Category: The LORD’S PRAYER

Posted in ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, GOD ALONE!, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, OUR Cross, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY, The LORD'S PRAYER, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day –26 May – St Philip Neri

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day –26 May – The Memorial of St Philip Neri (1515-1595) Confessor

When summoned to hear Confessions
or to see someone who had called,
St Philip came down instantly, with the words:

“We must leave Christ for Christ.”.  

“It is an old custom with the servants of God,
always to have some little prayers ready
and to be darting them up to Heaven
frequently during the day,
lifting their minds to God
out of the filth of this world.
He who adopts this plan,
will get great fruit, with little pains.”

“Watch me, O Lord, this day –
for, abandoned to myself,
I shall surely betray Thee!”

“He who wishes for anything but Christ,
does not know what he wishes;
he who asks for anything but Christ,
does not know what he is asking;
he who works and not for Christ,
does not know what he is doing.”

“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!”

“We are generally,
the carpenters
of our own crosses.”

Rather old images below
but great words from our Saint, of course:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/05/26/quote-s-of-the-day-26-may-marys-month-the-memorial-of-st-philip-neri-1515-1595/

St Philip Neri (1515-1595)

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Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FREEDOM, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HOLY NAME, The KINGDOM of GOD, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 1April – ‘He who hates his life in this world, keeps it, unto life everlasting.’ John 12:25

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Quote/s of the Day – 1April – “The Month of the Resurrection” – Saturday in Passion Week – Jeremias18:18-23, John 12:10-36 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“He who loves his life, loses it
and he who hates his life
in this world,
keeps it unto life everlasting.
If anyone serves Me,
let him follow Me
and where I am,
there also shall My servant be.”

John 12:25-26

“Why then do we pray
for the Kingdom of Heaven to come,
if this earthly bondage pleases us?
WHAT IS THE POINT of praying so often
for its early arrival,
if we would rather serve the devil here
than reign with Christ!?”

St Cyprian of Carthage (200-258)
Bishop of Carthage, Martyr,
Father of the Church

(Excerpt from On Man’s Mortality)

“Regard as free, not those,
whose status makes them outwardly free
but those, who are free
in their character and conduct.
For we should not call men truly free
when they are wicked and dissolute,
since they are slaves to worldly passions.
Freedom and happiness of soul
consist in genuine purity
and detachment from transitory things.”

St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

“True spiritual life consists in this:
that man keep his eyes on God, constantly,
long for nothing but for God,
keep nothing in mind but God
and begin every single action,
in God’s Name
and direct it to Him.”

St Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on ENEMIES, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on GOSSIP, QUOTES on PRAYER, The LORD'S PRAYER, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 14 March – 70 Times 7

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 March – Tuesday of the Third Week in Lent – 4 Kings 4:1-7, Mattew 18:15-22 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/ – – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me
and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
“Jesus said to him,
“I do not say to you seven times
but seventy times seven.”

Matthew 18:21-22

“Judge not and you will not be judged;
condemn not and you will not be condemned;
forgive and you will be forgiven;
give and it will be given to you,
good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, running over,
will be put into your lap.
For the measure you give,
will be the measure you get back.”

Luke 6:37-38

“If your brother sins, rebuke him
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times
in one day and returns to you
seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’
you should forgive him.”

Luke 17:3-4

“To the extent that you pray, with all your soul,
for the person who slanders you,
God will make the truth known
to those who have been scandalised
by the slander.”

St Maximus the Confessor (c 580–662)

“See to it that you refrain from harsh words.
But if you do speak them,
do not be ashamed to apply the remedy
from the same lips, that inflicted the wounds.”

“The recollection of an injury,
is . . . a rusty arrow
and poison for the soul.”

St Francis of Paola OM (1416-1507)

“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 Lord’s Prayer
Jesus
Matthew 6:9-13

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
Amen

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, GOD ALONE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, St PAUL!, The HEART, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 26 February – Begone, Satan!

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Quote/s of the Day – 26 February – The First Sunday of Lent – 2 Corinthians 6:1-10, Matthew 4:1-11

“Begone, Satan!
for it is written:
The Lord thy God shalt thou adore
and Him only shalt thou serve.”

Matthew 4:10

“Do not, therefore, lose your confidence,
which has a great reward.
For you have need of patience that,
doing the will of God,
you may receive the promise.
For yet a very little while
and He Who is to come,
will come
and will not delay.”

Hebrews 10:35-37

“Expect temptation to your last breath.”

St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

“The demons that wage war on us,
through our shortcomings in virtue,
are those which teach —
impurity, drunkenness, avarice and envy.
Those that wage war on us,
through our excessive zeal for virtue,
teach — conceit, self-esteem and pride.
They [the demons] secretly pervert,
what is commendable,
into what is reprehensible!”

St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662)
Father of the Church

“It might even be said that we are fortunate
to have temptations, for these are the times
of spiritual harvest when we gather up for Heaven. …
If we were thoroughly saturated
with God’s Holy Presence,
it would be easy for us to resist the enemy.
With the thought ‘God sees you!’ we would never sin!

There was a saint who complained to our Lord
after being tempted and said to Him:
“Where were Thou, my most loveable Jesus,
during that awful storm?”
Our Lord answered:
“I was in the centre of thou heart…”

St John-Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)
The Curé of Ars

“When tempted,
turn immediately to your
Guardian Angel and ask him,
with all your heart,
“My Guardian Angel help me now.
Do not let me offend my God!”

St John Bosco (1815-1888)

“Why, we may ask,
does God permit us to be tempted?
He wishes us to realise, that only with His help,
can we aspire to the supernatural life
and triumph over our enemies.
Apart from Him, we shall be lost
but close to Him, we shall be invincible!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in CATECHESIS, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, The LORD'S PRAYER

1 January – Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord

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Saint of the Day – 1 January – Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord

“At that time, after eight days were accomplished that the Child should be circumcised; His Name was called Jesus, which was called by the Angel, before He was conceived in the womb.” – Luke 2:21

Excerpt from the Catechism of the Council of Trent,
(Part IV – “Hallowed be Thy Name“”)

In the Old Law (Gen. 17:12), it was required that every male child should, on the eighth day after his birth, be circumcised and thus admitted among God’s chosen people. The rite of circumcision in the Old Law corresponded to the Sacrament of Baptism in the New Law and was the means of remitting original sin. Our Lord, although free from every sin, submitted to this rite, in order to show that He was a true Son of Abraham, to manifest respect and obedience to the established law and, to prove that He had a real human body. At the time of circumcision, a name was given to the child. Our Lord was called Jesus, which signified His office as Saviour. On this Feast of the Circumcision, therefore, it is most appropriate that we should meditate on the first petition of the Lord’s prayer, “hallowed be thy name.”

I. The first petition of the Lord’s Prayer. In the opening words of the Lord’s Prayer we ask that God’s Name may be honoured, which shows that God’s glory should be our chief desire. This petition does not mean that God’s essential glory or perfection should be increased, nor that the honour given Him on earth, should be equal to that shown Him in Heaven.

II. The objects of this petition. We ask: That we may praise God with our hearts and lips; That those in error may be brought to recognise and revere His Church; That sinners may be converted to His service; That men may learn to refer all blessings to Him as to their Author and source.

CONCLUSION. Our conduct should be in conformity with this petition. Catholics must not cause the Name of God or of His Church, to be profaned by their own evil words and actions. On the contrary, by clean speech and good example, Catholics ought to excite others to exalt the Name of God, to respect the Faith of Christ, and to honour His Church. Good resolutions for the New Year!

Posted in DIVINE MERCY, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 26 October – “Deliver Us From Evil”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Deliver Us From Evil”

“Deliver us, O God, from the evil of eternal damnation.
Sin is the greatest evil but, as long as we are on earth, it is an evil which can still be remedied, for God, in His Infinite Mercy, is always ready to forgive and to restore us to His divine friendship, if we sincerely repent.
In Hell, however, there is no further remedy, for there, the Mercy of God has been superseded by His Infinite Justice.
Where the tree falls, there it must lie forever.
Such dreadful unhappiness is barely conceivable!

Deliver us from sin, O God, deliver us from a bad death, deliver us from Hell.
Help us to love You more and more and to serve You more faithfully, so that we may one day enjoy Your blessed company, for all eternity.
Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/25/thought-for-the-day-25-october-deliver-us-from-evil/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/26/thought-for-the-day-26-october-deliver-us-from-evil/

Posted in "Follow Me", LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on ENEMIES, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on MERCY, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 24 October – “As We Also Forgive Our Debtors”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“As We Also Forgive Our Debtors”

“Some people hold that it is base and low-spirited to forgive easily, whereas, a keen sense of honour demands revenge.
Nothing could be more false.
The true greatness of human nature lies in its ability to conquer the lower instincts.
“It is far more difficult,” wrote a famous historian of antiquity, “to overcome oneself, than to defeat one’s enemy in battle” (Valerius Maximus, Memorable Deeds and Sayings, Bk IV, 2).
Forgiveness requires a victory over pride and sensitivity towards others and is, therefore, a high act of human value.

When we forgive, we do not abase ourselves before the man who has offended us but, we raise ourselves above him by our nobility and generosity.
By behaving in this manner, we display out self-control, inspire sentiments of respect and benevolence and, may even bring about a reconciliation and a renewal of friendship.

So, let us make a few good resolutions:
(1) Remembering how Jesus prayed for His executioners, let us always be generous in pardoning others;
(2) Let us do good to those who have offended us, adopting the motto of St Paul: “Be not overcome by evil but, overcome evil with good” (Rom 12:21);
(3) When the injury which we have received, disturbs us greatly and causes us to lose our peace of mind, let us remain silent and procrastinate – “Delay is the best cure for anger,” wrote Seneca, who also, very truly observed, that whenever we have been angry with others, we end by being angry with ourselves!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/23/thought-for-the-day-23-october-as-we-also-forgive-our-debtors/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/24/thought-for-the-day-24-october-as-we-also-forgive-our-debtors/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on REPARATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, ROSARY QUOTES, The LORD'S PRAYER, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION

Thought for the Day – 23 October – “Forgive Us Our Debts”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Forgive Us Our Debts”

“Finally, we owe God a great deal on account of our sins.
Unfortunately, our only return for God’s continual favours, has been negligence, ingratitude and sin!
How many failings we have been guilty of throughout our lives?
Since it is an offence against God, Who is infinitely good and amiable, even venial sin cannot properly be atoned for by the merits of all the Angels and of all the Saints of Heaven.
Therefore, it was necessary for the Son of God, made Man, to offer Himself as a Victim of Expiation, on our behalf.

Remembering His infinite merits, we should humbly ask God – ‘forgive us our debts.‘ that is, our many sins and failings and, whatever punishment is owing to us, for every sin demands some expiation, either in this life or in the next!

Meanwhile, we should accept, with resignation, all the sufferings which God sends us in reparation for our sins and, we should promise never to offend Him again.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/22/thought-for-the-day-22-october-forgive-us-our-debts/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/23/thought-for-the-day-23-october-forgive-us-our-debts/

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 22 October – Our Daily Bread

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Thought for the Day – October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
Our Daily Bread

“When we pray to God to give us our daily bread, we should remember this beautiful sermon of Christ, (Cf Mt 6:25-34), which will remove all our anxiety and worldly worry.
As long as we are prepared to do our work, we shall obtain our daily bread from our loving Father and shall receive, in addition, spiritual peace, confidence and perfect resignation to His Holy Will.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/21/thought-for-the-day-19-october-our-daily-bread/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/22/thought-for-the-day-22-october-our-daily-bread/

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, HOLY COMMUNION, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, The HOLY EUCHARIST, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 21 October – “Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”

“We should not ask only for food for the body but for spiritual nourishment.
“Not by bread alone does man live” says Holy Scripture “but, by every word which comes forth from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4; cf Deut 8:3).
The soul must be nourished, as well as the body, for it has its own life which is worn away by the daily conflict against sinful inclinations and by the constant struggle to achieve sanctity.
It needs to be nourished by the word of God, by His grace and especially, by receiving the Author of grace frequently in Holy Communion.
We should ask, before anything else, for the grace of God and for the true Bread of Life, which descends from Heaven.
“Whoever eats this Bread shall live forever.”

Let us ask for the life-giving Bread, for ourselves and for our unfortunate brothers who are living apart from Jesus, in a state of spiritual death.
May daily Communion become, once more, the inexhaustible source of the spiritual life and of Christian virtue which it was in the early days of the Church.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/20/thought-for-the-day-20-october-give-us-this-day-our-daily-bread/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/21/thought-for-the-day-21-october-give-us-this-day-our-daily-bread/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PEACE, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 20 October – The First Part of the “Our Father”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The First Part of the “Our Father”

“Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
There is infinite and everlasting happiness in Heaven because all the blessed do God’s will in a spirit of love and find perfect peace in Him.

We have a strict obligation to do God’s will because we all owe prompt and generous obedience to our Creator and Redeemer.
Furthermore, this is the only way in which we can acquire peace of soul, which is the beginning of true happiness.
“There is no peace to the wicked” (Isa 48:22).
The sinner can never be at peace.
Therefore, when we say, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven,” let us resolve to do God’s will in all things in the manner of the blessed in Heaven.
Our reward will be spiritual peace, even in the midst of trials and sorrows!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/19/thought-for-the-day-19-october-the-first-part-of-the-our-father/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/20/thought-for-the-day-20-october-the-first-part-of-the-our-father/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 19 October – The “Our Father”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The “Our Father”

“God is truly our Father because He created us from nothing and because, He caused us to be born again through the Incarnation of His Only-begotten Son and the work of the Redemption.
In this way, He is doubly our Father.

Can we claim, however, to be true sons of God?
It is not enough simply to make this claim by reciting the “Our Father” but, we should prove it in a practical way in our daily lives.
We can do this by accepting God’s will in all things, by obeying His commandments and the precepts of the Church and, especially, by loving Him more than anything in creation.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/18/thought-for-the-day-18-october-the-our-father/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/19/thought-for-the-day-19-october-month-of-the-holy-rosary-the-our-father/

Posted in GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, Hail MARY!, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, ROSARY QUOTES, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT, The HOLY CROSS, The LORD'S PRAYER, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 28 April – St Paul of the Cross, St Louis de Montfort, St Peter Chanel

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Quote/s of the Day – 28 April – The Memorial of St Paul of the Cross CP (1604-1775), St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716) and St Peter Chanel SM (1803-1841)

“The world lives,
unmindful of the sufferings of Jesus,
which are the Miracle of Miracles,
of the Love of God!”

“The Passion of Jesus,
is a sea of sorrows
but, it is also, an ocean of love.
Ask the Lord to teach you
to fish in this ocean.
Dive into its depths.
No matter how deep you go,
you will never reach the bottom.”

“Entrust yourself entirely to God.
He is a Father
and a most loving Father at that,
Who would rather let Heaven
and earth collapse,
than abandon anyone
who trusted in Him.”

St Paul of the Cross (1604-1775)

“The ‘Our Father’
contains,
all the duties
we owe to God,
the acts of all the virtues
and the petitions
for all our spiritual
and corporal needs.”

“Both Saint Bernard and Saint Bonaventure say,
that the Queen of Heaven is certainly
no less grateful and conscientious,
than gracious and well-mannered people of this world.
Just as she excels in all other perfections,
she surpasses us all in the virtue of gratitude –
therefore, she would never let us honour her,
with love and respect,
without repaying us one hundred fold.
Saint Bonaventure says,
that Mary will greet us with grace,
if we greet her with the Hail Mary.”

St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)

MORE St Paul HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/19/quote-s-of-the-day-19-october-st-paul-of-the-cross/
MORE St Louis and St Peter Chanel HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/04/28/quote-s-of-the-day-28-april-st-louis-marie-grignion-de-montfort/

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, LENT 2022, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FREE WILL, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The KINGDOM of GOD, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WILL of GOD

Saturday in Passion Week – 9 April – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – ‘… What is the point …?’

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Saturday in Passion Week – 9 April – Our Lenten Journey with the Great Fathers – Jeremias 18:18-23, John 12:10-36

“In You, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In Your justice rescue me. – Psalm 30:2”

“He who loves his life, loses it
and he who hates his life
in this world,
keeps it unto life everlasting.
If anyone serves Me,
let him follow Me
and where I am,
there also shall My servant be.”

John 12:25-26

“OUR OBLIGATION is to do God’s will and not our own. We must remember this, if the praye that our Lord commanded us to say daily, is to have any meaning on our lips. How unreasonable it is to pray that God’s will be done and then not promptly obey it, when He calls us from this world!
Instead, we struggle and resist like self-willed slaves and are brought into the Lord’s presence, with sorrow and lamentation, not freely consenting to our departure but constrained by necessity.

AND YET, WE EXPECT to be rewarded with heavenly honours by Him to Whom we come, against our will!
Why then do we pray for the Kingdom of Heaven to come, if this earthly bondage pleases us?

WHAT IS THE POINT of praying so often for its early arrival, if we would rather serve the devil here than reign with Christ!?” – St Cyprian of Carthage (200-258) Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, Great Father of the Church (Excerpt from On Man’s Mortality).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY EUCHARIST, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 22 March – Forgive!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 22 March – Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent – 4 Kings 4:1-7, Matthew 18:15-22

“Then Peter came up and said to him,
“Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me
and I forgive him?
As many as seven times?”
Jesus said to him,
“I do not say to you seven times
but seventy times seven.”

Matthew 18:21-22

“Go first and be reconciled
with your brother”

Matthew 5:24

“Forgive and you will be forgiven.”

Luke 6:37

“This is what I proclaim, what I testify,
what I cry out with a resounding voice:
Let no-one who has an enemy,
draw near the holy table,
to receive the Body of the Lord!
Let no-one who does approach it,
have an enemy!
Do you have an enemy?
Do not come near!
If you want to do so,
then first go and be reconciled,
then receive the Sacrament.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Someone who shows no clemency,
who is not clothed with the bowels of mercy and tears,
no matter what sort of student he is in spirituality,
such a one, does not fulfil the law of Christ.”

St Jerome (347-420)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“See to it that you refrain from harsh words.
But if you do speak them,
do not be ashamed to apply the remedy
from the same lips, that inflicted the wounds.”

St Francis of Paola OM (1416-1507)

“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 also.
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)

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for the NEW YEAR, The HOLY NAME, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 1 January – ‘Hallowed be Thy Name’ – New Year Resolution?

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 1 January – “Month of the Most Holy Name of Jesus” – – The Octave Day of the Nativity of Jesus and the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord, Readings: Titus 2:11-15; Luke 2:21.

“At that time, after eight days were accomplished that the Child should be circumcised. His Name was called Jesus, which was called by the Angel before He was conceived in the womb.” – Luke 2:21

REFLECTION – “In the Old Law (Gen 22;12), it was required that every male child should, on the eighth day after his birth, be circumcised and thus admitted among God’s chosen people. The rite of circumcision in the Old Law, corresponded to the Sacrament of Baptism in the New Law and was the means of remitting original sin. Our Lord, although free from every sin, submitted to this rit,e in order to show, that He was a true Son of Abraham, to manifest respect and obedience to the established law and to prove that He had a real human body. At the time of circumcision, a name was given to the child. Our Lord was called Jesus, which signified His office as Saviour. On this Feast of the Circumcision, therefore, it is most appropriate that we should meditate on the first petition of the Lord’s prayer, “hallowed be thy name.”
I. The first petition of the Lord’s Prayer. 1. In the opening words of the Lord’s Prayer we ask that God’s Name may be honoured, which shows that God’s glory should be our chief desire. 2. This petition does not mean, that God’s essential glory or perfection should be increased, nor that the honour given Him on earth, should be equal to that shown Him in heaven.
II. The objects of this petition. We ask: 1. That we may praise God with our hearts and lips; 2. That those in error may be brought to recognise and revere His Church; 3. That sinners may be converted to His service; 4. That men may learn to refer all blessings to Him as to their Author and Source.
CONCLUSION. Our conduct should be in conformity with this petition, I. Catholics must not cause the Name of God or of His Church to be profaned by their own evil words and, actions. 2. On the contrary, by clean speech and good example, Catholics ought to excite others to exalt the Name of God, to respect the Faith of Christ and to honour His Church. 3. Good resolutions for the New Year.” Excerrpt Catechism of the Council of Trent, (Part IV – Hallowed be Thy Name).

PRAYER – Almighty God and Father of our Lord Jeus Christ, may Your Name be hallowed on earth as it is in Heaven. May we bow our heads and revere and honour the Holy Name and teach others to do the same. We offer our hearts and penances in reparation to You for the blasphemies suffered each moment of each day and we resolve to do all in our power to amend this evil. We make our prayer, through Your Son, Jesus our Saviour in union with the Holy Spirit, God now and for all eternity, amen.

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SIN, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 26 October – “Deliver Us From Evil”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Deliver Us From Evil”

“When we ask God to deliver us from evil, we should think chiefly of the real evil, which is spiritual.
All other evils are insignificant in comparison with sin, which is an offence committed against God, our only good.
Sin robs us of His grace, which is the supernatural life of the soul, deprives us of His friendship and is an act of ingratitude towards our supreme Benefactor.

When we pray to God to deliver us from evil, we should renew our determination to avoid sin by every means in our power.
Prayer is futile, unless it is accompanied by the resolution never to offend God again.
Our prayers and good resolutions will draw God’s favour and will strengthen our bond of intimacy with Him.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/25/thought-for-the-day-25-october-deliver-us-from-evil/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 25 October – “Lead Us Not Into Temptation”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Lead Us Not Into Temptation”

“Life is a prolonged trial.
St Paul compares it to a stadium in which everyone must fight to win.
If anyone lays down his arms, he will be unable to conquer his passions or to achieve the palm of victory.
“One who enters a contest, is not crowned, unless he has competed according to the rules ” (2 Tim 2:5).

With the exception of the Blessed Virgin, every human being is obliged to battle against the temptations of the flesh.
Sometimes, these can be quite terrifying.
St Paul himself confessed that he felt another law in his members, warning against the law of his mind.
“Unhappy man that I am!” he exdclaimed in supplication to God to come to his assistance.
“Who will deliver me from the body of this death?” (Rom 7:24).

The false enchantment and the wickedness of the world, also threatens to ensnare us.
“We know that we are of God and the whole world is in the power of the evil one” (1 Jn 5:19).
It is easy to become absorbed in worldly affairs and to forget the all-important spiritual realities.

Finally, there is the devil, whom St Peter describes as wandering about “seeking someone to devour.” Resist him, he urges us, “steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same suffering befalls your brethren all over the world ” (Cf 1 Peter 5:9).

Faced as we are, with these three foes, we should implore God to help us by His grace.
Lead us not into temptation, O God but help us to conquer these enemies.
Without You, we can do nothing but with Your aid, all is possible.
Lead us not into temptation!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/24/thought-for-the-day-24-october-lead-us-not-into-temptation/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PRAYER, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 24 October – “As We Also Forgive Our Debtors”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“As We Also Forgive Our Debtors”

“If thou art offering thy gift at the altar,” Jesus tells us “and thou remember that thy brother has anything against thee, leave thy gift before the altar and go first to be reconciled to thy borhter and then come and offer thy gift” (Mt 5:23-24).
Prayer is futile, therefore, unless we have first forgiven our enemies!

“Learn from me,” Jesus said when He proposed Himself as a model to be imitated, “for I am meek and humble of heart.”
Then He added, “you will find rest for your souls” (Cf Mt 11:29).
The foundation of our hatred, anger and resentment, is always our wounded pride.
We need Christlike gentleness and humility, if we are to forgive sincerely and generously.
Only when we have this gentleness and humility, moreover, shall we find joy in forgiving and only then, shall we have peace.
As long as there is room in our hearts for pride and hatred, we can never enjoy peace of soul!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/23/thought-for-the-day-23-october-as-we-also-forgive-our-debtors/

Posted in JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, ROSARY QUOTES, SACRAMENTS, The LORD'S PRAYER, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Thought for the Day – 23 October – “Forgive Us Our Debts”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Forgive Us Our Debts”

“Over and above these natural debts, we are also indebted to God for His grace.
Not only has God created us but He has also raised us to the supernatural order.
By His grace, He has made us His friends and His adopted children.
As a result of original sin, we lost this supernatural life and were unable to regain it by our own efforts.

God was moved with compassion for us, however and sent His own divine Son to sacrifice Himself for love of us, in order to redeem us and to restore to us, the supernatural life of the soul.
We are greatly indebted in the supernatural order, therefore, to our Creator and our Redeemer.
The only way in which we can adequately satisfy our obligation is by offering up the infinite merits of Jesus Christ.

We have been born, moreover, in the Catholic Church and have received a Christian education.
God has always been close to us with His Sacraments.
By means of Baptism, He caused us to be born again to a life of grace.
Whenever we fell, He raised us up again through the Sacrament of Penance and, when we were weak and faltering, He nourished us with His Eucharistic food.
Let us adore Him and acknowledge that we can never thank Him enough for all that He has done for us.
That is why we need to repeat, time and time again, Forgive us our debts!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/22/thought-for-the-day-22-october-forgive-us-our-debts/

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 22 October – Our Daily Bread

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
Our Daily Bread

“We can find this teaching which is contained in these words of the “Our Father” in another section of the Gospel, where Jesus tells us that not to ask for riches and not to hoard goods for the future but, to pray and work from day to day, for our daily needs.

“ Do not be anxious for your life, what you shall eat, nor yet for your body, what you shall put on …
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them …
Consider how the lilies of the fields grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I say to you, that not even Solomon, in all his glory, was arrayed like one of these.
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which flourishes today but tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more you, O you … you of little faith! …
Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for tomorrow will have anxieties of its own.
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Cf Mt 6:25-34).“

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/21/thought-for-the-day-19-october-our-daily-bread/

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 21 October – “Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”

“Note that each one of us prays for “Our Daily Bread” not for “MY Daily Bread.”
We should not ask only for our own requirements but, for those of all our fellowmen, as well.

There are many poverty-stricken people for whom bread is very scarce.
We should pray especially for them and should be prepared to share our bread with those who have none.
Both charity and justice demand this of us.
Let us ask, moreover, only for our necessary requirements, not for wealth and luxury.
Anything superfluous which we possess does not belong to us but, to the poor.
“Give that which remains,” the Gospel commands, “as alms” (Lk 11:41).
Let us remember that, whether we are rich or poor, we are all one great family.
Our love for one another should not be merely theoretical but practical, otherwise we are not sincere Christians!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/20/thought-for-the-day-20-october-give-us-this-day-our-daily-bread/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on FREE WILL, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The KINGDOM of GOD, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 20 October – The First Part of the “Our Father”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The First Part of the “Our Father”

“Our second aspiration is: “Thy kingdom come.”
It is true, that God reigns over Heaven, earth and the infernal regions.
Everything is subject to His Will – the sun, the stars, the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea and the tiniest insects carry out His commands.
Even the demons of Hell, who He has condemned to eternal punishment, are obedient to His Will.
But what about the human race?

Man possesses the precious but dangerous privilege of free will. which he has power to abuse by rebelling against God.
We should pray that the sovereignty of God may be triumphant in all hearts, beginning with our own and, that all men may willingly subject themselves to His commandments and to His grace.
This is the only way in which they can find peace.
“Take my yoke upon you and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29).

We should pray, moreover, for the Church, which is the kingdom of God upon earth.
We should pray for her peaceful victory over her enemies, who persecute her and impede her work for the salvation of souls.
We should love the Church even as we love Jesus Christ, for the Church is His handiwork and the fruit of His Precious Blood.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/19/thought-for-the-day-19-october-the-first-part-of-the-our-father/

Posted in GOD the FATHER, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 19 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – The “Our Father”

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

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The “Our Father”

“Our Father, Who art in heaven.”
Heaven is God Himself, Who reveals Himself to the souls of the blessed.
If a man lives in God, his mind and heart are already in Heaven, even though he is still an exile upon this earth.
It is a wonderful experience to lead a bodily existence upon earth, while our minds are with God in Heaven, for, as St Paul says, “our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil 3:20).
As we are aware, God is everywhere, in Heaven and on earth.
When we invoke our Father, Who is in Heaven, however, we manifest our faith in Him and in His generosity, whereby, He reveals Himself in all His glory to the blessed and shows His mercy to us poor exiles, when we come to Him.
In the first words of the Pater Noster, we express, not only our faith but, also our hope of being happy with God for all eternity.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/18/thought-for-the-day-18-october-the-our-father/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on FREE WILL, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on THE LIGHT of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, The LORD'S PRAYER, The SIGN of the CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 October – “Lord, teach us…”

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Jonah 4: 1-11; Psalm 86: 3–6, 9-10; Luke 11: 1-4

“Lord, teach us to pray …”

Luke 11:1

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

Origen (c 185-253)

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

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

“For the Author and Giver of divine blessings
could not but be our Teacher as well,
providing the words of this prayer,
as precepts of life,
for those disciples who believe in Him
and follow the way He taught in the flesh.
Through these words,
He has revealed the hidden treasures
of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3)
that exist in Him as pure form.
And, in all who offer this prayer,
He kindles the desire to enjoy such treasures.”

St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662)
Monk and Theologian

Interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer

“Prayer is nothing other than union with God.
… This union of God with his little creature
is something beautiful.
It is a happiness that we cannot understand.
We had deserved not to pray
but God, in His goodness, allows us to speak to Him.
Our prayer is incense,
which He receives with tremendous pleasure.”

St John-Marie Vianney (1786-1859)

(Catechism on Prayer]

“Immediately after rising
and throughout the day,
all make the Sign of the Cross
and renew their trust in God:
to be strengthened by the power of the Father,
to be enlightened by the wisdom of the Son
and to be sanctified by the love of the Holy Spirit.
And as they bless themselves, they may say:
Of myself I can do nothing,
with God I can do everything,
I want to do everything for love of God.”

St Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850)

From the Rule of the Pallottines

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on PRAYER, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 October – ‘Lord, teach us to pray …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 6 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Jonah 4: 1-11; Psalm 86: 3–6, 9-10; Luke 11: 1-4

“He was praying in a certain place and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” – Luke 11:1

REFLECTION – “So, my brothers, let us pray as God our master has taught us.
To ask the Father in words His Son has given us,
to let Him hear the prayer of Christ ringing in His ears, is to make our prayer one of friendship, a family prayer. Let the Father recognise the words of His Son. Let the Son who lives in our hearts, be also on our lips. We have Him as an Advocate for sinners, before the Father, when we ask for forgiveness for ours sins, let us use the words given by our Advocate. He tells us – whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you. What more effective prayer could we then make,
in the name of Christ, than in the words of His own prayer?” – St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200- c 258) – Bishop, Father of the Church and Martyr (An excerpt from his “On the Lord’s Prayer”)

PRAYER – Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Teach us Almighty Father to pray, fill us with the love of Your Spirit and guide us always by the Word and Trust of our lives. With the Blessed Mother of God and of the Holy Rosary, we kneel in love and adoration. May her prayers lead us to heaven. Amen

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, GOD the FATHER, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FREE WILL, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, The HOLY NAME, The LORD'S PRAYER, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY, The SIGN of the CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 14 August – God, Our Father

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 14 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Joshua 24: 14-29; Psalm 16: 1-2a and 5-8, 11; Matthew 19: 13-15

God, Our Father

“Let the children come to me,
do not prevent them”

Matthew 19:14

“Whoever has seen me, has seen the Father.”

John 14:9

“So, my brothers, let us pray as God our master has taught us.
To ask the Father in words His Son has given us,
to let Him hear the prayer of Christ ringing in His ears,
is to make our prayer one of friendship, a family prayer.
Let the Father recognise the words of His Son.
Let the Son who lives in our hearts, be also on our lips.
We have Him as an Advocate for sinners, before the Father,
when we ask for forgiveness for ours sins,
let us use the words given by our Advocate.
He tells us –
Whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you.
What more effective prayer could we then make,
in the name of Christ, than in the words of His own prayer?”

St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200- c 258)
Bishop, Father of the Church and Martyr

An excerpt from his “On the Lord’s Prayer”

“Immediately after rising
and throughout the day,
all make the Sign of the Cross
and renew their trust in God:
to be strengthened by the power of the Father,
to be enlightened by the wisdom of the Son
and to be sanctified by the love of the Holy Spirit.
And as they bless themselves, they may say:
Of myself I can do nothing,
with God I can do everything,
I want to do everything for love of God.”

From the Rule of the Pallottines

Our life is:
“To breathe God in and out.
To find God in everything.
To reveal God to all.
To radiate the presence of God.”

My God, In Your Infinite Love
By St Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850)

“My God,
in Your infinite love
You created me
according to Your image and likeness.
You gave me a free will.
Help me to use Your gifts
and improve myself
so as to become totally Your living image,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
an image of Your infinite
qualities and perfections.
Amen

St Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850)

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, GOD is LOVE, GOD the FATHER, I BELIEVE!, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on DOUBT, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 10 July – “Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”

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

“Give Us this Day Our Daily Bread”

“In the second part of the Lord’s Prayer, we ask the universal Father, on behalf of ourselves and of our brethren, for all things necessary for soul and body.
Since we have already paid homage to God, our Creator and our Redeemer and, have prayed for the triumph of His kingdom and for the accomplishment of His will in Heaven and on earth, Our Lord does not forbid us to think now of ourselves and to pray for our own needs.
“Give us this day our daily bread,” we ask, intending to pray, both for our spiritual and material requirements.

We should not delude ourselves into imagining that it is we who produce the fruits of the earth.
A grain of wheat dies beneath the soil but God has infused into it, a mysterious force as a result of which, in dying, it generates new life.

The moisture of the soil, the warmth of the air and the light of the sun combine to develop this mysterious life-force, which produces the green stalk and then the flaxen ear of corn which provides us with bread.
It is God Who has given this vital power to this tiny seed, as well as to all the other seeds of the soil.
It is He Who has endowed the soil with the nutritive elements from which the seeds draw life and it is He, Who sends the dew, the rain and the sunshine, which cause the flowers to blossom and the plants to bear fruit.

We should ask God humbly, therefore, to “give us this day our daily bread.”
Our own labours would be futile without the intervention of the all-powerful Creator.
We are capable, neither of producing, nor of destroying a single atom nor a single seedling.
Without God, we are incapable of achieving anything, either inthe natural or in the supernatural order.
Therefore, we must ask Him to provide us with what we need.
He is supremely good and loves us very much.
His Providence will not leave us in want, even if we are often obliged to work hard in co-operation with Him to procure the necessaries of life.
The birds have no granary, yet they manage to find enough seed to keep them alive because God is watching over them.
How could we suppose, that He will not look after us, if we turn to Him with trust and perseverance?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES on PRAYER, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The LORD'S PRAYER

Thought for the Day – 17 June – The “Our Father”

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

The “Our Father”

“Our Lord exhorted His disciples on many occasions to pray often and with confidence, if they wished to be heard.
Everything which they asked His heavenly Father, in His name, He said, they would obtain.
Ask, He said and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.
Finally, He insisted that we ought to pray and never to give up.
In other words, life can be a continuous prayer if we offer to God all our thoughts, words and actions.

The ideal Christian prayer is to do the will of God at all times from the motive of pure love.
The Apostles, however, who had not made that much progress in the spiritual life, asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (Lk 11:1).
It was then that Our Lord composed the most beautiful of prayer, the “Our Father” (Mt 6:9-13).
When we recite it, we speak to God, in the words of Jesus Christ Himself and unite our weak voices, with the powerful voice of the Son of God!
We address the Eternal God, moreover, by the name of Father.
Even in the Old Testament, God is often referred to in this way.
Then, however, He figured as the Father of the chosen people, whereas now, He is the Father of all.
He is our Father, the Father of all mankind and of all races, whom He has willed to redeem from the slavery of sin.
The term “Our Father” has taken on a new and fuller meaning.
Our weak prayer becomes united to that of Jesus, our first-born Brother and to the prayers of the Apostles, Martyrs, Virgins and Confessors, who form and have formed, throughout the centuries, the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church.
We need no longer feel that we are on our own, for through the Communion of Saints, our entreaties are joined to those of the entire Church, militant, suffering and triumphant.
We can be confident, therefore, that our prayer will be heard!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The KINGDOM of GOD, The LORD'S PRAYER, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 17 June – “Thy will be done”

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Quote/s of the Day – 17 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Gospel: Matthew 6: 7-15

“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.”

“He gives according to the love He bears us …,
according to the courage He sees in each
and the love each has for His Majesty.
He will see, that whoever loves Him much,
will be able to suffer much for Him;
whoever loves Him little,
will be capable of little.
I myself hold,
that the measure for being able to bear,
a large or small cross, is love …”

St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of Prayer of the Church

Way of Perfection, Ch 32

“If you wish to charm the loving Heart of your God,
set yourself to talk to Him,
as often as you can
and, after a fashion,
continually, together with the fullest
and most confident liberty.
He will not hold aloof from answering you
and participating in the conversation on His part.”

St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

What should one converse about with God?