The WORD – Page 98

DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD the FATHER, MARIAN TITLES, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 September – He was lost and has been found.

Posted on September 15, 2019September 14, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 15 September – Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 15:1–32 and the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.’ ... Luke 15:6

luke 15 6 rejoice with me for I have found my sheep - 28 june 2019 sacred heart.jpg

REFLECTION – “Since man’s weakness is incapable of maintaining a firm step in this changing world, the good doctor shows you a remedy against going astray and the merciful judge does not withhold hope of forgiveness. It is not without reason that Saint Luke put forward three parables in succession – the sheep who strayed and was found again; the coin that was lost and found; the son who died and came back to life. This is so that this threefold remedy will urge us to take care of our wounds… The weary sheep is brought back by the shepherd, the lost coin is found, the son turns back and returns to his father, repenting of his waywardness…

Let us rejoice, then, in that this sheep, which went astray in Adam, has been raised up again in Christ. Christ’s shoulders are the arms of the cross, there it is that I have laid down my sins, on that gallows I have found my rest. This “sheep” is one according to its nature but not in personality, since all form a single body composed of many in members. That is why it is written: “You are Christ’s body and individually parts of it,” (1Cor 12:27). “The Son of Man has come to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10), that is to say everyone, since “just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life” (1Cor 15:22)…

Nor, is it irrelevant, that the woman rejoices to have found her coin – it is no small thing, this coin on which is portrayed the image of a prince. In the same way, the good of the Church is the image of the King. We are sheep, let us then pray the Lord to lead us to restful waters (Ps 22[23]:2). We are sheep, let us ask for pasture. We are the coin, let us keep our value. We are sons, let us run to the Father.” … St Ambrose (340-397) – Bishop of Milan, Father & Doctor of the Church – On St Luke’s Gospel, 7, 207 (SC 52)

PRAYER – Look upon us Lord, creator and ruler of the whole world, grant us the grace to serve You with all our heart, that we may come to know, the power of Your forgiveness and love. Our Father, when Jesus Your Son, was raised up on the Cross, it was Your will that Mary, His Mother, should stand there and suffer with Him in her heart. Grant that in union with her, the Church may share in the passion of Christ and so be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Be our intercessor and our consolation, Our Lady of Sorrows! We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen. you-holy-mother-of-sorrows-smile-upon-us-and-pray-for-us-15-sept-2018.jpg

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – The Message of the Cross

Posted on September 14, 2019September 14, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Gospel: John 3:13–17

The message of the cross
is foolishness to those
who are perishing
but to us,
who are being saved,
it is the power
of God…

1 Corinthians 1:18

“We give glory to You, Lord,
who raised up Your Cross to span the jaws of death
like a bridge by which souls might pass
from the region of the dead to the land of the living. ..
You are incontestably alive.
Your murderers sowed Your living body in the earth
as farmers sow grain but it sprang up
and yielded an abundant harvest of men
raised from the dead.”

St Ephrem the Syrian (306-373) Father & Doctor of the Church

“The Cross is the hope of Christians,
the staff of the lame,
the comfort of the poor,
the destruction of all pride,
the victory over devils,
the guide of youth,
the pilot of mariners,
the refuge of those who are in danger,
the counsellor of the just,
the rest of the afflicted,
the physician of the sick,
the glory of Martyrs.”

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

“Christ, who is your life, is hanging before you,
so that you may look at the Cross, as in a mirror.
There you will be able to know,
how mortal were your wounds,
that no medicine other than.
the Blood of the Son of God, could heal.
If you look closely, you will be able to realise,
how great your human dignity and your value are….
Nowhere other than looking at himself,
in the mirror of the Cross,
can man better understand how much he is worth”

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

“Apart from the cross
there is no other ladder
by which we may get to heaven.“

St Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

We have always seen,
that those who were
closest to Christ our Lord,
were those with the greatest trials.
Let us look at what
His glorious Mother suffered
and the glorious apostles.
Take up the Cross of Jesus.
Help your Spouse to carry the burden
that weighs Him down
and pay no attention
to what they may say about you.
If you should happen to stumble
and fall like your Spouse,
do not withdraw from the Cross or abandon it.
No matter how great your trials may be,
you will see, that they are quite small,
in comparison to His.

Blessed Teresa Maria of the Cross OCD (1846–1910)

“One ounce of a Cross
is much better
than a ton of books
of prayer.”

“Anyone who seeks heaven
but without suffering,
is like someone
who wants to buy goods,
without paying.”

Blessed Jacques Ghazir Haddad (1875-1954)

“…only the Cross of Christ
sheds light on the path of this life….
God is in the detached heart,
in the silence of prayer,
in the voluntary sacrifice to pain,
in the emptiness of the world and its creatures.
God is in the Cross and,
as long as we do not love the Cross,
we will not see Him, or feel Him….
If the world and men knew….
But they will not know,
they are very busy in their interests,
their hearts are very full of things
that are not God.”

St Rafael Arnáiz Barón (1911-1938)

“The life of each and every one of us has been written.
The crucifix is my autobiography.
The blood is the ink.
The nails the pen.
The skin the parchment.
On every line of that body, I can trace my life.
In the crown of thorns I can read my pride.In the hands that are dug with nails,
I can read avarice and greed.
In the flesh hanging from him like purple rags,
I can read my lust.
In feet that are fettered, I can find the times
that I ran away and would not let Him follow.
Any sin that you can think of is written there.”

Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/09/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-september-feast-of-the-exaltation-of-the-holy-cross/ the-life-of-each-and-every-one-of-us-ven-fulton-sheen-27-april-2019

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One Minute Reflection – 14 September – O cross, You are the Glorious Sign of Victory.

Posted on September 14, 2019September 13, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Gospel: John 3:13–17

“…And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”…John 3:14-15 and-as-moses-lifted-up-john-3-14-15-14-sept-2018

REFLECTION – “We are celebrating the feast of the cross which drove away darkness and brought in the light… Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, Life Itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if Life had not been nailed to it, they would be no streams of immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be cancelled, we should not have obtained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life and the gates of paradise would not stand open. Had there been no cross, death would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled… The cross is called Christ’s glory, it is saluted as His triumph.”….St Andrew of Crete (650-740)

PRAYER – O God, who willed that Your Only Begotten Son should undergo the Cross to save the human race, grant, we pray, that we, who have known His mystery on earth, may merit the grace of His redemption in heaven. For You placed the salvation of the human race on the wood of the Cross, so that, where death arose, life might again spring forth and the evil one, who conquered on a tree, might likewise on a tree be conquered through Christ. O cross, You are the glorious sign of victory. Through your power may we share in the triumph of Christ Jesus. We adore you Christ and we praise you, for by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world. Amen

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 September – “Then you will see clearly”

Posted on September 13, 2019September 13, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 13 September – Friday of the Twenty third week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 6:39–42 and the Memorial of St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Church

“Then you will see clearly” … Luke 6:42

REFLECTION –
“O Lord, drive away the darkness from our minds
with the light of Your wisdom,
so that enlightened in this way
we may serve You with renewed purity.
The beginning of the sun’s passage through the sky
marks the beginning of the working-day for us mortals,
we ask You, Lord, to prepare in our minds
a place where the day that knows no end may give its light.

Grant that we may have within us, this light,
the life of the resurrection,
and that nothing may take away our delight in You.
Mark us with the sign of that day that does not begin
with the movement and the course of the sun,
by keeping our minds fixed on You.

In your sacraments we welcome You every day
and receive You in our bodies.
Make us worthy to experience within us
the resurrection for which we hope.
Be the wings for our thoughts, O Lord,
Drawing us lightly to the heights
And bearing us up to our true home.

By the grace of baptism we conceal within our bodies
the treasure of Your divine life…
Let us appreciate the great beauty that is ours
through the spiritual beauty that Your immortal will
arouses in our mortal nature…
May Your Resurrection, Jesus,
cause the spiritual man to grow in us (cf Eph 3:16)
and may the contemplation of Your mysteries
become the mirror in which we come to recognise you (1Cor 13:12).

Grant, Lord, that we may hasten to our true home,
and, like Moses on the mountain-top
seeing the promised Land, (Dt 34:1)
let us possess it even now through contemplation.”
Saint Ephrem (306-373)
Father & Doctor of the Church luke 6 42 then you wil see clearly - o lord drive away the darkness - st ephrem 13 sept 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, strength of those who hope in You, by Your will, St John Chrysostom became renowned in the Church, for his astounding eloquence and his forbearance in persecution. Grant that we may be enriched by his teaching and thus grow in sanctity, to follow the commandments You set forth in Your Word, Your Son who is our Saviour and Redeemer. By the prayers of St John Chrysostom, may we attain the place You have prepared for us. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God, forever amen.

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, NOTES to Followers, The WORD

Donations Appeal to my Fellow-Pilgrims and Prayer of Thanksgiving

Posted on September 12, 2019September 12, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Donations Appeal to my Fellow-Pilgrims, blessed supporters and friends

Anastpaul.com has been ‘live’ as a personal growth and evangelisation project for well over 2 years now.
I am privileged and blessed by your faithful love and encouragement.
As times grow increasingly tough here in South Africa, the cost of the Internet alone is becoming ever more exorbitant, regardless of all the other costs related to the site and those of staying alive!
Many of you have helped me to continue this ‘mission’ which I fulfil with joy, love and prayer. I know you are aware of how time-consuming and expensive it is but I would rather do this, along with my personal work in my Parish (in South Africa, the laity do not receive any financial recompense for their Parish work), more than anything else on earth.
My request is for any help you may be able to offer. No amount is too small.
I offer my daily prayers for you all.
May St Francis, a Beggar for Christ, pray for this appeal.
May the Lord shine His Face upon you and grant you peace.
Ana

appeal - 12 sept 2019 I pray with st francis.jpg

I offer too, a Prayer of Thanksgiving, for the great love and generosity of dear friends and supporters

ROSEMARY AND EDWARD

who have come to my aid within the last 2 days, with financial support, encouragement and love.

Holy Mass will be offered for you both tomorrow, Friday 13 September.

I express praise and thanks to God, in His providential plan,
God has blessed each one of us.
Psalm 34 is a perfect Psalm of thanksgiving, praising God for His glorious blessings, love and kindness, that He has blessed us all with.

I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord,
let the afflicted hear and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

I sought the Lord and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to him and be radiant,
so your faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cries and the Lord heard him,
and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him and delivers them.
O taste and see that the Lord is good!
Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!
O fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no want!
The young lions suffer want and hunger
but those who seek the Lord, lack no good thing.

Come, O sons, listen to me,
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
What man is there who desires lif,
and covets many days, that he may enjoy good?
Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous,
and his ears toward their cry.
The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears,
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted,
and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
He keeps all his bones,
not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. appeal - the power of prayer 12 sept 2019 - psalm 34.jpg

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One Minute Reflection – 12 February – “Love your enemies”

Posted on September 12, 2019September 12, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 12 February – Thursday of the Twenty third week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 6:27–38 and the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Mary

“Love your enemies” … Luke 6: 27

REFLECTION – “This Gospel passage is rightly considered the magna carta of Christian non-violence. It does not consist in succumbing to evil, as a false interpretation of “turning the other cheek” (cf. Lk 6: 29) claims but in responding to evil with good (cf. Rom 12: 17-21) and thereby breaking the chain of injustice.
One then understands that for Christians, non-violence is not merely tactical behaviour but a person’s way of being, the attitude of one who is so convinced of God’s love and power that he is not afraid to tackle evil, with the weapons of love and truth alone.
Love of one’s enemy constitutes the nucleus of the “Christian revolution”, a revolution not based on strategies of economic, political or media power – the revolution of love, a love that does not rely ultimately on human resources but is a gift of God which is obtained by trusting solely and unreservedly in His merciful goodness. Here is the newness of the Gospel which silently changes the world! Here is the heroism of the “lowly” who believe in God’s love and spread it, even at the cost of their lives.” … Pope Benedict XVI 18 February 2007 luke 6 27 love your enemies - here is the nucleus of the christian revolution - pope benedict 12 sept 2019.jpg

PRAYER – God of love and might, teach us Your ways! You sent us Your only-begotten Son out of love for sinful man. May we follow Him in all that we think, do and say. May His humble heart be our hearts, may His gentle way be our way. And may the sweet love of Mary His Mother and ours, aid us on our pilgrimage. With great affection and confidence, we honour the Holy Hearts and invoke the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, to be our constant source of pure assistance and succour. Blessed Virgin, Most Holy Mother, pray for us. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen. blessed be the name of mary 12 sept 2019.jpg

ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BEATITUDES, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 11 September – “Blessed are you that weep now…”

Posted on September 11, 2019September 10, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 11 September – Wednesday of the Twenty-third week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 6:20–26

“Blessed are you that weep now, for you shall laugh.” … Luke 6:21

REFLECTION – “Let us hope, let all those of us who weep and shed innocent tears keep on hoping, let us hope whether we are weeping for the pains of body or of soul, these will serve as our purgatory. God will make use of them to… make us raise our eyes to Him, purify us and sanctify us.
Let us hope even more if we are weeping for the pains of others, for this act of charity is inspired by God and pleasing to Him. Let us hope even more, if we are weeping, for our own sins, since this compunction has been placed into our souls by God Himself. Let us hope even more if, with a pure heart, we are weeping for the sins of others, for this love for the glory of God and sanctification of souls has been inspired by God and is a great grace.
Let us hope if we are weeping with desire to see God and pain at being separated from Him, for this loving desire is God’s work in us. Let us hope even more if we are weeping simply because we love, without either desire or fear, desiring completely what God wishes and nothing more, happy in His glory, suffering from His former sufferings, weeping sometimes for compassion at the remembrance of His Passion, sometimes for joy at the thought of His Ascension and glory, sometimes simply from emotion because we are dying for love of Him!
O sweetest Jesus, make me weep for all these reasons make me weep all those tears that cause love in You, through You and for You to spread abroad. Amen.” … Blessed Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916) – Hermit and Missionary in the Sahara (Meditations on the passages of the holy Gospels referring to the fifteen virtues, Nazareth 1897-98 no15) blessed are you that wep now luke 6 21 - let us hope if we are weeping now 11 sept 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, in Your wisdom, You created us, in love. By Your providence, You rule us, in love. Penetrate our inmost being with the holy light of Your Son. Penetrate our hearts with the overwhelming love for Your love, so that we may weep in consolation. May the prayers of Your holy saints and the Blessed Virgin Mary, be our guiding inspiration. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever amen. blessed virgin mary immaculate mother - pray for us - 2 sept 2018.jpg

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One Minute Reflection – 9 September – “Stretch forth your hand” – St Ambrose

Posted on September 9, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 9 September – Monday of the Twenty-third week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 6:6-11 and the Memorial of St Peter Claver SJ (1581-1654) “slave of the slaves” and Blessed Frédéric Ozanam (1813–1853) “Servant to the Poor”

“On another sabbath, he went into the synagogue and taught and there was a man there whose right hand was withered.” … Luke 6:6 luke 6 6 there was a man thre whose right hand was withred - 9 sept 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “Are you angry at me because I have healed the whole man on the sabbath day?” In this place he revivified, with the salutary strength of good works, the hand which Adam stretched out to pluck the fruit of the forbidden tree. The hand which had withered through a crime, was healed by good deeds. Christ thereby rebuked the Jews who violated the precepts of the law with evil interpretations. They thought that they should rest even from good works on the sabbath, since the law prefigured in the present, the form of the future, in which indeed the days of rest from evils, not from blessings, would come.

Then you heard the words of the Lord, saying, “Stretch forth your hand.” That is the common and universal remedy. You, who think that you have a healthy hand, beware lest it is withered by greed or by sacrilege. Hold it out often. Hold it out to the poor person who begs you. Hold it out to help your neighbour, to give protection to a widow, to snatch from harm one whom you see subjected to unjust insult. Hold it out to God for your sins. The hand is stretched forth, then it is healed. Jeroboam’s hand withered when he sacrificed to idols, then it stretched out when he entreated God” … St Ambrose (340-397)- One of the 4 original Doctors of the Latin Church – Exposition on the Gospel of Luke, 5

PRAYER – God of mercy and love, You offer all peoples the dignity of sharing in your life. Rule over our hearts and bodies this day. Sanctify us and guide our every thought, word and deed, my our hands be held out to our neighbour in imitation of Your love and mercy. By the example and prayers of St Peter Claver and Bl Frederic Ozanam, strengthen us to overcome all racial hatreds and to love each other as brothers and sisters. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever amen.

st-peter-claver-pray-for-us 9 sept 2017

bl frederic ozanam pray for us 9 sept 2019

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Thought for the Day – 8 September – ‘The heavenly trumpet of Christ urges the soldier to battle..’ St Augustine

Posted on September 8, 2019September 8, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 8 September – Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Luke 14:25–33

“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”… Luke 14:26

Saint Augustine comments on this verse from the Gospel proclaimed during today’s Mass:

“The Lord gives the signal for us to stand guard in camp and to build the tower from which we may recognise and ward off the enemy of our eternal life. The heavenly trumpet of Christ urges the soldier to battle and his mother holds him back.

What does she say or what argument does she give? Perhaps is it those ten months when you lay in her womb and the pangs of birth and the burden of rearing you? You must kill this with the sword of salvation. You must destroy this in your mother that you may find her in life eternal. Remember, you must hate this in her if you love her, if you are a recruit of Christ and have laid the foundations of the tower. Passers-by may not say, “This man began to build and was not able to finish.” That is earthly affection. It still has the ring of the “old man.” Christian warfare invites us to destroy this earthly affection both in ourselves and in our relatives. Of course, no one should be ungrateful to his parents or mock the list of their services to him, since by them he was brought into this life, cherished and fed. A man should always pay his family duty but let these things keep their place where higher duties do not call.

Mother church is also the mother of your mother. She conceived you both, in Christ. Know that, her Spouse took human flesh, that you might not be attached to fleshly things. Know that, all the things for which your mother scolds you were undertaken by the eternal Word, that you might not be subject to the weakness of flesh. Ponder his humiliations, scourging and death, even the death of the cross.” (Letter 243)

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me a sinner!

Amen

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 September – Forsake her not …

Posted on September 8, 2019September 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 8 September – The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Forsake her not and she will preserve you,
love her and she will safeguard you.

Wisdom 4:6

“Go to Mary and sing her praises
and you will be enlightened.
For it is through her,
that the true Light
shines on the
sea of this life.”

St Ildephonsus (607-670)

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One Minute Reflection – 8 September – Falling into the hands of Love eternal….

Posted on September 8, 2019September 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 8 September – Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 14:25–33 and the Feast of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre

“So, therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” … Luke 14:33

REFLECTION – “…We realise that the Lord is not speaking merely of a few individuals and their specific task, the essence of what He says applies to everyone. The heart of the matter He expresses elsewhere in these words: “For whoever would save his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Lk 9:24f.). Whoever wants to keep his life just for himself will lose it. Only by giving ourselves do we receive our life. In other words, only the one who love, discovers life. And love always demands going out of oneself, it always demands leaving oneself. Anyone who looks just to himself, who wants the other, only for himself, will lose both himself and the other. Without this profound losing of oneself, there is no life.
The restless craving for life, so widespread among people today, leads to the barrenness of a lost life. “Whoever loses his life for my sake … “ says the Lord, a radical letting-go of our self is only possible, if in the process, we end up, not by falling into the void but into the hands of Love eternal.
Only the love of God, who loses Himself for us and gives Himself to us, makes it possible for us also to become free, to let go and so truly to find life. This is the heart of what the Lord wants to say to us in the seemingly hard words of this Sunday’s Gospel. With his teaching He gives u, the certainty, that we can build on His love, the love of the incarnate God. Recognition of this is the wisdom of which today’s reading speaks to us. Once again, we find that all the world’s learning profits us nothing unless we learn to live, unless we discover what truly matters in life.” … Pope Benedict XVI – Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna, Sunday, 9 September 2007 – on the occasion of the 850th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Shrine of Our Lady of Mariazell (Feast day today!) luke 14 33 so therefore whoever does not lose his life for my sake - the restless craving for life - pope benedict 8 sept 2019

PRAYER – Since it is from You, God our Father, that redemption comes to us, Your adopted children, look with favour on the family You love, give true freedom to us and to all who believe in Christ, Your Son and our Saviour and bring us all alike, to our eternal heritage. May we, in turn, give ourselves in true love to You and may the prayers of our glorious and merciful Mother, Our Lady of Charity, lead us to our heavenly home. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. our lady of charity of el cobre pray for us 8 sept 2019.jpg

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One Minute Reflection – 7 September – The day of Christ the Lord.

Posted on September 7, 2019September 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 7 September – Saturday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time Year C, Gospel: Luke 6:1–5

And he said to them, “The Son of man is lord of the sabbath.” … Luke 6:5

REFLECTION – “The Eucharist is an essential part of Sunday… On Easter morning, first the women and then the disciples had the grace of seeing the Lord. From that moment on, they knew that the first day of the week, Sunday, would be His day, the day of Christ the Lord. The day when creation began, became, the day when creation was renewed. Creation and redemption belong together.

That is why Sunday is so important. It is good that today, in many cultures, Sunday is a free day and is often combined with Saturday so as to constitute a “week-end” of free time. Yet this free time is empty if God is not present.

Dear friends! Sometimes, our initial impression is that having to include time for Mass on a Sunday is rather inconvenient. But if you make the effort, you will realise that this is what gives a proper focus to your free time. Do not be deterred from taking part in Sunday Mass and help others to discover it too. This is because the Eucharist releases the joy that we need so much and we must learn to grasp it ever more deeply, we must learn to love it. Let us pledge ourselves to do this – it is worth the effort! Let us discover the intimate riches of the Church’s liturgy and its true greatness. It is not we who are celebrating for ourselves but it is the living God Himself, who is preparing a banquet for us.” …Pope Benedict XVI – 21 August 2005 luke 6 5 the sone of man is lord of the sabbath - the eucharist is an essential part of sunday pope benedict 7 sept 2019

PRAYER – Holy God, almighty Father, You taught us to honour Your holy day and the day of rest. In Your divine Son, Whom You gave to us as our brother and glorified by His Resurrection, You showed us the way to our eternal life. As His glorified body shines anew on Easter Sunday, we rejoice in our future life with Him and embrace His day as our own, each Sunday renewing His Resurrection. We run forward to sing Your glory together with our Holy Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, to eternity, through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. bl virgin mother of god pray for us 7 sept 2019.jpg

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 September – Becoming new wineskins, following Jesus

Posted on September 6, 2019September 6, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 6 September – Friday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time Year C, Gospel: Luke 5:33–39

“But new wine must be put
into fresh wineskins.”

Luke 5:38

What people don’t realise,
is how much Christianity costs.
They think faith is a big electric blanket,
when of course it is the cross.

Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964)

The Jesus of the Gospels
is surely not convenient for us.

The Jesus, who makes everything
okay for everyone,
is a phantom,
a dream,
not a real figure…

Pope Benedict XVI

Take the crucifixion personally.

Father Mike Schmitz

ONE Minute REFLECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 September – The Christian style

Posted on September 6, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 6 September – Friday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time Year C, Gospel: Luke 5:33–39

“And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same but yours eat and drink.” … Luke 5:33

REFLECTION – “The accusatory style is the style of those believers who always try to accuse others, who live by accusing and always disqualify others. A style, I would say, of failed promoters of justice, they are always trying to accuse others. But they don’t realise that it is the style of the devil – in the Bible the devil is called the “great accuser”, who is always accusing others.
The Lord has offered you the new wine but you have not changed the bottles, you have not changed. Worldliness is what ruins so many people, so many people! Good people, but this spirit of vanity, pride, of being seen, enters in… The Christian style is that of the Beatitudes – meekness, humility, patience in suffering, love for justice, ability to endure persecution, not judging others… If you want to know what the Christian style is like, so as not to fall into this accusatory style, the worldly style and the selfish style, read the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are the new wineskins, they are the way to get there.” … Pope Francis -Santa Marta, 21 January 2019 luke 5 33 the disciples of john - new wineskins - the accussatiry style - pope francis 6 sept 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, You hold out the light of Your Word as our guide and map. Open our hearts to learn and to become new in holiness. Strengthen in our hearts the faith You have given us, so that we may glow anew in the fire Your Spirit has kindled within us. May the prayers of Your holy saints and the love of our blessed Mother, be a help as we seek to live in holiness. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever amen. virin mary queen of all saints no 2 pray for us 6 april 2019.jpg

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ABORTION, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 September – St Mother Teresa

Posted on September 5, 2019September 5, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 5 September – Thursday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time, Year C and The Memorial of St Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)

..And immediately she rose and served them.”

Luke 4:39

“Not all of us can do great things.
But we can do small things with great love…..
God doesn’t require us to succeed,
He only requires that we try…….
I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot,
together we can do great things.”

“By blood, I am Albanian.
By citizenship, an Indian.
By Faith, I am a Catholic Nun.
As to my calling,
I belong to the World.
As to my heart,
I belong entirely to
the Heart of Jesus.”

“The so-called right to abortion
has portrayed the GREATEST of GIFTS
a CHILD
as a competitor
an intrusion and
an inconvenience.”

“How sad it is,
when someone
comes to you,
looking for Jesus
and all they see.
is you.”

“You must first learn to forget yourself
so that you can dedicate yourself to God
and to neighbour alike!”

More here: https://anastpaul.com/2017/09/05/quotes-of-the-day-5-september-the-memorial-of-st-mother-teresa-1910-1997/

St Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – St Gregory, Bl Brigida

Posted on September 3, 2019September 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – The Memorial of Saint Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) “Father of the Fathers” and Blessed Brigida of Jesus Morello (1610-1679)

“Holy Scripture presents a kind of mirror
to the eyes of the mind,
so that our inner face may be seen in it.
There we learn our own ugliness, there our own beauty.
And there too we discover the progress we are making
and how far we are from perfection.”

“When we attend to the needs of those in want,
we give them what is theirs, not ours.
More than performing works of mercy,
we are paying a debt of justice.”

St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604)
Father & Doctor of the Church
“Father of the Fathers”

More quotes from St Gregory:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/09/03/quote-s-of-the-day-3-september-the-memorial-of-st-pope-gregory-the-great-540-604-father-doctor-of-the-church-father-of-the-fathers/

“Let the Crucifix we wear be our mirror,
so that we may conform our life to that of Jesus,
our guide and model!”

“Confidence, Confidence!
A large heart! God is a Father
and He will never abandon us!”

Blessed Brigida of Jesus Morello (1610-1679)

ONE Minute REFLECTION, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 September – “What is this word?”

Posted on September 3, 2019September 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 September – Tuesday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 4:31–37 and the Memorial of St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) – Father & Doctor of the Church

And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out.”…Luke 4:36 luke 4 36 what is this word for with authority he commands the unclean spirits - 3 sept 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “The power of Jesus confirms the authority of His teaching. He does not just speak with words but He takes action. In the Gospel in fact, we see that in His earthly mission, Jesus reveals the love of God both through preaching and through countless gestures of attention and aid to the sick, the needy, children and sinners.
Jesus is our Teacher, powerful in word and deed. Jesus imparts to us all the light that illuminates the sometimes dark paths of our lives. He also transmits to us the necessary strength to overcome difficulties, trials and temptations. Let us consider what a great grace it is for us to have known this God who is so powerful and so good! A teacher and a friend who shows us the path and takes care of us especially when we are in need.
May the Virgin Mary, the woman of listening, help us to create silence around us and within us, in order to hear, through the din of the messages of the world, the most authoritative word that there is – that of her Son Jesus, who proclaims the meaning of our existence and delivers us from all slavery, even that of the Evil one.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 28 January 2018 jesus-is-our-teacher-pope-francis-4-sept-2018

PRAYER – God our Father, Your rule is a rule of love, Your providence is full of mercy for Your people. Through the intercession of St Gregory, grant the spirit of wisdom and understanding in Your Word through Your Son Jesus Christ. Grant that by the light of His Resurrection we may know our eternal home and strive to attain eternal joy there with You. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. st-pope-gregory-the-great-pray-for-us-3-sept-2017

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

Thought for the Day – 2 September – My Words are Spirit and Life

Posted on September 2, 2019September 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 2 September – Monday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Luke 4:16–30

“He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” … Luke 4:18

My Words are Spirit and Life

Thomas á Kempis
Priest

An excerpt from his work, Imitation of Christ

My son, says the Lord, listen to my words, the most delightful of all words, surpassing all the knowledge of the philosophers and wise men of this world. My words are spirit and life and cannot be comprehended by human senses alone. They are not to be interpreted according to the vain pleasure of the listener but they must be listened to, in silence and received with all humility and great affection. And I said – Blessed is the man whom you teach, Lord and whom you instruct in your law, for him you soften the blow of the evil day and you do not desert him on the earth. The Lord says, I have instructed my prophets from the beginning. Even to the present time I have not stopped speaking to all men but many are deaf and obstinate in response.

Many hear the world more easily than they hear God – they follow the desires of the flesh more readily than the pleasure of God. The world promises rewards that are temporal and insignificant and these are pursued with great longing. I promise rewards that are eternal and unsurpassable, yet the hearts of mortals respond sluggishly. Who serves and obeys me in all matters with as much care as the world and its princes are served? Blush, then, you lazy, complaining servant, for men are better prepared for the works of death than you are for the works of life. They take more joy in vanity than you in truth. Yet they are often deceived in their hope, while my promise deceives no-one and leaves empty-handed no=one who confides in me. What I have promised I shall give, what I have said I will fulfil for any man who remains faithful in my love unto the very end. I am the rewarder of all good men, the one who rigorously tests the devoted.

Write my words in your heart and study them diligently, for they will be absolutely necessary in the time of temptation. Whatever you fail to understand, in reading my words, will become clear to you on the day of your visitation. I am accustomed to visit my elect in a double fashion, that is, with temptation and with consolation. And I read to them two lessons each day – one to rebuke them for their faults, the other to exhort them to increase their virtue. He who possesses my words yet spurns them earns his own judgement on the last day.

DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 31 August – Christ will Impose a Reckoning on me

Posted on August 31, 2019August 31, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 31 August – Saturday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 25:14–30

“And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness,

there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’” ... Matthew 25:30 matthew 25 30 and cast the worthless servant - 31 aug 2019.jpg

Christ will Impose a Reckoning on me

Saint Gertrude of Helfta “the Great” (1256-1301)

Benedictine nun
Exercises VII, SC 127

Behold, I become passionately alarmed by what I have committed, I blush very much at what I have omitted, I become exceedingly frightened at the wastefulness of my life. I fear, that future investigation, at which Christ, a noble man, will impose a reckoning on me. behold i become passionately - st gertrude the great - 31 aug 2019.jpg

If He wanted to exact a deposit from me for my time and interest from the talent of understanding He conferred on me, I would, in short, not find any worthy answer for Your charity. What will I do? Where will I turn? I lack the strength to dig, I should blush to beg. (Lk 16:3) O Loving-kindness. Loving-kindnes,. speak up now, may Your dulcet counsel, I entreat You, warm my spirit back to life. Ah, answer me – what does it seem to You I should do in this [situation), for according to Your name You have a truly loving and kind heart and You know best what may be expedient for me in all this. Ah, pardon me and bring me help and in this tribulation, do not be detached from me. Let the poverty of my spirit move You and, touched by the compassion of Your heart, say to me with loving-kindness: “May there be one purse for me and You.” (Prv 1:14)

O Loving-kindness, Loving-kindness, You have stored up with Yourself riches so immeasurable, that heaven and earth do not suffice to contain them. You have driven my Jesus to give His soul for my soul, His life for mine, so that You might make everything that was His, mine and thus, out of your abundance, this pauper’s substance might increase. Ah, call my starved soul to Your food supply, so that in this life, I may live from Your riches and, reared by You and nourished by You, may not grow faint under the discipline of the Lord until at length, under Your guidance, I turn back to my God and give my spirit back to Him who gave it. (Eccl 12:7)

Mater Misericordiae, Ora pro Nobis!

QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, SAINT of the DAY, The LAST THINGS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 31 August – An eye to our end

Posted on August 31, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 31 August – Saturday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 25:14–30 and the Memorial of Blessed Pere (Peter) Tarrés i Claret (1905-1950)

“His master said to him,
‘Well done, good and faithful servant,
you have been faithful over a little,
I will set you over much,
enter into the joy of your master.’ ”

Matthew 25:23

“Give me grace to amend my life
and to have an eye to mine end,
without grudge of death,
which to them that die in You,
good Lord,
is the gate of a wealthy life.”

St Thomas More (1478-1535) Martyr

“A single resolution, Lord, cost what it may”

(on the eve of his Ordination)

Blessed Pere (Peter) Tarrés i Claret (1905-1950)

ONE Minute REFLECTION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 31 August – ‘..A steward of Providence’

Posted on August 31, 2019August 31, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 31 August – Saturday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 25:14–30

“For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property….”…Matthew 25:14

REFLECTION – “The universal destination and the private ownership of goods – In the beginning God entrusted the earth and its resources to the common stewardship of mankind to take care of them, master them by labour and enjoy their fruits (Gn 1:26-29). The goods of creation are destined for the whole human race. However, the earth is divided up among men to assure the security of their lives, endangered by poverty and threatened by violence. the appropriation of property is legitimate for guaranteeing the freedom and dignity of persons and for helping each of them to meet his basic needs and the needs of those in his charge. It should allow for a natural solidarity to develop between men. The right to private property… does not do away with the original gift of the earth to the whole of mankind, the universal destination of goods remains primordial, even if the promotion of the common good requires respect for the right to private property and its exercise.
“In his use of things man should regard the external goods he legitimately owns not merely as exclusive to himself but common to others also, in the sense that they can benefit others as well as himself” (Vatican II, GS 69). The ownership of any property makes its holder a steward of Providence, with the task of making it fruitful and communicating its benefits to others, first of all his family. Goods of production… oblige their possessors to employ them in ways that will benefit the greatest number. Those who hold goods for use and consumption should use them with moderation, reserving the better part for guests, for the sick and the poor.”…Catechism of the Catholic Church # 2402-2405

PRAYER – Holy God and Father, help us by Your grace, to remain “good and faithful servants” so that we may use all You have bestowed upon us and left to our care, in the loving care of our neighbour and of Your gifts. May Mary, the Mother of Your divine Son and our Mother, walk at our side and teach us to be true children and users of our talents and Your creation. May we guard Your world with great wisdom. Holy Mother pray for us, that we may one day enter “into the joy of our Lord”. We make our prayer, through Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. holy mary mother of god - pray for us - 13 may 2018

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 August – “That way above the rest”

Posted on August 30, 2019August 30, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 30 August – Friday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 25:1–13 and the Memorial of Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster OSB (1880-1954)

“The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.” … Matthew 25:3-4

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 matthew 25 3-4 the foolish ones took no oil - it is some great thing that this oil signifies - st augustine - 30 aug 2019.jpg

PRAYER – God our Saviour, through the grace of Baptism you made us children of light. Hear our prayer, that we may always walk in that light and work for truth, love and charity, as Your witnesses before men. Dispel from our hearts the darkness of sin and keep us ever watchful for the true light, Christ Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever. Blessed Alfredo Schuster, you lived a life of total charity ever watchful to the needs of your neighbour, please pray for us, amen. bl alfredo schuster pray for us 30 aug 2019

ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 August – Pleasing other people is of little value …

Posted on August 29, 2019August 29, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 29 August – The Beheading of St John the Baptist, Gospel: Mark 6:17–29

She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”…Mark 6:24 mark-6-24-she-went-out-and-asked-her-mother-29-aug-2017

REFLECTION – “John did not live for himself alone, nor did he die for himself alone. How many there were, burdened with sin, who were led to conversion by his hard and austere life. How many who were strengthened to bear their own trials by his undeserved death. And what about us? From where does the opportunity come to offer faithful thanks to God today, if not from the the remembrance of Saint John, put to death for righteousness’ sake, that is to say, for Christ?…

Yes indeed, John the Baptist sacrificed his life with all his heart here below for love of Christ. He chose to despise the commands of a tyrant, rather than those of God. His example teaches us, that nothing should be dearer to us, than the will of God. Pleasing other people is of little value, indeed, it often causes great harm… Therefore, let us die to our sins and anxieties with all God’s friends, tread underfoot our misguided self-will and be careful to allow fervent love for Christ, to grow within us.” … Lanspergius the Carthusian (1489-1539) – Monk, Theologian – Sermon for the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. Opera omnia, t. 2

PRAYER – God our Father, You appointed St John the Baptist to be the herald of the birth and death of Christ Your Son. Grant that as he died a martyr for justice and truth, so we may also courageously bear witness to Your Word. We make our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever. St John the Baptist, pray for us, amen. st-john-the-baptist-pray-for-us1-29-aug-2017

CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HYPOCRISY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 August – Flee to Him by Confessing

Posted on August 28, 2019August 27, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 28 August – Wednesday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 23:27–32 and The Memorial of St Augustine of Hippo (354-430) – Doctor of Grace

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful but within they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” … Matthew 23:27 woe to you scribes and pharisees - whitewashed tombs - matthew 23 27 - 28 aug 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “You are before God. Question your heart, see what you have done and what you have been yearning for there—your salvation or the windy praise of men. Look within, for a person cannot judge one whom he cannot see. If we are assuring our heart, let us assure it in His presence.
“Because if our heart thinks badly”—that is, if it accuses us within, because we aren’t acting with the spirit with which we should be acting —“God is greater than our heart, and he knows all things” (v.20).
You hide your heart from man – hide it from God if you can. How will you hide it from Him to whom it was said by a certain sinner in fear and confession: “Where shall 1 go from your spirit, and where shed! I flee from your face?”… For where does God not exist? “If,” he said, “I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to hell, you are present” (Ps 139[138]:7-8). Where will you go? Where will you flee? Do you want to hear some advice? If you want to flee from Him, flee to Him. Flee to Him by Confessing, not from Him by hiding, for you cannot hide but you can Confess. Tell Him. “You are my refuge” (Ps 32[31]:7) and let there be nursed in you the love that alone leads to life.”…St Augustine (354-430) – Doctor of Grace

PRAYER – Renew in Your Church, we pray , O Lord, the spirit with which You endowed Your Bishop Saint Augustine, that, filled with the same spirit, we may thirst for You, the sole fount of true wisdom and seek You, the author of heavenly love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. St Augustine, pray for us! Amen st augustine pray for us 28 aug 2019.jpg

FATHERS of the Church, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on GRANDPARENTS, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 27 August – St Caesarius of Arles (470-542)

Posted on August 27, 2019October 28, 2023 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 27 August – The Memorial of St Caesarius of Arles (470-542) Father of the Church

“What sort of people are we?
When God gives, we want to receive,
when He asks, we refuse to give?
When a poor man is hungry,
Christ is in need, as He said Himself:
“I was hungry and you gave me no food” (v. 42).
Take care not to despise the hardship of the poor,
if you would hope, without fear,
to have your sins forgiven…
What He receives on earth,
He returns in heaven!”

” For true charity, beloved brethren,
is the soul of the whole of Scripture,
the strength of prophecy,
the structure of knowledge,
the fruit of faith,
the wealth of the poor,
the life of the dying.
So keep it faithfully,
cherish it with all your heart
and all the strength of your soul.”

“I put you this question, dearly beloved –
what is it you want,
what is it you are looking for,
when you come to church?
What indeed if not mercy?
Show mercy on earth and you will receive mercy in heaven.
A poor man is begging from you
and you are begging from God,
he asks for a scrap, you ask for eternal life…
And so when you come to church
give whatever alms you can to the poor
in accordance with your means.”

“So hold fast to the sweet and salutary bond of love,
without which,
the rich are poor
and with which the poor are rich.
What do the rich possess if not charity? (…)
And since “God is love,” (1 Jn 4:8) as John the evangelist says,
what can the poor lack,
if they merit to possess God by means of charity? (…)
So love, dearest brethren
and hold fast to charity
without which no-one
will ever see God.”

Saint Caesarius of Arles (470-543)

CONFESSION/PENANCE, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 27 August – “..Let us each examine our conscience..”

Posted on August 27, 2019August 27, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 27 August – Tuesday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 23:23–26 and The Memorial of St Caesarius of Arles (470-542) Father of the Church

“You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean.”…Matthew 23:26 matthew 23 26 you blind pharisee first cleanse the inside of the cup - 27 aug 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “And so, dearly beloved brethren, let us each examine his conscience and when he sees that he has been wounded by some sin, let him first strive to cleanse his conscience by prayer, fasting, almsgiving and so dare to approach the Eucharist. If he recognises his guilt and is reluctant to approach the holy altar, he will be quickly pardoned by the Divine Mercy, “for whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt 23:12). If then, as I have said, a man conscious of his sins, humbly decides to stay away from the altar until he reforms his life, he will not be afraid of being completely excluded from the eternal banquet of heaven.
I ask you then, brethren, to pay careful attention. If no-one dares approach an influential man’s table in tattered, soiled garments, how much more should one refrain in reverence and humility from the banquet of the Eternal King, that is, from the altar of the Lord, if one is smitten with poisonous envy, or anger, or is full of rage and fury? For it is written, “Go first and be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift” (Mt 5:24). And again, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” And when he kept silent, that man said to the attendants, ‘bind his hands and feet and cast him forth into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” (Mt 22:12,13). The same sentence awaits the man who dares present himself at the wedding feast, that is at the Lord’s table, if he is guilty of drunkenness, or adultery, or retains hatred in his heart.” … St Caesarius of Arles (470-542) Bishop of Arles, Father of the Church i ask you then brethren to pay careful attention - st caesarius bishop and father 20 jan 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, renew Your Church with the Spirit of wisdom and love which You gave to St Caesarius. Lead us by that same Spirit, to seek You, the only fountain of true wisdom and the source of everlasting love. May we turn to You in sorrow and true repentance when we fail and strive always and everywhere to live in Your truth and Your love for all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, in union with the Spirit, one God, forever and ever. St Caesarius, pray for the Church and for us all, amen. st caesarius of arles pray for us 27 aug 2019.jpg

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One Minute Reflection – 26 August – ‘It is from the heart…..’

Posted on August 26, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 26 August – Monday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 23:13–22 and The Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa

“And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.” … Matthew 23:18

REFLECTION – “Consider this analogy. Think of the altar as the heart and the temple as the whole of Scripture. The temple of God’s glory, spiritually understood, is the divinely inspired Scripture. The gold refers to the meanings it conveys. To swear is to witness to the Scriptures, as a validation and confirmation of the word we speak. Therefore, we ought to profess the whole sense of Scripture, as a confirmation of the sense which we invoke, in all of our words.
…The temple, that is, the reading of the Scriptures, makes a great and venerable sense, just as consecrated gold is valuable. So we ought not to swear by our own intellects to confirm our beliefs, as if we were creating witnesses that could judge according to the truth. But let us explore further the analogy of the temple, the gold and the altar. The altar is the place where a vow is sanctified. The altar in this passage is the heart of a man. What happens in the heart happens deeply within a person. Vows and gifts placed on the altar are clearly those placed upon the human heart. When you begin to pray, you place the vow of your prayer upon your heart, as if you had placed something upon the altar, so that you might offer your prayer to God.
Suppose you are ready to place an offering of psalms upon your heart, so as to offer to God an offering of psalms, accompanying yourself with a harp. Or suppose you are ready to give alms. You make an offering of alms upon your heart, just as if you had placed something on the altar, as you would offer your alms to God . Suppose you have proposed to fast, in order to make an offering of your fasting upon your heart, as if you had placed something upon the altar.
In this way the heart of a man makes vows in a holy and venerable way. It is from the heart, that is, the altar, that the vow is offered to God. Therefore, it is not possible for the offering of a man to be more honourable than his heart, from which the offering is sent up.” … Origen (c 185-253) (Commentary on Matthew, 2) matthew 23 18 if one swears by the altar - it is from the altar that is from the heart - origen 26 aug 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord, be the beginning and the end of all that we do and say. Prompt our actions with Your grace and complete them with Your all-powerful help. Fill us with the grace of Your true love, that our hearts may be made of flesh and not of stone. May our hearts, minds and souls belong to You alone. May the guiding hand of the Mother of Your Son lead us, with unfailing tenderness, to You. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, ‘totus tuus’ Maria – please pray for us, amen.

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Thought for the Day – 25 August – May our Mother, take us to the path that leads to ‘Heaven’s Gate.’

Posted on August 25, 2019August 25, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 25 August – 21st Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 13:22–30

“Strive to enter in by the narrow door.”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father & Doctor strive-to-enter-luke-13-24-whoever-would-enter-st-cyril-of-alex-31-oct-2018

This reply may seem perhaps to wander from the scope of the question. The man wanted to learn whether there would be few who are saved but He explained to him the way whereby he might be saved himself. He said, “Strive to enter in by the narrow door.” What do we answer to this objection? … It was a necessary and valuable thing to know how a man may obtain salvation. He is purposely silent to the useless question. He proceeds to speak of what was essential, namely, of the knowledge necessary for the performance of those duties by which people can enter the narrow door.
I now consider it my duty to mention why the door to life is narrow. Whoever would enter must first, before everything else, possess an upright and uncorrupted faith and then a spotless morality, in which there is no possibility of blame, according to the measure of human righteousness. One who has attained to this in mind and spiritual strength will enter easily by the narrow door and run along the narrow way.
“Wide is the door and broad the way that brings down many to destruction.” What are we to understand by its broadness? It means an unrestrained tendency toward carnal lust and a shameful and pleasure-loving life. It is luxurious feasts, parties, banquets and unrestricted inclinations to everything that is condemned by the law and displeasing to God. A stubborn mind will not bow to the yoke of the law. This life is cursed and relaxed in all carelessness. Thrusting from it the divine law and completely unmindful of the sacred commandments, wealth, vices, scorn, pride and the empty imagination of earthly pride spring from it. Those who would enter in by the narrow door must withdraw from all these things, be with Christ and keep the festival with Him.”

(Commentary on Luke, Homily 9)

May we call upon our Mother Mary as Ianua Caeli, Heaven’s Gate, to guide us in our daily choices and take us to the path that leads to ‘Heaven’s Gate.’ Amen ianua caeli heaven's gate pray for us mary - 25 aug 2019

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Quote/s of the Day – 25 August – “The Narrow Door”

Posted on August 25, 2019August 24, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 25 August – 21st Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 13:22–30

“The Narrow Door”

“In the difficulties which are placed before me,
why should I not act like a donkey?
When one speaks ill of him – the donkey says nothing.
When he is mistreated – he says nothing.
When he is forgotten – he says nothing.
When no food is given him – he says nothing.
When he is made to advance – he says nothing.
When he is despised – he says nothing.
When he is overburdened – he says nothing.
The true servant of God must do likewise
and say with David:
“Before Thee I have become like a beast of burden.”

St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

“All, can enter eternal life but for everyone,
the door is narrow. They are not privileged.
The path to the eternal life is open to all
but it is narrow because it’s demanding,
asks for commitment, abnegation
and the mortification of selfishness.”

“To pass through the narrow gate, means
we must commit ourselves to being small,
that is humble of heart like Jesus,
like Mary, His and our mother.”

“True friendship with Jesus
is expressed in how one lives,
in the goodness of one’s heart,
in one’s humility, kindness and mercy,
in one’s love for justice and truth,
in one’s sincere commitment
to peace and reconciliation.
This, we might say, is the ‘identity card’
that qualifies us as true ‘friends,’
it is the ‘passport’
that will let us enter eternal life.”

Pope Benedict XVI

Angelus, 26 August 2007

“The whole of our life
must pass through the narrow door
which is Christ.”

Pope Francis

Angelus, 25 August 2013

ONE Minute REFLECTION, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 August – ‘Why is this door narrow…?

Posted on August 25, 2019August 24, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 25 August – 21st Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 13:22–30

“Strive to enter by the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” … Luke 13:24

REFLECTION – “But why is this door narrow, one might ask? Why does He say it is narrow? It is a narrow door not because it is oppressive but because it demands that we restrain and limit our pride and our fear, in order to open ourselves to Him with humble and trusting hearts, acknowledging that we are sinners and in need of His forgiveness. This is why it is narrow, to limit our pride, which swells us.” … Pope Francis – Angelus, 21 August 2016 luke 13 24 the narow door - but why is this door narrow - pope francis 25 aug 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord, by Your grace, we are made one in mind and heart. Give us a love for what You command and a longing for what You promise, so that, amid this world’s changes, our hearts may be set on the world of lasting joy. May the intercession of Your faithful servant, St Maria Micaela of the Blessed Sacrament, bring us strength and courage to persevere in our battles against pride. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. st maria micaela of the bl sacrament pray for us 25 aug 2019.jpg

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