Quote’s of the day – 24 August – The Feast of St Bartholomew, Apostle of Christ – Today’s Gospel: John 1:45–51
“Here is a true child
of Israel.
There is no guile
in him.”
Nathanael answered him,
“Rabbi, you are
the Son of God!
You are the
King of Israel!”
One Minute Reflection – 24 August – The Feast of St Bartholomew, Apostle of Christ – Today’s Gospel: John 1:45–51
Philip said to him, “Come and see.” … John 1:46
REFLECTION – “Nathanael’s reaction suggests another thought to us – in our relationship with Jesus we must not be satisfied with words alone. In his answer, Philip offers Nathanael a meaningful invitation: “Come and see!” (Jn 1: 46). Our knowledge of Jesus needs above all a first-hand experience – someone else’s testimony is, of course important, for normally the whole of our Christian life begins with the proclamation handed down to us by one or more witnesse, but afterwards, we, ourselves, have to become personally committed, in a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus.” … Pope Benedict XVI – General Audience, 4 November 2006
PRAYER – Almighty Lord and Father, strengthen in us that faith with which St Bartholomew gave himself wholeheartedly to Christ Your Son. Grant, at his intercession, that Your Church may become the Sacrament of salvation, for all the nations of the earth. We make our prayer through Jesus, our Lord and Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever, amen.
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One Minute Reflection – 23 August – Friday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Today’s Gospel: Matthew 23:34-40 and the Memorial of St Rose of Lima (1586-1617)
“You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart … You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” … Matthew 22:37,40
REFLECTION – “Thus, then, the obedient man,with the light of faith, in the truth burning in the furnace of charity … receives his end from Me, his Creator.”…St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – “God our Father, for love of You, St Rose of Lima left the world and gave herself to a life of penitence, austerity and charity. Help us by her prayers, so to follow the path of life on earth, in complete love of You and thus of Your children, that we may obtain the fullness of joy in Your presence in heaven and be clothed fit for the wedding feast. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
One Mi nute Reflection – 22 August – The Memorial of The Queenship of Mary, Holy Mother of God – Today’s Gospel: Luke 1:26–38
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be to me, according to your word.” And the angel departed from her...Luke 1:38
REFLECTION – “With the certainty of faith we know that Jesus Christ is king in the full, literal and absolute sense of the word; for He is true God and man. This does not, however, prevent Mary from sharing His royal prerogatives, though in a limited and analogous manner; for she was the Mother of Christ and Christ is God and she shared in the work of the divine Redeemer, in His struggles against enemies and in the triumph He won over them all. From this union with Christ the King she assuredly obtains so eminent a status that she stands high above all created things and upon this same union with Christ is based that royal privilege, enabling her to distribute the treasures of the kingdom of the divine Redeemer. And lastly, this same union with Christ is the fountain of the inexhaustible efficacy of her motherly intercession, in the presence of the Son and of the Father.
Without doubt, then, does our holy Virgin possess a dignity that far transcends all other creatures. In the eyes of her Son, she takes precedence over everyone else. In order to help us understand the pre-eminence that the Mother of God enjoy,s over all creation, it would help to remember that from the first moment of her conception, the holy Virgin was filled with such a plenitude of grace as to surpass the graces, enhancing all the saints. Recall what our predecessor Pius IX, of blessed memory, wrote in his Bull Ineflabilis Deus: “More than all the angels and all the saints has God ineffable freely endowed Mary with the fullness of the heavenly gifts that abound in the divine treasury and she, preserving herself ever immaculately clean, from the slightest taint of sin, attained a fullness of innocence and holiness, so great, as to be unthinkable apart from God Himself, a fullness that no one other than God will ever possess.”…Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958) – Excerpted from Ad Caeli Reginam
PRAYER – Almighty God, our Father, You have given us Mary, the Mother of Your Son, to be our Mother and our Queen. Grant that, supported by her prayers, we may come to the kingdom of heaven and to the glory destined for Your children. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 21 August – Tuesday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 20:1–16 and the Memorial of St Pope Pius X (1835-1914)
“So the last will be first and the first last.” … Matthew 20:16
REFLECTION – “You think that the fight for power in the Church is something of these days, eh? It started there, right beside Jesus”. Yet in the Church it should not be so, (Mt 20:25-26), Jesus explains the true meaning of power. “But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant.”
When someone is given a higher position – in the world’s eyes – we say, ‘ah, that person has been promoted to…. Yes, that’s a lovely phrase and we in the Church should use it, yes – this person was promoted to the cross, that person was promoted to humiliation. That is true promotion. It is what makes us more similar to Jesus. ” … Pope Francis – 21 May 2013 Santa Marta
PRAYER – Lord God, You filled the saints with strength and courage and gave them the knowledge of unity with You. Grant, we pray, that in imitation of St Pope Pius X, we may defend the Catholic faith and renew all things in Christ, Your Son. Help us Holy Father, to follow the example of St Pius and finally inherit eternal life ,with You and all the saints. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 21 August – Tuesday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 19:23–30 and the Memorial of St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) “Doctor of Light”
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and inherit eternal life...Matthew 19:29
REFLECTION – “Abraham became “the friend of God” (Jam 2,23) because he freely and generously followed the Word of God, his call. It was not due to any lack on His part that God’s Word gained Abraham’s friendship. He is perfect from the beginning; “Before Abraham was, I am” (Jn 5,58). But it was that He, who is good, might give Abraham eternal life… Likewise, in the beginning, it was not because He had any need of man that God formed Adam but that He might have someone on whom to bestow His blessings.
Still less was it because He needed our service that He commanded us to follow Him but to win salvation for us. For to follow our Saviour is to have a share in His salvation, just as following the light is to participate in the light. When we stand in the light it is not we who illumine the light and cause it to shine but we are illuminated and made shining by the light… God grants His blessings on those who serve Him because they are serving Him and on those who follow Him because they are following Him but He receives no blessing from them because He is perfect and without need.
If God asks for our service it is that He who is good and merciful might bestow His blessings on those who persevere in His service. Because, if God has no need of anything, yet we have need of communion with God. The glory of man is to persevere in the service of God. That is why our Lord said to His disciples: “You did not choose me, it was I who chose you” (Jn 15,16), thus indicating that… for having followed the Son of God they had been glorified by Him: “Father, I will that where I am they also may be, that they may see my glory” (Jn 17,24). … St Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-c.208) Bishop, theologian and Martyr – Against the heresies, IV, 14,1 ; SC 100
PRAYER – All-knowing God, let me be able to stand in Your presence with a good conscience. Help me to avoid anything that would sully my conscience and do all I can to remain united with You . You made St Bernard burn with zeal for Your house and gave him the grace to enkindle and enlighten others in Your Church. Grant that by his prayer, we may be filled with the same spirit and always live as children of the Light. Through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. 
One Minute Reflection – 19 August – Monday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Matthew 19:16–22 and The Memorial of St John Eudes Orat. (1601-1680) “Apostle of Two Hearts”
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven and come, follow me.” … Matthew 19:21
REFLECTION – “O Jesus! can anyone declare that he does not desire this great blessing, especially after he has passed through the chief difficulties? No, no-one can! We all say we desire it but there is need of more than that, for the Lord to possess entire dominion over the soul. It is not enough to say so, any more than it was enough for the young man when our Lord told him what he must do if he desired to be perfect…
Enter then, enter, my daughters, into your interior, pass beyond the thought of your own petty works, which are no more, nor even as much, as Christians are bound to perform, let it suffice, that you are God’s servants, do not pursue so much as to catch nothing. Think of the saints, who have entered the Divine Presence and you will see the difference between them and ourselves. Do not ask for what you do not deserve, nor should we ever think, however much we may have done for God, that we merit the reward of the saints, for we have offended Him. Oh, humility, humility! I know not why but I am always tempted to think, that persons who complain so much of aridity in prayer, must be a little wanting in this virtue… Let us try ourselves, my sisters, or let our Lord try us, He knows well how to do so, although we often pretend to misunderstand Him…
If we turn our backs on Him and go away sorrowfully, like the youth in the Gospel, when He tells us what to do to be perfect, what can God do? for He must proportion the reward to our love for Him. This love, my daughters, must not be the fabric of our imagination, we must prove it by our works. Yet do not suppose that our Lord has need of any works of ours, He only expects us to manifest our goodwill… if we continue in it… doubtless, by persevering in this poverty and detachment of soul, we shall obtain all for which we strive. But, mark this – it must be on one condition – that we `hold ourselves for unprofitable servants.’ (Lk 12:48) … St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of the Church – Interior Castle, Mansion 3, Chapter 1
PRAYER – Father of mercies and God of all consolation, You gave us the loving Heart of Your own beloved Son, because of the boundless love by which You have loved us, which no tongue can describe. May we render You a love that is perfect with hearts made one with His. Grant, we pray, that our hearts may be brought to perfect unity, each heart with the other and all hearts with the Heart of Jesus….and may the rightful yearnings of our hearts find fulfilment through Him, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. – Collect from Saint John Eudes’ Mass, Gaudeamus, 1668 St John Eudes, Pray for us! amen.
One Minute Reflection – 18 August – Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 12:49-53
“Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you but rather division.” … Luke 12:51
REFLECTION – “God has come into the world with a message of peace (cf Lk 2:14) and reconciliation (cf Rom 5:11). By resisting, through sin, the redeeming work of Christ, we become His opponents. Injustice and error lead to division and war. “Insofar as men are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so continue until the coming of Christ but, insofar, as they can vanquish sin by coming together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished and make these words come true – “They shall turn their swords into plough-shares and their spears into sickles. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Is 2,4).” … Vatican II – Gaudium et spes #78 – Constitution on the Church in the modern world
PRAYER – Father of might and power, every good and perfect gift comes to us from You. Implant in our hearts the love of Your name and Your creatures. Increase our zeal for Your service and Your peace. Nourish in us what good and tend it with watchful care. Grant that the prayers and caring love of the Blessed Virgin, our Mother, may help us to spread peace in our world. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 18 August – Saturday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 19:13–15 and the Memorial of St Clare of the Cross of Montefalco (c 1269-1308)
“Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”…Matthew 19:14
REFLECTION – “Begin and end the day with prayer. Go to God as a child turns to its mother. If words don’t come spontaneously to you then say, for example: “Come, Holy Spirit, guide me, protect me, enlighten my thoughts so I can pray.” Or even better, if you speak to the Virgin Mary, say – “Mary, Mother of Jesus, be a mother to me now and help me to pray.” … Saint Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)
PRAYER – God almighty Father, grant that we may be instruments of welcome and of that love with which Jesus, Your Son, embraces the littlest ones. May we be a society of love and of holy parenting of all children, especially those most in need. Holy Mother, teach us and guide us in prayer and love of God and neighbour. St Clare of the Cross, pray for us. We make our prayer through Christ, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 16 August – Friday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 19:3–12 and The Memorial of St Stephen of Hungary (c 975- 1038)
‘And the two shall become one flesh’ … Matthew 19:5
REFLECTION – “Lord our God,
look with kindness on N. and N.,
whom You have united in marriage,
and pour out Your blessings upon them,
may they be united in one love
as they progress together
towards one holiness of life.
May they rejoice to share in Your creative love
and bring up their children together.
May they live in justice and charity,
showing Your light to all who seek You.
May their household be ever open to the service of their brothers and sisters
and may they be always ready to answer to their needs.
May they be strengthened by the joys and sacrifices of their life together
and bear witness to the Gospel.
May they have a long life together, without misfortune or sickness
and may the work of both be blessed.
May they see their children grow up in peace
and enjoy the support of a happy family.
May they come at last, with all those who have gone before them,
to the dwelling where their love will last eternally.
N. and N. and all you who are present here,
may God the all-powerful bless you,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” … The Roman Missal – Ritual of Marriage : Solemn blessing
PRAYER – Almighty Father, let Your light so penetrate our hearts and minds, that walking by Your commandments, we may always follow You, our teacher and our guide. Grant that the prayers of St Stephen of Hungary may continue to defend us, as he did in the world. Through Jesus our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 15 August – Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, Gospel: Luke 1:39–56
My soul glorifies the Lord ... Luke 1:46
REFLECTION – “We heard the Song of Mary, the Magnificat – it is the song of hope, it is the song of the People of God walking through history. It is the song many saints, men and women, some famous and very many others unknown to us but known to God, mums, dads, catechists, missionaries, priests, sisters, young people, even children and grandparents – these have faced the struggle of life while carrying in their heart the hope of the little and the humble. Mary says, “My souls glorifies the Lord” – today, the Church too sings this in every part of the world.” … Pope Francis (Holy Mass on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 15 August 2013)
PRAYER – My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour!
For He has blessed me lavishly
and makes me ready to respond.
He shatters my little world
and lets me be poor before Him.
He takes from me all my plans
and gives me more than I can hope for or ask.
He gives me opportunities
and the ability to become free
and to burst through my boundaries.
He gives the strength to be doing,
to build on Him alone,
for He shows Himself
as the ever greater One in my life.
He has made known to me this!
It is in my being servant that it becomes possible.
For God’s kingdom to break through
here and now.
Amen.
A Magnificat
Translated from the German by Olga Warnke of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary
One Minute Reflection – 14 August – Wednesday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time Year C, Gospel: Matthew 18:15–20 and the Memorial of St Maximillian Kolbe OFM Conv (1894 -1941) “Martyr of Charity”
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” … Matthew 18:20
REFLECTION – “The Lord said: “If two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
These words prove that much is given not to the mere number but to the unanimity of those who pray. “If two of you agree on earth,” He says, putting unanimity and peaceful concord first, teaching us to agree firmly and loyally. But how can one man agree with another when he disagrees with the body of the Church itself, with the whole brotherhood?… The Lord’s words were spoken about His own Church and addressed to members of the Church. If they are agreed, if, as He commanded but two or three are gathered together and pray with one mind, then, although they are but two or three, they can obtain from the divine majesty what they ask.
“Where two or three are gathered, I (he said) am with them.” That means, of course, with the single-hearted and peaceable, with those who fear God and keep His command-ments. With these, though but two or three, He declared His presence, as He was present also with the Three Children in the fiery furnace and, because they continued single-hearted and of one mind, refreshed them with the breath of dew as the flames surrounded them (Dn 3,50); or as He was present with the two apostles in prison, because they were single-hearted and of one mind and Himself opened the prison gates (Acts 25,25)… So when Christ lays down with authority: “Where two or three are gathered, I am with them,” He is not separating men from the Church which He founded and created. But He rebukes the faithless for their discord and with His own voice commends peace to the faithful.” … Saint Cyprian of Carthage, (c 200- c 258) Bishop and Martyr, Father of the Church – On the Unity of the Church
PRAYER – My Lord and my God, You who are the fruit of Mary’s blessed womb and the most Divine Son of our Father, grant that we may always have recourse to You, through her who bore You and through Your Holy Church. Grant that she may help and comfort us me and lead us to You. Mary, Holy and loving Mother of God, pray for us all. Grant O Lord, that through the intercession of St Maximillian, we may entrust ourselves to You through Your and our blessed Mother, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 13 August – Tuesday of the Nineteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 and the Memorial of St John Berchmans SJ (1599-1621)
“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”…Matthew 18:3
REFLECTION – “God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realised, so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.”…St Thérèse de Lisieux (1873-1897) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – God, our Father, Your promised Your Kingdom to the little ones and the humble of heart. Let us ask St John Berchmans to give us some of his great attention to the little things in life being so important in the eyes of God. Lord God, grant us grace to walk confidently in the way of St John Berchmans, so that helped by his prayers, we may see Your eternal glory. Through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 12 August – Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 17:22–27 and the Memorial of Blessed Karl Marie Leisner (1915–1945) Priest, Martyr
“Does not your teacher pay the tax?” … Matthew 17:22
REFLECTION – “Since Christ reconciled the world to God, He Himself certainly did not need reconciliation. For what sin of His own was He to make propitiation, when He knew no sin? When the Jews were asking for the didrachma, which according to law was given for sin, He said to Peter: “Simon, from whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from others?” Peter answered: “From others.” Jesus said to him: “Then the sons are free. However, not to give offence to them, go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up and when you open its mouth, you will find a shekel, take that and give it to them for me and for yourself.”
He is pointing out that He is not obliged to propitiation for sins on His own behalf, because He is not a slave of sin but, as Son of God, free from all fault. For the Son sets free, it is the slave who is guilty. So He was free from all sin and gives no price of redemption for His own soul – the price of His blood was more than sufficient to redeem all the sins of the world. Justly then He sets others free, owing nothing for Himself.
Furthermore, not only does Christ owe no price of redemption for Himself or propitiation for sin but, if you take the case of anyone, it can be understood that no individuals owes propitiation for themselves, since Christ is the propitiation of all and Himself the redemption of all.” …Saint Ambrose (340-397) Father & Doctor – Commentary on Ps 48, 14-15 ; CSEL 64, 368-370 (trans. Breviary, Week 20, Saturday)
PRAYER – Almighty God and Father, 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. Grant, we pray that by the prayers of Blessed Karl Marie Leisner, we will be made always faithful. Through Him, with Him and in Him, in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Sunday Reflection – 11 August – The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”…John 6:34-35
“The soul’s bread is Christ, “the living bread that came down from heaven” (Jn 6:51) who gives food to His own, by faith here and by vision in the world to come. For Christ dwells in you by faith and faith in Christ, is Christ in your heart (Eph 3:17). The measure of your faith in Christ is the measure of your possession of Him.
… In this gift I have received, I possess Christ wholly and Christ wholly possesses me, just as the member belonging to the whole body likewise possesses the body in its entirety. And so this portion of faith you have received as your share, is like the morsel of bread in your mouth. But unless you often devoutly meditate over what you believe, unless you chew over it, so to speak, moving it about and turning it over with your teeth, that is to say with your spiritual senses, it will never enter your throat, in other words it won’t get as far as your understanding.
For indeed, how could you understand anything that you reflect over only rarely and carelessly, especially when it concerns something subtle and unseen?… So, by means of meditation, let “the Law of the Lord be ever on your lips” (Ex 13:9) so that a sound understanding may be brought to birth within you. Through a good understanding, spiritual food passes into your heart, so that you will not neglect what you have understood but will lovingly reflect over it.”
(Meditation 10 (SC 163, p. 181 rev.)
Guigo II is considered the first writer in the western tradition to consider stages of prayer as a ladder which leads to a closer mystic communion with God. The work was among the most popular of medieval spiritual works (in part because it commonly circulated under the name of the renowned Bernard of Clairvaux or even Augustine), with over one hundred manuscripts surviving. It was also translated into some vernacular languages, including into Middle English.
It is still a basic guide for those who wish to practice lectio divina.
Guigo II also wrote twelve Meditations, which were clearly less widely known as they survive in only a few manuscripts. From internal evidence, it appears they may have been written before the Scala Claustralium.
One Minute Reflection – 11 August – Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 12:32–48 and the Memorial of St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise steward, whom his master will set over his household….” … Luke 12:42
REFLECTION – “Wishing to emphasise the special office of the servants whom He has placed in charge of His people, the Lord says, ‘Who, do you think, is the faithful and wise steward whom the Lord sets over his household, to give to them their measure of wheat at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.” Who is that master, brethren? Without a doubt it is Christ, who says to His disciples: “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right for so I am” (Jn 13,13). What, too, is the master’s household? Doubtless it is the one which the Lord Himself ransomed… This sacred household is the holy, Catholic Church, which is spread through the whole earth with abundant fertility and glories in the fact that she has been redeemed by the precious blood of her Master. As He Himself says: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10,45). He is, too, the good shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep” (Jn 10,11)…
As to who the steward is, who ought to be faithful as well as wise, the Apostle Paul shows us, when, speaking of himself and his companions, he says: “This is how one should regard us, as the servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they should be found trustworthy” (1Cor 4,1-2). Now, lest anyone of us should think that it is only the apostles who have been made stewards… the blessed Apostle Paul shows us that the bishops also are stewards, when he says: “For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless” (Tt 1,7)…
We, therefore, who are the servants of the master of the household, we are the stewards of the Lord, we have received the measure of wheat to disburse to you.” … Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe (467-532) Bishop – Homily 1, on the Lord’s servants ; CCL 91A, 889 (trans. breviary Common of pastors)
PRAYER – Holy God, grant we pray, Your Holy Spirit of love and divine grace to grow ever more in faith. By our prayers and love for You and our neighbour, may we merit Your divine assistance. Lord Jesus, help us to dwell often on the manner in which we are following You. Let us strive each day to become more and more like You in all things and, to become beacons of Your Light, to all the world. St Clare of Assisi, you who were a light to all, pray for us, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 10 August – Feast of Saint Lawrence (Died 258), Deacon and Martyr, Gospel: John 12:24–26
“Whoever loves his life loses it and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life” … John 12:25
REFLECTION – “The Roman Church commends this day to us as the blessed Laurence’s day of triumph, on which he trod down the world as it roared and raged against him, spurned it as it coaxed and wheedled him and in each case, conquered the devil as he persecuted him. … The blessed Lawrence carried out the office of deacon in the Church of Rome. In that office he administered Christ’s sacred blood to the faithful and for Christ’s sake he shed his own blood. The blessed apostle John clearly expounded the mystery of the Lord’s Supper when he said: “Just as Christ laid down his life for us, so should we lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 Jn 3:16). Saint Lawrence understood this and acted accordingly. His self-sacrifice was similar in kind to that which he received at the altar. He loved Christ in his life and imitated Him in death.
Brethren, let us imitate Lawrence if we truly love Christ. We cannot show a better proof of our love than by imitating Him. “Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we might follow his footsteps” (1 Pt 2:21)… Indeed the garden of the Lord contains not only the roses of martyrdom but also the lilies of virginity, the ivy of marriage and the violets of widowhood. So no-one, my dear brethren, need despair of his vocation. Christ suffered for all… Therefore we must try to understand how the Christian ought to imitate Christ other than by shedding his blood or enduring martyrdom.
The apostle Paul says of our Lord Jesus Christ: “His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God.” What majesty was His! Paul adds: “He emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave and became as men are” (Phil 2,6f.). What humility He showed! Christ humbled Himsel,; the Christian has His example to imitate. “Christ became obedient” (v.8). Why then should a Christian be proud? It was after enduring this humility and defeating death that Christ ascended into heaven, let us follow Him.” … St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor of the Church (From a sermon delivered by St Augustine in about 400 AD on the occasion of the Feast of St Lawrence.)
PRAYER – Lord God, You inspired St Lawrence with so ardent a love that his life was renowned for the service of Your people and his death for the splendour of his martyrdom. Help us to love what he loved and to live as he showed us. St Lawrence, Martyr for Christ and His Church, pray for us. Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever amen.
One Minute Reflection – 10 August – Friday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Matthew 16:24–28 and the Memorial of St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (1891-1942) Martyr
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” ... Matthew 16:24
REFLECTION – “Two years before he gave his spirit back to heaven… Francis understood that just as he had imitated Christ in the actions of his life, so he should be conformed to him… in his Passion… He was in no way terrified but… by the Seraphic ardour of his desires, he was transformed into Him who chose to be crucified, because of “the excess of his love” (Eph 2:4). On a certain morning about the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, while Francis was praying on the mountainside, he saw a Seraph with six fiery and shining wings descend from the height of heaven. And when, in swift flight, the Seraph had reached a spot in the air near the man of God, there appeared between the wings, the figure of a man crucified, with His hands and feet extended in the form of a cross and fastened to a cross…
When Francis saw this, he was overwhelmed and his heart was flooded with a mixture of joy and sorrow. He rejoiced, because of the gracious way Christ looked upon him under the appearance of the Seraph but, the fact that he was fastened to a cross, “pierced his soul with a sword” of compassionate sorrow (Lk 2:35). He wondered exceedingly at the sight of so unfathomable a vision, realising that the weakness of Christ’s passion, was in no way compatible, with the immortality of the Seraph’s spiritual nature. Eventually, he understood by a revelation from the lord, that divine providence had shown him this vision so that, as Christ’s lover, he might learn in advance, that he was to be totally transformed into the likeness of Christ crucified, not by the martyrdom of his flesh but by the fire of his love consuming his soul.” … St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – “O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve You. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead but when I have arrived
where the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will open before me and I shall be met with peace. How wondrous are the marvels of Your love, we are amazed, we stammer and grow dumb, for word and spirit fail us. Amen” …St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
One Minute Reflection – 8 August – Thursday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 16:13–23 and The Memorial of St Dominic (1170-1221)
“Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of the netherworld, shall not prevail against it” … Matthew 16:18
REFLECTION – “This was the perplexity of believers in the old time, as we read in the Psalms and Prophets, viz. that the wicked should prosper, while God’s servants seemed to fail and so, in Gospel times. Not that the Church has not this peculiar prerogative with it, which no other religious body has, that as it began with Christ’s first coming, so it will never fail till He comes again.
Nevertheless, for a time, in the course of single generations, nay, I may say, in every age and at all times, it seems to be failing and its enemies to be prevailing. It is the peculiarity of the warfare between the Church and the world, that the world seems ever gaining on the Church, yet the Church is really, ever gaining on the world… Kingdoms rise and fall, nations expand and contract, dynasties begin and end, princes are born and die, confederacies are made and unmade and parties and companies and crafts and guilds and establishments and philosophies and sects and heresies. They have their day but the Church is eternal, yet in their day they seem of much account…
Much there is to try our faith at this moment, who cannot see the future and, therefore, cannot see the short duration of what shows proudly and successfully now. We at this day, see a number of philosophies, sects and parties, thriving and extending and the Church seems poor and helpless… Let us pray God to teach us – we need His teaching, we are very blind. The Apostles on one occasion said to Christ, when His words tried them, “Increase our faith” (Lk 17:5). Let us come to Him honestly, we cannot help ourselves, we do not know ourselves, we need His grace. Whatever perplexity the world gives us… let us come to Him with pure and sincere minds, imploring Him to reveal to us what we know not, to incline our hearts when they are stubborn and to make us love and obey Him honestly while we seek.” … Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
Cardinal, Founder of the Oratory in England, Theologian – Sermons on Subjects of the Day, no.6, “ Faith and Experience ”
PRAYER – Lord God, may holy Mother Church be our guide at all times. May we never stray from the teachings of the Bride of Your divine Son and may she remain always in Your care. May the prayers of Saint Dominic assist us in our day and may his zeal be our inspiration to always fight the good fight. Through Christ our Lord and Saviour, with You and the Holy Spirit, one God for always and forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 7 August – Wednesday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 15:21–28 and The Memorial of St Albert of Trapani O.Carm. (c 1240-1307)
Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. … Matthew 15:28
REFLECTION – “O Loving-kindness, Loving-kindness! do not desert me, an anxious woman. Do not avert Your face from my sobs and cries. May Your charity compel You to hear me patiently. Ah, open your bosom, here I may repose a little and pour out my spirit in Your presence. I am certain that, because of Your goodness and the loving-kindness that is part of Your nature, You do not spurn a desolate woman or disdain an afflicted one. Oh how suitable Your conduct is to those in misery . Oh how agreeable already are the scents of Your perfumes to those almost fainting away.
You raise the stricken, You deliver the shackled (Ps 145[146]:7). You disdain no-one in tribulation, You look upon the needs of all maternally and mercifully. You counsel those in despair with loving-kindness. To everyone’s indigence You bring help most clemently. Ah, now bend Your ear to me, an indigent woman, that I may hold rare discourses with You for the sake of my soul and may receive dear counsel from You.” … Saint Gertrude of Helfta (1256-1301) Benedictine nun Exercises VII, SC 127
PRAYER – Lord God, You gave St Albert of Trapani, to the Church in his day, as lessons in total love, charity and zeal. We pray that he may help us in our times, by his merits, inspiration and prayers. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 5 August – Monday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of the Dedication of Mary Major
Rejoice, O highly favoured daughter!
The Lord is with thee.
“The salvation of the whole world
began with the “Hail Mary.”
Hence, the salvation of each person
is also attached to this prayer.”
One Minute Reflection – 5 August – Monday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 14:13-21 and the Memorial of the Dedication of Mary Major
“Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed,, and broke and gave the loaves” … Matthew 14:19
REFLECTION – “Jesus loves us so much and wants to be close to us and looks after those who follow Him. The Lord meets the needs of mankind but wants to render each one of us, a concrete participant in His compassion.
Now let us pause on this, Jesus’ gesture of blessing: “taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke and gave the loaves” (v. 19). As you see, they are the same signs that Jesus performed at the Last Supper and they are also the same gestures, that each priest performs when he celebrates the Holy Eucharist. The Christian community is born and reborn continually from this Eucharistic communion. Living communion with Christ is, therefore, anything but being passive and detached from daily life, on the contrary, it includes us more and more in the relationship with the men and women of our time, in order to offer them the concrete sign of mercy and of the attention of Christ.
Jesus wants to reach everyone, in order to bring God’s love to all.” … Pope Francis (General Audience, 17 August 2016)
PRAYER – Forgive the sins of Your people Lord and since of ourselves, we are unable to do what pleases You, lead us on the way of salvation in Your divine Son who lives in us and gives us life. May the prayers of Mary, His Mother help us to constantly meditate on His eternal sustenance. He is our food, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 4 August – Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 12:13–21 and The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)
“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
“Someone who works frenziedly on Sundays, thinking he is going to earn more money or get more done, is making a mistake in his calculations! Can two or three dollars ever compensate for the harm he does himself by violating the law of God?
You imagine everything depends on your work but then an illness, an accident…! It takes so little: a storm, hail, frost…
Do not work for food that perishes but for that which dwells in eternal life. What will you gain by having worked on Sunday? You leave the land just as it is when you depart, you do not carry anything away.
Our first aim is to go to God, we are not on earth for anything but this!
My brethren, we should die on Sundays and come back to life again on Mondays.
Sunday belongs to God – it is His day, the Day of the Lord.
He made all the days of the week and could have kept them all.
He has given you six of them and has only held back the seventh for himself!”
“All our religion is but a false religion
and all our virtues are mere illusions
and we ourselves are only hypocrites in the sight of God,
if we have not that universal charity for everyone –
for the good and for the bad,
for the poor and for the rich
and for all those who do us harm,
as much as those who do us good.”
Sunday Reflection – 4 August – Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
“And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognised him… but he vanished from their sight.”…Luke 24:30-31
“Before Communion you hear about Jesus Christ and you know Him – you are told of His Cross, of His suffering; doubtless you are affected, are even touched with compassion.
But let these same truths be presented to you after Communion. Oh, how much more deeply your soul is moved! It cannot hear enough, it understands much more perfectly. Before Communion, you contemplate Jesus outside you, now you contemplate Him within you, with His own eyes!
It is the mystery of Emmaus re-enacted. When Jesus taught the two disciples along the way, explaining the Scriptures to them, their faith still wavered, though they felt inwardly some mysterious emotion. But participating in the Fraction of the bread, immediately their eyes were opened and their hearts were like to burst with joy.
The voice of Jesus had not sufficed to reveal His presence to them, they had to feel His Heart, had to be fed with the Bread of understanding!”
One Minute Reflection – 4 August – Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 12:13–21 and The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)
“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
REFLECTION – “What am I to do? I will pull down my barns and build larger ones.” Now why did that land bear so well, when it belonged to a man who would make no good use of its fertility? It was to show more clearly the forbearance of God, whose kindness extends even to such people as this. He “sends rain on both the just and the unjust, and makes the sun rise on the wicked and the good alike” (Mt 5:45)… These were God’s blessings towards this rich man – fruitful fields, a temperate climate, abundant sowing, oxen to do the work and everything needful to assure his prosperity. But what do we find in this man? A bitter disposition, hatred of other people, unwillingness to give. This is the return he made to his Benefactor.
He forgot that we all share the same nature, he felt no obligation to distribute his surplus to the needy, he paid no heed to those divine precepts: “Refuse n- one the good on which he has a claim” (Prv 3:27), “Let not kindness and fidelity leave you” (3:3), “Share your bread with the hungry” (Is 58:7). Every prophet, every wise man cried out to him these precepts, yet he turned a deaf ear. His barns were full to bursting point but still his miserly heart was not satisfied… Greed would not permit him to part with anything he possessed and yet, because he had so much, there was no place to store his latest harvest And so he was incapable of making a decision and could find no escape from his anxiety. “What am I to do?” he went on saying. Who would not pity a man so oppressed? His land yields him no profit but only sighs… he laments in the same way as the poor do. What am I to do? How can I find food and clothing?…
You who have wealth, recognise who has given you the gifts you have received. Consider yourself, who you are, what has been committed to your charge, from whom you have received it, why you have been preferred to most other people. You are the servant of the good God, a steward on behalf of your fellow servants… “What am I to do?” It would have been so easy to say – “I will feed the hungry, I will open my barns and call in all the poor… Let anyone who lacks bread come to me. You shall share, each according to need, in the good things God has given me, just as though you were drawing from a common well”. … St Basil the Great (329-379) Father and Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – O God, protector of those who hope in You, without Whom nothing has firm foundation, nothing is holy, bestow in abundance Your mercy upon us and grant that, with You as our ruler and guide, we may use the good things that pass, in such a way, as to hold fast even now to those that ever endure. Help us, by St John Vianney’s example and prayers, to win our brethren for Christ by our love and to share with them now and in eternal glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
One Minute Reflection – 3 August – Saturday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 14:1-12
And his disciples came and took the body and buried it and they went and told Jesus. ... Matthew 14:12
REFLECTION – “Before Pilate, Christ proclaims that he “has come into the world, to bear witness to the truth,” (Jn 18:37). The Christian is not to “be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord,” (2 Tim 1:8). In situations that require witness to the faith, the Christian must profess it without equivocation, after the example of St Paul before his judges. We must keep “a clear conscience toward God and toward men,” (Acts 24:16).
The duty of Christians to take part in the life of the Church impels them to act as witnesses of the Gospel and of the obligations that flow from it. This witness is a transmission of the faith in words and deeds. Witness is an act of justice that establishes the truth or makes it known: “All Christians by the example of their lives and the witness of their word, wherever they live, have an obligation to manifest the new man which they have put on in Baptism and to reveal the power of the Holy Spirit by whom they were strengthened at Confirmation” (Vatican II).
Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith – it means bearing witness even unto death. the martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is united by charity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude… The Church has painstakingly collected the records of those who persevered to the end in witnessing to their faith. These are the acts of the Martyrs. They form the archives of truth written in letters of blood…:
“I bless You for having judged me worthy from this day and this hour to be counted among Your martyrs…. You have kept Your promise, God of faithfulness and truth. For this reason and for everything, I praise You, I bless You, I glorify You through the eternal and heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son” (St. Polycarp) … CCC #2471-2474
PRAYER – Almighty God, teach us to bear witness to Christ, Your only-begotten Son, who died for our sins. May each moment of our lives radiate the truth of the Word, Christ our Lord. Through the intercession of our holy Mother, the Channel of all Graces, may our strength be such, that we would bear witness even unto death. We make our prayer, through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 3 August – Friday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 13:54–58 and The Memorial of St Eusebius of Vercelli (c 283-371)
Is not this the carpenter’s son?…And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.…Matthew 13:55,58
REFLECTION – “For if I do not understand the nature placed at my service, I discern Your goodness from the mere fact that it is there to serve me. I perceive that I do not even understand myself but I wonder at You all the more… You have given me intellect, life and human feeling, the source of so many joys, yet I do not begin to understand how I began to be…
So it is through failing to understand what surrounds me, that I grasp what You are and it is through perceiving what You are, that I come to adore You. That is why, in what concerns Your mysteries, my incomprehension, lessens not a bit my faith in Your omnipotence… Your eternal Son’s birth exceeds even the idea of eternity, it is prior to the times everlasting. Before any other thing that exists, He was Son proceeding from You, O God and Father. He is true God… You have never existed without Him… Before ever time was, You are the eternal Father of Your Sole Begotten One.”…St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – “So long as I enjoy that breath of life granted to me by You, Holy Father, Almighty God, I will proclaim You as God eternal but also as Father eternal. Never will I set myself up as judge of Your almighty power and mysteries, never will I set my limited understanding before the true appreciation of Your infinity, never will I claim You to have existed beforehand without Your Wisdom, Power and Word, God the Only-Begotten, my Lord Jesus Christ. For even though human language is weak and imperfect when it speaks of You, this will not inhibit my mind, to the point of reducing my faith to silence, for lack of words, able to express the mystery of Your being…” (St Hilary) Lord God, You hold out the light of Your Word to those who do not know You. Strengthen in our hearts the faith You have given us, so that no trials may quench the fire Your Spirit kindled within us . Grant that the prayers of St Eusebius of Vercelli, may assist us to grow in love of You. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 1 August – Thursday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 13:47–53 and the Memorial of St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
“Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” … Matthew 13:49-50
REFLECTION – “St Augustine and St Thomas define mortal sin to be a turning away from God – that is, the turning of one’s back upon God, leaving the Creator for the sake of the creature.
What punishment would that subject deserve who, while his king was giving him a command, contemptuously turned his back upon him to go and transgress his orders?
This is what the sinner does and this is punished in hell with the pain of loss,
that is, the loss of God, a punishment richly deserved by him who in this life turns his back upon his sovereign good.” … St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – Almighty God and Father, grant us this day the grace to live in Your light and follow your precepts. Desert us not in our temptations but grant us Your strength against the power of the evil one. May our deeds be ever true to Your commandments and our thoughts pleasing in Your sight. May the pattern and prayers of St Alphonsus be an inspiration on our way. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 31 July – Wednesday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 13:44-46 and The Memorial of St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field” … Matthew 13:44
REFLECTION – “Christ is the treasure store of all grace for He is “filled with grace and truth” (Jn 1:14) and angels and humans receive from His fullness. He possesses the very source of fullness and, when He opens His hand, He fills all rational creatures with blessings. But this treasure store of graces, is concealed beneath the veil of the sacrament of the altar. Is it not true that “the Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field”? (Mt 13:44). And is not the field, in this case, the sacrament of the body of Christ, gathered in the fields? In this field we possess a hidden treasure because all kinds of graces are hidden there. “The man who discovered it went away in his joy, sold all he possessed and bought it” (Mt 13:44). Someone who knows the wealth of this sacrament willingly renounces all other activity, to freely give himself to participation and devotion towards this sacrament. He knows he will gain possession of eternal life according to the words of the Lord: “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (Jn 6:55).
The treasure of all glory exists in Christ. All the glory, possessed by both angels and men, who are to be saved until the day of judgement, whether it be glory of body or glory of soul, is drawn from that store of treasure. For that store is He, the one whose treasures go to great depths and who set the incomprehensible limits of His glory. And so, He commands us to run to this treasure when He says: “Gather up treasure for yourselves in heaven” (Mt 6:20). This treasure is hidden beneath the veil of bread and wine that you might have the merit of faith.
So may the Lord be praised for His mercies since He represented His Body to us beforehand under the image of heavenly treasure!” … St Bonaventure (1221-1274) Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – Almighty God, grant that the example of Your saints may spur us on to perfection, so that we, who are celebrating the feast of St Ignatius, may follow him step-by-step in his way of life to reach You in heaven. Grant us the grace, by his intercession, to find our treasure in Your divine Son, through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for always and forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 30 July – Tuesday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 13:36–43 and the Memorial of St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” … Matthew 13:43
REFLECTION – Christians of the first centuries said, “The world was created for the sake of the Church” (Hermas). God created the world for the sake of communion with His divine life, a communion brought about by the “convocation” of men in Christ and this “convocation” (ecclesia) is the Church. The Church is the goal of all things and God permitted such painful upheavals as the angels’ fall and man’s sin only as occasions and means for displaying all the power of His arm and the whole measure of the love He wanted to give the world: “Just as God’s will is creation and is called “the world,” so His intention is the salvation of men and it is called “the Church” (St Clement of Alexandria).
The gathering together of the People of God, began, at the moment when sin destroyed the communion of men with God and that of men among themselves. the gathering together of the Church is, as it were, God’s reaction to the chaos provoked by sin. This re-unification is achieved secretly in the heart of all peoples: “In every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable” to God (Acts 10,35). The remote preparation for this gathering together of the People of God begins when He calls Abraham and promises that He will become the father of a great people (Gn 12,2). Its immediate preparation begins with Israel’s election as the People of God (Ex 19,5). By this election, Israel is to be the sign of the future gathering of all nations (Is 2,2)….
It was the Son’s task to accomplish the Father’s plan of salvation in the fullness of time. It’s accomplishment was the reason for His being sent… To fulfil the Father’s will, Christ ushered in the Kingdom of heaven on earth, the Church “is the Reign of Christ already present in mystery” (Vatican II, LG 3)… “The Church . . . will receive its perfection only in the glory of heaven,” (LG 48) at the time of Christ’s glorious return… Until that day, “the Church… longs for the full coming of the Kingdom… The Church and through her, the world, will not be perfected in glory without great trials. Only then will “all the just from the time of Adam, ‘from Abel, the just one, to the last of the elect,’ be gathered together in the universal Church in the Father’s presence” (LG 2). … CCC #760-769
“This week, let’s ask the Holy Spirit for the wisdom of time, the wisdom regarding the end, the wisdom of the resurrection, the wisdom of the eternal encounter with Jesus, that we are able to understand that this wisdom is in our faith. It will be a day of joyful encounter with Jesus. Let us pray that the Lord prepare us for this. Let each one of us end this week thinking about the end – “I will come to an end. I will not remain forever. How would I like to come to an end?”… Pope Francis (Santa Marta, 27 November 2018)
PRAYER – Almighty Father, send forth Your Spirit, that we may be created and Thou shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord, Amen. St Peter Chrysologus, pray for us! 
AnaStpaul 
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