father in Heaven, the world was unaware of Him, He was unknown here below. But when, for our salvation, He deigned to humble Himself, by descending from Heaven, to take on a human body, then He spread abroad in the world, the sweetness and perfume of His Name.”
St Chromatius of Aquilaea (Died c 407) Bishop of Aquileia, Italy, Father
“People who associate the name of Christian with a dishonest life, injure Christ! … If God’s Name, is blasphemed by bad Christians, it is praised and honoured, on the other hand, by the good: “For in every place, we are the aroma of Christ” (2 Cor,14-15). And it is said in the Song of Songs: “Your name is oil poured out” (1,3).”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“Nothing so curbs the onset of anger, so allays the upsurge of pride. It cures the wound of envy, controls unbridled extravagance and quenches the flame of lust. It cools the thirst of covetousness and banishes the itch of unclean desire… For when I Name Jesus, I set before myself, a Man Who is meek and humble of heart, kind, prudent, chaste, merciful, flawlessly upright and holy in the eyes of all and this same Man, is the all-powerful God Whose way of life heals me, Whose support is my strength.”
St Bernard (1090-1153) Father and Mellifluous Doctor of the Church
Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 1 April – Saturday in Passion Week
“Thy Holy Cross ”
SATURDAY IN PASSION WEEK St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“IT WILL BE USEFUL always to carry the Crucifix about with us, to kiss it often with love, to look upon it with respect and tenderness, saying at times: O Jesus, the Beloved of my heart, permit me to press Thee to my breast as a bundle of myrrh. I promise that my mouth, which is so happy as to kiss Thy Holy Cross, shall abstain from deceits, from murmurs, from every word which might displease Thee; that my eyes, which behold Thy tears and Blood flowing for my sins, shall look no more upon the vanities of the world, or anything which might expose me to offend Thee; that my ears, which hear with so much consolation the seven words pronounced on the Cross, shall take no more pleasure in empty praise, in useless conversation, in words that wound the neighbour; that my mind, after having studied with so much relish, the Mystery of the Cross, shall be closed against all vain or evil thoughts and imaginations; that my will, submissive to the laws of the Cross and to the love of Jesus Crucified, shall have only charity towards my brethren that, in fine, nothing shall enter into , or depart from my heart, without the permission of this Holy Cross, the Sacred Sign of which, I trace upon myself at rising and at going to rest and in all the sorrows of life. Amen.” – (Consoling Thoughts of St Francis de Sales).
One Minute Reflection – 1 April – “The Month of the Resurrection” – Saturday in Passion Week – Jeremias18:18-23, John 12:10-36 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” – John 12:21
REFLECTION – “At Jerusalem the crowd cried out: “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel” (cf Mk 11:10). The phrase “He Who comes.” is well said because He is always coming, He never fails us – “The Lord is close to those who call upon Him in truth. Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord” (Ps 144:18; 117:26). The gentle King of peace stands at our door… Soldiers here below, Angels in Heaven, mortals and immortals… cry aloud: “Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel.” The Pharisees, however, stand aloof (Jn 12:19) and the priests are incensed by it. But the voices which sing God’s praises ring out without ceasing – creation is full of joy…
That is why, on this very day, some Greeks, prompted by this tremendous acclamation to worship God with devotion, approached one of the Apostles, named Philip and said to him: “We would like to see Jesus.” Note well, it is the whole crowd who carries out the task of herald and prompts these Greeks to be converted. Straightaway, these latter address Christ’s disciples – “We would like to see Jesus.” Those gentiles are imitating Zachaeus, not that they climb a sycamore tree [to see Jesus] but, they make haste to rise up in their knowledge of God (Lk 19:3). “We should like to see Jesus” not so much to behold His Face but, to bear His Cross. For Jesus, Who could see their desire, had unambiguously declared to those who were standing by: “Now the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” calling “glory” the conversion of the gentiles.
And He gave the name “glory” to the Cross. For, from that day to this, the Cross is glorified. Indeed, it is the Cross which still today, Consecrates Kings, adorns Priests, protects virgins, gives constancy to hermits, reinforces the marriage bond and strengthens widows. It is the Cross which makes the Church fruitful, brings light to the peoples, guards the desert, opens paradise.” – St Proclus of Constantinople (Died c446) Archbishop of Constantinople, Confessor, Defender of the Church and of the Blessed Virgin, Writer, renowned Preacher, Father of the C hurch (Sermon for Palm Sunday).
PRAYER – O Lord, may the people dedicated to Thee desire to serve Thee more and more that, taught by these sacred rites, they may be enriched by more precious gift,s as they grow in favour with Thy majesty. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Thought for the Day – 31 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Redemption
“Do I ever think of all that I have cost Jesus? Do I ever meditate on His Infinite Love for me? If I could constantly bear in mind the work of Redemption and the Passion of Jesus Christ, I should certainly never offend God and I should be on fire with love for Him. Moreover, if in time of temptation, I were to pray earnestly before the image of Christ Crucified, I should certainly succeed in my resistance, by asking the suffering Lord for His Divine assistance.
If by some misfortune, however, I should fall into sin, it should suffice to kiss the Crucifix in order to revive my confidence in Christ, to rouse myself to sorrow, to obtain pardon and to begin a new life. That should be the fruit of the Redemption for me.”
Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 31 March – – Friday in Passion Week, The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin
“Blessed is the soul, which thus everywhere, finds Jesus Christ Crucified!” St Francis de Sales
FRIDAY IN PASSION WEEK The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“St Paul, the incomparable master, the great Doctor of the Infant Church, made Jesus Christ on the Cross the delightful object of his love, the sweet subject of his discourses, the end of all his aspirations in this world and the foundation of all his hopes in eternity. “I have judged myself,” he says, “to know nothing but my Jesus Crucified; God forbid that I should ever glory in any other thing. than in the Cross of my Jesus and think not that I have any other life, than that of the Cross; for I assure you, that I so feel and behold everywhere, the Cross of my Saviour, that by His grace I am altogether crucified to the world and the world is entirely crucified to me.” Blessed is the soul, which thus everywhere, finds Jesus Christ Crucified!” – (Consoling Thoughts of St Francis de Sales).
Thought for the Day – 26 March – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
THE CRUCIFIX
“Let us weep for our sins and increase in love for our Divine Redeemer. When we are oppressed by the weight of our own cross, we shall look at the Crucifix and find comfort. When we are tempted, we shall grasp the Crucifix and turn away with horror from thoughts of sin and ingratitude.
The Crucifix will teach us, as it taught the Saints, the lesson of charity towards God and towards our neighbour. It will teach us to hate sin and to love virtue. If we cherish it during life, it will be our consolation to kiss the Crucifix at the moment of death.”
Quote/s of the Day – 17 March – Feast of the Five Holy Wounds
“If you cannot soar up as high as Christ sitting on His Throne, behold Him hanging on His Cross. Rest in Christ’s Passion and live willingly in His Holy Wounds. You will gain marvellous strength and comfort in adversities. You will not care that men despise you!”
Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)
“Ah ! what is all that I do and suffer, compared with what my Jesus did and suffered for my sake? O, that I might, for His honour, be torn with scourges and pierced with nails and expire on the Cross for Him!”
St Andrew Avellino (1521–1608)
Prayer Before The Crucifix – The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass By St Vincent Strambi (1745-1824)
Jesus, by this Saving Sign, bless this listless soul of mine. Jesus, by Your feet nailed fast, mend the missteps of my past. Jesus, with Your riven hands, bend my will to love’s demands. Jesus, in Your Heart laid bare, warm my inner coldness there. Jesus, by Your thorn-crowned head, still my pride till it is dead. Jesus, by Your muted tongue, stay my words that hurt someone. Jesus, by Your tired eyes, open mine to faith’s surprise. Jesus, by Your fading breath, keep me faithful until death. Yes, Lord, by this Saving Sign, save this wayward soul of mine. Amen
Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 17 March – Feast of the Five Holy Wounds – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/– – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But He was wounded for our iniquities, He was bruised for our sins; … and by His stripes we are healed.” Isaias 53:5
“He Himself bore our sins in His Body on the Cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24
ETERNAL LOVE St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritas
“Consider the eternal love which God had borne you – for even before our blessed Lord Jesus Christ became man and suffered on the Cross for you, His Divine Majesty foresaw you in His Sovereign Goodness and loved you exceedingly.
When did He begin to love you? When He began to be God. And when was His beginning? Never, for He has always been, without beginning and without end – wherefore, He has always loved you and from eternity prepared the favours and graces which He has bestowed upon you. And by His prophet He says (and He speaks to you, as much as to any), “I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore, I have drawn thee, taking pity on thee” (Jer 31: 3).
Amongst other things, then, He thought to lead you to resolve on serving Him.” – (Introduction to the Devout Life).”
Quote/s of the Day – 7 March – The Memorial of St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274) Confessor, Doctor
“The Cross is my sure salvation. The Cross it is, which I worship evermore. The Cross of our Lord is with me. The Cross is my refuge.”
“O precious and wonderful banquet which brings us salvation and contains all sweetness! Could anything be of more intrinsic value? Under the old law, it was the flesh of calves and goats which was offered but here, Christ Himself, the True God, is set before us as our food! What could be more wonderful than this? No other Sacrament has greater healing power; through it, sins are purged away, virtues are increased and the soul is enriched with an abundance of every spiritual gift.”
“Seek praises from God alone.”
Prayer for Chastity and Purity By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Dear Jesus, I know that every perfect gift and especially that of chastity, depends on the power of Thy Providence. Without Thee, a mere creature can do nothing. Therefore, I beg Thee, to defend, by Thy grace the chastity and purity of my body and soul. And if I have ever sensed or imagined anything that could stain my chastity and purity, blot it out, Supreme Lord of my powers that I may advance with a pure heart in Thy love and service, offering myself on the most pure altar of Thy Divinity, all the days of my life. Amen
Prayer to St Thomas Aquinas for the Gifts of Chastity and Purity
Chosen lily of innocence, pure St Thomas, who kept chaste the Robe of Baptism and became an angel in the flesh after being girded by two Angels, I implore thee to commend me to Jesus, the Spotless Lamb and to Mary, the Queen of Virgins. Gentle protector of my chastity, ask them that I, who wear the holy sign of thy victory over the flesh, may also share thy purity and after imitating thee on earth, may, at last, come to be crowned with thee among the Angels. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 6 March – Ecclesiasticus Sirach 51:13-17, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure …”
Matthew 13:44
“ For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.”
Matthew 6:21
“Sell what you possess and give alms. Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure unfailing in Heaven, where neither thief draws near, nor moth destroys.”
Luke 12:33
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10
“I want to advise you and remind you, what His will is. Do not fear that it means He will give you riches, or delights, or honours, or all these earthly things. His love for you is not that small! and He esteems highly what you give Him. He wants to repay you well, for He gives you His Kingdom while you are still on earth … See … what He gave to the One He loved most. By that we understand what His will is. For these are His gifts in this world.”
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of Prayer of the Church
“By giving yourself to God, you not only receive Himself in exchange but, eternal life as well!”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“Where is the heart that loves? On the thing it loves. Therefore, where our love is, there our heart is held captive. It cannot leave it; it cannot be lifted higher, it cannot go either to the right or the left; see, it is fixed. Where the miser’s treasure is, there is his heart and where our heart is, there is our treasure.”
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