Category: The WORD

Posted in ADVENT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 December – Prepare the way of the Lord make straight His paths. – Luke 3:4

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 17 December – “The Month of the Divine Infant and the Immaculate Conception” – Saturday of Ember Week in Advent – Isaias 19:20-22, Luke 3:1-6 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“As it was written in the book of the sayings of Isaias the prophet: ‘A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord make straight His paths.’” – Luke 3:4

REFLECTION – “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God.’ The prophecy makes clear that it is to be fulfilled, not in Jerusalem but in the wilderness, it is there that the glory of the Lord is to appear and God’s salvation is to be made known to all mankind.

It was in the wilderness that God’s saving presence was proclaimed by John the Baptist and there that God’s salvation was seen. The words of this prophecy were fulfilled when Christ and His glory were made manifest to all after His Baptism, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, rested upon Him and the Father’s Voice was heard, bearing witness to the Son: ‘This is My beloved Son, listen to Him.‘

The prophecy meant that God was to come to a deserted place, inaccessible from the beginning. None of the pagans had any knowledge of God, since His holy servants and prophets, were kept from approaching them. The Voice commands that a way be prepared for the Word of God – the rough and trackless ground is to be made level, so that our God may find a highway when He comes. Prepare the way of the Lord – the way is the preaching of the Gospel, the new message of consolation, ready to bring to all mankind, the knowledge of God’s saving power.

Climb on a high mountain, bearer of good news to Zion. Lift up your voice in strength, bearer of good news to Jerusalem. These words harmonise very well with the meaning of what has gone before. They refer, opportunely, to the Evangelists and proclaim the coming of God to men, after speaking of the voice crying in the wilderness. Mention of the Evangelists suitably follows the prophecy of John the Baptist.

What does Zion mean if not the City previously called Jerusalem? This is the mountain referred to in that passage from Scripture: Here is mount Zion, where Thou dwelt. The Apostle says: You have come to mount Zion. Does not this refer to the company of the Apostles, chosen from the former people of the circumcision?

This is the Zion, the Jerusalem, which received God’s salvation. It stands aloft on the mountain of God, that is, it is raised high on the Only-begotten Word of God. It is commanded to climb the high mountain and announce the Word of Salvation. Who is the bearer of the good news but the company of the Evangelists? What does it mean to bear the good news but to preach to all nations but first of all, to the cities of Judah, the coming of Christ on earth?” – Eusebius of Caesarea (c 265-339) Bishop, Theologian, Historian, Father (An excerpt from his Commentary on Isaias).

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that we, who are heavy-laden under the yoke of sin, maybe delivered from the bondage of old, by the long-awaited new birth of Thy Only-begotten Son. Who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Rejoice! ejoice! Emmanuel, Shall come to thee, O Israel. Amen (Collect)

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, ON the SAINTS, OUR Cross, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 16 December – ‘He who loses his life, for My sake will find it.’ – Matthew 16:25

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Quote/s of the Day – 16 December – “The Month of the Divine Infant and the Immaculate Conception” – Friday of Ember Week in Advent – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, Matthew 16:24-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“For he who would save his life
will lose it but he who loses his life,
for My sake will find it.”

Matthew 16:25

“Take nothing for your journey,
neither staff, nor bag,
nor bread, nor money;
neither have two tunics.”

Luke 9:3

“Since happiness is nothing else
than the enjoyment of the Supreme Good
and the Supreme Good is above us,
no-one can enjoy happiness,
unless he rises above himself.”

St Bonaventure (1221-1274)
Seraphic Doctor of the Church

“O you souls who wish to go on
with so much safety and consolation,
if you knew how pleasing to God, is suffering
and how much it helps,
in acquiring other good things,
you would never seek consolation in anything;
but. you would rather look upon it,
as a great happiness, to bear the Cross of the Lord.”

St John of the Cross (1542-1591)
Doctor of the Church

“Perfection consists in one thing alone,
which is doing the will of God.
For, according to Our Lord’s words,
it suffices for perfection to deny self,
to take up the cross and to follow Him.
Now who denies himself
and takes up his cross
and follows Christ better,
than he who seeks not to do his own will
but always that of God?
Behold, now, how little is needed
to become a Saint?
Nothing more than to acquire the habit of willing,
on every occasion,
what God wills.”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

“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)

Posted in BLESSED TRINITY PRAYERS, CHRIST the JUDGE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEBRUARY - THE BLESSED TRINITY (Traditional), GOD ALONE!, GOOD FRIDAY, HOLY SPIRIT, HYMNS, QUOTES on THE WORLD, St PAUL!, St PETER!, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY GHOST, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 December – St Ambrose

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 December – St Ambrose (340-397) – Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church

“Take nothing for your journey …”

Luke 9:3

“This is a great vision.
But if you wish to see it,
remove the sandals from your feet.
Remove every chain of sin.
Remove the chains of the world.
Leave behind earthly sandals.
Jesus sent the Apostles without sandals,
without money, gold and silver,
so that they would not carry earthly things with them.
The one who seeks to do good is praised,
not for his sandals but for the swiftness
and grace of his feet. ”

“Let God alone be sought,
as the Judge of loveliness,
Who loves even, in less beautiful bodies,
the more beautiful souls.”

“And now, let the feet of our minds.
be stretched out.
The Lord Jesus wills also, to wash our feet,
For He says, not to Peter alone
but to each of the faithful:
If I wash not your feet
you will have no part with Me.
[ John 13: 8 ]”

Nunc, Sancte, nobis Spiritus
By St Ambrose (340-397)
Come, Holy Ghost, Who ever One
Trans John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Trans 1836

Come, Holy Ghost, Who ever One
Art with the Father and the Son.
Come, Holy Ghost, our souls possess
With Thy full flood of holiness.

In will and deed, by heart and tongue,
With all our powers, Thy praise be sung.
And love light up our mortal frame,
Till others catch the living flame.

Almighty Father, hear our cry
Through Jesus Christ our Lord most high,
Who with the Holy Ghost and Thee
Doth live and reign eternally.

Apostolorum Passio
By St Ambrose (c 340-397)

This happy day is sanctified
As Martyr’s glory we recall,
The cross bedewed with Peter’s blood,
The sword that won a crown for Paul.

The triumph of their Martyrdom
United these great souls in death,
Whose faith in Christ had crowned their lives
In service to their latest breath.

Saint Peter held the primacy,
Saint Paul would equal him in grace,
When once, as chosen instrument
The cause of Christ, he would embrace

Once, Simon, leaving Rome, turned back
To give, by death, full praise to God,
That by the cross he too should tread
The self-same path his Master trod.

Now Rome exults, as well she may
And strives to give devotion’s due
To one who sealed with his own blood
His work as Priest and Shepherd true.

And who can count the crowds that come
As loving children to her gate,
Where nations’ teacher, holy Paul
Once dwelt and gladly met his fate.

Grant us, O Lord, the final grace
Of sharing in their joy above,
That with such Princes we may praise
Your bounty and undying love.
Amen

Translation: The Benedictines of Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK

O Lord, Who has Mercy Upon All
By St Ambrose (340-397)

O Lord, who has mercy upon all,
take away from me my sins
and mercifully kindle in me
the fire of Your Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone
and give me a heart of flesh,
a heart to love and adore You,
a heart to delight in You,
to follow and enjoy You,
for Christ’s sake.
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/07/quote-s-of-the-day-7-december-st-ambrose-2/

St Ambrose (340-397)
Confessor, Bishop
Father and Doctor of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 December – ‘… Why must you be salt? …’

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One Minute Reflection – 7 December – “The Month of the Divine Infant and the Immaculate Conception” – St Ambrose (340-397) – Confessor, Bishop, Father and Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” – Matthew 5:13

REFLECTION – “It is as a matter of absolute necessity that He commands all this. Why must you be salt? Jesus says in effect: “You are accountable, not only for your own life but also, for that of the entire world. I am sending you not to one or two cities, nor to ten or twenty, nor even to one nation, as I sent the Prophets. Rather, I am sending you to the entire earth, across the seas, to the whole world, to a world fallen into an evil state.” For by saying, “You are the salt of the earth,” Jesus signifies, that all human nature itself has “lost its taste,” having become rotten through sin. For this reason, you see, He requires from His disciples, those character traits that are most necessary and useful for the benefit of all.” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor  (The Gospel of Matthew: Homily,15).

PRAYER – O God, Thou Who have given blessed Ambrose to Thy people as a help for eternal salvation, grant, we beseech Thee that we may be worthy to have him as our intercessor in Heaven, whom we have had as a teacher of life, on earth. ThroughJesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 6 December – The Word of God

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Thought for the Day – 6 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Word of God

“We should hold the word of God in reverence and listen attentively to it.
“He who hears you, hears Me” Jesus told His Apostles, “and he who rejects you, rejects Me” (Lk 10:16).
The man who preaches the word of God, maybe imperfect and ill-trained but, we should not judge his message by his personal qualities, abilities and oratorical skills.
We should focus our attention on the word of God and treasure that.
God often employs weak and imperfect instruments and even unworthy ones, in order to accomplish His work, so that we may hear His word with humility and seek Him, rather than men.
If we seek men, we shall find men but, if we seek God, we shall find God and His eternal Truth and Goodness.

We should listen humbly to God’s word and should remember that we have great need of it.
Even if we are well instructed and feel that we are more learned than the preacher, it is still necessary for us to be attentive to the living word of God, so that it may transform us and make us holy.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/13/thought-for-the-day-12-december-the-word-of-god/

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 December – ‘“… Are you debating what you will do? …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 December – St Nicholas (270-343) Confessor, Bishop – Hebrews 13:7-17, Matthew 25:14-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And he who had received the five talents
went and traded with them,
and gained five more.”

Matthew 25:16

“I have chosen you
and have appointed you,
that you should go
and should bring forth fruit
and your fruit should remain,
says the Lord.”

John 15:16

“… Are you debating what you will do?
Worship Him as God.
Worship the Wonder-worker.
Worship One who worked good things
on behalf of another!”

St Athansius (297-373)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“In those days he departed
to the mountain to pray
and he spent the night
in prayer to God.”

Luke 6:12

“It says,
“He passed the whole night in prayer.”
A model is given to you.
A form is prescribed
which you must imitate.”

St Ambrose (340-397)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Whatever He receives on earth,
He returns in Heaven.”

St Caesarius of Arles (470-543)

“O God, grant that whatever good things I have,
I may share generously with those who have not
and whatever good things, I do not have,
I may request humbly, from those who do.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus

“Rejoice and be happy!
Persevere to the end
and prefer to die
rather than abandon the post,
to which God has called you!”

St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Doctor of the Church

“The meaning of this parable is clear.
We are all servants, to whom our heavenly Father
has entrusted various talents.
Some have been given more than others.
By our own labour and industry,
we must all make profitable use of the talents
which we have received.
The ungrateful and slothful servant,
who does not make good use of his talents,
will be severely punished.
But a happy reward awaits the good
and faithful servant,
who has worked zealously all his life,
for his Master’s interests until the talents
which he has received, have produced
an increase of sanctity in himself and in others.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PRIESTS, the PRIESTHOOD and CONSECRATED LIFE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 December – To one He gave five talents … Matthew 25:15

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One Minute Reflection – 6 December – St Nicholas (270-343) Confessor, Bishop – Hebrews 13:7-17, Matthew 25:14-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“To one He gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately …” – Matthew 25:15

REFLECTION – “The man who is the landowner is actually the Creator and Lord of all. The Word compares the time the landowner spends away from home, in the parable, to either the Ascension of Christ into Heaven, or, at any rate, to the unseen and invisible character of the Divine Nature. Now, one must conceive of the property of God, as those in each Country and City, who believe in Him. He calls His servants, those who, according to the times, Christ crowns with the glory of the Priesthood. For the holy Paul writes, “No-one takes this honour upon himself; he must be called by God.”

He hands over [His property] to those who are under Him, to each giving a spiritual gift, so that he might have character and aptitude. We think that this distribution of the talents, is not supplied to the household servants in equal measure because, each is quite different from the other, in their understanding. Immediately they head out for their labours, He says, directly, indicating to us here, that apart from the procrastination of one, they are fit to carry out the work of God.

Surely those who are bound by fear and laziness will evolve into the worst evils. For he buried, Jesus says, the talent given to him in the earth. He kept the gift hidden, making it unprofitable for others and useless for himself. For that very reason, the talent is taken away from him and will be given to the one who is already rich. The Spirit has departed from such as these and the gift of the divine gifts. But to those who are industrious, an even more lavish gift will be presented.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor of the Church (Fragment 283)

PRAYER – O God, Thou Who made the holy Bishop Nicholas renowned for countless miracles, grant, we beseech Thee that by his merits and prayers, we may be saved from the fires of hell. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in ADVENT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, The INCARNATION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 December – The root of Jesse – Roman 15:12

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One Minute Reflection – 5 December – The Second Week of Advent – Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 11:2-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And again Isaias says, There shall be the root of Jesse and He Who shall arise to rule the Gentiles… in Him the Gentiles shall hope.” – Roman 15:12

REFLECTION – “Until the beginning of the vision, or the burden of Babylon, which Isaias the son of Amos saw, his entire prophecy was about Christ, a prophecy which we want to explain piecemeal, lest the ideas and discussions thereof together, confuse the reader’s memory.

The Jews interpreted the branch and the flower from the root of Jesse, to be the Lord Himself because, the power of His governance, is demonstrated in the branch and His beauty, in the flower. But we understand the branch from the root of Jesse, to be the holy Virgin Mary, who had no shoot connatural to herself. About her we read …: “Behold, a virgin will conceive and bear a son.” And the flower is the Lord our Saviour, Who said, in the Song of Songs, “I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys.” In place of “root,” which only the Septuagint translated, the Hebrew text has geza, which Aquila and Symmachus and Theodotus, interpret as kormon, that is, “stem.” And they translated “flower,” which the Hebrew text calls nēṣer, as “bud,” to show that after a long time in Babylonian captivity, no longer possessing any glory from the sprout of the old kingdom of David, Christ would rise from Mary, as though from her stem. The educated of the Hebrews believe that what all the ecclesiastics sought in the Gospel of Matthew but could not find, where it was written “Because he will be called a Nazarene,” was taken from this place. But it should be noted that nēṣer was written here with the [Hebrew] letter ṣade [צ], the peculiar sound of which—somewhere between z and s—the Latin language does not express.” – St Jerome (343-420) Father and Doctor of the Church (Commentary on Isaias 4.)

PRAYER – O God, Who, by the message of an Angel, willed to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Thy suppliants, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE WORLD, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 4 December – St Peter Chrysologus “Golden Words”

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Quote/s of the Day – 4 December – St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Golden Words” Confessor, Father & Doctor of the Church

“John came to you in the way of righteousness
and you did not believe him.”

Matthew 21:32

“Let your behaviour,
as one who has converted, be manifest.
You who preferred what is human,
to what is divine,
who desired to be the world’s slave, r
ather than to conquer the world
along with the world’s Lord,
Repent. You who fled the freedom
which virtue would have won for you
because you wished to take on the yoke of sin:
Repent. Repent in earnest,
you who, for fear of possessing Life,
have given yourself up to death!”

“O my brethren, if only we wanted to,
if only we all wanted to perceive
our soul’s paralysis in all its depth!
Then we would see
that it is lying on a stretcher of sins,
deprived of strength.
Christ’s action within us,
would be a source of light
and we would understand
that each day He sees our lack of faith,
harmful as it is, that He draws us
towards healing remedies
and sharply presses our rebellious wills.
“My son” He says, “your sins are forgiven you.”

“For where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.”

Luke 12:34

“O man, send your treasure on,
send it ahead into Heaven,
or else your God-given soul,
will be buried in the earth!
Gold comes from the depth of the earth —
rhe soul, from the highest Heaven.
Clearly, it is better, to carry the gold
to where the soul resides,
than to bury the soul, in the mine of the gold.
That is why God orders those
who will serve in His Army here below,
to fight as men stripped of concern for riches
and unencumbered by anything.
To these, He has granted the privilege
of reigning in Heaven!”

“And behold, there arose,
a great storm on the sea,
so that the boat was covered by the waves
but He was asleep.”

Matthew 8:24

“While all the rest were awake,
He alone was fast asleep,
even with utter doom threatening
both Himself and His dear ones.
Why?
It is not a calm sky, beloved but the storm,
which tests a pilot’s skill.
When the breeze is mild,
even the poorest sailor can manage the ship.
But in the crosswinds of a tempest,
we want the best Pilot with all His skil!.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/04/quote-s-of-the-day-4-december-golden-words/

Quote/s of the Day – 30 July – “Golden Words,” St Peter Chrysologus

St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450)
“Golden Words”
Father & Doctor of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", ADVENT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on FAITH, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 December – ‘… Preparing the way for the Lord …’

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One Minute Reflection – 4 December – The Second Sunday of Advent – St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Golden Words” Confessor, Father & Doctor of the Church – Romans 15:4-13, Matthew 11:2-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“For this is He of Whom it is written: Behold. I send My Angel before My face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.” – Matthew 11:10

REFLECTION – “It is obvious to any reader that John did not just preach but that he administered a baptism of repentance. However, he could not give a baptism which remits sins, since the remission of sins is only granted to us, with the baptism of Christ. That is why the Evangelist says, that he was “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,” (Lk 3:3) being unable himself to give the baptism that forgives sins, he announced that, which was to come. Just as the word of his preaching was the forerunner, of the Word of the Father made flesh, so, his baptism … preceded that of the Saviour, as shadow to the Truth (cf. Col 2:17).

This same John, when questioned as to who he was, replied: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert,” (Jn 1:23; Is 40:3) . The Prophet Isaiah called him “voice” because, he came before the Word. As for what he cried out, that which follows teaches us: “Prepare the ways of the Lord, make straight his paths.” Whoever preaches true faith and good works, what else is he doing, than preparing the way for the Lord, Who comes in the hearts of his hearers? Thus, all-powerful grace will be able to penetrate those hearts and the Light of Truth enlighten them …

Saint Luke adds: “Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill, shall be made low.” What is meant here by valleys, if not the humble, or by the mountains and hills if not the proud? At the coming of the Redeemer …, according to His own words: “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled but the one who humbles himself, will be exalted,” (Lk 14:11) … By their faith in “the mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, Himself, human” (1 Tim 2:5), those who believe in Him, have received the fullness of grace, whereas those who refuse to believe, have been humbled in their pride. Every valley has been filled in, since humble hearts, by receiving the words of holy doctrine, will be filled by the grace of the virtues, as it is written: “He made springs gush forth in the watercourses that wind among the valleys,” (cf. Ps 104:10).” – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Gospel Homilies no. 20).

PRAYER – O God, Who willed to foreshow divinely that blessed Peter Chrysologus would be a great Doctor to rule and teach Thy Church, grant, we beseech Thee that we may be worthy to have him as our intercessor in Heaven, who on earth was a teacher of life. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, JESUIT SJ, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FAITH, Quotes on SALVATION, SAINT of the DAY, The REDEMPTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 December – “Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:15

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One Minute Reflection – 3 December – The Memorial of St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552) Confessor – Romans 10:10-18, Mark 16:15-18 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” – Mark 16:15

REFLECTION – “You have heard what the Lord said to His disciples after the Resurrection. He sent them out to preach the Gospel and they did so. Listen: “Through all the earth their voice resounds and to the ends of the world, their message” (Ps 18[19],5). Step by step, the Gospel has reached even to us and the ends of the earth. In a few words the Lord, addressing Himself to His disciples, set out what we are to do and what we have to hope for. Just as you have heard, He said: “Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved.” He asks for our faith and offers us salvation. What He offers us, is so precious that what He asks of us, is as nothing.

“The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Thy wings, O my God… from Thy delightful stream, Thou gives them to drink, for with Thee, is the Fountain of Life” (Ps 35[36],8f.). Jesus Christ is the Fountain of Life. Before the Fountain of Life came to us, we had only a human salvation like that of the beasts, of which the psalm speaks: “Man and beast you save, O Lord” (Ps 35[36],7). But now the Fountain of Life has come even to us, the Fountain of Life died for our sakes. Will He refuse us His Life,Who, for our sakes, gave His Death? He is salvation and this salvation is not worthless, like the other one. Why? Because it does not pass away. The Lord has come. He died but He killed death. In Himself, He brought an end to death. He assumed it and He killed it. Where is death now, then? Look for it in Christ and it is no longer there. It used to be there but there it died. O Life, Death of death! Take heart: it will also die in us. What was fulfilled in the Head will also be fulfilled in the members and death will die in us, too!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (Sermon 233).

PRAYER – O God, Thou Who were pleased to gather into Thy Church the peoples of the Indies by the preaching and miracles of blessed Francis, mercifully grant that we, who honour his glorious merits, may also imitate the example of his virtues. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on the ANTI-christ, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The FLIGHT into EQYPT, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 2 December – St Chromatius of Aquileia

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 December – The Memorial of St Chromatius of Aquileia (Died c 407) Bishop of Aquileia, Theologian, Exegete, Writer and friend of Saints Ambrose and Jerome, defender of Saint John Chrysostom.

Let us pray to the Lord with all our heart
and with all our faith, let us pray to Him
to deliver us from all enemy incursions,
from all fear of adversaries. …
The Lord will fight to defend you
and you will be silent.
It is He who fights,
it is He who wins the victory….
And so that He may condescend to do so,
we must pray as much as possible.
He Himself said, in fact,
through the mouth of the prophet –
Call on Me on the day of tribulation;
I will set you free and you will give Me glory.

“However, in the allegorical or mystical sense,
this woman prefigured the Church,
which offered the full and entire devotion
of it’s faith to Christ …
There are twelve ounces to a pound
and this is the amount of perfume
the Church possesses, having received
the teaching of the twelve Apostles,
as if it were a precious perfume.
Indeed, what more precious
is there, than the Apostles’ teaching,
which contains both faith in Christ
and the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven? ”

“No man lights a candle
and puts it in a hidden place,
nor under a bushel but upon a candlestick,
that they who come in, may see the light.”

Luke 11:33

“If we fail to live in the Light,
we shall, to our condemnation
and that of others,
be veiling over and obscuring,
by our infidelity, the Light men so desperately need.
As we know from Scripture,
the man who received the talent
should have made it produce a heavenly profit
but instead, he preferred to hide it away
rather than put it to work
and was punished as he deserved.
Consequently, that brilliant Lamp
which was lit for the sake of our salvation
should always shine in us.
For we have the lamp
of the heavenly commandments
and spiritual grace, to which David referred:
Your law is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

St Chromatius of Aquileia (Died c 407)
Father of the Church

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The SECOND COMING, The SIN of PRESUMPTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 December – ‘Let them grow together until the harvest’

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One Minute Reflection – 2 December – St Bibiana (Died c 361) Virgin Martyr – Sirach 51:13-17, Matthew 13:44-52.– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“So shall it be at the end of the world. The Angels shall go out and shall separate the wicked from among the just. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 13:49-50

REFLECTION – “Our Lord was an example of incomparable patience. He bore with a “devil” among His disciples even to His Passion (Jn 6,70). He said: “Let them grow together until the harvest lest you uproot the wheat when you pull out the weeds” (cf. Mt 13,29f.). As a symbol of the Church, He preached that the net would bring back to shore, namely the end of the world, every kind of fish, both good and bad. And He made it known, in various other ways, whether openly or in parables, that there would always be a mixture of good and bad. But, nevertheless, He stresses, that we have to protect the Church’s discipline when He says: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother” (Mt 18,15)…

Yet today, we see people who think of nothing but stern commandments, who order that troublemakers be reproved, ‘not giving what is holy to the dogs,’ treating, like the publicans, ‘anyone who despises the Church, cutting off the scandalous member from the body‘ (Mt 7,6 ; 18,17 ; 5,30). Their stormy zeal so troubles the Church, that they pull out the weeds before their time and their blindness makes of them enemies, of the unity of Jesus Christ…

Take care not to let these presumptuous thoughts enter our hearts, trying to separate ourselves from sinners, so as not to be soiled by contact with them, wanting to form a band of pure and holy disciples. We will achieve nothing but breaking up our unity, under the pretext of not associating with the wicked. To the contrary, let us remember the parables of Scripture, their inspired words, their striking examples, where we are shown that, until the end of the world and the day of judgement, the bad will always be mingled amongst the good in the Church, without their participation in the Sacraments being harmful to the good, so long as these latter, have not played a part in their sins.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (On Faith and Works – Excerpt ch 3-5)

PRAYER – O God, giver of all good gifts, Thou Who in Thy servant, Bibiana, joined the flower of virginity with the palm of Martyrdom, by her intercession unite our hearts to Thee in charity, so that, saved from all dangers, we may obtain the rewards of eternal life. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", ADVENT, AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The BEATITUDES, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The REDEMPTION, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 1 December – ‘Look up …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 1 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception” – Romans 13:11-14, Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“When these things begin to come to pass,
look up and lift up your heads
because your redemption is at hand.”

Luke 21:28

“And do not be afraid of those
who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
But rather, be afraid of him,
who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Matthew 10:28

“Elizabeth says:
‘Blessed are you because you have believed.’
You also are blessed,
because you have heard and believed.
A soul that believes,
both conceives and brings forth
the Word of God
and acknowledges His works.”

St Ambrose of Milan (340-397)
Great Latin Father and Doctor of the Church

“Wherever you are on earth,
however long you remain on earth,
the Lord is near,
do not be anxious about anything!”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

“He is present to the eyes of the mind,
making Himself seen by those who have a pure heart
and conversing with them.
So pursue your path ….
Do not hinder the Lord’s narrow way
with your dragging feet.
Hitch up your garment and be ready for action,
look up and do not burden yourself
with those oppressive loads
which are your evil desires.
For anyone who is accomplishing
the journey from earth to Heaven,
it is enough to diligently pursue one’s path
without assuming extra weight. … ”

St Theodore the Studite (759-826)
Monk and Theologian at Constantinople

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, OUR Cross, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, St PETER!, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 30 November – St Andrew

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Quote/s of the Day – 30 November – The Feast of St Andrew, Apostle of Christ, Martyr on the Cross for Christ

“He found first, his brother Simon
and said to him:
We have found the Messias.”

John 1:41

This is what the Apostle is claimed to have said, on the occasion of St Andrew’s Martyrdom, according to an ancient account (which dates to the beginning of the sixth century), entitled –

The Passion of Andrew:

“Hail, O Cross, inaugurated by the Body of Christ
and adorned with His limbs
as though they were precious pearls.
Before the Lord mounted you,
you inspired an earthly fear.
Now, instead, endowed with heavenly love,
you are accepted as a gift.

Believers know of the great joy that you possess
and of the multitude of gifts you have prepared.
I come to you, therefore,
confident and joyful,
so that you too may receive me,
exultant as a disciple of the One
Who was hung upon you….

O blessed Cross, clothed in the majesty
and beauty of the Lord’s limbs!…

Take me, carry me far from men
and restore me to my Teacher,
so that, through you,
the One who redeemed me by you,
may receive me.

Hail, O Cross, yes, hail indeed!”

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the SUN of JUSTICE, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 November – ‘Andrew was the first of the Apostles to acknowledge the Lord as his teacher. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 30 November – Feast of St Andrew Apostle – Romans 10:10-18, Matthew 4:18-22 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“At once they left their nets and followed Him.” – Matthew 4:20

REFLECTION – “Andrew was the first of the Apostles to acknowledge the Lord as his teacher. … He abandoned John the Baptist’s teaching to attend the school of Christ. … He sought the true Light in the shining of the lamp (Jn 5:35). Beneath its dampened glow he prepared himself for Christ’s splendour. … Teacher though he was, John the Baptist became servant and herald of the Christ Who stood before him: “Behold,” he said, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). Behold Him Who delivers us from death; behold Him Who destroys sin. As for me, I was sent, not as the bridegroom but as the one who accompanies Him (Jn 3:29). I came as servant, not as lord.”

Struck by these words, Andrew left his former teacher and hurried towards the One he was announcing. … He hurried towards our Lord, his longing manifesting itself in his bearing … drawing John the Evangelist with him. Both abandon the lamp and make their way towards the Sun. Andrew is the first plant in the Garden of Apostles, it is he who opens the door to Christ’s teaching, the first to gather fruit in the field the prophets had tilled. … He was the first to recognise Him, of Whom Moses said: “A prophet like me, will the Lord your God raise up for you; to him you shall listen” (Dt 18:15). … He recognised the One, Whom the prophets foretold and brought Peter, his brother, to Him. He showed Peter the treasure which as yet, he did not know: “We have found the Christ (Jn 1:41) the One we have been longing for. We were waiting for His coming: now come and experience His Presence.” … Andrew leads his brother to Christ … – it was his first miracle!” – Basil of Seleucia (Died c 468) Archbishop (,).

PRAYER – We humbly pray Thy majesty, O Lord, that, as blessed Andrew was a preacher and ruler in Thy Church, so he may always intercede for us with Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Holy Name PRAYERS, I BELIEVE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on STRENGTH, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, St PAUL!, The HOLY NAME, The PASSION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 29 November – Putting on our Lord Jesus Christ

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Quote/s of the Day – 29 November – Vigil of the Feast of St Andrew – Romans 13:11-14, Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Let us walk becomingly, as in the day,
not in revelry and drunkenness,
not in debauchery and wantonness,
not in strife and jealousy.
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 13:13-14

“And Jesus, seeing their faith,
said to the paralytic,
Take courage, son,
your sins are forgiven you.”

Matthew 9:2

“Perhaps, your own faith is feeble.
Nevertheless, the Lord, who is love
will stoop down to you,
provided only that you are penitent
and can say sincerely,
from the depths of your soul:
“Lord, I believe.
Help thou mine unbelief,”
(Mark 9:23)……”

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

“He who is immortal, voluntarily shed His Blood.
He who created the Host of Angels,
was bound at the hands of soldiers
and He who is to judge the living and the dead,
was dragged to justice (cf. Acts 10:42; 2 Tm 4:1).
Truth was exposed to false witnesses,
was slandered, struck, covered with spittle,
hung on the Wood of the Cross –
the Lord of Glory (cf. 1 Cor 2:8)
endured every outrage and suffering
without Himself needing these trials. …

So there is nothing surprising about it,
if we submit to even one of these trials,
since such is our condition …
Therefore, we too have to be offended and tempted,
afflicted by the cutting off of our wills.”

St Theodore the Studite (759- 826)
Monk at Constantinople, Father

(Catecheses 1)

“Nothing so curbs the onset of anger,
so allays the upsurge of pride.
It cures the wound of envy,
controls unbridled extravagance
and quenches the flame of lust.
It cools the thirst of covetousness
and banishes the itch of unclean desire…
For when I Name Jesus,
I set before myself,
a Man Who is meek and humble of heart,
kind, prudent, chaste, merciful,
flawlessly upright and holy
in the eyes of all
and this same Man, is the all-powerful God
Whose way of life heals me,
Whose support is my strength.”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Father and Mellifluous Doctor of the Church

Lord Jesus, Bind Me to Yourself

Lord Jesus, Bind Me to Yourself
Lord Jesus, bind me to Yourself
and to my neighbour, with love.
May my heart not be turned away from You.
May my soul not be deceived,
nor my talent or mind,
enticed by allurements of error,
so that I may never
distance myself from Your love.
Thus may I love my neighbour as myself,
with strength, wisdom and gentleness,
with Your help,
You who are blessed
throughout all ages.
Amen.

St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)
Evangelical Doctor of the Church

“… How can anyone put on Jesus Christ
and imitate His example,
if he does not study this Jesus,
who must inspire and perfect our faith?
He must run the race to which he is challenged,
the glorious race in which,
he overcomes the enemy of the human family
and follows the Way of the Cross.
Under the lordly banner of that Cross,
he will attain eternal life.”

St Vincent Strambi CP (1745-1824)

(From his first Pastoral Letter as Bishop)

Hear Me, O Lord
By St Peter of Alcantara (1499-1562)

Hear me, O Lord,
my soul’s delight,
joy of my heart,
not because of my merits
but because of Thy boundless goodness.
Teach me, enlighten me, direct me,
help me in all things
that I may never say
or do anything
but that which I know
to be pleasing in Thou sight.
Guide me, O God,
my Love, my Light and my Life!
Amen.

St Peter of Alcantara (1499-1562)

Posted in "Follow Me", ADVENT, AUGUSTINIANS OSA, BAPTISM, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, SACRAMENTS, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 November – “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 13:14

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 29 November – Vigil of the Feast of St Andrew – Romans 13:11-14, Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Romans 13:14

REFLECTION – “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh and its desires, so that you may be clothed with the Life of Him, Whom you have put on in this Sacrament. You have all been clothed with Christ by your Baptism in Him. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female, you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Such is the power of this Sacrament: it is a Sacrament of new lifewhich begins here and now, with the forgiveness of all past sins and will be brought to completion, in the resurrection of the dead. You have been buried with Christ by Baptism into death, in order that, as Christ has risen from the dead, you also may walk in newness of life.

You are walking now by faith, still on pilgrimage in a mortal body away from the Lord but He, to Whom your steps are directed, is Himself the sure and certain Way for you – Jesus Christ, Who, for our sake became man. For all who fear Him, He has stored up abundant happiness which He will reveal to those who hope in Him, bringing it to completion, when we have attained the reality which, even now, we possess, in hope.

This is the octave day of your new birth. Today is fulfilled in you, the sign of faith that was prefigured in the Old Testament by the circumcision of the flesh, on the eighth day after birth. When the Lord rose from the dead, He put off the mortality of the flesh; His Risen Body was still the same Body but it was no longer subject to death. By His Resurrection, He consecrated Sunday, or the Lord’s day. Though the third after His Passion, this day is the eighth after the Sabbath and thus also, the first day of the week.

And so, your own hope of resurrection, though not yet realised, is sure and certain because you have received the Sacrament or sign of this reality and have been given the pledge of the Spirit. If, then, you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your hearts on heavenly things, not the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, your Life, appears, then you too will appear with Him in glory.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (An excerpt from: Sermon 8 – On the Paschal Octave).

PRAYER – Put forth Thy power, O Lord, we beseech Thee and come, that with Thee as our protector, we may be rescued from the impending danger of our sins and with Thee as our deliverer, may we obtain our salvation .Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", ADVENT REFLECTIONS, AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 November – “The night is passed and the day is at hand. Let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of Light.” – Romans 12:12

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One Minute Reflection – 28 November – The First Week of Advent – Romans 13:11-14, Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The night is passed and the day is at hand. Let us, therefore, cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of Light.” – Romans 12:12

REFLECTION – “We Christians are the light, at least by comparison with unbelievers. Thus the Apostle says: For once you were darkness but now you are Light in the Lord; walk then as sons of the Light. And elsewhere he says: The night is far spent, the day is drawing near. Let us, therefore, lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of Light; let us walk uprightly as in the day.

Nevertheless, since the days in which we are now living are still dark, compared to the Light which we shall see, hear what the Apostle Peter says. He speaks of a Voice that came from the Supreme Glory and said to the Lord Christ: You are My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased. This Voice, he says, we heard coming from Heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mountain. Because we, ourselves, were not present there and did not hear the Voice from Heaven, Peter says to us: And we possess a more certain prophetic word to which you do well to attend, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts.

When, therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ shall come and, as the Apostle says, bring to Light things hidden in darkness and make plain the secrets of the heart, so that everyone may receive his commendation from God, then lamps will no longer be needed. When that day is at hand, the prophet will not be read to us, the book of the Apostle will not be opened, we shall not require the testimony of John, we shall have no need of the Gospel itself. Therefore, all Scriptures will be taken away from us, those Scriptures which, in the night of this world, burned like lamps, so that we might not remain in darkness.

When all these things are removed, as no longer necessary for our illumination and when the men of God by whom they were ministered to us, shall themselves, together with us, behold the true and dear Light, without such aids, what shall we see? With what shall our minds be nourished? What will give joy to our gaze? Where will that gladness come from which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, which has not even been conceived by the heart of man? What shall we see?

I implore you to live with me and, by believing, to run with me; let us long for our heavenly country, let us sigh for our heavenly home, let us truly feel that here, we are strangers. What shall we then see? Let the gospel tell us: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. You will come to the fountain, with whose dew you have already been sprinkled. Instead of the ray of Light which was sent through slanting and winding ways, into the heart of your darkness, you will see the Light Itself, in all its purity and brightness. It is to see and experience this Light that you are now being cleansed. Dearly beloved, John himself says, we are the sons of God and it has not yet been disclosed what we shall be but we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him because we shall see Him as He is.

I feel that your spirits are being raised up with mine to the heavens above but the body which is corruptible, weighs down the soul and this earthly tent, burdens the thoughtful mind. I am about to lay aside this book and you are soon going away, each to his own business. It has been good for us to share the common Light, good to have enjoyed ourselves, good to have been glad together. When we part from one another, let us not depart from Him!” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (An excerpt from his Treatise on John, 35).

PRAYER – O God, Who, by the message of an Angel, willed to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Thy suppliants, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, maybe assisted by her intercession with Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", ADVENT, ADVENT QUOTES, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The HEART, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 27 November – The Kingdom of God is near. Luke 21:31

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Quote/s of the Day – 27 November – The First Sunday of Advent –– Romans 13:11-14, Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Look at the fig tree and all the trees,
when they produce their fruit
you know that summer is near.
So too, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.”

Luke 21:29-31

“The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a treasure
hidden in a field;
he who finds it, hides it
and in his joy.
goes and sells all that he has
and buys that field.”

Matthew 13:44

“The only true riches are those
that make us rich in virtue.
Therefore, if you want to be rich, beloved,
love true riches.
If you aspire to the heights of real honour,
strive to reach the Kingdom of Heaven.
If you value rank and renown,
hasten to be enrolled
in the heavenly court of the Angels.”

St Pope Gregory III (Died 741)

“How long are we going to put off
obeying Christ, Who calls us
into His Heavenly Kingdom?
Are WE NOT going to purify ourselves?
WILL we NOT resolve to forsake
our customary way of life
to follow the Gospel radically?…
We claim to want the Kingdom of God
yet, without bothering,
to concern ourselves,
with the means of obtaining it?!
What is more, in the conceitedness
of our souls, without taking the least trouble
to obey the Lord’s Commandments,
we think ourselves worthy
to receive the same reward,
as those who have resisted sin,
to the death!”

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“The soul must grow and expand
so as to be capable of God.
And its largeness is its love,
as the Apostle says,
“widen yourselves in love”
(2 Cor 6:13).
It grows and extends spiritually,
not in substance but in virtue.
The greatness of each soul is judged
by the measure of love that it has-
he who has great love, is great-
he who has little love is little,
while he who has no love at all –
is nothing!”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Father & Mellifluous Doctor of the Church

“Where is the heart that loves?
On the thing it loves.
Therefore, where our love is,
there our heart is held captive.
It cannot leave it;
it cannot be lifted higher,
it cannot go either to the right or the left;
see, it is fixed.
Where the miser’s treasure is,
there is his heart
and where our heart is,
there is our treasure.”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

Posted in CHRIST the SUN of JUSTICE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 27 November – When you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. – Luke 21:31

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One Minute Reflection – 27 November – The First Sunday of Advent and the Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal – Romans 13:11-14, Luke 21:25-33 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Look at the fig tree and all the trees, when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near. So too, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.” – Luke 21:29-31

REFLECTION – “Look at the fig tree and all the trees, when they produce their fruit you know that summer is near. So too, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.” He means that just as the coming of summer is recognised by the fruit on the trees, so is the nearness of the Kingdom of God recognised by the destruction of the world. These words show that the fruit of the world is destruction – it increases only to fall, it produces, only to destroy by its disasters whatever it produces. The Kingdom of God is aptly compared to summer, because it is then that the clouds of our sorrow pass away and the days of life shine with the brightness of the Eternal Sun. …

“Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away.” Nothing among material realities is more lasting than the heavens and the earth and nothing among realities, passes away, as quickly as an utterance. … Therefore, the Lord declares: “Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away.” He means: “Nothing that is lasting in your world lasts for eternity without change and everything that in Me, is perceived as passing away, is kept firm, without passing away. My utterance, which passes away, expresses thoughts that endure without change.” …

Therefore, my friends, do not love what you see cannot long exist. Keep in mind the Apostle John’s precept, in which he counsels us not “to love the world or the things in the world because, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 Jn 2:15). – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Homilies on the Gospels no.1 (trans. © Cistercian Publications).

PRAYER – O God, Who, by the message of an Angel, willed to take flesh in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant that we, Thy suppliants, who believe her to be truly the Mother of God, may be helped by her intercession with You.. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CARMELITES, DOCTORS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The BEATITUDES, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 26 November – ‘ … For love of Jesus …’

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One Minute Reflection – 26 November – St Sylvester Gozzolini OSB Silv. (1177– 1267) Priest, Abbot – Ecclesiasticus 45:1-6, Matthew 19:27-29 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And everyone who has left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My Name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and shall possess life everlasting.” – Matthew 19:29

REFLECTION – “Seek for nothing, desiring to enter for love of Jesus, with detachment, emptiness and poverty in everything in this world. You will never have to do with necessities greater than those to which you made your heart yield itself – for the poor in spirit are most happy and joyful in a state of privation and he who has set his heart on nothing, finds satisfaction everywhere.

The poor in spirit (Mt 5:3) give generously all they have and their pleasure consists in being thus deprived of everything for God’s sake and out of love for their neighbour … Not only do temporal goods – the delights and tastes of the senses – hinder and thwart the way of God but spiritual delights and consolations also, if sought for or clung to eagerly, disturb the way of virtue.” – St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Carmelite, Doctor of the Church (Spiritual maxims, nos. 352, 355,356, 364; 1693 edition).

PRAYER – Most merciful God, Who when the holy Abbot Sylvester was devoutly meditating upon the vanity of this world beside an open grave, graciously willed to call him into the desert and enrich him with unusual merits, we humbly pray that, following his example, despising the things of earth, we may thoroughly enjoy Thy everlasting presence.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, franciscan OFM, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on BLASPHEMY, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WATCHING, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 25 November – Our journey to sanctity

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Quote/s of the Day – 25 November – Sirach 51:1-8; 5:12, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Watch, therefore,
for you know neither the day
nor the hour.”

Matthew 25:13

Lord Jesus, Bind Me to Yourself

Lord Jesus, bind me to Yourself
and to my neighbour, with love.
May my heart not be turned away from You.
May my soul not be deceived,
nor my talent or mind,
enticed by allurements of error,
so that I may never
distance myself from Your love.
Thus, may I love my neighbour as myself,
with strength, wisdom and gentleness,
with Your help,
You Who are blessed
throughout all ages.
Amen.

St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)
Evangelical Doctor of the Church

“The medicine of God,
is Jesus Christ,
Crucified and Risen,
the measure of all things.”

St John Leonardi (1541-1609)
Confessor, Priest, Founder

“Master, which commandment
in the law is the greatest?”

Matthew 22:36

“That first and great commandment
is not only profitable for the man
who keeps it. or for God Who commands it –
the other commandments of God
also make perfect, him who obeys them,
improves him, instructs him
and makes him illustrious;
in a word, they make him good and holy.
If you understand this,
realise that you have been created
for the glory of God
and for your own eternal salvation;
this is your end, this is the object of your soul
and the treasure of your heart.
You will be blessed if you reach this goal
but miserable if you are cut off from it.”

St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621)
Doctor of the Church

“O God, fullness of goodness,
You do not forsake any,
except those who forsake You.
You never take away Your gifts,
except when we take away our hearts.
We rob the goodness of God,
if we claim the glory of our salvation for ourselves.
We dishonour His mercy,
if we say He has failed us.
… We blaspheme His goodness,
if we deny that He has helped and assisted us.
In short, O God, cry loud and clear into our ears:
“your destruction comes from you, O Israel.
In Me alone is found your help” (Hos 13:9).

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

“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)

“50 Maxims for Attaining Perfection” – all on the link below

Quote/s of the Day – 2 August – “50 Maxims for Attaining Perfection in the Love of Jesus Christ”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MODESTY, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on WATCHING, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The LAST THINGS, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 November – “Consider now the Way of Light … St Barnabas

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One Minute Reflection – 25 November – St Catherine of Alexandria (Died c 305) Virgin Martyr – Sirach 51:1-8; 5:12, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” – Matthew 25:13

REFLECTION – “Consider now the Way of Light – any man who is bent on reaching his appointed goal, must be very careful in all he does. Now these are the directions that have been given to us for this journey,- love your Creator, reverence your Maker; give glory to Him Who redeemed you when you were dead; be single-minded but rich in spiritual treasure; avoid those who travel down death’s highway; hate whatever is displeasing to God; detest all hypocritical pretence; do not abandon God’s commandments. Do not put on airs but be modest in whatever you do; claim no credit for yourself. Plot no evil against your neighbour and do not give pride an entrance into your heart.

Love your neighbour more than your own life. Do not kill an unborn child through abortion, nor destroy it after birth. Do not refrain from chastising son or daughter,but bring them up from childhood in the fear of the Lord. Do not set your heart on what belongs to your neighbour and do not give in to greed. Do not associate with the arrogant but cultivate those who are humble and virtuous.

Accept as a blessing whatever comes your way, in the knowledge, that nothing ever happens without God’s concurrence. Avoid duplicity in thought or in word, for such deception is a deadly snare. Share with your neighbor whatever you have and do not say of anything, this is mine. If you both share an imperishable treasure, how much more must you share what is perishable. Do not be hasty in speech – the mouth is a deadly snare. For your soul’s good, make every effort to live chastely. Do not hold out your hand for what you can get, only to withdraw it when it comes to giving. Cherish as the apple of your eye anyone who speaks to you of the word of the Lord.

Night and day you will bear in mind the hour of judgement; everyday you will seek out the company of God’s faithful, either by preaching the word, earnestly exhorting them, ever considering how you can save souls, by your eloquence, or else by working with your hands, to make reparation for your past sins.

Never hesitate to give and when you do give, never grumble; then you will know the One Who will repay you. Preserve the traditions you have received, adding nothing and taking nothing away. The evildoer will ever be hateful to you. Be fair in your judgments. Never stir dissension but act as peacemaker and reconcile the quarrelsome. Confess your sins and do not begin to pray with a guilty conscience. Such the,n is the Way of Light.” – An excerpt from The Letter of Saint Barnabas (Chapter 19).

PRAYER – O God, Who gave the law to Moses on Sinai’s height and through Thy holy Angels, miraculously placed there, the body of blessed Catherine, Thy Virgin and Martyr, grant, we beseech Thee that by her merits and intercession, we may reach that towering eminence which is Christ our Lord. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 November – “You are the light of the world.” – Matthew 5:14

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One Minute Reflection – 24 November – St John of the Cross OCD (1542-1591) Confessor, Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“You are the light of the world.” – Matthew 5:14

REFLECTION – “I shall always love and reverence the Apostles sent by Christ and their successors, in sowing the seed of the Gospel, those zealous and tireless co-operators in propagating the Word, who may justly say of themselves: Let a man so account of us as the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the mysteries of God. For Christ, like a most watchful and most faithful householder, wished that the Gospel lamp should be lighted by such ministers and delegates, with fire sent down from Heaven and once lighted, should not be put under a measure but set upon a candlestick, so that it may spread its brightness far and wide and put to flight, all darkness and error, rife among both Jews and Gentiles.

Now it is not enough for the Gospel teacher to be a brilliant speaker in the eyes of the people; he must also be as a voice crying in the desert and endeavour, by his eloquence, to help many to lead good lives, lest, if he omit his duty of speaking, he be called the dumb dog that is not able to bark, spoken of by the prophet. Yes, he should also burn, in such a way, that, equipped with good works and love, he may adorn his evangelical office and follow the leadership of Paul. He indeed was not satisfied with bidding the Bishop of the Ephesians: This command and teach: conduct thyself in work as a good soldier of Christ Jesus but he unflaggingly preached the Gospel to friend and foe alike and, said with a good conscience to the Bishops gathered at Ephesus: You know how I have kept back nothing that was for your good but have declared it to you and taught you in public and from house to house, urging Jews and Gentiles to turn to God in repentance and to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Such should be the shepherd in the Church who, like Paul, becomes all things to all men, so that the sick may find healing in him; the sad, joy; the desperate, hope; the ignorant, instruction; those in doubt, advice; the penitent, forgiveness and comfort and finally, everyone, whatever is necessary for salvation. And so Christ, when He wished to appoint the chief teachers of the world and of the Church, did not limit Himself to saying to His disciples: You are the light of the world but also added these words: A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a measure but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all who are in the house. Those churchmen err, who imagine that it is by brilliant preaching, rather than by holiness of and all-embracing love, they fulfil their office.” – St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1597) Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – O God, Who made blessed John, Thy Confessor and Teacher, an extraordinary lover of perfect self-denial and the Cross, grant that, by continually striving to imitate him, we may reach everlasting glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 November – “Charity never fails!”

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One Minute Reflection – 22 November – St Cecilia Died 3rd Century) Virgin Martyr – Ecclesiasticus 51:13-17, Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“But the wise took oil in their vessels” – Matthew 25:4

REFLECTION – “It is some great thing, some exceedingly great thing, that this oil signifies. Do you think it might be charity? If we try out this hypothesis, we hazard no precipitate judgement. I will tell you why charity seems to be signified by the oil. The Apostle says, “I will show you a still more excellent way.” “If I speak with the tongue of mortals and of angels but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” This is charity. It is “that way above the rest,” which is, with good reason, signified by the oil. For oil swims above all liquids. Pour in water and pour in oil upon it, the oil will swim above. If you keep the usual order, it will be uppermost, if you change the order, it will be uppermost. “Charity never fails!” … St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor (Sermon 93).

PRAYER – O God, Who gladden us by the annual feast of blessed Cecilia, Thy Virgin and Martyr, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may by virtuous conduct follow her, whom we venerate in this sacred rite. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Hail MARY!, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The ANNUNCIATION, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The INCARNATION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 21 November – ‘This woman will be the Mother of God, the door to Light, source of Life … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Sir ach24:14-1, Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed is the womb that bore you” – Luke 11:27

REFLECTION – “This woman will be the Mother of God, the door to Light, source of Life; she will reduce to oblivion the judgement that weighed on Eve. “The rich among the people seek the face” of this woman, “the kings of the nations shall pay her homage” they shall “ offer gifts”…, yet the glory of the Mother of God is an interior glory: the fruit of her womb.

O woman, so worthy of love, thrice happy, “blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Daughter of David the king and Mother of God, King of the universe, masterpiece in whom the Creator rejoices…: you are to be nature’s full achievement. For you, life is not yours; you were not born for yourself alone but your life is to be God’s. You came into the world for Him, you will serve for the salvation of all people, fulfilling God’s design established from the beginning: the Incarnation of the Word and our own divinisation. Your whole desire is to feed on the words of God, to be strengthened by their sap, like “a green olive tree in the house of God,” “like a tree planted by running water,” you are the “tree of life” who “yielded its fruit in due season”…

He Who is Infinite, Limitless, came to dwell in your womb; God, the Child Jesus, was nourished by your milk. You are the ever virginal Doorway of God; your hands hold your God; your lap is a throne raised up above the Cherubim… You are the wedding chamber of the Spirit, the “city of the living God, gladdened by the runlets of the stream”, that is to say, the waves of the Spirit’s gifts. You are “all fair, the Beloved” of God.” – St John Damascene (675-749) Monk, Theologian, Father and Doctor of the Church (Homily on the Nativity of the Virgin, # 9 ; SC 80) [ ( Biblical references : Ps 44[45],13; 71[72],11.10; Mt 2,11; Lk 1,42; Is 62,5; Ps 51[52],10; 1,3; cf Gn 2,9, Rv 22,2; cf Ez 44,2; Ps 79[80],2; cf Sg 1,4; Ps 45[46],5; Sg 4,7]. Link to searchable Sacred Scripture here: https://www.drbo.org/

PRAYER – O God, by Whose will the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, was on this day presented in the temple, grant, we beseech Thee, that by her intercession, we may be found worthy to be brought into the temple of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PURGATORY, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on KINDNESS, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 20 November – The Holy Souls in Purgatory

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Quote/s of the Day – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”

“Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.
Rend your hearts, not your garments
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger,
rich in kindness
and relenting in punishment.”

Joel 2:12-13

“ … Yet only grant me repentance here below
That I may make reparation for my sins, …
That these tears may extinguish the blazing furnace
With its burning flames. …

And, instead of acting like the merciless,
Set merciful compassion within me,
That, by showing mercy to the poor,
I may obtain Your mercy.”

St Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173)
Armenian Bishop

“The more one longs for a thing,
the more painful does deprivation of it become.
And because, after this life,
the desire for God, the Supreme Good,
is intense in the souls of the just –
(because this impetus toward Him,
is not hampered by the weight of the body
and that time of enjoyment,
of the Perfect Good, would have come)
had there been no obstacle.
The soul suffers enormously,
from the delay.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Angelic Doctor

“If, during life, we have been kind
to the suffering Souls in Purgatory,
God will ensure that help be not denied us,
after death.”

St Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)

Posted in QUOTES on WATCHING, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 November – “Watch” over your life.

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One Minute Reflection – 20 November – The Last Sunday after Pentecost – St Felix of Valois (1127-1212) Confessor – Colossians 1:9-14, Matthew 24:15-35 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Even so, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door. ” – Matthew 24:33

REFLECTION – “Watch” over your life. Do not let “your lamps” go out and do not keep “your loins ungirded,” but “be ready,” for “you do not know the hour when our Lord is coming.” Meet together frequently, in your search for what is good for your souls, since “a lifetime of faith will be of no advantage” to you, unless you prove perfect at the very end.

In the final days, multitudes of false prophets and seducers will appear. Sheep will turn into wolves and love into hatred. With the increase of iniquity, people will hate, persecute and betray each other. Then the world deceiver will appear in the disguise of God’s Son. He will work “signs and wonders,” and the earth will fall into his hands. He will commit outrages such as have never occurred before. Then humankind will come to the fiery trial, “and many will fall away” and perish. “Those who persevere in their faith will be saved” by the Curse himself. Then “there will appear the signs” of the Truth – first the sign of stretched-out hands in heaven, then the sign of “a trumpet’s blast” and third, the resurrection of the dead but not all the dead. As it has been said, “The Lord will come and all his saints with him. Then the world will see the Lord coming on the clouds of the sky.” The Unknown Author of the Didache (Didache, 16) .

PRAYER – OGod, Who by heavenly inspiration graciously called forth blessed Felix, Thy Confessor, from the desert to the work of ransoming captives; grant, we beseech Thee, that by his intercession and liberated by Thy grace from the captivity of our sins, we may be led into our heavenly fatherland. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The PASSION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 November – ‘For Christ is the treasure …’

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One Minute Reflection – 19 November – St Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) Widow, – Proverbs 31:10-31, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again and out of joy, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44

REFLECTION – “It was Christ who was present to all those to whom, from the beginning, God communicated His Speech and Word. If anyone, therefore, reads the Scriptures with attention, he will find in them, an expression of Christ and a foreshadowing of this new calling. For Christ is the treasure which was hidden in the field, that is, in this world (Mt 13:38) – a treasure hidden in the Scriptures, since it was alluded to by means of symbols and parables which, humanly speaking, could not be understood prior to the fulfilment of prophecy, that is to say, before the coming of the Lord. That is why it was said to Daniel the prophet: ” Keep secret the message and seal the book until the end of time ” (12:4) … And Jeremiah also says, “In the last days they shall understand these things.” (23:20) …

When read by Christians, the Law is a treasure, hidden beforehand in a field, but brought to light and interpreted by the Cross of Christ. It shows forth the Wisdom of God and makes known His intentions with regard to our salvation; it prefigures the Kingdom of Christ and preaches, by anticipation, the Good News of our inheritance of the holy Jerusalem. It proclaims beforehand, that those who love God shall advance even to hearing and seeing His Word and, that they will be glorified by this Word …

Thus it was, that the Lord explained the Scriptures to His disciples, after His Resurrection from the dead, proving to them, by their means, that “it was necessary the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory” (Lk 24:26). So if anyone should likewise read the Scriptures, that person will become a perfect disciple, “like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom things both new and old.” (Mt 13:52). – St Irenaeus of Lyons ((130-202) Bishop, Martyr, Theologian – Against the Heresies, IV, 26 ; SC 100

PRAYER – O merciful God, enlighten the hearts of Thy faithful people and through the glorious prayers of blessed Elizabeth, make us look upon worldly prosperity as nought and ever rejoice in heavenly consolation. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).