Category: The WORD

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the ANTI-christ, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 November – ‘ … Why fear the hard road of suffering and tribulation? …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 24 November – Readings Daniel 5: 1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28; Daniel 3: 62-67; Luke 21: 12-19 and the Memorial of St Colman of Cloyne (c 530 – c 600)

“You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives and friends and they will put some of you to death.” – Luke 21:16

REFLECTION – “Do you want to come to that life where you will be sheltered from error forever? Who does not want this? … We all desire life and truth but how are we to attain it? What path are we to follow? Certainly, we have not reached the end of the journey, yet we can already see it, … we yearn for life and truth. Christ is both one and the other. What is the way to it? “I am the way,” He says. To what will we come? “I am the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6).

This is what the Martyrs loved; this is why they looked beyond the love of present goods that pass away. Do not be astonished at their bravery: in them love overcame suffering. … Let us walk in their footsteps, our eyes fixed on Him, Who is both their Leader and ours. If we would come to so great a happiness, let us not be afraid of treading difficult paths. He Who has promised is true; He is faithful; He could not deceive us. … Why fear the hard road of suffering and tribulation? Our Saviour in person has trodden it!

You answer: “But that was Him, the Saviour!” Know that the Apostles passed that way too. Now you’re going to say: “But they were Apostles!” Yes, I know. But do not forget, that a great many people like yourself, have trodden it in their turn … women have trodden it, too … children, even young girls have gone that way. How could the road that so many passers-by have levelled, still be too hard?” – St Augustine (354-430) Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 306)

PRAYER – Shed Your clear light on our hearts O Lord, so that walking continually in the way of Your commandments, we may never be afraid, never be deceived or misled but by Your strength, stand firm in our faith. For Your Son, walks before us, beside us and behind us. The Holy Spirit of Your love fills us. Let nothing put us to shame . Grant that by the prayers of St Colman of Cloyne and all Your saints, we may be strengthened for the journey. Through our Lord Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, God eternally and forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 23 November – ‘..Then I heard their voice and I placed their faith in My Heart … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 23 November – Readings: Daniel 2: 31-45; Psalm: Daniel 3: 57-61; Luke 21: 5-11 – The Mmemorial of St Pope Clement I (Died c 101) Martyr, Apostolic Father, Papacy c 88 – c 101.

“See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them!” – Luke 21:8

REFLECTION – “[Christ speaks:]
I became useless to those who knew Me not,
because I shall hide Myself, from those who possessed Me not.
And I will be with those who love Me.
All my persecutors have died
and they, who trusted in Me, sought Me because I am living!
I arose and am with them and will speak by their mouths.
For they have rejected those who persecute them
and I threw over them, the yoke of My love.
Like the arm of the bridegroom over the bride (cf Sg 2,6),
so is My yoke over those who know Me.
And as the bridal feast is spread out by the bridal pair’s home,
So is My love, by those who believe in Me.

I was not rejected,
although I was considered to be so
and I did not perish,
although they thought it of Me.
Sheol saw Me and was shattered
and Death ejected Me and many with Me.
I have been vinegar and bitterness to it
and I went down with it as far as its depth.
Death was released
because it was not able to endure My Face.

And I made a congregation of living, among his dead (1P 3,19; 4,6)
and I spoke with them, by living lips;
in order that My word may not fail.
And those who had died ran toward Me
and they cried out and said, “Son of God, have pity on us.
And deal with us according to Your kindness
and bring us out from the chains of darkness.
And open for us, the door
by which we may go forth to You,
for we perceive, that our death does not approach You.
May we also be saved with You
because You are our Saviour.”

Then I heard their voice
and placed their faith in My Heart.
And I placed My Name upon their forehead (Rv 14,1)
because they are free and they are Mine! – Odes of Solomon (Hebrew Christian text from the beginning of the 2nd century) N° 42

PRAYER – Almighty, everliving God, the holiness of the Saints is Your glory. Let us rejoice in the memory of Saint Clement, Priest and Martyr of Christ Your Son. His life his teaching and his death bore witness to the mystery of faith. Grant us by his prayers, the courage and faith he manifested, to imitate Our Master in all things. We make our prayer through Him Who is the Light and the Power, with You Father and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever, amen.

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 17 November – St Hugh of Lincoln

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Quote/s of the Day – 17 November – The Memorial of St Hugh of Lincoln O. Cart. (1135-1200)

“So if I, your Lord and Teacher,
have washed your feet,
you also ought to wash
one another’s feet.”

John 13:14

“Yes, the kisses of St Martin
healed the bodies of the lepers
but with me,
it is the other way,
the kisses of the lepers,
heal my sick soul.”

St Hugh of Lincoln (1135-1200)

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 November – ‘… Anything which seemed to be hers, belonged to the poor. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 17 November – Readings: 2 Maccabees 7: 1, 20-31; Psalm 17: 1, 5-6, 8b and 15; Luke 19: 11-28 and the Memorial of St Elizabeth of Hungary TOSF (1207-1231) Princess

“He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’” – Luke 19:13

REFLECTION – “From this time onward, Elizabeth’s goodness greatly increased. She was a lifelong friend of the poor and gave herself entirely to relieving the hungry. She ordered that one of her Castles, should be converted into a Hospital in which she gathered many of the weak and feeble. She generously gave alms to all who were in need, not only in that place but in all the territories of her husband’s empire. She spent all her own revenue from her husband’s four principalities and finally, she sold her luxurious’ possessions and rich clothes for the sake of the poor.

Twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, Elizabeth went to visit the sick. She personally cared for those who were particularly repulsive; to some she gave food, to others clothing; some she carried on her own shoulders and performed many other kindly services. Her husband, of happy memory, gladly approved of these charitable works. Finally, when her husband died, she sought the highest perfection; filled with tears, she implored me to let her beg for alms from door to door.

On Good Friday of that year, when the Altars had been stripped, she laid her hands on the Altar in a Chapel in her own Town, where she had established the Friars Minor,and before witnesses, she voluntarily renounced all worldly display and everything that our Saviour in the gospel advises us to abandon. Even then, she saw that she could still be distracted by the cares and worldly glory which had surrounded her while her husband was alive. Against my will she followed me to Marburg. Here in the Town she built a hospice, where she gathered together the weak and the feeble. There she attended the most wretched and contemptible at her own table.

Apart from those active good works, I declare before God that I have seldom seen a more contemplative woman. When she was coming from private prayer, some religious men and women often saw her face shining marvelously and light coming from her eyes like the rays of the sun!

Before her death I heard her Confession. When I asked what should be done about her goods and possessions, she replied that anything which seemed to be hers, belonged to the poor. She asked me to distribute everything except one worn out dress in which she wished to be buried. When all this had been decided, she received the Body of our Lord. Afterward, until vespers, she spoke often of the holiest things she had heard in sermons. Then, she devoutly commended to God all who were sitting near her and as if falling into a gentle sleep, she died.” – Conrad of Marburg (1180-1233) Priest, Spiritual Director of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (An excerpt from Letter).

PRAYER – Holy God and Father, grant us a strong Faith! Poor Your graces into our hearts that we may believe with all our hearts, minds and souls and that in believing, we may constantly raise our entire being to You in prayer and supplication, in prayer and adoration, in prayer and love. May the intercession of St Elizabeth of Hungary, a woman of deep prayer and charity from her youth, strengthen our perseverance and trust. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the HIGH PRIEST, CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 November – ‘Here is a sweet remedy, when downhearted and small … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 16 November – Readings: 2 Maccabees 6: 18-31; Psalm 3: 2-7; Luke 19: 1-10 – The Memorial of St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302)

“So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus …”- Luke 19:4

REFLECTION – “Here is a sweet remedy when downhearted and small – we should do what Zaccheus did. He was not tall and climbed a tree in order to see God. His zeal merited him to hear these sweet words: “Zaccheus, go home for today I need to dine with you.”

We should do the same when we are low, when our hearts are constricted and lacking in charity – we should climb the Tree of the most Holy Cross and there we shall see, we shall touch God! There we shall find the fire of His ineffable charity, the love which caused Him to run, even to the insults of the Cross which raised Him up and made Him ardently desire the honour of His Father and our salvation, with hunger and thirst. … If we wish, if we are not prevented by our negligence, we may accomplish these words in ourselves, emanating from the lips of Truth, when we mount the Tree of the Cross: “when I am lifted up on high, I shall draw all things to myself” (Jn 12:32). Indeed, when the soul is thus raised up, it sees the blessings of the Father’s goodness and power…, it sees the mercy and lavishness of the Holy Spirit, that is to say, the inexpressible love holding Jesus bound to the Wood of the Cross. Nails and bonds cannot hold Him there, only charity… O climb this most holy Tree where hang the ripe fruits of all the virtues, that the body of the Son of God bears – ardently hasten. Dwell within the holy and sweet love of God. O sweet Jesus, Jesus love.” – St Catherine of Siena OP (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church, Co-Patron of Europe (Letter 119 to the prior of the Olivetans

PRAYER – Lord our God, You made the heart of St Gertrude, the dwelling place of Your love. Lighten our darkness so that through her intercession, we may experience the joy of Your presence in our hearts and with Zaccheus, we may have you stay in our home. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 November – The Light of Faith

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One Minute Reflection – 15 November – Readings: First Maccabees 1: 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63; Psalm 119: 53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158; Luke 18: 35-43 and the Memorial of St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church

“Your faith has saved you.” – Luke 18:42

REFLECTION – “We must now look at what He said to the blind man as He came near: “What do you want me to do for you?” Was One who could restore light, ignorant of what the blind man wanted? But He wants to be asked, for what He already knows; we shall request and He shall grant. He counsels us to be untiring in our prayers and yet, he says: “For Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Mt 6:8). And so He questions that we may ask Him, He questions to rouse our hearts to prayer. …

The blind man does not ask the Lord for gold but for light. He sets little store by asking anything but light … Let us imitate him, dearly beloved … Let us not ask the Lord for deceitful riches, or earthly gifts, or passing honours but for light. And let us not ask for light shut up in one place, or limited by time, or ending with the coming of night. The beasts behold such light just as we do. Let us ask for the light which we can see with angels alone, light without beginning or end. The way to this light is faith. Hence Jesus immediately says to the blind man, who is to be enlightened: “Raise your eyes, your faith has saved you.” – St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Father and Doctor of the Church [Homilies on the Gospel, no 2 (Migne) ; PL 76, 1081(trans. Cistercian Fathers]

PRAYER – Lord God, You made St Albert great by his gift for reconciling human wisdom with divine faith. Help us so to follow his teaching that every advance in science may lead us to a deeper knowledge and love of You. May his prayers on our behalf be a succour to us all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in CARMELITES, DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 November – ‘… Prayer means … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 13 November – Readings: Wisdom 18: 14-16; 19: 6-9; Psalm 105: 2-3, 36-37, 42-43; Luke 18: 1-8 – The Memorial of St Didacus (de Alcalá de Henares) OFM (c 1400-1463

“Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones, who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it, that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” – Luke 8:7-8

REFLECTION – “What an extraordinary thing it is, the efficiency of prayer! Like a Queen, it has access at all times to the Royal presence and can receive, whatever it asks for. And it is a mistake to imagine that your prayer will not be answered, unless you have something out of a book, some splendid formula of words, specially devised to meet this emergency. If that were true, I am afraid I should be in a terribly bad position. You see, I recite the Divine Office, with a great sense of unworthiness but ,apart from that, I cannot face the strain of hunting about in books for these splendid prayers – it makes my head spin. There are such a lot of them, each more splendid than the last – how am I to recite them all, or to choose between them? I just do what children have to do before they have learned to read – I tell God what I want quite simply, without any splendid turns of phrase and somehow, He always manages to understand me.

For me, prayer means launching out of the heart towards God; it means lifting up one’s eyes, quite simply, to heaven, a cry of grateful love, from the crest of joy, or the trough of despair; it is a vast, supernatural force, which opens out my heart and binds me close to Jesus.” – St Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (1873-1897), Carmelite, Doctor of the Church (Ms C, 25 r° – trans Ronald Knox)

PRAYER – Holy Father, grant us a strong Faith! Poor Your graces into our hearts that we may believe with all our hearts, minds and souls and that in believing, we may constantly raise our entire being to You in prayer and supplication, in prayer and adoration, in prayer and love. May the intercession of St Didacus, a man of deep prayer from his youth, strengthen our perseverance. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in BAPTISM, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on TIME, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 12 November – ‘Life is passing. … ‘

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Quote/s of the Day – 12 November – Readings: Wisdom 13: 1-9; Psalm 19: 2-5; Luke 17: 26-37

“On that day, …
a person in the field,
must not return
to what was left behind.”

Luke 17:31

“The Son of Man will send his angels
and they will gather out of his kingdom,
all causers of sin and all law-breakers
and throw them into the fiery furnace.
In that place, there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
Then the righteous shall shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.
He who has ears, let him hear.”

Matthew 13:41-43

“Then the righteous shall shine like the sun
in the kingdom of their Father.”

Matthew 13:43

“So from now on, run well (cf. Gal 5:7)
and may the devil not bewitch you (cf. Gal 3:1)
nor hinder you! …
May mercy, peace, charity,
freedom from envy,
from jealousy and ostentation
come upon you, docility, friendly speech,
solidarity, compassion
towards each other, humility.”

St Theodore the Studite (759-826)

“Ah Jesus, Sun of Justice,
make me clothe myself with You,
so that I may be able to live
according to Your will.
Make me, under Your guidance,
preserve my robe of baptismal innocence,
white, holy and spotless
and present it undefiled,
before Your tribunal,
so that I may wear it,
for eternal life.”

St Gertrude the Great of Helfta (1256-1301)

“Let everyone who has
the grace of intelligence,
fear that because of it,
he will be judged more heavily,
if he is negligent.”

St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303 – 1373)

“Life is passing.
The days chase one another; time is flying.
Do not say, therefore, that you will change tomorrow, that tomorrow you will
turn away from the path of sin
and begin to lead a holy life.
For not alone does time pass
but, it often betrays us!
Our Lord tells us that
the judgement will come at a time
when we least expect it.
The time that is gone will never return;
the future is uncertain;
there remains, only the present.
But the present is equally uncertain;
it is something that passes and,
every moment could be the last of our lives.
How many whom we have known,
were taken away suddenly
in the flower of their youth …
Is that not a warning to us?”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PURGATORY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on ZEAL, The HOLY SOULS, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 12 November – Our fields …

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One Minute Reflection – 12 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Wisdom 13: 1-9; Psalm 19: 2-5; Luke 17: 26-37

“On that day, … a person in the field, must not return to what was left behind.” – Luke 17:31

REFLECTION – “He that will be in the field, do not let him turn back.” How may I understand what is the field unless Jesus Himself teaches me? He says, “No-one putting his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the Kingdom of God.” The lazy person sits in the farmhouse but the industrious person, plants in the field. The weak are at the fireplace but the strong are at the plough. The smell of a field is good because the smell of Jacob is the smell of a full field. A field is full of flowers. It is full of different fruits. Plough your field if you want to be sent to the Kingdom of God. Let your field flower, fruitful with good rewards. Let there be a fruitful vine on the sides of your house and young olive plants around your table. Already aware of its fertility, let your soul, sown with the Word of God and tilled by spiritual farming, say to Christ, “Come, my brother, let us go out into the field.” Let Him reply, “I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride. I have gathered my vintage of myrrh.” What is better than the vintage of faith, by which the fruit of the resurrection is stored and the spring of eternal rejoicing is watered?” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan and one of the original four Fathers and Doctors of the Latin Church (Exposition on the Gospel of Luke, 8)

PRAYER – Lord God, grant to us that the power of Your protecting hand may keep us unshaken in the face of our ancient enemy and all his hidden snares. Lighten our way so that, through the prayers of intercession of the Angels and Saints, we may experience the joy of Your presence in our hearts, courage in times of suffering and the wisdom to obey Your instructions. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 15 November – The Kingdom of God

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Quote/s of the Day – 15 November – Readings: Wisdom 7: 22b – 8: 1; Psalm 119: 89-91, 130, 135, 175; Luke 17: 20-25

“For behold, the kingdom of God
is among you.”

Luke 17:21

“…[The Kingdom of God] … is within you.
That is, it depends on your own wills
and is in your own power,
whether or not you receive it.
Everyone, that has attained
to justification, by means of faith in Christ
and decorated by every virtue,
is counted worthy,
of the kingdom of heaven.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“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

“This is the work of God,
that you believe in him
whom he hath sent.”

John 6:29

“I want to advise you and remind you,
what His will is.
Do not fear that it means He will give you riches,
or delights, or honours, or all these earthly things.
His love for you is not that small!
and He esteems highly what you give Him.
He wants to repay you well,
for He gives you His kingdom
while you are still on earth …
See … what He gave to the One He loved most.
By that we understand what His will is.
For these are His gifts in this world.”

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

Posted in GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

One Minute Reflection – 15 November – ‘ … When you have Christ, you have all the riches you need. …’

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One Minute Reflection – 15 November – Readings: Wisdom 7: 22b – 8: 1; Psalm 119: 89-91, 130, 135, 175; Luke 17: 20-25 – The Memorial of St Martin of Tours (c 316-397) and St Bartholomew of Rossano (c 970-c 1065)

“For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” – Luke 17:21

REFLECTION – “The Kingdom of God is within you,” says the Lord …. Get up, faithful soul, prepare your heart for this Bridegroom, that He may deign to come and dwell within you. For so He proclaimed: “Whoever loves me will keep my word and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him,” (Jn 14:23). Make room for Christ and then, bar the door against all comers. When you have Christ, you have all the riches you need. He will be your Purveyor and your faithful Manager in all things; you will have no need to hope in men. For men are quick to change and speedily die but Christ “remains forever” (Jn 12:34), standing firm to the very end.

Not much reliance should be placed upon man, be he never so beloved or so useful; for he goes to pieces and he dies. And not much sadness should be felt if he sometimes turns against you – with you to-day, against you to-morrow and fickle as the breeze, to return to you again. Put all your trust in God, let Him be your fear and Him your Love. He will answer for you and do that good thing that is best for you.

“Here we have no lasting city” (Heb 13:14), wherever you are, you are “a stranger and an alien” (Heb 11:13); you will never, at anytime have peace until you are intimately one with Christ.” – Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471) – The Imitation of Christ – (Book II, ch. 1, 2-3)– Trans Robert Dudley

PRAYER – Our Father, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done! Grant us Lord, a true knowledge of our salvation, so that freed from fear and from the power of our foes, we may serve You faithfully, all the days of our lives and thus attain eternal joy with You. May the prayers of St Martin of Tours and St Bartholomew of Rossano, on our behalf, be a succour to us all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 10 November – Love Him

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 November

“Many sins are forgiven her
because she has loved much.”

Luke 7:42

“Without love,
there is only faith,
which the devil has.”

“Once for all, then,
a short precept is given you –
Love and do what you will,
whether you hold your peace,
through love, hold your peace;
whether you cry out,
through love cry out;
whether you correct,
through love correct;
whether you spare,
through love do you spare.
Let the root of love be within,
of this root, can nothing spring
but what is good.”

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

“… It is Him you should love and no other.
Of Him you could and should say
“My Beloved is mine and I am his” (Sg 2:16);
my God has given Himself without reserve
and, without reserve, I give myself to Him;
He has chosen me as the object of His tenderness
and He, among thousands,
He, the radiant and ruddy one (Sg 5:10),
so loveable and so loving,
He is the chosen of my heart,
the only one I wish to love.”

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

“Nothing is sweeter than love,
nothing stronger or higher or wider;
nothing is more pleasant, nothing fuller
and nothing better in heaven or on earth,
for love is born of God
and cannot rest except in God,
Who is above all created things.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

I Love You, O My God
By St Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

I love You,
O my God
and my only desire is to love You
until the last breath of my life.
I love You,
O my infinitely lovable God
and I would rather die loving You,
than live without loving You.
I love You, Lord
and the only grace I ask,
is to love You eternally
My God,
if my tongue cannot say
in every moment that I love You,
I want my heart to repeat it to You
as often as I draw breath.
Amen

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The PASSION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 November – ‘He is satisfied with being loved.’

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One Minute Reflection – 10 November – Readings: Wisdom 6: 1-11; Psalm 82: 3-4, 6-7; Luke 17: 11-19

“Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?” – Luke 17:17

REFLECTION – “After having offended our Benefactor by our indifference to His signs of goodwill, we have, nevertheless, not been forsaken by the Lord’s goodness nor cut off from His love but we have been rescued from death and restored to life by our Lord Jesus Christ. And the way in which we have been saved, is even more worthy of wonder. “Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave” (Phil 2,6-7).

He carried our weakness and bore our sufferings, He was put to death for our sake that we might be saved by His Wounds, He redeemed us from the curse, by becoming accursed for us (cf Is 53,4-5; Gal 3,13). He endured the most degrading of deaths, to lead us to life and glory. And it was not enough for Him to restore to life, those who lay in death. He clothed them again in the divine dignity and prepared for them, in everlasting rest, a happiness that exceeds all human imagining.

How, then, shall we repay the Lord for all He has given us? His goodness is such, that He asks nothing in return for His blessings – He is satisfied with being loved.” – St Basil (330-379) Monk, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Father and Doctor of the Church (Great monastic Rules, # 2)

PRAYER – You Lord, Holy Father, never forget Your solemn covenant and grant us new life each day. We though in our hearts of stone do forget and cease to thank and bless You. Make our hearts turn in gratitude, for all we are and have is by Your grace and we are as nothing without You. May our minds, hearts and souls sing with love and thanks to You, Lord our God. Grant us new hearts by the prayers of Your Saint Leo the Great and all the saints in heaven, who always lived with grateful hearts, praising You always. We ask this this through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 November – ‘ … The true Temple, also contains buyers and sellers … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 9 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” –Feast Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour in the Lateran and the Memorial of Blessed Gabriel Ferretti OFM (1385-1456) – Gospel: John 2:13-22

“He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area… ” – John 2:15

REFLECTION – “The Apostle Paul says: “The Temple of God, which you are, is holy” (1 Cor 3:17), that is to say – all you who believe in Christ, believing even to loving. … All who thus believe are the living stones of which God’s temple is built (1 Pt 2:5), they are like the imperishable wood of which the Ark was built that the flood could not overwhelm (Gn 6:14). This temple – the people of God, human persons themselves – is the place where God answers those who pray. People who pray to God outside this temple cannot have their prayers, for the peace of the Jerusalem above answered, even though they are answered regarding particular material things that God grants, even to pagans. … But it is an altogether different thing to have one’s prayers answered in the matter of eternal life. This is only granted to those who pray inside God’s temple.

For someone who prays within God’s Temple prays within the peace of the Church, in the unity of Christ’s Body, since the Body of Christ is built up of the multitude of believers spread over all the world. … And someone who prays in the peace of the Church, prays “in spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:23) of which the former Temple was only a symbol.

In fact, it was for our instruction that our Lord cast out of the temple those men who were only seeking their own interest and who only went there to buy and sell. If that first temple had to undergo this purification, then it is clear, that the Body of Christ too, the true Temple, also contains buyers and sellers among those who pray there, that is to say, people only seeking “their own interests and not those of Jesus Christ” (Phil 2,21). … But the time will come when the Lord will cast out all those sinners.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, North Africa, Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church (Sermon on Psalm 130, # 1-2)

PRAYER – Almighty God, as we recall with joy, the Dedication of this house of Yours on each recurring anniversary, listen to Your people’s prayer and grant that our worship here may be a sincere and holy service, honouring Your Name and bringing us the fullness of redemption. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on JUDGING, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 8 November – Forgive him …

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 November – Readings: Wisdom 1: 1-7; Psalm 139: 1b-10; Luke 17: 1-6

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

Luke 17:3-4

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

Luke 6:37-38

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

Matthew 18:21-22

“Gloriously has God slain enmity,
in order to save us,
may we never risk the life of our souls
by being resentful
or by bearing grudges.”

St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–c 395)
Father of the Church

(Excerpt from his treatise,
On Christian Perfection)

“In conformity with
the philosophy of Christ,
let us make of our life,
a training for death.”

“To harbour no envy, no anger,
no resentment against an offender,
is still not to have charity for him.
It is possible, without any charity,
to avoid rendering evil for evil.
But, to render, spontaneously, good for evil –
such belongs to a perfect spiritual love.”

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

“We must show love
for those who do evil to us
and pray for them.
Nothing is dearer
or more pleasing to God than this.”

St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303-1373)

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on MERCY, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 November – ‘… What He is referring to as judgement….’

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One Minute Reflection – 8 November – “Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Wisdom 1: 1-7; Psalm 139: 1b-10; Luke 17: 1-6

“If your brother sins, rebuke him and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.” – Luke 17:3-4

REFLECTION – “O you who are hard-hearted, incapable of gentleness, learn of your Creator’s goodness and do not be bitter judges and arbitrators of your fellow servants, as you wait for the coming of Him, Who will disclose the hidden places of the heart and will Himself, the all-powerful Lord, determine each one’s place in the world to come. Do not assign severe judgements, that you may not be judged in the same way and rent by the words of your own mouth, as if by sharp teeth. For it is against this kind of crime that these words of the Gospel seem to warn us: “Do not judge and you will not be judged” (Lk 6:37). In saying this, He is not doing away with discernment and wisdom; what He is referring to, as judgement, is over-severe condemnation. As far as possible, then, lighten the weight of your measure if you do not want your actions to weigh too heavily on the scales, when our lives are weighed, as on a balance, at God’s Judgement! … Never refuse to show mercy that you may not be denied forgiveness when you are in need of it yourself.” – St Asterius of Amasea (c 350– c 410) Bishop (Sermon 13)

PRAYER – O Lord our God, grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love and to be only good influences to our neighbour. May the prayers of the Blessed Virgin, all the Saints and Angels, ever intercede for the Church Militant and the Church Suffering, Amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 November – The price …

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One Minute Reflection – 7 November – Readings: Kings 17: 10-16; Psalm 146: 7-10; Hebrews 9: 24-28; Mark 12: 38-44

“For they all contributed out of their abundance but she, out of her poverty, has put in everything she had, her whole living.” – Mark 12:44

REFLECTION – “Now, if someone is wondering what the cost is, here is their answer – He does not give it to someone who does not value it.   For indeed, nobody gives away something they hold dear without placing some kind of value on it.
From now on, then, if God has no need of your goods, neither does He have to give you this great thing, if you refuse to love Him, all He requires is love, without which nothing constrains His giving.   Love, then, and you will receive the Kingdom, love and you will possess it… Love God more than yourself and already, you begin to have what it is you desire to possess fully, in heaven.”… St Anselm (1033-1109) Father and Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – Lord God, Your Son has shown us the way. As we follow in His steps, may we never wander from the path that leads to life. Renew the wonders of Your grace in our hearts so that neither death nor life may separate us from Your love. Holy Father, as You were glorified by the life and death of all the Dominican Saints and Blesseds, grant that by their prayers, we may receive Your grace to give first to You and then to our neighbour in complete love and service. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, with You in union with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 10 November – “No servant can serve two masters.”- Luke 16:13

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: : Romans 16: 3-9, 16, 22-27; Psalm 145: 2-5, 10-11; Luke 16: 9-15

“No servant can serve two masters.”

Luke 16:13

“But God said to him,
‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you
and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
So is he, who lays up treasure for himself
and is not rich toward God.”

Luke 12:20-21

“… So then, you rich who have wisdom,
apply yourselves to this business…
Why let yourselves be transfixed
by diamonds and emeralds,
by houses that fire devours,
time destroys,
or earthquakes throw down?
Aspire for nothing other
than to dwell in the heavens
and reign with God.
A mere man,
a beggar will gain you this kingdom!”

St Clement of Alexandria (150- 215)
Father of the Church

“All the plenty
in the world
which is not my God,
is utter want.”

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

“Earthly riches are like the reed.
Its roots are sunk in the swamp
and its exterior, is fair to behold
but inside, it is hollow.
If a man leans on such a reed,
it will snap off and pierce his soul.”

“Damned money!
Alas! …
Money is the ‘droppings of birds’
that blinded the eyes of Tobit.”

St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)
Evangelical Doctor

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 10 November – The unjust steward

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One Minute Reflection – 10 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: : Romans 16: 3-9, 16, 22-27; Psalm 145: 2-5, 10-11; Luke 16: 9-15

“I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”…Luke 16:9

REFLECTION – “A servant cannot serve two masters.” Not that there are two – there is only one Master – for even if there are some people who serve money, it has no inherent right to be a master; they, themselves, are the ones who assume the yoke of this slavery. In fact, money has no rightful authority but constitutes an unjust bondage. That is why Jesus says: “Make friends for yourselves with deceitful money” so that, by generosity to the poor, we will win the favour of angels and saints.

The steward is not blamed. By this we learn, that we are not masters but rather stewards of other people’s wealth. He was praised even though he was in the wrong because, in paying out to others in his master’s name, he won support for himself. And how rightly Jesus spoke of “deceitful wealth” because love of money so tempts our desires with its various seductions, that we consent to become its slaves. That is why He said: “If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?” Riches are alien to us because, they exist outside of our nature; they are not born with us, they do not follow us in death. But Christ, to the contrary, belongs to us because He is Life… So do not let us become slaves of exterior goods because Christ is the only One we should acknowledge as our Lord.” – St Ambrose (340-397) Bishop of Milan and Father & Doctor of the Church -(Commentary on Saint Luke’s Gospel, 7, 244s ; SC 52)

PRAYER – Lord God, You built Your Church on the firm foundation of the Apostle Peter and You promised that the gates of hell would never overcome it. So too, may we trust in Your power, that by our faith we may receive the grace to withstand the enemy who will not prevail against us. May we always serve You in our brother and may your Holy Spirit grant us the grace of fortitude to withstand our temptations and thus gain eternal life, supported by the prayers of all the Angels, Saints and our Blessed Mother Mary. Through Christ, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God now and forever, amen.

Posted in BAPTISM, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 November – ‘… The handwriting of sin … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 5 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Romans 15: 14-21; Psalms 98: 1-4; Luke 16: 1-8 and the Memorial of All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds

“Then to another he said: ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note, write one for eighty.’” – Luke 16:7

REFLECTION – “What the Gospel of “the unjust steward” says, is also an image of this matter. He says to the debtor [of one hundred measures of wheat], “Take your bill, sit down and write eighty” and the other things that are related.
You see that he said to each man, “Take your bill.”
It is evident from this, that the ‘documents of sin‘ are ours but God writes ‘documents of justice.‘
The Apostle says, “For you are an epistle written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart.” You have in yourselves, ‘documents of God’ and ‘documents of the Holy Spirit.’
If you transgress, you yourself write in yourselves, the handwriting of sin.
Notice, that at anytime, when you have approached the Cross of Christ and the grace of Baptism, your handwriting is fastened to the Cross and blotted out in the fountain of Baptism.
Do not rewrite later, what has been blotted out, or repair what has been destroyed. Preserve only the documents of God in yourself. Let only the scripture of the Holy Spirit remain in you.” – Origen Adamantius (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Exegist, Writer, Apologist, Father (Homilies on Genesis, 13)

PRAYER – Lord God, teach us humility, to give and not to count ever the cost to ourselves, to take the lowest part and the back seat – teach us Lord, to strive and not to seek for glory, save for that of Your Kingdom. Let us see Your Face, His Face, He our Teacher, our Saviour in the face of all those in most need. May all those great Jesuit Saints standing before that Face, pray for us! We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who we beg, have mercy on us all, who seek rewards for our own sakes, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 November – ‘ …He sets out in search of the one.’ 

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One Minute Reflection – 4 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Romans 14: 7-12; Psalm 27: 1, 4, 13-14; Luke 15: 1-10 and the Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) and St Emeric of Hungary (c 1007-1031)

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”…Luke 15:4-5

REFLECTION – “The fact of re-finding something we had lost always fills us anew with joy.   And this joy is greater than that we felt before losing it, when the thing was safely kept.   But the parable of the lost sheep speaks more of God’s tenderness than of the way in which people usually behave.   It expresses a profound truth.   To leave behind something of importance for love of what is more humble, is characteristic of divine power, not of human possessiveness.   For God even brings into existence what is not, He sets out in search of what is lost while still keeping what He had left in place and He finds what had strayed without losing what He has under His protection.
That is why, this Shepherd is not of earth but of heaven.   The parable is not in any respect, a representation of human achievements but it conceals divine mysteries, as the numbers it mentions immediately show: “What man among you,” says the Lord, “having a hundred sheep and losing one of them…”   As you see, the loss of a single sheep has sorely tried this Shepherd, as though, the whole flock, deprived of His protection, had set out along a treacherous path.   This is why, leaving the ninety-nine others there, He sets out in search of the one.   He attends to one alone so that, in that one, all may be found and saved – St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) Father and Doctor of the Church

PRAYER – Lord God, in Your wisdom, You created us, by Your providence You rule us, penetrate our inmost being with Your holy light, so that our way of life, may always be one of faithful service to You. With great love we thank You for the great gifts You shower upon us and for being our Father, who seeks and finds us when we are lost. Grant that by the intercession of St Charles Borromeo and St Emeric, we may ever seek to stay true to our baptism. Through Jesus, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 3 November – ‘… There is one Road ..’

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 November – Readings: Romans 13: 8-10; Psalm 112: 1b-2, 4-5, 9; Luke 14: 25-33

“… Anyone of you
who does not renounce
all his possessions,
cannot be my disciple.”

Luke 14:33

“Are you able to drink the cup
that I am to drink?”

Matthew 20:22

“Do not rejoice in the Cross only in times of peace,
preserve the same faith in times of persecution.
Do not be a friend to Jesus in times of peace alone,
only to become His enemy in times of war.
You are now receiving forgiveness for your sins
and the spiritual gifts lavishly bestowed by your King so,
when war breaks out, fight valiantly for your King.”

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

“… There is one Road
and one only,
well secured against all possibility
of going astray
and, this Road is provided
by One Who is Himself
both God and man.
As God, He is the Goal,
as man, He is the Way.”

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

“May He,
Who is the Track of the runners
and the Reward of the winners,
lead and guide you along it –
He, Christ Jesus!”

Bl Guerric of Igny O.Cist (c 1080-1157)

“How good and pleasant it is
to dwell in the Heart of Jesus!
Who is there who does not love a heart so wounded?
Who can refuse a return of love
to a Heart so loving?
Amen.”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Mellifluous Doctor

“Do not live any longer in yourself
but let Jesus Christ live in you in such a way
that the virtue of this Divine Saviour may be resplendent
in all your actions, in order that all may see in you
a true portrait of the Crucified and sense,
the sweetest fragrance of the holy virtues of the Lord,
in interior and exterior modesty,
in patience,
in gentleness,
suffering,
charity,
humility
and in all others that follow.”

St Paul of the Cross (1604-1775)

Posted in "Follow Me", FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 November – ‘Then our soul will ascend … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 3 November – Readings: Romans 13: 8-10; Psalm 112: 1b-2, 4-5, 9; Luke 14: 25-33

“… Anyone of you, who does not renounce all his possessions, cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:33

REFLECTION – “The tradition and the authority of Holy Scripture show us three renunciations … The first is that by which, as far as the body is concerned, we make light of all the wealth and goods of this world.
By the second, we reject the fashions and vices and former affections of soul and flesh.
By the third, we detach our soul from all present and visible things and contemplate only things to come and set our heart on what is invisible. We have to do all these three at once as the Lord charged Abraham to do, when he said to him “Go out from your country and your kinsfolk and your father’s house.”(Gn 12:1).

First he said “from your country,” that is, from the goods of this world and earthly riches; secondly, “from your kinsfolk,” that is, from this former life and habits and sins, which cling to us from our very birth and are joined to us, as it were, by ties of affinity and kinship; thirdly, “from your father’s house,” that is, from all the recollection of this world, which the sight of the eyes can afford. …

Let us contemplate, as the Apostle says, “not what is seen but what is unseen – for what is seen is transitory but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Co 4:18) … “Our citizenship is in heaven,” … (Ph 3:20) … We shall go forth from the house of our former parent, who was our father from our very birth, according to the old man, when we were “by nature children of wrath, like the rest” (Eph 2:3) and we shall fix our whole mind and concentration on heavenly things …
Then our soul will ascend towards unseen things by constant meditation on divine things and spiritual contemplation.” – St John Cassian (c 360-435) Monk, Founder of Monasteries, Father of the Church (Conference 3, 6-7)

PRAYER – Holy God and Father, You sent Your Son to show us the way to our eternal home. Teach us always to understand that by relinquishing the things of this world and focusing our efforts only on following the Light He shines on our path, we may attain the eternal victory. May the prayers of Your our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, assist us in carrying our cross after Hi m. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, ONE Minute REFLECTION, The HOLY SOULS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 November – ‘… What about us? …’

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One Minute Reflection – 2 November – Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed – All Souls Day – Readings: Wisdom 3: 1-9; Romans 5: 5-11 or Romans 6: 3-9; Gospel: John 6: 37-40

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him, may have eternal life and I shall raise him [on] the last day.” – John 6:40

REFLECTION – “He has said two things: “This is the work of God that you should believe in the One whom He has sent,” while here He added, “whoever sees and believes.”
The Jews saw but did not believe; they had the one condition, lacked the other.
How could they attain to eternal life without the other?
The reason those who saw did not attain eternal life was because they did not also believe.
If so, what about us, who have believed but have not seen?
If it is those two things that earn eternal life, seeing and believing—and whoever is lacking one of them cannot attain to the reward of eternal life — what are we to do?
The Jews [who saw Him] lacked the one; we ,the other.
They had seeing but lacked believing.
We have believing but lack seeing.
Well, as regards our having believing and lacking seeing, we have prophetically been declared blessed by the Lord Himself just as Thomas, one of the Twelve, was blessed when he felt his scars by touching them.” – St Augustine (354-430) Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 14)

PRAYER – Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us. As we renew our faith in Your Son, Whom You raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in His Resurrection, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES on HEAVEN, The BEATITUDES, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 1 November – ‘… What every man seeks…’

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One Minute Reflection – 1 November – The Solemnity of All Saints, Readings: Apocalypse 7:2-4, 9-14, Psalms 24:1-6, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit” – Matthew 5:2

REFLECTION – “And when he had sat down, he opened his mouth.” (Mk 6,31). May it be granted me to sit with Jesus, to sit at His feet on the mountainside and partake of His instruction! When He is in the crowd, He is standing and walking, occupied and wearied, and so hard-pressed, that neither He, nor His disciples are, as it were, allowed to eat bread, “the bread of life and understanding” (Jn 6,35) and to drink “the water of wisdom” (Sir 15,3). For this water can only be drunk in a time of leisure and it is drawn by those who have little to do. For “the well is deep”(Sir 38,24) …

Opening His mouth Jesus speaks to the heart of Jerusalem, talking to her in solitude or on the mountain and this is what He says: “Happy are the poor in spirit.” ( Jn 4,11). He Who is Happiness, speaks of happiness, He Who became poor, of poverty, Bread speaks of repletion, Mercy of mercifulness, He Who is the Purity of hearts, speaks of purification of heart, the truly Peaceful of peace-making, the Son by nature, speaks of sonship…

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Wisely indeed He puts first… what every man seeks… For who does not want to be happy? Why do men universally quarrel and fight, bargain, resort to flattery and inflict injuries on one another? Is it not simply in order to obtain, by fair means or foul… something that promises to make them happy?… So, the Teacher of all men… begins by redirecting those who have lost the way…; He Who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life”…  (Jn 14,16; 6,32;4,6) begins with the words: “Happy are the poor in spirit.” – Blessed Isaac of Stella O.Cist. (c 1100 – c 1170) Cistercian Monk, Abbot, Theologian, Philosopher (Sermon 1, for the Feast of All Saints ; SC 130).

PRAYER – Father, All-Powerful and ever-living God, today we rejoice in the holy men and women of every time and place. May their prayers bring us your forgiveness and love. Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, our trusted guide and loving mother and all you holy Saints of the Church Triumphant, pray for us! We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 31 October – ‘ …This is the “Advocate” …’

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One Minute Reflection – 31 October – The last day of the “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Deuteronomy 6: 2-6; Psalm 18: 2-4, 47, 51; Hebrews 7: 23-28; Mark 12: 28b-34

“Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them…” – Hebrews 7:25

REFLECTION – “Petition does not imply here, as it does in popular parlance, a desire for legal satisfaction; there is something humiliating in the idea. No, it means interceding for us in His role of mediator, in the way that the Spirit too is spoken of, as “making petition” on our behalf. “For there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Even at this moment, He is, as human, interceding for my salvation, until He makes me divine by the power of His incarnate Humanity. “As human,” I say, because He still has with Him the Body He assumed, though He is no longer “regarded as human,” meaning, the bodily experiences, which, sin aside, are ours and His. This is the “Advocate” we have in Jesus — not a slave who falls prostrate before the Father on our behalf. Get rid of what is really a slavish suspicion, unworthy of the Spirit. It is not in God to make the demand, nor in the Son to submit to it; the thought is unjust to God. No, it is by what He suffered as Man, that He persuades us, as Word and Encourager, to endure. That, for me, is the meaning of His “Advocacy.” – St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father & Doctor of the Chuirch (Theological Oration 4 (On the Son), 30)

PRAYER – Lord God, You gave the peoples of the world as the inheritance of Your only Son; You crowned Him as King of Zion, Your holy city and gave Him Your Church to be His Bride. As He proclaims the law of Your eternal kingdom, may we serve Him faithfully and so share His royal power forever. We make our prayer, through Him and with Him and in Him, our King and our Redeemer, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on HYPOCRISY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The BEATITUDES, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 30 October – ‘… he who humbles himself will be exalted’ Luke 14:11

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Quote/s of the Day – 30 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” and Mary’s Day – Readings: Romans 11: 1-2a, 11-12, 25-29; Psalm 94: 12-15, 17-18; Luke 14: 1, 7-11

“For everyone who exalts himself
will be humbled
but he who humbles himself
will be exalted. ”

Luke 14:11

“The servant is not greater
than his Master”

John 13:16

“How can you become a sharer,
in His glory (1 Pt 5:1)
if you will not consent,
to become a sharer,
in His humiliating death?”

St Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022)

“As “pride is the beginning of all sin,” (Eccl. 10:15)
so humility is the foundation of all virtue.
Learn to be really humble and not,
as the hypocrite, humble merely in appearance.”

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

“ … If you die with Him,
you shall also likewise
live with Him.
If you are His companion in punishment,
so shall you be in glory.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

“Humility and charity
are the two master chords –
one, the lowest;
the other, the highest;
all the others are dependent on them.
Therefore, it is necessary, above all.
to maintain ourselves in these two virtues,
for observe well,
that the preservation of the whole edifice
depends on the foundation and the roof!”

“If humble souls are contradicted,
they remain calm;
if they are calumniated,
they suffer with patience;
if they are little esteemed,
neglected, or forgotten,
they consider this their due;
if they are weighed down
with occupations,
they perform them cheerfully. ”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

“St Ambrose describes virtue,
as a slow martyrdom.
In this sense, we must all be martyrs.
… Our martyrdom, … will be prolonged.
It will last all our lives
and will end only when we accept death
with resignation from the hands of God.
Ours is the martyrdom of virtue.
… It is necessary, then,
to descend into the mire of humility
and to remain there until we die.
Only after we have died to ourselves,
shall we rise again in God.
After the death of our lower instincts and vices,
we shall find a new life.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 October – ‘It is like a theft …’

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One Minute Reflection – 30 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” and Mary’s Day – Readings: Romans 11: 1-2a, 11-12, 25-29; Psalm 94: 12-15, 17-18; Luke 14: 1, 7-11

“He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honour at the table.” – Luke 14:7

REFLECTION – “When,” He says, “a man more honoUrable than you comes, he that invited you and him will say, ‘Give this man place.’” Oh, what great shame is there in having to do this! It is like a theft, so to speak and the restitution of the stolen goods. He must restore what he has seized because he had no right to take it. The modest and praiseworthy person, who without fear of blame might have claimed the dignity of sitting among the foremost, does not seek it. He yields to others what might be called his own, that he may not even seem to be overcome by empty pride. Such a one shall receive honour as his due. He says, “He shall hear Him who invited him say, ‘Come up here.’”

If anyone among you wants to be set above others, let him win it by the decree of Heaven and be crowned by those honours that God bestows. Let him surpass the many, by having the testimony of glorious virtues. The rule of virtue is a lowly mind that does not love boasting. It is humility. The blessed Paul also counted this worthy of all esteem. He writes to those who eagerly desire saintly pursuits, “Love humility.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) The Pillar of Faith” Father and Doctor (Commentary on Luke, Homily 101)

PRAYER – Lord Jesus, help us to appreciate and live Your spiritual virtues and give them the first place in our hearts. Grant that we may always seek them first and remain forever united with You. Send Your Spirit with His gifts and blessings and may the Mother of all Virtue, assist us in our need. Help us to follow the path of humility, the Blessed Virgin so splendidly taught us and may we always beseech Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, for her intercession, that we may obtain from You, a place in Your Kingdom. Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, pray for us. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God now and for all times, amen.

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, GOD is LOVE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on TRUTH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 October – ‘… The depth of His love for us …’

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One Minute Reflection – 29 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Romans 9: 1-5; Psalm 147: 12-15, 19-20; Luke 14: 1-6

“One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully.” – Luke 14:1

REFLECTION – “The world’s eternal and invisible Creator, preparing to save humankind, which for long ages had been hindered by it’s subjection to the heavy law of death, deigned “in these last days” (Heb 1:2) to become man … that in His mercy He might redeem those, who in justice, He condemned. And so, as to show the depth of His love for us, He not only became a man but a poor and humble man so that, by drawing near to us in His poverty, He might make us sharers in His riches (2 Cor 8:9). So poor did He become for our sake, that He had nowhere to lay His head: “Foxes have dens and the birds of the air have their nest but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head” (Mt 8:20).

This is the reason why He agreed to go and dine wherever He was invited, not out of an excessive enjoyment in eating but, so that He could teach the way of salvation and stimulate faith. There He would fill the guests with light by His miracles and the servants, who were kept busy inside and were not free to go with Him, would hear the words of salvation. Indeed, He despised no-one and none were considered unworthy of His love because “he has mercy on all; he hates nothing of what he has made and takes care of them all” (Wsd 11:24).

So that He might carry out this work of salvation the Lord entered the house of an eminent Pharisee on the sabbath. The scribes and Pharisees watched Him with the intention of calling Him to account, so that if He were to cure the man with dropsy they could accuse Him of breaking the Law and, if He did not, they could accuse Him of blasphemy or inability … By the pure light of His word of truth, they were to see the darkness of their deceit vanish away. …” – Blessed Guerric of Igny O.Cist (c 1080-1157) – Cistercian Abbot (Liturgical sermons).

PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, shed the light of Your glory on the peoples who are living in the shadow of death, as You did long ago, when our Lord Jesus Christ, the Sun of Justice, came among us from on high. As He taught us the way to life may we keep the precepts and finally reach our everlasting home. May the Mother of Jesus, our Lord and our always loving and merciful Mother, keep us forever in her prayers. With Jesus our Lord and our God, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You now and for all eternity, amen.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 28 October – ‘… He spent the night in prayer to God.’ Luke 6:12

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Quote/s of the Day – 28 October – Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles and Martyrs – Readings: Ephesians 2: 19-22; Psalm 19: 2-5; Luke 6: 12-16

“Come away by yourselves ,
o a deserted place and rest awhile”

Mark 6:31

“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

“Rest is in Him alone.
Man knows no peace in the world
but he has no disturbance
when he is with God.”

St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)

“It is impossible
to find a Saint
who did not take
the “two P’s” seriously –
Prayer and Penance.”

St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

“To pray,
is to think about Jesus
and love Him.
The more we love,
the better we pray.”

Bl Charles of Jesus de Foucauld (1858-1916)