Quote/s of the Day – 16 May – “Mary’s Month” – Sunday within the Octave of the Ascension or The Seventh Sunday of Easter, Readings: Acts 1:11, Psalm 47: 2-3, 6-7, 8-9 (6), Second Ephesians 4: 1-1, John 17:1-11
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours. All mine are yours and all yours are mine and I am glorified in them. … Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
John 17:9-11
“Our lives are all controlled by the Spirit now and are not confined to this physical world that is subject to corruption. The light of the Only-begotten has shone on us and we have been transformed into the Word, the source of all life.”
St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father and Doctor of the Incarnation
“If, as God, Jesus is the term of our seeking, as Man, He is the unique Exemplar, wherefrom we ought never to turn our gaze.”
One Minute Reflection – 5 May – Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter, Readings: First: Acts 15: 1-6; Psalm: Psalms 122: 1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5; Gospel: John 15: 1-8 and the Memorial of the Conversdion of St Augustine
“Remain in me as I remain in you ” … John 15:4
REFLECTION – “Whatever be the stage in which the soul is, its work, however, is never anything but a work of co-operation. The soul is not alone, God works in and with it, for He is ever the first Author of its progress.
Doubtless, at the outset, when the soul is yet encumbered with vices and evil habits, it must needs apply itself with virility and ardour to remove these obstacles, which are opposed to divine union. The co-operation that God requires of it, at this period, is particularly great and active and is revealed very clerly to the conscience. During this period, God grants sensible graces that uplift and encourage. But the soul experiences inward vicissitudes, it falls then rises up again; it labours, then rests; it takes breath again then goes forward on its way.
As far and in the measure as the soul advances and obstacles give way, the inner life becomes more homogeneous, more regular, more uniform; the action of God is felt to be more powerful because it is more free to act and because it meets with less resistance and more suppleness in the soul; then, we rapidly go forward in the path of perfection. … Our Lord has so clearly given us this fundamental doctrine: “I am the Vine, you are the branches; abide in me that you may bear fruit, for without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). …
To imagine, then, that Christ will take upon Himself all the work would be a dangerous illusion but, to believe that we could do anything, whatsoever without Him, would be no less perilous. We must be convinced too, that our works are only of value by reason of our union with Jesus. ” – Blessed Columba Marmion (1858-1923) Abbot – The “instruments of good works” (Christ, the Ideal of the Monk
PRAYER – Holy God and Father, help us to discern through prayer and meditation what You truly want of us. Then enable us to offer it to You and indeed, to offer ourselves and all we have and all we are, to You. When You bring us sufferings to mould us closer and make us more like You, help us to accept them and offer them back to You. Following Your divine Son, let us pick up those crosses in peace and love. Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our mother, pray for us! St Aaugustinet, pray for us. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 7 April – Easter Wednesday, Readings: First: Acts 3: 1-10, Psalm: Psalms 105: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9, Gospel: Luke 24: 13-35
“And they said one to the other: ‘Was not our hearts burning within us, whilst he spoke in this way and opened to us the scriptures?’” – Luke 24:32
REFLECTION – “What is the innermost reason of this fruitfulness of God’s Word? It is that Christ is ever living: He is ever the God who saves and quickens. … All proportion guarded, that which is true of the person of Jesus is true also of His Word and, what was true yesterday, is still true in our days. Christ lives in the soul of the just, under the infallible direction of this inner master, the soul … penetrates into the divine light, Christ gives it His Spirit, the first author of Holy Writ, that it may there “search into the very depths of the infinite” (cf. 1 Cor 2:10). It contemplates God’s marvels with respect to men; it measures, by faith, the divine proportions of the mystery of Jesus and this wonderful spectacle, whereof the splendours enlighten and illuminate it, touches, draws, enraptures, uplifts, transports and transforms the soul. It experiences in its turn, what the disciples of Emmaus felt when Christ Jesus Himself vouchsafed to interpret to them the sacred books: “Was not our heart burning within us whilst he spoke in the way and opened to us the Scriptures.”
What is there astonishing, then, in the fact, that the soul, charmed and won by this living Word, “which penetrates even to the marrow” (Heb 4:12) makes the prayer of these disciples its own – “Stay with us! O Thou the incomparable Master, indefectible Light, infallible Truth, the only true Life of our souls!” Forestalling these holy desires “the Holy Spirit Himself prays for us with unspeakable groanings” which constitute true prayer, these vehement desires to possess God, to live no longer save for the Father’s glory and for that of His Son Jesus. Love becomes great and burning by contact with God, takes possession of all the powers of the soul, renders it strong and generous, to do perfectly, all the Father’s will, to give itself up ,wholly to the divine good pleasure.” – Blessed Columba Marmion (1858-1923) Abbot – Monastic prayer (Christ, the Ideal of the Monk)
PRAYER – God our Father, you give us the joy of celebrating our Lord’s Resurrection. Let the word of the Word, our Resurrected Saviour, lead us to our eternal joy. May the intercession of all your Angels, Saints and the Blessed Mother of the Risen Christ, bring us safely home. Through Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, now and for all eternity, amen.
Epistle: Acts 3: 1-10 1 Now Peter and John went up into the temple at the ninth hour of prayer. 2 And a certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb, was carried: whom they laid every day at the gate of the temple, which is called Beautiful, that he might ask alms of them that went into the temple. 3 He, when he had seen Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked to receive an alms. 4 But Peter with John fastening his eyes upon him, said: Look upon us. 5 But he looked earnestly upon them, hoping that he should receive something of them. 6 But Peter said: Silver and gold I have none; but what I have, I give thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise, and walk. 7 And taking him by the right hand, he lifted him up, and forthwith his feet and soles received strength. 8 And he leaping up, stood, and walked, and went in with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 And they knew him, that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened to him.
Gospel: Luke 24: 13-35 13 And behold, two of them went, the same day, to a town which was sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, named Emmaus. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that while they talked and reasoned with themselves, Jesus himself also drawing near, went with them. 16 But their eyes were held, that they should not know him. 17 And he said to them: What are these discourses that you hold one with another as you walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleophas, answering, said to him: Art thou only a stranger to Jerusalem, and hast not known the things that have been done there in these days? 19 To whom he said: What things? And they said: Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in work and word before God and all the people; 20 And how our chief priests and princes delivered him to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we hoped, that it was he that should have redeemed Israel: and now besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea and certain women also of our company affrighted us, who before it was light, were at the sepulchre, 23 And not finding his body, came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, who say that he is alive. 24 And some of our people went to the sepulchre, and found it so as the women had said, but him they found not. 25 Then he said to them: O foolish, and slow of heart to believe in all things which the prophets have spoken. 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures, the things that were concerning him. 28 And they drew nigh to the town, whither they were going and he made as though he would go farther. 29 But they constrained him; saying: Stay with us because it is towards evening, and the day is now far spent. And he went in with them. 30 And it came to pass, whilst he was at table with them, he took bread, and blessed, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him: and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to the other: Was not our heart burning within us, whilst he spoke in this way, and opened to us the scriptures? 33 And rising up, the same hour, they went back to Jerusalem: and they found the eleven gathered together, and those that were staying with them, 34 Saying: The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35 And they told what things were done in the way; and how they knew him in the breaking of the bread.
“…For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled but he who humbles himself, will be exalted” – Luke 18:14
REFLECTION – “You know what our divine Saviour, who is very truth and goodness, said to His disciples: “Unless your justice abound more than that (…) of the Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20). These words are truly those of Christ. He who would not condemn the woman taken in adultery; who vouchsafed to speak to the Samaritan woman and reveal heavenly mysteries to her in spite of her guilty life; He who consented to eat with the publicans, socially disqualified as sinners; who allowed Magdalen to wash His feet and wipe them with the hairs if her head; He who was so “meek and humble of heart” (Mt 11:29), publicly hurled anathemas at the Pharisees: “Woe to you (…) hypocrites, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 23:13). (…)
Call to mind the Pharisee whom Christ depicts going up to the Temple to pray. What is his prayer? “My God, I am a man altogether irreproachable; I fast, I give tithes (Lk 18:11-12); You cannot find me in fault on any point; You ought to be proud of me.” And in the literal sense, what he said was true – he did observe all these things.
However, what judgement does Jesus pass upon him? This man went out of the Temple without being justified, his heart empty of God’s grace. Why this condemnation? Because the unhappy man glorified himself, for his good actions and placed all his perfection, in merely outward observance, without troubling himself about the inward dispositions of his heart. Therefore, our Lord tells us: “Unless your justice is greater than that of the Pharisees, you will have no part in the Kingdom of heaven.” (…) It is in the heart that perfection lies; for love is the supreme law.” – Bl Columba Marmion (1858-1923) Abbot – The “instruments of good works” (Christ, the Ideal of the Monk)
PRAYER – We turn to You our God and Father and seek Your comfort and assurance. Jesus, our Lord, Your Son, taught us how to pray in humility and all we need to be and do, to reach You. Be patient good Father, as we grow by Your grace. May the prayers of the Mother of Christ, help us to attain our home Through Jesus our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.
Show forth Your power Lord and come. Come in Your great strength and save us.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” … Matthew 7:24-25
REFLECTION – “The just, (that is to say those who in baptism have put on the new man created in justice) live, insofar as they are just, by faith, by the light that the sacrament of illumination brings to them. The more they live by faith, the more they realise in themselves, the perfection of His divine adoption. Notice this expression carefully: ‘EX fide,’ the exact meaning of this is that faith ought to be the root of all our actions, of all our life. There are souls who live with faith (CUM fide). They have faith and one cannot deny that they practise it. But it is only on certain occasions … that they remember their faith to any purpose. … But when faith is living, strong, ardent, when we live by faith, that is to say, when in everything, we are actuated by the principles of faith, when faith is the root of all our actions, the inward principle of all our activity, then we become strong and steadfast, in spite of difficulties within and without, in spite of obscurities, contradictions and temptations. Why so? Because, by faith, we judge, we estimate all things as God sees and estimates them – we participate in the divine immutability and stability. Is not this what our Lord said? “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them” – that is to live by faith – “will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse.” For Jesus Christ immediately adds: “it had been set solidly on rock” (Mt 7:24-25).” … Bl Columba Marmion (1858-1923) Abbot – Our Faith, the Victory over the World (Christ, the Ideal of the Monk)
PRAYER – God our Father, You open the gates of the kingdom of heaven to those who are born again of water and the Holy Spirit. Increase the grace You have given, so that the people who have been purified from all sin, may not forfeit the promised blessing of Your love. Grant that we may ever keep Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, before our eyes and do all in Him and through Him and for Him. And may the prayers of Your great missioner, St Francis Xavier, he who lived Your words, strengthen our faith.
One Minute Reflection- 14 October – Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 5:18-25, Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6, Luke 11:42-46 and the Memorial of St Fortunatus of Todi (Died 537) Bishop
“Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places.”…Luke 11:43
REFLECTION – “Forms of zeal, taking the appearance of good, are to be met with. There is, for example, the zeal of the Pharisee, strict observers of the outward law. This bitter zeal (…) has its source, not in the love of God and of our neighbour but in pride. Those who are tainted with it are filled with inordinate esteem for their own perfections; they do not conceive of any other ideal than their own; they want to bend everyone to their own way of seeing and doing; hence arise dissensions. This zeal tends to hatred.
See with what acrimony the Pharisees, moved by this zeal, pursue the Lord Jesus, putting insidious questions to Him, setting snares to entrap Him, seeking not to know the truth but to find Christ in fault. See how they press Him, how they try to induce Him to condemn the woman taken in adultery: “Now Moses in the Law commanded us to stone such a one. But what sayest Thou?” (Jn 8:5). (…) See, too, how they reproach Him for healing on the Sabbath day (Lk 6:7); how they complain of the disciples for rubbing the ears of corn in their hands on the day of rest (Mt 12:2); how they are scandalized at seeing the Divine Master sit down at dinner with the sinners and publicans (Mt 9:2). These are so many manifestation of this bitter zeal into which hypocrisy so often enters.” – Blessed Columba Marmion OSB (1858-1923) Abbot – Good Zeal (Christ the Ideal of the Monk
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, grant that I may believe what I have learned, never presuming to know better than the teachings of Holy Mother Church and that I may put into practice what I believe. Let my commitment be like unto the Bishop, St Fortunatus of Todi, who lived Your Word with joy and great zeal for faith in Christ, Your Son, God with You and the Holy Spirit, amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 6 July – Monday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: Hosea 2:14-16, 19-20 (16-18, 21-22), Psalm 145:2-9, Matthew 9:18-26
‘… The measure of each one’s faith…’
“If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.”
Matthew 9:21-22
“I live, no longer I but Christ lives in me,”
Galasians 2:20
“Elizabeth says: ‘Blessed are you because you have believed.’ You also are blessed, because you have heard and believed. A soul that believes, both conceives and brings forth the Word of God and acknowledges His works.”
St Ambrose of Milan (340-397) Great Latin Father and Doctor of the Church
A Commentary on Luke, Book 2
“What determines that the gifts of God dwells in us, is the measure of each one’s faith. Because it is to the extent that we believe, that the enthusiasm to act is given us. And so those who act, reveal the measure of their faith proportionate to their action, they receive their measure of grace according to what they have believed. …”
St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662) Monk and Theologian
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, are my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, You are my portion, You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605)
“He is present to the eyes of the mind, making Himself seen by those who have a pure heart and conversing with them. So pursue your path …. Do not hinder the Lord’s narrow way with your dragging feet. Hitch up your garment and be ready for action, look up and don’t burden yourself with those oppressive loads which are your evil desires. For anyone who is accomplishing the journey from earth to heaven, it is enough to diligently pursue one’s path without assuming extra weight. … ”
St Theodore the Studite (759-826) Monk and Theologian at Constantinople
“Faith is like a bright ray of sunlight. It enables us to see God in all things, as well as, all things in God.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of Charity
“By faith we adhere to Christ and the edifice of our spiritual life becomes thereby firm and stable. Christ makes us share in the stability of the divine rock against which even hell’s fury cannot prevail (Mt 16:18).”
One Minute Reflection – 25 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Thursday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: 2 Kings 24:8-17, Psalm 79:1-5, 8-9, Matthew 7:21-29
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” … Matthew 7:24-25
REFLECTION – “The just, (that is to say those who in baptism have put on the new man created in justice) live, insofar as they are just, by faith, by the light that the sacrament of illumination brings to them. The more they live by faith, the more they realise in themselves, the perfection of His divine adoption. Notice this expression carefully: ‘EX fide,’ the exact meaning of this is that faith ought to be the root of all our actions, of all our life. There are souls who live with faith (CUM fide). They have faith and one cannot deny that they practise it. But it is only on certain occasions … that they remember their faith to any purpose. …
But when faith is living, strong, ardent, when we live by faith, that is to say, when in everything, we are actuated by the principles of faith, when faith is the root of all our actions, the inward principle of all our activity, then we become strong and steadfast, in spite of difficulties within and without, in spite of obscurities, contradictions and temptations. Why so? Because, by faith, we judge, we estimate all things as God sees and estimates them – we participate in the divine immutability and stability.
Is not this what our Lord said? “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them” – that is to live by faith – “will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse.” For Jesus Christ immediately adds: “it had been set solidly on rock” (Mt 7:24-25).” … Bl Columba Marmion (1858-1923) Abbot – Our Faith, the Victory over the World (Christ, the Ideal of the Monk
PRAYER – God our Father, You open the gates of the kingdom of heaven to those who are born again of water and the Holy Spirit. Increase the grace You have given, so that the people who have been purified from all sin, may not forfeit the promised blessing of Your love. Grant that we may ever keep Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, before our eyes and do all in Him and through Him and for Him and may the prayers of our Our Lady of Grace ever guide and bear us in her care. We make our pray through Christ, our Lord, in union with You and the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen
One Minute Reflection – 24 May – “Mary’s Month” – The Seventh Sunday of Easter, Readings: Acts 1:12-14, 1 Peter 4:13-16, Psalm 27(26):1.4.7-8a, John 17:1-11 and the Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians
“Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” … John 17:11
REFLECTION – “In this seeking after God, the principle of our holiness, we cannot find a better model than Christ Jesus Himself. But, you will at once say, how is this? Can Christ be our model? How could He “seek God” since He was God Himself? It is true that Jesus is God, true God come forth from God, Light arising from the uncreated Light, Son of the living God, equal to the Father (cf. Creed of the Mass). But, He is likewise man, He is authentically one of us through His human nature. … And we see Christ Jesus, like a giant, rejoice to run the way in the pursuit of the glory of His Father. This is His primal disposition.
Let us hear how, in the Gospel, He clearly tells us so: “I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me” (Jn 5:30). To the Jews, He proves that He comes from God, that His doctrine is divine, because He seeks the glory of Him that sent Him (cf. Jn 7:18). He seeks it to such a degree, that He has no solicitude for His own (cf. Jn 8:50). He has ever these words upon His lips: “My Father,” His whole life is but the magnificent echo of this cry: “Abba, Father!” All for Him is summed up in seeking the will and the glory of His Father. And what constancy in this search! He Himself declares to us that He never deviated from it: “I do always the things that please [my Father]” (cf. Jn 8:29). At the supreme hour of His last farewell, at the moment when about to deliver Himself up to death, He tells us, that all the mission He had received from His Father was accomplished (cf. Jn 17:4). …
If, as God, Jesus is the term of our seeking, as Man, He is the unique Exemplar, wherefrom we ought never to turn our gaze.” … Bl Columba Marmion (1858-1923) Abbot – To seek God (Christ, the Ideal of the Monk)
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, grant us to seek You and to to find You in Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.,, May our whole being become a copy of Your Son’s obedience and thus follow Him to You in our eternal heritage. We entreat Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and Help of Christians to offer her prayers to You to strengthen us in our trials. Through Christ, Our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen.
One Minute Reflection – 1 April – Wednesday of the Fifth week of Lent, Readings: Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95, Responsorial psalm Daniel 3:52-56, John 8:31-42 and the Memorial of St Lodovico Pavoni FMI (1784-1849)
“If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.”...John 8:31-32
REFLECTION – “By faith we adhere to Christ and the edifice of our spiritual life becomes thereby firm and stable. Christ makes us share in the stability of the divine rock against which even hell’s fury cannot prevail (Mt 16:18).
Thus divinely sustained, we are conquerors over the assaults and temptations of the world and of the devil, the prince of this world (1 Jn 5:4). The devil and the world, which the devil uses as an accomplice, offer violence to us or solicit us; by faith in the word of Jesus we come out victorious from these attacks. …Now, the devil is “the father of lies and the prince of darkness” (cf. Eph 6:12) while God is ” the Truth” and “in Him is no darkness” (cf. Jn 14:6; 1 Jn 1:5). If we always listen to God, we shall always be victorious. When our Lord, who is our model in all things, was tempted, He repulsed temptation by placing the authority of God’s Word in opposition to each solicitation of the Evil One. We ought to do the same and repulse hell’s attacks by faith in Jesus’ word. (…)
What is true of the devil is true of the world – it is by faith that we overcome it. When people have a living faith in Christ, they fear neither difficulties nor opposition, nor the world’s judgement,s because they know that Christ abides in us, by faith and because they rely on Him.” … Blessed Columba Marmion (1858-1923) Abbot – Our faith, the victory over the world (Christ, the Ideal of the Monk, rev.)
PRAYER – God of mercy, shed Your light on our hearts that are being purified by penance and in Your goodness, give us a favourable hearing. Teach us to work with You and for You and thus fill the world with Your Spirit. In Christ our Saviour, we become a new creation and Your adopted children, therefore, all things are renewed. May the prayers of St Lodovico Pavoni, who gave himself completely to You and Your little ones, assist us to do the same. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Sunday Reflection – 15 September – Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Hoc est enim Corpus meum
Blessed Columba Marmion OSB (1858-1923)
This is my body, this is my blood, take, eat and you shall have life – you have said it, Lord and that is sufficient. I believe it.
This bread that You give is Your own self, the Christ, the beloved Son of the Father, who became incarnate and was delivered up for me, who was born at Bethlehem and dwelled in Nazareth, who cured the sick and gave sight to the blind, who forgave Magdalen and the good thief, who, at the Last Supper let St John lay his head upon Your heart, You, who are the Way, the Truth and the Life, who died for love of me and ascended into heaven and now, at the right hand of the Father, reigns and intercedes unceasingly for us!
O Jesus, Eternal Truth, You declared that You are present upon the altar, really and substantially, with Your humanity and all the treasures of Your divinity – I believe it and because I believe it, I cast myself down and adore You.
Receive, as my God and my All, the homage of my adoration. I yield myself entirely to You, that You may be the Master of all my being and of all my activity, that I may live only on You, by You and in You.
You have the power, O Christ Jesus, of drawing me entirely to Yourself, so that I may be transformed into You!
Our Morning Offering – 1 September – Twenty second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
O Heavenly Father Prayer after Holy Communion By Blessed Abbot Columba Marmion OSB (1858-1923)
O heavenly Father,
I abide in Your Son Jesus
and He abides in me.
Your Son, proceeding from You,
receives the communication
of Your divine life in its fullness.
I have received Your Son with faith,
faith tells me at this moment,
I am with Him
and since I share in His life,
behold me in Him,
through Him,
with Him,
as the Son
in Whom
You are well-pleased!
Amen
Quote of the Day – 19 January 2019 – Saturday of the First week in Ordinary Time – Gospel: Mark 2:13–17
“For everything in the life of Jesus, the Incarnate Word, is full of signification. Christ, if I may thus express myself, is the great sacrament of the New Law… each of Our Lord’s mysteries ought to be for us, an object of contemplation. His mysteries ought also to be, as it were, sacraments producing within us, according to the measure of our faith and love, their own special grace. And this is true of each of the states of Jesus, of each of His actions. For if Christ is always the Son of God, if in all that He says and does He first of all glorifies His Father, neither does He ever separate us from the thought of Him. To each of His mysteries, He attaches a grace, which is to help us to reproduce within ourselves, His divine features, in order to make us like unto Him.”
One Minute Reflection – 10 October – Today’s Gospel: Luke 11:1–4
“Father, hallowed be thy name.”...Luke 11:2
REFLECTION – “Consideration of your faults is absolutely right. Faults coming from weakness and that are genuinely rejected do not prevent God from loving us. They stir up His compassion: “As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him… for he remembers that we are dust” (Ps 102[103]:13, 14b).
It was St Paul’s great devotion to stand before the heavenly Father with all his infirmities and, as he always saw himself to be a member of Jesus Christ, those infirmities were Christ’s: “I will rather boast most gladly in my weaknesses that the power of Christ may dwell with me” (2Cor 12:9). Strive to be filled with this spirit of childlike confidence towards God.
It seems to me that the more I am united intimately with our divine Lord, the more he draws me to His Father – and the more, too, He wants me to be filled with His filial spirit. This is the whole spirit of the New Law: “You have not received a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear but you have received a Spirit of adoption through which we cry out:HAbba! Father!” (Rom 8:15).”…Blessed Columba Marmion (1858-1923) Abbot – Union with God in Christ according to the Letters of direction of Dom Marmion
PRAYER – Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. And grant us Lord, our Father, that the prayers of St Daniel Combon, the Blessed Virgin Mary and all our holy saints, may help us in our needs. We make our prayer, through Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.
O Holy Father, Who Dwell in Heaven By Blessed Columba Marmion (1858-1923)
O Holy Father, who dwell in heaven,
we are Your children since You do will
to be called our Father.
May Your Name be hallowed, honoured, glorified!
May Your perfections be praised and exalted
more and more upon the earth!
May we manifest in ourselves, by our works,
the splendour of Your grace!
Extend, then, Your reign –
may Your kingdom ever increase,
this kingdom, which is also that of Your Son,
since You have made Him the head of it.
May Your Son be truly the King of our Souls
and may we testify to His Kingship over us,
by perfect accomplishment of Your Will.
May we, like Him, ever seek to adhere to You,
by fulfilling Your good pleasure,
Your eternal designs for us, so as to be like Jesus
in all things and through Him,
worthy children of Your Love!
Amen
AnaStpaul 
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