The WORD – Page 109

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 February – Blessed are you!

Posted on February 17, 2019February 16, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 17 February – Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Luke 6:17-26

“Blessed are you when men hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” …Luke 6:22-23 blessed are you when - luke 6 22 - 23 - 17 feb 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “O that we could take that simple view of things, as to feel that the one thing which lies before us is to please God! What gain is it to please the world, to please the great, nay even to please those whom we love, compared with this? What gain is it to be applauded, admired, courted, followed—compared with this one aim, of not being disobedient to a heavenly vision? What can this world offer comparable with that insight into spiritual things, that keen faith, that heavenly peace, that high sanctity, that everlasting righteousness, that hope of glory, which they have, who in sincerity love and follow our Lord Jesus Christ?

Let us beg and pray Him, day by day, to reveal Himself to our souls more fully, to quicken our senses, to give us sight and hearing, taste and touch of the world to come – so to work within us, that we may sincerely say, ‘You shall guide me with Your counsel and after that receive me with glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of You. My flesh and my heart fails but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.'”…Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Sermon on Divine Calls (Plain Sermons)

PRAYER – Holy Father, You have given Yourself to us in the Face of Your Divine Son. You have given Him to us to be our food and our portion. You have consoled us with His presence on the Altar of Offering and washed us with His blood, day by day, You have sacrificed Him to save us. Grant us Your grace, we pray, that day by day, we may be strengthened and made holy by this Holy Food you grant us. May our Holy Mother, be our protection on this journey and may her prayers and the prayers of your saints, grant us courage. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God with You, for all eternity, amen. hail mary pray for us - 17 feb 2019.jpg

MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 February -And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife, garments of skins and clothed them.

Posted on February 16, 2019February 16, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 16 February – Saturday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – First Reading: Genesis 3:9-24 and the Memorial of Blessed Joseph Allamano (1851–1926)

And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife, garments of skins and clothed them…Genesis 3:21

REFLECTION – “The merciful protection of God for man and woman, in every case, never fails either of them. Let us not forget this! The symbolic language of the Bible tells us, that before exiling them from the Garden of Eden, God made for man and woman garments of skins and clothed them (cf. Gn 3:21). This act of tenderness, means that, in the painful consequences of our sin, God does not want us to be left naked and abandoned to our fate as sinners.”…Pope Francis – General Audience, 16 September 2015

PRAYER – Loving and merciful Father! In all our needs, even when we turn from You and cause You sorrow, You are there to help us! You grace us with garments of love to protect us from the evils which surround us. Bless us we pray, as we turn to You in pain and repentance and by the sufferings of Your divine Son Whom You sent to redeem us, grant us peace. May the prayers of Blessed Joseph Allamano intercede in our strife as we make our way home to You. Through Jesus our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen. bl joseph allamano pray for us 16 feb 2019

FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on SIN, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 February – Nothing else, than the body that proved itself superior to death and became the source of our life.

Posted on February 15, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 15 February – Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Today’s First Reading: Genesis 3:1-8 and the Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682) Apostle of the Sacred Heart and Blessed Michal Sopoćko (1888-1975) Apostle of Divine Mercy

“The woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes and the tree was desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her and he ate it.”...Genesis 3:6

REFLECTION – “Those who have been tricked into taking poison, offset its harmful effect, by another drug. The remedy, moreover, just like the poison, has to enter the system, so that its remedial effect, may thereby spread through the whole body. Similarly, having tasted the poison, that is the fruit, that dissolved our nature, we were necessarily in need of something to reunite it. Such a remedy had to enter into us, so that it might by its counteraction, undo the harm the body had already encountered from the poison. And what is this remedy? Nothing else, than the body that proved itself superior to death and became the source of our life.”…St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–c395) Father of the Church (Catechetical Oration, 27)

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, Your great mercy, gave us Your Son! Surely nothing can be a greater proof to us of Your unending love and mercy to Your lowly creatures, we who are dust. Through Him, who died and rose for us, You have shown us the way of true mercy. Grant us this day that by the intercession of St Claude and Blessed Michal, we may take up our crosses with Him, never leaving the love of His Sacred Heart, so that we may join Your holy saints in eternal life. Through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

bl michal sopocka pray for us - apostle of divine mercy 15 feb 2019.jpg

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One Minute Reflection – 14 February – “The faith of the Canaanite woman”

Posted on February 14, 2019February 14, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 14 February – Thursday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 7:24–30 and the Memorial of Sts Cyril and Methodius “Apostles to the Slavs”- Patrons of Europe and St Valentine (176-273) Martyr

But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him and came and fell down at his feet....Mark 7:25

REFLECTION – “O woman, your faith is great. Let it be done to you as you wish” (Mt 15:28). Indeed, she had great enough faith, since she knew neither the ancient miracles, commands and promises of the prophets, nor the more recent ones of the Lord himself. In addition, as often as she was disregarded by the Lord, she persevered in her entreaties and she did not cease knocking by asking him, though she knew only by popular opinion that he was the Saviour. On account of this, she secured the great object for which she implored…
If one of us has a conscience polluted by the stain of avarice, conceit, vain-glory, indignation, irascibility, or envy and the other vices, he has “a daughter badly troubled by a demon” like the Canaanite woman. He should hasten to the Lord, making supplication for her healing… Being submissive with due humility, [such a person] must not judge himself to be worthy of the company of the sheep of Israel (that is, souls that are pure) but instead, he must be of the opinion that he is unworthy of heavenly favours. Nevertheless, let him not, in despair, rest from the earnestness of his entreaty but with his mind free of doubt, let him trust in the goodness of the supreme Benefactor, for the one who could make a confessor from a robber (Lk 23:39f.), an apostle from a persecutor (Acts 9:1-30, an evangelist from a publican (Mt 9:9-13) and who could make sons for Abraham out of stones, could turn even the most insignificant dog into an Israelite sheep.”...St Bede the Venerable (673-735) – Father & Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – Help us Lord, to cleave to You alone and grow in sanctity and charity. Create in us a clean heart O Lord! As we walk in the ways of Your divine Son, our Saviour, may we grow in faith and by our lives and words, be a light in the world. Grant that by the prayers of Sts Valentine and Sts Cyril and Methodius, we may be strengthen and grow in worthiness to receive Your grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. st valentine pray for us 14 feb 2019 sts-cyril-and-methodius-pray-for-us-14-feb-2018-no-2

DOMINICAN OP, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 13 February – Blessed Jordan of Saxony OP (1190-1237)

Posted on February 13, 2019February 13, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 13 February – the Memorial of Blessed Jordan of Saxony OP (1190-1237)

“There are two ways of keeping God’s word,
namely, one, whereby we store in our memory
what we hear and the other,
whereby we put into practice, what we have heard
(and none will deny that the latter, is more commendable,
inasmuch, as it is better to sow grain,
than to store it in the barn).”

Meeting a vagabond upon the road who feigned sickness and poverty, Blessed Jordan gave him one of his tunics, which the fellow at once carried straight to a tavern for drink. The brethren, seeing this done, taunted him with his simplicity:

‘There now, Master, see how wisely you have bestowed your tunic.’

‘I did so,’ said he,
‘because I believed him to be in want,
through sickness and poverty
and it seemed, at the moment,
to be a charity to help him.
Still, I reckon it better, to have parted
with my tunic than with charity.’

Blessed Jordan of Saxony (1190-1237)

DOMINICAN OP, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 February – “All these evil things come from within and they defile a man.”

Posted on February 13, 2019February 13, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 13 February – Wednesday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C. Gospel: Mark 7:14-23 and the Memorial of Blessed Jordan of Saxony OP (1190-1237)

And he said, “What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and they defile a man.” Mark 7:20-23

REFLECTION – “The boundary between good and evil does not pass outside of us but rather within us. We could ask ourselves: where is my heart? Jesus said: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”. What is my treasure? Is it Jesus, is it His teaching? If so, then the heart is good. Or is my treasure something else? Thus it is a heart which needs purification and conversion. Without a purified heart, one cannot have truly clean hands and lips which speak sincere words of love — it is all duplicitous, a double life — lips which speak words of mercy, of forgiveness but only a sincere and purified heart can do this.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 30 August 2015

PRAYER – God our Saviour, through the grace of Baptism, You made us children of light. Hear our prayer, that we may always walk in that light and work for truth, as Your witnesses before men. May our hearts be purified by You grace and may our hands and lips speak with sincere words of love. Blessed Jordan, you worked and walked with zeal and passion in the light of the Lord, please pray for us. We make our prayer, through Christ our Lord with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 12 February – Gospel: Mark 7:1–13

Posted on February 12, 2019February 12, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 12 February – Tuesday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 7:1–13

And he said to them,

“You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God,

in order to keep your tradition!”…Mark 7:9

“If you wish to enter into life,
keep My commandments.
If you will know the truth,
believe in Me.
If you will be perfect,
sell all.
If you will be My disciple,
deny yourself.
If you will possess the blessed life,
despise this present life.
If you will be exalted in heaven,
humble yourself on earth.
If you wish to reign with Me,
carry the Cross with Me.
For only the servants of the Cross
find the life of blessedness
and of true light.”

“MY CHILD,
the more you depart from yourself,
the more you will be able to enter into Me.
As the giving up of exterior things,
brings interior peace,
so the forsaking of self,
unites you to God.
I will have you learn perfect surrender to My will,
without contradiction or complaint.”

The Imitation of Christ Chapter 56
Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

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One Minute Reflection – 12 February – Gospel: Mark 7:1–13

Posted on February 12, 2019February 12, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 12 February – Tuesday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 7:1–13

And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written,
‘This people honours me with their lips but their heart is far from me..”...Mark 7:6

REFLECTION – “Prayer is a heart to heart with God… Prayer that has been carried out well, touches God’s heart and prompts Him to answer us. When we pray, let it be our whole being that turns towards God – our thoughts, our heart… The Lord will be moved to incline towards us and come to our help… mark 7 6 well did isaiah prophesy of you people - prayer is a heart to heart with god - st padre pio 12 feb 2019.jpg
Pray and hope. Do not get upset, worrying doesn’t help. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. Prayer is our best weapon, it is the key that opens God’s heart. You need to speak to Jesus less with your lips than with your heart.”…St Pio of Pietralcina “Padre Pio” (1887-1968)

PRAYER – Look with favour on our morning prayer, Lord and in Your saving love let Your light penetrate the hidden places of our hearts. May no sordid desires darken our minds, renewed and enlightened as we are, by Your heavenly grace. May we live by the Light of Your divine Son and follow His precepts. May the Mother of perpetual succour, pray for us. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. mother of perpetual succour pray for us 12 feb 2019.jpg

MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL MESSAGES, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 11 February – 27th World Day of Prayer for the Sick

Posted on February 11, 2019February 11, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 11 February – Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes and the 27th World Day of Prayer for the Sick

And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or country,
they laid the sick in the market places
and besought him that they might touch
even the fringe of his garment
and as many as touched it were made well...Mark 6:56 and wherever he came - mark 6 56 11 feb 2019 world day of the sick.jpg

REFLECTION – “Only if we see ourselves, not as a world apart but in a fraternal relationship with others, can we develop a social practice of solidarity aimed at the common good. We should not be afraid to regard ourselves as needy or reliant on others, because individually and by our own efforts, we cannot overcome our limitations. So we should not fear, then, to acknowledge those limitations, for God himself, in Jesus, has humbly stooped down to us (cf. Phil 2:8) and continues to do so, in our poverty, He comes to our aid and grants us gifts beyond our imagining.”…Pope Francis, Message for the 27th World Day of the Sick

PRAYER – Grant us, O merciful God, protection in our weakness, that we, who keep the Memorial of the Immaculate Mother of God, may, with the help of her intercession, rise up from our iniquities. Grant, we pray that our lives may be gifts to all those who cry out in pain. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever, amen.

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 9 February – Let us give thanks…

Posted on February 9, 2019February 9, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 9 February – Saturday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – First Reading: Hebrews 13:15–17

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. …Hebrews 13:15

“Let us bear all things thankfully, be it poverty, be it disease, be it anything else whatever, for God alone knows the things expedient for us, “for we do not know how to pray as we ought.”

We, then, who do not know even how to ask for what is fitting unless we have received of the Spirit, let us take care to offer up thanksgiving for all things and let us bear all things nobly.

Are we in poverty? Let us give thanks. Are we in sickness? Let us give thanks. Are we falsely accused? Let us give thanks. When we suffer affliction, let us give thanks. This brings us near to God.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor
(On the Epistle to the Hebrews, 33)

MORNING Prayers, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection -9 February -Gospel: Mark 6:30–34 “To see, to have compassion, to teach.”

Posted on February 9, 2019February 9, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection -9 February – Saturday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C , Gospel: Mark 6:30–34

As he went ashore he saw a great throng and he had compassion on them...Mark 6:34

REFLECTION – “To see, to have compassion, to teach. The first and second, to see and to have compassion, are always found together in the attitude of Jesus – in fact His gaze is not the gaze of a sociologist or a photojournalist, for He always gazes with “the eyes of the heart”. These two verbs, to see and to have compassion, configure Jesus as the Good Shepherd. His compassion too, is not merely a human feeling but is the deep emotion of the Messiah in whom God’s tenderness is made flesh.”...Pope Francis – Angelus, 19 July 2015

PRAYER – All-powerful, eternal God, splendour of true light and never-ending day, let our striving for Your kingdom not fall short through selfishness or fear, may the universe be alive with the Spirit and our homes be the pledge of the world redeemed. May our eyes see and our hearts have compassion, to all those who need us. May the intercession of our Holy Mother, St Apollonia and all the saints, be a strength and a comfort. Through Jesus, our compassionate and loving Redeemer, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You forever, amen. holy mary mother of god - pray for us - 13 may 2018 st apollonia pray for us 9 feb 2019

FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 February – “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist.”

Posted on February 8, 2019February 8, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 8 February – Friday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Mark 6:14–29 and the Memorial of St Jerome Emiliani (1486–1537)

“I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”…Mark 6:25

REFLECTION – “If it is glorious for the soldiers of this world to return to their fatherland triumphant, after vanquishing the enemy, how much better and greater is the glory for one who, after overcoming the devil, returns triumphant to heaven and after laying him low who had formerly deceived us, brings back the trophies of victory there, whence Adam, the sinner, had been ejected? To offer the Lord the most acceptable gift of an uncorrupted faith, an unshaken virtue of the mind, an illustrious praise of devotion?… To become co-heir of Christ, to be made equal to the angels, to rejoice with the patriarchs, with the apostles, with the prophets in the possession of the heavenly kingdom? What persecution can conquer these thoughts, what torments can overcome them?…

The lands are shut off in persecutions, heaven is open… How great a dignity and, how great a security it is to go forth hence happy, to go forth glorious in the midst of difficulties and affliction! For a moment to shut the eyes with which men and the world are seen, to open them immediately that God and Christ may be seen!… If persecution should come upon such a soldier of God, virtue made ready for battle will not be able to be overcome him. Or if the summons should come beforehand, the faith which was prepared for martyrdom will not be without its reward… In persecution, God crowns loyal military service, in peace, purity of conscience is crowned.”…St Cyprian (c.200-258) Bishop and Martyr, Father of the Church

PRAYER– Father of mercy, You chose St Jerome Emiliani to be a father to orphans in their need. Grant that through his prayer, we may keep faithfully the spirit of sonship, by which we are not only called but really are Your children. Help us to imitate his love and faith, manifesting by our commitment to Your commandments, our true faith. May we be filled with strength and grace as we face persecution and animosity in Your service. We make our prayer through Jesus, our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 7 February – Go Forth Set the World on Fire!

Posted on February 7, 2019February 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 7 February – Thursday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C. Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

He charged them to take nothing for their journey...Mark 6:8

For all Christians, wherever they live, are bound to show forth, by the example of their lives and by the witness of the word, that new man put on at baptism and that power of the Holy Spirit, by which they have been strengthened at Confirmation. Thus other men, observing their good works, can glorify the Father and can perceive more fully the real meaning of human life and the universal bond of the community of mankind. (cf Col 3:10; Mt 5:16)….Decree on the missionary activity of the Church, “ Ad Gentes ”, # 10-11 – Vatican Council II

“Jesus never sinned, yet He was crucified for you.

Will you refuse to be crucified for Him, who for your sake was nailed to the cross?

You are not the one who gives the favour, you have received one first.

For your sake He was crucified on Golgotha.

Now you are returning His favour, you are fulfilling your debt to Him.”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Father & Doctor of the Church

jesus never sinned yet he was crucified for you - st cyrilofjerusalem 7feb2019.jpg

“Go Forth, Set the World on Fire”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

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One Minute Reflection – 7 February – He Charged Them to take Nothing for their Journey

Posted on February 7, 2019February 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 7 February – Thursday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C. Gospel: Mark 6:7-13

He charged them to take nothing for their journey...Mark 6:8

REFLECTION – “The characteristic of the missionary’s style is, so to speak, a face, which consists in the poverty of means. His accoutrement responds to a criteria of modesty. Indeed the Twelve have the order to “take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts” (6:8). The Teacher wants them to be free and unhampered, without reserves and without favours, certain only of the love of the One who sends them, strengthened only by His Word, which they go to proclaim. The staff and the sandals are the gear of pilgrims because that is what the messengers of the Kingdom of God are, not omnipotent managers, not irreplaceable officials, not celebrities on tour.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 15 July 2018

PRAYER – Grant us Lord, a true knowledge of salvation so that, freed from fear and from the power of our foes, we may serve You, unhampered by any worldly ties, trusting only in Your loving and guiding hand. Help us to give our hearts, minds, bodies, our all to You, serving faithfully all the days of our life. May the prayers of our loving Mother, give us strength. We make our prayer, through our Lord Jesus with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. blessed virgin mother of god pray for us 7 feb 2019.jpg

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 February – “Is not this the carpenter?”…Mark 6:3

Posted on February 6, 2019February 6, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 6 February – Wednesday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Mark 6:1–6 and the Memorial of St Dorothy of Caesarea (Died 311) and St Paul Miki SJ (c 1564-1597) & Companions/Martyrs of Nagasaki – Martyrs

“Is not this the carpenter?”…Mark 6:3

REFLECTION – “Joseph loved Jesus as a father loves his son and he cared for Him, giving Him the best he had. Joseph took charge of this child as he had been commanded and turned Jesus into a workman, passing on his craft to Him. That is why their neighbours in Nazareth, when they spoke of Jesus, called Him, roughly speaking, a “carpenter” or “the son of a carpenter” (Mt 13:55)…
Jesus must have resembled Joseph in His traits of character and ways of working and talking. His realism, His powers of observation, His way of sitting at table and breaking bread, His attraction for explaining His teaching in a concrete way by taking His examples from everyday things, reflect what Jesus’ childhood and youth were like and therefore His relationship with Joseph. What depths there are in this mystery! This Jesus, who is a man, who speaks with the accent of a particular region of Israel, who resembles a workman named Joseph, is indeed the Son of God. And who can teach God anything? Nevertheless, He is truly man and His life is a normal one – first a child, then a young man who helps Joseph in the workshop and finally, a mature man in the fullness of age: “Jesus advanced in wisdom and grace before God and men” (Lk 2:52).
At the human level Joseph was Jesus’ master. Day by day he surrounded Him with tender affection and cared for Him with joyful self-denial. Is this not a very good reason for thinking this man to be just (Mt 1:19) – this saintly patriarch in whom the Old Testament faith reaches its climax as a master of the interior life?”…St Josémaria Escriva de Balaguer (1902-1975)

“According to the people of Nazareth, God is too great to humble Himself to speak through such a simple man! It is the scandal of the Incarnation – the unsettling event of a God made flesh, who thinks with the mind of a man, works and acts with the hands of a man, loves with a human heart, a God who struggles, eats and sleeps like one of us.
The Son of God overturns every human framework – it is not the disciples who washed the feet of the Lord but, it is the Lord who washed the feet of the disciples (cf. Jn 13:1-20). This is a reason for scandal and incredulity, not only in that period but in all ages, even today.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 8 July 2018 mark 6 3 is not this the carpenter - the son of God overturns - pope francis 6feb2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, source of strength and grace, grant us eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts to love the Word of Your Son. Make us recognise Your Son in our daily lives and be generous in sharing our faith to all we meet. Grant, we pray, that the prayers of St Dorothy of Caesarea and St Paul Miki and companions, may help us to manifest zeal and courage. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in unity with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

st dorothy of caesarea pray for us 6 feb 2019.jpg

MARTYRS OF NAGASAKI PRAY FOR US.jpg

DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 February …”I say to you, arise.”… Mark 5:41

Posted on February 5, 2019June 10, 2022 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 5 February – Tuesday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 5:21–43 and The Memorial of St Agatha (c 231- c 251)

…”I say to you, arise.”… Mark 5:41

mark 5 41 - i say to you arise - jairus' daughter - 5 feb 2019

REFLECTION – ““He took the child by the hand and said to her: ‘Talitha koum’, which means, ‘Little girl…arise.’” “Since you have been born again, you are to be called ‘little girl’. Little girl, arise for my sake – your healing does not come from you.” “And immediately the little girl arose and walked around.” May Jesus touch us, too and at once we shall walk. We may well be paralysed, our deeds may be evil and we may be unable to walk, we may be lying on the bed of our sins… but if Jesus touches us, then we shall immediately be healed. Peter’s mother-in-law was suffering with fever – Jesus touched her hand and she arose and immediately served Him (Mk 1:31)…

“They were utterly astounded and he gave them strict orders that no one should know this.” Do you see now why He put the people out when He was going to work a miracle? He ordered and not just ordered but strictly ordered, that no one should know of this. He ordered the three apostles and He ordered the parents, too, that no one should know. Our Lord ordered them all but the little girl herself, she who had stood up, could not be silent.

“And he said she should be given something to eat” – so that her resurrection might not be thought to be a ghostly apparition. And He Himself, after His resurrection, ate fish and a piece of honeycomb (Lk 24:42)… Lord, I beseech you, touch our hands as we, too, lie prostrate. Make us rise from our bed of sins and enable us to walk. And when we have walked, make them give us something to eat. We cannot eat when we are lying down- unless we are standing, we shall not be able to receive the Body of Christ.”…St Jerome (347-420) – Father & Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – Increase in us, O Lord, the gift of faith, so that we may arise and offer our praise to You and by Your grace, yield fruit from heaven, for the glory of Your Kingdom. Lord God, let St Agatha, who became precious in Your sight through her pure life and valiant martyrdom, plead for our forgiveness. For, with joy and rejoicing, as though to a feast, St Agatha, went to prison and offered her sufferings to You, with many prayers. Through Jesus Christ, Your divine Son, in unity with the Spirit, one God forever. St Agatha, pray for us, amen.

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Quote/s of the Day – 4 February – Bl Rabanus Maurus, St Joseph of Leonissa & St John de Britto

Posted on February 4, 2019February 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 4 February – The Memorial of Blessed Rabanus Maurus OSB (776-856), St Joseph of Leonissa OFM CAP (1556-1612) and St John de Britto SJ (1647-1693) Martyr

Veni Creator Spiritus

Come, Creator, Spirit,
come from Your bright heavenly throne,
come take possession of our souls
and make them all Your own.
You who are called the Paraclete,
best gift of God above,
the living spring,
the vital fire,
sweet christ’ning and true love. . . .
O guide our minds with Your best light,
with love our hearts inflame
and with Your strength,
which ne’er decays,
confirm our mortal frame.
Far from us drive our deadly foe,
true peace unto us bring
and through all perils lead us safe
beneath Your sacred wing.
Through You may we the Father know,
through You th’eternal Son
and You the Spirit of them both,
thrice-blessed Three in One. . . .

By Blessed Rabanus Maurus (776-856)

“Every Christian must be a living book
wherein one can read the teaching of the gospel.
This is what St Paul says to the Corinthians.
Our heart is the parchment; through my ministry
the Holy Spirit is the writer because
‘my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe’
(Psalm 45:1).”

St Joseph of Leonissa OFM CAP (1556-1612)

“God, Who called me
from the world into religious life,
now calls me from Portugal to India….
Not to answer the vocation as I ought,
would be to provoke the justice of God.”

St John de Britto SJ (1647-1693) Martyr

JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD, VATICAN Documents

One Minute Reflection – 4 February – Gospel: Mark 5:1–20

Posted on February 4, 2019February 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 4 February – Monday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Mark 5:1–20 and the Memorial of St John de Britto SJ (1647-1693) Martyr

“Go home to your friends and tell them, how much the Lord has done for you and how he has, had mercy on you.”…Mark 5:19

REFLECTION – “As the Son was sent by the Father, so He too sent the Apostles (Jn 20:21), saying: “Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And behold I am with you all days even to the consummation of the world”.(Mt 28:19) The Church has received this solemn mandate of Christ to proclaim the saving truth from the apostles and must carry it out to the very ends of the earth.(Acts 1:8) Wherefore, she makes the words of the Apostle her own: “Woe to me, if I do not preach the Gospel” (1Cor 9:16) and continues unceasingly to send heralds of the Gospel until such time as the infant churches are fully established and can themselves continue the work of evangelising.
For the Church is compelled by the Holy Spirit to do her part, that God’s plan may be fully realised, whereby He has constituted Christ as the source of salvation for the whole world. By the proclamation of the Gospel she prepares her hearers to receive and profess the faith. She gives them the dispositions necessary for baptism, snatches them from the slavery of error and of idols and incorporates them in Christ, so that through charity, they may grow up into full maturity in Christ. Through her work, whatever good is in the minds and hearts of men, whatever good lies latent in the religious practices and cultures of diverse peoples, is not only saved from destruction but is also cleansed, raised up and perfected unto the glory of God, the confusion of the devil and the happiness of man.
The obligation of spreading the faith is imposed on every disciple of Christ, according to his state. However, although all the faithful can baptise, the priest alone can complete the building up of the Body in the eucharistic sacrifice. Thus are fulfilled the words of God, spoken through His prophet: “From the rising of the sun until the going down thereof my name is great among the gentiles and in every place a clean oblation is sacrificed and offered up in my name”.(Mal 1:11) In this way the Church both prays and labours in order that the entire world may become the People of God, the Body of the Lord and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.”… Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, “Lumen Gentium”, #17 – Vatican Council II

PRAYER – Lord God and Father, who entrusted the earth to men, to till and care for it and made the sun to serve their needs, give us grace this day, to work faithfully for Your Glord and for our neighbours’ good. As we follow the Way of Your Son, fill us with the Holy Spirit of faith, hope and love. Almighty God, You made Saint John of Britto, an illustrious preacher of the gospel. Through his prayers inflame us with love and with his zeal for souls that we may serve You alone. St John of Britto, pray for us! Through Jesus, our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen. st john de britto pray for us 4 feb 2019.jpg

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 February – Gospel: Luke 4:21–30 “And they rose up and put him out of the city”

Posted on February 3, 2019February 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 February – Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 4:21–30 and The Memorial of St Blaise – Martyr (Died c 316) and St Ansgar (801-865)

And they rose up and put him out of the city and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. But passing through the midst of them he went away….Luke 4:29-30

REFLECTION – “A doctor came amongst us to restore us to health – our Lord Jesus Christ. He discovered blindness in our hearts and promised the light that “eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and has not entered the heart of man” (1Cor 2:9).
The humility of Jesus Christ is the cure for your pride. Don’t scorn what will bring you healing, be humble, you for whom God humbled Himself. Indeed, He knew that the medicine of humility would cure you, He who well understood your sickness and knew how to cure it. While you were unable to run to the doctor’s house, the doctor in person came to your house… He is coming, He wants to help you, He knows what you need.
God has come with humility precisely in order that man might imitate Him. If He had remained above you, how would you have been able to imitate Him? And, without imitating Him, how could you be healed? He came with humility because He knew the nature of the remedy He had to administer – a little bitter, it is true but healing. And do you continue to scorn Him? He who holds out the cup to you and you say: “But what sort of God is this God of mine? He was born, suffered, was covered with spittle, crowned with thorns, nailed on the cross!” O miserable soul! You see the doctor’s humility and not the cancer of your pride. That is why humility displeases you…
It often happens that mentally ill people end up by beating their doctor. When that happens, the unfortunate doctor is not only not distressed by the one who beat him but attempts to treat him… As for our doctor, He did not fear being killed by sick people afflicted with madness, He turned His own death into their remedy. Indeed, He died and rose again.”…St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – Lord our God, make us love You above all things and all our fellow-men, with a love that is worthy of You. May we look to Your Divine Son in love and imitation. Holy Father, You sent St Ansgar, Monk and Bishop, to bring the light of Christ to many nations of Northern Europe. Through his prayer give us grace to live always in the light of Your truth. Grant too, that by the prayers of St Blaise, we too may be granted the grace to follow Your only Son, no matter our sufferings, to You, in our heavenly home. We make our prayer, through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever amen. st-blaise-pray-for-us-3-february-20171

st-ansgar-pray-for-us-3-feb-2018

FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 February – Today’s Gospel: Luke 2:22–40

Posted on February 2, 2019February 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 2 February – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, Gospel: Luke 2:22–40 and the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life

“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to thy people Israel.”...Luke 2:29-32 luke 2 29-30 lord now let thy servant - 2 feb 2019

REFLECTION – “Those who have met Jesus no longer fear anything. We too can repeat the words of the elderly Simeon, he too was blessed by the encounter with Christ, after a lifetime spent in anticipation of this event: “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation” (Lk 2:29-30). At that instant, at last, we will no longer need anything, we will no longer see in a confused way. We will no longer weep in vain, because all has passed, even the prophecies, even consciousness. But not love – this endures. Because “love never ends” (1 Cor 13:8).”…Pope Francis – General Audience, 25 October 2017

PRAYER – May the Lord renew in you and in all consecrated people each day the joyful response to His freely given and faithful love. Dear brothers and sisters, like lighted candles, always and everywhere shine with the love of Christ, Light of the world. May Mary Most Holy, the consecrated Woman, help you to live to the full, your special vocation and mission in the Church for the world’s salvation. And may we all follow our Lord in obedience. Amen! world-day-consecrated-life-2018-2 feb 2018.jpg

MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 1 February – Gospel: Mark 4:26–34

Posted on February 1, 2019February 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 1 February – Friday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year Gospel: Mark 4:26–34 and the Memorial of St Brigid of Ireland (c 453-523)

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man
should scatter seed upon the ground and should sleep and rise,
night and day and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how.”...Mark 4:26-28

REFLECTION – “We can be confident because the Word of God is a creative word, destined to become the “full grain in the ear” (v. 28). This Word, if accepted, certainly bears fruit, for God Himself makes it sprout and grow in ways that we cannot always verify or understand. (cf. v. 27). All this tells us that it is always God, it is always God who makes His Kingdom grow. That is why we fervently pray “thy Kingdom come”. It is He who makes it grow. Man is His humble collaborator, who contemplates and rejoices in divine creative action and waits patiently for its fruits.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 14 June 2015

PRAYER – Almighty Father, we bless You Lord of life, through whom all living things tend. You are the source of all, our first beginning and our end! Grant holy Father, that we may allow the Word to enter our hearts and grow by Your grace, so that we may always live for Your glory. May the intercession of St Brigid of Ireland, who consistently tended Your seed, grant us strength and zeal. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. st brigid of ireland pray for us 1 feb 2019.jpg

MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 31 January – The measure with which you measure

Posted on January 31, 2019January 31, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 31 January – Thursday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 4:21–25 and The Memorial of St John Bosco (1815-1888)

And he said to them, “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given,
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”…Mark 4:24–25

REFLECTION – “Brothers and sisters, the Lord’s scales are different from ours. He weighs people and their actions differently – God does not measure quantity but quality, He examines the heart, He looks at the purity of intentions. This means that our “giving” to God in prayer and to others in charity should always steer clear of ritualism and formalism, as well as of the logic of calculation and must be an expression of gratuity, as Jesus did with us – He saved us freely. And we must do things as an expression of gratuity. “…Pope Francis – Angelus, 11 November 2018 mark 4-24-25 the measure with which you mesure - the lord's scales are different pope francis 31 jan 2019.jpg

PRAYER – We praise You, Lord, for calling St John Bosco to be a loving father and prudent guide of the young. Give us his fervent zeal for souls and the graces You granted him, making him in a servant of all. Enable us, O Lord, to live for You alone and to see in all, Your image. For the more we give of ourselves in total love of You and Your children, the more You will shower down Your grace. Grant we pray, that we may become a shining beacon of the salvation which comes to us in Christ. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever and ever, amen.

CONFESSION/PENANCE, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on SIN, The WORD

Quote of the Day – 30 January – Gospel: Mark 4:1-20

Posted on January 30, 2019January 30, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 30 January – Wednesday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 4:1-20

“When we go to Confession,
we are not telling God something
He doesn’t already know
and we’re not showing Him something
He doesn’t already see.
We are giving Him something
He doesn’t already have –
Your broken heart.”

Father Mike Schmitz

CONFESSION/PENANCE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on GRACE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 January – Gospel: Mark 4:1-20

Posted on January 30, 2019January 30, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 30 January – Wednesday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 4:1-20 and the Memorial of the Salesian Priest Blessed Bronislaw Markiewicz SDB (1842-1912)

“The sower sows the word. … And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word but the cares of the world and the delight in riches and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word and it proves unfruitful.”…Mark 4:14,18-19

REFLECTION – “Dear brothers and sisters, Jesus invites us today to look inside ourselves – to give thanks for our good soil and to tend the soil that is not yet good. Let us ask ourselves, if our heart is open to welcome the seed of the Word of God with faith. Let us ask ourselves, if our rocks of laziness are still numerous and large;, let us identify our thorns of vice and call them by name.,, Let us find the courage to reclaim the soil, to effect a new conversion of our heart, bringing to the Lord in Confession and in prayer our rocks and our thorns. In doing this, Jesus, the Good Sower will be glad to carry out an additional task – to purify our hearts, by removing the rocks and the thorns which choke His Word…Pope Francis – Angelus, 16 July 2017

PRAYER – Lord God, in Your wisdom You created us, by Your providence You rule us, You have planted us, penetrate our inmost being Your holy Light, so that our way of life may always be one of faithful service to You. May we never hesitate to run to Your all-forgiving arms of mercy, when we allow the rocks and thorns of this life to prevent our growth and our steps as we return home to You. May the prayers of the Blessed Virgin, our Mother, all the angels and saints and of Blessed Bronislaw Markiewicz be unfailing assistance to us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. blessed virgin holy mother mary pray for us 14 oct 2018.jpg

bl bronislaw markiewicz pray for us - 30 jan 2019.jpg

DOCTORS of the Church, GOD the FATHER, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 29 January – Doing the Will of God

Posted on January 29, 2019January 29, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 29 January – Tuesday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 3:31–35

31 And his mother and his brethren came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting about him and they said to him, “Your mother and your brethren are outside, asking for you.” 33 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brethren?” 34 And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brethren! 35 Whoever does the will of God, is my brother and sister and mother.”

Whoever does the will of God,

is my brother and sister and mother.

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)

Our determination to follow God’s will in all things without exception is contained in the Lord’s prayer, in the words we say each day: “Your will be done on earth as in heaven.” In heaven there is no resistance to the divine will, everything is submitted to Him and obeys Him, we promise to do the same for Our Lord, never offering any resistance but always remaining very subject to this divine will in every circumstance. Now, the will of God can be understood in two ways: there is the will of God that is clearly stated and the will that is His good pleasure.

The will that is stated consists of four parts: His commandments, His counsels, the counsels of the Church and His inspirations. As regards the commandments of God and His Church, each of us must bow the neck and submit to obedience because in this, the will of God is absolute, willing that we should obey if we wish to be saved.

He wants us to observe the counsels by desire but not in an absolute manner, since some are so opposed to each other, that it would be altogether impossible to take on the practice of one of them, without taking away the means of practising the other. For example, it is a counsel to leave all one has in order to follow our Lord, stripped of everything and it is a counsel to lend and give alms. But how can someone lend who all at once has left all that he has, or how can he give alms, tell me, when he has nothing? So we have to follow the counsels God wants us to follow and not think He has given them all to us, so that we should embrace them all.

In addition there is the will of God’s good pleasure which we are to consider in every eventuality, I mean in all those things that happen to us – in sickness, death, affliction, consolation, in things that are adverse and things that are profitable, in brief in everything unforeseen. And to this will of God we should always be ready to submit in all that happens, in the agreeable as in the disagreeable, in affliction as in consolation, in death as in life and in all that is not clearly against the stated will of God, for that always comes first.

Blessed Virgin, Mary Most Devout Mother, Pray for Us!

MORNING Prayers, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 January – Gospel: Mark 3:31–35

Posted on January 29, 2019January 29, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 29 January – Tuesday of the Third week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 3:31–35

“Here are my mother and my brethren! Whoever does the will of God, is my brother, and sister and mother.”…Mark 34-35 mark 3 - 34 35 - whoever does the will of god- 29 jan 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “Jesus formed a new family, no longer based on natural ties but on faith in Him, on His love which welcomes us and unites us to each other, in the Holy Spirit. All those who welcome Jesus’ word are children of God and brothers and sisters among themselves. Welcoming the word of Jesus makes us brothers and sisters, makes us Jesus’ family. Speaking ill of others, destroying others’ reputations, makes us the devil’s family. Jesus’ response was not a lack of respect for His mother and His brethren. Rather, for Mary it is the greatest recognition, precisely because she herself is the perfect disciple who completely obeyed God’s will. May the Virgin Mother help us to live always in communion with Jesus, recognising the work of the Holy Spirit who acts in him and in the Church, regenerating the world to new life.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 10 June 2018

PRAYER – Loving Father, You gave us Your only-begotten Son to teach us, to make us Your adopted children by His adoption of ourselves as His siblings. What grace, what mercy, what love, is this! We give You our gratitude and our love. Mary, holy and blessed Virgin, Mother of God, pray for us. Through Jesus, our brother and our Saviour, who gave us His mother to guide and protect us, we pray, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. mary mater creatoris, mother of the creator - pray for us - 14 may 2018

DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on SIN, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 January – Gospel: Mark 3:22-30

Posted on January 28, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 29 January – Monday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 3:22-30 and The Memorial of St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor of the Church

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”...Mark 3:22

REFLECTION – “It is characteristic of evildoers, stirred by envy, to shut their eyes as much as they can, to other people’s merits and when, overcome by the evidence, they cannot do so any longer, to depreciate or undervalue it. Thus, when the crowd rejoiced in devotion and marvelled at the sight of Christ’s works, the scribes and Pharisees either closed their eyes to what they knew to be true, or minimised what is great, or undervalued what is good. Once, for example, feigning ignorance, they said to Him who had worked so many wonderful signs: “What sign can you do that we may believe in you?” (Jn 6:30). In this case, unable to blatantly deny the facts, they wickedly depreciate them… and they devalue them by saying: “It is by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, that he casts out devils.”
Now this, dear brethren, is the blasphemy against the Spirit that binds all those he has seized with the bonds of an eternal sin. This is not to say that it would be impossible for the repentant to gain forgiveness for it all if they “produce fruit as evidence of their repentance” (Lk 3:8). The only thing is that, crushed beneath such a weight of malice, they lack the strength to aspire to that praiseworthy repentance worthy of forgiveness… Those who, perceiving the proofs of grace and the Holy Spirit at work in a brother…, are not afraid to undermine and calumniate and brashly ascribe to the evil spirit what they clearly know to be of the Holy Spirit, such as these have been so forsaken by this Spirit of grace, that they no longer even desire the repentance that would obtain pardon. They are completely in the dark, blinded by their own malice. Indeed, what could be more serious than to dare, out of envy for a brother one had been commanded to love as oneself (Mt 19:19), to blaspheme God’s goodness… and insult his majesty by wanting to discredit another?”...Isaac of Stella (c 1100-c.1171) O.Cist. Cistercian monk

PRAYER – Lord, our God, keep us free from envy of others, for this is a poison that can destroy all community and love. Help us to know that to each You have given gifts and all are Your wonder and made to honour You alone. Help us to appreciate our neighbour’s talents and understand that we are all one in the Mystical Body of Your Son. And since it was by Your gift that St Thomas became so great a saint and theologian, give us grace to understand his teaching and follow his way of life. May his great love for Jesus Crucified and his pure adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, be our guide to follow in Your Son’s footsteps and take up our cross and follow Him. Grant that by the prayers of St Thomas, we may grow in love and sanctity. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. st thomas aquinas pray for us no 2- corpus christi - 28 jan 2019..jpg

MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 27 January – Gospel: Luke 4:14–21

Posted on January 27, 2019January 27, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 27 January – The Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Luke 4:14–21

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed…”...Luke 4:18 luke 4 18 - the spirit of the lord is upon me 27 jan 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “Now let us imagine that we too enter the synagogue of Nazareth, the village where Jesus has grown up, until He is about 30 years old. Then, after a moment of silence filled with expectation on the part of everyone, He says, in the midst of their general amazement: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing”.
Evangelising the poor – this is Jesus’ mission. According to what He says, this is also the mission of the Church and of every person baptised in the Church. Being a Christian is the same thing as being a missionary. Proclaiming the Gospel with one’s word and even before, with one’s life, is the primary aim of the Christian community and of each of its members.
It is noted here that Jesus addresses the Good News to all, excluding no one, indeed favouring those who are distant, suffering sick, cast out by society. Let us ask ourselves: what does it mean to evangelise the poor? It means first of all drawing close to them, it means having the joy of serving them, of freeing them from their oppression, and all of this in the name of and with the Spirit of Christ, because He is the Gospel of God, He is the Mercy of God, He is the liberation of God, He is the One who became poor so as to enrich us with His poverty.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 24 January 2016

PRAYER – All-powerful, ever-living God, direct our steps in the way of Your love, so that our whole life may be fragrant with all we do in our daily lives as missionaries of Your beloved Son, who sent us forth to proclaim the Good News. Lord God, let St Angela Merici ever commend us to Your love and care. May her charity and wisdom inspire us to treasure Your teaching and express it in our lives. Through our Lord Jesus, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote of the Day – 26 January – The Memorial of Sts Timothy and Titus

Posted on January 26, 2019January 26, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 26 January – The Memorial of Sts Timothy and Titus, Disciples and Companions of the Apostle Paul and Bishops of the Catholic Church

“Bear your share of hardship
along with me, like a good soldier
of Christ Jesus.”

2 Timothy 2:3

MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 26 January – The Memorial of Sts Timothy and Titus

Posted on January 26, 2019January 26, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 26 January – The Memorial of Sts Timothy and Titus, Disciples and Companions of the Apostle Paul and Bishops of the Catholic Church

“And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few, pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go your way, behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”...Luke 10:2-3

REFLECTION – 1562 “Christ, whom the Father hallowed and sent into the world, has, through His apostles, made their successors, the bishops namely, sharers in His consecration and mission and these, in their turn, duly entrusted in varying degrees various members of the Church with the office of their ministry.” 43 “The function of the bishops’ ministry was handed over in a subordinate degree to priests so that they might be appointed in the order of the priesthood and be co-workers of the episcopal order for the proper fulfilment of the apostolic mission that had been entrusted to it by Christ.”...CCC 1562 The ordination of priests – co-workers of the bishops
Another observation concerns the willingness of these collaborators. The sources concerning Timothy and Titus highlight their readiness to take on various offices that also often consisted in representing Paul in circumstances far from easy. In a word, they teach us to serve the Gospel with generosity, realising that this also entails a service to the Church herself.”…Pope Benedict XVI 13 December 2006

PRAYER – Almighty God, You endowed Saints Timothy and Titus with power to preach Your Word. Grant that, living a life of integrity and holiness in this world, reaching out to teach the Gospel both by our lives and our words, we may, through their prayers, come to our true home in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

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